Page 78 of His Retribution

She nods, bites back a grin. "It suits you."

“Hardly." I roll my eyes. "That sounds more like I should be some fragile little flower, desperate and without one ounce of game."

Cora giggles. "Which is why it's perfect. It's the total opposite of masculine, while you in all your muscle-bound glory are the manifestation of it. My lovey."

Oh, be still my wretched heart.

My Cora has claimed me once again, albeit with a stupid, yet adorable, term of endearment.

"I'll allow it."

Now she rolls her eyes. "As if you had a choice."

“True." I pull her flush against me, wrap my arms around her and sigh as she does the same and burrows into my neck. "I love you, my angel, my beautiful blue light."

I can feel her smile against my skin. "I love you, Havok. In each life I've loved only you and I will continue to do that for all time."

And I'll be damned if I don't make that happen.

Like Riding a Bike

"Havok?"

I can hear my name, hear Karel saying it louder and louder, a tad more bite to his tone each time. I am aware of what I should be doing at the moment and why I should be doing it, but I can't seem to focus.

My finely tuned sense of hearing keeps wandering back to my light as she moves about my—our—cabin.

I can hear her talking to Samson, telling him stories about her various reincarnations and asking him if he remembers too. And because that dog is smarter than most two legged creatures, Sammy responds each time.

She must be unpacking more of her things today.

Slowly over the course of the last few days, Cora has begun moving her things into my cabin. It was a fight in the beginning, as most things are between us, to have her move in with me. I insisted she do it immediately, as soon as Henrich left as a matter of fact, but she was a bit more hesitant than I would have liked.

I do understand it though, understand that my light enjoys having her own space, needs to have some freedom to do what she does; understand that she has been alone so long it's become natural and the idea of sharing space with someone, even me, is an adjustment.

And I also understand how proud she is of her tiny home, the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears she poured into it, but now that I found her I don't want Cora anywhere but with me.

So we fought.

Each of us made valid points as well as some less appropriate ones.

For example, my suggestion to turn it into a playhouse for Daisy and any young that will surely follow.

Valid.

Cora suggested we keep it so we can travel together, so long as she doesn't “die a horrible death” in the next week or so.

I did not care for the last comment but her point was valid.

Then I suggested we turn it into a sex dungeon with a swing and lots of toys, maybe a table she could strap me down to and ride me like a bull on.

Less appropriate.

Then my light suggested I go live in the tiny house all alone because if I wasn't going to take things seriously I could “fuck off in that sex swing” on my own.

Also less appropriate.

But then that turned into a whole separate battle over whether or not I had stayed faithful to her despite our separation and like the dumbass I am, I bit back with her having multiple lifetimes to find other men to screw, had probably sullied our bond over and over again.