I felt her insecurity, her fear, and her desire to help. I was surprised and relieved.
“That’s all?” she asked.
I nodded.
“That wasn’t bad.” She smiled and stood up. Resting her hand on Bryce’s shoulder, she said, “Your turn.”
He sat down next to me. I had to look up to gaze into his pale green eyes. I’d never really been this close to him, face to face. His eyelashes were so light that even from here, I could barely see them.
The first image that floated through his memory was me healing his hand. It was quickly replaced by me crushing it. Pain flared. Then I saw him swing his bat at Cody, driven by some unseen force. I flinched back, and my connection with him flickered. The last memory I saw must’ve been from a dream. In this one, I looked maniacal.
Bryce’s remorse and gratitude flowed through me. “Sorry.” He looked at his feet. “Not my best moments.”
“We’ve all done things we regret.” My voice sounded gravelly. I remembered sending Mavros back to the Abyss and killing Draconian, crushing Bryce’s hand and hiding the truth about myself from my parents. I thought of Jonathan, my little brother, who’d been my first victim. I could barely remember his life, but I would never forget his death.
He lowered his head further, and his hair hid his eyes from me. “Before—” he cleared his throat “—Cody’s a good guy. If I’d been myself, I wouldn’t have done that.”
Even though his voice was quiet, I figured Cody heard him. “We can’t change the past.” I patted Bryce on the shoulder. “You both seem to have good intentions now.”
Cassandra smiled, and Bryce went back to his chair. I took a bite of my potatoes while I decided how much to tell them. I wasn’t ready for them to know everything that I’d been through and everything that was going on.
After taking a drink, I nodded at the Nephilim. “They want to cage me.” I rubbed my hand over my eyes. “Though to be fair, they don’t see it that way.” I hooked my thumb at the dragons. “They’re trying to make sure that doesn’t happen. They got into it today, and for some reason, fewer are following me now.”
“They want to cage you?” Cassandra leaned closer.
“Wanna keep her in a sanctuary.” Cody’s face was stony, and I finally knew where he stood on me going with them. “Never let her out.”
Bryce looked at each of us. “But why?”
“Because this’ll never end.” I set my fork down and pushed my plate away. “Evil is drawn to me.”
Chapter 7
A Helpful Demon?
“I tried,” Mavros says. His eyes plead with me to believe him. “I wanted to tell you who summoned me when I came to you in the first dream, but even here I’m bound by the constraints put on me.”
“Why?” I swallow a sob. “Why are you trying to help me?”
He brushes the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs. His touch is gentle, tender. He no longer tries to control me. “Demons don’t have friends. We have enemies, competitors, and coconspirators. You were the first person to ever show me compassion, and I—” he rocks back on his heels “—I liked it. Okay?” His eyes turn flinty, and his voice hardens. “And, I hate the being that summoned me. Nobody should have that kind of control over someone else.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes from me.
He turns toward me with hatred in his eyes, and I sober. “I’m sorry, but for nearly forty-five days, you tried to control me. It’s a bit ironic.”
“When this is over—” he takes my hands in his “—I would trust you to summon me. You wouldn’t use me.”
I pull away from him and rub the back of my neck. This seems like the kind of thing the Nephilim are afraid of.
“I could give you my name, and you could put restrictions on me.” He smiles, and it’s an angel’s smile. “Don’t decide now.”
I kick at the ground, knocking a rock loose. “What happened to ‘We’re all evil. If you live through this, you’ll do well to remember that.’ Those words are burned in my memory. I thought I’d meant something to you then. Now, I don’t trust you.”
He lowered his head. “Trust no one, Dacia. When it comes to you, everyone has an agenda.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”
Mavros steps closer, cupping my face. “Remember the promises you made last time I was here.”
I nod at him.
“Dacia Wolf, I release you from your vows.”
My eyes popped open. I knew from past experience that Mavros could bind me in a dream. Could he also release me from my promises in one? Why would he? Could I trust that he had?
L
Sunlight streamed in between the crack in the curtains. I rolled over, hoping to ignore it, but it was too late. I was awake. I opened my eyes to see Cody propped up on his elbow, looking down at me.
He smiled and brushed his hand along my cheekbone. “Morning.”
“Morning.” I pulled myself against him, running my hands along his back.
“Heard Bryce.”
I closed my eyes, not wanting to have this conversation. “Yeah.”
“Need to forgive them.” He dragged his finger in a line from my forehead to my lips.
I kissed the tip of it and nodded. Relief loosened the knot that had formed in my stomach. “They couldn’t help it.”
“I know.”
I couldn’t force Cody to forgive them any more than he could make me change my feelings toward Damon. I was proud of him for trying, though. Forgiveness would help him heal, too.
His muscles tightened, and he rolled over, pulling me on top of him. “It’ll take time.”
I straddled him, running my hands along his body. His eyes were bright with excitement. He
