Page 29 of One Silent Night (Dark-Hunter 15)
Drawing a ragged breath, he sat down and waited for her to return.
The moment she did, she took his breath away. Frail and petite, she was more beautiful than even Aphrodite. Her green eyes had flashed in the dim light while she moved to light more lamps.
Her smile bright, it had made him instantly sad at the knowledge that he would never again see anything so spectacular. "Why are you sitting here in the darkness?"
He'd cleared his throat, but the hard lump in his stomach had merely drawn tighter. "I have something I need to speak to you about."
She set her parcels on the table. "As do I. I-"
"No, please, let me speak."
Frowning, she'd frozen in place. "I don't like your tone, Strykerius."
She'd never liked to hear sternness in his voice. It was why he'd tried so hard to never show her that side of himself. "I know, but what I have to say can't wait."
She'd flounced to stand by his side and smooth the scowl on his face with her delicate fingers. "You look so serious."
His tongue had felt so thick in his mouth that he feared it would choke him. All he wanted was to pull her into his arms and hold her forever.
Instead he was going to break both their hearts.
It has to be done. An image of her being attacked tore through him with a ferocity so raw it made him flinch. He had no doubt his father would carry out that threat.
Taking a deep breath for courage, he forced himself to speak. "I'm leaving."
"That's fine, akribos. When will you be back?"
He placed his hands on her upper arms to steady himself. "I won't be back. Ever."
The light had gone out of her eyes and struck him like a fist in his gullet. "What?"
"My father has a wedding for me planned tomorrow. If I don't leave and divorce you tonight, he'll kill you and the baby."
Rage had twisted her beautiful features into the mask of a gorgon. "What!" she roared. She shoved him away from her.
He'd reached out toward her. "I'm sorry, Phyra. I have no choice."
She'd slapped his touch away. "Yes, you do. We all have choices."
"No, we don't. I won't stay here and watch you die."
She sneered as she raked him with a repugnant curl of her lips. "You're a worthless coward."
That had set his own anger off. "No, I'm not."
She slapped him hard across the face. "You're right. Being a coward would be a step up for you."
Stryker had stood there, his cheek stinging as she railed against him. He couldn't even really hear all the insults. Only the words "pathetic," "worthless," and "coward" rang in his ears over and over again.
"I'm doing this to protect you and the baby. I'll make sure you're both taken care of."
"There is no baby," she spat at him. "I miscarried it."
He staggered back. "When?"
"This morning."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just did. So don't worry about it. There's no baby in need of a coward for a father."
"I'm not a coward!"
She shoved him again. "Get out of my sight, you pathetic excuse for a man. I don't want you here. Gods, I can't believe I was stupid enough to let you into my bed. Stupid enough to trust you."
"I love you, Phyra."
She'd grabbed a bowl from the table and flung it at his head. "Liar! You disgust me!" She'd literally beat him out of the door and then slammed it shut in his face. But not before she hurled her wedding ring at him.
Stryker had stood on the other side as he listened to her breaking and throwing things inside. He splayed his hand against the wood, wanting desperately to open the door. But why bother? She hated him now.
But not nearly as much as he hated himself.
"At least you'll be safe." He'd left her plenty of money. "And if you hate me, at least you won't miss me." He let his tears fall as he leaned his head against the door and clutched at the knob, desperate to open it and return to her.
If only he could.
He took her tile from his purse and looked at her face before he gave it one last kiss, then turned and walked away.
Zephyra gasped as Stryker pulled out of her mind and left her with the lasting image of him clutching her tile in his hand as he turned and left their cottage.
She narrowed her gaze on him. "Your father was going to have me raped?"
"It's what he said. I had no reason to think he was joking."
Her anger vanished under a wave of astonishment. "You were protecting me."
"It's what I've been trying to get through to you. Why else would I have left you when you were the very thing I lived for?"
Angry at the world, she kneed him in the side.
"Ow!" he snapped. "What was that for?"
"For being such an asshole. You ever keep a secret from me like that again and I swear I'll gut you over it."
"You were fourteen," he said defensively. "I thought if I told you what my father threatened, you'd be terrified."
