Page 64 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #2)

Vad dressed, but he didn’t bother to tuck in his shirt.

He didn’t even put on boots. Instead, after pulling on a shirt and pants, he crossed into the bathroom and returned with a small vial of blue-green oil and deposited it into his pocket.

He bowed and extended a hand to me as if we were about to dance. “Allow me to escort you.”

“Just don’t let me go.” I dropped into a half curtsy, and he swept me closer.

“Never,” he whispered into my ear, his voice so low I felt it more than heard it. The heat of his breath stole mine, as did the light tickling of his jaw against the sensitive skin behind my ear and along the side of my neck.

Smoky shadow wisps curled around us. Some actually stroked me when darkness swept over us, while his arm secured itself tightly around my waist.

The scent of cinnamon, ginger, smoke, leather, and something rather like roses and lilies reached me in a glorious, conflicting mass of scents. I blinked as we appeared in my trial room, and my eyes widened.

My mouth dropped open. Vad hadn’t been joking about Fate changing it.

The whole room had been transformed into an elegant black bridal suite.

The bed was gone, and in its place was a massive vanity.

Three full-length mirrors were situated in front of a small stool, and a black velvet settee and a broad, flat ottoman completed the space.

In the very center of the room, sitting on an embroidered black-and-copper rug, stood a large octagonal box that was as tall as Vad.

The copper wolf mask still hung on the wall but was now framed by a large arch of black and white flowers with a few copper dahlias woven in.

Beneath it was a small table holding a chilled bottle of some beverage, two flute glasses, and an assortment of tasty bites.

My stomach grumbled at the sight of what looked like little brownie squares, blackberry trifle on shortbread, sausages stuffed with herbal cheese, and little shishkabobs of grilled meat and veggies.

My mouth watered, and my wolf whimpered at the sight of meat.

“Is that safe?” I placed a hand on Vad’s arm.

Though I didn’t like refusing good food, just diving in didn’t seem like the smartest course, since we had no way of telling whether anyone had tampered with it.

So many things had gone wrong already. It was a hard thing to resist when my stomach cramped again, and my wolf tugged at me once more in complaint.

Vad sighed and looked over the spread. “Fair enough. Probably best if we don’t partake.

Fate may have provided the food initially, but it's always possible someone came in and messed with it, since I haven’t secured the room.

” He kissed the top of my head. “Do you want me to get you something? I could select it for you myself and bring it straight here.”

“That seems likely to raise suspicions.” I cast another look around the suite and found myself smiling. I felt almost...giddy, even without being able to eat the food.

“Not if I do it properly.” He booped me on the nose, winked, then stepped back. He then removed a small vial of oil and poured some on his finger.

The scent of sandalwood and sesame oil flared through the room.

With a satisfied grunt and a flourish, he marked a sign on the door.

“No one other than family is now permitted to enter. That does include Thalen, but he won’t come barging in on you.

Neither will Elara as she is going to be far too busy preparing for the coronation and wedding. You’ll be safe.”

Some weight lifted from my shoulders. I hadn’t realized the magnitude of all the things I had endured and how much it had all been pressing on me. “That’s a relief.”

“I’m glad.” He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and asked, “Is there anything special you want to eat? I was thinking of some sort of meat and sweets since I’m sure you had neither in that void of a prison.”

My stomach rumbled loudly, causing him to laugh.

The way he threw his head back was the most carefree I’d ever seen him, and my heart skipped a beat.

“I take that as your approval.” Shadows swept around him. “And, my love, please wait until after I bring food and leave for the second time before you open the doors to see your dress. I’m not supposed to see it before the coronation and wedding.” Then he vanished.

My entire body felt lighter, and my cheeks ached, making me realize that I was smiling so widely.

I turned to find that the bathroom had been likewise transformed. A range of oils and bath salts had been placed near the tub, and both the vanity and the wash basin held an assortment of oils, salves, and powders.

Opening one of the drawers at the bottom of the vanity, my stomach swooped. A pair of iridescent pearly white sneakers with thick soles had Shadow written on one and the other said Queen.

