Page 17 of The Demon’s Sinful Serenade (Silvermist Mates #6)

ZANE

" T hat's complete bullshit." I tossed a handful of popcorn at the screen. "No way a single fighter could take down an entire fleet. Those shields would hold against anything short of a nuclear blast."

Kaz snorted, stretching his legs onto my coffee table. "You'd think a movie about space lizards would at least get the physics right."

"At least the explosions look cool." I drained my beer and added the bottle to our growing collection. Three for me, two for Kaz. The king had to maintain some dignity, after all.

I pushed myself off the couch, my tail swishing behind me. "Need another?"

"Sure," Kaz said, not taking his eyes off the screen where a lizard in a leather jacket was monologuing about galactic domination. "Not like the plot's getting any better."

I padded into the kitchen, hardwood creaking under my bare feet.

Our place—mine and River's—still felt new after eight months.

After a lifetime of barracks, compounds, and that sad office cot, I'd finally sprung for a proper home.

Two bedrooms, a detached garage where River could practice at full volume without complaints, a decent yard that I'd managed not to kill yet.

River had transformed the space with her personal touches.

She'd hung tour posters on all the walls, organized her vinyl collection on the custom shelves built by Zral and the Sombra orcs, and positioned her prized vintage record player on the custom stand in the living room corner that no one but her was allowed to touch.

I smiled at the memory of her arranging her garage studio, hair tied up in a messy knot, cursing at cables that wouldn't cooperate. "Acoustics matter, Zane. This isn't just about where things look good. Sound bounces differently off every surface in this room."

Grabbing two beers from the fridge, I checked the clock on the microwave.

9:47 pm. River's flight landed around noon tomorrow, then she had a meeting with some baby bigwig she hoped would lead to a meeting with a bigger bigwig before her return to Silvermist. Eighteen hours, give or take. Not that I was counting.

Okay, I was definitely counting.

Her latest tour had been a resounding success.

Fans packed clubs all over the Pacific Northwest, singing along to her new material as loudly as the old River it had unleashed something in her music too.

She'd knocked loose whatever creative block had been plaguing her and written an entire album's worth of songs in under three months.

Raw, powerful tracks that had reviewers comparing her solo work favorably to the band's peak albums.

"You check that clock one more time, I'm throwing something at your head," Kaz called from the living room.

I grabbed the beers and headed back, flipping him off as I rounded the corner. "I wasn't checking the clock."

"Bullshit." He smirked, accepting the fresh bottle. "You've got that look."

"What look?" I dropped back onto the couch, stretching my legs out on the coffee table next to his.

"That 'how many more hours until my mate returns' look. Fucking pathetic." He took a swig and grimaced. "This beer is shit."

I snorted, but couldn't argue. I remembered all the times I'd grumbled when Kaz canceled plans after mating Talia. Now I was the one whose life revolved around someone else's schedule, and I couldn't bring myself to mind.

But to insult my taste in beer? "You've had three."

"I'm being polite." He waved the bottle in my direction. "Besides, it's necessary. If the booze doesn't kill me, it'll at least numb me enough to avoid a plot-related aneurysm."

Outside, a car pulled into the driveway. A door slammed, followed by quick, light footsteps I'd recognize anywhere. My heart rate kicked up instantly.

Keys jangled in the lock. I was on my feet before Kaz could say a word.

The door swung open to reveal River, guitar case in one hand and duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Her blue curls were pulled into two messy knots high above her ears, and dark circles under her eyes showed her exhaustion.

She looked beautiful.

"Surprise," she said, dropping her bags just inside the door.

I crossed the room in three strides and pulled her into my arms, burying my face in her neck where her scent was strongest. Rain and citrus filled my lungs. "You're early."

"Couldn't wait another day." Her arms wound around my waist, her body melting against mine with a sigh of relief. "I missed you."

I pressed a kiss to the claiming mark on her neck and felt her shiver in response.

That small patch of skin had become incredibly sensitive since the night I'd marked her, triggering instant goosebumps that made me want to lay her out on the nearest flat surface whenever my lips brushed over it. "Missed you too, kitten."

