Chapter Nineteen

Nova

“Nova.”

The sound was sweet and feminine, but the smell didn’t match the voice. I breathed deep, burrowing my nose in the softest material I’d ever felt. The rich scent made my heart race and my eyes sting. August . Inhaling the intoxicating, familiar aroma made me feel so many good and painful things .

“Nova.” The lovely voice called for me again.

Awareness trickled in, and I stiffened as I acquainted myself with August’s musk.

My eyes shot open, but I saw nothing. I had to peel off the warm blanket to see that I was in a room on a bed. A red-skinned woman sat beside me. Although Sofia grew up, I recognized her immediately . “Sofia,” I whispered.

Her mouth parted and tears streamed down her face after she blinked. “Oh, Hades. It’s definitely you. How?” Just as I was about to say something, she wiped her face. “Naturally, you’re August’s mate!”

I gripped the pillow and glanced around. The room was unfamiliar to me. Could I be dreaming? How could Sofia be alive? How could Harvest trick me and August? I must be in one of Harvest’s illusions. He would wake me soon, and I’d be in that cell again.

“Nova.” A small hand latched onto mine and loud clattering sounds filled the room.

The room was a mess. What happened? It wasn’t like that ten seconds ago, was it? It had to be a dream.

“It’s okay,” Sofia said, pulling my attention to her.

I shook my head. “I’m dreaming. You’re not real. I’m still in that cell…”

Sofia gripped my shoulders. “Nova! I’m real. You’re real. Harvest deceived you.”

I pushed her away. “No, this is the trick! Harvest wants me to feel hope, then snatch it away. He loves doing that.”

“You’re free. Believe it or not, this place exists. It’s August’s old room. You’re in the Grim Reaper’s castle. Your mate—”

“August is not my mate! He’s with his harem right now.”

“No.” Sofia slid onto the bed behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist . “August never stopped grieving for you.”

Those words cracked my heart. Or at least, that’s what it felt like when my chest tightened and tears seeped down my cheek. “Do not lie. He has no reason to mourn me when he has everything he wants.”

“Those women aren’t what you think they are. Every single one of them was in a dangerous situation. Situations like the one you were in with Derrick. He saved them from death, rape, and many other predicaments.”

“Please don’t.” I fought the trembles threatening to overcome me.

“I won’t say anything else about it now. But tell me you know this is real. I’m here with you. I’m just as shocked to see you alive as you are to see me. But it’s a good shock. The best shock.”

“Give me the pillow.” When Sofia lifted it toward me, I snatched it and brought it to my face, inhaling the familiar scent. My eyes wouldn’t stop stinging. “This is real.”

August’s smell was thick, as if he were in the room with me. I might have conjured him in the cell many times or Harvest did, but illusions didn’t have scents.

“Yes. August was lying beside you, but left to give me a moment with you. Is that why you hug the pillow? Do you sense him?”

My skin felt blistering hot as I chucked the pillow to the floor. “I smell nothing.”

Sofia quirked a brow. “I didn’t mention smells.”

We quietly studied each other.

While I couldn’t tell for sure, Sofia appeared petite, so beautiful and healthy, too. I instinctively touched my face, wondering how I looked to her and August. I yearned for that ugly mask suddenly. Her beauty burned bright. Lowering my arms, I pulled at the sleeves of my cloak. I wasn’t petite, but malnourished. Whenever I was near water, I bathed and cleaned my mouth as best as I could. But I wasn’t someone who flourished under August’s care. Why was I thinking about those things? Why did my heart ache so badly?

“Did August say when he’d return?” I asked. “Perhaps, where he went?”

Part of me wanted to run far away from August and his family because I almost killed them. I wanted to destroy those who killed the ones I lost. First Derrick, then Harvest. Being immortal kept me from killing them, but I could seal them away forever. Yet, the unfamiliar version of me wanted to grab the pillow I tossed away and hug it. I wished to smell home, hope, and the peace Harvest denied me. But I feared all of those things. Once before, I felt hope and had it snatched away. The door creaked open, and August stuck his head around the corner. “I’m right here.” My skin flushed as I watched him. He jerked his head toward the door and said to Sofia, “You had your minute. Now I want her.”

