issues with mine.â
We walked in silence for several moments. The sun was almost fully up, and I felt bad for Brutus flying in those rays while taking the demon far out over the ocean, even though I was ticked at Brutus for sneaking behind my back to see Adrian.
âDo you know the worst part of staying away from you these past months?â Adrian asked. âI thought it would be remembering everything that had happened between us, but instead, it was thinking of everything we didnât do.â
I still said nothing. If heâd missed me so much, ignoring me for months was a real unique way of showing it.
He moved closer, until his big body blocked the wind. I still didnât look up at him, but kept staring straight ahead as if I could will myself back at Costaâs with sheer mind power.
âI showed you terrible places when I should have shown you beautiful ones,â he went on, his voice deepening. âTold you horrible details about my past instead of letting you get to know the person Iâd become, and I taught you how to wield that slingshot instead of teaching you a thousand different things that we wouldâve enjoyed much, much more.â
The way his voice caressed that last part made his meaning explicitly clear. Surprise combined with a rush of heat as a treacherous part of myself started imagining what those things might have been. My lack of experience meant I didnât have a lot to go on, but my mind seemed up to improvising. Then, with a mental slap, I forced those thoughts back.
âToo late now,â I said in a crisp tone.
Adrian caught me to him, his hands closing like warm steel bands around my arms.
âIvy, listen. When we met, I didnât think I could beat my fate. Thatâs why I kept pushing you away, why I didnât tell you who I was at first and why I didnât tell you what I felt until, yes, it was almost too late. But itâs not too late.â He stared at me until his gaze felt almost palpable with his intensity. âI know what I feel for you, and itâs stronger than any destiny. I told you the last time I saw you that Iâd make you believe in us again. I meant that, and regardless of how mad you are at me, if you had a hard time resisting me when I was fighting my feelings for you...you wonât stand a chance now that Iâm not.â
My jaw dropped as pride chased away the dangerous warmth that had caused me to sway the tiniest bit closer to him. Iâd practically thrown myself at him the last time circumstances had forced us to spend time together, and what had that gotten me? Betrayed and dumped. Damned if Iâd let history repeat itself.
âDonât be so cocky,â I said, pulling away and starting to walk again. âIâm not the same person, either, so save your efforts. My panties arenât going to fall off just because youâve finally decided that you want them to.â
His laughter chased after me, sensual and challenging. âOh, Ivy, they donât need to fall off. Iâm happy to tear them.â
I let out a frustrated sigh. Adrian wasnât leaving and he wasnât listening to me; I may as well be reliving the first time we met. Back then, heâd saved me from a minion kidnapping while opening my eyes to my âhallucinationsâ being real. Whether I liked it or not, if history was repeating itself, then his presence meant my life was about to irrevocably change.
Again.
SINCE ADRIAN WASNâT going away, I decided to make him pull his weight. When we reached the spot on the beach where Iâd grappled with the minion, I gestured in the general vicinity of where Iâd spotted the demon realm. I didnât see anything now, but that wasnât a huge surprise. My lineage meant that I was most attuned to hallowed objects, so at best, I only caught random glimpses of dark ones even when I was right on top of them. Adrianâs lineage meant that he was most attuned to dark objects, and a demon realm gateway was about as dark as something could get.
âThe realm gateway was over there. Do you see it?â
He walked to the spot Iâd indicated. Then he held out his hands as if feeling for a doorway, which, in essence, he was.
âItâs strange,â he said after a pause. âI see the realm and I do feel something, but itâs not as strong as a normal gateway would be. Instead of a door, it feels more like...a crack.â
âThatâs what Iâm worried about,â I said with a fresh sense of dismay. âWith the walls between demon realms and our world weakening, cracks are probably turning up all over the place. If it gets worse, those cracks will turn into gaping holes and realms will spill out into this world. And then...â
I stopped speaking because I didnât want to say what would happen next. The only thing worse than knowing was being the only person who could do something to stop it. Thatâs why Iâd spent the past two months splitting my time between training and trying to get my sister, Jasmine, through the post-traumatic stress of being a former demon captive. Youâd think with all that, I wouldnât have had the energy to focus on Adrian, yet I had. A broken heart was the slowest wound to heal, it appeared.
âI think weâre safe for the moment,â Adrian said, not addressing my unfinished sentence. âThe crack doesnât feel strong enough to let anyone else through. Maybe the sunlight is weakening it.â
For now. I rubbed my right hand where the outline of a braided rope ran from my finger all the way up to my elbow. The remains of the ancient, hallowed slingshot no longer burned in that odd way, but touching it was a tangible reminder that Adrian and I had destinies to fulfill: me to possibly save those trapped in the demon realms, and him to probably betray me.
âAll right, well, minions are dead, the demonâs gone, Brutus should be back any second and Iâm almost home, so you can leave. Now,â I added.
A scoff preceded his response and the silver rings around his dark blue eyes seemed to gleam.
âIâm not going anywhere, Ivy. Ready or not, Iâm back in your life and Iâm here to stay.â
âBut I donât want you to,â I said, fighting the urge to thump him over the head so the words would sink in.
He only smiled, dazzling and so arrogant that I spun around so I didnât have to look at him anymore. âYes, I heard you, but while you might not want meâyetâyou do need me.â
Then, with his lightning quickness, he appeared in front of me, shoving a small box into my hands. âSpeaking of things I didnât get to do before, happy birthday, although one day late.â
Shock made me stand still and stare at the box. Twenty-one was a milestone, but no one else had remembered. Not my sister, who was also my best friend, or Costa, my roommate whoâd become as close as a brother to me, or Zach, the Archon who sorta mentored me and had supernatural knowledge of just about everything. Only Adrian, and Iâd never told him when it was.
I couldnât stop myself from opening the unexpected gift. Then I let out a little gasp when I saw
