Damian's Oracle

She'd never loved Darian and had used him to gain his title and power. Her betrayal struck him even harder.

"It doesn't matter, Claire," he whispered. "You killed my brother and two hundred sixty-three other Guardians."

She rose and dusted off her legs from where she'd knelt. Her eyes flashed with defiance, and she glowered at him.

"You've had tens of thousands of years to get rid of me. You can't tell me you never looked into my thoughts with your god-powers!" she snapped.

"I didn't," he said. "I promised Darian."

"Even when we were fucking?"

"Even when we were fucking," he said evenly. "I have honor, Claire."

"Tell me, Damian, does she fuck the way you like it? Can she do for you what I did?"

"Leave her out of this, Claire." His growl was inhuman, a warning she didn't heed.

"I was meant to be at your side, not some stupid human!"

"There's no chance of that now, is there? I don't even expect to let you live tonight."

As if finally realizing her game was called, she hesitated then said, "I'll tell you everything you want to know about Czerno."

"I want to know why you killed my brother." Damian managed to get the difficult words out through clenched teeth.

She appeared pensive and shrugged. "I don't remember anymore."

Fury lit his insides as he regarded her easy dismissal for one of the most painful events of his life. Worse-he saw in her mind that what she said was true. She didn't remember, and she didn't care.

"Damian," she purred, approaching him and resting her hands on his chest. "I'll tell you everything you don't know about Czerno in exchange for my life. I swear, I'll tell you all and disappear."

Her touch was like poison! He glared down at her, looking for some sign of the woman he'd thought she was.

"I don't give a fuck about Czerno, Claire. I loved Darian. I love Sofia. At one point, I think I loved you, too."

"We can-"

He pushed her away from him and drew a deep breath, withdrawing a pistol from the small of his back.

"You're a traitor." He spit the word. "You've killed so many, and I've been too afraid to see you for what you are. Tonight, you're nothing to me."

She stared at him, her surprise the first genuine emotion he'd seen. He gathered his power and sent it toward her, wrapping it around her tightly.

"Claire, your immortality is revoked."

"Damian, don't!" she shouted as the invisible hands lifted her and stripped her of her immortal gift. They dropped her to the floor. She scrambled up and stared at him, terrified.