But she loves me! She told me she loves me—and now I know why Matts waited so long for her. I would gladly wait ten, one hundred years for my own chance with her.
I know Matts told me he’d die for her, but so would I. I would gladly die for a chance to be with her. I see why he loves her so much. God help that man if he screws up and gives me a moment to be with her, I will steal her from him in a heartbeat. It’s a horrible thing to say, but I would. I love her. For the first time in centuries, I’m willing to hope and love again.
And that was it. He was murdered by Caroline and the demons less than a few hours later. In a way, he had died for a chance to be with her, just not in the way either wanted.
Taz shut the computer down and returned it to the bag, trying not to wake Matthias as she slid into bed. Closing her eyes she tried to go to sleep and couldn’t. She opened the room in her mind.
“Rafe?”
There he was, sitting in a chair. “And?”
It was real, it was true. He was really here. How else could she find that file? This wasn’t a dream.
Another chair appeared in front of him and she sat. She didn’t think of it. Apparently he had the ability to create things in her mind.
“I read it.” She looked at him. “I wasn’t just dreaming before, was I? Any of those times?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry I put you in this position.”
“Did you choose to come to me because you wanted me?”
“I told you, I didn’t think Matts could take me. What the hell was I supposed to do, go to Caroline?”
There was something more. Taz knew it, sensed him holding back, searched his face for answers. She could force him to tell, but she didn’t want to do that.
“Rafe, what are you not telling me?”
“It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”
“Please, I have a right—”
“Anastazia,” he said, sharply, startling her. He’d never called her that, always Taz. “Please. One day.” He looked away. “One day, yes, I will. But there are some burdens you don’t need to bear. Especially not after tonight. Please, trust me.”
Surprisingly, she did. In a way she didn’t immediately trust Matthias when all this started.
In her mind they curled up together on a sofa that appeared in Rafael’s room. She sat, lying in his lap, with his arm draped over her.
They talked for what felt like hours. About his past, her past, and it felt strange but also comforting. Her guilt lifted.
He looked up. “Sorry, baby girl.” He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek before standing. “I have to go. Remember, let him love you.”
Like that, he was gone.
And then Matthias was kissing her. “Good morning, Taz,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck. “Did you sleep well?”
She stretched and looked at the clock. Did I? She remembered looking at Rafael’s laptop, then talking with him. God, it felt like she hadn’t slept a wink! “Not as long as I’d like.”
“I’m sorry about that.” He trailed his fingers along her arm, making her shiver. She looked at him, struck again how Rafael’s eyes looked exactly like Matthias’.
Okay, this is not the time to think that.
She kissed him, feeling her desire grow. “How much time do we have?”
“Enough.” He rolled over on top of her, his lips on hers. His cock, hard and hot, rubbed against her hip. She shifted position until he had access. Then he was inside her, deliciously filling her pussy. She gasped, always surprised how good his cock felt when it was inside her, the way he perfectly fit her as if they were made as a matching pair.
As if they’d been together all their lives.
She dropped her mental barrier a little, just enough to let him in, but not enough he could find Rafe.
She hoped.
Matthias’ passion built. He rolled over again, pulling her on top of him so he could slip his hand between their bodies. His fingers gently parted her labia, finding her clit. She paused for a moment, moaning as he unerringly rolled her swollen nub between his talented fingers.
“Is that good, cara?”
“Yes!” she gasped. He didn’t stop until he brought her to climax. As he felt her contracting around him he grabbed her hips and thrust into her, pulling her against him, and she felt his explosion. She collapsed on his chest, gasping for breath as his hands gently kneaded the muscles in her back.
“I love you, Taz,” a voice whispered in her mind.
Is that Matthias, or Rafe?
She kissed Matthias. “I love you, too,” she thought to both.
During the car ride she closed her eyes and went to Rafe’s room. He was waiting.
“Taz, you don’t need to—”
She kissed him, and then stood back. “What is it?”
He looked down. “You don’t need to know.”
She touched his shoulder. “Rafe, please.”
He reluctantly revealed what he found in his travels through the recesses of her mind, but not exactly what it meant. Not the context of what she was. Before. Never evil, but always powerful.
She sat, stunned, on the sofa. “I can do that?”
He nodded, sitting next to her. “You can, but I don’t want you to do it because you think you have to get revenge for me. That’s not what I want you to do.”
She shook her head. “They’ll want to use drugs.” She looked at him. “This way, it would be instantaneous, wouldn’t it?”
“And painless. Fast.”
“Then that’s what has to happen.”
Dame Agnew met them at the door. “Hello.” She hugged Taz. “You didn’t have to come for this, dear.”
Taz sent Dame Agnew a thought, and the woman looked at her. “It would be highly irregular.”
“But can it be done?”
She nodded. Matthias, knowing he missed something, spoke up. “What?”
Dame Agnew scowled. “I’m sorry, Matthias, but it’s Tribunal business. Come with me, Taz.” Dame Agnew led her from the room, leaving Matthias stewing.
Well, he’d wanted me to join the board. This was one of the side effects. He couldn’t be privy to everything, no matter how well connected he was. He’ll have to get used to it.
The women walked down a long hall to where the other Tribunal members waited. Dame Agnew asked them, and they looked at each other. One of them spoke. “I don’t see why not, but it is something you must carefully consider, Anastazia.”
“I know it will be fast, painless. Better than they certainly deserve, but it would be faster than drugs.”
“As long as you can assure us?”
Taz nodded. “I want to do this.”
“Vengeance isn’t healthy, dear,” an older man, Tacy, she thought his name was, offered.
“This isn’t vengeance. This is carrying out a Tribunal-ordered sentence in the most humane way possible.”
The members considered, and Dame Agnew called for a vote. Unanimous, they agreed to let Taz do it.
“You need to tell Matthias and Tobias, dear,” Dame Agnew said.
“Why?”
“Because they get a say in this. Rafael was their blood relative. If they disagree, we must go with our first plan.” Dame Agnew sent her a thought. “You also need to ask Rafael’s permission.”
Taz nodded, withholding that it was his idea in the first place. Dame Agnew led her back to the sitting room where the four men waited.
“Matthias, Tobias. Taz needs to talk to you. Alone,” Dame Agnew said, and motioned for Albert and Tim to follow her. They closed the door. When Matthias stood, Taz didn’t go to him. She studied the floor.