The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods & Monsters, #2)

by Amber V. Nicole

“They need you. I don’t.” That was the last thing I’d said to him. My traitorous heart twisted. What a lie.

“Your smile, Dianna, is only one of the most beautiful things about you.”

I grinned and shrugged. “Maybe you need to get rid of some muscle.” He managed one of those damning glares that set my blood boiling. “Then what would you stare at when you think I am not looking?” I continued to skate, placing my hands behind my back. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about,” I said innocently. “Mmhmm.”

I don’t want to fight with you, either. I know you are not used to it, but your safety comes first for me. You cannot be within an inch of Kaden without your powers. Not because I think you are weak, but if he hurt you again, touched you, I’d level the world.”

“Dianna,” he paused, seeming to gather his words, “there is no life with you in it that would be horrible. Horrible is living without you.”

“I need you to understand what you’re doing. What you are asking for. I know what I said before about you using me, but I lied. The second I touch you, once I take you completely, there will be no other. I will not share you. There will be no other lovers. I am not Kaden. I will demand you and only you. Do you understand? You mean too much to me. If we do this, you are mine, and I will not share you.”

Samkiel didn’t hate me. He just wanted to make it clear what we were about to do because I meant something to him.

“I used to dream of what my destiny would be, my future. Everyone has an amata. It was written before the universe had form.” He rose above me, his hand cupping my jaw, his thumb running across my cheek. “You are very special to me. No one feels like you. No one else can ruin me so completely. I know without a doubt that if I had an amata, even if they were alive today, I’d still choose you. It will always be you, Dianna.” I felt tears prick my eyes. “Destiny be damned?” “You are better than any destiny.”

He loves her.” I stopped, Logan nearly colliding with me. “He told her that?” Logan shrugged and scowled, sidestepping so he didn’t plow into me. “Doubtful. He can’t even say it himself.”

Xavier didn’t even flinch, his eyes tracking Cameron. He held the plate out toward me. “I understand.” I picked up the fork and cut the rich cake, taking a bite. “Sunshine,” he said. I nodded as we watched the two people we knew we couldn’t live without. “Sunshine.”

“What Samkiel and I have is different. It’s messy and painful at times, but it’s real. He would never hurt me, no matter what I said or did. He would never hurt the people I love or use them against me. Samkiel’s kind, he’s good, and he cares. He cares about me and accepts every part of me—the good, the bad, and the ugly. He has seen it all and stayed. You broke me completely, Kaden. Every chance you got, you broke me. Samkiel healed me.” I didn’t cower beneath his angry stare. “That’s. Love.”

“So what?” I didn’t have words. I opened and closed my mouth, trying and failing to make sense of her. “Gabby, I just told you something that has been eating me from the inside out, and you mock me? I⁠—” “You didn’t kill me.” “But—” She stepped closer, the room dissipating and reforming, taking us back to our old house. “You spent a thousand years taking care of me, looking out for me, and never yourself. Do you know what it means that you thought about yourself for one second? It means that some part of you is normal. That’s it. You were happy, and that’s okay. You wanted a life? Great. About damn time.” “You’re not mad at me?” “No. How much stress do you think one person can take, Otherworld or not, before they just want a break? You didn’t let me die, and you didn’t kill me. Dianna, you would never harm me. Kaden did. You are not responsible for what Kaden did, and you had every right to be with Samkiel. To be happy. That is all I have ever wanted for you.”

“Will I ever see you again?” “I never left you.” A small smile played on her lips. “I am always with you, and I always will be. You’re my sister. Our bond is stronger than blood or any stupid paper that says otherwise. Remember, I love you.” Her hand slipped from mine as she stepped back. “And hey, if you are going to be a monster, at least be a damn good one.”

“You are my whole world.” He looked up at me, and my heart shattered. His once vibrant gray eyes had darkened as his skin paled. “I-I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I met you. Being with you, I finally felt what I wanted and had searched forever for. You woke me up and gave me reason. You made me feel like I was enough. I never felt like the World Ender with you. I never felt less. You are what I’ve been searching for my entire life. You, Dianna, had my heart long before I ever touched yours.”

“If Roccurem is wrong, and I am truly out of time, if this doesn’t work, I want you to know that I am nothing like your father, Samkiel. I refuse to live without you. There will be no peace in this realm or the next. I will burn this universe down to embers for you. I will leave nothing untouched, taking apart anyone that’s ever hurt you piece by piece. So when you hear the screams from however far away you are from me. When you feel the very stars shake from the rage you aren’t here to pull me back from, when you hear them beg and plead for mercy, I need you to remember that it’s because you and your stupid, annoying persevering ways got to me. I want you to remember that you got under my skin when I hated you. I want you to remember that you made me happy and made me feel when no one else could. I want you to remember that you saved me in every way possible and never once gave up on me. So when the very fabric of the universe burns, I want you to remember that I love you.”