by Laura Kaye
“Yes!”
“Surprise.” He released his hands and stepped to her side. On the ground, spread under a just-budding cherry tree, was a blanket laden with colorful fruits, crusty breads, a half-dozen types of cheese, and a platter of carved ham and turkey. In the center of it all was a bowl of green M&Ms.
She sucked in a breath. “How in the world did you do all this?”
Cheeks adorably pink, he shrugged one big shoulder. “I can poof stuff, remember?”
Free, joyous laughter bubbled up out of her chest. “It’s very handy.” She pulled him into her arms, careful to avoid where she knew the bandage lay on his back. “Thank you. This is lovely. And I’m starved.”
He returned her hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Me too. Come on.”
Ella’s eyes didn’t know where to go first, it was all so beautiful. She picked up the bowl of M&Ms. “How did you know?” she asked, popping two candies in her mouth.
“You only ever ate the green ones.” He set out a plate and linen napkin in front of each of them.
“I can’t believe you noticed that.”
“I notice everything about you, love. You mean the world to me.”
Her cheeks warmed at the intensity of his words, his gaze. “I love you, Zephyros. Thank you for all this.”
“It’s my pleasure. Now, let’s eat.”
They made small talk as they filled their plates to heaping. Ella suddenly couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten and somehow one of everything appeared on her plate. Red, ripe strawberries, succulent pineapple, sweet mango, and juicy nectarines were among her favorite fruits. She spread creamy brie on fresh-baked French bread and added a slice of roasted turkey.
Zeph swallowed a bite and pointed at her shirt. “Did you go to school there?”
Ella had to glance down to remember what she was even wearing. “Oh, yeah. I went to Georgetown for college. Marcus and I both did. Typical twins, we stuck together even when we went away for school. Plus, they have a nationally ranked sailing team, so we could still pursue the sport, and in waters we generally knew. My parents lived here in Annapolis then, so Georgetown was just far enough away to feel independent, but close enough to come home for some of my mom’s famous French toast or to do some free laundry.” She smiled. God, those days seemed so far away.
Zeph listened attentively while he ate, like he was memorizing every detail of her history. “And, your parents, they died?”
“Yeah, but how did you—”
“Oh. Right. Uh, I was with you in the hospital. I heard the nurses say you had no known family. Apparently, someone at the marina told the paramedics your immediate family was gone.”
“I thought I’d dreamed you,” Ella said, remembering her first hazy images of him. She met his gaze, his eyes a brighter blue in the late-day sun. “I’m so glad you weren’t a dream.”
“I’m not, Ella. I’m real. And this is real, what we have.”
She smiled and her stomach flip-flopped. “I know.” Sighing, she added, “My parents died in a car accident toward the end of our sophomore year. The anniversary is actually in a couple weeks. Anyway, a tractor-trailer ran them off a highway just before an overpass. They didn’t have anywhere to go but into the concrete supports. At least that’s what Marcus managed to learn from the police reports. I couldn’t read them.”
“That’s horrible. And you were so damn young. I’m sorry.”
“I wouldn’t have gotten through it without Marcus. Legally, we were adults when it happened. But we’d just turned twenty, and in that moment, I sure didn’t feel like a grown-up. As if we hadn’t already been close, their deaths really brought us together. Marcus bought the True Blue with money we’d inherited. It was our twenty-first birthday present, and we spent a lot of time on that boat together. Out on the water, fighting the wind”—she gave him a small smile—“it was easier not to think about it.”
“I would’ve liked to meet Marcus,” Zeph said.
The idea of it was bittersweet. “I would’ve loved for you to meet him. He was a great person, strong and generous and kind.”
“You had a lot in common, then.”
Ella smiled and glanced around the yard. Every green thing seemed so much brighter and fuller than she remembered from the other day. She sighed. “I don’t know. He was much stronger than me.”
“I don’t know how that could be. You’re one of the strongest, most courageous people I’ve ever met.”
Ella rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. She pushed her plate away. “I’m stuffed.”
Together, they moved the plates and platters and baskets of leftover picnic food to the edge of the blanket. They’d be eating well for the next few days.
Zeph stretched out on his side and it took him a minute to get settled.
“You still hurting?”
“It’s getting better.”
“M&Ms will help. Here.” She handed him the bowl and stretched out on her side facing him.
He smiled and threw a few candies in his mouth. “Mmm, I think you might be right. Better have a few more to be sure.” He grabbed a handful and picked at them. Ella adored the way his eyebrows went up each time he ate one. It was possible he rivaled her in his enjoyment of the candies. They might want to take stock in the company.
“So, when is your birthday, anyway?”
“Oh.” Ella couldn’t hold in a small groan. With everything else going on, she’d pretty much forgotten. It wasn’t like she’d been expecting to celebrate it anyway. “If I tell you, you have to promise not to do anything.”
“I don’t want to promise that.”
“Come on, Zeph.” She rubbed his arm. “Just having you, I already have everything I want. And you just arranged this beautiful picnic for us.”
“When is your birthday, Ella?”
“Can I distract you with a kiss?”
He grinned. “You can always distract me with a kiss, but I’m still going to want to know when your birthday is.”
