Page 52

He blew out a breath. “There are no good choices here, Evie. I hate like hell that I dragged you into this, but you’re a part of it now. And your being part fae means you might not be able to hide in the human world, either. If another night fae finds you…”

She felt her face drain of color.

“I’m sorry, Evie. But I’d die for you and Kyler.”

“I don’t want you to die for us!”

“I know.” He smoothed his fingers over the short hairs at her temples. “But I would, and that’s part of it. We brought Tyrus down together, and even then, we needed Marjani to finish it. That’s what being a clan means.”

She chewed her lower lip. “I can’t go back, can I?”

“Afraid not, angel.”

“And Kyler will be a member of your clan?”

“Adric will make sure of it. Kyler wants this, Evie. You know he does. He needs something to be a part of.”

She stared at him, and then it struck her. This man would have her back until she was old and gray. It would not be her mom and Fane all over again because Jace was committing himself to her, body and soul.

And more, he was right about Kyler. Her brother wanted this—no, he needed this. They both did.

She cupped his hard, beautiful face. “Kiss me.”

His eyes flickered green and gold—and then the corners creased in a smile that wrenched her heart. His kiss this time was lazy and sweet. The kiss of a man who knew what he was doing. And when he was done, she felt thoroughly claimed.

She pulled back to scrutinize him. “And you? It works both ways, right? You’re mine, too.”

“You have to ask?”

She shook her head. Because her heart knew the answer.

His hands went to work again, stroking her to madness. He nipped her lower lip, and then sucked on the small hurt. “Say yes, angel. The woman has to accept the claim.”

She nodded. “Suha told me.”

“Ah…” His mouth edged up against hers. “I can see you two are going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Her dimple flashed. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

His breath caught. Love poured into her. She basked in it like a flower in the sun, and returned it with equal passion.

It was too fast; he was a fada and she was some bizarre human-fae mix. She had Kyler to think about, and how the two of them would fit into Jace’s world.

But it felt right . One thing she knew was that this man would never leave. As for the rest, they’d make it work.

Teeth closed on her earlobe. “Say yes, Evie.”

She wound her arms around his neck. “Yes.”

Jace shut his eyes in gratitude. Thanks all the gods.

He should sit Evie down, make sure she understood what it meant to mate with a dominant fada male. The commitment was deep, intense, unbreakable. He’d be possessive and maybe a little overprotective, but he trusted that she’d let him know when he went too far. Nobody pushed his Evie around.

She knew . At some basic level, she knew. She was his, and he was hers—until death and maybe even beyond. The mate bond wouldn’t have come to life otherwise.

With her yes , it took form in a way that was impossible to put into words. It just was —a magical ribbon running between him and Evie. Insubstantial and yet as real and bright as the three fae lights dancing gleefully about their heads.

Emotion swamped him. Love…desire…need. He rested his forehead against hers. “You won’t regret it. I’ll take care of you and Kyler. Anything you want, it’s yours. You just have to ask—”

“Jace.” Evie stopped his words with her fingertips. “All I want is you. Yeah, I could use help with Kyler, but only because he could use a man in his life. I’m not looking for anything else. We’re in this together.”

“Together. Right.” He nodded while secretly resolving to help her however he could. But for now, he had a mate-claim to christen. He sucked her middle finger into his mouth, enjoying how her sable eyes darkened to near-black. “Now, about that shower…”

He helped Evie out of her pants and they stepped into the shower. He was still more than a little shaky. He’d have to find a temporary quartz to tide him over while he searched for a permanent replacement.

Evie wasn’t much better. As he turned the handle to hot, she yawned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I could sleep for a week.”

He traced a finger down her straight nose, over the slope of her cheek. There were shadows under her eyes. His heart fisted. She might seem tough, but she was much more fragile than he.

No sex, then. Just loving care.

“I’ll wash you.” He encircled her waist with his arm and nabbed a bar of soap. “You don’t have to do anything but relax.”

“Mm.” She leaned against him, her firm ass up against his groin.

His cock sprang to attention, but he gritted his teeth and ignored it to concentrate on Evie.

He rubbed the soap over her body in slow strokes, massaging her breasts, running his hand down her abdomen, then turning her around and giving the same careful attention to her back.

He knelt to wash her legs and feet, and then stood back up.

Squeezing some shampoo into his hand, he worked it into her short blond locks, massaging her scalp for good measure before continuing down to rub her neck and shoulders as well.

Her head lolled back against his chest. Water spilled over her face and her dimple flashed. “That feels so good.”

