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Goddess above. The need to be back inside her is clawing at me already. Whether through the magick that lingers on our skin or the strong pulse of adrenaline in my veins, or just looking at her and seeing the fearsome, powerful creature she is, I’ve never wanted her as much as I do in this moment.

Turning back to the coven on the other side of the Veil, I address Esme directly. Her eyes are wide, an expression of pure shock on her face, and I do my best to conquer my immediate urge to roar in triumph.

“I think you will agree,” I tell her instead, wrapping an arm around Allie’s waist. “The bargain has been renewed. There need be no further action taken this evening.”

Esme nods slowly, watching her daughter with a new light in her eyes.

“How did you do it?”

I fight back a growl of irritation. Questioning her daughter, even now? Allie, though, just nudges my side before shrugging a shoulder.

“Soul magick. I’ll pop back through the Veil and tell you about it, sometime.”

A small, unsteady laugh breaks from Esme’s throat. “Fair enough.”

As the swirling white mist of the Veil begins to drift back in, Esme takes a step closer. “Youwillcome back? Not now, of course, but will you… you’ll come back and visit?”

Allie’s face softens, and she gives her answer just as the Veil closes completely. “Yeah, mom. I will.”

Esme’s smile is the last fading image I see before the stone archway is entirely eclipsed by white.

“Not too soon,” I growl at my witch, dropping my voice low enough that only she can hear, desire rising in my blood. “Now that we’ve renewed this bargain, we have an obligation to see its terms met, and I seem to recall a certain body and soul that you’ve surrendered to me completely.”

A delighted shiver moves through her, and then she freezes.

“What?” I ask her.

“I… felt that.”

“Felt what?”

She closes her eyes, concentrates, and then pops them open with a surprised gasp. “I feelyou.”

“What do you—” I don’t get the rest of the words out before she’s thrown herself into my arms, crushing her mouth to mine. It’s an open, carnal kiss that immediately stokes the banked fires of lust just beneath my skin.

Pulling away with a satisfied sigh, Allie smirks up at me. “Oh yeah, I definitely felt that. Is this what you meant when you talk about the mate bond?”

She can… feel me? I nearly lose it then and there, scoop her up and take her somewhere far away from our audience to see just how much of me she can sense, when a cough sounds from the other side of the clearing. Allie giggles.

“Witch,” I say in warning. “We’re not done talking about this.”

Settling myself as much as I can, I take her hand and walk with her back to our court.

There are calls of congratulations, and a crowd that seems to keep expanding as word spreads and more of my court portals into the clearing. Before long, we’re surrounded by well-wishers whose relief fills the surrounding air.

It’s only interrupted by a noise from somewhere near the Veil.

“Sylas?” a voice calls from behind us. “Vayla?”

Emilia stands just on this side of the archway, a small, hopeful smile on her lips. The cries of happiness and relief from her two lovers and the outpouring of emotion at their reunion is a joyous thing. Letting them have their privacy, I take my own lover’s hand.

“We’ll be back in court tomorrow,” I tell Felix.

He shoots us both a wicked grin. “Of course, your majesties.”

I clap him on the shoulder before taking my bride in my arms and striding away from the crowd.

“It’s a bit rude to just leave, isn’t it?” she teases, settling herself against me.