She sighed and grabbed more M&Ms. Her stomach was going to burst soon, but the sensation of satiation was so gratifying for once. “Fine. It’s tomorrow.” She picked at her candies.
He leaned into her line of sight. “Your birthday is tomorrow?”
“Mmm-hmm. March 31st.”
His eyes were alive with wonder. “That’s extraordinary.”
“Why?”
“Not only were you born in the month for which I was named, but by the old calendar, you’d be a new year’s baby. March 31st was the last day of the new year’s celebration back when March 25th was the start of the year.”
“Really? That’s kinda cool.” She shrugged. “Well, I’ve always liked March because it was my birthday. And because I like the rain. And now I guess I have another reason.” She grinned at him and held up an M&M. “Open.”
Obeying, the light in his eyes went molten. He accepted the candy and pulled her in against him. Ella savored the combination of Zeph’s natural masculinity with the chocolate. It was divine. She smiled at the thought as they kissed, but then his tongue stole her ability to think.
She reclined against the blanket and he followed. The kiss was sweet with a whole lot of promise of more to come. But, for just that moment, neither rushed, neither pushed. She was entirely content to lay there outside on a blanket enjoying Zeph and the late afternoon spring air. And she could tell from the satisfied sounds he made, he felt the same way.
Something tickled her hand where it held the back of Zeph’s head. She was so deep into him, she didn’t think anything of it until it happened again. And then something brushed her cheek.
She pulled away. “I felt something.”
“What?”
“I don’t kn—” The words died in her throat. She gasped and pushed out from underneath Zeph. “Oh, my god.” Perfectly formed cherry blossoms fluttered from the tree.
The rose bush that had bloomed out of turn a few days before now had a whole lot of comp
any. The entire garden was in full bloom.
The huge canopy of the cherry tree above them was cotton-candy pink. All along the rear fence, the hyacinths stood like sentinels in a row, their white, pink, and purple buds releasing the most fragrant perfume. Ancient azalea bushes dotted the yard in reds and whites. Lilies and crocuses and bluebells and tulips and larkspurs and pansies, not to mention all the other flowers she couldn’t name, filled every corner of the garden with color.
“How…?” was all she could manage. She rose to her feet and turned in a three-sixty, right there standing on the blanket. Not only had the whole garden bloomed, apparently spontaneously, it seemed more vibrant and full of life than ever before.
And then she knew.
Zeph sat reclined on the blanket, braced against his arms, watching her. His eyes were as bright as she’d ever seen them, so alive with that magical light. “You overwhelm me.” He shrugged and looked up at the brilliant pink above them. “It’s hard to restrain myself when I’m with you. This time, I didn’t bother to try.”
“You did this?” He nodded. “Don’t you dare get me a birthday present, Zephyros. Nothing could top this.”
She walked around the garden, inhaling the heady floral scents down deep and brushing her hand over the full, heavy blossoms, each one more beautiful than the next. As she took it all in, she felt his gaze on her and didn’t mind in the least. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated the incredible gift of his magic.
After she made a circuit around the garden, she stretched back out on the blanket. They laid on their sides, hands joined and his knee tucked between her thighs. “Thank you. You’ve given me the most wonderful day.”
“It pleases me to make you happy.”
Ella shivered.
“Are you getting too cold?”
The sun had dropped in the sky, drawing down the temperature and leaving more shadows than light across the verdant gardens. But Ella’s body had more been reacting to the miraculous turn her life had taken these past few days. “I’m fine. And I don’t want to give this up yet.”
“You don’t have to, we’re in no rush.”
She dozed off for a while, so comfortable in his arms, and only awoke as he lifted her off the blanket. “Your back,” she whispered, groggy.
“I’m being careful.”
“‘kay.” Her eyes were so heavy. She pressed her face against his chest. “Love the flowers.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad.”
Upstairs, she forced herself to wake up enough to use the bathroom, brush her teeth, and change clothes. She was almost asleep again when she fell into bed. Zeph opened his arm to her and pulled her back against his chest. As she drifted, she swore she could smell the perfume of the garden. “Did you open the window?” she mumbled.
“Yeah. I thought you might like it. Is it okay?”
“Love it. Love you,” she managed, and she fell into the most peaceful sleep and hopeful dreams she’d had in years.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Arms wrapped around her, softly at first, then tighter. Still mostly asleep, Ella smiled and let herself be moved where he wanted her.
And then she was wrenched from the bed.
She snapped awake. The pitch-dark room spun around her. There was a grunt and a curse, the creak of what sounded like leather.
Terror shot down her spine, brought tears immediately to her eyes. She sucked in a breath and a huge hand slapped across her mouth.
“Won’t do you any good,” a voice snarled in her ear. “Best hold on now.”
Eurus.
Ella had no time to react, and didn’t understand what happened next. She could hear, she could see, but she didn’t feel like herself, in herself. Stranger, she was flying. It was the only way she could describe it. Through the window, out over the dark garden, and across the neck of land on which the neighborhood of Eastport stood.
Zephyros! Oh, God, Zephyros!
