As I lay on my side with my cheek pressed to the cold golden floor, Eric’s foot appeared next to my face. He lifted me in his arms and pressed a kiss to my lips. A blast of relief filled me, starting at my lips, and rushed through the rest of my body. Eric held me, looking down at me as I heard Lorren screaming, still restrained by Collin.

Eric spoke softly so only I could hear, “It’s not time. Come back to me, Ivy.” My eyes flickered open as the last of the pain ebbed and ceased. I sucked in a gasp of air, my body shaking, unable to speak. Eric cradled me in his arms. His amber eyes were wide. A crooked grin lined his lips. It felt too intimate, but he didn’t release me, and I was too weak to move. “You noble bastard. That spell would have killed you if I didn’t help you.”

I laughed once, weakly. It made me flinch. Every rib felt as if it’d cracked. “But you did...” My eyes drooped, as I fought to keep them open.

Eric watched my face, and said, “Sleep, Ivy. Me and loverboy will make sure Lorren thanks you instead of killing you.” I couldn’t protest. It wasn’t a choice. My lids slammed closed like they were made of lead, and the world went black.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

My neck was at an odd angle. It turned out that was because I was resting in someone’s lap. Fingers stroked across my forehead, brushing the curls out of my face. My eyes were too heavy. I couldn’t open them yet, but I could hear them talking.

“That shouldn’t have worked,” Eric stated. His voice was far away, across the room maybe. “Ivy wove together some nasty spells that usually kill people. Apparently her twisted mind works well under pressure.” He laughed.

Collin, the voice above me—the arms holding me—chided, “I knew the same spells. They wouldn’t have worked if I said them. Not like that.” He didn’t bother scolding Eric for his mocking tone. There was no point. His hand brushed across my cheek, warm and strong.

“That’s what I mean,” said Eric. “That’s why she is what she is. She can do things that no one else can.” There was something in his voice—admiration? It sounded foreign coming from him. Then he added, “But she keeps using her powers for good and nearly killing herself.”

Silence filled the space. For a long time, no one said anything. I wondered what happened to Jenna Marie? Did it turn out the way I’d hoped? Where was Lorren? He was quiet. Collin spoke again, “I heard you. Before. When you kissed her,” his voice was strained. He’d let Eric do what he needed to take and give power, but he didn’t like it. Eric was silent, not offering an explanation. “Tell me.” Collin’s fingers brushed across my brow. I breathed in deeply, trying again to force my eyes open.

With a flutter, they opened to meet Collin’s gaze. “Hey,” he said sweetly, smiling at me. “You’re awake.” His voice was relieved. I swung my legs off the ledge we were sitting on and tried to sit up. Collin kept his arm around my back to steady me. “Whoa, easy, Ivy. Slow. Move slow.”

A quick glance around the room revealed an emotionally muted Eric who sat on the floor with his hands behind his head, like he was at a picnic. Jenna Marie still remained on the table. Someone had draped a blanket over her. The rose that pierced her heart was gone, absorbed by her body. Lorren rested his face on the slab, watching her chest rise and fall.

Gazing across the room, I asked, “Did it work? Is she all right?” Lorren glanced at me, and nodded once before turning his face back to Jenna Marie. His fingers gently stroked her cheek as he stared at her in awe. Her golden hair fell in piles around her head and shoulders, but I could still see the scar from here. It left a wide white path across her face. My stomach sank. “Her ear?”

“Still gone,” Collin said softly. I frowned. “You saved her. It was more than any of us could do. She woke up before, asking for you. She’s healing fast, and once this is over, she won’t have to worry about it anymore. But, you...” Collin paused. His hand touched the side of my face, turning my gaze toward him. “You seem to have cracked open the venom in your chest. It’s back.”

“It was never gone, Collin. Just hidden. Locoicia said she could remove it. She said Lorren could have healed it, but... wouldn’t.”

Lorren’s gaze didn’t turn to meet mine. His voice boomed across the room, echoing with irritation, “I can still heal it if you had your soul.” Horror made me try and jump up. As if that would be enough to silence Lorren and stop his flow of words.

“What do you mean?” Collin asked. He gripped my arm to steady me. “She has her soul.”

Lorren’s neck snapped toward us, “So do you.”

I buried my face in my hands, and sat down hard. Lorren spoke softly, “I’m sorry Ivy, but I’m not lying for you. Not when it could save you. She needs her soul—all of it. The piece you have, she needs it back. If she has it, I can heal her. Now. Here. But she won’t do it. She wouldn’t tell you. She’s known for a while, and from the look on your face, I’m guessing that it never came up.”

Collin’s hands slid over mine. “Of course I’d give it back to you. Ivy, why didn’t you ...”

But I cut him off, “No! It’s not an option. Lorren!” I growled at him. Fury made me want to say a million things to him, but I bit my tongue. Jenna Marie’s eyes were closed. She was sleeping, healing from my spell. I pulled my hair, and huffed out of the space. Moving quickly I turned twice, then two more times, loosing myself in the Lorren. I needed to be alone. I had to think. Collin didn’t follow me. He couldn’t. Walking into the Lorren was death for anyone who hadn’t survived it previously. I had. After walking forever, I slid down a flowered wall, landing hard on my butt. A rush of air was forced out of my lungs. I pulled my knees to my chest and lowered my head. I don’t know how long I sat like that or when Eric appeared. I sensed him sitting next to me at one point. I could smell his blood and knew it was him.

