“Here we are again,” Adrius murmured, his lips tickling my ear.
Backstage looked exactly the same as it had last time. Only there were twice as many judges and the audience was four times as large. It was the night of the vocal finals, and it was a total déjà vu… minus the usual waves of anxiety that hit before something like this. I felt… Calm. Relaxed. Excited…
“What are you smiling at?” he asked, his brows quirking up.
“Er… it’s nothing.”
“Are we doing another duet?”
“Of course.”
He grinned. “So what’s the song this time?”
“’No Air,’” I said, suddenly feeling foolish. My face flushed. “It’s just, I like the music. And it has a nice counter melody and…” I still babbled when I was nervous, that hadn’t changed.
He ran his finger down the bridge of my nose playfully. “It’s perfect,” he said, taking my hand seconds before the announcer called my name.
Our performance met with a standing ovation and it wasn’t until Brianne came to congratulate me at the reception afterwards that I realized how secure I felt when I sang. There was no question I was in absolute control of my voice.
“You do realize this is the second time in a row you’ve performed in public without puking your guts out first, right?” Abby bubbled, grabbing me in a huge embrace.
“I know,” I said, less amazed. It was as though I’d known in advance there would be no problem. This time, my voice belonged to me and only me.
“You were pretty good,” Bri added, sidling up behind Abby. Then she whispered, “Told ya he’d be back. They always come back.” She said it with only a trace of jealousy in her voice.
“Thanks.” I smiled. Jealousy beat vengeance any day, not that I care which she offered. Like me, hate me… it didn’t matter what she thought.
I craned my neck to search for Adrius who had vanished, and spotted his fabulous form across the room. He was leaning against the back wall, away from the boisterous crowds. I threaded my way through the swarms of students, performers, and their over-zealous family members getting ready for the firework display. The only thing on my mind was getting out of there and being alone with him. He would be leaving soon and I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.
“You want to get out of here?” he asked, reading my mind the way he always could. “The fireworks should be starting soon.”
I nodded, and as he slipped his arm around my waist, we made a break for the door.
“Hey, where are you off to?” A familiar voice stopped us in our tracks.
“Hi, Davin.” I smiled. “You remember Adrius?”
Adrius nodded in a typical guy greeting, but Davin barely looked in his direction.
“Lor, there was some random dude looking for you at Lemon Balm last night. Short, fat, bald, lots of bling?”
I stiffened next to Adrius. He peered at me from the corner of his eye. I could see the concern in his face.
Davin’s gaze flicked from Adrius back to me. “He was asking a lot of questions about your mom and Camilla and stuff. I think he said his name was Peterson,” he added, watching me expectantly. “Didn’t hang around long before Neil gave him the boot… Thought you’d wanna know…”
“Thanks Davin,” I said, absently.
Davin waited for me to confirm I knew who he was talking about. When I didn’t say anything more, he shrugged, threw Adrius a look, the kind of look that inferred a history that didn’t exist between them, and then shuffled away.
Adrius turned to me, his keen eyes narrowed. “You know who he’s talking about, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure,” I said, truthfully, the name seemed to ring a distant bell. I tilted my head upwards. “Why?”
“I didn’t want to mention it tonight, but in the spirit of full disclosure,” the corner of his mouth pulled into a wry smirk, “I caught the scent of someone… someone from the Nevermore.”
“Here in Drearyton?” I stared up at him. “Who was it?” The words strangled in my throat as I considered the possibilities. Venus, Zanthiel, another of the Unseelie fey… my father… his father? There was no one from his world whose arrival in mine didn’t spell major trouble.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. But they were in your school today. And I intend to find out why.”
I exhaled a shaky breath and shrugged into the coat Adrius held for me to put on, feeling suddenly chilled. My hands burrowed into the pockets, and pulled out a folded business card. Mr. Howard Peterson. I was about to tuck it away again, when something came to me.
“Wait. Peterson… I do know that name. There was a weird phone call Camilla received on my birthday.” I unfolded the card and studied the gold embossed lettering. I remembered the guy Davin described handing me his card at the last vocal performance. The night I’d left with Adrius. I’d assumed he was the talent scout Mom had arranged to watch me humiliate myself. But nowhere on his card did it mention anything about being affiliated with Julliard or the music industry… just a name, phone number, address, and email, in a fancy gold font.