“Don’t worry.” Sofia gently squeezed my hand as she rose from the bed. “Just remember that this is real.”

Then she stepped out of the door, leaving me alone with August.

“I see you redecorated my old room,” he stated, glancing at the wreckage.

“It wasn’t my intention. My powers… No, I’m out of control.”

“You have every reason to be, so I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.”

As he came closer, I arched my brow and asked, “What is it?”

“I can’t change our past, but I can hurt those who took our family and time from us. I’ll find Derrick and hand deliver him to you. Then we’ll crush Harvest and put an end to his madness once and for all. What do you say? You won’t try to bolt from me before we get revenge, will you?”

“Just like that?” I muttered. “You’re okay that I tried to kill you and your family?”

“Were you not paying attention to me?” August leaned over me, forcing me to tilt my head back. “You’ve never been my enemy. You are my love. No matter how many times you blew me apart, I would have tried reaching for you again.”

August touched his forehead to mine. I tensed as his breath heated my face. It felt odd having someone so close, but a peculiar, tingling warmth spread through my core.

“Do you know what this feels like? To hold you and realize for the hundredth time this hour that you are alive and within my reach?” August’s words danced across my skin.

“I’m scared to close my eyes, because you’re clearly a dream.” Inhaling deeply, August’s scent dragged me under some sort of spell. “I forgot what not hating you felt like.”

He dragged his fingers down my arm. Goose bumps pebbled my skin.

“What does that feel like?”

“Like…”

“Like a smile? Does it feel like your bones settle and suddenly everything’s less heavy? But in the peace, your body thrums and yearns?”

Yes, yes! I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I was sure about feeling at peace .

August’s fingers slid against my ribs, and I moaned, shocked at someone touching me there. A powerful, foreign throbbing happened between my legs.

“Do you want to pull me in like I want to sink into you?” he asked.

My body kept heating, so I pushed him away. The man was like a cat. He didn’t stumble as he stood and pinned me with his entire heated focus. “What were you doing?” I asked.

My eyes widened and followed his hand as he adjusted a massive bulge in his pants.

“Don’t freak out.” His words implied I was the problem, not him.

“Unbelievable!” I jumped to my feet and crossed my arms.

“It’s not unbelievable. You’re my mate and naturally, I’m attracted to you like you are me.”

“I don’t have those kinds of thoughts.”

“You don’t have to fear having a natural response to me.” August’s eyes blackened completely. “I could smell your desire for a moment, and it’s okay. After everything you’ve witnessed, you’ve taught yourself to fear sex. But it’s not supposed to be like you witnessed in Derrick’s camp. Sofia told me some things you guys saw.”

At the mention of Sofia, all I could think about was his harem and the fact that Sofia stayed with him, too. I was not fearful because of what I saw in the past. I was afraid of the twist inside my gut every time I imagined the women he had at his disposal.

“I don’t think you’re like those demons and anyone I’ve seen since, but you are someone with a harem. You have so many women when you’re meant for one! I’m frustrated because you assumed I was dead and took advantage of the situation. And I don’t know why I’m so furious because I’ve never wanted a man to touch me. I swore I wouldn’t want sex, and I still don’t. Yet, I’m still mad because I immediately thought of those women as soon as I saw—”

My gaze fell to his crotch, and it was like someone set fire to my soul and my body. The floor shook beneath my feet, and everything in the room floated.

“Nova… I need you to take a deep breath for me before my mom kicks us out for destroying the castle.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose,” I said as the chaos ceased.

“Melinda was right.” August cocked his head.

I frowned. “Right about what?”

He extended his mechanical arm toward me. “Can I touch your hand at least?”

“Why?”

“Because it feels good.”

The weird tingle between my legs happened again, but August hadn’t touched me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, lifting his hand to my cheek. The coolness felt nice on my heated skin.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

I was experiencing too many new things that day.

“Come on, my little star.” August grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the hall. “Before I head out, I want to show you some finer things in life.”