Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“But I made a promise to myself to follow through on this whole SBP thing. I am going to stop them from the inside, like you suggested.”
“Well, this is great. I completely support it.” And he loved that she wasn’t turning her back on her morals.
“No,” she shook her head, “you don’t understand. This could take a long time, and I can’t risk getting the people I love involved in all this stuff again. I have a chance right now to go in with a clean slate. New identity. No ties to any of you. You’ll all be safe no matter what happens to me.”
“Are you…leaving?”
“Will you please look in on Amelia and Miguel? Your beast is gone, so you’re not a threat anymore.”
“Sky, you can’t do this. I chose you. I love you.” Strange to say it and not fear horrible repercussions.
Sky locked eyes with him again. “I’m sorry, Damien. But I know you of all people should understand.”
He did. And he didn’t. He’d been pushing away the world for centuries in an attempt to keep them all safe. Now, he was beginning to realize how much he’d missed out on. He’d wasted so much of his life feeling guilty for having loved Willa and for the events their love triggered. None of it had been real. Not the love anyway. Now he’d finally met a woman he wanted to share his life with, but she was about to leave him?
Out of love. Just as he had done. Damien laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Sky asked.
“Cimil. I think this was part of her plan, too. She knew I did not want to serve her, and I think she knew you were the reason I’d keep fighting to get out from under her thumb. That reason is gone now.” What if this whole thing, SBP and Sky’s determination to stop them, had been set up by Cimil? It was very possible given everything he’d seen.
“Doesn’t matter now,” Sky said. “Because you’re free. By the way, where are the demons and Pet?”
“I saw them sneaking away while Votan and Belch were fighting the beast. I suspect Bonbon and Gorgonzolina didn’t want to be locked away again.” Demons were prohibited in the human world. In fact, that was how this whole thing had started with Cimil. She’d discovered he was harboring Bonbon and demanded a favor in return for her silence. That favor had led to him meeting Sky. “Pet probably went with them to find new objects to grind on.”
“So you really are free. Just like you wanted all along.”
Damien nodded solemnly. Perhaps loving Sky was a mistake. Not because she wasn’t worthy, but because he was not destined to find happiness. Not in the cards for me.
“Damien, I am going to leave now. I’ll catch a ride to my sister’s motel and say goodbye to them in the morning.” She stood.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? You’re wearing a robe.”
“Not the weirdest outfit I’ve ever seen in LA.”
True.
He stood and walked over to her, gazing down into her stunning green eyes. He could still see Sky in there—her fearlessness, her lively spark, her good nature.
He bent his head down and kissed her, savoring the feel of her in his arms.
She broke away. “I love you.”
He nodded and watched her go. He felt himself breaking inside.
CHAPTER THIRTY
MF and Maxton returned to her apartment just before dawn. It had taken hours to tell all of the emergency crews that they had not seen demon fireballs, that there were no terrorists living in the house, and that it was a simple case of a hot-water heater gone bad. Oh, and the owner wasn’t home and that wasn’t blood all over the dining room. Red paint. With chunks of meat. No biggie.
“I’m so hungry, Maxton.” MF plopped on her bed, too tired to care that she still had demon blood on her.
Maxton lay down next to her. “It was a fine evening though. Lovemaking, turning you, fighting that beast, more lovemaking. A very good time.”
MF chuckled. Maxton had looked completely in his element. “You’re going to have to teach me to fight like you. You’re a badass.”
“Thank you. I have always wanted to be a naughty donkey.” He rolled toward her, staring deeply into her eyes. “I must return to the jungle.”
Her cold heart skipped a beat. What? He was leaving her? “I thought you said you were going to stay?”
“I will return. I must retrieve my parrot. And my gold.”
“What parrot?”
“He’s the sixth generation to stay with me.”
MF wanted to laugh. “So all this time, you weren’t really alone.”
“I would not say that.”
“Can I come with you?” She held her breath, hoping he’d finally say yes.
“I would like that.”
She smiled, her new vampire heart beating warmly. She’d just have to talk to Damien first and let him know. Of course, he had Sky now, and those two lovebirds were probably getting busy.