“I know,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “I miss him, also. If I could bring him back for you, I would.”

  Surprisingly, I meant every word, even though I’d lose her in the process. Her happiness was the most important thing to me. It was why I couldn’t stay mad at her. She’d wanted Jett, and he’d made her very happy in their short time together. It was up to me to try and help her find a way back to some sort of inner peace, but that wasn’t going to happen unless I got her out of here.

  Continuing to hold her, I let her cry it out, wishing I could take her pain away somehow. Laying my cheek against her head, I wondered how this sweet girl had captured my heart so quickly. I’d give her anything she desired, just to see her happy.

  Kenna was my world.

  She lifted her head, angling so I could see her tear-stained face. Her thick eyelashes were spiky and wet, blinking as her bloodshot eyes locked with mine. “I love you so much. Thank you for being here for me.”

  “Always,” I replied, my gaze drifting to her lips. I wanted so badly to press mine there.

  As if she had read my mind, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed me. I closed my eyes, savoring the brief contact before she pulled away.

  “It’s not fair of me to ask you to withhold your feelings. It’s not like we were broken up or anything. I love you as much as I did before all this happened.”

  “Kenna, I’m not some beast who can’t take a backseat to your grief. I don’t want you rushing into anything you aren’t ready for. You’ve lost a big part of your life.”

  She nodded, lifting a finger to trace my lips. Even that felt amazing, sending sparks through my skin. “I know, but you’re an equally big part of it. Plus, you and I are stuck in this prison together. I need to be here, present, with you too. Who knows what Damien has in store for us? I don’t want to miss any more chances in my life because I dragged my feet while wallowing in self-pity.”

  “This isn’t self-pity. It’s mourning. You’ve lost the man of your dreams.”

  “I lost one of the men of my dreams. I was lucky enough to have two, and I don’t want to lose the other one.”

  “You’ll never lose me. Dead or alive, I’m yours. Nothing will ever tear me away.”

  “I just want to do right by you.” Her hand drifted to cup my cheek, and I could see her love for me radiating in her eyes.

  “You’re doing fine,” I assured her, squeezing her tighter. “I can wait. You take all the time you need.”

  “Right now, I want to be in your arms. Is that bad?” She searched my eyes.

  I shook my head. “You can stay here as long as you want, whenever you want.”

  She leaned her head against my chest, and I stroked her hair, hoping the gesture would soothe her. Neither of us spoke, each lost in our own thoughts. My leg was falling asleep but moving was out of the question. I didn’t want to break this contact with her.

  “Awwww. Comforting the widow. How precious,” Damien’s voice intruded, causing us to break apart.

  Damn it! I hadn’t even heard him enter the room. I’d let my guard down. Glancing toward the sound of his voice, I saw one of his eyes peeking through the woven branches of our cocoon.

  “Don’t stop on my account. I’m impressed. You’ve got determination, kid. Way to move in as soon as the competition dropped dead. Bravo!” Clapping filled the air.

  Smacking the nearest vine, our wooden cover rapidly receded, exposing us. “Listen, you sick bastard,” I started, leaning forward, but Kenna’s hand on my arm stopped me. I glanced at her.

  “Don’t play his game,” she said.

  Damien laughed. “You are definitely my granddaughter. So cool and calm in heated situations.” His gaze drifted over her in a way that made me very uncomfortable. “I don’t blame you, Seth. She’s pretty, just like her mother. You’d be stupid if you didn’t want to go on that ride, even if she is Jett’s sloppy seconds.”

  “Shut up!” Kenna roared. Before I could blink, she practically flew across the bed. Slapping Damien across the face, the resounding smack echoed against the stone walls. “I hate you!” Her hand moved again, but he caught it at the wrist, stopping her.

  “You delivered your message with the first strike, sweetling. No need to overdo it with a second. It’s tacky.”

  Grabbing Kenna around the waist, I pulled her against my chest, dragging her as far away from him as possible. “What do you want?” I asked, gritting my teeth.

