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I might have laughed, gripping his arms over that tuxedo jacket he wore like a damned men’s magazine model. We were kissing an instant later, and a laugh and roar of cheers broke out from the crowd below the makeshift stage. We didn’t stop kissing but I heard ongoing yells and wolf-whistles, until pretty soon, every seer and human in the place was shouting at the top of their lungs, stomping their feet and clapping, whistling, cheering.

Flowers rained down on us.

Beautiful, delicate, star-shaped blooms floated down from the sky like snow.

I heard a lot of laughter, too.

Happy laughter. Relieved laughter.

It felt less and less like humor and more like a group exhale to me.

I had no idea what Black had told them.

I had no idea what they’d figured out about this new world in which we found ourselves.

But I felt their relief so tangibly, it relaxed everything in my light.

Then Black kissed me again, and I forgot all of them.

I felt seers and humans clap us on the backs as we kissed. Some part of me was vaguely aware of them as they moved back into the crowd, shouting greetings, laughing, passing around drinks, pounding one another on the backs, on the shoulders, shaking hands.

Pretty soon Black and I were alone on the low stage.

He kissed me again, slower that time, until I could barely breathe.

I finally had to pull away, just to make my body work again.

I clutched at his arms, panting, my forehead against his chest.

I was in so much pain, I could barely remember where we were. I felt pain ripple off him as well, maybe reacting to mine, and it made everything on my end worse. He stroked my hair, and I felt him breathing hard where he stood against me, his fingers trailing down my bare back above the corset, stroking my bare skin.

I heard the crowd below as they continued to talk and laugh and cheer.

I saw movement in my peripheral vision and turned when everyone threw those white, star-shaped flowers in the air a second time, laughing when they landed all over the desert garden and pool area of the White Eagle Resort. I heard another piercing wolf-whistle from below, then the first splash as someone either jumped in or got pushed into the pool.

Black lifted my chin with a finger and kissed me again, slowing us down even more.

By the end of that one, he was groaning softly against my mouth.

When we finally stopped, seemingly for real that time, his eyes were glassed and both of us were breathing too hard, gripping each other’s hands. The pain grew unbearable again and I wrapped my fingers around his arms, closing my eyes. It felt like we were alone, even though a giant party was going on without us, only a few feet from where we stood.

I stared at him, and he stared at me.

Then I felt a ripple of pain off him that was so intense, I clutched at him tighter. I felt him react to how I looked, even before his hand fisted in my hair.

When I looked up, I saw him wince.

Something about the look on his face made my pain exponentially worse.

He seemed to see that in my face, too.

“Gaos,doc.” He kissed my face, staring at me. “I don’t know how we’re going to make it through tonight.”

I nodded, caressing his jaw. “We might have to hide. Frequently.”

“You look so insanely beautiful… you look like some kind of fairy spirit… like you aren’t even real…” He pulled lightly as some of the feather-like material, then pressed his face to mine.“Gaos.That fucking dress. I should kill that pervy fucker Johan for even putting it on you. He’s always enjoyed dressing you just a little too much.”

“You’ve seen me in it before,” I reminded him.