Laughter bubbled from deep within. Fate had thought of everything, and I loved that she was just as petty as I.

In a swirling twist of smoky shadows, Vad returned, holding a silver tray of small dishes and two bottles, one green and one dark purple.

He set the tray on the vanity and gestured.

“Blackberry crostinis, blood sausage croquettes, bone marrow in onion, elk jerky with smoked salt and goat cheese, fig bites with seared venison, ashmoon quail eggs, and venison bites. Then to drink, this is sparkling water from the mountains, and this is another bottle of copper mead, similar to the one Fate provided.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” My mouth watered, and my gaze fixed on the meats. I rushed over and picked up one of the fried balls he’d said was a blood sausage croquette. It had been days since I had had anything other than that horrible dry black bread.

As soon as I sank my teeth into it, the savory iron flavor exploded over my tongue with a rich medley of peppery spices and a hint of something like nutmeg. “Mmmm.”

His smile broadened as I devoured another. “I had a feeling you needed red meat. Our wedding dinner will include a great number of delicious grilled, seared, and fried meats, all for you.” He set the tray down on the table, then kissed the top of my head.

I purred happily and hugged him as I finished chewing. A few crumbs fell onto his tunic and rolled off.

“Eat all you wish, my love,” he whispered. “I need you at full strength tonight. My mind brims with all the things I want to do with you.”

Need curled in my stomach, and I rubbed against him. “So does mine.” Considering how I felt for him, I struggled to believe that this realm didn’t have fated mates. I would’ve sworn he was mine if it did.

His chest rumbled, making me want to jump him.

Instead of pulling me closer, he stepped back and stared at me with hungry eyes. “Finish your preparations, beloved. Nourish yourself. Then return to my chambers in an hour, and I will personally escort you to the coronation.”

With that, he vanished once more in smoke.

My stomach somersaulted, and I shivered, wishing the hour would fly by. After all that time in hell, I couldn’t believe how I was feeling right now.

I popped another meaty appetizer into my mouth, enjoying the smoky, savory, spiced saltiness of what he’d brought me. It drove all memory of the dark, bitter bread from my mind. As I finished up, my gaze returned to the octagonal box.

It had to hold the wedding dress. I couldn’t see any locks or fasteners on it. After wiping my hands clean, I brushed my fingertips along the cool wood, searching for the way to open it.

The walls of the octagonal box fell away and vanished, leaving behind a stunning wedding gown.

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the glistening fabric.

When Vad had said that Fate would create a dress perfect for me, I’d expected something simple and plain.

Probably black. Especially with the decor she had chosen for the bridal suite.

But this…this dress…it was as if Fate had reached into my mind and plucked a secret fantasy that I hadn’t dared to dream until right this moment.

Situated on a headless ebony mannequin, the floor-length gown was all shifting shades of rose, gold, and pale blue, like the colors couldn’t make up their mind.

The skirts spilled across the floor in waves, each one edged with little sparks that caught the light—beads, maybe.

..or stardust. I covered my mouth in awe as I circled it.

The bodice cradled the breasts with a low V and sculpted off the shoulder straps for the sleeves.

The whole dress was scattered with tiny crystal beads that shimmered as I moved around it.

Layers of silk—no, something finer than silk—overlapped at the hips, curling like petals caught mid-breeze.

If I tilted my head, I saw the faint outlines of butterflies worked into the sheen, similar to the butterfly tattoo that still pulsed on my hand, but in rose gold, pale lavender, and ice blue.

For good measure, I cleaned up in the bathroom once again, washing myself and enjoying the soaps and soft fragrances. The cinnamon vanilla smelled the best, and I used the matching oil to scent my hair. In less than an hour, I’d be Vad’s queen and bride. The thought had my stomach somersaulting.

As I stepped into the dress, the fabric responded to my touch, yielding easily and then wrapping around me as if drawn on by invisible hands.

My skin prickled. The dress fit like a glove, the cool fabric swiftly warming to the perfect temperature and supporting my breasts, putting every curve on display.

I trailed a hand over the shimmering skirt and half-laughed, half-sighed. A giddiness spread through me as if this were a dream.

But then reality crashed over me.