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To help her heal, he feeds her his blood and loses himself in her sensual reaction to it.

Finally, he comes clean that he is, in fact, Casteel Da’Neer, Prince of Atlantia—whom she has been taught is and only knows as the Dark One. Being—as he calls her now—the absolutely stunning murderous little creature she is, she stabs him in the heart and runs.

When he catches up to her, he explains that he—unlike the wolven or an Ascended—cannot be killed by a blade to the heart. Telling her that everything between them has been real and that nothing has been a lie, he bites her, immediately realizing that she’s part Atlantian. He can’t control his lust, and they have glorious, unfettered sex in the snowy forest.

It brought back some very good memories for me. I should go back and read those journal entries in the volumes I still have in my possession…

Later, Casteel confesses that his feelings got in the way of his plan, and she takes away his pain—both the physical and the emotional—making him realize why the vamprys wanted her so badly. He then tells her he’s taking her home to Atlantia, but after some dissent within his ranks, he suddenly realizes that it’s imperative for him to show his people that she’s under his protection.

After nailing all those who attacked Poppy to the hall walls with bloodstone spikes through their hands and hearts and heads—leaving only Jericho alive, minus a hand—he informs all the others that Poppy is part Atlantian and the two of them are going home to be married. As their journey progresses, they share stolen moments amidst sniping at each other, and Casteel tells her that he has not lied to her since she discovered who he is and explains his reasons for wanting to marry her.

When Poppy tries to escape again, and Casteel realizes she planned to go to the Ascended, hoping they’d take her to the capital where she could find and free her brother, he tells her that he refuses to carve her name in the wall of the tombs like so many of the other dead and returns her bloodstone dagger.

As he watches Poppy’s gifts change and grow, Casteel knows there’s something special about her—and it’s not just her heritage or her blood. When the Ascended finally track her down and attack, he confronts them and says: “I am born of the first kingdom. Created from the blood and ash of all those who fell before me. I have risen to take back what is mine. I’m who you call the Dark One.” And then he continues. “Yes, I have the Maiden, and I’m not giving her back.”

Something he meant in more ways than one, I’m sure.

After a battle with the Ascended that leaves him afraid she’ll be dead when he finally gets to her, he gives her his blood to help her heal and uses a mild compulsion on her to help her sleep, thus skipping the hyperarousal that usually comes from the act of feeding.

Why anyone would want to skip that is beyond me. That’s the best part. But I digress…

Casteel’s feelings continue to grow, yet she still seems hesitant, so he asks her to pretend and live in the moment with him. To not worry about the past or the future.

As someone all about roleplay and pretending, that was super sexy to me. But it was also ridiculously sweet.

After gifting Poppy with her retribution for Lord Chaney attacking her and taking the child hostage, he sets off to take care of his princely duties, even though he hates leaving her. Being away from her is getting harder and harder as the days pass. Later, when Poppy has a nightmare, he comforts her and pretends again. But it’s becoming something more than a ruse with him. He can’t seem to stop himself from pleasuring her and loves to watch her shatter beneath his touch.

Continuing their journey to Atlantia, Casteel worries about his people. He plans to wait for the first group from New Haven before continuing on to the Skotos Mountains, but he finds that he’s not only worrying about his people. His protective instincts for Poppy continue to grow—as do his feelings.

When Poppy tells him she’s not his and says she only belongs to herself, he asks her if she’d be willing to give him at least a piece, whatever one she chooses, and tells her that it will be his most prized possession.

Could he be any sweeter?

They eventually discuss their relationship, what they can expect, and what people will expect of them, as well as the changes in Poppy. In passing, Cas mentions her finding someone to love for real after all is said and done, but the way he poses it, it’s really still about them—I wonder if maybe he didn’t even realize it. When Poppy asks him if he’s ever been in love, he confirms that he has, but cuts off any more questions she has by simply saying, “She’s gone.” He doesn’t want to talk about Shea. Who could blame him?

Things are pretty quiet for the next three days until their group comes upon the Dead Bones Clan. Cas gives Poppy a crossbow and shows her how to use it. It’s a sign of trust, plus necessary. When the Clan attacks, their group fights valiantly, but Casteel is injured in the battle, shot with multiple arrows—in his left shoulder, just to the right of the center of his back, one in the back, and another in the stomach. The last gets stuck when he tries to pull it out, but he assures Poppy it’s not serious.

Once settled in Spessa’s End, Casteel rouses with Poppy but wakes up starving. The injuries he sustained took too much out of him, not to mention the blood he gave Poppy to heal. But despite his need for blood, he hungers for her and is done waiting. He scares her a bit at first until she realizes his intentions. Then…he devours her. Until Kieran storms in to stop him, worried about Poppy’s safety—and Cas’s mental state should he accidentally hurt her. Eventually, the Prince comes out of it and apologizes. But he knows he’ll never think of honeydew the same.

Despite needing blood, he hesitates when Poppy offers to feed him. When she insists, he ultimately relents and says he’ll do it, but only under one condition: They can’t be left alone. They invite Kieran to oversee the act, and when he’s fed enough, Casteel lets Kieran leave and offers to ease Poppy’s lustful ache—her glorious reaction to having him feed from her. He tells her how brave and generous he thinks she is. How beautiful. And then brings her to climax with skilled hands while finding release himself—something he says has never happened before like that.

Earnestly, he admits that he’ll always want more when it comes to her and asks to hold her, to pretend once again, even though it hasn’t been a ruse to him in quite some time. He doesn’t think she’ll let him. So, when she does, he tells her that there are no takebacks and pulls her close, reveling in how she melts against him.

My heart is melting again while writing this, just like it did when I saw it.

Casteel proposes a field trip to the real Spessa’s End for Poppy, the one that outsiders don’t get to see, but gives her an ultimatum. He’ll only do it if they keep pretending to be a couple—his ruse to keep her close. They seal the deal with a kiss, and Poppy laughs. It absolutely undoes him.

Her laugh is pretty spectacular.

When a young wolven named Beckett is hurt and Poppy heals him, Casteel witnesses her glowing and wants her so badly it’s nearly unfathomable. Being Cas and never afraid to speak his mind, he tells her—both that she glowed and that he wants to do wicked things to her.

Pretty sure I would feel the same.

It’s clear that her powers are growing, and it absolutely awes him. However, it concerns him, as well. He discusses her gifts with her and asks her not to use them in front of crowds until they know more and can control the narrative.

They talk about their upcoming nuptials, and Cas tells Poppy that he wants to marry her now in Spessa’s End. She agrees, but Alastir is anything but pleased by the news. Casteel isn’t happy with the wolven’s reaction and reiterates that Poppy is what he wants. After the encounter and needing to share some of the beauty of Spessa’s End with Poppy, he takes her to the poppy fields and the caves, letting little bits of his truth free and telling her how he feels.

While in the cavern, they agree to stop pretending and have wicked and wondrous sex in the hot springs. When they return to the others, Alastir’s ire turns vile, and he blurts out that Casteel is already promised to another—namely, Alastir’s niece, Gianna.