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Whatever it was could be an enemy—some monster seeking to consume her soul. It could also be her ticket out of here. Maybe it was someone who knew what this place was and how to get out. More likely, it was just some phantom in a dream she’d soon wake up from.

The light was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Sighing, she tugged her braid, wondering what to do next.

Was this just a dream, and she simply needed to wait until she woke up? Or had Magnus summoned her here, and this was some strange place between realms where he could take her out? She wasn’t sure whether the sorcerer was possessive enough ofElias that he would go out of his way to take her out just to ensure he’d have Elias forever.

Casting her thoughts out, she allowed her senses to spread into the endless dark. Doing so had become instinctual. As a magic wielder, she could sense when another being with magic was nearby. When her mind scraped against something, she started. She hadn’t expected to actually sense anything in this place.

There was something—or someone—out there that possessed magic.

It wasn’t alive, exactly. But it wasn’tnothing. It was like some dark vortex lurked somewhere just beyond her sight.

Suddenly, a second presence blossomed behind her. Then desire swirled through her so strongly that her breath hitched.

The world stilled as the tugging in her chest—the one that she’d felt since the moment her memories returned—went slack. She breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of pressure, which was replaced by an urgency tomove.

Again, lust swam through her, so thick it was hard to think straight.

She’d only felt this type of carnal attraction with one demon.

Arms wrapped around her middle, enfolding her in a larger body that smelled of citrus and pine.

“Elias?”

The word escaped her lips, sounding like a prayer.

For a moment, it was all she could do to breathe, to remain standing and not fall to her knees.

Some part of her had wondered if she’d ever feel this attraction again.

This was an illusion, a conjuring of her mind, surely.

Glancing down, she watched as one of those muscled arms skirted up until a hand wrapped around her throat, tightening.Her mind swam in just the way she liked, and she leaned back into strong shoulders, eyelids fluttering closed.

She realized she didn’t care if this was an illusion so long as it didn’t stop.

His other hand skirted lower until it was between her legs. A single finger ran over her pussy, and quite suddenly the feel of clothes against her skin was too much. She needed to feel his skin against hers, to feel his body everywhere—wrapping her in his warmth.

Then the arms turned her so she faced him, and her breath hitched.

The illusion looked just like Elias.

Dark curls fell to his shoulders, and a thick beard covered his handsome, angular face. Eyes with widening pupils soaked her in. It was as though she was the light of day in deep, fathomless space.

Like his arms, his thighs were thick with muscle. His light brown skin was as smooth and rich as she remembered it. But as her eyes roamed over him, she thought she saw slashes along his arms. Before she could truly look, his hands were at her corset, untying the laces.

Distantly, her mind registered how unlike him this was. In the past, he’d used his magic to undress her. Why wouldn’t he do that now?

But his fingers moved swiftly. In moments, her corset was undone, and he pulled her undershirt down. Cool air kissed her breasts, and she longed to have him squeeze them until it hurt, until she screamed his name and begged him to stop.

This could be a trap, some distant part of her thought. But after everything that had happened with Magnus, the Witch of the Woods, and losing her memories, she wanted a moment to pretend Elias hadn’t sacrificed himself for her. That he wasn’t out of her reach and being tortured by a sadistic sorcerer. Shewanted to allow herself to believe that he was here, with her. That they had all the time in the world to explore each other and learn just what it meant to be mates.

Soon, all worries faded to the back of her thoughts as she let herself be swept up in the dream.

She wanted this mirage to ravage her. To fuck her until there was nothing left so that when she awoke, she wouldn’t have to feel the chasm that had opened in her chest the moment she’d realized he was gone.

“Please,” she begged, uncaring of the desperation in her voice. “Take me. Take all of me.”