Total pages in book: 207
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Ilie didn’t bother to answer, disgruntled at the way they could so easily see through him. Instead, he asked, How long will this pain last?
According to Maricha, it varies from case to case and would be mostly dependent on how, err, sinful you have been.
Pause.
Then in unison, the three other men said, You are fucked.
Ilie grimaced. You don’t have to sound so damn certain. But in truth, even he thought the same thing. Of the four of them, he had most likely committed the greatest sins. Silviu, despite having been sired by one of Hell’s most sadistic demons, had also been tempered by his mother’s angelic blood. Mihail had always been too noble to commit any obscene wrongdoing while most of the time, Adrijan was too cold-blooded to even care to sin.
But Ilie?
Sin had always been his favorite pastime, but apparently heartkeeping was the moment when he had to atone for them.
Lie low for now, and that is a command, Silviu didn’t hesitate to add, knowing how stubborn the shapeshifting marquis could be.
Ilie scowled. If you have need of me—-
I do, and my greatest need is for you to take care of yourself. You will be much stronger, but only when the process has been completed. Until then, you will not possess even a tenth of your power. You may even find yourself deaf to your heartkeeper’s thoughts.
But it did not happen to you and George, Ilie protested.
Silence again.
What? Did it?
No, it did not. But this time, the demon duke had opted for a private thread of thought, one that was only between him and Ilie. Do you know, Ilie? This is the first time that you spoke of George without pain.
Ah.
No, he said slowly. I had not noticed, but I am unsurprised.
Because that moment he had thought his heartkeeper would die on him—-
I have loved my heartkeeper all along, and yet I had been blinded by my fear without being aware of it.
But you are not afraid now?
I am, but of something different. I am afraid of ever losing her.
Ah. I am well acquainted with that fear. And I have bad news for you, milord. Silviu smiled. That fear will be your faithful companion for the rest of your life.
The sound of footsteps reached Ilie, and he said to Silviu and the others, I must go.
The permanent wound over his heart eased, and the presence of the Galere and the demon duke retreated from his mind. Outside, he heard the Orpheline sisters still chatting, but their voices were softer and sleepier now.
The younger sisters sounded hoarse, too, he noted, and that was no wonder, with all the crying they had done downstairs.
While waiting for Soleil to come up, he had been content to listen to them and had thoroughly approved of the way the youngest sister had berated his heartkeeper.
Never do that to us again. Give us a chance to at least convince you otherwise, curse you, Soleil Orpheline!
He nodded grimly at the memory. Every word was damn right, he thought, and his fingers curled into a fist. He hoped to hell that he would never be made to experience such helplessness again.
Throughout the night, the baron and the younger daughters had lectured Soleil about her penchant to keep her trouble to herself. And she had let them, never saying a word in her defense, and if she did speak, it was in calm, soothing tones.
Not once had he heard her cry, Ilie thought, and that alone convinced him he had to be here.
Even though it would have been better and safer to recuperate in Brimstone, he would never abandon Soleil in her time of need—-
Soleil’s bedroom door finally opened, and Ilie waited patiently for his heartkeeper to notice him. He watched her shut the door and promptly lean back against it, closing her eyes wearily.
When she opened her eyes and saw him, the marquis smiled. “Good morning.”
Soleil burst into tears.
As expected, Ilie thought in amusement.
In a blink, they were in bed, Soleil in his lap, and as he licked away her tears, he murmured, “Serves you right, thinking you could get away with something like that—-”
“I-insufferable oaf.”
“Jerk is less of a mouthful, ma lisse.”
She sobbed obediently, “Jerk.”
He kissed her hard, and with her hands trapped between their bodies, Soleil could feel the way his heart thundered against his chest.
“Yes,” he gritted out, reading her unmasked thoughts with ease. “I’m still fucking terrified. I don’t think I will ever forget feeling so damn helpless.”
“I’m sorry.” But more than that, she thought dizzily, she was thankful to him. She stared at the marquis, wondering what could she have possibly done in her past life to deserve someone so exquisite like Ilie Marcovici.
“Don’t worry,” the marquis was muttering.
Even his tone was beautiful.
Everything about him was beautiful.
And he loved her!
He loved her!
“I’ll make you pay—-”