“Fine, but you have to face this. Stop hiding in your room.”

  Now, it’s my turn to glare. “You’re being awfully pushy for a girl who still has a curfew.”

  She hesitates. “I saw something, Tor.” The worry in her tone puts me immediately on edge.

  “What is it?”

  “A vision. About you. A possible future.”

  “Tell me.”

  “In one version, you… don’t forgive yourself. You remain locked in this house.” Her voice catches as she adds, “You die alone.”

  Fear and worry clog my senses, but then I remember her words from earlier. “I thought you said you live until you’re old.”

  “I do.” Her concern deepens as she adds, “But I am not with you when—” She breaks off and looks away.

  I stare down at my plate, at a loss.

  “You have to fight this,” she pleads.

  “What is there to fight?” I snap, looking up at her again, eyes blazing with fury. “Even if she wasn’t an innocent, I killed her for no reason. I am the enemy. How do I fight myself?”

  She doesn’t answer my question. Instead, she scrapes back her chair and gets up, moving to the sink and clattering dishes into the soapy water. Her back is to me, and she’s silent so long that I’m certain the conversation is over.

  Finally, she says, “There was another future.”

  My eyes bore holes in her back. “What future?”

  “There’s a male. Someone … who helps you.”

  I pause, my heart racing as I think of the possibilities. But I have a feeling I already know who she means. “Uziah?”

  “No.”

  My mate.

  The death dragon himself.

  The image of his face is burned behind my eyelids. Amid all the fear, I’ve thought of him constantly. My body aches for him, which is stupid considering I’ve never done more than look at him or feel his hand on my cheek. Despite that, I want him as badly as I want to wake up from this nightmare.

  “Mom would forgive you, you know.”

  I blink, snapping out of my thoughts to see Kendall facing me again. Her expression is a knowing one. “She would understand.”

  I shake my head, my eyes filling with tears. “I know that. But what if the next one…”

  “She would want you to have a life.”

  “What life?” I snort. “It’s not like I had one before this.”

  She crosses her arms, challenging me with the lift of her chin. “So, maybe it’s time to make one.”

  “You mean retire.”

  She shrugs. “We could go legit. Start a kitchen herb business. One that doesn’t include poisons.”

  I consider that idea, but my mind can’t seem to conjure what that future would look like—not without seeing my mate there with me.

  Ugh.

  “The male you saw,” I say slowly, “In that other future… what was he to me?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Were we… together?”

  “I’m not sure. I think that was part of the choice you need to make—the choice that will save you.” She pauses and then cocks her head. “Do you know who I’m talking about?”

  “I met someone,” I say quietly.

  “Who?”

  I hesitate, trying to calculate how much to tell her and how much to hold back. “A dragon. From Tartarus.”

  “No way,” she breathes, eyes wide. “What was he like? Tell me everything.”

  A killer.

  A monster.

  “Well.” I swallow hard. “He’s my mate.”

  “What?” she demands. She returns to the table, keeping her distance, I note. “I cannot believe you sat on this for a whole day. Tell me everything.”

  My mouth lifts at her enthusiasm. It’s the first semblance of normalcy I’ve had. “He was at the bar when I finished work the other night.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You didn’t speak to him?”

  “No, I just felt… It happened so fast, and I think he was as shocked as me.”

  She shakes her head, amused, but then her expression pinches, and she goes still. “Is he the one who did this to you?”

  I hesitate, shaking my head rather than spilling the terrible truth. “I’m not sure, but there was a darkness in him. Something I’ve never felt before. Strong magic. It made me dizzy. At the time, I thought it was the mate bond, but now I’m not sure.”

  “You think he cast a curse?” she asks. “A dragon?”

  “I don’t know.” I sigh. “What do you think?”

  “I couldn’t see the male in my vision, but I think you deserve to know one way or another.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You need to talk to him,” she says as if it’s the most reasonable idea in the world.

  My heart pounds wildly at the thought of confronting him. Of seeing him again at all. “And what would I do if it’s true?”

  She shrugs. “That’s a choice only you can make.”

  Before I can answer, my phone dings with a text.

  “It’s Uziah,” I say, scanning it quickly.

  “What does it say?” Kendall asks.

  I look up at her, dazed. “He says he told the Crimson Roses the reason I was able to poison that girl is because someone cursed me.”

  “You told him about your mate?” she asks.

  “No, only that a stranger touched me and likely cursed me in the process. I’m guessing he was trying to find a way to take the blame off me.”

  “And? Did it work?” she asks.

  “Yes,” I say, unsure how I feel about this new development. “They said if I can bring them the body of the one responsible for infecting me, they’ll rescind their kill order on me.”

  Kendall stares at me, wide-eyed. “You have to kill your mate?”

  “And bring them his body,” I add.

  Silence hangs between us. I know she’s trying to wrap her head around it just like I am.

  “Are you going to do it?” she asks quietly.

  I look up at her, ready to tell her no, of course not. To kill one’s mate would bring an agony unlike any other. But then I see Kendall staring back at me with wide, worried eyes—and I remember my vow. One that promises I’ll keep my sister safe, no matter what.

