Every rising pushed him closer and closer to the edge. And with each death, he wondered . . . will this time be it? This time, would he rise as the monster he’d always feared? The one that lived and breathed inside him?

“Cain!”

He realized she’d been yelling his name. He hadn’t heard her. Couldn’t speak still, so it didn’t matter.

Her hands were sweeping over him and finding all the injuries. Too many. He’d shielded her as best he could and taken all the hits.

Cain knew that he could come back from death. But if Eve had been hit—she wouldn’t have been able to rise. Coming back from death wasn’t a luxury that she had.

Not a luxury. It’s a f**king curse.

His eyes found hers.

“You took the bullets,” Eve whispered. It almost looked like she was crying.

No one had ever cried for him before. His chest began to ache.

She slammed her fist right into his heart. “You took the bullets! Damn you!”

What? Had she wanted to die? Death wasn’t a nice easy ride. It was a f**king bitch.

Or maybe that was just hell.

“You’re dying on me . . .” Anger rumbled in her words. “And, what? I just have to sit back and watch?”

Yes.

She grabbed his jaw and turned his face toward hers. When had he looked away?

“You’re coming back.” Her words were a demand.

He couldn’t speak.

“You’re coming back.” Then she put her mouth against his. Sweet. Death had never tasted so sweet. “You have to come back.”

He could feel the fire building inside him. She had to feel the growing heat, too, but she still kept her hands on his face. Kept her lips so close to his.

“Come back,” she told him once more. “Don’t leave me.”

The flames were going to burst free. He knew it, but first—first he had to die.

His heart stopped beating. The blood choked him. His eyes stayed open, on her.

Eve’s lips trembled. Her hands rose slowly, so slowly, and she closed his eyelids.

“Come back.” A final whisper from her. Her fingers brushed over his cheek. Then she pulled away.

Death took him.

The fire burst over his flesh, so bright that it lit up the sky. A giant blaze that burned so hot the ground was singed about five feet in every direction.

Eve stood back, watching. Not because she was afraid of the flames, but because she was afraid any move she made might stop the fire.

Cain wasn’t back yet, not fully. But . . .

Soon.

Her knees pushed into the dirt as she knelt and watched him. She’d tried to get them away from the city. She hadn’t even realized that he’d been hurt. Not this bad.

Bad enough to die.

He won’t stay dead. He hadn’t before. He’d come back. She knew he would return to her. He had to.

The fire raged hotter. She could barely see his body. The flames actually seemed to be roaring.

No. That wasn’t the flames.

That was Cain.

Because those flames were rising, he was rising. Standing up, spreading his arms out by his sides, and roaring his fury to the world.

She didn’t move.

The heat blasted around her and . . .

He turned to look at her. As the flames began to fade away, vanishing and leaving his golden, tanned flesh behind, unmarred, perfect, he stared at her.

His eyes still burned. She could see the flames flickering there.

What are you?

His hands were at his sides, his feet braced apart. The clothing had burned from his body, and her gaze swept over him. No more bullet wounds.

Only strong, hard flesh.

Her breath rasped out. “I knew you’d be okay.” Knew, hoped—same thing.

He took a step toward her. The flames in his eyes eased back into the normal darkness of his stare.

She offered him a smile and hoped that it didn’t look as desperate as it felt. “You scared me, though.” Her legs weren’t quite working yet, which was why she still knelt on the ground as he approached. “I don’t exactly like it when people die right in front of me.”

His death had brought back too many memories of the family she hadn’t been able to save. Of the flames and the fire that had taken them, but left her behind.

Don’t leave me. Daddy, Daddy, don’t leave!

But in the end, they’d all left her. She’d been so alone.

Eve took another deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Well, now that you’re back, what are we going to—”

He pulled her off the ground and right up into his arms. Her words ended in a yelp as she lost her breath. He held her above the ground with his too-hot touch, letting her feet dangle a good foot in the air.