“Who is what?” Devon asks.
He was clearly lurking outside of the room waiting for me, or Lincoln. Probably me.
“Tiamat is dead in the Other World. It’s why Other Liv became Empress,” I now yell into Devon’s face.
Chapter 9
The Underworld, September 2014 – Xane
Xane looks down at his younger brother, still comatose on his bed. He grimaces at him, but he feels no guilt for what his mother did to him to glean the information from him. He picks up his brother’s left wrist and wants to yank his entire arm from his body when he sees the mark that has been transferred across to him. His mother informs him that this was not supposed to happen. It was supposed to just be a corruption of their bond to break it so that Remiel could swoop in and take his wife from him.
This, this, was not supposed to happen. He wonders if Xerxei can feel the shift? He wonders if she is feeling pulled towards Xander? He makes a noise of disgust and anger and drops his brother’s arm back to the bed.
“Any change?” Xanthe asks, coming into the room.
“No,” he growls. He really wants his brother to wake up so that he can kill him. “Wasn’t he supposed to be awake by now?”
“He should have been out for only a day or two,” Xanthe says, concern etched into her features. “I must have hurt him more than I thought.”
“You did what was necessary,” Xane replies coldly.
“At what cost?” Xanthe asks. She leans down to kiss her son’s head.
“The cost is nothing if Xerxei arrives back in the Underworld and wants to be with him,” Xane roars, losing control of his temper. “She is mine, he had no right to do this. No fucking right.”
“I know,” Xanthe says quietly. “But we will fix it. I need him awake and willing to perform the ritual.”
“He will never be willing,” Xane says, knowing that in his gut.
“He will see reason,” Xanthe insists.
Xane lets out frustrated noise. They have been having the same argument since he arrived back home.
“Tell me again Xerxei’s reaction to your news,” his mother says to distract him.
He knows it is only to take his mind off the mark and all that it entails, but he smiles at her anyway. “She would have been mine,” he says. “We talked about trying again.”
“Then you must,” Xanthe says. “A baby between you will solidify your commitment to each other.”
“It is impossible right now,” he admits, letting the dark cloud fall back over him. “She is already pregnant.” That is the first time he has told her that part. It is just too painful for him to think about.
Xanthe looks up at him, startled. “Whose?” she demands.
“You really do not want me to answer that,” Xane says wryly.
“Humph,” she says, crossing her arms. “The Vampire.”
Xane doesn’t even bother confirming it. It is obvious from his own disdain and anger.
“Has she made it official yet?” Xanthe asks quietly and he can hear the fear in her voice.
“No, thank fuck. She has been completely destroyed by the news that…” he says and catches himself with a curse. He cannot reveal that Aelfric is Delinda’s father, especially to his mother. She will go straight to Tiamat, and he knows what that will mean for Xerxei, and it makes him shudder. He will protect her for as long as he can.
“What?” Xanthe asks sharply.
“Our baby,” he whispers, hating to use it as a cover.
“Well, that’s understandable,” she says softly. “We will make this right.”