Four-Letter Words by Evans, Gabrielle (top 10 books of all time .txt) 📗

When Thane turned his head and met his gaze, Zasha felt every ounce of hurt and confusion spilling from his lover. Silently crossing the room, he walked right into Thane’s arms, holding on tightly and wishing he could absorb all of the man’s pain. “I love you.” It was all he knew to say, the only comfort he could offer.

“I love you, too,” Thane murmured, rubbing his cheek against the top of Zasha’s head. “It’s not good, baby.”

“Tell me.”

“Later.”

“I have to find Aslan.” Torren’s voice sounded hollow, devoid of any emotion. “I don’t think I’ll be down for dinner.”

“I’ll get Wren in the bathtub,” Raith offered.

“Right. Yeah. Thank you.” Moving like a robot on autopilot, Torren turned away from the group and walked stiffly toward the staircase.

“Is he okay?”

“No.” That was all Thane said. He offered no explanation, nor did he qualify his statement with how Torren would be fine at some point. “So, what’s this meeting about?”

“Maybe we should cancel.” No one looked to be in the mood for a lengthy discussion about impending doom. “We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“We have to eat,” Nix replied, and even he appeared more subdued that Zasha had yet to see him. “We might as well talk while we do it.”

They all trudged into the dining room, sans Torren and Raith. October joined them shortly afterward, and it was clear from his expression that he’d already been informed of what had happened down on the prison block. “I’m sorry,” he announced as everyone took their seats. “I realize this isn’t the best time, but it’s something that needs to be discussed.”

The servers appeared with shiny trays laden with food, but no one seemed interested in eating. “Just tell us,” Lynk mumbled. Kieran came striding into the dining room, walking straight to his mate and lifting him into his arms. Then he settled down in Lynk’s vacated seat, cuddling the man and stroking his hair.

Zasha was beginning to feel like there was some secret club he hadn’t been invited to join. Everyone seemed to have heard the news except for him. Trusting that Thane would give him the details when they were alone, he cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention.

“The full moon is in two weeks. It also happens to fall on Imbolc this year.”

“Would you just fucking spit it out, already?” Lynk snapped.

It was so out of character for the normally polite witch that Zasha could only blink. Thane, however, seemed more inclined to be offended on his behalf. “Watch it, Lynk.”

“Mind your own advice,” Kieran warned with a snarl.

“Children,” October interrupted in icy tones. Once the three men had nodded and offered their grudging apologies, October looked to Zasha, indicating he should continue.

Not sure what he could say that wouldn’t get his head bit off again, he decided to be blunt. “I think we were tricked into bringing the witches here, and I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Mikko, Thane, and someone trapped in Purgatory.”

“Not someone.” Torren entered the room with his arm wrapped securely around his mate’s shoulders. Aslan’s eyes were bloodshot and glistening, his lids swollen from obvious crying. “Several someones,” Torren elaborated. “I think they’re trying to release the souls of the witches we fought in the original war of the Magicks.”

The elder spoke as though he had personal knowledge, and while Zasha would have liked some elaboration, he instinctually understood it was not the time to question the man. “Then what do we do?”

“Witches can harness power from events for several months. My guess is that they’ve already performed the spell.” Torren settled into one of the empty seats and pulled Aslan into his lap. “Imbolc is not the catalyst. It’s the completion.”

“I don’t understand.” Thankfully, he didn’t appear to be the only one not able to grasp what Torren was trying to tell them.

“The spell will reach its completion during the full moon. If Thane enters Purgatory any time after that—”

“The veil between worlds will remain open,” Thane interrupted. “If I go in to find Mikko, I’ll split the veil and release whatever souls are trapped in Purgatory.”

“How do we prevent that?” Leaning back in his chair, October crossed his arms over his chest, as calm and collected as always.

“I’ll have to go in after Mikko before the full moon.”

The entire reason Thane hadn’t already rescued his brother’s soul was because Mikko’s body was too weak, and there was concern that the reunion of body and spirit would cause a fatal reaction. “Can you do that? Is it a good idea?”

“I can do it.” Thane’s hand slipped into Zasha’s lap and squeezed his inner thigh. “No, I don’t think it’s a good idea, not until Mikko is stronger, but it doesn’t look like we have a choice. I can’t rip open the veil and allow the other souls to escape.”

“Is it dangerous for you?” Zasha wasn’t unsympathetic to the possibility that Thane could lose his brother. However, he hadn’t actually met the guy yet, and his main concern would always be for his mate.

“It can be. If Mikko’s body rejects his soul, it could trap us both.”

“What can I do?” He wasn’t selfish enough to tell Thane not to attempt the rescue. He wasn’t going to sit back and let the man he loved suffer a fate worse than death, either.

“I’ll need you to be there. You’ll ground me.”

“I balance you,” Zasha whispered, understanding dawning.

“You are my light.”

Gods, he didn’t know why he hadn’t understood it before now, didn’t know how the deeper meaning of those words had escaped his notice. “Your light.”

“Right,” Thane answered with a gentle smile. “You are my light to—”

“Lead you home.”

Chapter Seventeen

“I just sit here and hold your hand?” Zasha arched one eyebrow while his opposite eye tightened at the corner. “You’re kidding, right?”

Thane didn’t know why the vampire was so skeptical. “Nope, I’m not kidding. It’s the same thing I’ve been telling you for two weeks.”

“Well…I know.” A breath of air puffed from his