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Avenay kissed her, the taste of her skin like coconut and jasmine. “I know. It’s important for seraphs too. It’s incredibly rare for us. And I’ve known for quite a while that we’re mates.”

The fear uncoiled from her limbs, replacing it with a lightweight giddiness. “The reason you don’t feel satisfied is the mating frenzy.”

Avenay frowned. “What’s the mating frenzy?”

“Well, it’s when mates accept the bond with one another. Their bodies want to consummate it… continuously.”

Avenay smiled. “I can experience that, too?”

Enid nodded. “Apparently so. Which is good, because I was afraid of running you ragged with my need this week.”

Avenay laughed, kissing Enid all over her face, before flipping her over, moving her body against hers. “What does it mean for demons to accept the bond?”

“It means that the bond is solidified for the rest of our lives. If one of us didn’t accept it, then we’d still feel it, but it would slowly fade over time. Accepting it means that we will always have that connection to each other, strong and loud.”

“Good,” Avenay said. “I don’t ever want to lose what’s between us.”

Enid’s eyes smarted from joy, and she kissed her again. “Me either.”

Avenay pressed her knee between Enid’s legs and Enid rocked against it, building her pleasure to an agonizing peak that couldn’t be toppled by this alone. Avenay rubbed her horns and Enid panted, dizziness making her eyes shutter close, out of her mind, her whole body focused only on pleasure, pleasure, pleasure.

Avenay moved down, head between her legs, and Enid drank in the beautiful sight, the glorious smile on her mate’s face as she bent and began licking and swiping. Enid grasped her own breast, massaging it in time with Avenay’s swipes. She moved her tail, finding Avenay’s opening again and rubbing along it. Avenay groaned against her clit, which made Enid groan too, flinging her head into the pillow, arching from the delirious agony of it all. Avenay rode her tail as she stuck her fingers in Enid, hooking and pulsing, her tongue swiping up the length of her, then focusing and sucking on her bud.

Enid came to the climax and plunged over the edge with a groan into the pillow. She reached down and pulled Avenay back up to her, into her arms.

“Did you come again?” Enid asked.

Avenay nodded, her eyes clear. “Yes. But you weren’t going to let me make you come again.”

She narrowed her eyes.

Enid laughed. “You can make me come as many times as you like, Little Bird. I don’t think we should leave this bed all week.”

Avenay nestled close to her, pressing kisses along her neck. “That sounds lovely.”

“Though maybe we should, for one tiny little thing.”

Avenay perked up. “What’s that?”

Enid smiled, nervousness knotting her insides again. What if it wasn’t good enough for Avenay? Enid had barely had to pull any strings. The moment she asked the faculty at the university in the city, they’d been ecstatic. They hadn’t ever had anyone with Avenay’s credentials work there and they said they would beg on their knees for her to head up the research department.

Enid knew it wasn’t the Great Library of Lesern. It was far less prestigious, when Avenay deserved all the prestige, but even after her earth-shattering discovery, the University of Light hadn’t offered her anything. There was still too much politics.

“The university here wants you to head up their research department. If you want it.”

Avenay’s jaw went slack, and Enid wasn’t sure how to take it.

But Avenay kissed her long and hard, straddling her and then sitting up, her hands clasping over her mouth, joy on her face. That luminous light from within came around her, glowing across her skin, lighting the browns with umber. Enid propped her head up in her hands and stared at her beautiful figure, her beautiful face, drinking in her joy.

“Oh Enid, do they really want me?” Disbelief laced her words.

“They said they would get on their knees and beg for you to come work there.”

“They did not!”

“They absolutely did! And as interim Lord of Shadows, I’m inclined to make them.”

Avenay leaned down, so they were face to face, their bodies melding together, and she traced circles on Enid’s arm. “Don’t you dare. I’m so honored by this. I should be on my knees.”