doesn’t matter.” She crossed her arms and he tried not to notice the way it pushed her breasts up against the thin material of her nightgown. He almost lost his mind when he saw the outline of her dark nipples against the pale lilac material. His pants grew uncomfortably tight. She was killing him and his good intentions.
“In the end, you did what was right. No one can blame you for having doubts.”
“Roric wouldn’t have had them.” And that’s what was killing him. Mordecai had always felt he should have been the leader of the immortal warriors of the Lady, not Roric. But, in the end, he wasn’t worthy of the title. He was too distrustful, too dark in nature. Roric was a much better man.
“That’s a load of crap,” Jessica retorted. He was so surprised at her vehemence all he could do was stare at her. “Anyone locked in Hell for decades would have had doubts. It would be impossible not too. The devil is seductive, offering what you most want.”
He let his head drop forward, unwilling to look at her any longer. Her faith in him was astounding. “Jessica,” he began, not quite sure what he wanted to say. She deserved so much better than being marked for death by Hades. She was human, yet she hadn’t hesitated to throw herself into the middle of their war with the god to save Mordecai and her friend.
“No. Don’t say anything more. I’m tired of talking.” She caught his face between her palms and raised his head until he was forced to look at her. “You’re a good man, Mordecai. And I’m proud to call you my friend.”
Something inside him shattered and the light of her belief filled him. At that moment, he could almost believe he was the man she thought he was—honorable, loyal, worthy. He’d give anything, well, almost anything—no sense in tempting Hades to make a return and offer a new deal—to be that man.
She brushed her fingers lightly over his jaw. Her touch ignited a firestorm inside him. The serpent roared and breathed fire. He would kill Hades if anything happened to Jessica, even if he had to descend to the very bowels of Hell once again in order to find him. The god was as good as dead the moment Jessica took her last breath.
The thought of that moment was like a sword thrust to his heart. He didn’t know if he could bear it. She was the only person who’d ever looked at him as though he was something special, something more than a traitor or an immortal warrior. Jessica treated him like he was a man and a friend.
“We both know I might not make it.”
“No.” He wouldn’t believe that.
“Mordecai, if I’m going to die, I don’t want to do so without ever knowing what it’s like to come apart in your arms. Don’t deny me. Please.”
Fury and passion rolled together inside him like thunderclouds. Once he unleashed the storm of his passion, there would be no going back. “Be certain, Jessica.” His willpower was all but lost beneath her plea. How could he deny her anything?
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.” She pulled him closer. “Kiss me.”
Mordecai knew he was lost.
Chapter Five
Jessica didn’t know what she’d do if Mordecai walked away from her. She knew she was dying. Her body was getting weaker with each passing hour. At least the pain in her arm was manageable. It was as though the mark was somehow draining the very life from her body.
She didn’t know what to do to fight Hades’ curse. While she was skilled in many ways, she was in no way equipped to deal with something this nasty and powerful. The incense, healing stones and wards she’d set around her apartment helped, but they wouldn’t defeat this plague Hades had sent to her. She could only trust her friends would come up with a way out. But she wasn’t hopeful. In war, there were casualties. The rest of them had gotten away, if not unscathed than at least alive. She was collateral damage.
Ever since she was young, she’d known she wouldn’t grow
“In the end, you did what was right. No one can blame you for having doubts.”
“Roric wouldn’t have had them.” And that’s what was killing him. Mordecai had always felt he should have been the leader of the immortal warriors of the Lady, not Roric. But, in the end, he wasn’t worthy of the title. He was too distrustful, too dark in nature. Roric was a much better man.
“That’s a load of crap,” Jessica retorted. He was so surprised at her vehemence all he could do was stare at her. “Anyone locked in Hell for decades would have had doubts. It would be impossible not too. The devil is seductive, offering what you most want.”
He let his head drop forward, unwilling to look at her any longer. Her faith in him was astounding. “Jessica,” he began, not quite sure what he wanted to say. She deserved so much better than being marked for death by Hades. She was human, yet she hadn’t hesitated to throw herself into the middle of their war with the god to save Mordecai and her friend.
“No. Don’t say anything more. I’m tired of talking.” She caught his face between her palms and raised his head until he was forced to look at her. “You’re a good man, Mordecai. And I’m proud to call you my friend.”
Something inside him shattered and the light of her belief filled him. At that moment, he could almost believe he was the man she thought he was—honorable, loyal, worthy. He’d give anything, well, almost anything—no sense in tempting Hades to make a return and offer a new deal—to be that man.
She brushed her fingers lightly over his jaw. Her touch ignited a firestorm inside him. The serpent roared and breathed fire. He would kill Hades if anything happened to Jessica, even if he had to descend to the very bowels of Hell once again in order to find him. The god was as good as dead the moment Jessica took her last breath.
The thought of that moment was like a sword thrust to his heart. He didn’t know if he could bear it. She was the only person who’d ever looked at him as though he was something special, something more than a traitor or an immortal warrior. Jessica treated him like he was a man and a friend.
“We both know I might not make it.”
“No.” He wouldn’t believe that.
“Mordecai, if I’m going to die, I don’t want to do so without ever knowing what it’s like to come apart in your arms. Don’t deny me. Please.”
Fury and passion rolled together inside him like thunderclouds. Once he unleashed the storm of his passion, there would be no going back. “Be certain, Jessica.” His willpower was all but lost beneath her plea. How could he deny her anything?
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.” She pulled him closer. “Kiss me.”
Mordecai knew he was lost.
Chapter Five
Jessica didn’t know what she’d do if Mordecai walked away from her. She knew she was dying. Her body was getting weaker with each passing hour. At least the pain in her arm was manageable. It was as though the mark was somehow draining the very life from her body.
She didn’t know what to do to fight Hades’ curse. While she was skilled in many ways, she was in no way equipped to deal with something this nasty and powerful. The incense, healing stones and wards she’d set around her apartment helped, but they wouldn’t defeat this plague Hades had sent to her. She could only trust her friends would come up with a way out. But she wasn’t hopeful. In war, there were casualties. The rest of them had gotten away, if not unscathed than at least alive. She was collateral damage.
Ever since she was young, she’d known she wouldn’t grow
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