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Broderick lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of Davina’s chamber, his mind far from the contentment he should have felt.

Her soft breaths warmed his chest, her body curled trustingly against his side, her silky cinnamon hair spilling over his arm.

He lazily traced his finger over the delicate curve of her shoulder and down the smooth line of her spine, marveling at how fragile she felt beneath his touch.

Yet, there was nothing fragile about Davina.

She was strength wrapped in vulnerability, a woman who had endured more than most and still managed to fight back with every ounce of her will.

And now, she had given herself to him—mind, body, and soul. He had demanded it from her, believing that if she finally surrendered, if she stopped resisting him and let him in, he could conquer this primal, maddening need to possess her.

But instead, it had broken him.

Her surrender had unleashed something he hadn’t been prepared to face.

It wasn’t just the challenge of claiming her, or the thrill of the chase that had consumed him.

It was her. The woman beneath the walls.

The woman who had opened herself to him with such raw vulnerability that it cut through his defenses like a battle axe.

It cleaved him in two and left him reeling, overwhelmed, and desperate for more.

Even now, touching her skin—skin still warm from their lovemaking—left his cock thick and wanting.

If she didn’t need the rest he’d already denied her for hours, he would take her again, lose himself in the heaven he’d found in her arms. The scent of her, the feel of her, the sound of her husky voice whispering his name, was a torment he never wanted to end.

But what would she do once she knew the truth? Once she knew what he truly was?

Broderick’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as guilt gnawed at him.

The truth was a dark, festering wound he could no longer ignore.

He was a bloodthirsty monster, a creature who existed in a world caught between sunset and sunrise.

He was no stranger to taking life—too many lives.

The early days after his transformation had been a haze of carnage, a fight to control the insatiable Hunger that had nearly consumed him. Even now, those deaths haunted him.

Would Davina judge him for what he’d done? For the lives he’d taken? For the darkness inside him?

And what of Cailin? The sweetest wee bairn he’d ever set eyes on.

Could a monster be a father? Could he shield her from the darkness and death that clung to his very existence?

He had vowed to protect her, to keep her safe—but how could he protect her from himself?

What if one day she saw the truth—the glowing silver of his eyes, the fangs he kept hidden, the lust for blood he could never truly escape?

What if she looked at him with fear? What if she cowered in her own home because of him ?

The thought twisted his heart into a tangled mess.

Dawn was approaching, and that presented another problem.

Moving with the Romani people had allowed him to keep his lair hidden, constantly changing, to protect himself during the vulnerability of daylight.

Here, in Davina’s castle, he would need to find a way to shield his true nature from her household staff.

What would he do if they discovered the truth? What would she do?

His gaze dropped to Davina, still peacefully asleep in his arms. For once, the crease between her brows was gone, her features relaxed and serene.

The subtle fear that always shadowed her sapphire eyes—the fear born of years of betrayal and hardship—shuttered behind her lush lashes, leaving her soft, vulnerable, and heartbreakingly beautiful.

Broderick kissed her brow, his lips lingering as if to memorize the feel of her skin and hugged her tighter against him.

She stirred, a soft, contented moan slipping from her lips, and his cock twitched in response.

Unconsciously, her hand smoothed down his stomach, brushing against him before curling around his shaft.

She stroked him lazily, her touch gentle but maddening, then cupped his balls with a soft sigh.

Broderick groaned, deep and low, and caught her slender wrist in his grasp. “Enough of that, now,” he murmured, his voice rough and thick with restraint. “We’ve no’ the time for ye tae finish what ye’ve started.”

She smiled sleepily, lifting her head to meet his gaze, her hair tumbling over her bare shoulders like molten silk. “And why not?”

Her voice was husky, rich with the remnants of passion, and his resolve frayed under the weight of her allure.

He sighed. “Because it’s nearly dawn, lass. I’ve tae go. ”

The radiant smile she’d given him faded into a frown, and he felt her walls sliding back into place.

Broderick cursed inwardly and leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss meant to coax those walls back down.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers.