I reached for my phone and Adrius caught my hand. “What are you doing?” he asked warily.
“I’m dialing the number. This Peterson guy might know something about Camilla.”
“Lorelei,” he said softly, his hand folding over mine. “It’s ten o’clock on a Friday night.”
“I know, but… ”
“No buts. This can wait.” He gently pried the phone from my hand, which had gone limp under his touch.
I watched him slip my phone into his pocket and retrieve something else. “This is for you,” he said, pressing a tiny box into my hand. “It’s a late birthday present.” He grinned in that way that made my heartbeat falter.
I shook my head. “You already gave me a birthday present,” I said, remembering the shimmery magical necklace he’d given me in Mythlandria.
“The Inner Eye wasn’t a present, Lorelei. It belonged to you. This is different. Open it,” he insisted before I could protest any further.
I tore open the box and pulled out a delicate gold chain. Hanging from the end, a tiny lemon charm sparkled under the lights. It was the one Gran had given me.
“It’s a reminder of life’s bitter and sweet moments,” he said, lifting my hair to clasp it around my neck. “A reminder that the two can coexist.”
I fingered the charm, fighting back a surge of emotion. “Thank you,” I managed without my voice cracking. He offered another dazzling grin.
“You’ll have to give me some clue about what you want for your birthday… and when that is exactly.”
“There is only one thing I want,” Adrius said, holding my gaze. “I’ve been waiting all night to watch fireworks with the most gorgeous girl here.”
For a fraction of a second I wondered with a jealous twinge, who he was talking about.
He smiled, and opened the door for me. “The one with the incredible voice.”
I looked up at him through partially lowered lashes. His hand settled on the small of my back steering me out into the night.
“And a very sexy talent for healing,” he added in a whisper.
He laughed and pulled me into his arms as the music filled the night air. The warmth of his breath caressed my neck.
It finally hit me. Me. He was talking about me. The concept still seemed so foreign. The most beautiful guy in this world, and any other, only wanted me.
With one hand entwined with mine and the other at my waist, we swayed, locked in each other’s arms to the slow rhythmic pulse of the music. Overhead, sparks of color exploded in the sky, lighting the night with streams of raining color.
“This is perfect. I don’t want it to ever end.” I stretched up on my toes to kiss him, then leaned back, to look in his eyes. They were clear, liquid, and full of emotion. Getting lost in the moment was exactly what I wanted, but I couldn’t ignore the way my chest tightened.
“Take me back with you,” I lowered my voice, not wanting him to hear how raw it was.
His gaze swept my face. “Lorelei, you know I can’t.”
“Then stay here with me… Like we planned.”
He kneaded the bridge of his nose between two fingers, closing his eyes. “I can’t stay. Not right now.”
An uncomfortable silence fell between us and it seemed silly to continue dancing when I felt like I was losing him all over again. Taking his hand, I pulled him away from the crowd.
“You won’t stay, and you won’t let me go with you,” I challenged, when we were out of earshot.
“No. That’s right. I won’t.” His voice was firm. “They’ll try to kill you. It’s out of the question.”
“I can protect myself.”
He laughed, dark and humorless. “Really… I know how many strong and impossible things you’re capable of. It doesn’t change the fact that I want you to stay here, where it’s safe.”
“You know, you’re the one being stubborn this time.” I clenched my teeth together and folded my arms.
“Imagine that, I don’t want a psychotic witch or my insane father exacting their particularly deadly brand of vengeance on the girl I love. Call me crazy.” His expression changed, taking on a harsh edge. “Not to mention…”
“Let’s not mention him.”
Zanthiel was the farthest thing from my mind and I wanted to keep it that way. Which meant mentioning my father was off limits too, for now.
“But all of that proves it’s even more dangerous for us to be apart.” I shifted my weight and focused on the floor. “Without you, my life doesn’t make sense.”
“I know,” he said, bowing his head. The desperation in his voice surprised me.
“So just consider it.” I looked up, sensing a ray of hope. But only found his steely resolve reflected in the moonlight. The boom of fireworks vibrated the ground under our feet.
“There’s nothing to consider, Lorelei. I will not risk your life. Not for anything.”
“Not even for us to be together.”
“Not even for that. What about your mother? …and Camilla?”
