28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Eden hated silence. Having spent the last several decades in Chicago, the continuous hum of the city had become a lullaby. Nero's home was hushed without him, and even Zia's presence couldn't combat the quiet.

She'd been stewing on every option available to her. Admittedly, there were few, but that hadn't stopped her from evaluating the angles of each possibility. Earlier, she'd forgotten to speak with Nero about what would happen to him should she perish. Even though Luna had claimed it would end poorly, nothing was certain.

Across the island from her, Zia murmured, "Hey baby. What's up?"

Startled, Eden glanced up from where she'd been pushing stray blueberries around her pie. Before her stood quite possibly the cutest child she'd ever seen. Violet eyes, a true violet, stared up at her. Slightly curling hair tumbled over the young boy's forehead, his features foreshadowing the handsome man he'd become. He stood beside Zia, and Eden could instantly see the resemblance.

"Hi. I'm Eden. Who are you?"

"I'm Myko." His lips stretched into a flat smile. "Key told me I had to come over here."

Zia sighed and asked, "Did Key say what for? Do you need Nero?"

"Um, no?"

Brushing her thumb across his cheek, Zia shrugged and looked at Eden. "Myko is my son. We live not far from here, but Key must've asked him to teleport over. You don't mind if he hangs out here, do you?"

"Not at all." Eden smiled at Myko. "Do you want a piece of pie?"

Myko wrung his hands in front of him. This kid was too adorable for words. "No, I'm okay. I guess I'm just ‘sposed to wait?"

"Well, we could play a board game while we wait? I don't think I've seen any video games while I've been here."

Excitement sparked in Myko's eyes, and he dragged her to a pile of games stacked high in the entryway hall closet. After intense discussion, they settled on Connect Four. Zia, happily reading a book on the couches across from them, smiled but didn't interfere.

Four rounds into the game, Eden realized she'd been swindled by one of the greats. She gave him a mock glare. "You're way too good at this, Myko. How did you manage that one?"

"You've gotta set a trap. If you spread them out, like this," he pointed to the base rows, the plastic chips making a hollow sound as he tapped them, "then I can get you every time if you don't know my strategy."

"These ones?" Reaching out for the bottom edge of the board, she accidentally brushed his fingers on the other side.

Instantly, Eden's focus turned inward, swallowed by a vision. Blinking her eyes through the oppressive darkness, her sight cleared to reveal Nero, hunched over her unnaturally still body while he wept. Gut-wrenching, his agonized sobs twisted something within her, as though the grief was her own.

Gasping, she stumbled backwards, catching sight of Nero's hand reaching toward an inky black dagger, with violet accents where the light shined off its edges. He breathed in, readied the blade's tip against his heart, and—

Suddenly, Eden was yanked from the vision.

Distantly, she was aware that tears wet her face, and her limbs trembled violently. Eden's hands flew up to cover her mouth, trying to regulate her heart from seizing with shock. Myko's hands were held up before him as if apologizing, his face twisted in sorrow.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, Myko, I'm alright," she breathed. "You don't have to apologize."

"I was doing so well, but it's—it's harder to control when Nero's sad."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she asked, "Control what, Myko?"

"My—my power." He sniffed, wiping his nose. "Nero turns into a panther and controls emotions, and I make people see their worst fear. I didn't do it on purpose! I've been learning and trying to control it with ‘Zaya and he's been so good to me, and I've done so much better and I'm so sorry I did it to you!"

Eden's features softened though her gut was still twisted in knots. "Myko, it's okay. I'm okay. You didn't mean to. I'm fine."

Myko burst into tears. Zia was by his side in seconds, wrapping her arms around him. Kissing his mop of near black hair, she frowned apologetically at Eden. "I'm sorry. He can't always control it. He's just a boy."

Eden's heart broke at the realization that Zia felt the need to defend him. There was so much to supernatural life that wasn't as easy as human stories portrayed it.

"I would never blame him. I'm sure it takes time to perfect control of something like that. I'm not even sure what it was, Zia?"

She would never be the same after seeing a glimpse of Nero turning that vicious blade on himself. Everything hinged on whether Myko's ability was a premonition of the future, or something contrived from fiction.

"Myko's ability isn't to show the future or the past, though if it's already happened, it can be replayed." Zia's fingers tenderly combed through Myko's hair. "His touch shows the recipient what their worst fear is."

"So, my worst fear is Nero dying?"

"That's often the case with mates, Eden." Gently pulling Myko along with her onto the sofa opposite, Zia held him protectively. "My worst fear is losing Jeremiah and Myko: my mate and my son. Jeremiah's, originally, was seeing his best friend die. Now, after all this time, it's a mirror image of mine."

"So, it's not set in stone?" Eden's throat was dry as she spoke the worst, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. "Nero won't resort to that if I were to pass tomorrow?"

Suddenly, emotion leeched from Zia's face. The turmoil that'd been there only moments before vanished, as though she were intent on hiding something.

"I couldn't say for certain."

Suspicion flared within Eden. "What are you not telling me?"

"We mate once in our lives," Zia whispered. "Matehood supersedes every other bond and relationship. Everything else takes second place."

"He just met me!" The mist of frustrated tears blurred her vision. "We've known each other for less than a week, and he's built his entire life here without me. Why should he need me to be happy?"

"Because he's been waiting for you," Myko said in a timid voice from Zia's arms. "He was happy because he knew you were coming. But he won't be after you leave."

