Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 121854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Illium’s own mother often showed glimpses of that, though he had the feeling she’d taken a deliberate step off the path of late, wanting to live life full throttle in the world in which they stood.
Illium also saw the promise of such transcendence in his best friend and lover.
Aodhan had always had a level of empathy beyond words. It was part of what made him an artist whose portraits caused his subjects to cry with all he saw in them, and it had only intensified after his kidnapping. As if the horror of it had ripped away a layer of protection, allowing him to see a world others never would. If the time did come that Aodhan walked that path, Illium hoped he’d take him along on the journey rather than leaving him behind.
Even the idea of it was a knife to his immortal spirit. He’d follow Adi anywhere, but there were some places he couldn’t go without a hand reaching back to tug him through the divide.
But Aodhan’s possible transcendence was a prospect eons into the future.
Today, his friend remained earthbound, his spirit hurt in ways profound; he needed tenderness.
There are softer bruises that hide beneath the scars.
With Catalina’s wisdom in mind, he nudged Aodhan onto the bed he’d scattered with rose petals.
Not the rich red of seduction, but the pale blush pink of flirtation.
The other man sprawled with his back to the headboard, and his towel in real danger of falling off. As it was, one muscled thigh glittered under the candlelight when Aodhan shifted to sit with his left knee bent, his arm braced loosely over it.
Picking up a rose petal with a faint smile on his lips, he rubbed it between his fingertips before looking at Illium all lazy-lidded and content. “This is a good date, Blue.” Simple words that made Illium feel ten feet tall.
“I’m just getting started,” he managed to get out.
Yet playing with the petal, his expression vulnerable in a way Illium knew he’d show no other being, Aodhan said, “Who did Smoke spend the day with while we were out?”
Illium loved that he’d thought of their pet even at this moment. “Holly. Ingrate basically jumped on her from my arms. I was on my way to drop her off with Laric since he told me the patients love it when she comes by. Anyway, I swear they were talking.”
Aodhan nodded solemnly. “No surprise. Holly is mostly a cat after all.”
Illium laughed at the apt description of Venom’s vampire mate. With her quicksilver nature and wry sense of humor—and changeable moods—Holly did have certain feline characteristics.
He was smiling at the thought as he shifted the plates off the table and onto the bed itself—on which he’d placed a special tray that was designed to stay in place and contain anything that slipped. He’d bought it especially for tonight…and all the nights to come when he intended to lavish Adi with affection, with care.
“You’re the beautiful one in this relationship, Blue,” Aodhan murmured, his voice quiet but resonant in its depth. “You know that, don’t you? You’re built to perfection, every sinew and muscle in flawless proportion. That’s before you get to the most extraordinary eyes I’ve ever seen, and those firm lips that own mine.”
Illium’s cheeks heated. He went to make a joke about it, brush it off, but the way Aodhan was looking at him made that seem a cowardice. “Why don’t we agree to disagree?” he said instead. “Because I look at you, in the light or in the dark, and all I see is pure gorgeous man.”
“In the dark?” A confused angling of the head. “I don’t sparkle in the dark.”
“You don’t need to sparkle. You just need to be you.” He continued to speak before Aodhan could reply. “The Aodhan who walked hand in hand with me for literal weeks after the asshole called my father decided to go into Sleep even though he had a kid who thought he hung the moon and who kept watching the skies for him.
“The Aodhan who, though his heart is of an artist, picked up a sword and learned how to be an elite warrior so that I’d never walk into battle alone.
“The Aodhan who doesn’t get angry with me even when I confuse myself with why I’m so scared about us, why I take three steps forward only to stumble backward without warning. That’s the man I see in the dark, and it’s his wing I feel lying over me, protecting me in my sleep.”
Aodhan’s throat moved, his eyes wet. “Come here.”
Unable to deny that husky request, Illium shifted to stand beside the bed next to Aodhan. The other man took his hips, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over the vee-line created by Illium’s lean musculature.
Sensation shivered throughout Illium’s body, along with a crashing wave of love so deep, it hurt.