Page 32

I awoke to warmth surrounding me, the solid press of Aldaine's chest against my back, his arm draped possessively over my waist. This was how the last several mornings had begun, wrapped in his embrace, safe and wanted.

I'd never been a morning person, but waking up next to him made me reconsider my stance.

The faintest hint of sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting the room in a gentle golden glow. I stretched carefully, trying not to disturb him, but his arm tightened around me.

"Good morning," he murmured against my hair, his voice rough with sleep. The sound sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.

"Morning," I replied, turning in his arms to face him.

No matter how many times I saw him like this, hair tousled, eyes soft with sleep, guard completely down, it still took my breath away.

This powerful demon, who'd literally crashed into my life through an ancient book, now looked at me like I was his entire world .

His fingers traced the curve of my jaw, so achingly gentle it made my chest tighten. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in years," I confessed, pressing a kiss to his palm. "Though I'm not sure how much sleeping we actually did."

A slow smile spread across his face, sending heat pooling low in my belly. "Complaints?"

"Not a single one."

His hand slid down my neck, fingers brushing over his mark.

Even that light touch sent sparks of pleasure through my body, making me gasp.

The connection between us was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, physical, emotional, maybe even spiritual.

And today, finally, I would understand exactly what it meant.

"Shower?" I suggested, needing to clear my head before our promised conversation.

Aldaine's eyes darkened. "Together?"

"That was the idea," I replied, already slipping out of bed. I felt his gaze following me as I walked naked to the bathroom, and couldn't resist throwing a glance over my shoulder. "Coming?"

His answering growl was all the response I needed.

I turned the temperature to just shy of scalding, the way I liked it, and stepped under the spray. Aldaine followed a moment later, his imposing frame making the large shower suddenly feel much smaller.

Water cascaded down his body, following the defined lines of his chest and abdomen. I couldn't help but stare. He was beautiful in a way that defied human standards, perfect, yet with an otherworldliness that reminded me he wasn't human at all.

"See something you like?" he teased, reaching for the shampoo .

"Maybe," I answered, trying to sound casual despite the heat rising to my face. "Turn around, let me wash your hair."

He raised an eyebrow but complied, turning to present his broad back to me. I squeezed a generous amount of shampoo into my palm and reached up to work it through his dark hair. He was tall enough that I had to stretch, my breasts pressing against his back as I massaged his scalp.

Aldaine made a sound low in his throat, somewhere between a purr and a growl, that vibrated through his chest and into mine. "Your hands should be classified as weapons," he murmured.

I laughed, continuing my ministrations. "That good, huh?"

"You have no idea."

I worked my fingers deeper into his scalp, enjoying the way his muscles relaxed beneath my touch. There was something profoundly satisfying about caring for him this way, something intimate that went beyond sex.

When I finished, he turned and returned the favor, his large hands gentle as they worked the shampoo through my hair. I closed my eyes, surrendering to the sensation. No one had ever taken care of me like this, with such tender attention to detail.

"You're thinking too hard," Aldaine observed, tilting my head back to rinse the soap away.

"I thought that was supposed to be my line."

His hands slid down to my shoulders, thumbs working at the tension there. "What's on your mind, Rosie?"

I opened my eyes, meeting his concerned gaze. "Today's the day you tell me everything, right? About what's happening between us, what it means."

A shadow passed over his expression, so brief I almost missed it. "Yes," he confirmed. "No more secrets."

"Good," I reached for the soap, determined to finish our shower before diving into what promised to be a serious conversation. "Because I have questions."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't." His smile was gentle, but I could sense his apprehension. He was nervous about this conversation, which only made me more certain we needed to have it.

We finished washing in comfortable silence, though the air between us was charged with anticipation. When we stepped out, Aldaine wrapped me in a towel before securing one around his own hips. The domestic simplicity of the gesture made my heart squeeze.

I dressed in comfortable clothes, soft leggings and an oversized sweater that slipped off one shoulder. Aldaine opted for his usual dark jeans and a navy button-down that made his warm brown skin look even richer in contrast. The sight of him, casual yet somehow regal, still made my breath catch.

