Page 75 of Rebellious Royals

I could feel that promise, but it wasn't one I'd ever use against him. I'd seen that done too often. Words of love weren't meant to become inescapable bonds. They weren't a cage, but even in the Winter Court, power meant more than love.

Humans had the right of it. They burned so hot in their passion. Sometimes it burned out, but then they simply moved on. It was fair. Maybe it was powerless to some, but I didn't agree. To me, the people here loved in a way that put the power in their lover's hands, making it even more beautiful. I wanted to be like that. I wanted to do better than those who'd come before us. In truth, I just wanted him.

"Where do you want the marks?" Hawke asked as he rolled me onto my back, shifting over me.

I stretched to kiss him, aware he tasted like the sugar of soda and nothing else. "Hips. I'll be using my arms too much."

"Oh, I can grab your hips," he taunted.

Then one of his hands caught my waist. The other held him over me as he slowly leaned down to kiss me. I savored that, trying to convince my mind to shut up. His hand found my face, caressing it even as his weight shifted lower.

I could feel him kissing a line down my belly, over the wounds he'd given me before, and down a little more. My eyes slipped closed. The pastel lights offered just enough illumination for me to see everything, but I didn't want to. No, I wanted to feel.

And his mouth closed on me.

My thoughts vanished. My heart began to race. I gasped, trying hard to stay still, but his palms held my hips on both sides now. I could feel his thumbs tracing the crease there, moving lower. His talons weren't obvious to most unless they knew what they were. I did now, and my mind locked on the gentle teasing as those sharp nails made swirls against my skin.

But his mouth had me panting. Just when I stopped thinking about his thumbs, he pressed. The puncture of them was sharp but sweet. Once, he'd envenomated me to numb the skin, but I preferred this. I wanted to feel the penetration. I needed to follow the drain to know I was giving back to him as much as he was giving to me.

"Hawke..." I begged. "More!"

I could feel his lips curl in a smile, but he pulled. He fed, proving he was wonderfully hungry in a way I could never imagine. I wanted to be the thing that satiated him. I needed to make sure my lover never needed for anything, and I finally had the power to do that.

So I gave it all.

When my body couldn't take any more, I cried out. Pleasure was my reward. Euphoria wasn't even a strong enough word to describe it. I felt as his tongue moved higher, lapping across first one hip, then the other. And when his mouth reached mine, I kissed back greedily, not caring what I tasted on him.

"That's a good boy," I breathed as he settled over me, holding his weight just above mine.

"Oh, I think I like you when you're being dukely," he teased before nipping at the edge of my neck.

So I caught him around the back, sliding my hands across his muscles and around to his amazing chest. "Full now?"

"Magically, yes," he agreed.

Then I pushed him onto his back. "And the other ways?"

He pulled me over his lap, proving he was notcompletelysatisfied. "Can I get abitmore light in here?"

So I whispered to the plants in Faeril. They brightened a bit, but not enough to remove the ambiance I wanted. And yet, I could now see the sparkle in Hawke's eyes. I loved that look on him.

"Hey?" he breathed, sitting up so he could steal a kiss from me.

Chest to chest, with me on his lap, I caught his hair and kissed back harder. For a moment he let me, but when I paused for a breath, Hawke bit his lower lip, preventing me from tasting it again as he scanned my face.

"Babe?" he asked this time.

"Mm?"

I watched as his gaze slid from one of my eyes to the other, then down to my mouth. "I love you. Not what I get from you. Not your magic. I loveyou, Wilder."

And I bent my head, pressing our brows together. "I have never doubted that. This, Hawke? What we have? It doesn't need to be in everyone's face to be real."

"Yeah, but - "

"No," I whispered, using the softness of my voice to halt his protest. "You're Summer. I'm Winter. You're wildling. I'm sidhe - and none of it matters. You're mine, Hawke, and I'm yours. I give you that. I offer it up with no restrictions. Be hers too, or his, or anyone else's you choose."

"And you," he said. "But you always feel like home. That's why I almost didn't take Torian's offer. I don't want to be separated from you."