Page 101 of Demon's Desire
Luc released him like he’d been burned. “No. Alone. I can’t die alone.”
Onyx staggered into the wall behind him. Luc’s words cut so deep it was a wonder Onyx didn’t bleed. “Alone? You’re upset you have no one? You drove everyone away!”
Luc winced, but Onyx didn’t stop, his shouts bouncing off the stone walls. “You’re the one who leftmebehind. You took everyone! You had the love of hundreds and pissed it all away, and you have the audacity to tell me you have no one?”
Luc’s brow furrowed, frown lines cutting his sharp features. “I didn’t leave you behind. I didn’t take anyone from you.”
Onyx screamed, eyes clamped shut. His fire raged, coating his skin as his demonic features sprang forth, wings hitting the walls. There was so much fury inside him, he might never burn out.
Hands clasped his upper arms, pushing through his burning blue fire.
Onyx choked, and his eyes popped open against his will.
Luc held his stare, no sign of the pain he must feel as Onyx burned him. “How could I have left you? You’re here with me.”
Onyx shook his head, fire snuffing out. Luc’s grip tightened. “I asked you to stay with me in the Eternal Realm. Begged you. You chose searching for your mate over me.”
“I didn’t choose my mate over you. We all longed for our fated loves. We couldn’t stay in the Eternal Realm. It wasn’t anoption. Falling to Earth never meant leaving you behind. You wanted your mate too. You were coming with me.”
“No, I wasn’t. I didn’t need a mate. All I needed was you, Ash, and Dante. I fell because you were leaving regardless. If I hadn’t come, I’d never have seen you again.”
“What do you mean you didn’t need your mate? You’re saying you didn’t want to leave at all, even if it meant never being granted your partner?”
Onyx’s eyes burned, and he willed himself not to cry. Luc’s expression softened, and Onyx couldn’t take it. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. It’s what I said back then. I told you all this.”
“I thought you were putting on a brave face by saying you only needed your brothers and not a mate.”
Onyx trembled. “See? You didn’t listen. I couldn’t stand losing you. Come on, Luc. It’s not as if you’d have stayed in the Eternal Realm if I hadn’t given in and followed.”
Luc seemed to mull this over seriously. “True. I fear nothing could have held me back once the idea to fall took root. But I never wanted to leave you behind. It was always the four of us going.”
But it wasn’t. Fuck, why bother arguing? Luc left. Onyx followed, and the gesture was completely lost on his brother. Luc’s disregard ran so deep he hadn’t realized what was happening in front of him, too blinded by his own narrative to see Onyx as someone with differing goals and desires. Even when he voiced them out loud.
Luc pulled Onyx into a tight embrace, and Onyx stiffened in shock. “Let me find a way to put things right. I’m sorry you gave up so much for me, and then I…I failed you in every way. But I’m glad you followed. I’d be heartbroken to never see you again.”
Onyx should’ve recoiled from his brother’s touch. It had noright to soothe something inside him. He didn’t trust Luc’s words, but he longed for them to be true more than anything.
The desire pulled him apart.
Was this soul-destroying yearning for another’s love how Luc felt about mates? Onyx could understand the agony driving him to recklessness. To fall from the Eternal Realm. To destroy everything he loved.
Onyx couldn’t help clinging to the possibility that Luc told the truth—loved him deep down—no matter what it cost him.
Luc pulled Onyx closer. “I won’t let you die here. I’ll get you out, little brother, and if I survive, I’ll never take you for granted again.”
28
NICO
Nico blinked awake,a chill coursing through his body. He lay face down on something hard. Shit. He scrambled to his feet and glanced around the deserted roof.
Where was Onyx?
Nico reached within, searching for their bond, but couldn’t find it. He was empty. No. That wasn’t possible.
What had happened? Nico hadn’t seen a thing except Onyx freezing like he’d been stunned. Then, Nico had been engulfed in pain and blacked out. What if Onyx had been worse than stunned?
Nico’s heart raced. Onyx couldn’t have been permanently killed. Could he? Nico shoved a shaking hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, calling Dante.
