Page 31 of Pisces Rising

She smiled at him, her expression feeling both foreign and familiar. "Aries."

Relief washed over his masculine features, the tension draining from his shoulders. "Pisces."

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips, warmth blooming in her chest. "I remember you."

Despite having no memory of their recent moments, other than him being a complete dick to her, Pisces saw their connection through Sagittarius's eyes—the tender touches, the passionate embraces. A warm smile blossomed as she closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around Aries' neck and pressing herself against him.

Aries' annoyed facade melted away as he encircled her waist with his strong arms, pulling her flush against him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.

Pisces tightened her hold on him, reveling in the sense of security that enveloped her. "I won't," she whispered, kissing his jaw tenderly.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Pisces reluctantly pulled away from Aries’ embrace. He seemed to share the sentiment, his arms lingering on her waist as he turned to Sagittarius with a stern look. “Next time, just use the damn power.”

Sag looked flustered as he shrugged. “It’s disorienting for me. My memories get tangled with the other person’s. It’s not a gift I can wield freely.”

Aries’ mouth was pressed in a hard line, but he gave Sag a nod of thanks before turning his attention to Virgo. "What's our next move?"

Virgo's brow furrowed in thought. "We need to deal with Gemini quickly. Who knows what other tricks she has up her sleeve?"

Aries nodded grimly. "We can’t let Pisces out of our sight until this ends." His grip tightened around her possessively. From Sag’s memories, she recalled an accusation Aries leveled against her. Perhaps now he’d finally realized she was innocent.

Sagittarius cleared his throat, mistaking Pisces’ pensive silence for sadness over Gemini's betrayal. "I'm sorry you had to experience her deceit firsthand," he said gently. "But we're here for you."

Pisces shook her head, a steely glint in her eyes. "I'm not sad, Sagittarius. I'm furious." Her jaw clenched. "The fact that Gemini—even her dark side—would dare to cripple my mind for a second time..." She turned to face the others, her gaze unwavering. "But I won't let her win. I'll use this anger, this fire inside me, to get it back. The Cerulean Tear rightfully belongs to me." Squaring her shoulders, Pisces lifted her chin defiantly. "I can be sad later. Right now, I need to channel this fury into action."

Aries’ eyes gleamed as he drank in her fierce determination. "I like this new version of you," he growled.

Virgo nodded slowly. "Then we need a plan to draw Gemini out and reclaim what's yours."

Sagittarius readily agreed. "I'll do whatever I can to help." He paused for a moment. “Except using the mind gift. Don’t ask me to do that again.” Another blush heated his cheeks, and he wouldn’t look at Pisces again.

“I guess we better get started.” Virgo's gaze swept across the lab, taking in the full extent of the destruction. Computer monitors flickered with garbled static, warning lights blinked ominously, and debris littered the floor. He straightened his glasses, his lips pressed into a grim line. "She really did a number on this place."

Sagittarius surveyed the chaos, shaking his head slowly. "Gemini must have done this when she knocked us all down earlier."

A sense of urgency crackled in the air, lending a frantic energy to their movements. Aries kept one arm firmly wrapped around Pisces’ waist, refusing to let her out of his grasp for even a moment. His jaw was set in a hard line, the tendons in his neck straining as he watched Virgo try to reboot one of the damaged computer systems.

"Aries, give me a hand with this," Sag called out, trying to lift one of the large curved desks. Aries grunted, his eyes darting from Sag back to Pisces with indecision clear in his dark eyes.

Pisces laughed softly. "I'll stand right here. I won't move a muscle."

Aries fixed her with a stern look before finally conceding and releasing her. As he walked toward Sag, he turned back and pointed a finger at her. "Don't move from that spot."

Pisces held up her hands in surrender. "You have my word."

She watched the scene unfold, determination washing over her in waves. 'I won't let Dark Gemini win this,' she vowed silently. 'Not this time. Not ever again.' Her gaze swept to Aries, captivated by the raw power and intensity radiating from him as he worked alongside Sagittarius.

She knew him now, but not like she did before she lost her memories. This knowledge came straight from Sag’s mind, and through those visions, she saw the truth about who and what Aries was. This was enough to set her mind at ease about the fiery warrior. She only hoped that what Aries had seen was enough for him to trust her, too.

The three men worked in tandem to restore order. Virgo's fingers flew over the keyboard as he furrowed his brow in concentration, attempting to bring one of the massive screens back online. "Aha!" he shouted triumphantly. "I think I've got it."

Suddenly, a soft chime pierced the tense silence, and the screen blinked to life. An incoming video call flashed across the display, and a familiar face appeared.

"Aquarius," Virgo breathed, relief evident in his voice.

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