Damian's Immortal

"I know this already," she replied in a tight voice. "Jule, can the souls of those long dead still be freed, even if they're trapped in the ground?"

"How many has he killed?"

"Tens of thousands." Her voice caught.

Floored, he was quiet. She looked up at last, her eyes glimmering with tears.

"He said he had to kill them or they'd kill me. I didn't know until last night," she went on.

Jule rose and paced to the window. Dread settled into his stomach. Even when he'd been in the immortal realm, no one crossed a Watcher or Other. The number of beings capable of killing one was less than five, and the last thing they needed was an Original Being showing up to complicate matters.

Xander. He couldn't shake the sense it hadn't been a dream.

"I can feel them," she said in a whisper.

Hearing the heartbreak in her voice, Jule found his resolve to keep his distance melt. He crossed to the couch and sat beside her.

"They can be freed," he assured her. "I just need to know where they are, so I can free them."

Relief crossed her features. She raised her eyes to his, her breathing uneven. He felt her turmoil through their bond and ached to ease her pain. Her green eyes pierced him to the core, and a light flush spread across her skin. He could see himself becoming addicted to the energy flowing between them. It only seemed natural for them to sit next to each other, and what would feel more natural would probably scare her off.

Her eyes went to his lips. This time, she broke the space between them. She touched his jaw with cold fingertips, and the bond between them opened. Jule took her hands in his and rested them on his thigh.

"Careful," he whispered. "Whatever is between us is only getting stronger."

"You feel it, too."

"Yes."

"I feel safe with you, Jule, and it terrifies me. I keep telling myself it can't be real," she said, her voice barely audible.

"It's very real," he said.

"My father will kill us."

He understood her fear. If he crossed an Other, he knew exactly what the risk was. The woman before him was just discovering her power and was on the leash of a creature that knew neither compassion nor mercy. Jule hesitated only a moment longer before he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.