Page 22

She rolled her eyes. “Has Synick talked?”

He kissed her cheek and removed his arms from around her middle. “We’ve been letting him… marinate in the dark of the dungeons. He’ll talk when I go down there.”

Valeen turned and leaned into him, pressing a hard kiss on his mouth. “Thank you for staying with me.”

He smiled against her lips. “There is no place I’d rather be. I missed you. I can’t get enough of you. I want more andmore.” His hands slid up the sides of her hips, and slowly to her waist. She tilted her head, exposing her neck to him. His lips brushed her sensitive skin, pulling a moan from her. His magic trickled over her like warm water and the bottom hem of her dress rose up where his hand slipped under, brushing the inside of her thigh. “You are everything to me. Since the moment I saw you, I knew everything would change. Gods, I think even before I met you, I knew.”

Valeen pulled herself closer, inhaling his intoxicating scent. She nuzzled her face into his neck and nibbled on his skin.His answering groan and tightening grip around her made her smile. Knowing that all it took was a nibble to get him going was absolutely satisfying. He slowly ushered her toward the bed until the back of her legs bumped into the frame. She pressed her lips to his and pulled him on top of her. His kisses were hard against her throat, her neck, her jaw. His touch sliding over her body promised pleasure. Her fingers dug hard into his back, and he groaned. He pulled away, sliding off the bed and she frowned.

“Are you… leaving?” Her nightgown was bunched up around her waist already and she didn’t have any undergarments on.

“Leaving?” His brow rose. “Why would I leave?”

“I just… you got off of me.”

He tugged his shirt overhead, revealing his delicious body. His muscles were taut and the sunlight made his skin glisten. Her eyes traveled to the “KING” tattoo below his belly button. “I can’t very well love you properly with my clothes on.”

She smiled as his belt jingled and hit the floor with a thud.

“Don’t think I’ll ever leave you unsatisfied, love. You can have me whenever and wherever you want. On the dining room table with everyone sat down for dinner if you asked.”

“You’re terrible,” she teased.

“Not one of your fantasies then?”

“No!”

He threw his head back with a laugh. “I’m not one for onlookers either. But I think I would like to take you over to War’s empty room just to make a point.”

“Stop.”

“I’m joking. Somewhat.”

“You don’t need to rub it in. You already have me.”

“That’s right, I do. Open those pretty thighs for me.” He crawled back on top of her and her hands slid up his bare chest and around his neck. His lips crashed against hers as he gave her what she wanted.

His magic whispered along her skin, like extra hands kneading and stroking. She rolled her hips with him, gripped by his garnet eyes. He was so beautiful, and even if no one saw it, she did. Somewhere in his darkness was a heart and she felt it in the way he loved her—worshiped her.

His touch, his riveting, absolutely intoxicating touch, made her eyes roll back and she gently bit down on his shoulder, stifling a moan.

“No need to be quiet,” he murmured. “There are sound barriers in this room.”

So she wasn’t. She let every pleasure roll through her, sighing and moaning as he rocked his hips. It was the high she needed from the agony of loss she had felt the days before. Like soaring through the sky, his hands were the wind that whipped through her hair. She drew her tongue across his throat tasting the salt of his skin, and he shuddered. “Fuck,” he muttered.

He pulled down the top of her nightdress to see her exposed breasts and his face melted in pleasure. I could come just by looking.

Shadows rose along her arms. Her powers were unruly when she was with Hel. He made her lose all control, like he took it for his own. His lips covered her body for what felt like hours. She lost herself in him, in this moment. There was nothing else, no problems, no loss, no one wanting her dead. Right now, there was nothing but Hel.

She hooked her ankles behind his hips. He suddenly lifted her off the bed, and he took her to the wall. He was both gentle with his kisses and like a violent storm. With her nails pressed into his flesh, he slammed his eyes shut.You’re making me lose control.

Lose it.

His runes started to glow as he kept driving into her until she shimmered like diamonds in sunlight cascading across her skin. She buried her face into his neck.

“Uh, you’re good. You’re so good.” She almost started laughing as her limp arms draped around his shoulders. “I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this for so long.”

He panted in her ear, still holding her tightly against the wall. “It’s like nothing else. No one has ever made me feel this way.” Then he pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll never get over you.”