He shakes his head. "You're wrong."
I look at him, tears falling down my cheeks.
Tonight wasn't supposed to be like this; we weresupposedto send a message to Estela. I wasn't supposed to tell him any of this, but he was so damned gentle. So kind.
I wanted to be comforted, not to comfort, for once in my godsdamned life.
“I’m a whore, Ra’Sa. Take my information, and leave me to my shame,” I spit at him.
The moonlight bathes him with such noble, beautiful colors. It makes my chest hurt. He must be young and stupid to approach me so swiftly, knowing that the woman he pursues is... me.
“While you were with him, there came a moment when you felt a waking nightmare creep up, wasn’t there?” he asks, voice low.
I don’t understand how he could know that.
“What?”
“While you were with him. You said, ‘Ra’Sa, please come for me’.”
Shit.
“I—I did,” I whisper as he approaches.
He is devastatingly beautiful, like some fallen god. He looks at me with the light chiseling out his features. There's no humor in his face.
I have never seen anything like this.
It puts me wholly at his mercy. I’m exposed.
Ra’Sa nods once. “I know—I heard it.”
“What the fuck do you mean?”
Melisa, I can speak to your mind, which means I am your mate.
A tentative smile crosses his face as my mouth parts. He looks at me like I hold the key to hope itself.
All the humans wanted this except me. They wanted perfect lives with pastimes and gardens and pretty jewels.
I just wanted safety.
“No.”
Chapter 25
RA’SA
Itake another step toward Melisa.
“What do you mean ‘no’?” I ask as hot panic slithers under my skin.
She shakes her head again. “I can’t do this, Ra’Sa. I can’t be yours.”
The gods blessed me with a strong woman, and right now...
“Why not?” I demand.
Her breath shoots out in misty clouds, and her eyebrows draw together.