"You don't like it?" She turned and looked in the mirror. She looked fresh-faced and golden. She had worn the look many times in the past when she wanted to feel closer to him.

She reached up and slowly removed the bobby pins, letting her curls fall where they would, and his hands on the chair arms cracked the wood. She put the bobby pins aside and folded her hands in her lap. "You do like it."

He took a ragged breath. "You look like an innocent angel. Everything you did was pure magic." He released the chair arms and stood.

"You keep using terms like young, innocent, and angel to describe me, but that's not right. I have seen so much darkness, I feel like my soul is stained with it. If there is anyone on this earth that can help you fight back your demons, it's me, yet you won't even let me try to help you." She stood to face him.

His features became a hard mask; gone was his easy smile. "Who has shown you darkness? Why didn't your brothers protect you?"

"Don't blame them. It was my choice; every single time, it was my choice." She hugged herself tightly. If he knew, would she still be his innocent angel? Would he give up completely? She turned her back to him.

"Tell me," he demanded.

She shook her head. "You haven't earned the right to ask that of me. You deny me at every turn and expect the privilege of my trust. It doesn't work like that, Darian."

"If someone has hurt you..." His voice was sharp and ice cold.

She turned and slowly made her way over to him. When she stood directly in front of him, she reached up and laid her hand over his heart. "What would you do, my prince? What if I told you that, without your love, I would spend the rest of my life trapped in a hell of my own making? That not even losing my soul could compare to the nightmare I would endure every day without you, lost in an inescapable cycle of torment and abuse? If you're not willing to live for me, are you willing to fight for me?"

He swallowed hard, repeatedly. "You ask too much."

"I only ask for what I was promised so long ago."

He reached up and removed her hand from his chest. "There is nothing left in me that could save you." He walked past her and out of the room.

She stood there, unable to move. She kept her breathing even. She wouldn't cry. How many times had the thought of ruining her makeup acted as a suit of armor? Her mate thought he had nothing left to give her, but she knew that wasn't true. If he couldn't see the light of his own soul, then she would become a mirror and reflect his own light back to him. If his light was too dim, then she would ignite the flames of his heart. She would never give up, not until he was safe.

Goddess, help me.

CHAPTER SIX

Alone, Amelia walked downstairs to the dining room. She had changed into a simple white dress and slipped her phone into her pocket. She decided to leave her hair down; Darian had liked it better this way. When she stepped into the dining room, she noticed she was the last one to come down. The men stood and sat again when she did.

"Sorry I took so long," she said quietly.

"It's no problem, Aiden and I just came down ourselves," Meryn said as she pulled a steaming roll apart.

"We just got here, too. We had to tuck Penny in," Rheia admitted, smiling at her.

Meryn took a huge bite of her roll. "You two are like a matched set of black and white. You look great. I'll never be able to get my makeup to look like that," she sighed.

Amelia looked between herself and Darian and realized that Meryn was right; they complemented each other perfectly. She forced a smile. "You'll get it, it just takes practice. Did you get all the glue off?" She unfolded her napkin and laid it in her lap.

"Yup. Aiden gave me incentive to keep my eyes closed in the shower." Meryn leered up at her now blushing mate.

"Meryn! How many times do I have to tell you, no sex talk at the table!" Aiden exclaimed.

Meryn's face became a mask of innocence. "I didn't say anything about sex, you did."

Colton choked on his water, and Rheia beat him on the back.

Aiden growled at his friend. "Shut up, mutt."

"Too bad Jaxon and Noah ate earlier. I am sure those youngsters would appreciate the pointers," Gavriel commented.

Aiden shot him a dirty look. "Et tu?"

"Aiden, they know we have sex. I didn't get this way by immaculate conception." Meryn pointed to her rounded belly.

"No, you got that way on your hands and knees, if I remember correctly," Aiden commented smugly, reaching for his water.

"Aiden!" Meryn screeched, turning bright red.

This time, it was Colton who lightly pounded Rheia on the back as she tried to laugh and swallow her roll at the same time.

"Touché." Gavriel raised his wine glass to the commander who winked at the vampire.

"I can't believe you said that!" Meryn said, her eyes wide. She stared for a second and then began to giggle. "That was awesome." She held up a fist to her mate.

Aiden's huge fist dwarfed Meryn's little one, but he tapped her knuckles gently before leaning in to kiss her nose.

"There is something to be said for doggy style, if you know what I mean." Colton wagged his eyebrows looking self-satisfied until Rheia cuffed him upside the head.

"You mean puppy style?" she quipped.

Colton's mouth dropped open. Next to her, Keelan had fallen over to his right and lay across the seat of the chair next to him, laughing so hard he wasn't making any sounds. Darian covered his mouth, but Amelia was willing to bet he was hiding a smile. Everyone at the table was having a hard time breathing for the laughter.