Deidre's Death

"Relax. Have more tea," Andre said and poured her more.

She took it, grateful for the warmth and sweetness.

"You made a deal with the past-Dark One," Andre prompted after a moment. "I need you to concentrate hard. I can see your memories are there, and I can see that they have been bound beyond your normal reach. I'll help you access them, but we must both focus."

Deidre nodded. She drew a deep breath and thought hard. It was strange to struggle against her own mind. She felt Andre in her head with her, and together, they pushed away the dark wall that stood between her and her memories.

"A private deal," she said. "Everyone knew Darkyn was beyond a threat. His predecessor, Zamon, knew he was about to be defeated. With the power of Hell behind him, Darkyn could raise an Army of Souls to wipe out the mortal realm. Zamon and a few others sought me out, offered me a private deal, one that would give me what I wanted and possibly stymie Darkyn."

"What was it you wanted?"

"Gabriel. I, uh, couldn't have him when I was Death," she murmured. "I waited tens of thousands of years for one of us to have the mating tattoo appear. It never did. Fucking Fate told me it was because I was destined for someone else. When Zamon came to me, I jumped at the opportunity."

Andre was quiet. Deidre sipped her tea, her head aching. She pushed at the black wall again, wanting to remember.

"Private deals are dangerous," she added. "I'm lucky Zamon and Darkyn both followed through."

"What did Zamon offer you?"

"A way to make Gabriel my mate and a way to prevent Darkyn from destroying everything. At least, that's what we hoped happened. I'm still not certain it'll work, but that chain of events is in motion."

"How?" Andre asked, gaze sharpening.

"I made a human into a deity's mate," she paused, thinking hard. "I created one by implanting part of my soul into hers. She was supposed to attract Gabriel, until I was brought back, and then she was to be turned over to Darkyn as his mate. This was Zamon's plan, to offer Darkyn something capable of distracting him, of shifting his focus. He's unstoppable otherwise," she explained. "We had to get Darkyn to take the bait. The deal couldn't come from Zamon. I made the agreement with Zamon and then dangled the carrot in front of Darkyn."

"The carrot being the human you created," Andre murmured. "Why would something as cruel as Darkyn want a mate?"

"Because it's the one thing he couldn't ever have," she said. "The Dark One is the only deity without a predestined mate. Darkyn is ambitious. He wanted to be a deity, and he wanted what he couldn't have. When I was reincarnated, the human I created became the only deity's mate without a deity." She shrugged. "Zamon didn't say why he thought this would work, and I didn't ask. When the Dark One seeks you out for a deal, you'd be a fool to say no. He knew what I wanted. I understood why he needed to defang Darkyn. It was a simple deal."