Seth-
Neither of us moved, the silence stretching between us. “I’m not going to agree to this, you know?” I lazily began stroking Kenna’s hair. “I won’t let him force you into anything you aren’t ready for. We’ll just tell him we did the deed. He won’t know the difference.”
Kenna sighed, her eyes remaining closed. “Somehow, I think he’ll figure it out anyway.”
“That may happen, but until then, you can relax. I’m not going to pounce on you just because Damien told me to.”
Kenna laughed slightly. “Do I seem worried? I trust you, Seth. I always have. I know you’d never willingly hurt me.” Her eyes opened, and she stared at me in the dim lighting. “I worry about your safety, though. I have no doubt that Damien would fulfill his threat to turn you.”
I shrugged. “Maybe, but who’s to say he won’t do it anyway if I follow through? The way I see it, this is the only leverage we’ve got. Though I can’t figure out why he cares.”
Kenna stiffened and scooted away from me. “I can think of a reason.”
Her whole demeanor shifted with that sentence. “Why am I sure I’m not going to like this?”
She dragged her fingers through her long locks. “Because you won’t. I think he wants me to get pregnant. My dad’s grandparents tried to force my mom to conceive, so they could use the baby’s blood to perform a ritual. Damien has already said he intends to raise Dee Dee’s body. What would be a better tool than the blood of a newborn or even the unborn? I think he needs us for the ritual.”
Horror filled me with the idea. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” I wasn’t kidding. Nausea flooded through me. I closed my eyes, struggling to push grotesque, bloody images from my head. ”We’ve got to get out of here, Kenna. No matter the cost.”
She nodded. “I know. I just don’t know how to accomplish that trick.”
“We need to be prepared. At the first opportunity, we’ve got to go. If you can get away without me, then do it.”
“I’m not about to leave you behind. We both go, or neither of us does.”
“Kenna, you have to. He can’t force a pregnancy if you aren’t here to get pregnant.”
“I won’t lose you too!” she snapped and then sucked in a deep breath. “I can’t. I’ve lost too much already.”
“We both have,” I reminded her gently. Taking her hand, I gripped it tightly. “The whole world could change because of this, Kenna. Your grandfather is messing with history. This isn’t just about you and me anymore. It’s the whole world as we know it hanging in the balance.”
Kenna sniffed, and it was only then I realized she was crying. “My dad will find us before then.”
“I hope you’re right. If anyone can, it’s Vance. He never gives up. But I swore to him I’d protect you, and I will, even if that means you escape without me. I know you’ll come back for me as soon as possible.”
“And what if it’s too late?” she asked. “What if my grandfather has already changed you into a demon?”
“Then I’ll trust your dad to coach me through it and teach me the control he has mastered. It isn’t a death sentence. You know that.”
“I don’t want Damien to taint you.”
Brushing her hair away from her cheek, I leaned in and placed a soft kiss there. “It’ll be worth it if it saves you.”
“Seth, please. I can’t let you—”
My lips silenced her, and I groaned when she pulled me closer, deepening the contact. Wrapping my arms around her, I rolled over onto my back, letting her take the lead. I wouldn’t force her into anything.
For the first time in ages, she really kissed me like she meant it, and for a moment, it felt like it was that night in the gazebo behind her house. The same urgency filled the air around us like wild horses couldn’t tear us apart. I wanted to take what she was offering so badly, but I fought it instead.
“Wait,” I gasped, reaching for some sanity. “Wait.”
“I don’t want to,” she replied, pressing her mouth to mine again.
I struggled to hang onto coherent thought. “But why don’t you want to?” I managed to get out.
Pulling away, she searched my eyes. “You think Damien is enchanting us somehow, don’t you?”
I nodded. “I do. I was fine until I kissed you.”
Immediately, we both sprang apart, shrinking to opposite sides of the bed as we tried to catch our breath.
“Dammit! I hate this!” Kenna shouted, smacking her fist against one of the overhead branches, and I felt the hit rattle in my bones. “I’m so tired of being manipulated! I can’t take it anymore. How can I trust what is real and what isn’t?”
Shaking my head, I clenched my fists to keep from reaching for her. “I don’t know the answer to that, but we’re gonna have to be more careful.”
“I think we’re screwed. No pun intended,” she said with a sigh.
“You’re probably right,” I replied. “But I want to see if we can hold Damien off for a little bit. We need to give him the illusion of his plan working without following through on the deed.”
“What are you thinking?” she asked warily.
“Do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
I held out my hand, and she paused before taking it, gripping it tightly. “No wild desires are going through you, are there?”
She shook her head.
“So, we can touch; we just can’t kiss.”
“Okay. How does that help us?”
“I want you to take your clothes off. I’ll need to do the same.”
Pursing her lips, she studied me for a moment. “You want Damien to discover us undressed in each other’s arms, don’t you?”
I nodded. “That’s the plan, but we can’t kiss under any circumstances. Promise me you won’t try. I don’t want to risk activating any kind of spell.”
“I’ll do my best.” She stared at me for a moment. “Turn around.”
Doing as she asked, I attempted to focus on my own clothing instead of what she was doing with hers. My body wasn’t listening. It thought I was preparing for the main event, and I was struggling to keep some control.
The bed furs rustled as she slid beneath them. “Let me know when you’re covered so I can open my eyes,” she whispered.
“I’m decent,” I said once under the blankets.
Kenna started to scoot closer to me.
“I’m gonna need you to wait for a few minutes. Let’s start out slow and maybe just hold hands for a bit. Are you cool with that?” I tried to sound nonchalant and not like my hormones were raging like a wildfire.
