luxurious yachts.
I surprised myself by laughing as exhilaration replaced my fear. It was scary, yes, but I could, in fact, do this. Adrianâs laughter joined mine, and when he gripped me tighter, this time, it had nothing to do with keeping us from falling off. The gargoyle was the one soaring over the city, but in that instant, I felt like I was able to fly, and sharing that indescribable feeling with Adrian only made the moment more unforgettable.
I was almost sorry several minutes later when Adrian took the reins and turned Brutus back around. All too soon, it seemed, the lights from our house on wheels were back in view. One frightening dive later, we were back on solid ground, and Adrian issued a command that had Brutus lying down so I could slide off instead of jumping like Adrian did.
Once I was on my own feet, Adrian took the reins off Brutus, then said something in Demonish that I loosely translated as âWhoâs a good boy?â The gargoyle took his praise as his due, even tilting his head in invitation. Adrian scratched him for a minute, then left Brutus to come toward me.
If Iâd thought he looked luscious with his jacket open, that was nothing compared to how he looked with it off. His shoulders were so broad, my arms wouldnât fit around them. Muscles flexed under skin tanned a deep gold, and his taut abdomen was set off by jeans that now hung so low, one tug would probably bare everything beneath.
I had a sudden urge to test that theory, and I clasped my hands together to stop myself before I did something crazy.
âSo, some ride,â I said, more than a little breathless.
He came closer, and the raw hunger that flashed across his features almost leveled me. âThe ride isnât why your heartâs pounding, Ivy.â
He almost growled that last part, and his roughly sensual voice felt like it rubbed me while he spoke. I couldnât admit that he was right, so I took a step backwardâand almost tripped over a headstone. Adrianâs hand shot out, steadying me, and I shook it off while mentally berating myself.
Smooth, Ivy. Real smooth!
I pushed him away, feeling my heart hammer at the brief sensation of him beneath my hand. Touching him was more than enticing; it was addictive, which was why I had to get away from him before I let him do everything his darkly erotic stare promised me that Iâd love.
I took his jacket off and held it out to him. His fingers closed over mine, but instead of taking the jacket, he used it to tug me into his arms. His hair brushed my face as he leaned down, and willpower alone caused me to turn my head at the last second, so that his mouth landed on my cheek instead of my lips.
He didnât fight the movement, but slid his mouth lower until he reached my neck. A moan left me at the feel of his tongue, and I shuddered when he pressed his lips more firmly against my throat. Flicks, circles and light suction had me reeling from sensations, until I needed the arms he wrapped around me. Without them, I might have fallen.
âIvy.â His voice was rough, and the hands that slid over me were achingly possessive. âI want you.â
I could feel that in the hard flesh that pulsed against my belly. Deep inside me, an answering throb responded. Iâd been overwhelmed, angry, lost, betrayed, burdened and brokenhearted over the past several months, but right now, all I felt was passion that threatened to boil over until it scalded me, and I knew that I would love being burned.
But I couldnât. Doing so wouldnât just be epically stupidâit would be greedy, and greed was something to be avoided at all costs when it came to Adrian and me.
Judas had been guilty of three betrayals: trust, when he stole from the communal funds; greed, when he accepted those thirty pieces of silver; and death, when he identified Jesus to the Temple guards with that final, infamous kiss. Adrian had already betrayed my trust by lying to me about my real destiny. I wasnât about to help him succumb to greed by saying yes now.
âNo,â I said, pushing him away. Adrian let me back him up. He didnât go far, and his hands flexed into fists as if he were fighting a fierce inner battle.
âOkay, so I still want you,â I went on, because that was obvious. âWhether thatâs destiny, lust or something else, I donât know, but if you care about me like you claim to, youâll stay away from me unless you can prove that youâre not going to betray me again.â
And the only way he could prove that was if we succeeded in finding Mosesâs staff and used it to repair the realm walls, then found the final, hallowed weapon, and did all of this without getting killed in the process. I may as well have told him that Iâd give him a chance only if we were the last two people left on earth.
Even still, I couldnât stop the emotions that rolled over me, breaking through barriers that hadnât been strong enough to hold them. Adrian was rightâI did still care for him. And that weakened me in ways my enemies would be too quick to take advantage of.
âI need to stay focused if I have any chance at winning this fight,â I continued, my tone hardening. âSo, once again, if you really want to show me that youâve changed, walk away from me. Now.â
He said nothing for so long that I wondered if he was going to walk away without a word. If he did, it would be for the best, which was why I refused to say anything else.
âWhat if I can prove that I wonât betray you again?â he finally asked, surprising me.
I let out a short laugh. âIf any of us are still alive after this whole thing is over, sure, I might be up for a date.â
âThereâs a way I can prove I wonât betray you without waiting until then, but Iâll need Zach.â Then his voice dropped, becoming rougher and softer at the same time. âIf I can prove to you that you can trust me, that thereâs no way Iâd even be able to betray you again, will you give me a chance? A real one?â
I should say no. It might sound like a simple question, but it still possibly had destiny-affecting consequences. Then again, it was as realistic as my saying what Iâd do if I won the Powerball, although I had better odds of doing that than Adrian had of proving heâd beat his destiny without actually having to beat it first.
Still, even as the word no formed on my lips, something rose up in me. What was wrong with saying what Iâd do if an impossible dream came true? the part of me that couldnât stop caring for Adrian whispered. After all, millions of people talked about what theyâd do if they won the Powerball, and 99.9 percent of them would never find out.
In the end, I gave Adrian the same answer Iâd forced myself not to say earlier. âYes. Prove that...and Iâll give you a chance.â
DESPITE BEING AWAKE for half the night, I woke up before Jasmine. After I brushed my teeth and threw a cardigan over my tank top, I went out into the main room. From the swaying motion of the tour bus, we were already back on the road, but I was surprised to see Adrian driving. Brutus sat behind Adrianâs chair, and someone had thrown a large blanket over the gargoyle so that he was completely covered. Costa was awake, yawning as he opened a carton of eggs in the kitchen.
âOh,