She pulled back slightly, eyes widening as she spotted Kaz over my shoulder. "Shit. Movie night." She groaned, letting her head fall against my chest. "I totally crashed your bro-date."

"Welcome home, River," Kaz called, raising his beer in greeting. "And don't apologize. Consider it payback for all the times my life interrupted these disaster film sessions."

River disentangled herself from my arms with a laugh. "How's Talia?" she asked, moving further into the living room. "Still terrorizing the royal court?"

"Incessantly." Pride radiated from Kaz's voice, despite his best attempts at stoicism. "She has them eating out of her palm."

"That's my girl," River said with a laugh that made my chest warm. She leaned against me, practically swaying on her feet. "How's the movie? Worth staying awake for?"

"Absolute garbage," I said, at the same time Kaz said, "Complete trash."

She grinned. "Perfect."

Kaz stood, setting his beer on the table. "I should head out. Let you two catch up."

"You don't have to leave," I protested halfheartedly.

"Yeah, I do." He shot me a knowing look. "We'll reschedule for next week. Same time?"

I nodded, dragging him into a quick hug with a solid clap on the back before he made his way to the door.

Eight months ago, River had been just another client with a problem.

Now she traded barbs with the ifrit king like old friends and had somehow gotten half the clan hooked on her obscure indie playlists.

I pulled River against me again and tucked her under my arm. It still felt unreal having her here, her solid presence next to me proof she was really home.

Safe and sound. Where she belonged.

Alone at last, I picked up River's guitar case and followed her to the bedroom. No matter how many times she left and came back, watching her return always felt like some kind of miracle I'd never get used to.

"You should have told me you were coming early. I would have picked you up."

"And ruin the look on your face just now? Not a chance." She pulled dirty clothes from her backpack and tossed them toward the hamper. "Besides, my meeting got pushed back, and it was cheaper to change my flight than pay for another night at that overpriced hotel."

I sat on the edge of the bed, content to watch her move around our room. "How's the new song playing live?"

"So good. The Astoria crowd lost their minds during the bridge. And Portland doubled merch sales from last time." Her eyes sparkled despite her exhaustion. "We're actually making money now."

Pride surged in my chest. I knew what a successful tour meant to her after struggling with grief and ghosts. That triumphant look on her face made me want to give her the world. Or at least part of it.

"Sooo," I began, fighting the grin that kept trying to give away the game. "I know we didn't finish planning your birthday trip."

She paused in her unpacking. "Do we need to go anywhere? I've been living out of hotels for weeks."

"What if I said New Zealand?" I couldn't hold back any longer as her eyes widened. "Mountains, hiking, pretending to be hobbits in those hobbit holes..."

"You just want to get me alone in the wilderness where I can scream my lungs out." She arched an eyebrow.

"Is that a complaint?" The sounds she made when I touched her were my favorite music.

"An observation." She crossed to stand between my legs, draping her arms around my neck. "How would we get there? You haven't been to New Zealand."

"I'm adding Auckland to my teleporting points next week." I slid my hands to her hips, drawing her closer as our eyes locked. "Mission in the South Pacific."

"Oh? That sounds like perfect timing." She brushed her lips against mine, her breath warm against my skin. "I can't think of a better birthday present than being fucked senseless in a country I've never visited before."

The words shot straight to my dick. I leaned forward and nosed the hem of her shirt up to press a kiss to the bare skin underneath. "If you're not too tired..."

"I've been thinking about you for three weeks straight." She pushed me back onto the bed, her eyes darkening with the same hunger clawing inside me. "Sleep can wait."

As River straddled my hips, I knew I'd never tire of this feeling. All those years busting heads with the clan had been good, but having someone to come home to, someone who was mine, was better than any adrenaline rush.

The mate bond thrummed between us as she slid her hands under my shirt. My world narrowed to the weight of her on my lap, the scent of her skin, the heat building between us.

"I missed you," she whispered against my lips.

"Show me how much, kitten," I growled back.

Her answering smile was pure fire, and I was more than ready to burn.