Rose woke to the sound of a soft whimper from Ethon's room. Something she could only hear because of her demon blood. However, the sound pulled at her.

Her heart raced as she wanted to soothe his pains.

The inner demons he battled had to be profoundly horrific to affect the warrior so.

Softly, she crept toward his door. Everything in her demanded that she race into his room to comfort the man. A need, as though she knew why he cried out, desperate to help him face his torment. However, she didn't understand why.

Sure, the two of them had been growing closer. However, Rose wasn't sure he would appreciate her climbing into bed with him. Even if it was to calm him, rather than any attempt to seduce him. Of course there was always the distinct possibility that she wouldn't be able to control her hunger around him. Especially in his bed.

"Rose, come back." His strangled whimper made her breath freeze. Had they shared in a dream again?

How could she just leave him to suffer?

Climbing into the large bed, in the darkness of his room, Rosslyn ran her fingers through his hair. "Ethon, I'm here. Shhh, I'm here."

Black eyes snapped open and he rolled to pin the person who had woken him from his sleep. Ethon's heart pounded in his chest as his lungs gasped for breath from the sudden transition to the waking world. It was only after his breath slowed to a somewhat manageable pace that he realized exactly who lay under him.

Before he could stop himself, he crashed his lips onto the most precious woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Rose arched into the contact. Ethon had ignited her hunger and ramped it up to nuclear levels. Her entire body craved more of him. His skin, his touch, his release.

Her fingers moved, desperate to pull his shirt from him.

Ethon was so lost in the connection, his hand fisted in her hair, the other slid behind her back to hold her as close as possible. Not even a breath away and she felt too far. He needed her to be closer. He barely recognized what was happening until his shirt was pulled up, tangling in his arms.

Only then did he pull back from her lips, breathless. "How could I have ever found someone like you?" He questioned as he looked in her eyes, once his shirt was gone. "If I could, I would have stopped the pain of your past. But you have no idea how grateful I am for your ability to welcome me because of it."

His face buried into her neck as he nibbled on the sensitive skin.

"All things considered…" She gasped under his ministrations. "Being poisoned with demon blood and having my memories wiped, really hasn't been that bad." If only people weren't still trying to kill or torture her.

Ethon froze. 'Memories wiped…' Damn it.

She wasn't the same Rose.

Even if he could go through the hell of explaining everything to her again, she had no memories of her own pain. She had no foundation to find similarity. Could she welcome him the way her dream version had?

Could he risk her learning it through the mind connection before he could explain?

No.

He had to stop.

Rose could feel the difference in Ethon suddenly. And it doused her rush quickly. However, the hunger still clawed for what it craved.

Ethon pulled back to see the glowing eyes that he knew so well. "I'm so sorry Rose. I, I- fuck, I can't keep doing this to you." He rolled over. Waves of anger and self hatred crashed into him once again.

"I shouldn't have come in." She whispered. "But I deserve an explanation." Her body shuddered in desperate need. Her arms wrapped tight around herself, trying to regain control over her hunger.

The ceiling lay above Ethon. A blank canvas. No emotions. No judgement. No fear. No repulsion.

Before he could continue to psych himself into the fears, before he could run, he rushed into the greatest risk of ambush that he had ever faced. "I went crazy and killed everyone. Brutally tortured, raped and ripped apart every person in the Spartan camp that had participated in my capture and torture. Including slaves and others who were innocent of any crimes."

The words hung in the air.

Nothing but silence filled the room for what felt like an eternity.

The bed moved as Rose rolled to sit next to Ethon. Gently, she cupped his face and turned his head to look at her. Tears rolled down her face as she asked the question he hated most. "Why?"

"I was lost." He closed his eyes once again. He couldn't stand to see her tears. They lacerated his heart with searing precision. "After Artemis resurrected me, she gave me my chance at revenge. I started out going after the man who brought me down, the man who betrayed me over nothing more than a lie. But as the blood lust settled in, I went after more of the men who participated in my torture and humiliation. Until I was blind in my rage. I didn't realize that I had killed even the slaves until after…"

His breath shuddered.

Rose's heart broke. How had he ever survived the guilt?

Leaning down, she kissed his lips in a soft and sweet effort to show him that she wasn't leaving his side. Gently, her lips moved to his eyes where his own tears brimmed. "I could never imagine the life you lived. The pain of your past. I have absolutely no ground to pass judgement on you. I only know the man that is here and now. And this man has been worried, protective, fearful, angry, and loving. An emotional man lead by his knowledge. No longer a blind man imprisoned by horrors of a time long past."

Amazed, Ethon had no other word for it. He was amazed at her acceptance of his past. In both realities.

He knew that he didn't deserve such acceptance.

Nick groaned as he opened the front door to Acheron and Chi. "Your people are fine. And I don't want you here." His teeth ground together as the sound of Rosslyn screaming out in pleasure echoed down from Ethon's room. "You know what? I changed my mind. You can stay with them while I get some fresh air."

Chi chuckled. "It's about fucking time they sorted things out."

"Well, it should have happened earlier, before the asshole hurt her." Nick's eyes flashed red and dangerous.

"Are you really going to be alright with their relationship? It's obvious you care for her." Ash asked.

The glare Nick threw should have been enough to melt steel in the burning hatred that he fought to control. He didn't owe Acheron anything. Not after everything the man had taken from Nick. Still, he answered. "If we were the same people as the first time she had been to New Orleans, I would have fought for her. As it is, there's too much risk to even think about it. I feel it. She calms me, gives me hope. Especially when we talk on the phone. However, the longer she is physically close to me, the more my skin crawls with darkness and thoughts flash to things I never want her to experience. She can be my friend, visit for short periods, stay in another room. But nothing more than an hour next to me. I won't risk more than that."

Chi sucked at her teeth. "That sounds messy."

"It am hoping that darker risk will calm once the two of them settle into something solid. When I can see that she is happy and safe. No more breaking her heart. No more bullshit. And please, fucking gods, no more hearing them!" Nick couldn't take it any more. He used his magic to flash himself out of his own home. As much as he hated to leave the Atlantean there, he couldn't handle another second of hearing Rosslyn with another man. It didn't matter if he actually wanted the two of them to be together when he was in a more rational mood.