  “I’m simply checking in on my guests,” he said, smiling. “Are you ready for some breakfast or an outing, perhaps? Or would you like some alone time? I mean, no reason to postpone the honeymoon when you have a competent young man who’s very willing to be your groom. What do you say, Kenna? Will you let Seth have the role he so badly craves? You know what they say, the best way to get over one guy is to get under another one.”

  “Leave her alone!” I growled, his mockery of her pain causing rage to fill my veins. “Can’t you see she’s been through enough already? Have some compassion.”

  “Nonsense. Trials make you tough, and stronger. They help you see what you’re really made of. Losing Jett will make Kenna even better, and it’ll give you a greater chance with her. Isn’t that what you want?”

  “What I want is for you to let her go. You can keep me to help you with whatever you need. Just release her.”

  “I won’t leave without you,” Kenna said, gripping my arms tighter.

  “Well, that’s good,” Damien replied. “Because I’m going to need both of you for what I have planned.”

  “Which is what, exactly?” I asked.

  Damien stared at us both for a moment before replying. “I want you to sleep with Kenna.”

  Unease rippled through me. “I have been sleeping with her, first in your cage on the floor and now on the bed.”

  “You miss my meaning,” Damien said.

  “No, I didn’t. I’m just hoping you aren’t sick enough that you’d try to force Kenna into something she isn’t ready for. She needs time to process her grief.”

  “Time isn’t something I have. This needs to happen now.”

  “Why? How does the two of us becoming intimate fit into your plans?” Kenna asked, not shying away from asking the direct questions.

  Damien stared at her. “This is a test, Kenna. I want to see just how far the two of you will go to protect each other.”

  “I won’t do it.” I tried not to grimace as Kenna’s fingers dug into me tighter. I could practically feel the anger brewing inside her.

  “We can do this the hard way or the easy way,” Damien continued. “Sleep with her on your own terms, or I will change you into a demon and force you to take her. Hopefully, you’ll have enough control that she lives through the event.”

  Rage filled me. “You can make me a demon, but I swear on my life, I still won’t touch her. I’d die first.”

  Damien considered this for a moment. “I can see you want to do this the hard way. If you don’t want to sleep with her, then I guess I can take her to my demonic coven, and we—”

  “He’ll do it!” Kenna shouted. “Just get out and leave us alone!”

  “As you wish,” he chortled. With a wave of his hand, the room transformed. There were candles everywhere, along with trays laden with fruits and nuts. Fresh lavender-scented water steamed from the tub, and some clothing laid on the bed. “Enjoy your honeymoon.”

  As soon as he left the room, I faced Kenna. “I really hate that man.”

  Sighing, she nodded. “So do I.”

  7

  Kenna-

  * * *

  Seth refused to look at me.

  “Are you going to keep your eyes closed forever?” I asked, feeling just as frustrated as he did.

  “It’s the only ammunition I’ve got,” he replied. “Not that it’s helping much. Your image is burned into my retinas.”

  I gave a slight laugh. “I look that bad, huh?”

  “Are you kidding me?” He sighed heavily as if the world’s weight was on his shoulders. “You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I’m so turned on that I can’t move.”

  Releasing a frustrated puff, I sat on the bed beside him. “I’m pretty sure that is what Damien was going for when he picked this dress for me. I might as well prance around naked for all it covers.”

  “Yeah, that wouldn’t help me feel any better.” He still wouldn’t open his eyes.

  Mine drifted over his athletic physique. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, just some silly drawstring pants that Damien had clearly gotten from the Fae. I wondered if he’d purchased them from somewhere or killed for them.

  Seth’s body looked as impressive as ever. He and Jett had both been very equal when it came to that. They’d honed themselves to perfection, but where Jett was dark and tan, Seth was blond and golden-skinned. They were the perfect yin and yang to each other, equally handsome, often like brothers, but at the same time, so different.

