35. ZARA
ZARA
“You’re looking deep in thought there, Princess. Anything I can help with?” I looked up as Eli plonked a mug of coffee in front of me.
“He’s coming back in two days, Eli. I can hardly believe it. I’ve got so used to longing for it and fantasising about it, that now it’s really happening I don’t know what to do. Do I cook him a meal? Bake him a cake? I don’t even know what to wear. Should I dress up, or just wear something normal?”
It sounded so ridiculous when I said it out loud.
My soul mate was coming home and all I could think about was what to wear and what to feed him.
But if I didn’t focus on things like that, I’d start thinking about the fact that we’d had almost as much time apart as we’d had together now and be worrying about whether it would still feel the same when he returned.
“Well, my answer on both counts would be ‘nothing’. It’s not cake he’s going to want to be eating after six months apart.” He gave me a wicked grin, and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks.
“I can hardly run around the manor naked with all you lot here.”
“None of us are going to be here, Zara. We’ve already agreed that the two of you will need a few days alone together first.”
“Really? But I thought you’d all be eager to see him too.” Although I had to admit I very much liked the thought of having him all to myself for a few days.
“Of course we are. But you come first, Zara. Besides, it’s not like Seth is going to want to see anyone but you when he walks through that door. And I can guarantee you that he’s not going to give a toss what you’re wearing, or if you’ve baked him a cake.”
I fidgeted restlessly with the wedding band on my right ring finger.
His vow to return to me, he’d called it.
There was no need to panic. He’d be here.
Of course he would. Gabriel was probably just being a jerk and making him wait until the very last minute before he’d bring him back.
But it was nearly eight o’clock in the evening now.
I’d barely slept the previous night, partly because I was so excited and also because I’d been worried he’d appear right after the stroke of midnight, and I’d be fast asleep instead of waiting to welcome him home.
I’d been up at the crack of dawn, taking the fastest shower in the history of running water and putting on the same outfit I’d worn that first night we’d spent together at the holiday cottage, because it evoked some very pleasant memories of him taking it off.
Well, the same outfit apart from the underwear, because I’d never managed to get that thong back from him.
I’d spent the entire day alternating between hope and despair, first telling myself he’d be here any minute, and then switching to believing he wasn’t coming at all.
My stomach let out a low growl, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything today, but the thought of eating when I was so on edge made me feel sick.
I was almost starting to wish the others were here.
I’d been grateful when they’d insisted on giving us a couple of days alone, but the waiting wouldn’t be so bad if I had some company.
They were probably all imagining us having a wonderful reunion by now though, and I couldn’t bring myself to call any of them and tell them he wasn’t back yet.
When midnight came and went, the tears I’d been holding back all day finally started to fall.
He wasn’t coming. A dozen different reasons were churning in my head, ranging from him being kept prisoner in the Underworld, to him being hurt – or worse – or to him deciding he liked it better there than here and forgetting all about me.
When I’d finally run out of tears, I curled up into a miserable little ball on the sofa.
I was drifting half in and half out of a restless doze, vaguely aware that I was shivering but unable to summon up the energy to do anything about it, when I felt the weight of a blanket being wrapped around me.
“Seth?” Hope flared, and by that point I didn’t even care what a state I must look, I just wanted him to be there. To hold me and tell me everything was okay and he’d never leave me again.
“No, Agapiméno, it’s me.”
“He didn’t come back, Nero,” I wailed. “Why didn’t he come back?”
I felt his weight settle on the sofa beside me. “I’m afraid I don’t have the answer to that question.” He brushed a few strands of hair that had stuck to my tears back from my face and I reached up and clutched his hand in mine.
“How did you know I needed you?”
“I heard your prayer… and I felt your pain.”
“I prayed to you?” If I had, it hadn’t been done consciously.
“Not exactly. A prayer isn’t necessarily a direct plea to the gods, you know. Sometimes it’s a plea to the universe in general. You wanted Seth. You needed a friend.”
“And here you are.”
“And here I am,” he agreed seriously. “Would you like me to stay with you?”
