"Here's the kicker, princess. I do."
Tears filled her eyes and melted the snowflakes on her lashes. "I don't believe you. Thanatos would have gladly given you that wish and yet you fought him. Why?"
"Habit."
She closed her eyes as if frustrated with him. Her grip tightened on his face, then to his complete shock, she burst out laughing. "You really can't help it, can you?"
He was completely baffled by her reaction. "Help what?"
"Being an asshole," she said, her voice broken by laughter.
As she continued to laugh, he stared at her in disbelief. No one had dared laugh at him before. At least not since the day he'd died.
Then she did the most unexpected thing of all. She walked into his arms and hugged him. Her laughter brought her body into contact with his, setting fire to him.
It reminded him so much of his dream...
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.
No one had ever held him like this. He didn't know if he should embrace her or shove her away.
In the end, he found himself placing his arms awkwardly around her. She felt just as she had in his dream. Every bit as wonderful.
He hated that most of all.
She gave him a tight squeeze. "I'm so glad Acheron sent me to you."
"Why?"
"Because I like you, Zarek, and I think anyone other than me would have killed you by now."
Even more suspicious of her than before, he released her and stepped back. "Why do you care what happens to me? You've been inside me; tell me honestly I didn't scare you."
She sighed. "Honestly, yes. You do scare me, but by the same token, I've seen goodness in you, too."
"And the village I showed you in my dreams? The one I destroyed."
She furrowed her brow. "It was broken and fragmented. It didn't feel like a memory to me, it felt like something else."
"What?"
"I don't know. I think there's more to what happened than you recall."
He shook his head. How could she have faith in him when he didn't have any in himself? "You really are blind, aren't you?"
"No. I see you, Zarek. In a way I think no one ever has before."
"I assure you, princess, if you saw the real me, you'd run for cover," he scoffed.
"Only if I knew you'd be waiting under that cover for me."
He was floored by what she said.
She didn't mean it.
It was another game. Another test.
No one had ever wanted him. Not his mother, not his father. Not his owners. He didn't even want to be with himself.