Deidre's Death (#2, Rhyn Eternal)

by Lizzy Ford

  Gabriel watched Deidre’s small form walk into the forest. Her shoulders were hunched, her head down. He felt her pain but didn’t know what to do about it. For the first time in their relationship, he’d been completely honest with her. Unfortunately, he realized he would rather have told the goddess version of her the truth than the fragile human.

  Even so, she hadn’t even considered telling him whatever it was she was hiding. He wasn’t certain what frustrated him more: knowing he hurt her or knowing she’d changed every part of her – but the one that mattered. The one that might one day consider him an equal worth trusting with her heart.

  So he said nothing. Her question was a good one: did he like who she was two days ago better? He didn’t think it mattered. Whatever she did sounded permanent.

  Troubled, Gabriel didn’t move until she was gone from sight.

  He returned to Andre. The graceful Immortal was in the study, hands folded in his hands, as if waiting for him.

  “Shit,” Gabriel muttered.

  Andre smiled.

  “You knew how that would go.”

  “I made an educated guess, based on what I knew about both of you,” Andre replied. “Before you ask: the answer is no.”

  Gabe drew a breath, expecting Andre wouldn’t betray the confidence of his mate. He planned on asking. Andre’s patient smile reminded him of how there was a time when he never would’ve considered asking for such a favor.

  Deities did things differently, but he wasn’t about to do what his predecessor would have and demand a favor of someone like Andre. He wanted to be different than the other deities who didn’t respect any boundaries, even if he was breaking Immortal Laws right and left to try to salvage his underworld.

  “I get it,” he said. “Will you tell me if she’s in any danger?”

  “Not that I can tell, but we didn’t get into details about her dealings with Darkyn. A better person to ask might be Darkyn.”

  “Yeah, right,” Gabriel said with a grimace. “Trust a demon above my mate?”

  “You wouldn’t be the first.”

  “Ouch, Andre.”

  “That’s for considering asking me to betray someone else’s trust,” Andre said with a grin.

  “If she owed him something, Darkyn wouldn’t be waiting for her to deliver. She’d be scared. So, I’m assuming he isn’t the looming problem.”

  “Safe assumption. Except that he’s still got a hand in all this,” Andre said calmly.

  Gabriel shook his head. “You know what I’m going to do, Andre?”

  Andre waited.

  “I’m going to kill demons and collect souls, until I set things right. Whatever happens with my mate, happens if or when it does.”

  “I support that. You both need your space,” Andre agreed.

  Gabriel frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that.

  “In other matters,” Gabriel started. “I need to talk to you about something important. It has to do with Erik.”

  “I’m guessing he’s no longer missing.”

  “Parts of him aren’t,” Gabriel said with a wry smile.

  Andre gave him a disapproving look, and Gabriel realized the joke was probably misplaced when talking to the family member of the deceased.

  “Rhyn said you didn’t find his soul.”

  “We didn’t,” Gabriel said. “You may not want to leave the fortress.”

  “I’m not worried about Darkyn,” Andre replied calmly.

  “That makes one of us.”

  “I’ve yet to meet someone who couldn’t be handled, given the right approach.”

  Gabriel smiled. Men like him and Rhyn didn’t know how to be diplomatic like Andre. He began to think more and more that raising Andre was worth breaking the thousands of Immortal Laws it cost.

  “It is a shame about Erik,” Andre continued. “I don’t suppose you will find a need to raise him or Kris as you did me.”

  “If I need to, I will,” Gabriel said. “Right now, I’m wondering what Darkyn wants with his soul.”

  “Ask him.”

  “You really want me to see Darkyn, don’t you?” Gabriel crossed his arms. “There’s still some connection between him and my mate, isn’t there?”

  “Connection is a strong word.”

  Great. Gabriel wasn’t certain what Andre wanted him to know. He did know, however, that the last time he avoided a deity – Fate – he ended up fucking up his world. He didn’t think he could do much worse, but the fact the Dark One held the key to something he might need to know was not promising. At all.

  “I’ll consider it,” he said. “As much as I dread it.”

  “Gabriel, I don’t want to turn you against her,” Andre continued. “It’s a hard line for me to walk. She does love you. She always has. You should remember that.”

  “It’s hard to believe when I feel like she’s lying to me.”

  “I know it is.”

  Andre didn’t deny she was lying to him, which left Gabriel even less certain what to do about his mate. His instinct was to do what he had last week: put up some sort of barrier between them, until he saw she could be trusted. He didn’t want to be hurt again. Ever. Or risk that there was something else going on that would drive his mate back to Darkyn for whatever reason.

  Then again, putting up that barrier was what drove her to Darkyn after their romantic night on the beach. He didn’t give her the reassurance she sought about whether or not they had a real future together, and she brokered a deal with the Dark One in a desperate attempt to ensure she had a chance with Gabriel.

  For what it’s worth, Gabriel, I’ve always loved you. These were the words of the goddess not the human. This much he knew.

  Day Three

  Chapter Six