Into the Wind Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I don’t want to lose you again when I’ve only just found you.”
    “You won’t.” Taren hoped he sounded confident in his answer. “I promise.” He hesitated a moment, then added, “But there’s something else troubling you, isn’t there?”
    “It’s nothing you need worry about.”
    “Do you trust me, Ian?” Taren pulled away and frowned.
    “I…. What? Of course I do.”
    “The truth is deeper than that.” He wouldn’t let Ian dismiss him this time, and although he sensed Ian hadn’t outright lied, he knew Ian wasn’t being entirely honest with him.
    “I don’t know what you mean.” Ian stood up and walked to the edge of the cliff.
    Taren followed and wrapped his arms around Ian’s chest. “Then tell me why each time we speak of Rider or of our time together aboard the Phantom , I sense turmoil in your heart.”
    “I can’t forget what I did to you. I can’t forgive myself for it.” Ian’s voice was barely audible above the sound of the surf from below. “You forgave me when I did nothing to earn your forgiveness.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then let out an audible breath.
    Too overcome to speak, Taren clenched his jaw.
    “You should hate me. Of all people… I knew what you’d face at Seria’s hands, and yet I did nothing.”
    Taren took Ian’s hands in his, then met his gaze unflinchingly. “I could never hate you. Besides, it wasn’t your f—”
    “I had a choice.” Ian pressed his lips together, clearly fighting to control his roiling emotions. “I nearly died in that prison years before. But that was my choice as well. I chose to return to Ea’nu and face my parents’ murderers. I knew what might happen. You had no choice. I sent you to that prison.”
    “No.” Taren’s breath stuttered. “Ian. Goddess. Don’t you see?”
    “I could have let you go. I could have—”
    Taren shook his head. “No.” He needed Ian to understand this once and for all. “You may believe you had a choice, but I know better.”
    “But I—”
    “No, Ian.” Taren brought Ian’s hands to his lips and kissed them, then smiled at him. “We’ve neither of us had a choice in this. From the day we were born, the goddess has decided our fates. We were meant to endure this. The goddess has tested us.” He wanted to believe they were both stronger for it, although he feared—no, he knew —the future held far greater challenges.
    “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
    “Yes,” Taren said, “you do. But even if I didn’t know this to be true, my heart would always forgive you.” I would gladly brave Seria’s pain to keep you safe. He put his hands on Ian’s face, then kissed him.
    It would take time, Taren knew, before Ian would forgive himself. Until then, he would make sure Ian knew how much he was loved and how happy Taren was to be at his side. How happy Taren was to be his mate.
     
     
    T AREN DANGLED from the cold metal shackles on the crumbling stone wall of the prison. His arms and hands had long since become numb. How long had he been here? Seria’s men had left him hours ago. Surely they planned it that way. Every encounter with Seria had ended in an ocean of pain. They knew he’d imagine what horrors awaited him upon Seria’s return. He wanted to die. At least in death, he’d find peace.
    More time passed before Seria entered the room. “Missed me?” he asked with a look of pleasure that caused Taren to shiver in spite of himself.
    Taren spat, hitting Seria’s cheek. He knew his punishment would come swiftly, but for the moment he felt nothing but satisfaction at having angered his captor.
    Seria’s smile spoke of hatred and power. He reached out and touched Taren’s chest. Taren screamed and writhed, pulling his wrists in a vain effort to escape the metal bindings. The metal ground against his already abraded skin, opening old wounds. The pain was nothing, however, compared to the fire that Seria’s touch imparted. Taren opened his lips, but no