  I couldn’t lie to myself. My heart might feel like a beaten blob of jelly now, but I was as attracted to Seth as ever. Loving him hadn’t stopped when I chose Jett. I’d simply hoped to be able to close the door on those feelings at some point.

  What had I been thinking? The three of us would’ve never been able to stay around each other—not unless Seth would’ve been able to give his heart to someone else. It was strange how the thought of him in love with another person made me feel jealous. I supposed I deserved to feel that way after what I’d done to him.

  Placing my hand on his arm, I jerked back when he flinched. Immediately, he reached out and pulled my hands into his.

  “You don’t have to do this, Kenna,” he said, still refusing to make eye contact. “We’ll mess up the sheets, pinch your lips and ruffle your hair so it looks like we’ve been kissing. Your grandfather will never know the difference.”

  “Unless he’s watching us somehow.”

  Seth’s eyes immediately opened, glancing around the room as if he expected to see a camera crew standing in the corner. Grabbing the bedpost, vines rapidly twisted around us until we were tightly cocooned again. When he was finished, he finally glanced at me.

  “I can still see you too well.” More leaves and flowers burst forth, obscuring most of the light.

  “Better?” I asked, smiling.

  “Not really. Like I said before, your image is burned into my memory forever. You’re even sexy in the dark.”

  I couldn’t help laughing. “You always manage to improve my spirits. I love that about you. Now scoot over so I can sit next to you.”

  He obliged, groaning as I rested my hand on his thigh. “Not helping,” he added through gritted teeth.

  Removing my hand, I placed it on my lap. “I get that you’re trying to be noble for my sake, but would it be so bad if we were together?” It felt so strange to even be considering this. I couldn’t dwell on it, though, or I might chicken out. That wasn’t an option. I couldn’t let Damien hurt Seth.

  “Yes,” his voice rushed. “I know you’re not ready for a relationship, Kenna, but if we’re ever going to be together, that’s what I want. I’m a greedy bastard. I want all or nothing. Plus, I don’t like being manipulated by Damien. I don’t want this to be forced. I want you the right way.”

  “I understand all that. I don’t like being manipulated either, but you’re wrong on one count. We already have a relationship. That has never changed. I’ve always loved you. Being with you isn’t a hardship.” I was glad he couldn’t see me blushing. This was such a strange discussion.

  “That may be, but Jett has your heart right now.”

  He was right. I couldn’t deny that. “But what if being with you helped me heal from his loss. As we talked about before, I don’t think he’d want us to suffer. I think he’d be relieved to know we had each other to get through the pain. I’m certain he’d want us to do whatever was necessary to stay safe.”

  Seth gave a wry laugh. “What Jett do you know? I’m pretty sure he’d be happy to haunt me and possibly castrate me for even looking sideways at you.”

  I couldn’t help laughing. “Maybe you’re right. My point is that he isn’t here anymore. Yes, I’m grieving, but so are you. Taking solace in each other’s arms wouldn’t be the worst possible thing, would it? I guess what I’m trying to say is just because we still love each other doesn’t mean we love Jett any less.”

  It hurt my heart to try and push forward. I didn’t really want to do this, but I was terrified for Seth. I took Damien’s warnings seriously. My dad had told me that he never hesitated to carry through on his threats. I couldn’t lose Seth. That would be too much to bear.

  “I hadn’t considered that,” Seth finally replied. “Still, I wish things could be on our terms. If this must happen, I want it to be special. I want it to mean something.”

  “It will.” I was trying to patch up the metaphorical bleeding wounds inside me. He was right, I wasn’t ready for this, but I would sacrifice myself if it meant keeping him safe. I couldn’t let Damien hurt him, and I wasn’t about to let him drag me off to his coven of depraved perverts. Who knew what hell would await me there? “Besides, Damien could always force the issue by using Dee Dee to make me do things I don’t want. Plus, if he turned you, he can easily manipulate you.”

  Seth was quiet for several moments. “It has to be this way, then.”