"Ready?" he asked, holding out his hand to me.

I nodded, threading my fingers through his. We made our way to the sitting area of our suite, settling onto the plush couch. I tucked my feet underneath me, angling my body toward him.

"So," I began, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Tell me about this." I touched the mark on my neck, the one he'd left during our passionate encounter beneath the oak tree.

Aldaine's expression turned serious, his posture straightening as if bracing for impact. "What do you want to know first?"

"Everything," I gestured wildly. "Start at the beginning. Why me? What does this mark mean? What's happening between us?"

He took a deep breath, his gaze dropping briefly before meeting mine again. "The beginning, then." His voice took on a different quality, deeper and somehow older. "When you summoned me, I expected a typical human contract. Wealth, power, vengeance, the usual requests."

I nodded, remembering how desperate I'd been, how ridiculous my request must have seemed to an ancient being like him.

"What I didn't expect," he continued, "was you." His expression softened, something like wonder crossing his features. "When our hands touched to seal the contract, I felt it, like lightning striking, like worlds colliding."

"Felt what?" I prompted when he paused, my heart racing.

"The mate bond." His eyes never left mine as he spoke the words that would change everything. "In that instant, I knew you were my mate. The one being across all realms created for me, as I was created for you."

I stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. "Your mate? Like, cosmically ordained soulmates?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "That's one way to put it, yes. In demon culture, it's called the eternal bond. It's extremely rare, many live their entire existence without finding their true mate."

"And I'm yours?" The concept was both terrifying and exhilarating.

"Yes," he confirmed, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper. "From that first touch, I knew. Everything in me recognized you, called to you."

I recalled the instant attraction, the inexplicable trust I'd felt toward him despite knowing what he was. Had some part of me recognized him too?

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, not accusatory but genuinely curious.

Aldaine's expression turned rueful. "Would you have believed me? A demon appears in your living room and immediately declares you're destined to be together? You'd have sent me back before I could blink. "

He had a point. I would have assumed it was some kind of manipulation tactic.

"Besides," he added, "the mate bond doesn't force anything. It's a possibility, not a certainty. You had, or have, every right to reject it, to reject me."

The thought of rejecting him made my chest ache, which told me more about my own feelings than any supernatural bond could.

"The contract," I realized suddenly. "Was that even real?"

Aldaine shook his head, looking slightly ashamed. "No. I had no intention of claiming your soul, Rosie. I never did. The contract was my excuse to stay near you, to have time with you."

I should have been angry at the deception, but all I felt was relief. "So I'm free to walk away? No supernatural consequences?"

"Completely free," he confirmed, though I could see the fear in his eyes at the mere suggestion. "You owe me nothing."

I let that sink in for a moment. Every choice I'd made, every step toward him, had been my own. No magical coercion, no binding contract, just me, choosing him, again and again.

"And this?" I touched my neck again, where his mark still tingled pleasantly under my fingers.

His expression grew more intense. "That is the physical manifestation of the mate bond beginning to form. It marked you as mine in the most primal sense."

I remembered the moment he'd bitten me, the overwhelming pleasure, the sense of rightness that had washed over me. "Will it fade?"

"Never," he nodded with certainty. "It's not an ordinary mark, Rosie. It's part of the bond itself, etched into your very essence."

My fingers lingered on the mark, tracing its edges. Permanently marked by a demon. It should have terrified me. Instead, I felt an odd sense of pride.

"You said the bond was beginning to form," I noted. "It's not complete?"

Aldaine shifted slightly, the first sign of real nervousness I'd seen from him. "No. To complete the mate bond, it must go both ways. You would need to mark me as I've marked you."

"Mark you?" I echoed, my pulse quickening at the thought.

"Yes," he confirmed. "A blood bond, created through intent. Your mark on my body would complete the circuit, so to speak."

I swallowed hard. "And if we complete this bond? What happens then?"