I exhaled a frustrated sigh, absently toying with the business card in my pocket. I hated that he was right. We hadn’t been apart that long. Nowhere near as long as it felt. And his immortality gave him the benefit of not having years tick away like a time bomb, shortening our time together.
“What are you thinking?” A warm hand brushed a curl behind my shoulder, his fingers lingering at the base of my neck.
“That I don’t care what happens to me… As long as I can keep you safe.”
“You’d throw your life away… for me?” Adrius struggled to rein in his anger.
“Yes.” I gazed up defiantly. “I’d give my life to save yours.”
“So everything you said… about wanting to be with me… for eternity. It meant nothing if you don’t even plan on living long enough to see it through. To become…” His voice trailed away.
I shook my head. “I meant everything I said Adrius. But I’d do anything to keep you alive. Even if it meant…”
“I’m an immortal, Lorelei.”
“I know that. But you can still be hurt. Or killed.” I choked on the word, the mere thought of it paralyzing me with fear.
“Do you remember nothing of the horrors of my world?” he ground out, clenching his hands. Anger rose in his voice. His eyes cast by the shadows became impossibly dark. “You think giving up your life to save me is noble? Some sort of selfless act of love? —It isn’t. It’s an act of selfishness.”
I shrank back a step. “But you wanting to save my life… That isn’t selfish?”
“That’s right. I have lived for over a hundred of your years. I know what I’m giving up when I make that choice. Something you couldn’t possibly know, because you’ve barely even begun to live. Returning to the Nevermore for me… to save me… That’s not heroic, Lorelei. It’s suicide.”
“Adrius.” The frustration crept into my voice. “I’m not choosing death. I’m choosing you.” Why couldn’t he see that?
For a moment fury lingered in his eyes, then a deep sadness descended over him. “They’re one in the same.”
“You said you would never leave me again. Were those empty promises?”
“Of course not… I will never leave you. But I can’t stay here. Not yet.”
He placed his finger on my lips before I could respond. “There’s nothing more I can tell you right now, so you’re going to have to trust me on this. Do you still trust me?” His face looked vulnerable, unsure as if there was even the slightest possibility that my answer would be no.
A piece of me melted. “You know I do.” I sighed, leaning my head against his chest. I didn’t want to waste our night arguing.
“I get it, you have to go. We haven’t been apart that long. Only a couple of weeks.” Heat rose in my cheeks. I was overreacting. It only seemed longer to me. “What’s a few more?” I mumbled.
He pressed his warm lips to the top of my head and kissed me, just a quick peck that ended too soon. His fingers toyed with my hair.
An icy voice echoed on the wind as it whipped through the trees. Even though I shuddered, the cold had no lasting hold over me. It faded into the recesses of my mind, as I let myself drown in the olive eyes gazing down at me. He was like hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, warming me from the inside out.
“…Nine days, sixteen hours, and thirty seven minutes, today.”
I frowned up at him in silent confusion and leaned back against the brick wall halting me.
“How long we’ve been apart.” Sadness lingered in his voice.
He stepped forward and spread his hands against the wall on either side of me. Palms splayed against the uneven brick, he imprisoned me with his arms.
The scorching current vibrating between us made my legs tremble. If it wasn’t for the cool damp brick against my spine holding me up, there was a chance I might spontaneously combust.
“Time stands still without you,” he said, lowering his eyes, his voice thick with emotion. “You have no idea how much I missed you.”
Leaning in, his hauntingly beautiful face shone pale in the soft moonlight, except for a touch of chaotic color staining his cheeks. He nuzzled my neck and my eyes fluttered closed, my breath faltered.
"I want you," he whispered urgently. “I will always want you. This isn’t the end, Lorelei. It’s only the beginning.”
The gap between us shrank, until his chest pressed against me, and he lowered his mouth to mine. It was a kiss that conveyed the intensity and longing behind his words. It didn’t last long, but when he pulled away I was breathless, aching for more.
I blinked, as the bleak realization sank like a stone inside me. He couldn’t stay. And I couldn’t leave. In many ways we were still as bound to our respective worlds as we were in the beginning. He wrapped his arms around me, and I melted into the perfect bliss of his touch. Folded in his arms, I let go of my fears. They didn’t matter. We had tonight. We had this moment. We had each other for now.