Darkyn's Mate

"Silver lining," she said softly. "I helped Rhyn protect kids. I can help others. Darkyn is not an easy person to understand or live with, and I'm still not certain at all what to think of him at times. He's been fair and brutally honest, and he can't hurt me because of our blood bond. I kind of like him, even if he scares me."

"Kind of like him." Gabriel smiled. "Only someone as sweet as you would say that about the Dark One."

"Don't get me wrong. He's not normal. But it makes me think that maybe things happen for a reason."

"What reason is there behind falling for a woman and watching her get shipped off to live with the Dark One?" he asked bitterly.

"You did love me," she said, smiling.

"Yeah."

"I've got news for you, Death," she said in a lighter tone. "What you loved about me is present in your current mate. You just have to give it a chance."

"She sends you to Hell, and you go to bat for her."

"Not for her. For you," she replied. "I want you to be happy. I am out of the picture. I understand this. I also forgive both of you, Gabe. I can't say I want her to be happy yet, but I don't want her to be sad."

He laughed. "That's as spiteful as you get, isn't it?"

"Pretty much." Her face was warm. "I loved you, too, Gabriel. I think a part of me always will. You gave me the strength to take a step I wouldn't have otherwise. You made me want to live when I was ready to die. I'll always be grateful to you for that."

Tears made her vision blur again. As much as it hurt, she knew her place was with Darkyn. Accepting it was difficult - but necessary. Letting go of Gabriel was much harder than accepting her new mate. But neither of them were going to be able to move on, if they didn't both at least acknowledge that she was stuck in Hell - for good.

"You're welcome, I think," he said with a shake of his head. "My offer to hide you in the underworld is always open."

"I won't need it."

They sat in silence, both of them gazing at the ocean. She shivered in the chilly ocean breeze. She was cold but grateful to see the ocean. It always put her at peace. An instinct wriggled, one she didn't want to acknowledge or deal with. Darkyn was always right; the sense he gave her to gauge when someone around her had an ulterior motive was tingling. It made her angrier at her mate, who systematically shut the doors around her and also managed to interfere with her ability to trust anyone else.