Page 60 of The Interdimensional Lord's Earthly Delight

Chapter 15

Light. So much light…

This time when he woke, he remembered everything. The life of the warlord, the crimes of the disgraced nobleman, the new chance.

With her.

He opened his eyes and stared up at the broken roof of the great hall. Hmm, there were moreholesthan he remembered…

Through the plasma-scorched breaches left by the invading mercs, the velvety night sky glinted withstars, and the chirps and whistles of jungle creatures played a muted melody, not of love lost, but of life, which was sometimes a battle, sometimes a win, but always an endless dance. The ribs of the hall arches glowed a soft gold with lantern light, and his soul filled with peace.

He was back, lying draped over the throne as he’d been in his…dream? Had the goddess-demons really…?

Slowly, helifted one hand over his chest, feeling for the beat. Ah yes… He was alive.

A scream brought him bolting upright, and he almost fell off the throne.

Lishelle was skittering on her backside down the dais steps, staring at him in wide-eyed shock. When he met her stare, she froze, her hand over her heart as if she was mirroring him.

“Tynan?” she whispered. “Oh God, you aren’t…”

“No, I’m not agod anymore,” he said, his voice rasping. “But I’m not dead either.”

“Your eyes…” She put her trembling fingertips over her lips. “They’re blue.”

He frowned. “My eyes were always blue.”

She shook her head, her curls bouncing. “They were black when I met you, and right up until you…”

“Died,” he finished for her.

Warily, she crept toward him. He ached to reach for her, but he didn’t want tofrighten her, not after abducting her twice and dying on her once.

“I fell asleep,” she said, “and I swear I saw you.”

“In the Lightlands.” He slipped off the throne to be closer to her, though he still kept his hands at his sides. All the offerings and tokens had been cleared away, leaving only the solar lanterns and a small pillow on the dais where Lishelle must’ve been sitting beside thethrone, and then sleeping, dreaming of him. He gave her a wry grin. “There, this castle is in one piece, and all my people are gathered still.”

“Heaven,” she murmured. “I saw heaven?” Her dark eyes widened, capturing the glow of the lanterns. “And those were angels?”

He grunted. “Demons, more like. They tried to tempt me to stay, to remain God of Beloveds.”

“But you didn’t.”

He gazed at herand finally could hold back no longer. “Not without you.” He stretched one hand toward her. “Lady Lishelle,youare my beloved, and no other.”

With a sweet cry, she scrambled toward him, throwing herself into his arms hard enough to rock him back against the throne. Her frantic fingers played over his bare chest.

“All healed,” she marveled. “Like the wounds never were.” Her gaze lifted to his.“Tynan, you were dead. I had my hands in your blood, and I felt it—no heartbeat. Nothing at all.”

When her voice cracked, he hauled her closer, closing his eyes at the wonder of having her in his embrace again. “I’m sorry I didn’t throw the blaster far enough.”

With a watery laugh, she slapped her palm against his chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t actually shoot Radek.”

“We can both practice,” hesaid.

She pulled away to scowl at him. “No. That’s never happening again.”

He looked down at her, uncertainty creeping in. “When you say never, you don’t mean…us?”