  “I don’t really have a choice.”

  Chapter 6

  Legion

  Ishouldn’t think of her at all, but I do. I cannot stop. No matter how much I drink. No matter how many enemies I torture or reports I read from my men. Her scent, her eyes, her body—I want it all. And even though I haven’t sought her out again since that first meeting, my want is turning to a need so dark and feral I think I might go mad without her.

  She must feel it too, our connection.

  She must be desiring me as much as I want her. It’s twisted, but I comfort myself with the idea that she’s as tormented as I am by this invisible force doing its best to push us together. Even if I never plan to take her fully, my dark heart is smug in knowing she wishes I would. She must be dying to touch me. To feel my body against hers. In hers. She must be desperate to seal this bond. To have me claim her.

  I refuse to give in to it.

  I will not be ruled by yet another bond, especially one that ties my life to another. Being bonded to Caius isn’t the worst fate in the world. Not considering the monster who came before him. But a mate is different. It’s more than a leash. It’s a mortal tether. If she dies, I die.

  I refuse to add the weight of that to an already burdened fate.

  So, I remain in Tartarus, closed off behind the walls of Kolgrave Keep. My trip to Osiris was a disaster. Styx was mildly amused. Caius, not so much, which means I won’t be venturing out again anytime soon. Not until I can find a way to break the mate bond’s hold over me. If that’s possible.

  Whatever happens, I have no intention of claiming her.

  As a gloomy afternoon gives way to twilight, Klyn appears in the doorway to the study where I slouch beside the fire. He offers a rap of knuckles to signal his presence though he didn’t need to bother. I scented him the moment he entered the estate.

  “Come in.”

  Apparently, I needn’t have bothered either as he strides toward me without waiting for an invitation.

  I’ve known Klyn since I arrived in Tartarus five millennia ago and chose the land next to his as my new home site. He is a wolf shifter whose lupin bloodline is descended from the gods, who turned on him and cast him out of Olympus for no other reason than that his strength and cunning threatened their own. Since then, he’s roamed the realms as a wild, packless beast.

  His penchant for silence has made him an easy companion for someone like me. His ability to find out nearly anything in this realm or the next has made him a valuable resource. He’s more than my second-in-command; he’s a friend.

  “What did you find?” I ask as he comes to stand before me.

  “Good to see you too, friend.”

  I roll my eyes. “Good to see you. What did you find?”

  He grins at me then crosses to pour himself a drink. I wait impatiently as he does so and watch as he takes the seat across from mine near the crackling fireplace.

  “She’s not what I expected.” He sips the bourbon he’s holding.

  I curl my hand into a fist, trying—and failing—to remain patient. “What the hell does that mean?”

  The look he gives me tells me he’s enjoying this torture. “She’s different.”

  “Klyn, it is only out of friendship that I have not lost my temper. What did you find? Specifics.”

  “Relax, friend,” he says, grinning. “I did the job you asked.”

  I snarl.

  His grin never even wavers. “Fine. How’s this for specific? She’s half-dark fae, half-nymph, which is an interesting mix to be sure. Both offer an affinity for nature, which makes sense, given her line of work. Anyway, both parents died about ten years back. Car accident. Her only family is a younger sister, Kendall, whom she’s raised alone ever since.”

  I frown. My experience with family has been less than pleasant, but even so, I can’t imagine having to raise a sibling alone.

  Then Klyn’s other words snag my attention.

  “What’s her line of work?”

  “Oh, man. This is the part that cracks me up.” He shakes his head, chuckling. “Ready for this? She’s an assassin-for-hire.”

  I frown. “She’s a soldier in her realm?”

  He nods. “Freelance. Her specialty is natural poisons. That night you saw her in the bar, she was working.”

  So, she wasn’t avenging a wrong that male did to her after all. The disappointment I feel is ridiculous. I don’t intend to pursue or claim her, so why do I care if she’s a killer like me?

  I don’t.

  As if to prove it, I remain silent.

  “You want to know the rest?” Klyn asks.

  “No, that’s enough.”

  His brow lifts, but I ignore it. “You sure?”

  “What else is there?” I all but snarl.

  But Klyn is too used to my foul moods. He doesn’t bat an eye as he teases, “Whether or not she’s seeing anyone?”

  My blood roars in my ears. I lean forward before I can stop myself, teeth bared. “Is she?”

  He chuckles again. “Nope. But I had you.”

  Leaning back, I exhale, my breath shakier than I want to admit. Klyn, of course, notices and continues to smirk as he drains his glass and pushes to his feet. “Her name is Torissa Sage, in case you’re wondering.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  He sets his glass down, angling toward the door before he stops and says, “You want her address?”

  “No.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  I listen as he lets himself out, my thoughts churning. She’s alone. Raising her sister. Vulnerable. Unprotected.

  My dragon’s need to go to her, to protect her is overwhelming. The feeling goes far beyond any blood vow obligation I’ve ever experienced.

