Page 94 of Gray

“Our blood was needed to seal the doorway,” I whispered, recalling the pain even all these years later. “It drained our mana too, which is our magical energy. With that gone, the seven of us were injured as if we were mortal, our healing ability taken along with our superhuman strength.”

“Why is your blood so special?”

“We’re the cursed sons,” I said, repeating the phrase I’d heard so many times. “Our sins came from our fathers’ blind loyalty to Lucifer, and I guess that holds some power over him.”

“But weren’t there eight of you?”

I nodded, my heart constricting. “Kallias died years before that night. It’s why we weren’t able to kill Lucifer, only lock him away. Our chain had a missing link, making us weaker against him. If Kal would’ve been with us, we could’ve stopped Lucifer for good.”

“Come here.” Mason pulled me onto his lap and kissed my hair. That’s when I realized I was shaking. “No more talking about the past.”

“Sleep soon,”Sloth said.

“Will you be okay if I take a quick nap? I need to recharge before we go home.”

“Take a nap,” Mason brushed the bangs from my eyes. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

I love you, I wanted to say.

Instead, I shut my eyes and tucked my head beneath his chin. Sleep welcomed me moments later.

Chapter Fourteen

Mason

The woeful melody of a violin filtered down the corridor as I exited the living room, where I’d placed Gray on his favorite cushion for his afternoon nap. The setting sun filled the mansion with both shadows and streams of golden light as I advanced down the hall.

The door to Alastair’s study was slightly ajar, enough for me to see him standing in front of the fireplace, a forlorn expression as he played the violin. A framed photo of a handsome red-haired man was set on the mantle.

“Leave him be,” a gruff voice said from behind me. I turned to see Galen, no shirt and wearing athletic pants, towel around his neck. “He’s still in mourning.”

I stepped away from the door. “Who’s the man in the photo?”

“A human named Joseph. Alastair was with him for decades. He died last summer.” Galen jerked his head for me to follow him, so I did. “It’s the price of immortality. We’ve all loved and lost. And human lives are short.”

“Simon’s human,” I said.

He understood my implication. “Yes, he’s human. He’s also my bonded mate. Our life forces are joined, meaning my immortality will prevent him from aging. He’s immune to all human diseases too. I made damn sure he wouldn’t be taken from me like that.”

“You saidbondedmate. What exactly does that mean?” Gray had marked me, but it wasn’t the same thing.

“Bonding requires an ancient ritual and witnesses, like a marriage.” Galen’s pace slowed as he moved down the hall. “Oaths are spoken, magic-infused wine is consumed, and then you join your bodies to complete the merging of your souls.”

This was the longest we had talked without him threatening to kill me. I wasn’t sure what to think about that.

“Why didn’t Alastair bond with Joseph?” I asked.

Galen turned to go down another hallway. In my time at the mansion, I had mapped the place out, memorizing what door led to where. He appeared to be heading toward either the pool or the gym.

“Because bonding makes us vulnerable,” he said. “Simon can’t age or be taken by illness, but he’s not indestructible. If he’s wounded, he can still die like a mortal. Stab wound, gunshot, falling and cracking open his skull.” His gray eyes moved to me. “If he dies, I die.”

“I thought you guys could only be killed by a celestial blade.”

“Usually, yes. But like I said, bonding makes us vulnerable. With our joined life forces, if our mate dies, we die with them. It’s how our brother Kallias died. He fell in love with a Spartan warrior, bonded with him, and when his mate was killed in battle, Kallias soon followed him to the afterlife even without a scratch on him. So as to why Alastair didn’t form that bond with Joseph? Simple. He placed duty above his heart.”

I thought of Gray sleeping on his cushion, of how his blond hair was wild just like his magnetic personality. I thought of his little giggle when I tickled him and how despite his hard life, he had a heart of gold. If binding my life force with his would weaken him, possibly kill him, I didn’t want it. Even if it meant I’d grow old without him.

“In here.” Galen pushed open the door to the gym and walked inside.