Page 149 of Tempt

Dante lets out a happy laugh and leans into my side. I pull him in for another hug, and he grabs onto my hand, holding it tightly.

‘Tell me everything I’ve missed while I’ve been here. Any updates on anything?’

Dante peers up at me and leans back so we can communicate clearly.

‘Mom and Dad are fine. Worried about you, of course, but they know you’re happy and safe, so that appeases them a lot. And of course Gia and Amara ask me every time I see them about you. I’ve been vague, but they know enough.’

‘How’s Cielo?’

‘Wonderful. Perfect. I adore him.’

He sighs, and I can feel him tremble. I have a feeling that Cielo is talking to him through the bond they share. My hand moves up to my neck, and I touch the invisible mark Eissa left on me. Dante, of course, doesn’t miss it.

His eyes widen, and he squeezes my leg. ‘You and Eissa?’

‘Yes.’

‘You must keep it a secret. You can’t tell anyone. There are so few of us. It’s so dangerous.’

‘I know.’

He’s silent for a long moment, and then he shakes his head. ‘It’s wonderful and frightening, loving someone like that.’

‘I know.’

I think about Eissa and Kori, about how Kori was ripped away from his Vyastil, how much Eissa suffered from it… and continues to suffer.

But I don’t tell my brother any of that, sending a wave of affection through the bond and feeling it wrap tightly around Eissa. I sit like that for a long moment before Everest appears once more, his gait a little off, his cheeks and neck flushed red.

Dante and I stare at him, and we both can’t help but laugh, especially when Rathyn appears again looking smug, walking a little taller as he makes his way back outside with Eissa.

Everest falls onto the couch beside us and runs a hand through his hair. ‘Sorry about that. You know how possessive they get.’

We both nod, and then I reach out and touch Everest’s leg, getting his attention.

‘How’s Zane?’ The mention of his best friend makes his face pale, and I see his eyes well up.

‘He’s in big, big trouble. He’s going to jail. Going to spend years there, I think. They’re going to make an example out of him.’

My heart aches for him, but I also feel somewhat vindicated. I know Zane’s Everest’s best friend, but he also took part in something that caused me so much pain, and it ripped me away from my family.

But if it hadn’t happened, if I hadn’t come to live with Eissa, would he and I ever have been bonded like this? Did that need to happen for Eissa to realize what I am to him?

I don’t know, but I do feel sorry for Everest and the agony he must be in, realizing someone you love isn’t who you think they are.

‘We don’t need to talk about him. I know what he did to you.’

I squeeze his leg once more, and our conversation turns back to Dante, his shop, and all the toys that Everest and Rathyn have tried. When Eissa and Rathyn appear a while later, we’re laughing so hard tears are streaming down our cheeks.

They stand and watch us for a long moment, their lips curled up in amusement before Rathyn interrupts. ‘We must go. We have stayed too long.’

I glance at Eissa, my laughter dying, my hand tightening on my brother’s hand.

‘Can he come back and visit?’

‘Yes, soon.’

And with that we all stand, exchanging long hugs, tears now streaming down our cheeks from the pain of being ripped from one another again.