  Before I can think too hard about all the reasons not to, I am up and out the door and heading for the portal. All it takes is a quick exchange with the soldier guarding the portal, and I’m cleared to pass. My position has its advantages and this is one I almost wish I didn’t. Without clearance, I’d at least be forced to stay away from her.

  The moment I step into the Earth realm, I shift into my dragon and take to the air. The mate bond slams into me, calling me toward her with an urgency that catches me off guard. I could feel her in Tartarus but not like this.

  In this realm, the tether that connects us is a screaming siren, beckoning me toward her. I fly faster, harder, if only to burn off the lust that fills me as I imagine her following this strand of connection we share—hunting for me as if she were the predator rather than the prey.

  It's pointless to go to her.

  And yet, that’s what I do.

  The mate bond leads me to a small house with peeling paint and a well-tended yard. In the back, a light shines inside a shed. Despite having every reason not to, I land in the trees far enough away that she won’t hear it and slowly approach from the woods. I’m nearly at the edge of her yard when I remember I’m still naked from the shift. Doubling back through several yards, I snag a pair of pants from a clothesline and tug them on before making my way toward her home.

  Her presence is a screaming neon sign.

  Even from outside, I can already scent her, and it takes everything in me not to break down the door and bury myself inside her.

  Instead, I watch her from the window.

  Her green hair is loose and long, obscuring her face, but the curves of her body hypnotize me as she moves from plant to plant, watering, inspecting, murmuring things to each of them.

  A killer.

  I snort. Hardly.

  At the sound, she jerks her face toward the window, and I rear back, melting into the shadows.

  I wait, barely breathing.

  The shed door opens.

  I strain to listen for the sound of footsteps or movement, but there is only silence.

  Too much silence.

  I press myself against the wall, my body thrumming with lust that clouds my thoughts. My erection bulges painfully against my pants. It takes me a moment to sense anything beyond my need for her.

  She’s a quiet hunter, I’ll give her that. On silent steps only a fae could achieve, she is suddenly standing before me. Her hair is pulled back in a tail now, revealing her face, and I find myself studying her features even while imagining what it would be like to free her hair again. To watch it curtain around her shoulders. To curl my fists around the ends and bow her head back so I can lick from her throat to her breasts.

  Her eyes meet mine, and I watch as her breath catches. Her pulse pounds harder, and I nearly drop to the ground at her feet right here and now to give her what she wants.

  What we both want.

  Her fist swings out, flying quicker than I would have thought her capable. I barely manage to dodge the punch, sidestepping her at the last second.

  She glares at me.

  I frown. This is not the greeting I expected. “Do you know who I am?”

  “That depends on which context you’re referring to.” Her voice rakes over me, a delicious ripple of pleasure against my senses.

  “We met,” I say, “in the city.”

  “Oh, I remember,” she says darkly. “It’s not something I could forget, unfortunately.”

  Unfortunately?

  “You are my mate.”

  “Yes, I’m aware.” She sighs. “A fact that’s equally unfortunate.”

  Irritation stabs through me. “You would speak to your fated mate that way?”

  “I would speak to my enemy that way,” she says icily.

  “What makes you think I’m your enemy?”

  “You’re a being from hell, are you not?”

  Irritation tightens my expression.

  “You are the monster they call the death dragon,” she presses. “An evil creature responsible for wiping out empires and killing innocents.”

  Anger overtakes confusion. I straighten and close the distance, standing before her. She is smaller than me though she doesn’t retreat at my presence. If anything, she looks more determined—for what, I don’t know.

  “Why did you come out here if not to give yourself to me?”

  “Give myself to you?” She stares at me with something like disgust, and my blood boils. “Does that kind of talk really work where you’re from?” She shakes her head. “Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re the one trespassing on my property. And I didn’t come out here to screw you, asshole. I came to kill you.”

  Chapter 7

  Tori

  The death dragon stares back at me with enough fire in his gaze to burn my skin. The moment I state my real intentions, he’s half-ready to kill me, too; that much is easy to read. But he holds back. Rather than analyze the reason why for too long, I get down to what I came here to do. I’ve spent the last few hours in my shop preparing to hunt him. Only to have him come to me in the end.

  It’s an opportunity I can’t waste.

  Unfortunately, firing the arrow I dipped in poison won’t work up close, so I improvise. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a vial. A deadly combination of hemlock and belladonna made more potent by the blood of a dark witch. It’s warm to my touch, and I waste no time uncapping it and tossing it at my mate.

  He retreats so quickly I almost don’t see him move.

  The poison lands among the dead leaves where he just stood and the ground it coats immediately turns black as the grass shrivels and dies.

  He glances from the poisoned ground to me, his eyes flashing with power and rage unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. He closes the distance between us as suddenly as he left. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of his presence, I back away, stopping only when my back thuds against the large elm tree behind me.

  “You would dare to try to kill me?” he snarls.

  His voice is barely more than an enraged breath. The sound of drums beats against my ears. My vision swims with battles and blood and a dragon with scales the color of midnight breathing fire and brimstone at the center of it all.