Chapter Nine

Neal caught Viviana before her head could hit the floor.

Panic clawed at him, but he kept his cool because he knew it was the only thing that could help her now.

He had no idea what was wrong with her, but it had something to do with his luceria. They’d found the gadget, her promise was fulfil ed, and the luceria came off. Just like it was supposed to.

Viviana, however, was not supposed to pass out.

Neal had no idea how many other nasties might be running around in here. He needed to get her out to safety. Or, even better, get her to one of the Sanguinar—their healers—so they could figure out what had gone wrong.

He fished the luceria out from her clothing and fastened it back around his neck for safekeeping. He hated wearing it again, hated thinking that his life would go back to being what it had been—fil ed with pain and impending death. A life without Viviana.

He had to convince her to give them more of a chance together. A few hours weren’t enough for her to know what he did: that they belonged together. She hadn’t been raised seeing the proof the way he had. There was no way for her to know except through faith.

He needed her to give him that faith, for just a while longer.

Neal carried her to the truck, lifting her inside. Her eyes fluttered open and her pupils were tiny dots of terrified black. “Give it back,” she croaked out, her voice rough, as if she’d been screaming for hours.

He smoothed her mussed hair away from her face, hoping to comfort her. “What, sweetheart?”

Her eyes fixed on his throat and her chin began to quiver. “You can’t take it away from me. It’s mine. I need it.” Her gaze moved up to his. “I need you.”

Neal was too shocked to speak. He never imagined she’d want to stay with him, only hoped to hear those words.

Her voice was strained. “Please. I’ve been alone too long. I know where I belong now.”

“Where’s that?”

“With you. With your people. My people.”

She reached up, her slim fingers curling around the luceria. It fel away from his throat and coiled around her hand as if trying to get closer.

Neal took it from her and fastened it around her throat. He didn’t want to take the chance that she’d change her mind, so he sliced through his shirt, scoring a line over his heart. “My life for yours, Viviana,” he vowed.

And then he held his breath. She had so much power over him. She didn’t know al the details of their union, or how his life was in her hands. He didn’t want guilt to factor into her promise, so he kept his mouth shut. He’d take what she wanted to give him and count himself lucky for whatever time with her he had.

“I’m staying with you, Neal. You’re the only person in the world whom I can be with and not feel alone. I’m not letting that go. I’m not letting you go. I think I love you.”

Neal’s heart nearly burst with joy. He never thought he’d get lucky enough to have someone like Viviana in his life, tied to him by both love and duty. She may not have known her own history, but they were going to make their future together.

As he watched, the luceria shrank to fit her slender neck, deepening to a rich bronze color that suited her skin perfectly. The Bronze Lady.

“I know I love you,” he told her, and then he kissed her. It was sweet and ful of hope and promise, just like the rest of their lives together would be.

promise, just like the rest of their lives together would be.

CRYSTAL SKULL

JESSICA ANDERSEN