She heard the scream inside herself, but hadn’t actually vocalized. Because…oh, no, oh, God…she had no body.
Mmm, yes, scream for him. He’ll like that, came Eurus’s voice in her mind.
All at once, she remembered the first night she’d made love with Zeph. Him flashing them from the hallway into the bed. Her mind whirled. Eurus had…taken her. Clearly. And she was…
What’s happening? Where am I?
His chuckle echoed through her consciousness, and she hated the violation of his presence there. Just look around, Ella. You’re an avid sailor, are you not? You’ll recognize the landmarks.
She focused, concentrated, looked down at the landscape over which they soared. Red lights flashed along the length of a grouping of towers. They looked so familiar…the radio towers at Greenbury Point! Directly beneath them, the bay was a black surface in motion.
Oh, Jesus, the tops of those towers were really fucking far beneath them. A panicked shudder rippled through Ella’s soul.
Eurus, please take me back. Please.
The begging’s a nice touch. Do keep that up.
She tried to struggle, but had no idea how to manipulate her body, her existence, whatever, in this state. But no way she was giving him the satisfaction of her begging for her life or crying out for Zeph.
Besides, the reality of the situation was sinking in down to her marrow. Begging wouldn’t make any difference. Nothing would.
They rode the air currents over the bay, near the bridge that bore its name, and shot upward unexpectedly.
She slammed back into her physical body so hard, she choked and gagged.
“Careful now, wouldn’t want to fall,” Eurus said with dark delight.
Ella sucked in a breath, still feeling fragmented and confused. Cold, damp wind whipped her hair around her face. Orientation returned in starts and stops, but exhaustion swamped her, made her muscles heavy and sluggish.
“Why?” she groaned.
“Don’t look for meaning where there is none, you fucking human piece of trash. I do it because I can. And because you should’ve died the first time. I’m just setting things straight.”
Ella groaned and her head went slack on her neck. She forced her eyes open, and…No. Nononono. “Oh, God, no.” Adrenaline shot awareness through her system. A moan ripped from her throat. They’d come out of the wind and materialized on top of the tallest suspension tower of the Bay Bridge. Below, westbound traffic appeared tiny, like toy cars, as it headed toward Annapolis and D.C., completely unaware of the disaster unfolding above them.
From where she stood, swayed, it had to be pushing four hundred feet to the water’s surface.
Another realization exploded into her brain. No way Zeph would’ve allowed this to happen. She fought and pushed until she whirled in Eurus’s arms. “What did you do to Zephyros?” She ripped her hands free and pummeled his chest, clawed at his face, newly disfigured in some way she couldn’t fully make out in the darkness. “What did you do to him?”
He trapped her wrists in an iron grip. She winced as a gaudy winged ring bit into her skin. “Now, Ella, why would I have done anything to Zephyros? I would never want him to miss this.”
Ella frowned, tugged at her hands. “What are you talking about?”
“Just this.” He released her hands. The preternatural weight of his stare boring into her through those dark glasses, a blast of cold wind hit her square in the chest.
She shot backward out into open space.
Her body, her life, went into a freefall.
…
Zephyros Martius was gone. In his place was a growling, roaring, feral beast strapped down against a bed like an animal tethered in a cage.
The supernatural restraints held him still and powerless as seconds passed, minutes, eternity. Eurus had gotten the jump on him that one other time because Zeph had been drained from the intensity of the healing. But this…he couldn’t understand, couldn’t fathom…it shouldn’t have been fucking possible.
All at once, he was free. He bolted
off the bed and whipped into the elements, already flying, already tracking.
Ella!
His soul screamed to the heavens, thunder rumbling across the night sky in a low, eerie lament. Some part of his consciousness sensed Chrysander’s summons, but he couldn’t stop, couldn’t think about anything other than his beloved.
She was dying.
Her life force cried out, fought, denied, each emotion crashing into Zeph’s soul.
Up, up, into the air he went. Searching, calling out, hunting down that unique aura that was all hers.
There! Ahead. Oh, gods, he’d found her. He dug deep into his godhood and threw everything he had into getting to her. An unending chant sounded in his mind, a prayer, a litany.
Her special signature flared in a fantastic, brilliant explosion of energy.
Zeph’s psyche froze, suspended in time and space.
That special peaceful aura crackled and sparked. He poured out every last molecule of his godhood, racing, driving. He could still get to her. He had to get to her. It wasn’t too late. It couldn’t be too late.
Not again not again not again. Not Ella.
His heart, his life, his whole fucking world balanced on a knife’s edge. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, he was just energy in motion, energy in pursuit of life.
Then her energy, her life, was gone.
He strained to pick up even the smallest thread of her unique force, but it was no use.
There was nothing but devastatingly dead, white silence. The loudest thing he had ever heard, it shattered his ears and his heart.
Grief and rage flashed out of Zephyros, manifested in an instantaneous killer storm over the bay. Winds tore at the sky, rain and hail pummeled the earth. Waterspouts spiraled up from the surface, dancing, stalking, sucking up everything in their paths.
By one of the bridge’s concrete footings, something bobbed on the surface.
Zeph plunged from the sky. He knew what he would find before he got to her.