He pressed a kiss to her cheek at the place where her dimple hid. It felt like a secret only he was privileged to know. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” She turned her head to kiss him.

She rinsed off and then picked up the soap. “My turn.”

“You don’t have to,” he said, but she ignored him to slide the soap over his chest and abdomen. Then she soaped up her fingers and slid them down to where his erection jutted out, washing him with an excruciating care that had him groaning. “You’re too tired,” he made himself say.

The answer was a very Evie grin. “I’m reviving fast,” she said, and gave him a good squeeze.

Heat shot through him, but he grinned back. Loving how nothing kept her down for long. Loving how she could always make him smile. Loving her .

He took the soap from her and set it on the ledge. Taking her by the shoulders, he backed her up against the wall and kissed her, slow and deep. She was still smiling; the curve of her lips imprinted itself on his.

Water streamed down his back. Evie twined a leg around his hip and pressed against his front, her nipples pebbled against his chest.

He gulped. “No,” he said, although he was having a tough time recalling why not.

She tilted her head and gave him a wide-eyed look that made his breath snag. “Please?”

“You’re a witch.” He slid the broad head of his cock over her soft, welcoming folds.

Her breath hissed out. “Jesus.”

“Is this what you want?” His jaguar rose up, the two of them intent on one thing: claiming their mate. He pinched one tightly furled nipple, and her eyes slit with enjoyment.

“Yes. That’s… perfect.” She undulated against him, sending a jolt of electricity to his balls.

She was wet and hot and so ready for him. “God’s cat,” he muttered as he rocked his hips against her, “you’re so fucking sexy.”

She squeezed his ass. “And you’re so…hard.” She nipped the sensitive skin beneath his jaw and the jaguar rumbled in approval.

“You like that?”

“Hell, yeah. Mark me.”

She nipped him again, harder, sucking and biting at his skin until he knew he’d bear the print of her teeth. When she lifted her head, he held her against the wall and left his own mark at the turn of her neck. Everyone in the den would know he’d claimed her.

Both man and cat felt a primitive satisfaction at that.

He slid his hand down to toy with her clit. She made a murmur of pleasure and he slid his fingers into her folds. She was hot and slick and ready.

He kissed her again while his fingers kept up their slow dance: in and out of her passage, around her tight, swollen bud. Soft, teasing touches until she was writhing in his arms, her breath jerking in and out.

His muscles locked under the strain of holding back. But he kept it up until she said, “Jace,” and started chanting “please” over and over.

“Take it,” he growled against her ear. “Now.” He dragged his fingers over her clit.

Her back bowed as she cried out his name. He kept up a steady, circling pressure until she went limp. “Oh. My. God.”

He chuckled and gave her a soft kiss. “Be right back.” Exiting the shower, he grabbed a rubber from a basket under the sink, worked it over his erection and returned.

Evie was slumped against the black tile wall, her creamy skin slick, her dark lashes spiked with water. Her nipples were a dusky rose that made his mouth water. She held her hand out to him with a secret little smile that shot straight to his groin.

He stalked toward her and lifted her up against the tiles so he could suck each nipple in turn. She moaned and gripped his nape. Sharp nails dug into his skin, stoking his arousal higher.

His cat purred. It liked a mate with claws.

He set his tip at her entrance and rocked his hips, small nudges until he was full seated. He expelled a harsh breath. She was so tight. So perfect.

Then she squeezed herself around him and his vision blurred.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other holding her hips to protect her from the hard tiles, and thrust into her. Harder this time.

Pleasure slammed up his spine. She tightened her legs around him and met him thrust for thrust. Her wet body was cool against his, but inside she was a silky hot glove.

On his chest, his quartz warmed, and a distant corner of his mind felt surprise. So it had some life in it after all.

He bent his knees and thrust straight up, hitting a spot deep inside Evie’s womb that made her eyes roll back in her head.

She gasped and clenched on him, rhythmic tightening that set up an answering pulse in his balls.

It was too much. He buried his head in the side of her neck, tonguing the mark he’d made on her, and then joined with her, hard and fast until he came with a muttered curse.

He held himself deep inside, letting the hot, wet pleasure of her sweep over him. Wringing him out, and then filling him again to his very essence.

His breath scraped in and out of his lungs. He let her legs slide down to touch the floor again as he said a prayer of thanks to the gods that had brought him to her door. He’d been only half-alive, his only focus work and Merry. Scarred and bitter from the Darktime, even more than he’d known.

Evie had saved him in more ways than one.

“Mine,” he said one last time.

Her arms tightened on him without speaking. But he heard her answer loud and clear through their bond: Yours.