She stumbled back and felt her face.
It would feel different, smoother, stronger.
Her hands shook in front of her. "What did you just do?"
"We need to talk." I held out my hand. "Trust me?"
She gulped, her white eyes blinking in confusion. "I feel different."
"Because you are."
"I don't understand."
"But you want to?"
She nodded.
"Take my hand."
The minute her fingers touched mine, she gasped. We'd always felt warm to one another, but the minute her skin came into contact with mine, frost formed across her fingertips.
"But—"
"Let's go visit Cassius. He may be sleeping right now, but I believe he'd want to be in the room."
"He hates me."
"No." I sighed. "That's where you're wrong."
"Dark Ones do not love," she whispered. "I know that now."
I tilted my head and smiled sadly. "Don't they?"
Genesis
"It's time." Sariel released my hand.
"Will I see you again?"
He laughed, his feathers ruffling next to me. "Do you really want to?"
I shrugged. "You're not so bad."
"So many compliments my head may explode."
He wasn't. It was weird. He was dangerous; he had potential for both evil and good, but he was also in a position where he had no choice but to force the rules on people — and hope that in the end everything worked out. I felt sorry for him.
Sariel tilted my chin toward him. "Don't."
Tears filled my eyes. "Thank you… for staying with me."
"Always." He plucked a purple feather from his wings and placed it in my hands. "I'm only a thought away."
I clenched the feather in my hands and nodded. "Goodbye."
His lips touched my forehead as cold spilled through my body, followed by such intense heat that I started to convulse.
I saw Ethan's warm smile… the first time he'd bitten me, our shared kisses, our mouths fusing together as if we needed each other so desperately we would die without touch.
And then Cassius — his heart of ice — shattering, breaking, and transforming into something beautiful right before my very eyes as his lips met mine, and he whispered, "Breathe."
I wanted to breathe.
But not him, not Cassius.
I tried to yell for Ethan.
Clenching the feather tighter in my hands, I fought. Fought for the warmth like it was the only way I would see him again. The cold threatened; it also offered me peace.
While the heat reminded me of the mating, of the severe pain I'd had to go through in order to be his—
I would go through it all over again.
Through the fires of hell to be with Ethan.
I embraced the heat, holding out my hands as the fires singed my fingertips. I welcomed the pain — because would it really be worth it if it was easy? If loving him was that simple?
Fire exploded in my chest, pinching, trickling down my fingertips until my knees buckled beneath me.
There was no relief.
And I was okay with it — I welcomed it. Because soon — I would be with Ethan again.
"Steak," something whispered.
I cried out. Had I heard that right? Steak?
"Lots of steak and other meat. Hell, I'll get you your own butcher… I think Belle had a butcher? Or maybe that was another princess."
What?
The fire got hotter and hotter.
"I told him it was true love's kiss, but does he listen? No, just walks off and lets me talk about food. I have a confession. I hate berries."
Mason? I tried to speak his name, but my mouth was too hot; when I opened it, more heat entered, stealing my breath.
"And pinecones taste like shit, but hey, a wolf does what a wolf does. It's not like it will kill me. Do you think I'm grumpy like the beast?"
I smiled, focusing on Mason's voice as the pain increased. Keep talking! I wanted to yell. Just keep saying something!
"Don't expect me to sing — wolves do not sing."
I smiled.
"Aw, was that a twitch of your lips, human? Alright, I'll tell you something else… something you can never speak of again. When I was a pup, I had a pet caterpillar… cried when the damn thing turned into a butterfly. Circle of life… hey, that's King Lion's song!"
A laugh escaped between my lips as I tried to open my eyes. They felt like sandpaper.
"Come on," Mason urged. "You know you want the steak."
I shook my head back and forth, and then finally, with great effort, opened my eyes.
Mason grinned. "Green. Your eyes are very, very green."
Ethan
I grabbed Stephanie by the arm and gently led her into the room where Cassius was sleeping — resting — hopefully healing.
The minute we stepped inside the door, I could see my breath leave my lips. Frost lined his body; his lips were completely blue.
He shuddered in his sleep, reaching his hand up to the ceiling only to drop it down again by his side.
"What's wrong with him?" A tear froze on Stephanie's pale cheek.
I sighed, running my hand through my hair. "I have no idea."