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My back bowed against the wall of shadows, and my eyes fluttered closed. Dear Gods.

He licked me slowly, sending shivers of electricity through my body. The sensation was overwhelming, each stroke of his tongue igniting sparks of pleasure within me. I could feel the heat building inside me and I moaned and writhed against the wall of shadows, my fingers tangling in Scion's hair as he continued to pleasure me with his mouth. The sensationswere overwhelming, each stroke of his tongue igniting sparks of pleasure within me.

My back arched off the railing as I felt myself getting closer to the edge. Scion's hands gripped my hips, keeping me steady as he continued to devour me with his mouth.

"Let go, rebel," he growled against my skin, sending shivers down my spine.

And with one final flick of his tongue, I did just that. My body exploded in a wave of pleasure, my release crashing over me like a tidal wave. I cried out his name as I rode the waves, and Scion held me tight as I slowly came back down from my high.

He stood straight again, looking down at me with a predatory hunger in his silver eyes.

Without asking or waiting for me to recover, he reached out and tore the top of my dress down exposing my breast. His touch was electrifying as he trailed kisses down my neck and chest. He took my nipple into his mouth, his tongue rolling over it just as he’d done moments before. Every inch of my body felt alive under his touch, begging for more.

I wrapped my legs around him and pressed closer, grinding against him.

With a fierce growl, he released his grip on me and pulled me forcefully down from the railing. My feet stumbled against the ground as he spun me around, positioning me so that I was leaning over the edge of the railing, peering down at the dizzying drop below. The wind whipped through my hair and torn dress, grazing over my exposed skin and hardening my nipples.

Knowing exactly what he wanted, I pressed my ass against him. He pushed up my skirt and without any warning slammed every inch of his cock inside me.

I moaned as he filled me. My body instinctively arched towards him as he thrust in, filling me completely and causing my breath to catch in my throat. The sensation was overwhelming and I couldn't help but moan as he continued to drive himself into me with powerful, rhythmic movements.

Scion's thrusts were relentless, each one sending me closer to the edge of ecstasy. I gripped onto the railing for support as he pounded into me from behind, his movements becoming more urgent and animalistic.

I could feel my entire body humming with pleasure, my senses heightened by the rush of adrenaline and danger. With each thrust, I felt myself getting closer to a peak that I didn't want to come down from.

My stomach muscles tightened, but just as I was on the brink of release, Scion abruptly pulled out and turned me around. He lifted me up and carried me over to the adjacent castle wall, pressing my back against it and positioning my legs so that they were wrapped around his waist.

He kissed me fiercely, his hands roaming over my body as he held me against him. My heart thundered in my ears and the rough stone wall scraped against my back, but I hardly noticed.

Pulling back from the kiss, Scion looked me in the eye before deliberately bending to drag his tongue over the scar on my neck where he’d claimed me long before either of us really knew what that meant.

“Do you regret this?” he asked suddenly.

I looked at him sharply. “What? Why would you ask that?”

“You didn’t have much of a choice. If you’d been able to choose, would you have let me claim you?’

I glared at him, almost angrily. In answer, I leaned forward and sank my teeth into his skin with all the force I could muster. A metallic tang filled my mouth as blood gushed between my teeth, carrying with it his raw power and unbridled desire. I could feel his body tense, before he entered me again, this time with a slow and steady pace that had me gasping for breath.

I could feel the heat building inside me once again, and this time I knew there was no holding back. I dug my fingers into his skin as he thrust into me deeper and harder, our moans loud enough that I was sure the entire court could hear us far down below.

With one final thrust from Scion, I cried out his name as waves of pleasure crashed over me. He followed soon after, burying his face in my neck as he rode out his own release.

“I love you,” I said, feeling as if perhaps he needed to hear it.

“I used to feel as if I was sleep-walking through life. I didn’t even fucking realize how numb I was until you woke me up.” He shook his head, and looked up to meet my gaze, trapping me with his intense silver stare. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to be entirely happy in the way that others are. Maybe I’m still half asleep. But if so, I’m the luckiest bastard alive because that means I get to dream of you.”

13

LONNIE

THE GROUNDS OF THE OBSIDIAN PALACE, EVERLAST CITY

Some time later, Scion and I strolled between the colorful silk tents and reemerged in the midst of the revelry.

I looked around for any familiar faces, and didn’t watch where I was going until I nearly collided with a line of twirling dancers, causing them to fall out of step with one another.

Scion reached out and lassoed me around the waist with one hand, pulling me backward just in time to avoid a collision. Pressing his chin into my shoulder and murmuring in my ear. “It’s amazing how you can still be so damn clumsy. No wonder you never realized you were more than human.”