Page 34 of The Demon God's Desire
The words burst out of me before I register them but I pale, realizing it’s true. Oh gods. I’m in love with Bridget.
“You would compare this human to me? Call her a goddess in your mind while your true goddess awaits your obedience?” the Hearthkeeper sneers.
“You know I have killed in your name countless times. I’ve committed atrocities for you, I’ve done everything you ask and yet you deny me even an ounce of happiness? How could any deity be so hateful, so spiteful?” I yell.
“Or so blind to your own ignorance? Humans are far more amazing and like dark elves than we give them credit for,” I insist. “You have to know that. You’re a goddess!”
The Hearthkeeper seems to loom over me, despite being shorter. Her rage causes the ground beneath us to shake and tremble. “If you are choosing a mere human over me, your goddess, then I will make you suffer!” she screams.
She thrusts her hand into my chest, somehow straight through me. Her fingers seem to grasp around my very soul and I’m blind with the pain. It’s like having my entire body crushed all at once. I can’t breathe. I can’t move.
Her fingers dig harder into my essence and I realize she’s trying to take my powers from me. I look down, eyes widening and she yanks her hand backwards, a look of triumph on her face.
But her hand is unable to pull all the way back through. She and I both stare at my chest and it’s like my entire body becomes transparent, revealing the shape of my life-force which is tangled up with the strands of my powers.
She can’t take them. They’re too deeply entwined with my essence at this point. I’d have to die in the waking world in order for her to take them.
A smirk of triumph comes over my face when I stare back up at her.
To my surprise, however, the Hearthkeeper only smiles back. My stomach drops, the blood in my veins growing icy.
What is she planning?
18
BRIDGET
After all that activity, I’m wiped out. It’s been a long day and an even longer evening. Being intimate with Guilri again felt exhilarating and empowering. And I know this time he doesn’t dare run off from me.
I’m letting him have a piece of myself again. Maybe I’m making a mistake. But I’d rather make that mistake if it means even a little more time with the strong, sexy man beside me.
At first I don’t even realize I’ve drifted off. But then I feel someone moaning in my ear and at first I’m confused. I feel gentle shaking and I pry my eyelids open. Before I can try to assess what’s going on though, I hear panicked screams and Guilri begins writhing beside me.
“Guilri!” I yell, shaking him. He doesn’t open his eyes, continuing to moan and writhe, as though whatever he’s dreaming is physically hurting him.
“Guilri!” I call his name again and he flails out, his limbs going every which way before he suddenly curls in on himself and whimpers, holding his arms to his chest.
I can’t get him to wake up and it’s freaking me out now. “Guilri, please wake up!”
At this point I seriously consider dumping the canteen of water on him when he gasps, sitting straight upright and nearly colliding with my face.
“Gods!” I jump back, almost falling over myself. “What was that?”
He stares at me, uncomprehending at first but then he slowly comes back to himself.
“Bridget!” He throws himself at me, hugging me tightly. “I had a dream, except I don’t think it was a dream,” he says quickly, almost too quick for me to catch. “The Hearthkeeper appeared. She’s angry with me. So angry. She’s vengeful. Wants me dead.”
He’s almost rambling and I put my hands on his shoulders. “Woah, slow down,” I tell him, squinting at him in concern.
“The Hearthkeeper appeared to me,” he says, taking a deep breath and running his hand through his hair. “She’s angry with me. She wants me to go back to my men. But I told her she led me into danger. She doesn’t care. She thinks I’m choosing to spend my time...” he pauses. “With humans instead of focusing on my purpose, which is serving her.”
I try to follow along but it’s all very confusing. Does this mean the gods are real? I always sort of thought of them as a myth, something the elves in the city used to pretend they were better than us humans. The gods supposedly created the elves and they are their favored children. Us humans are just pawns for them or something.
As though he can sense my confusion, he stops and takes another deep breath. “I’ll explain better,” he says. “So my gifts come from the Hearthkeeper,” he continues. “All my powers are from her. I was born to serve her. I’m her favored and she protects and guides me. I’ve dedicated my life to her but she’s angry that I’m no longer following her preferred path.”
It sounds extremely scary, the idea of a literal goddess out to get him. “And she’s angry. She blames you for making me stray,” he says softly, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. I must be shaking because he holds me close to him.
“But she’s not going to come here,” he reassures me. “The gods never come to Protheka anymore. There’s limits to her powers without coming here physically to hurt us.”