Page 40 of Eternal Surrender

Nightwalkers edged along the bar, quickly disappearing from sight. Marcus came into focus, his expression calm and with a wave of his hand he ordered the rest to leave.

He gave a wry smile.

I ran my fingers through my matted hair, wondering if it was as bad as it felt.

“Oh yes,” Marcus answered my unspoken question. “Good thing you chose tonight. Last night we had wall to wall mortal guests, and they never take kindly to that much blood.” He came closer. “Looks like you took a bath in it, which I’m not opposed too, only you’ve ruined a perfectly good pair of shoes.” He leaned in close. “I know who you are.”

Seconds passed where I tried to find the words to express that which I couldn’t reach.

“Orpheus, are you fucking kidding me?” Marcus asked.

“Who told you?” My voice sounded foreign, strained.

“Sunaria.”

Everyone had now gone other than Zachary, who stood near the bar staring at me, aghast.

My eyes widened in wonder. “Sunaria’s alive.”

A wave of guilt for the way I had treated her back at the castle.

“She most certainly is.” Marcus wiped a smudge of blood off my left eyelid. “And yet stranger things have happened. Notice I’m looking at you.”

“I messed up.” I rubbed my jaw line, trying to find the words that would make sense.

“Whoever you drank from tonight was high. You do realize that right?”

I gave a drunken grin.

Marcus stepped back and glanced at Zachary. “Who do think he looks more like, Jadeon or Orpheus?” Marcus snapped his head back to face me and grabbed my arm.

“I take it you need convincing,” I said.

“Could say that.” He tightened his grip and peered over at Zachary. “Go fetch my whip.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” I grinned, but it soon faded.

Marcus watched Zachary step into the elevator. The doors closed behind him.

“Sunaria told me that while fighting at Stonehenge you and Jadeon. . .” Marcus couldn’t finish it.

I pulled away. “Joined.”

“Sunaria resurrected you?” he asked fiercely.

“Marcus, it’s me.”

He showed a moment of weakness. “What’s your endgame?”

“Some part of you must believe it?”

“You told me you were Orpheus’s accountant?”

“I had to come up with something.”

“Why not the truth?”

I shifted away from him. “Because I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”