She inched closer to the point where he'd appeared then hurried by to the edge of the forest. She couldn't see the far end of the lake from her viewpoint, but she was able to see across the narrow panhandle. The light from the water was bright enough to show who stood on the opposite shore, caught in what looked like a lover's embrace.
Gabriel. And another woman. Deidre stared. They were kissing, their bodies pressed together and arms around each other.
The thought he had someone else - and this was the reason he couldn't commit to her fully - never crossed her mind. Some relief trickled through her to know that his hatred of past-Deidre wasn't the only reason he'd offered her the undesirable arrangement. He wasted no time finding himself a replacement when she refused his touch. At one point, she thought he cared for her a little. Not after this.
"The truth comes out eventually." Wynn's voice was quiet. "I'm an Immortal, and Gabriel has moved on after thousands of years at your feet."
Deidre jumped. She faced the direction she'd come. Wynn's gaze was on the figures across the lake, his impassive features bathed in green light.
"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked.
"Off and on," she joked nervously. "Hard to keep track of what's going on. Who to trust."
His attention shifted to her. "I'll tell you when it's safe to turn around."
"It'll take more than that for me to trust you, Wynn."
"I apologize, Deidre. I didn't think it appropriate to tell you who I was. Things changed when you were dragged back into the Immortal world," he said.
He always was able to soothe her. She found herself nodding, accepting his explanation more easily than even Gabriel's.
"So, who are you?" she ventured. "Or do I want to know?"
"A friend to you. The rest is inconsequential."
"You were dead."
"Yes."
"Why did I or … I guess, the past-Deidre bring you back?"
"You didn't say." He was amused. "I thought…" He considered her then looked across the lake again.
"What?" she asked. "Were we friends?"
"A little more than that."
"How many people was past-Deidre sleeping with?" she demanded.
"You don't want to know," he said with a shake of his head. "Needless to say, you were efficient and dedicated at ensuring you always won."
Toby's description of her as a mega-bitch was sounding more and more accurate. Deidre didn't know what to do about the trail of broken hearts past-Deidre had left.
"You think I brought you back because of that …er, relationship."
"At first," he said. "But past-Deidre had motivations deeper than anything I could understand. Whatever her plan was, she probably didn't expect to be reborn as what you are now."