Page 37

Jaw working back and forth, Silas surprised us all by nodding. “You’ll stay within the perimeter. If anything happens, I’ll have your head, Sally.”

The threat didn’t seem to bother the shifter. Another surprise. Salvator motioned for the door, asking me to go ahead of him. I caught Silas’s silver-eyed gaze before leaving. The two phantoms stayed close by, but they didn’t speak as Salvator pointed to a bench positioned under a large tree.

It was a bit odd to watch the tall shifter wipe down a spot for me to sit.

He awkwardly waited for me to take my seat before taking his own, one he hadn’t bothered to wipe off.

He fidgeted next to me, his muscles contracting in agitation, refusing to look my way.

He just stared at the moon in the sky. It was an hour or two before dawn, so the sky had already started to lighten.

I opened my mouth to speak, thinking he was waiting for me to start, but he cleared his throat and started talking. “He’s his last earthly tie,” came his shocking utterance.

My brows knitted together, not sure what to make of the statement until it hit me. “You mean…Silas and Rilas?”

The shifter nodded, his silky hair swaying until he tucked it behind his ear.

Letting loose a breath, he finally glanced at me.

His jaw clenched before he reached out and touched my hand.

I stiffened when his fingers threaded between mine.

Confused, I stared at our interlocked hands before looking at him again.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he licked his lips, fathomless eyes dropping to my mouth.

I wasn’t sure what had come over him. Salvator had never touched me like this, and never first. It made me uncomfortable to think what he might say next.

“Bear Claw—”

“It has to be me, Nika,” the shifter whispered. “You need to take my soul.”

“I don’t—”

“It can’t be Silas. If you sever that bastard’s last earthly tie—”

It hit me what he was suggesting.

“He’ll become too powerful,” I interjected, the words burning my tongue as I said them.

I didn’t stop there. “But you’re wrong. I never intended to take anyone’s soul.

I don’t care what she said. I’m going to find another way.

I appreciate all of this. You’re a good friend to worry, but I’m going to figure out how to do it without—”

A growl rumbled in his throat, and his grip on my hand squeezed so hard I hissed. He eased up with an apologetic glance. “There’s no other way, woman. Don’t be stupid. You’ll take my soul and send that bastard back, and you won’t argue about it.”

Angry, I glowered at him. “And you’re all underestimating what I can do! I’ll find a way to do it without hurting anyone. I won’t let you—”

Suddenly, my face was in his hands and he was kissing me. Shock struck me so hard I couldn’t do anything but freeze. I went stone-still and every thought fled my head. Why was this shifter’s mouth so damn soft?

He kissed me neither seeking my permission nor demanding more than a simple touch.

I realized belatedly that I needed to push him off, but he withdrew before I had the chance to act.

And the next words he whispered were so full of agony and regret, every bit of venom I planned to spit at him died in my throat.

“I love you, you stupid girl.” His eyes were all wolf as he held my face in place.

“I’m asking that you let me do the one fucking thing I can to protect you.

Let me do this, Nika.” He gritted his teeth, but the hold on my face was still painfully gentle.

“I wasn’t a good man. I hadn’t been one for a very long time.

You’re the only reason I got my head out of my ass and saw what a terrible man I’d become.

You made me better just by knowing you, just by loving you, and I don’t expect anything.

I know where I stand. I know that you love Silas.

I’d have to be a blind-ass fucker not to see it, if I hadn’t already felt every fucking emotion you did for him while I was inside your head.

So I’m not asking you to love me back, but please don’t deny me this one thing.

I couldn’t save my wife and children, but I can save you. Please, Nika. Please let me.”

Tears burned several paths down my cheek as he released me. His heart went with him. Standing, he stared down at me. The tears came faster as Salvator pivoted and stomped his way toward the house, leaving me on the bench to cry.

What was I supposed to do when a stone-cold man who’d been given a second chance at life asked me to end it?

When he asked me to let him do what he couldn’t do for his family?

His words had shredded my heart to pieces.

I wasn’t sure I could stitch it back together again.

I couldn’t possibly say no when he put it like that, but I couldn’t say yes, either.

What was I supposed to do?

I dropped my head, hot tears falling one after another on my jean-clad thighs.

I couldn’t breathe. My chest was on fire, and everything hurt when I thought about what I was going to be forced to do.

I’d been so sure I’d already suffered the worst pain imaginable.

I thought losing my father would mean nothing else could hurt me the way losing him had, but I’d been wrong.

I was in agony.

Whispering voices carried across the air out of nowhere, and I lifted my head. The moon at his back, Silas stood in front of me. I hadn’t felt him at all.

“What’s wrong, love?” Silas dropped to his knees in front of me, taking my hands in his.

It was odd to see him in gloves and his full assassin attire without his mask. He hadn’t been wearing it when I left with Salvator. Why was he wearing it now? Had they decided to leave tonight? My thoughts swirled as the tears continued to fall down my cheeks.

“Did Salvator make you cry?” he asked when I didn’t speak. His silver hair gleamed as he cocked his head to the side. “Want me to haul his furry arse back out here so he and I can have words?”

Wait, had he just called him Salvator? He never called him by his given name. Only Sally when he wanted to taunt him.

“It’s not…I’m okay,” I lied, stealing back my hands and wiping my cheeks.

I couldn’t name the weird feeling in my gut. Something was off, but not in the same way it had been earlier. It wasn’t action alone. It was the feeling the mercenary gave off that didn’t feel right for some reason.

“We should go back and discuss how we’ll get to Rilas,” I told him, trying to get to my feet, but he grabbed me around the thighs and kept me pinned to the bench.

“Ah, yes. Very clever of him to use Bones to canvass a few of my favorite spots. I’d forgotten all about that bastard.”

I tried to move my mouth to ask what the fuck he was talking about, but it didn’t move on command.

Nothing in my body did. My eyes were the only thing that could.

I caught sight of a glowing gem hanging around his neck.

It wasn’t one I’d seen before. Silas made it a habit never to wear much in way of jewelry, but this had magic. It was enchanted.

The mercenary rose to his feet, lips lifted in a very un-Silas-like smirk. The eerie red I’d seen in my dream replaced the silver color of Silas’s irises.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Rilas.

“Time is short, love. This little enchanted item was worth the effort it took to find it. Even a powerful Fae like you can’t break its hold, I’m afraid.

It’ll keep you perfectly compliant while I get the necessary items to break the bond you share with my brother.

I imagine they’ll figure out you’ve been taken soon, but we’ll be long gone by then, little Soul Collector. ”

I couldn’t fight back as I was flung over his shoulder and the world around us morphed and moved, the woozy feeling of a travel stone hitting my stomach with relentless force. I silently hoped that Ryker and Tometi had seen it all. At least then they’d know.