“I can’t get the damn stone off of her!” Sin screams, and I feel a pressure on my forehead.
“Rebecca, help us!” Desmond cries in agony.
“I read a book once…” My best friend’s voice is quiet, tentative, broken. Unease prickles my skin, and I suddenly have the distinct sense that I need to remember something, something important. But I know the memory will only bring me pain, and my body and mind seem intent on keeping it away from me.
“What?” Tate releases a slightly hysterical laugh.
“In the castle library,” she continues, monotone. “I got bored, so I decided to organize all of the books into alphabetical order.” Of course she did. She didn’t become the Goddess of Organization for no reason.
Actually…she sort of did.
With the return of my memories came the realization that none of us really have families. At least, not in the traditional sense. We’re not born or anything, so we don’t have parents. Instead, we just…arrive. Fully-grown and with knowledge that rivals that of the universe. Some of us, like Helio, arrived in the Realm of the Gods with their equal, which we refer to as siblings. Even Desmond has a brother out there—the God of Perception.
It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? That I have no real family. No one to mourn me when I’m gone.
I never had a normal childhood. I didn’t have a doting mom and dad. Younger siblings to torment and older siblings to torment me.
Except…
I did have that, didn’t I?
My mind drifts to Colton, Ray, and Henry. To my human father who never knew I existed, but who I still love dearly.
That small niggle in the back of my mind has become a large, charging bull against my subconscious. There’s something I need to remember…
Something involving my brothers…
“In the book I read,” Rebecca continues in that same, detached voice, “it said that there’s a way for gods and goddesses to carve out tiny pieces of their souls. So theoretically, it’s possible that you guys can offer pieces of yourself to her—”
“How do we do that?” Avery asks immediately.
“I don’t even know if it’ll work!”
“We’ll try anything,” Helio states gruffly, and I can feel his large hand brushing through my tangled black hair. His touch feels good, grounding. Surrounded by all of the people I love…
I could easily fall asleep.
“Stay with me, baby,” Sin whispers, licking my ear. “Just a little bit longer.”
Annoyance rushes through me. Why won’t they just let me sleep?
“I don’t know how,” Rebecca admits in that same, impassive voice.
Tate releases a threatening growl, but Avery interrupts before he can retort.
“Maybe we’re not able to do that, but what if I take pieces of all of our life forces and put them into Em?” Shaky hands trail down my arm before sliding back up, almost as if he needs to touch me. As if he needs the physical reassurance that I’m still there.
“That’s risky,” Rebecca says immediately.
“But do you think it could work?” Tate demands.
I know my best friend well enough to know what her silence means.
What the hell are my guys thinking? Obviously, whatever they have planned is immensely dangerous. Taking away parts of their life forces?!? I want to open my mouth and scream at them, demand them to stop being such insufferable pricks, but I’m unable to utter a single word. Instead, I continue floating languidly further and further away from them, the tides of the ocean pulling me with a gentleness that belies the urgency of the situation.
“Do it,” Helio growls.
I hear what sounds like a grunt of pain and then a large body thumping against the ground. Desmond releases a muffled curse before he, too, falls to the ground beside me.
Sin goes next, followed immediately by a cursing Tate.
“I really hope this fucking works,” Avery breathes. “I love you so fucking much, baby.” He plants his lips against mine, his simple kiss stroking a fire deep inside of me.
And…something else.
I can almost feel his touch inside of me, as if he’s physically caressing my internal organs. But that’s impossible, right?
I feel Avery’s steadfast loyalty, Desmond’s mirth and joy for life, Helio’s protective, unwavering presence, Sin’s eccentricity, and Tate’s hard, jagged edges. They all mingle inside of me, like live wires that zap at one another whenever they get too close.
And then there’s me, standing in the midst of them all, electricity racing through me. All of the cords that make up my men encircle me, twining my legs together, wrapping around my heart, cutting off my air supply, until I lose myself to the sensation. I can’t discern where they end and I begin.
I know I can embrace the water with open arms, allow it to propel me further and further away from my men, but I also know I now have a choice.
It’s quite simple to me—I’ll never willingly leave them. Ever
Biting my lip to keep from screaming, I allow their essences to curl around me and consume me in a flare of intense electricity and agonizing pain.
But I’ll burn for my men. Over and over again.
I’m coming back for you guys. Hang on.
And then, I’m aware of nothing.
CHAPTER 30
ARSIN
I stare at Emily’s sleeping face, lightly running the pad of my thumb across the swell of her parted lips. She’s so beautiful, even now, like a sliver of moonlight that ruptures the monotony of darkness at night.
In sleep, her features are serene, as if she’s finally found peace. I want to hold on to this moment and never let it go.
Because I almost fucking lost her.
My mind rages at the mere prospect of losing her. Of never being able to hold her in my arms, hear her twinkling laugh, see those sooty lashes of hers flutter when she smiles.
I feel something
