Anathema (Causal Enchantment #1)(79)

“That’s okay,” I murmured.

He snorted, shaking his head. “No, you don’t understand what that means. We won’t be the same, Evangeline. This isn’t a minor inconvenience, a slight discomfort. It could take years—decades, even—before you see Amelie waving her pom–poms around. Fighting that lust, that urge—it’s all–consuming. It takes all of our energy and focus. You could be ninety years old before we resemble who we are today. You could be dead.”

That image of the wrinkled old lady in the string bikini burned in my head again. I shook my head, frantically trying to drive it out.

Caden propped himself up on one elbow. “And none of that will be an issue if one of us kills you the second we smell your blood.” His face contorted with horror. “I will throw myself into a flaming pit if that happens.”

“Well, maybe …” I grasped for some hope as the picture Caden painted turned grimmer by the second “… maybe Sofie can do something to extend the power of this necklace?”

Caden’s eyes dropped to the pendant dangling from my neck. “Maybe … Otherwise, you and I can’t be anywhere near each other. It was hard enough not killing every human that crossed my path for the first fifty years after I was converted. But you—the feelings I have for you make the urge that much more impossible to resist. Hugging you could turn deadly.”

Those giant bat butterflies began thumping around in my stomach again. I took a deep breath. “You’re focusing on worst–case scenarios. I’d prefer taking a page out of Amelie’s book of optimism. It’s much more pleasant.”

“Amelie also killed her boyfriend, whom she was madly in love with,” he reminded me in a flat voice.

“Good point,” I muttered, sighing noisily and rolling onto my back.

Caden took that as his cue to sit up. He reached for his pants, lying in a tangled heap next to everything else I had ripped off him. “I’m more concerned about you not lasting long enough for us to find this portal.” He stood up to dress himself.

“That makes two of us.” I averted my eyes, heat creeping up my neck. Would this be my last trip here? Was hope for solving this curse’s riddle fading as I lay here, enjoying Caden’s company, oblivious to how close the end was? How could Sofie ask me to just sit around and wait for the portal to grace us with its presence?

I couldn’t.

Scrabbling for my clothes, I dressed in record time—crossing my fingers that Caden wasn’t watching me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he called, an amused look on his face as I headed toward the cave entrance.

“Oh, right!” I ran back and grabbed one of the mountain bag straps. I yanked as hard as I could, with little result. “Help me!” I cried.

“Okay, okay,” Caden said calmly, grabbing both bags and slinging them over his shoulder. They were so big that, as strong as he was, they were awkward to carry. “Can you tell me where we’re going, at least?”

“To find this damn portal!” I announced, running out the cave entrance.

A torrential downpour greeted me, soaking my clothes in seconds.

“You can’t go out in this, Evangeline,” Caden said softly, placing his hand on my shoulder and pulling me back to cover.

“But I have to! We have to find this thing, and now!” Tears mingled with the rain on my cheeks as I sobbed freely. “I don’t want to go back there without you.”

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

“Are we allowed to come back now?” Bishop called as he appeared out of nowhere, his hair and clothing drenched. Fiona and Amelie were behind him, watching me with worried expressions.

I nodded and offered a small, reassuring smile but otherwise said nothing. The five of us stood in silence, looking out over the storm.

Caden, whose hands rested near my pendant, felt the waver of heat before I did. Within seconds I was on the ground, Bishop fastening one mountain bag to my back while Caden strapped the other to my legs. “Done!” they announced in unison as if racing to beat one another.

Caden, kneeling beside me, gripped my face and gave me a peck on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered.

I regained consciousness in my king–sized bed, surrounded by canvas. I was lying on my side, facing the balcony doors, and I couldn’t move. “Max?” I whispered.

A giant wet nose suddenly smeared affection across my forehead.

“Can you please go get Sofie? Try to do it without the others noticing,” I requested quietly. I had every intention of winding Merth around my body the second Sofie unbound me.

Right–oh, he murmured inside my head and I heard him trot away, his sharp claws clicking against the tile in the hallway.

Sofie’s melodious voice sang out minutes later. Unfortunately it was followed by one that I had hoped to avoid.

21. Making Plans

“It’s been two weeks!” Mortimer growled.

“It’s not her fault, Mortimer,” Sofie snapped in response.

Mortimer didn’t seem to hear her. “What have you found out? And why are you trussed up like a packhorse?”

“Do you think you could untie me before the interrogation begins?” I asked, not even attempting to hide my irritation. Could I still get to the Merth in time to protect myself?