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“By the fates, it’s all so clear now,” she gasped.

I wondered at her meaning, but the demands of my body blinded me to all but the feeling of her slick heat surrounding me.

Runa’s legs clamped around my hips, and she tossed her head, crying out as her orgasm exploded through her. The tight, pulsing grip of her channel sent me over the edge as well, and I buried my cock deep into her depths, shouting my release. Jets of pleasure erupted from me, filling and marking the female beneath me. Spasms rocked our writhing bodies, and my muscles were powerful and yet weak all at the same time.

It seemed my very soul left my body, floating somewhere above me. My vision turned gold. Once I’d returned to myself, the sensation of gentle, stroking fingers slid over my shoulders and back.

“Still with me?” Runa chuckled.

“I… Yes.” I couldn’t remember a moment when I’d lost myself so completely with a woman. The experience left me shaken.

I rolled to my back, taking Runa with me and tucking herinto my side. She angled her leg over my thigh and nestled her face under my chin.

“That was incredible,” she whispered.

“That was…” Beyond incredible. I had no words.

“I think I get it now.”

I struggled to focus. “What’s that?”

“The venom.”

“Ahh.” Despite my wandering thoughts, a smile tugged my lips. I toyed with a strand of her lavender hair.

“I mean. It had to be the effect of your venom, right? Because that was…like nothing I’d ever experienced before.”

“Yes, the venom,” I agreed, though I’d never seen a female react in such a way. It certainly didn’t explain my own reaction.

Strangely, while feeding from her, I’d sensed no desire to utter the incantation that would claim her as my Bride. Perhaps because she was already mine?

Regardless, I had a nagging suspicion that what happened between us was more than sex. It was a spiritual interaction between mates. The idea chilled me. Primal urges rose at the thought. Urges that demanded the sorceress was mine forevermore.

Yes, said a voice from deep within my psyche.

Despite Runa’s efforts, I had not changed my mind about staying here. Carcerem’s people were little more than savages. Delightful savages who made the finest fermented brews, danced feet-stomping jigs, and took pleasure in the simple parts of life. None of that was for me. Was it? It wasn’t. Of course, it wasn’t.

Chapter Thirty-Two

RUNA

My eyes flicked open,and my breath caught. What woke me? The jolt of alarm soon faded when I realized I lay on a pile of itchy straw, my naked limbs intertwined with Victor’s. I took in his soft features as he slept. He was almost too pretty to be male. Every line of his patrician face was perfectly balanced. His nose, cheeks, brows, chin, each angle was strong and proud. It was as if the gods themselves had sculpted him.

I suppose they had.

His body was similarly made. Sublime in every way. From his lean muscles, defined abs, angular hipbones to his…cough… I forced my eyes away from his manhood. That part of him was also divine. Lucky me. My lips curled, and I rubbed the base of my throat. The place where he’d marked me with his handprint warmed.

Despite the cloud hanging over us, I couldn’t remember having so much fun. Yesterday at the festival, I’d seen a side of the vampire I didn’t think existed. From the wonder in his eyes, I suspected he hadn’t known of its existence either. I enjoyedbeing the one to reveal that aspect of him. I wished we could have more days like yesterday together.

My chest tightened, and I exhaled a heavy sigh. There was no point in wishing for impossible dreams. We both had a part to play. His was far loftier than mine.

Thunder cracked, and the stable walls rumbled. Dust rained down from the ceiling, screams ringing out.

I shot to my feet, coughing. “What was that?” I stumbled to the loft door and peered out. It was still dark outside.

Victor stood at my back, alert despite the harsh wake-up call. In the street below, villagers fled to the east, some arming themselves as they went. I glanced in the opposite direction, and needles prickled my skin. Soldiers in purple capes flooded the road from the west. Some on horseback, many on foot.

“It’s Idris’s men.” Alarm shot through every nerve in my body.