Daughter of Asteria (The Daughter Trilogy) (3 page)

would change your mind about staying with me,” he says softly. “It was well worth the price of a few

outfits to keep you here.”

“I only needed one. Why did you have her buy more?”

He shrugs. “I thought you should have options, and the others can stay here for next time,” he

promises.

I almost giggle at the mention of next time, and I fight the urge to smile a goofy grin.

“When will next time be?” I say smoothly, my back arching in a seductive manner.

He smiles as he pulls me even closer.

“Stay with me tonight,” he prompts.

I sigh as my finger traces over his chest.

“I can’t. I have work tomorrow and Clara’s rehearsal dinner is tomorrow night. I’m sorry.”

Why is it so hard to leave a guy I’ve known for less than twenty-four hours?”

He frowns slightly, and I assume it’s from my light rejection. I lean over to kiss his chest, and

my leg slides over his waist.

“I actually struck a deal with your agency today, and you can stay if you want to. I requested you

be here when I sign the papers, and they agreed to my terms,” he mumbles.

I sit back and stare at the gorgeous but crazy man.

“That’s insane. Besides, they aren’t open on Sundays.”

He smirks a little too smugly, and then he shrugs.

“They are when someone has as much money as I do. I know it’s crazy, but I’m not ready for you

to leave. Please stay with me,” he murmurs as his intoxicating, possibly poisonous, lips pour in their

spellbinding power.

I suddenly feel my body spiraling around his, and the magic between us is undeniable. It’s so

bizarre to have such chemistry and such a connection with anyone, and I can’t tell him
no
.

I just nod instead of giving him the same generic reply I have over and over, and his hands flip me

to the bed.

“I really don’t know how to explain the depth of my desire to be with you,” he mumbles into my

mouth.

“You don’t have to. I feel it too,” I breathe out, my honesty surprising me, and his hips begin

grinding between mine as the underwear barricading him from me is shredded from my waist.

I gasp lightly at the unexpected, erotic maneuver, and his eyes burn against mine. I’m absolutely

crazy about him, or I’m just fucking crazy. Either way, I’m fucked.

Chapter 2

The Breaking Dam

I walk to work with a heavy burden plaguing me. Devin left in the middle of the night. Why

would he leave so unexpectedly and why hasn’t he called me?

I’ve spent almost every minute with him since we met. He had taken me home to be at the

rehearsal dinner, and he stayed with me when I was sick. He sat through the wedding- and distracted

me the whole time - but then he disappeared without a real reason so suddenly.

I keep checking my phone, and decide to order in for lunch. It’s too pretty a day to feel so

miserable outside.

Roses come, and I shriek a little as I check the note inside - my stomach knotting to the point I

almost get sick again for a whole new reason.

I frown as I see they’re from Jerry, all my elation turning to a dark cloud of misery, and I just toss

the card into the trash without even reading it.

“Jane, you can just keep these,” I grumble.

She looks at me oddly, but she accepts my unwanted gift.

My phone buzzes, and I fumble with it. I see it’s Jerry calling, but I don’t feel like dealing with

him. It buzzes once more, and I see an unfamiliar number.

“Hello?” I ask curiously.

“Hey, babe,” Devin sighs.

“Hey,” I squeal lightly, and then I instantly scramble to recover. “What happened to send you

running off into the night?”

“I have some rather uneasy news, and I’m going to sound like a pathetic coward.” He pauses for a

minute, and I hold my breath as I wait for him to finish the sentence striking me with more dread than

I’ve ever felt. “I’m sorry, Adisia, but I don’t think we should see each other anymore, at least not for

a while,” he breathes out with a choked up tone.

I feel the tears racing down my cheeks, scalding my sensitive flesh with their ferociously hot

stream, and I start to blast him for his cowardly behavior.

But the bizarre images that have been plaguing me all rush through my mind with the coherency

I’ve been lacking. My head actually grows unbalanced as the weight of reality crashes down and

rattles throughout.

Each scene replays in my mind from the actual meeting we had, to the boiling water in the

shower, to the first time he told me he loved me, to the proposal he had perfectly executed, down to

the moment I was forced to watch him die.

Tears pour out of my eyes as I realized what has happened - Theia has rewound time, and

somehow I’m the only one who remembers.

I choke back the overwhelming tears fighting their way to the surface, and I feel the agonizing

pain striking me without mercy. The life is sucked from my lungs as the memories of Persia and Jake

dying flood through me as well.

“
This is all your fault,” Safina had screamed to me.

She’s right. It was all my fault, but this time I can end it before it begins. I’m the only one with a

link to mortals. I’m the only weakness in the thread of immortals. Without me here to disrupt the

strength, everyone survives.

“Adisia? Please say something,” Devin sighs.

I struggle to force a calm tone, given my terrible storm brewing inside of me. I hold the side of

the desk as I try to keep from falling out into the floor from the exhausting rebirth of my memories

finally forcing me to listen to their warning.

“I’m sorry. I got distracted,” I mumble as I look into the trash can to see Jerry’s card staring at

me, giving me an idea.

“Adisia, I’m so sorry. Please understand. This is just-”

I quickly interrupt him before I lose my ability to lock the tears into place.

“It’s fine Devin. I was really planning on ending this myself, so it’s no big deal. Jerry and I are

getting back together. He sent me roses today as a matter of fact. You’re welcome to investigate that

if you don’t believe me,” I say as I grab my purse.

I slide all my shit scattered across my desk into it, a few things rattling to the ground when they

miss the opening. I just kick them under the desk to hide them from sight. It’s not like I’m going to

need any of it after today.