  I nodded but wondered if he could see me. “Yes.”

  “I hate this,” he said, his voice a low whisper.

  Reaching out, I cupped his cheek. “Don’t hate it, Seth. Shut everything else out. There’s no one else in the world at this moment. Just me and you.” I lovingly pushed Jett from my mind, swallowing hard as I locked him away in the part of my heart that would always belong to him. Now was about survival, and survival meant Seth. “Forget the Fae. Forget those we’ve lost. Forget my grandfather. There’s only you and me. We’re the only two people who exist in this world. What do you want?”

  Only his breaths filled the space between us. After several seconds, I figured he wasn’t going to reply. The pace of his breathing increased, but when he finally spoke, his voice was low and husky. “I want to see you.” He tapped a branch overhead, and several of them thinned, allowing the glow from the candles to seep through. His gaze ran over me, and he swallowed thickly. “You’re so damn gorgeous. I’m afraid to touch you.”

  I laughed slightly. “I won’t break.”

  “Can I just hold you for a bit?” He seemed so nervous. “I don’t want to rush this.” He scooted lower, laying his head on a pillow, and patted the space beside him.

  Lying next to him, I rested my head on his shoulder as his arm curled about me. It was strange how it felt right for me to be there. Again, I wondered if this had been fate’s plan all along. Had I always been meant for both of them? Was my time with Jett always meant to be so short?

  “I love you,” I whispered. It was the truth. It had always been the truth. This may not have been how I expected things to play out, but I wasn’t going to deny what was in my heart. I loved two men. It would always be that way. I’d chosen Jett, but now he was gone. I was being forced to choose Seth, but I would give him all of me. He deserved nothing less.

  “I love you too, Kenna. So much. I would do anything for you.”

  “I know. Thank you.” I knew he’d even give me Jett back if he could. He was always putting my happiness first. It was time to let him be happy, too.

  8

  Seth-

  * * *

  Neither of us moved, the silence stretching between us. “I’m not going to agree to this, you know?” I lazily began stroking Kenna’s hair. “I won’t let him force you into anything you aren’t ready for. We’ll just tell him we did the deed. He won’t know the difference.”

  Kenna sighed, her eyes remaining closed. “Somehow, I think he’ll figure it out anyway.”

  “That may happen, but until then, you can relax. I’m not going to pounce on you just because Damien told me to.”

  Kenna laughed slightly. “Do I seem worried? I trust you, Seth. I always have. I know you’d never willingly hurt me.” Her eyes opened, and she stared at me in the dim lighting. “I worry about your safety, though. I have no doubt that Damien would fulfill his threat to turn you.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe, but who’s to say he won’t do it anyway if I follow through? The way I see it, this is the only leverage we’ve got. Though I can’t figure out why he cares.”

  Kenna stiffened and scooted away from me. “I can think of a reason.”

  Her whole demeanor shifted with that sentence. “Why am I sure I’m not going to like this?”

  She dragged her fingers through her long locks. “Because you won’t. I think he wants me to get pregnant. My dad’s grandparents tried to force my mom to conceive, so they could use the baby’s blood to perform a ritual. Damien has already said he intends to raise Dee Dee’s body. What would be a better tool than the blood of a newborn or even the unborn? I think he needs us for the ritual.”

  Horror filled me with the idea. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” I wasn’t kidding. Nausea flooded through me. I closed my eyes, struggling to push grotesque, bloody images from my head. ”We’ve got to get out of here, Kenna. No matter the cost.”

  She nodded. “I know. I just don’t know how to accomplish that trick.”

  “We need to be prepared. At the first opportunity, we’ve got to go. If you can get away without me, then do it.”

  “I’m not about to leave you behind. We both go, or neither of us does.”

  “Kenna, you have to. He can’t force a pregnancy if you aren’t here to get pregnant.”

  “I won’t lose you too!” she snapped and then sucked in a deep breath. “I can’t. I’ve lost too much already.”