He was right. Especially given the fact that she'd been attacked before him. That was why she'd loved him so much. He'd kept her safe, and it was why she'd hated him for leaving. Fear of being on her own, of not being able to protect herself or Medea . . .
That was also why she had merged with the gallu. She'd wanted the strength to protect her daughter. To make sure no man ever forced himself on her.
Still angry, she slapped at his chest. "I could beat you senseless."
One side of his mouth quirked up. "I told you to feel free so long as you did it naked. Like this, I'm at your mercy."
Zephyra's cheeks colored as she became aware of the fact that she was straddling him. How could she have forgotten that?
His gaze darkened. She took in his entire naked body. He was ripped and gorgeous. Absolute perfection.
And he'd proclaimed himself at her mercy. Leaning forward, she breathed in his ear, "You are insufferable."
Stryker sucked his breath in sharply as she tongued his lobe, sending chills over him. Her actions were so tender and loving while she continued to insult him. He couldn't help but laugh.
"You find me funny?"
"I find you delectable." He moved to suckle her breast. "Wonderful and delicious."
She sucked her breath in sharply. "You're a sick man to love a woman who hates you."
"If I am, then I want no cure."
She shook her head at his teasing tone. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Just hold me. Let me love you the way I should have all along."
She moaned as he drove himself deep inside her body with one full, hard thrust. Gods, how good he felt. In his arms, it was hard to remember why she was supposed to hate him.
Maybe because she didn't really hate him after all. As he'd said, they were soul mates. Partners. Without him, she'd been incomplete, and now that she had him back . . .
It was wonderful.
And as he slowly made love to her, she realized that she was standing at the same crossroads where he'd been the night his father had demanded he leave.
She knew where the one path led. It was desolate loneliness spent in bitterness over the past.
The other was even more terrifying. For that road meant that she'd have to trust in him again. That she'd have to allow him back into the place where only he could do her harm.
Dare she chance it?
Looking down at him as he took her hand into his and laid her palm against his cheek, she knew the answer.
She didn't want to live without him.
Her heart pounding, she locked herself around him and rolled over until he was on top of her.
Stryker frowned slightly as he sensed a change in her. A softening in her touch as she dragged her nails down his spine. That gentleness combined with the sight of her under him was enough to push him over the edge. He had to fight to restrain himself and wait for her.
But when she came, she screamed out his name, and in that one instant he knew he would kill or die for this woman. She alone held that power over him. Joining her release, he growled in satisfaction as his body spasmed.
Collapsing against her, he held her tight. "I love you, Phyra," he whispered in her ear.
Then, in the lowest of tones, he heard the words that meant the most to him. "I love you, too."
MENYARA PAUSED AS SHE FELT ULTIMATE power behind her. It rippled in the air and made the hair on the back of her neck rise. "Why are you skulking about, Jared?"
He materialized before her. "I'm not skulking."
"Whatever you say, child. Whatever you say."
Stepping back, he narrowed his gaze on her. "Why are you protecting the Malachai?"
She ignored his question. There was no need to go there with him, not when she knew what was really on his mind. "I know the sorrow inside you and I know why it is you did what you did. But in spite of what you think, the death of the Malachai won't give you solace. It won't take away the torment or the guilt that weighs on your conscience."
He curled his lips at her. "Stop with the mojo bullshit. I'm not one of your neophyte disciples training for war. I'm a veteran of the apocalypse. I've been on both sides of hell and am sick of the shit. I want his life and I won't be denied. Surely to the Source I've earned some kind of respite after all these centuries of abuse."
She shook her head. "The Source isn't appeased even now. The only way to have the Malachai is through me."
Jared summoned his powers into a typhoon around him. The force of them swirled, lifting his hair up to fan around him as his wings spread wide and his eyes glowed a bright gold. "Then I will have your life."
Menyara brought her hands up to catch the blast he sent toward her and return it with one of her own. "You're not a Chthonian and I'm not about to let you have him."
She heard a sharp laugh behind her.
"You can't destroy her, Sephiroth. But I have no such restrictions."
Turning, she saw War smirking at her. "What are you doing here?"
"Making a deal with the dev il."
Menyara started to leave, but before she could, a loud boom echoed in her ears an instant before everything went black.
