The Darkest Touch

He locked one arm around her neck, his shirt and the large collar of her dress protecting her skin, then wrapped the other around her waist. It was an intractable hold. She’d have to hear him out fully before he’d let her get away. Not that he would ever let her get away. It was decided. They were in this thing, right or wrong.

“There was a girl,” he said.

She stiffened against him.

He fought a grin. Wants me to herself—same way I want her. “I did the whole candy-and-flowers thing with her.”

“I like candy and flowers,” she admitted softly.

Candy and flowers, coming up.

“Although,” she said, her fingers drumming against his chest. “You gave me the zoo and the chess pieces, and those are way better gifts.”

Technically she’d stolen the chess pieces. But that was his bad, not hers. He should have handed them over right away. Let her always see the best in me. “Everyone thinks I went after her because of my attraction to her. I sometimes convince myself of that. Makes it easier to deal with the fact that I touched her skin-to-skin, and a few days later, a plague killed thousands.”

She rubbed her hand over his racing heart. “But the truth is...”

“I did it because I was angry. Every day I watched my brothers touch anyone and everyone they wanted. Fight anyone and everyone they wanted. Always I was left behind. This particular day, they’d just come home from a battle with the Hunters—do you know who they are?”

A tremor moved through her. “Yes. An army of humans once led by Rhea and Galen, your enemies.”

“Exactly. My friends were covered in blood and high on victory. I was resentful. And there she was, standing outside the window of my hut. This beautiful girl. Mid-twenties. Widowed. A full life ahead of her. She wanted me. I knew it every time I dared go into town and our paths crossed. And that night I thought, why not? I deserved something good in my life and so did she—and to her, I was something good.”

Keeley kissed where her hand had rubbed. “You do deserve good. You are good.”

She might not think so when she heard the rest. “I was going to sleep with her. Planned on it. Thought to send her out with a bang. Make her come, then kill her before the disease could spread. Yeah. I’m a real winner.”

“So you have a few flaws,” she said. “Everyone does.”

“But my history with women is poor,” he continued. “Before the demon possession, I was too rough with them. Could never get past second base. And this time, soon after putting my hands on this girl’s face, I regretted what I’d done, what I was going to do, and I left her. Left her to die. And she did. All of her family joined her.”

He waited, tense and impatient, for Keeley’s verdict.

“Say something,” he croaked.

“What you did was terrible, yes. There’s no getting around that. But we’ve all done something terrible, warrior. Who am I to cast stones? And you have lived with the guilt every day since, haven’t you?”

A statement, not a question, but he replied anyway. “Yes.”

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough penitence, then?” she asked. “You went centuries without touching anyone else, all while carrying the guilt and sorrow and anguish. You aren’t the man you used to be.”

So not the words or reaction he’d expected from her. But then, this was Keeley. His sweetest surprise. “Maybe,” was all he could bring himself to say. “Why don’t you get some sleep. Nothing bad will happen this time, you have my word.”

“I’m not tired.”

“We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“We find my friends.”

“Hooray,” she said. “But I’m still not tired.”

She had to be, considering Anya had interrupted her much-needed rest. “Tired or not, I want you to sleep. We’re a couple, yes?” He didn’t give her a chance to deny it, but picked her up and threw her on the bed. “We do crap together.”

“Crap? Really? That’s how you phrase it?”

“Like sleep.”

“I’d rather organize our closet,” she said. “Or steam-clean the floors.”

“Too bad. You once told me you’d obey me in bed. Well, you’re in bed.”

“Fine. I’ll sleep,” she grumbled, “but I won’t like it.”

His grin was slow as he tightened his gloves. “Let’s see if I can change your mind....”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

SIGN ME UP for another nap ASAP. Keeley had become a fan for life. Sleeping with Torin’s scent in her nose, his heat cocooning her and his arms wrapped around her...there was nothing better.

Well, except for making out with him.

She woke up refreshed and revitalized, ready to conquer the world...and realized the need for Torin was an ache without end. If Hades had been a flame, Torin was a fire. The more he gave her, the more she wanted. And now that they’d decided to make a go of things for real...I gots to have all of him.

Torin, however, did not wake up refreshed and revitalized, aching for her, and didn’t seem to want any part of her. He cleaned up and dressed, emotionally distant, her sweet lover of the night replaced by someone cold as ice who liked to snap orders at her.

Get dressed. Hurry.

No. No more gowns. Wear sweatpants.

Eat your breakfast. And by the way, I need you to use the artifacts to search for one more person. A boy.