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“Ruben trusted you,” I accused. “And he still will after this. Tatiana knows a deep memory implantation spell now. Ruben won’t remember what happened here at the castle. Except that you chose another man over him. And this time, he won’t forgive you.”
They planned to twist my mind with this fucking blood spell then use the pain I’d caused Ruben in the past to convince him I’d fallen for another. Whatever foul blood spell that Tatiana knew would supplant our true memories with false ones.
He’d be convinced it was all true and I’d chosen another over him, my own mate. “It will kill him, Gabriel.” My voice trembled.
Glimpses of the past twelve years came to me in a blink. Gabriel blocking me from seeing Ruben when he was allegedly too busy. Gabriel sending me back to Ruben’s office so that I’d catch Beverly with him. Gabriel often being friendly with Beverly.
“And so,” I said softly, peering into his hate-filled eyes, “I’m good enough for your brother but not for Ruben.”
As it started to ebb, Edmund stood over me. He brushed my hair away from my forehead with a gentle touch, his silver eyes full of adoration that sickened me. “Almost over, little dove. Just one more part.”
The monsters desperately wanted to take him away from me, but I couldn’t let that happen. I’d never let that happen again. They didn’t understand. No one would take him away from me. He was mine, and I was his, and nothing could sever us again. “Never again.” My words were puffs of white air, hardly breath at all.
They wouldn’t take Ruben from me. Not him. I’d go to the Goddess first.
“Juliana!” See? You can’t take him away from me, I told the witches even as their claws sank deeper, trying so hard to tear my will and my heart from me, but I kept it close and floated farther and farther away on magic’s wings where they could never reach me.
Those witches couldn’t get him here. Or me. We were safe.
When I had first woken here, I was curled on the sand with Ruben’s heart clutched to my chest. I hurt so much that first day. I didn’t move from my soft place on the sand. The breeze caressed me like a mother’s hand with soothing sweeps until I felt my magic hum beneath my skin. It was a slow, tender awakening.
“Hey, Jules.” She knew me, but… “Do I know you?” “Yes. You do.” She held out her hand. “Let me show you.” I hesitated, glancing down at the healthy heart in my arms. “I won’t hurt you,” she promised. “Or him either?” Her brow furrowed as she looked into my arms, then understanding seemed to light her face. “I won’t hurt him either.” “They tried to take him away from me,” I explained.
You were stronger than them. You protected both of you from them. Just as you’ve always protected us, Jules. I’m here to take you home.”
“Ruben.” My voice trembled. “Come. He’s waiting.” She wrapped an arm around me and walked me down the beach.
Pulling my torso into his lap, he cradled my head with shaking hands, his long fingers a delicate cage around my skull. His sapphire eyes were bright with love and relief. He drank me in, perusing my face like he hadn’t seen me in years.
“I was lost in another place and so confused,” I told him, voice rough with disuse. “But I had your heart, Ruben. I held it close to make sure no one could hurt it. No matter how hard they tried, I wouldn’t let anyone take it away from me.” “Oh, Juliana.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “My darling. My love.” His voice broke with emotion, his whispered words raw with heartbreaking intensity. “You’ve had my heart in your hands from the very start. You always have.”
We would never separate again.
He had done some investigation of his own after the night of the masquerade and discovered how Edmund had been not only manipulating the coven leaders but was responsible for the disappearances of two werewolves in his own province.
