Accidentally in Love with…a God?(Accidentally Yours #1)(73)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

They didn’t question and walked around him and Emma, into the night.

“Not too long, eh,” Gabrán warned as he passed by last.

Guy nodded then turned toward Emma. He felt a wave of euphoria wash over him as he looked at her, really looked at her for the first time since he’d left her in Rome. He’d never been more grateful for his nocturnal vision. Gods, she was so lovely. Even in her current state: filthy, tired, and bruised, her clothes covered in dirt and blood.

Yet somehow, she was even more gorgeous to him now. Maybe it was because she’d found the strength to accept herself, her unique place in the universe. Maybe it was because he’d thought he’d lost her. Regardless, he wanted to take her right then and there as he studied her jaw-length red curls, hanging in sweat soaked spirals. She’d never looked more raw, more fierce, and more sexy.

He knew the Maaskab weren’t far behind, but he couldn’t resist steeling one quick kiss. He bent his head down and captured her lips. Emma slid her arms around him, and his body lit up. Her mouth opened to him, and she began lapping against his tongue, hot and heavy. He tasted the salt of her skin and the sweetness of her breath mixing in his mouth, and he knew life couldn’t get much better. Well, except…he gripped her tighter wishing he could finish what they’d started in Rome, but right on cue…

“Ow!” Emma pulled away, puffing out three quick breaths, fanning her face. “Jeez, couldn’t you warn me that was coming? That burns.” His powerful energy had stunned her, he just couldn’t keep it in check when he touched her.

“I’m going to get a set of black jade earrings made up for you,” Guy offered.

“Not on your life, big boy. I’m not putting that stuff anywhere on my body. You’re going to have to find some other—Hey! Don’t change the subject. What happened to Tommaso?”

The first rays of sunlight crawling into the sky caught her sparkling green eyes. Eyes that were encased by red, bloodshot whites. She’d had a really, really rough few days and wasn’t going to take this well, he thought. He closed his eyes and held out his hands defensively. “I killed him,” he said quickly, expecting to be shredded into a million pieces as Emma blasted him with her hands.

He waited for a moment, then realized she hadn’t moved. The tears began streaming down her face.

Guy released a slow breath. “I’m sorry. I know you cared for him, but you must not be angry—”

“No. No, I’m not. How could you know? How could anyone know Chaam murdered Tommaso’s family to turn him against the Uchben? Or that it wasn’t enough. He was too good, so they had to inject him with that jade venom.” She clenched her fists. “It wasn’t his fault, Guy.” She turned back in the direction of the Scab village.

“Where are you going? We have to keep moving,” Guy asked.

“What does it look like? I’m going back for Tommaso.”

“Emma, honey, he’s gone; you’re wasting your time.”

“Did you see him die? Are you sure?” she asked, not bothering to slow her pace.

“Not exactly. But no one could survive a stab wound straight to the heart.”

“I’m going back to make sure—I have to. He saved my life once, and I’m not leaving him with those monsters,” she argued.

“No, Emma. It’s too dangerous. Let’s ensure the other gods have been freed, then I can go back with them and finish off the other priests. I’ll look for Tommaso then.”

He tugged her in the direction the men had headed. “Hurry. We must catch up to Gabrán.”

She shot daggers with her eyes. “Listen, Guy. I was kidnapped, terrorized, and tortured. And for the frosting on my danger-cupcake, I just cracked open twenty bloodthirsty priests like Easter eggs. I think I know all about dangerous. But I can’t let one more innocent person fall. No more!”

Guy considered her words. He understood how she felt, and he did not wish to deny her anything, but she was being foolish and reckless. He was tired, she was exhausted, and Gabrán’s men were ready to collapse. Immortal or not, they needed sleep and food. Personally, he heard a long, hot bath and a chocolate chip cookie calling his name. He also wanted to bed Emma. Immediately.

He looked down at her, wondering why she wanted to take such a huge risk just to know for certain Tommaso was dead. Unless…“Emma, I know now isn’t the time for this conversation, but did you love him—actually, that’s not what I meant to ask. Do you love me?”

Her eyes fixed on her mud-caked boots, then began filling with tears. “Yes, I think so. I mean, I can’t stand being apart from you. I feel empty, even worse after I broke the bond. But I know how I feel isn’t enough if I don’t trust you, if you don’t trust me.”

She was right about the trust. He’d broken hers on more than one occasion, which he knew he could fix over time, but her first comment was a monkey wrench. A big one. The feelings she’d described were the mark of their bond not love. Would he lose her if he told her this? But if he said nothing, she might live her life falsely believing she loved him.

“Emma.” He grabbed her hand and placed a soft kiss in her palm. “The feeling you describe is the influence of the bond. I wish I could say it was more. And I understand that without trust, you cannot love me. So now, I have to prove I’m deserving of it.”

She cocked her head to one side.

“Right now,” he continued, “I can give you closure. I will return and bring Tommaso to you.”

“Today’s your lucky day, Votan.”

Guy and Emma gasped and swiveled on their heels to find Tommaso positioned in front of an army of priests. He was shirtless, his heaving chest caked with dry blood.

“How? How the hell did you survive?” Guy muttered under his breath.

“Did you honestly think a little knife wound to the chest could stop me?” Tommaso asked.

“Um—yes?” Guy threw back flippantly.

“Okay.” Tommaso shrugged. “Maybe I did too, but a little of that black juice,” he rubbed the almost healed wound over his heart, “and never better.”

“Could this f**king day get any worse?” Emma groaned as Guy lunged at Tommaso and the Maaskab attacked.

Chapter FORTY

Add, “Can cure fatal injuries,” to the list of one hundred and one uses for evil black jade. I swore I was going to rub that stuff over the calluses on my feet as soon as I got home.