I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Nyx still has a chance at love. The kind that lasts an eternity. Your eternity will be spent with your mate—with Ambrose. But Nyx, there was a woman before. One he could have loved. She was a human. He was a wolf shifter. But they became the best of friends as kids. They were inseparable. Until her family moved. He vowed to find her when they were older. And he did. He found her. But by then, he’d been turned. He was a vampire. He went to tell her goodbye. And found her dying. So he turned her to save her life.”
Talonis takes a deep breath. “It should have been an epic love story. Instead, she hated him for what he did to her. She hated what she had become.”
I bite my lip, hanging onto his every word. “What happened next?”
“Nyx returned home. He became the best alpha, the best lord. He protected his pack and his vampires. He vowed to break the curse for her. He couldn’t turn her human again, but he could let her live the best life she could uncursed.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Nyx doesn’t know this, but she came looking for him once after. She had accepted what she had become. Was ready to give him the chance.”
“Why didn’t she speak to him?”
“Because by then, he was with you.”
I suck in a sharp inhale.
“He has a chance to find his true mate. Let him go, Lumi.” And then Talonis disappears into the night. I know that he’ll keep Nyx safe. But…fuck.
Nyx is mine.
I love him.
I can’t let him go.
I scream, but nothing comes out. I don’t allow any sound out. I’m still torn.Do I stand here or go after him?
A tear drips down my cheek. I have to let Nyx make his own decisions. Even if his decisions kill me.
I turn, walking back to my room, knowing I need to sleep. I walk up the stairs and down the hallway. Before I make it to my room, Ambrose pokes his head out of his room.
“Are you okay? I felt something strange in our bond. Like someone punched you in the heart,” he says.
He doesn’t know what Nyx did or is doing. All he saw was us kissing. And yet, Ambrose doesn’t hate me. I can tell that he doesn’t. Whatever Nyx decides to do tonight, I can forgive him.
“Just tired,” I say.
Ambrose frowns, looking behind me like he expects to see Nyx, but there is nothing but empty shadows. I feel Ambrose gently prod in my mind, but I slam the door down so hard on my mind that he winces as I lock him completely out.
“Don’t. Not tonight,” I say, and then I keep walking toward my room.
Brax is there. He studies me. “Where’s Talonis?”
“With Nyx.”
He nods, then sticks his head into the hallway. A few seconds later, Riven appears. My babysitters. I can never be left alone without protection.
I pull the covers back and climb into bed before tossing the thick comforter over my head. I don’t change clothes. I don’t brush my teeth. I don’t do anything but collapse as the tears fall and fall.
I can feel the heavy tension between Riven and Brax. They have no idea what to do with me or even what’s really going on. But thankfully, neither of them tries to help. The lights dim, and I hear them take seats in the chairs in the corner of the room.
I doubt sleep will come quickly, but to my surprise, I feel the dark pull me under quickly. Like it can’t wait to greet me in my sleep. It has something to show me.
Suddenly, I’m standing at the entrance of the vampire cave. The same one that Nyx showed me before.Why am I here? I’m not supposed to be here. Where is everyone?
Light flickers like candlelight all around me. But I sense that I’m not alone.
Ambrose—I need to reach Ambrose through our bond. But I feel his fire burning. I’m in his head already.