“Yes, but I think I need to be alone,” I said, hating how broken I sounded. “Maybe he’ll still come.” As much as I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t risk the carnage that would ensue if Seth came back and found Nero here comforting me. However innocent it might be.
“Maybe he will.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before tucking it under the blanket. “If you change your mind, just call me. Sleep now.” I felt a little flare of his power and before I could even thank him I sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When I surfaced the next morning, the sun was streaming in through the window and according to my phone it was nearly midday.
Whatever Nero had done when he told me to ‘sleep now’ had certainly worked.
The heaviness in my heart eased just a little as I remembered the care with which he’d tucked me under a blanket and called me his ‘dear one’ again.
And to think I’d once believed he was arrogant and unfeeling.
The first thing I did once I’d eased out the kinks from sleeping on the sofa was search through the entire manor calling Seth’s name, hoping he’d got back while I was asleep.
Which was ridiculous because if he was back the only place he would have been was at my side.
I looked at my phone sitting on the coffee table and dithered over whether to call someone.
There was still a chance that he might come back. That he’d been delayed.
Putting off the decision, I hit the shower and put on fresh clothes then headed down to the kitchen to find something to eat.
I was feeling a bit sick, but that was probably because it had been so long since I’d eaten anything.
Once I’d downed a few mugs of coffee and a bowl of cereal I considered my options again.
I could ring Eli, or maybe it should be Jed, and let them know he wasn’t back yet.
Or I could give it a bit longer and hope it was just a mix up and he made it back today.
Or… I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I was desperate enough to try anything.
I stomped into the dining room, because that was where he’d appeared the first time and channelled all my anger and frustration into my voice.
“Gabriel! Get your shiny angel arse down here right now. I mean it, Gabe. Don’t make me come up there and get you.” I held my breath while I waited for the golden glow that had heralded his arrival before, then let it out on a yelp when he spoke from right behind me.
“It’s not ‘up there’, it’s just elsewhere, and I’ve told you before, kitten, it’s Gabriel, not Gabe.”
I whirled and the smug grin on his face only served to infuriate me even more than I was already.
“What have you done with Seth? Why haven’t you brought him back?” I felt my siren powers rising and tamped them down. For now at least.
“Ah, yes, about that. I’m afraid he won’t be coming back. Not yet anyway. There’s been a bit of a – how shall I put it – a hiccup.”
“A hiccup? What do you mean there’s been a fucking hiccup? You get your arse to the Underworld right now and bring him back here or I’ll… I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” The arrogant lift of his eyebrow and the obvious disbelief that I could possibly do anything to him sent me over the edge. Reaching out with my siren powers, I drew on the water in the vase of cut flowers I’d placed on the dining table a few days ago and formed it into a fist.
“I’ll make you fucking sorry,” I screamed, throwing the water fist at his face with all my might because I had no qualms about hurting this bastard.
Under any other circumstances I probably would have laughed at the shocked expression on his face as he staggered back a few steps, but I was too far gone.
Calling the water back to me before it could hit the floor, I reformed it and sent it barrelling into his gut, putting every bit of my frustration behind the blow, then used every last drop that hadn’t soaked into his shirt to deliver an uppercut to his chin as he started to straighten up.
With my weapon finally depleted, I stood there panting, waiting to see how he’d retaliate.
“Are you quite done?” He didn’t sound as angry as I’d expected, in fact he sounded more amused.
“That was rather impressive, I must admit, but you’re no match for me, kitten.
” He clicked his fingers and the water that had been dripping from his face and soaking his shirt disappeared as if it had never been there.
“I’d advise you not to test my patience again. ”
All the fight drained out of me as I realised I’d just taken on what amounted to an angel, and I stumbled over to the table and threw myself down in a chair.
“What did you mean by a hiccup?” I asked bleakly.
“Well, I suppose hiccup isn’t really the right word,” he said, spinning one of the chairs around and straddling it.
“What I should say is that Luci’s plan to liberate the Underworld never had a chance of succeeding.
Even with the support of a Guardian, there is no way they’d ever be able to convince me and my brothers to open the gateway. ”