“Out of character.”
He shook his head. “Had we worked out, I never wanted you to doubt, even for a moment, that all your decisions had been your own.”
Her heart twisted in her chest.
“I’ve told you before, but I’ll say it again.” He stopped before her. “You’ll always be safe with me.”
Her breath caught. Sincerity infused the simple vow. It was far too tempting to believe him, to step into his arms and let the world fall away. Even knowing what he was, she didn’t want to be his enemy.
Tarian reached for her before his hand paused and eventually dropped. “What I am doesn’t define who I am,” he said.
“Make me another bracelet, and I’ll consider believing you,” she offered. “Prove you won’t control me and then maybe…” She let the words trail off, not knowing what she could promise.
Tarian shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Making a rield requires time and resources, neither of which we have available. It also requires a deep store of power. I won’t be able to make another one for years.”
She blinked. Though Dominic had been shocked to see the bracelet on her, she hadn’t thought it was an item of such priceless value.
“What if you’d met your mate in the next few years, and I was still wearing the only rield you could create?” she whispered.
Tarian looked away, refusing to answer the question.
Confusion swept through her mind. Had she been a fleeting tryst, he wouldn’t have wasted the gift on her. Which meant he’d either intended to get it back or…
Or he’d been serious about thinking of her as a potential mate.
She shook her head to try and find some clarity.
“Answer me this, then. If you had a rield in your possession right now, would you give it to me?”
Tarian exhaled slowly before turning back to her. The sincerity and regret that had filled his face were gone, replaced with an enigmatic mask.
“No,” he said. “When we first met, I was trying to be noble. Now I’m trying to stop a war.”
“And you’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.”
“Yes.”
“Monster.”
His hands shot out to grip her arms at the soft charge.
“I’m trying to save more than just necromancer lives.”
“So you say.”
She lifted her chin and met his gaze, even though her instincts urged her to yield. Tarian held all the cards. She should be trying to appease him instead of pushing him to react. No matter what her circumstances, however, she didn’t have it in her to back down. Not even before a necromancer who watched her with barely concealed anger burning in his eyes.
He pushed her back against the wall as he crowded into her space.
“You’re trying my patience.”
“If I had a nickel.”
His hands tightened on her arms. “You will accompany me to New York, even if I have to enspell you across the whole damn country.”
Looked like her dashing would-be mate had no qualms about forcing her to behave like a doll whenever she proved a little less malleable than he wished. Good to know. Not the least bit devastating at all.
“Then I guess I’ll learn exactly what kind of man you are.”
All emotion, even the anger, was wiped clean from his face. Ice slithered down her spine as she looked into the blank blue eyes regarding her. Despite her bravado, she did not want this man in her head.
“I’m backed into a corner,” he said. “And I’ll do anything to avert this coming disaster.”
“Why do you need me?” she demanded. “Just let me go, Tarian.”
He gave a sharp shake of his head.
“Your father will rip apart my people when he discovers Dominic was behind your abduction.”
“True.”
“That means we have one chance of stopping this before it gets out of hand. Necromancers took you, so necromancers need to return you. You’ve got to end up in New York with me as a sign of good faith so we can convince Redgrave not all of us are evil.”
“First you’ve got to convince me.”
“I’m always up for a challenge.”
Options flew through her mind. Strike out on her own, try to contact Lucian, stay with Tarian. She had no idea which choice would help her most.
“Melissa,” Tarian said, a thread of warmth creeping back into his voice. “Your chances of survival are slim on your own.” His grip tightened on her as he added, “And mine are non-existent without you.”
“I should care what happens to you?”
He didn’t flinch, she’d give him that. “I have a sister to protect,” he said. “Not to mention a whole race your people could annihilate. You can hate me, Melissa, but I’m not leaving you until New York.”