Eternal Sin

“You need to find out.” Syn leaned across the table, his voice low and calculating. “We can’t have the old Cruen on our hands. Not until he’s in chains and under lock and key—and the heat of the midday sun.” He said the words with such fury and conviction, he knew in that moment that letting go of his need for vengeance wouldn’t be nearly as simple as a promise made to the veana he wanted.

“Problem is,” Adrian said, “he won’t allow me to come with him. Whatever it is that’s filling him with new strength comes from the water shifters there.” He paused, thoughtful. “I say we move now. I’m ready. You’re ready. Right?”

Bloody hell, he’d been ready for so long he couldn’t remember what it felt like to be unburdened. Synjon stared at the paven before him. Juliet’s brother wanted this, needed this. Shite, deserved this. It was decision time. If he could just make this happen without Petra finding out . . . But that wasn’t possible, and he knew it.

“Syn?”

Syn’s eyes rose, locked with Adrian’s.

“Tomorrow?” asked the paven. “At first dark?”

A flash of Juliet’s face moved across Syn’s mind, and he winced. Her death, her murder, had to be avenged.

He gave the male a quick nod. His deal with the devil had been made a long time ago, his seat in Hell kept warm by just the idea of being the one who rid the world of that sodding bastard Cruen. It was time to end this— end him—once and for all.

21

“I think I’m set on onesies until the balas is in college.” Under the cool, crisp light of the midday sun, Sara tossed Petra an overwhelmed expression. “How about you?”

Petra couldn’t help but laugh as they walked down the busy street toward Syn’s apartment. “Not sure about the onesies, but I have diapers to last until then. Or for a month, depending on how many times I have to change him or her per day.”

“How many times you have to change . . .” Sara narrowed her eyes, but said playfully, “Come on now. You know that’s the dad’s job, don’t you?”

“Diaper duty?” Petra asked.

“Dealing with all the shit.” Sara’s face broke out in a wide grin.

Petra laughed again and sidestepped a mom and her stroller. When Sara had called this morning, Petra hadn’t been all that sure if the veana’s suggestion to do a little baby shopping was a good idea or not. For one thing, Petra had all those baby things that Syn had gotten her, but for another—and maybe this was what concerned her the most—she hadn’t had any true interaction with her half sister since she’d found out the truth about their mutual parent. She had no idea what to expect. Would the veana be outwardly friendly, but unable to mask a cool distrust behind her eyes? Of course, that worry couldn’t have been further from the truth. Sara was welcoming and kind and funny, and cool in a good way. And damn if they didn’t have several things in common besides their bellies.

The morning had been a mass of sunshine, but now gray clouds were starting to move in and it felt like snow was on the way. As they walked, and as the air grew colder and the holiday lights and decorations winked at them in their merry way, Petra felt a deep sense of connection move through her. And yet she didn’t want there to be any confusion about other members of the family. Particularly Sara’s mother.

“I’m really glad you called,” Petra said as they came to Syn’s building.

Sara’s smile was brilliant. “Me too.”

“But I need you to know, I’m just sort of coming to terms with where I came from and how. Being the offspring of blackmail, and all that.”

The truth in her words, and no doubt the memory of learning that her mother, Celestine, had gone to Cruen, slept with Cruen, only to get her mate released from imprisonment and impending castration, made Sara’s face fall a little.

“Petra, you don’t have to explain any of this to me,” she said sadly.

“No, I want to. I want to have a relationship with you. I’m just not ready to call anyone else mom. Don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

Sara nodded. “I totally understand.”

“Okay, good.” Petra nodded too and smiled. “Thank you.”

“But maybe we can bring Gray along next time?” Sara’s eyes, so similar to Petra’s, widened with hope. “I know he’d love it.”

“More baby shopping?”

Sara laughed. “Totally. He’s about to be an uncle to two balas, after all. We’ll make him try out toys and hold our breast pumps and carry stuff.”

“You’re kind of evil,” Petra said with a slow grin. “I love it.”

Still laughing, Sara embraced her. It was a nice feeling. All her life, she’d had brothers—and she completely adored them—but this . . . this was something special, female . . . And she wanted it to last.

“Hey,” Petra said, “are you getting nervous?”

“You mean, for the birth?”

Petra nodded.

“A little.” She shifted her bags to her other hand. “But I have Alexander. He’s going to get me through it, deal with my cursing and my death grip on his hands during contractions.”

Petra laughed.

“And you have Syn. Right?”

Her laughter softened, then downgraded to a tight-lipped smile. “Yeah. I guess I do.”

Above them the sun had been overtaken completely, and the world was suddenly plunged into a cold shade of gunmetal. “What is it?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m happy . . .”

“But you’re worried something will screw up that happiness?”

“Pretty much.”

Snow started to fall as Sara dropped her packages and took Petra’s hand. “Listen, I know this didn’t happen right, and I heard all that you said about the past and the present and my mother, but I want you to know I care about you. I’m here for you if you ever want to talk, or bitch.” She grinned. “Or just hang out. I really want us to be friends, and maybe someday”—she shrugged—“sisters.”

“I’d like that too.” Petra gave her a quick hug, then eased back and smiled. “I’ll see you later?”

“You got it,” Sara said with a smile of her own. She picked up her bags, gave a wave, then headed down the street.

Petra entered the building and seconds after she hit the elevator button realized she’d forgotten to get a key from Synjon before she’d left. Thankfully the concierge remembered her, took one look at her belly and all the packages, and supplied her with one.

The ride up to the penthouse was quick, and after she battled her packages to the door, she entered the apartment with a thankful sigh. It was dark and quiet, and after dropping the bags in the living room, she went to look for Syn. But the rest of the place was just as dark, just as quiet. Strange—he hadn’t said anything about going out when she’d left this morning. And it was daytime.

Maybe he was downstairs at the gym, or maybe he knew about the tunnels below the city that Sara had told her about today, and was hanging out with the Roman brothers. He seemed to have a relationship with the very blond, sarcastic one, Lucian.

Gathering up her packages again, she headed into her room. She set them on the desk, glanced at the bed and thought about grabbing a nap. It was good for Syn to have some normal chill time with friends. She couldn’t imagine he did that often. She looked for her robe, the soft, black silk one she liked to sleep in when she wasn’t sleeping naked with Syn, but it wasn’t where she’d left it. Or thought she’d left it.