Divinity

Prologue

Dawn

“You have one last chance.” His face was patient, waiting for me to say yes. But how could I? My husband, my perfect husband and our baby…

   I wasn’t leaving them. Not ever.  “No.” I said again, staring into his deep brown eyes. “I love my family. Not you.” Not a complete truth, after our history.

His face was hurt, but only for a second. It melted into as calm a mask as I’d ever seen.

 “Fine. But you know, Dawn, that means I can’t save you from him. Or your daughter.”

I nodded, cold fear uncurling in my stomach. “But you can keep them from him, can’t you?”

He didn’t answer, just kept his dark olive face downcast.

I kept trying. “I know he’s going to kill me and Leo.”

“Dawn-”

“Stop. I know he will. But you can keep her from him. I know you’re strong enough.”

His eyes flickered over to my daughter. Asleep in her cradle, I knew my already blonde baby wasn’t going to know me. He did not leave any survivors, especially any who had wronged him.

Leo and I were as good as dead. And, god, after everything we'd been through, was I almost welcoming it?

Instead of promising to keep my daughters alive, he just sighed. Reaching over, he twirled a strand of blonde hair away from my face. “How many times I wish I had met you before Leo did.” He murmured. “I already love you more than I thought possible.”

I gently pushed his hand away from my face. “When I die-” We both flinched. “Look after her. You don’t have to raise her, just keep her alive. For me.”

“For you.” He repeated. “I will. I’ll check on her every year…”

“Once a year?” I cocked my eyebrow. “A lot can happen in a year.”

He sighed. “I will visit when I can. If she ever gets in trouble, I’ll be there.”

“Trouble?” I flashed him a cheeky smile. “A daughter of Aphrodite? You must be joking!”

He rolled his eyes. “How silly of me!”

Both smiling, the door clicked open and Leo walked in. It must have been raining, and as he slicked back his wet hair I felt… him cringe beside me “I should go.” He said as Leo’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. I nodded and he walked past, the last time for all I knew, clipping Leo’s shoulder on his way.

Leo stepped over, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. “Who was that?”

I shrugged, nestling closer into him. “No one important.”

Leo smiled and stroked my hair, kissing my forehead. I shivered when his hand touched some exposed skin on my back and then he kissed me and I felt the same way I had for the past three year; every time he touched me, I felt so much happiness and just love…

I couldn’t believe it was going to be all over.

But I knew, as my Leo kissed me, that when he left this world, I would too and that my best friend would look after our baby. She would be fine. She wouldn’t have as many scars as her mother.

She would never have to fight the very man who was going to kill her parents.

It was my only consolation.