“Go away,” I snapped. But Eric ignored me, sitting less than an inch away—close enough to comfort, but not touch.

“You’re a diva, you know that?” Eric’s voice was scolding. I didn’t take the bait. I didn’t look up. I pressed my face harder against my knees and remained silent. “You’re the only one who can help people. You’re the only one who can risk her life to save someone she cares about, or someone who annoys her. I can’t believe you risked your life for her. You knew the cost before you started, and tried to pay the pain price anyway—when you were weak. You’re a fool, Ivy. A self-absorbed fool.”

I lifted my head, and stared at him, not bothering to wipe away the tears on my wet face. “Fuck you, Eric!” I jumped to my feet, intending to walk further into the maze, but Eric clamped his hand around me, and thrust me into the wall. Golden flowers bent under my weight, poking into my back. His hands pressed my wrists next to my head as he leaned closer.

Eric hissed, “Very tempting, but not today. Thank you.”

“I wasn’t offering, Eric!” I twisted, trying to pull away from him. But the best way to deal with Eric—usually—isn’t to fight back. I forced the tension out of my body and leaned back into the flowers. Usually, this was the right way to deal with him, but not this time.

He released my wrists. But he didn’t lower his hands. Instead, his arm wound back with his palm open and it flew across my cheek. My face turned to the side, as he struck me. The sting blossomed, growing stronger. “Wake up, Ivy!” I turned, looking up at him. “You die! You die without him! You die without me! Collin’s doing what he came here for. And it wasn’t to hold your hand and pat you on the back. This is what he was meant for. This is why he’s here—to give you back your soul. It protected you before, and it saved him. And now it’s time to take whatever gifts anyone offers you, and say thank you.”

I screamed in his face, “Fuck you.” I didn’t want to hear what he was saying. The things he suggested meant we were all martyrs—all three of us. I couldn’t accept that.

“Yes, you said that already,” he tilted his head, folding his arms across his chest. Eric’s eyes were gold, deep gold. The same color as the walls.

“I wasn’t done! You don’t know what you’re asking me to do! You don’t know what will happen to him. I can’t lose him, Eric. I can’t risk it. It’s utterly selfish, and I won’t do it.”

Eric growled. Reaching out he grabbed my face in his hand and jerked my gaze to meet his. “No! This is selfish—running off like a petulant child who didn’t get her way. You don’t get your way this time!” I ripped my face out of his grasp, trying to push him back. He was starting to piss me off. But my powers were still weak. Eric could strong-arm me now, and he’d win. When I tore my face away, he grabbed onto my shoulders and pushed me back into the wall, pinning me with his body. His hands moved down my sides as I tried to kick him in the groin, but I couldn’t get a good shot.

When I felt his hands on my waist, sliding higher, I screamed, “Eric! Stop!”

He pulled away from me with lust in his eyes. I didn’t try to control my emotions. I was afraid. Afraid of losing Collin. Afraid Eric would overpower me. Afraid. His hands lingered on the hem of my shirt. With a swift movement, the shirt was ripped over my head. I stood there in front of him in nothing but jeans and a bra. The look in Eric’s eyes was carnal. His finger pressed against the deep blue lines on my chest. They spanned an arch from my shoulder to under my bra.

He traced the spidering veins of blue poison as he spoke, “This is a time bomb. You know it will kill you and you know you’re already on borrowed time. Satan’s Stone won’t heal this, Ivy. You’d be a fool if you used the stone for anything but to defeat Kreturus.” His voice softened as he stared at my breast, gently touching the soft marred skin with his thumb.

My hand caught his wrist, stopping him before he felt me up again. “I’ll use it for both.”

“You can’t,” he strained against my hand, leaning into me, feeling my body against his. But he didn’t overpower me. It gave me a sense of control that I thought I lost. “One wish per user, with one horrifying payment.” His lips were close to mine when he whispered, “It’ll be worse than mine. Let Collin heal you.” His body rested against mine, pressing me into the wall. His hands stroked my hair. My heart pounded in my chest. Angry. Embarrassed. Afraid. He breathed deeply, “If you don’t get your fear under control, I won’t be able to walk away.”

I hadn’t realized that Eric was fighting his instincts at all. But he was. Every muscle in his neck was corded tightly like rope. There was strain in his gaze, when he looked back down at me. It was a carnal caress. Gazing at his cheek, I asked, “What is it you want to do to me? Every time you feel this—rage—or whatever it is, what does it make you want?”

Surprise washed across his face, “You. In pain. In ecstasy. And everything in between.” He pushed away from me. I stood there for a moment, watching his back as he sucked in steadying breaths. When he finally turned around, he said, “We have to go back. And Ivy, this may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but you have to let him give you that kiss.”