“Listen to me, Davina. I know ye have questions—about where I go during the day. About the silver glow ye’ve seen in my eyes. ”

Her expression shifted. “I saw it on our wedding night,” she confessed. “The same night I saw you vanish in a blur. How is that even possible?”

Broderick stilled. That night, he had scented her rose oil and blood but thought it was just her lingering essence on his clothes, on his skin. She had been hiding in the shadows, watching him.

“Aye,” he said softly. “I thought as much.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flickering to life. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“There’s no time tae explain it all now,” he pressed. “But I’ll tell ye everything tonight. I swear it, Davina. Just give me this day.”

She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I hope so, Broderick,” she said at last. “I gave you everything you demanded. Willingly, eventually, but I expect the same in return if this is to work.”

His chest tightened, guilt threatening to choke him. “Ye’ll have it, lass. All of it. I never expected tae fall so hard and so completely for ye, but once I explain, I can only hope ye’ll understand.”

After a hard and possessive kiss, he rose from the bed and dressed quickly, his movements efficient but reluctant.

When he leaned down to kiss her goodbye, the temptation of her soft, warm lips nearly overpowered him.

He could stay here, in her arms, and let the sun be damned.

At least he would die happy, though it probably wouldn’t be a pleasant experience for her.

“I’ll return shortly after sunset,” he promised, his voice thick. The apprehension on her face twisted his heart, and he vowed to take it away for good—provided she could accept what he was.

It was a risk he was willing to take to bring back that smile.

With one last longing kiss, Broderick left her bedchamber and stepped into the cool night of the courtyard.

Once Broderick was far enough from the castle walls, away from watchful eyes, he unleashed the immortal speed that would carry him to his prey. The wind howled past him, the earth blurring beneath his feet, as the predator within surged to the fore, eager for the hunt.

∞∞∞

The frosty air of the pre-dawn hour bit at Davina’s cheeks as she stood a few yards back from the caravans.

She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, fighting back the tears as Rosselyn and Myrna sobbed and clung to each other.

The Romani caravan was prepared to depart.

The wagons, painted in bright hues that seemed muted in the moonlight, were lined up in an orderly row, horses hitched to the front.

Their breath puffed out in white clouds as they shifted restlessly in their harnesses, eager to move.

The wagons creaked faintly as the Romani made their final preparations, and Davina felt the weight of the moment pressing on her chest. The village of Stewart Glen remained in slumber, its houses dark, save for the faint glow of lanterns flickering on the main road near the town’s entrance.

The Romani’s departure felt like a secret, a quiet ritual meant only for the moon and stars to witness.

Myrna gave her daughter one last kiss to her cheek, her weathered hands lingering on Rosselyn’s cheeks before she turned and headed up the road back toward the castle. Her figure soon melted into the shadows, leaving the two younger women alone in the hush of farewell.

Rosselyn approached Davina, her face blotched from weeping. “Mam says it’s bad luck to watch someone depart,” she murmured, her voice hoarse from emotion.

Davina nodded, wiping away the tears that trailed down her cheeks. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Words felt woefully inadequate.

“I’ll miss you,” Davina finally whispered, her voice trembling like the fragile hush of dawn.

Rosselyn’s eyes glistened with fresh tears as she pulled Davina into a tight embrace. “And I’ll miss you,” she said softly. “More than you know. It feels like we’ve only just begun to know each other, truly.”

Davina swallowed against the knot rising in her throat. “We’ve been friends for so long, but now that I know we’re sisters…” Her voice cracked, and she let out a shaky breath. “It’s another part of you I wanted to discover. I was looking forward to it.”

Rosselyn offered a sorrowful smile, brushing Davina’s hair back from her eyes with a tenderness that deepened the ache in Davina’s chest. “I was too. I love Nicabar, Davina. Where he goes, I will now go.”

Davina managed a small smile, though it felt as fragile as spun glass. “I know. I understand. Goodbyes are just…”

Rosselyn hugged her again, tighter this time, as though she could imprint the memory of their bond into her very bones. “This isn’t goodbye. Not forever. We’ll return when the spring comes. And when we do, we’ll have the whole summer to be sisters. I promise.”