A strangled sob choked from Eden's throat, barely registering the look of devastation that morphed Zia's features. Nero's happiness—past and present—had rested on a vision of Eden.

***

Oahu was beautiful. The sun's heated rays kissed her skin as she tilted her head toward the sky, eyes closed. Sea salt, the scent now forever linked with Nero in her soul, tinged the air.

His arms, gentle but possessive, cinched around her waist from behind. They stood there together, on the steep rocks that framed his house, enjoying the crash of the waves.

"I missed you."

Though Eden had spoken the words, she could feel the same yearning within him, echoing along their unfinalized mating bond.

It was odd, the connection. After so many years of loneliness, being so intimately linked to another had shifted the ground under her feet.

After the diagnosis, she'd felt more abandoned than ever. Her acquaintances and her friends had simply chosen to sever the bonds between them. Though Eden understood the reasoning behind it, it'd left her disappointed and isolated.

Inhaling deeply, as if scenting her, Nero kissed her neck and let his teeth teasingly nip the sensitive flesh.

"Not any more than I did. I'm sorry I left, Eden. When the enemy's Raeth attempted to enter my territory, something in me snapped."

"But you're okay? You weren't injured?"

"Nothing physical, he didn't land a finger on me. But when I followed his teleport, we landed in a werewolf torture kennel. One that belonged to the Citizens . All the wolves were rabid." Nero leaned his head against hers. "Aidan took it hard."

"It must've been awful for him. For all of you."

Delicately tracing her fingers on the tattooed designs on his forearm, Eden stalled. If she broached the topic, Nero might not be open about the choices he'd make if her wolf carried her to the next life. She didn't want lies between them, but she understood his reservations. Faced with his suicide, her decision would be heavily influenced one way.

"If I die tomorrow, Nero, what happens to you?"

He stiffened, his arms holding her closer. "Why do you ask?"

"I met Myko today."

A sharp intake of breath from the man behind her. "He's a brilliant kid. I've known him since he was born."

"We played Connect Four. He stomped me every game."

Nero's tension loosened with a chuckle. "He and Jeremiah come over to play that all the time. I'm not sure why they won't just buy it themselves. It's not like they don't have the money."

"Perhaps because they get to be at your house, and both of them happen to like you."

"Huh." Nero breathed in the scent of her hair again. "Never thought about that. I have a very insightful mate."

"If I had to guess, I'd say most people in your clan enjoy being in your presence. You're agreeable and happy most of the time. A sovereign who genuinely cares about his people generally puts them at ease."

"Oh, shucks, Eden. I'm already yours, you don't have to pull out the big guns."

Turning in his arms, Eden frowned at him. "Don't think I haven't noticed you didn't answer my question. What happens to you if I die tomorrow during the change?"

"I can't tell you that, Eden." A disturbing thread of anger seeded his voice. "I won't."

"Why not?"

"Because I refuse to interfere with your decision. My actions are mine. Whatever you chose, you bear no responsibility for how I react to it."

"Influence my decision? And how would you do that? Nero, please answer me truthfully: what would happen to you?"

"What did Myko show you?"

Nero had guessed, then. He knew Myko's ability enough to ask her what'd happened during their encounter. For some reason, that made her even more angry.

"He showed me your death, Nero! I had to watch as you put a black dagger to your heart, weeping over my dead body."

Nero became completely still, as if shock had cast him in stone.

His eyes, wide and unblinking, locked on hers. For a moment, the block between them opened, and she was assaulted with a feeling of betrayal before the wave of horror hit. Jerking away from her as though she'd slapped him, Nero glowered at the ground, the muscles in his forearms cording.

"Mates typically have the same reaction to Myko's gift. It's not uncommon."

"So what you're saying is that you wouldn't harm yourself if I died?"

"I—it—" Growling in a sound closer to panther than human, Nero closed the distance between them but didn't touch her. "Of course not."

"Liar."

It was as clear a day. His fingers were caressing her cheek before she even knew he'd moved, the soft touch making her lean into him.

"Life shouldn't end for you even if I die, Nero."

Instant, searing pain flooded his features, a desolation she could both see and feel. That was an answer in and of itself. Cured of her anger, Eden wrapped her arms around him. Panicked breaths had constricted his chest, and for the first time, she sensed his vulnerability.

"Nero. Hey, it's okay. I'm here."

But for how long?

In just a few days, Nero had become her entire world. She had gone from a solitary life to one where she was cherished. Loved. Here, on this beautiful island, she'd fallen in love with a man worth her tears. With kindness and chivalry, the immortal had swept into her life like a hero of legend, and she had no regrets. Her cruel destiny had at least chosen well: Nero was the love of her life.

And suddenly, Eden knew she had to try. Whether or not the vampire blood would work, she owed it to herself, and to Nero, to explore the only option that gave their love a chance.

"I want to try, Nero."

The whispered words against his chest were muffled, but he'd heard her. A swell of pride washed through their bond, tempered by reluctance.

"I don't want you to do this for me. This is your life, Eden, and what you want matters. What happens to me afterward—that's of no consequence."

"No consequence?" Pushing off his chest, Eden glowered up at him. "Nero, you've given me the world these last few days, shown me what it's like to not be alone. Surrounded me with love. You took me to the Taj Mahal and to see my dad. You cared for me, Nero. And now, I'm going to care for you. I want to do this. For both of us."