Page 67 of A Clash of Moonlight

“Yes,” he murmured against her skin, then lifted his head to meet her gaze. “As can I. But if your father comes after me, it would be a bloody war. A war that will be difficult to conceal from the human world. A coven-sealed contract linking our lives might prevent Lehr from attacking me, but you were right. It will not stop Arcuro.” When his master learned of this deceit—when he learned that Nora held his heart—he would not hesitate to kill him, thus taking Nora’s life as well. “The only way this works is if Arcuro is dead, and I cannot kill my master.”

“At your sanctuary, you said Arcuro has weaknesses.” She wrapped her arms around him. Kept him close. “You want the pack to take out Arcuro.”

“It is the only way to make this work.”

“And we are making this work,” she said, her gaze steady. “There is no turning away from this because…” She drew in a deep breath. “Because you love me.”

He traced her jaw with his thumb and smiled. “As you love me. We will be together. A soul contract is more permanent than a marriage. It cannot be undone. Do you accept that?”

“I accept you.” She kissed him, and all the shattered pieces of his existence fell into place. They fit. They were right. She was the part of him that had been missing since his humanity was stolen away. She was all the good left in him. The light to his darkness.

He touched her face. “I want to see you in white, Snowflake.”

She tilted her head. “As in a white dress?”

Yes. “I have never asked a woman to marry me. I have never wanted someone until you. We will not be like the vampire and wolf pairings of the past.”

She smiled. “We will be legendary.”

“God, yes.” He slanted his mouth across hers. Drank her in. Her scent. Her aura. Her taste. He needed her. Needed more, but…

“Come.” He would not take her here in this den of inequity he had allowed to form. He wrapped his hand around hers and led her to the back hall, then out into the alley.

“A third break-in,” she said when they reached the furniture store’s door. “They’ll hire a night guard.”

“I will buy the place.” He broke the lock and pulled her inside.

He would have to be careful around his master. He would have to play the part of the monster without becoming the monster, and he would have to keep his plans secret. He and Nora needed time to gather powerful allies, and that presented an additional problem. Maintaining peace between the paranorms would be difficult. They would need to execute the soul treaty at the edge of the void of magic so that all present would be able to quash their violent instincts. The Rains would not like it, but he and Nora would convince them.

They had to convince them because he could not lose her. He would not lose her.