even sure why he'd come here today. Arik's threat of invading his sleep meant nothing to a
man who'd had assassins after him in that realm. He'd earned his reputation for ruthlessness and he was
proud of it.
Yet in all these centuries he'd never heard of a god trading his sanctity to be human. The only gods on
this plane had been cursed or stripped. No one lived in this realm voluntarily.
No one.
Except Arik. "Why are you here? Really?"
Arik looked away without comment.
"Answer my question or I walk." He saw the anguish in Arik's eyes before he spoke in a low tone.
"You've always been human. You've always had feelings. You don't know what it's like to have them
and then feel them leave you. The numbness is tolerable most of the time. But with Megeara…"
"You love her?"
Arik gave him a peeved glare. "How could I ever love anyone?"
He had a point. Self-sacrifice and such were alien concepts to Dream-Hunters.
Arik let out a deep breath. "I just want to understand where her passion comes from. Why something as
simple as a drink of lemonade can make her laugh. Why her eyes light up when she dances in the waves.
And why the thought of her father makes her cry, even in dreams."
Solin shook his head. Unlike his brother, Solin understood all of that. Emotions weren't a gift. They were
the ultimate curse of the gods. What Arik didn't realize was that Zeus had done them a favor by
demanding they be stripped of all their feelings.
It was why Solin had unleashed the human on Arik all those centuries ago. He'd been jealous of the
emptiness the Oneroi lived in and he'd wanted them to suffer the way he had. He wanted them to crave
things they couldn't touch.
To know what they were missing.
What he'd done had been cruel and he knew it. But the sad thing was he felt no regret over it. How
could he? Even now the Oneroi sought him in his sleep. He never had rest. No respite. They were evil
bastards, all of them.
And yet as he stood here with a brother he didn't want to claim, something foreign tickled in Solin's
chest. It was pity. Compassion. Two things he'd sworn he'd never feel again for anyone.
He hated Arik for that.
"Will you help me?" Arik asked.
Solin nodded. He'd help Arik all right, but not for the reasons he thought. Solin was going to do
everything in his power to let Arik be human. To know Megeara to the fullest extent that was possible, so
that when she died because of him Arik would truly understand exactly what it meant to be human.
He was going to suffer as no god had ever suffered.
CHAPTER 7
GEARY SAT IN THE CAR, STARING AT HER PERMITS AS IF they were the mythical Holy Grail
that had miraculously dropped into her lap while George politely ignored her. She didn't know what was
keeping the men. Maybe Arik had found some other woman to molest…
That bizarre thought triggered an odd jealous twinge—which really made no sense. At the moment,
she'd gladly pay someone to take Arik off her hands. "George?"
He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. "Yes, miss?"
"How long have you worked for Solin?"
"Long enough, miss. Long enough."
Boy, wasn't he the font of all information? Before she could continue her questioning, the guys finally left
the building.
They were much more subdued as they joined her in the car.
Solin offered her a tight-lipped smile. "Are you happy now, Dr. Kafieri?"
"Thrilled beyond belief."
"Good." He cleared his throat. "By the way, I would like to apologize for my brother's unconscionable
behavior."
"I don't need you to apologize for me, Solin. I'm quite capable of doing it myself."
If George hadn't picked that exact second to pull into traffic, she'd have swung the door open and left.
"And just out of curiosity, what made you think that that behavior was appropriate?"
Arik sighed. "I wasn't thinking at all. The truth is you surprised me and I reacted poorly. For that I'm
truly sorry. I would never have insulted you in any way."
Okay, so the guy could be
man who'd had assassins after him in that realm. He'd earned his reputation for ruthlessness and he was
proud of it.
Yet in all these centuries he'd never heard of a god trading his sanctity to be human. The only gods on
this plane had been cursed or stripped. No one lived in this realm voluntarily.
No one.
Except Arik. "Why are you here? Really?"
Arik looked away without comment.
"Answer my question or I walk." He saw the anguish in Arik's eyes before he spoke in a low tone.
"You've always been human. You've always had feelings. You don't know what it's like to have them
and then feel them leave you. The numbness is tolerable most of the time. But with Megeara…"
"You love her?"
Arik gave him a peeved glare. "How could I ever love anyone?"
He had a point. Self-sacrifice and such were alien concepts to Dream-Hunters.
Arik let out a deep breath. "I just want to understand where her passion comes from. Why something as
simple as a drink of lemonade can make her laugh. Why her eyes light up when she dances in the waves.
And why the thought of her father makes her cry, even in dreams."
Solin shook his head. Unlike his brother, Solin understood all of that. Emotions weren't a gift. They were
the ultimate curse of the gods. What Arik didn't realize was that Zeus had done them a favor by
demanding they be stripped of all their feelings.
It was why Solin had unleashed the human on Arik all those centuries ago. He'd been jealous of the
emptiness the Oneroi lived in and he'd wanted them to suffer the way he had. He wanted them to crave
things they couldn't touch.
To know what they were missing.
What he'd done had been cruel and he knew it. But the sad thing was he felt no regret over it. How
could he? Even now the Oneroi sought him in his sleep. He never had rest. No respite. They were evil
bastards, all of them.
And yet as he stood here with a brother he didn't want to claim, something foreign tickled in Solin's
chest. It was pity. Compassion. Two things he'd sworn he'd never feel again for anyone.
He hated Arik for that.
"Will you help me?" Arik asked.
Solin nodded. He'd help Arik all right, but not for the reasons he thought. Solin was going to do
everything in his power to let Arik be human. To know Megeara to the fullest extent that was possible, so
that when she died because of him Arik would truly understand exactly what it meant to be human.
He was going to suffer as no god had ever suffered.
CHAPTER 7
GEARY SAT IN THE CAR, STARING AT HER PERMITS AS IF they were the mythical Holy Grail
that had miraculously dropped into her lap while George politely ignored her. She didn't know what was
keeping the men. Maybe Arik had found some other woman to molest…
That bizarre thought triggered an odd jealous twinge—which really made no sense. At the moment,
she'd gladly pay someone to take Arik off her hands. "George?"
He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. "Yes, miss?"
"How long have you worked for Solin?"
"Long enough, miss. Long enough."
Boy, wasn't he the font of all information? Before she could continue her questioning, the guys finally left
the building.
They were much more subdued as they joined her in the car.
Solin offered her a tight-lipped smile. "Are you happy now, Dr. Kafieri?"
"Thrilled beyond belief."
"Good." He cleared his throat. "By the way, I would like to apologize for my brother's unconscionable
behavior."
"I don't need you to apologize for me, Solin. I'm quite capable of doing it myself."
If George hadn't picked that exact second to pull into traffic, she'd have swung the door open and left.
"And just out of curiosity, what made you think that that behavior was appropriate?"
Arik sighed. "I wasn't thinking at all. The truth is you surprised me and I reacted poorly. For that I'm
truly sorry. I would never have insulted you in any way."
Okay, so the guy could be
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