“Jerry? You’re getting back together with him?” he asks with pain hiding in the undertones of his

disbelief.

I almost fall apart at the obvious betrayal he feels, but I force myself to continue.

“This was a really hot fling, but we both knew it would never work. Thank you for calling me

though. I wish you the best, and I mean that,” I say with a slight crackle invading my voice at the end.

“Adisia, I don’t think you should be with Jerry,” he breathes out through an emotional strain.

“Sorry, but that’s not up to you. Have a good life Devin, please,” I almost whimper as my insides

twist together.

“You too,” he huffs.

I quickly end the call and walk to the front to leave. Jane calls to me, but I just brush her off as I

barge through the doors and double over to expel the tears I’ve been holding back.

The pain in my chest leaves me heaving for the next breath of air. I notice all the people staring,

and I begin to worry Devin may be here watching as well.

He watched me for days before he kidnapped me.

I dry my eyes and try to play off my temporary meltdown. I start my brisk walk down the street,

and I almost start sprinting to my apartment when sobs break out all around me to cry the tears I’m

suppressing.

It’s all happening again. Nothing has changed.

Everything has happened in a different way, but everything is still ending up the same. The only

way to break the cycle is to take me out of the equation.

I can’t run; he’ll never stop looking. If I convince him I’m fine without him, he’ll simply return

to watch me. He’s obsessed just like I am. He’ll never stop looking for someone who’s still alive.

I glance up to the rooftops, where he enjoys stalking me from, but I don’t see anything. I dive

into my apartment without so much as missing a step.

The second I reach my floor, I dart to the door and disappear into my room.

I rush to the bedroom and dig through all of my stuff until I find something to write with and on.

My hands shake and rattle the pen and paper as I begin scribbling my apologies to my family, and

then I sign it as tears drop to smear the ink.

I place it on my dresser, and then I go to draw all the shades to a close.

My eerily quiet apartment only adds to the dread. I don’t want to do this, but I have to. I can’t let

anyone else die ever again.

I head to the kitchen and pull out the sharpest, largest knife I can find. Tears fall to my cheeks as

I hold it to my wrist, but all I can do is scream when I can’t go through with it.

I cry harder as I sink to the floor in complete disgust for myself. My eyes feel heavy, and my

breaths quicken in panic until there’s not enough oxygen reaching my brain quick enough.

Suddenly blackness invades the corners of my eyes, taking me with it as it tunes out the rest of the

world begging me to save it.

I wake up with a
headache as I look around my kitchen floor to assess what has happened.

I walk over to the window, and I realize there isn’t any sun shining through anymore. It’s dark

out, so I’ve been passed out for hours.

My tears have ceased as well as my panic attack. I can now compose myself enough to do what I

have to, but I decide to add a boost of courage by pulling out the vodka from my freezer.

I shudder at the wretched taste invading my mouth.

This was so much easier to drink this when I was immortal.

I gulp it again, and the burning starts quickly intoxicating me with my less tolerable body in the

driver’s seat.

I pick up my phone and type in Persia’s number. I take a deep breath as I send her the message I

never did.

Please take care of my parents and my brother. Thank you for the pink princess room. Be

careful. I love you, Mom.

I cry a little harder as I put the phone down, and very shakily, I walk over to pull the knife back to

my wrist.

I can do this. I have to do this. I love you, Devin.

I cringe as the knife bites into my flesh, and then suddenly the crashing of a window distracts me.

Blurs streak around me as a familiar scent engulfs me, and in a blink I’ve been disarmed.

Devin is hovering over me with guilt wringing his eyes, and he wads the knife up like a crumpled

up piece of paper before tossing it to the ground.

I start wailing as I pound his chest with my fists, my tears streaming down the sore cheeks that

haven’t recovered from their last scalding.

“Please let me! I’m begging you. Please just let me end this while I still can,” I sob.

“Adisia, I’m so sorry. I’m going to help you,” he murmurs with the angst pouring from his lips.

I scowl at him as I try to back away.

“No. I don’t want or need your help. Just let me die. Please let me stop this before I have to

watch you die again,” I beg as I drop to my knees.

“Baby, you’re sick. Let me get you some help,” he pleads, his own tears brimming the lids of his

eyes.

“Everyone will die if I live,” I screech.

I cry so hard my language sounds like something mimicking a Neanderthal. He doesn’t even try

to understand me this time.

He scoops me up and flashes with me in his arms down the stairs. Ther’s not here to aide him this

time. His car is waiting at the curb instead of an SUV. Everything is different while exactly the same.

He throws me in the car, and I know it’s pointless, but I still start plotting my escape. I keep

sobbing as the door shuts, but I quickly try to jump out.

He flashes to me and restrains me by locking my wrists together with cable ties he pulls out of his

glove compartment.

“I’m sorry, baby, but I need you safe,” he murmurs softly, his eyes drawing closer to dropping his

tears.

He flashes back to the driver’s side, and then he buckles my seatbelt once he sits down.

I lean my tearstained face over to face the ground as I start rocking violently. He restrains me

more by tightening the seatbelt against me, and then he locks my bound hands to the door with another

cable tie to stabilize me.

“I promise this will all be over soon,” he whispers to himself, but I hear it.

I have to convince him about what I’ve seen. He doesn’t know the things I do. He’ll lose more

than just me if he doesn’t give in to my demands.

“This has all happened before. This isn’t the first time you’ve kidnapped me to get me some

help. Please trust that I know what I’m doing,” I beg.

“Adisia, you’re just really sick right now. I promise I can get you the help you need, and you’ll

forget all about me,” he crackles out.

“No I won’t. Theia can’t make immortals forget the truth, she can only do that to mortals,” I