Page 139 of Wrapped in Their Arms

“Who’s there?”he demanded, scanning the room wildly.Hispulse roared in his ears.Butthere was no one.

No one he could see, anyway.Buthe could feel a presence surrounding him and it was definitely female.

“You know whoIam,”the voice said again, closer now, though still bodiless.

AndBrightdidknow.Hecouldn’t explain how—he simplyknew.

The air was suddenly warmer, softer.Hisskin prickled with golden heat and his heart began to pound for a different reason entirely.

“Goddess?” he whispered, breathless.“Whyhave you come to me?”

“To warn you,”she said, her voice a melodic blend of sorrow and power.“Thewoman you and your other half both love is in grave danger.”

His breath caught.

“Noelle?”he asked.“What’shappened?What?—?”

“You must go to her at once—both of you!”

“ButBurnwon’t talk to me!”he protested, panic rising in his throat like bile.“Hewon’t listen—he won’t answer!I’vetried everything!”

“I will see to that,”she said, her voice cool and certain.“Goto him—and then the both of you must get toEarth.”

“Earth?”Bright’sstomach dropped.“Noelle’sgone back toEarth?”he demanded, his heart thundering.“Why?What?—?”

But there was no answer.

The warmth in the room faded, the golden light gone as if it had never existed.Thedivine presence evaporated like mist in the morning sun, leaving only the whisper of her words echoing in his ears.

TheGoddesswas gone.

But the urgency she left behind crackled throughBright’snerves like lightning.Hishands trembled as he swung his legs off the bed, already reaching for theThink-me.

He didn’t knowhowtheGoddesswas going to get through toBurn—but if she said it would happen, he believed her.

And he believed something else, too—Noellewas in danger and they had to save her.Together.

Hold on,Noelle,he thought as he bolted from the room.We’recoming.

76

BURN

Burn sat slumped at his workstation, eyes fixed vacantly on the glowing screen in front of him.Theinteractive battle simulation he’d loaded an hour ago flickered uselessly, waiting for input.Hehadn’t touched the controls in ages.

He couldn’t.

The game—one he used to love, full of strategy and violence and structure—had become meaningless.Hecouldn’t focus.Couldn’tkeep his mind in the now.

Everything inside him ached.

I miss them.

The admission carved through his chest like a dull blade.He’dbeen trying to deny it for days, pretending he could survive this aching silence, this unbearable isolation.Pretendinghedeservedto suffer.Thatit was penance for his actions—for how he’d hurtNoelle… and for what he andBrighthad done with each other.

ButIstill love him.Stilllove her.Gods,Ilove them bothso much.

He clenched his jaw, trying to force the thoughts away.Butthe future stretched out before him like a barren wasteland—endless, gray, and cold.Alife withoutNoelle’slaughter…withoutBright’sridiculous grins and bright ideas.Withouttheir warmth.