Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“You should save your strength until Vitai has healed you,” he chastises as we enter the hallway.
“I need more practice. I want to open my own portals.”
So I’ll never be anyone’s prisoner again.
Aruan’s voice holds grim understanding. “I’ll teach you to do it—or better yet, Gaia will. Anything you want to know, you will learn. Anything within my power is yours.”
I swallow hard, thinking about what almost happened. “Thank you for finding me.”
“Always.” His tone softens. “You made it easy for me.”
“With our bond.” Stopping, I face him. “What do you think happened? How did it become complete?”
Aruan’s gaze burns into me. “My mother said the bond couldn’t be complete unless you loved me.”
My heart lurches, then settles into a rhythm that mirrors his. “I’m… not going to say that’s not true.”
His heartbeat accelerates, even as his eyes drill steadily into mine. “Do you love me, Elsie from Cleveland?”
“You know I do.”
“Say it,” he demands. “Tell me to my face.”
Threading my fingers through his hair, I press our bodies together. “I love you, mate.”
Fierce joy and primal possessiveness glow in his silver eyes. “I love you too, Elsie. Always have. Always will.”
His lips are on mine before I can ask him to repeat those precious words. But it doesn’t matter. Because all the answers I can ever want are an eternal part of me now, locked deep inside, and no one can ever take that away.
I break the kiss not only because I need air but also because we’re in the hallway. “Take me to our room.”
He growls under his breath. “With pleasure.”
Scooping me into his arms, he descends the stairs with a brisk pace. As he carries me, I can’t help but shudder as I note the damage to the palace.
He did this.
Because I was gone.
From what I glimpsed through our bond, he almost destroyed all of Zerra. Judging by some of the repairs I see in progress, the royals have already started rebuilding what has been broken.
The man cradling me in his arms has a terrifying, godlike power, yet I’m not afraid of him. I see him for what he is: dangerous and beautiful, violent and imperfect. And mine. Above all, mine.
“And you are mine,” he says roughly as the archway of our quarters dissolves and closes behind us. “Nothing and no one will ever tear us apart again.”
It’s a beautiful vow, one that’s fitting for the start of a new life.
Epilogue
Elsie
Dawn breaks over the horizon, illuminating our room with the first light falling through the window. A soft pink sash runs over the purple glow of the remnants of night. A few stars are still sprinkled across the sky.
Turning on my side in our bed, I stretch out and yawn. Aruan is awake in an instant, staring at me with that beautiful silver gaze I love so much.
He brushes a hand up my naked hip. “You’re awake early.”
I burrow closer with a smile. “Zinnia will come bouncing in here before the sun is up.”
His lips curve seductively. “That gives us a few minutes.”
“Is that so?” I raise an eyebrow. “And what do you intend to do with that time?”
“This,” he says in a deep, low voice as he rolls me onto my back.
“You’re insatiable,” I murmur, but my belly heats and my skin breaks out in goosebumps from anticipation alone.
He moves down my body with soft kisses, and then he works his way up with gentle nips on my inner thighs. I gasp when he spreads my legs wider and buries his head between them. His mouth feels so good and his tongue even better. I thread my fingers through the thick strands of his hair, holding on as he brings me to the edge without mercy. Like an explosion. Fast and devastating.
I go over as he shifts up and enters me. He interweaves our fingers and lifts my arms above my head to press the backs of my hands to the bed. Our gazes remain locked as he rocks inside me with a lazy pace.
The pleasure builds again but not just in my core. My heart swells with emotions I can’t contain. My soul threatens to burst with happiness. Our connection is perfect, our love complete. It goes so much further than lust, although the desire never diminishes. Sometimes, when I look into his eyes like this, I’m scared that it’s too perfect, that someone or something will rip it away and that I may lose it all. But then I wrap my arms around his neck, like now, showing both of us I’m never letting go.
He kisses me with so much tenderness it makes me want to cry. As always, he knows what I’m thinking.
His promise feathers over my lips. “No one can take this from you, Elsie.”
Yes. Because it will always be a part of me, no matter what happens.