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I hesitate before replying. “Perhaps,” I explain all I've learned of Danica, her mysterious lineage and energy. Adrian listens intently until I describe the white heated flames from her hands.

He bolts upright. “What color, you said?” I repeat the ethereal white glow. Adrian's eyes go wide. He grabs his hair, stunned into silence. I've never seen him so shocked.

“What is it?” I ask urgently.

Adrian shifts in his seat, still processing. “It sounds like...but no, they haven't been seen...” He trails off cryptically.

My patience wears thin. “Tell me!”

He laughs nervously. “The old myths tell of celestial beings with that same radiant power. But it's been centuries...”

My jaw drops in disbelief. I press Adrian for more facts about these legendary creatures. He explains they were said to wield purifying light energy and possess mystical abilities. But much has been lost to time.

Erik cannot contain his astonishment. “Incredible!”

Adrian's eyes turn grave. “The prophecy never hinted at something of this magnitude. For Danica to be a celestial is next to impossible.”

Impossible, perhaps, but it makes sense now, her radiant hands and extrasensory gifts. But this revelation leaves me reeling. Too many questions swirl, clouding my thoughts. I need to understand.

“What would that make her then?” I ask Adrian.

He hesitates, deep in thought. “The possibilities are endless—angels, deities, demigods. The only certainty is such a mating bond would be intensely powerful, elemental even.” His tone warns of volatile forces to be reckoned with.

My mind spins wildly. “How can I help her if I don't even know what she is?”

Adrian looks at me sharply. “You believe it your duty to guide her?” Before I respond, understanding dawns on his face. "She's your mate," he states.

Adrian seems as shocked as I first was by the inexplicable bond. “We haven't completed the ritual,” I confess, “but she is beyond doubt my destined one.”

Adrian regards me solemnly, his expression grave. "This mate bond you describe between yourself and Danica is unprecedented, Rhyland. Never before has our kind joined with one of celestial origins."

He begins pacing the study, hands clasped behind his back. "We know not the extent of Danica's gifts nor the ancient bloodline from whence they came. To bind yourself eternally to one so unique...it will have profound consequences." Adrian turns to face me. "There are forces in the universe beyond our comprehension. Your union may set events in motion over which you have no control." His stare bores into me intensely. "Danica's destiny, our future...everything may change because of your bond."

I rake my hand through my hair in agitation. "I know the risks, Adrian, but I cannot alter what fate has ordained between us."

"No," he agrees. "But you must be cautious, Rhyland. Danica's gifts are awakening and, with them, your shared destiny. But this path into the unknown will not be without peril." His expression softens slightly with concern. "Promise me you will protect the girl, even from herself, if necessary. The forces her powers summon may prove too formidable, too chaotic for any mortal to wield."

I meet his gaze unwaveringly. "You have my word. No harm will befall Danica while I still breathe. We will face whatever comes together."

His grave words resonate through me, striking a nerve. I understand his doubt, given my history of severing emotions. But this time feels different, primal—as if prewritten in the stars. However, Adrian is right to urge care with forces beyond our grasp. If Danica is genuinely a celestial being, then our union could change everything, for good or ill. The prophecy’s obscurity troubles me deeply.

Adrian places a hand on my shoulder, his gaze earnest. “There are murky depths ahead shrouded in shadow. But your fate is not yours alone to bear. Remember, you need not face the darkness without light to guide you.”

Adrian's sharp insights steel my nerves. His words hammer home that I'm not hauling this burden solo. With Danica as my fierce mate and her brilliance at my back, we'll light up the damn darkness and fuse our realms into one. But this takes playing it smart, keeping my ears open to Adrian's strategies. The road ahead is murky as hell, but there's a spark of hope inside, ready to ignite.

Danica

39

The pounding beats make the floor vibrate while drunken hoots and laughter create a cacophony of background noise. I mix whiskey sours and manhattans on autopilot, my thoughts circling back to Rhyland's sudden disappearing act. It's been days without any smoldering late-night visits or flirty text messages. It's highly unusual behavior from the guy who's made intensity and control his sexy calling cards.

I find myself checking my silent phone periodically, willing his name to flash across the screen. Just to hear that smooth voice dripping with innuendo would make my pulse race. But no way am I chasing him like some desperate chick, even if the radio silence is slowly driving me crazy.

The heavy oak door swings open, helter-skelter laughter cutting off instantly. An ominous hush falls across the bar. Patrons turn, necks craning to glimpse the arrival of Azrael Blackwood in the flesh. Clad in a sleek black suit, his tall, athletic frame prowls inside. Lip curled in lazy amusement; his ice-chip eyes sweep the crowd. My spine stiffens, goosebumps rising. Outwardly, he's an elegant vision of masculine power and privilege, but my intuition screams predator. This man means danger.

Azrael claims the vacant stool directly across from me, fixing me with a stare from those unnerving blue eyes. His gaze drags across my body slowly, making my skin crawl even as an involuntary blush stains my cheeks. Full lips curve, but the smile never reaches his watchful eyes.

"Whiskey. Your finest label."