"Alyssa, I swear I wasn't working for Drackus when I came to be with you. I haven't lied. He wanted me to stay away until after Thad was killed. I told you then he asked me to come. Considering you couldn't have pried me away, I gladly went along with it. I swear everything I've told you has been true."
I sigh in relief, as his lips find mine, pulling me into the kiss I didn't know I wanted quite so badly. My hands tangle in his hair, tugging at his incredible locks, and he jerks me up to wrap my legs around his waist.
"Alyssa," he murmurs against my lips, barely able to pry himself away, "I lo—"
"Don't," I interrupt. "Don't say it."
I pull back to see the sting in his eyes from my preemptive rejection.
"So you're still in love with the night stalker? You're choosing him?"
The hurt in his tone is undeniable and heartbreaking, and he slowly slides me back down to where my feet touch the floor. I shake my head, my whole body tingling with uncertainty.
"I don't know, but I can't do this now. Why are they saying you're part of a prophecy that deals with me?"
His lips tighten, and he pulls my hand in his before kissing the back of it.
"Let's join them, and you'll see why the night stalker isn't the one you're meant to be with."
I tilt my head, but he pulls me to the study, avoiding my questioning eyes. Drackus glares at our contact, but Gage simply ignores him as he tugs my hand, leading me to a large chair near the fireplace. He doesn't give Drackus the fear he desires or deserves when he pulls me onto his lap.
"What the hell do you think you're—"
"Just drop it, dear," Mom interrupts. "Let's focus on the prophecy and then let her decide, since he obviously isn't going to be of much help."
Dear? Since when does she call him dear?
Drackus curses under his breath, but he walks over to a picture and pulls it down to reveal a safe. With quick strokes, he keys in the combination. A clicking sound drums out, and then he pulls out an old relic of a book. The pages almost look too fragile to be touched, but he turns them anyhow, searching for something.
"I'm not going to be of much help because you don't know for certain you're right," Gage chimes in before dragging his lips over my knuckles and pulling me closer. "As a matter of fact, I think you're incredibly wrong."
Mom tightens her lips to a thin line as she sits down on the edge of the couch adjacent to us. Her eyes find mine as I give into the comforting touch of my dark user and lean against his hard body.
"I'll start while your father searches," Mom says softly, focusing her sole attention on me. "Alyssa, you're not a typical witch, but that's something you've known for a while. You're an anomaly for which there are no words to describe. I didn't realize the cross you would bear when I fell pregnant with you, and I never believed the prophecy when I learned of it the third month you were inside me. It wasn't until you started showing signs of your powers... all of them...that I realized the proverbial promise held merit. Now...now I don't know what to tell you."
I look at Gage and his lips gently stroke mine the second I give him the angle. Fortunately, Drackus's head is buried in a book, so he doesn't notice.
I pull away, gently patting his chest, and then I sit up and move to the arm of the chair, distancing myself slightly from the distracting dark user. Though I really enjoy his touch, I still can't stop thinking about Kane.
My phone hasn't stopped ringing since the other night when both men had deal-breaking issues. It's either been Kane or Gage calling me at all times of the day and night. Now that Gage is here, I simply wish it was Kane.
"How about you tell me what prophecy," I murmur softly as Gage's hand comes to rest around my waist, pulling me back onto his lap against my silent protest.
Kane's probably at home with Amy, but Gage is here—for me. He has been since he met me. Perhaps I should just get over Kane despite how much I still want to be with him.
Oh this is so frigging frustrating.
"Very well. I'll start at the beginning. You've heard of Freya and her two daughters—Estella and Dragona, correct?"#p#分页标题#e#
"Um—yeah—Gage told me about them. How did you know I knew?"
"Because I told Drackus I told you," Gage answers, letting his lips start trailing over my shoulder through my shirt.
I shiver against the heat of his breath, and I feel his smile as his hands grip me a little tighter than necessary.
"Anyhow," my mother continues, further showing her distaste, "I'm the daughter of Estella."