“That’s fine,” Kenna said, sounding slightly relieved. Her hand snaked under the covers, grasping onto mine. The heat of her skin warmed mine even more. “Is this okay?” she added. I could feel her trembling slightly.
Grimacing momentarily, I paused. “Not really. My, uh, lower half is marching to its own drummer at the moment. The messages just aren’t getting through to that region.” I sighed in irritation. “I might have to face away from you and let you cuddle me.”
Kenna snorted. “I’m cool with that.”
Releasing her, I rolled onto my side, thankful I couldn’t see her anymore. Maybe that would help me calm down a bit. Then she touched me, laying her head against my back and sliding her hand around my waist. Groaning, I grabbed her palm and shifted it toward my chest. At this rate, I would need Damien to whip up some clean sheets. Then again, that might go far in making him believe something happened between us.
This whole scenario was getting more complicated and embarrassing with every passing second. Releasing an irritated huff, I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on anything but Kenna’s warm body being so close.
“I’m sorry you’re here because of me,” Kenna whispered, her lips lightly brushing my skin. It was the most glorious feeling. She was gonna kill me before this night was over.
“Kenna,” I replied through clenched teeth. “Please stop apologizing for something that isn’t your fault. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world. I’ve dreamed of being in bed with you for a while. Maybe it wasn’t exactly like this, or under these circumstances, but I’m with you, at least.”
“You just seem really agitated.”
“I am. I’m trying to honor my best friend and give his wife time to grieve. At the same time, I want to forget all of that and claim you for myself. But I’m also trying to refrain from giving in to your grandfather’s demands. It’s hard because he’s placed you within my reach, and I’m so tempted to just take what I want. That’s not fair to you, though. I have no idea how long we’ve been here or if it’s day or night, but I’m positive you haven’t had enough time to properly process all you’ve been through. I haven’t either. That will take a long time, and I swore I wouldn’t rush you.”
Silence fell between us, and for a moment, I wondered if she’d fallen asleep. Her fingers twitched against my chest. I closed my eyes, savoring the sensation.
“Everyone grieves differently, Seth. Our situation is complicated because we were in love with each other before I chose Jett. We never had a chance to resolve those feelings, so they’re still there. We can love and miss him and love each other simultaneously. Even when he and I handfasted and left, we still loved you and didn’t want to leave you or the others behind. We didn’t want to hurt you, even though we did. At the time, it just seemed unavoidable. I hoped that someday you’d find another person to give your heart to, even though that makes me insanely jealous. I don’t want you to suffer.”
Threading my fingers through hers, I gently squeezed them. “There never would’ve been anyone else for me, Kenna. Only you.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe you’re still going to meet the love of your life.”
“You are the love of my life.” I rolled over, taking her face between my hands. “How do I make you understand this? You are the only person for me—the only girl I’ll ever want.”
“I’m not so special, Seth. I’m just a normal girl.”
A chuckle escaped me. “You’re crazy if you think that. Not another soul on this planet holds a candle to you. You’re like the brightest star in the sky. The rest of us just stand around, staring at your glory. Why do you think Jett wanted you? We never go for the same girl. And Rowan? He tried to steal you, too. Even that satyr at dinner wanted a piece of you. It’s like you’re a siren or something, luring us all to our—” I stopped abruptly, realizing how bad my words would sound when taken literally.
“Luring you all to your death?” She gave a disgusted snort. “I’m doing a pretty good job, aren’t I? I’ve already killed Jett off. Who knows what happened to Rowan in the battle? He could share the same fate if he fought my dad. And now, your entire existence is being threatened by my grandfather. Maybe you should run, Seth. Go far and fast. Get away from me.”
“Even if I was able to, I couldn’t. I don’t want to leave your side. I want my chance to win you over.”
“You don’t need to win me. You’ve already got me.”
“I got you by default.”
“Does it really matter how we got together, or just that we’re with each other? I’ve learned quickly that life is too short. You’ve got to grab what you want with both hands and take it. Yes, I miss Jett. Yes, I still want him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you. I’d be a basket case right now if I was on my own. Your presence is what is helping me get through this. I loved you while Jett was alive. Why wouldn’t my feelings for you be the same when he’s dead?”
I shrugged. “Because you chose him. You decided to let me go and be with him exclusively. As much as I hate it, you belong to him.”
She released a frustrated huff. “I did, but as you said, I don’t anymore. He’s gone, Seth. What do you think he’d be doing right now if the tables were reversed? If I chose you, handfasted, left him behind, and then you died, what would be happening between him and me right now?”
I snorted, flashing her a grimace. “You’d already be knocked up with his kid. Damien wouldn’t have even had to tell him to take you.”
She laughed slightly. “You know it’s true. So why do you worry so much?”
“Because I’m more of a gentleman than Jett is.”
This time she laughed outright. “That’s a fact. Your manners have always been impeccable.”
“Maybe I should’ve been a jerk. I might’ve won you over first.”
“And then you might be the dead one now. Rowan would’ve been gunning for you. We can sit here all night playing the ‘What If’ game, or we can count our blessings that we’re together. Maybe this is what fate intended for our relationship all along. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone lost out in the beginning only to be declared the winner in the end.”
She was right. Her words reminded me of the dreams Jett and I had both had, ones that seemed to contradict each other at the time, claiming she belonged to both of us. Maybe this really was what our destiny had been all along. “It amazes me how you can always seem to find the positive in any situation. I count every second with you as a blessing.”
Her gaze traveled over my face. “I really want to kiss you,” she said softly.
Swallowing thickly, I was so tempted to give in to her request. “I really want that too,” I replied. “But I have one more question for you.”
“What’s that?”
I had no desire to bring this up, but it needed to be asked. “What if you’re already pregnant?”