“Me!” Alex roared, every muscle in his body flexed as he collapsed in a pool of his own blood.
Hope
“IT IS HARD to live a life that is not truly yours… you have been living in the shadows… your memories suppressed far too long.” Timber’s eyes were cold. “The same happened to me until I felt you… and when you touched me.” He shivered as blue fire danced in his eyes. “You awakened my essence. And now, it’s time for me to return the favor.”
I was full on shaking by the time he was done talking.
Let’s do a recap. Alex was most likely dead because I wasn’t with him and he needed sex.
I cried blood now.
And I was in a demon’s house, guarded by folklore that I had once thought only existed in storybooks.
Oh yeah, and I was sad.
So sad.
I missed Alex.
I missed everyone else too.
But there was an empty place in my heart when I thought of him, and I had no idea why.
It was horrible.
I hated it.
Because what had he ever really done for me? Other than give me mind-blowing sex? Nothing. He’d done nothing.
And in the end, I had a sinking feeling that he never truly cared about me as a person — only what my body could offer him.
Satisfaction. That was what he needed.
My heart was in danger of beating for a man who would make me fall in love with him — only to hurt me in the end.
“Give me your hand,” Timber requested gently. He was still terrifying; his pitch black eyes seemed to look right through me, elongated fangs pricked his lower lip, his tan skin was smooth, almost too perfect while his whitish blond hair shimmered in the dim light.
Weird.
His hand was warm.
“Awake,” he said in English and then, “Xypinos.”
A tendril of blue smoke rose from our joined hands. It smelled like fresh dirt, and when the haze was directly in front of my eyes, Timber pressed his lips together and blew it in my face.
I sucked in a breath.
Memories washed over me, so many of them, ones I didn’t even know I had.
The first thing I thought? Holy crap, I’m old.
I smiled as my memory — one I didn’t even know was lost — returned, my parents, my real parents, raising me, loving me, protecting me.
Suddenly I was grown.
I felt… so happy.
“You’re stunning.” He kissed my neck. “Beautiful.”