Page 145 of Bonds of Starfall

Rhyden twisted one of his rings. "Silver," he finally settled on. "Silver is the only thing that can truly kill or harm a vampire. Why? Want to know how to kill me?"

She shook her head, fist notching under her chin to prop up her head. "Aren’t those silver?"

Rhyden’s eyes flashed, and he held out a hand. They were already so close, his side was nearly flush against hers—a compelling dichotomy compared to her left side, where Auren was quiet and warm, a constant, steady hum of patience andpower. Whereas Rhyden was on the edge, tempting her to follow.

Entranced, she reached for his beringed hand, her fingers drifting over the cool cut of the rings that adorned his every finger, stacked on top of each other. Some were plain, thick silver; others were inset with sparkling jewels. Rubies, most of all. It reminded her of the bracelet Cyrus had fitted her with, with the Ryuxia diamonds. She hadn’t taken it off since he’d clasped it around her wrist. It was tucked under her shirt sleeve now.

Rhyden inhaled sharply at her touch. She grew bolder, tracing over each ring.

"White gold." The vampire’s voice was strained. "I don’t keep silver anywhere around. Even being near it could cause a headache."

Her touch stilled on a ring on his fourth finger. She wondered if they’d worn wedding bands. Hadsheworn a wedding band that matched his? "The hairpin?" she questioned.

"White gold, too." He gritted his teeth and said with reluctance, "It was yours."

"Oh." Rin pulled her hands away from him, tucking them back under the neckline of Auren’s cloak. She didn’t know what to say to that—Rhyden had kept something of hers, from her prior life, and she’d used it to…

"If I’d known you would use it to fucking stab me, I’d have melted it with the rest." With that, Rhyden stood cautiously, keeping low to the ground as he made for where Auren had sat before he moved. He fiddled with the rings on his fingers and stared at the trees, refusing to look at her.

Rin stared off after him.

Auren gently touched her shoulder, bringing her back down from her unclimbable tower of what-ifs. "Vesperin, what happened between you to cause such vile words to spew from hislips? A Soulbond is the grandest gift one could ever receive. It pains me that he does not treat you as the jewel you are."

Her eyes traced the shape of the Star under his left eye, and she whispered, "I don’t know if what Rhyden says is true, but he thinks I hurt him." She shrugged a shoulder, and the cloak rustled. "He says I was the reason he was sentenced to Dark Star Hold—for five hundred years."

Auren’s breath caught. "Dark Star Hold? That is a wicked place. How could he think you had anything to do with that?" He spoke calmly, as if no matter what she’d say—even if she shared shewasthe reason—he wouldn’t blame her.

"He says we were married," Rin shared. Cyrus knew most of this already, and the incubus nodded at her words, letting her speak. "He says I framed him for something. I don’t remember, of course. I probably never will. I’ll die, and he’ll still hate me." Her voice dropped to the lowest of whispers.

Had Rhyden heard? Somehow, she both wanted him to and not, at the same time.

"Never say never, Hunter," Auren said, matching her soft tone. Everything about him was quiet and kind. He seemed a gentle Soul. Rin wondered what that might be like. To be gentle again. She felt like all the gentleness had been stolen from her in her youth.

"Never say never," she echoed, smiling wistfully.

"Want me to beat some sense into him, doll? I will for you," Cyrus spoke up. "I’m not good with my fists, but I could drown him just enough to make him regret that he didn’t drop to his knees and worship you in that motel." Water danced at his fingertips, swirling around her face in tiny cyclones, droplets wetting her lips.

Her smile turned a bit brighter, fuller. A little laugh escaped her, so out of place in the shadows. "I’ll let you know. Who knows, a little revenge could do us both good." It was risky, butshe pitched her voice higher, enough that the vampire would catch every word.

Rin’sbreaths were warm under Cyrus’s hand, as the incubus held his palm over her mouth to quiet her shocked curse.

Rhyden was back; he’d shoved himself in the small space between Rin’s side and the boulder, but the distance between them felt vacuous.

She watched with wide eyes, her lips parted behind Cyrus’s hand, as a rumble of trucks filled the night. Reinforced steel, with huge black tires, spikes jutting out from them.

Auren was still and deadly. His blue eyes met Rin’s, and he placed a hand on Cyrus’s arm, forcing it to lower from her mouth.

"What is this?" Rin furiously whispered, torn between staring at the three males around her and below—where armed people spilled out from the hangar doors, automatic rifles slung over their shoulders as they stood sentinel, welcoming the three trucks that had arrived.

The trucks’ headlights were white and bright, blurring the sights of the hangar. Even from this distance, she struggled to make much out.

"What are they doing?" Rin breathed.

"Quiet, wife," Rhyden warned lowly from her side. "Watch."

Her fingers gripped the edge of the rock as she peered below, and she forgot all about her cold and uncomfortable state.

The doors opened, revealing more armed guards. They were dressed in dark clothes, carrying no visible weapons, but something about the way they moved was unnatural. Nearly ten guards exited the vehicles, their postures straight as an arrow.