Page 31 of The Eternal Mirror (Lucifer’s Mirror #3)

Where I Fall Hard

I stand on the palace rooftop, staring up at the sky and breathing in the clean air.

After I left the room, I wandered the palace, heading upward in search of fresh air and a view of the sky. There were guards everywhere, more than the last time I was here. And plenty of Khronus’s tame witches. But no one stops me. I finally found my way on to this little roof top.

Down in that dungeon, I craved fresh air, and now, I can’t make myself go inside. I know Khaosti and I have unfinished issues, which we’re really going to have to finish. But not quite yet.

He should stop torturing himself and leave. But what are the chances? I’m guessing somewhere north of zero .

My little rooftop is unoverlooked. Private.

I can almost pretend I’m alone. Except if I peer over the low surrounding wall, I can see the city stretched out below me, teeming with people.

The last light of day is bleeding out in streaks of crimson and gold.

It’s beautiful, in a tragic, soul-splitting kind of way.

I sense him approaching—the bond is getting stronger—and I don’t move when I hear the door open behind me. Or when it closes.

Footsteps. Slow. Sure.

Then he’s there.

I turn slowly to face him. “You shouldn’t be wandering around where anyone can see you,” I say. My fault: I should have made him invisible again before I left, but I wasn’t thinking straight. I just knew that I had to get out of there.

“I was discreet. I know the palace and all its secret places. I can move about unseen.”

He stands in front of me, heat radiating off his body. I avoid looking at him. If I do, I’ll fall.

“Thanks for giving me some space,” I murmur. “I needed to think.”

“Don’t expect any more,” he replies.

I glance at him. That’s a mistake. But at least he’s got some clothes on now.

His eyes are on fire. Not literally, but close.

The kind of look that strips you down to your bones and makes you like it.

My heart stumbles. The bond pulses like it’s alive, like it’s been waiting for this moment to snap tight .

“You should leave here,” I say. It’s worth a chance. “Actually you should never have come. I told you not to.”

He smirks at that. “Since when have I ever done what you tell me to do?”

“Never,” I mutter.

“You can’t make me leave,” he says, stepping closer. “And I won’t walk away. Not from you.”

The strength goes out of me, and I sink to the ground and sit, lean back against the wall, arms hugging my knees. I swallow as I stare up at him. “I know you want to protect me, but I want to protect you too. And you make it so hard.”

He snorts. “Bullshit. You’re protecting yourself.” He leans in, voice low, dangerous. “You’re fucking terrified of your feelings for me. Well, you know what? I’m terrified too.”

He sinks down beside me, long legs stretched out, back against the wall. Reaching out, he grabs my hand. I try and pull it back, but he holds on tight and settles it in his lap. Then exhales.

“Tell me the plan?” he says, his fingers stroking my palm.

“There’s a plan?”

“The one where you save everyone and get out of here without my father laying a single finger on you—because that’s non-negotiable.”

“So you don’t think my idea to seduce him into dropping the wards and then killing him is a good one?”

He stiffens beside me, his hand tightens on mine almost painfully, a low growl rumbling in his throat. I guess that’s a no. I doubt I would be able to pull it off anyway .

“Okay. I’ll give that one a pass then. So, my plan.

I’m going to release the witches. Release Winter’s brother.

I’m going to smash the creepy cracked mirror.

And then we’re all going to escape the palace.

I’ll make a mirror and poof...” I frown.

“I really want to kill your father before I go poof, but I guess if the seduction thing isn’t happening then neither is me killing him. I can’t get through the wards.”

“The seduction thing is definitely not happening. When?”

“As soon as possible. I don’t trust Khronus not to either force me into marriage or turn nasty again and lock me in the dungeon, hook me up and drain my magic.”

“You could have gotten out if you wanted.”

“True.” I cast him a sideways glance. “So what do you think?”

“About the plan? Total load of crap.”

I punch him on the arm. “Can you do any better?”

He sighs. “Probably not. We need to get the timing right. And we don’t know if the witches will survive being disconnected from the mirror. And Winter’s brother, what do we really know about him? And—”

Why am I always surrounded by such negativity? “Have a little faith.”

And then I kiss him. Because I’m fed up of fighting it. And I’ve had enough of talking.

The second our mouths meet; a fuse gets lit under my skin. I’m on fire. I don’t remember moving, but suddenly my hands are in his hair and his are on my hips, hauling me onto his lap like he’s starving and I’m the last breath of air in a drowning world .

He rolls me so I’m under him, the stone scraping my spine, as his mouth devours mine. I don’t care. I want the sting. I want the pain. I want to feel him, every inch, everywhere.

Clothes go. Seems like my pretty pink dress is super easy to get out of—it has to have something in its favor. The straps snap as he tugs it down over my body. Oops.

It’s all I was wearing and now I’m naked and he isn’t. Not fair.

I tear his shirt, desperate to get at his skin.

Then I shove his pants down. They get stuck half way, and he raises his head and frowns.

Then he kicks off his boots, shoves them the rest of the way off and I take a moment to stare at his truly impressive erection.

Then his hot hands are all over me, positioning me, and I’m already shaking.

The first thrust steals my breath.

The second makes me moan.

And the third...gods.

The bond roars to life between us. It’s not just sex. It’s not just magic. It’s everything. Every word we haven’t said. Every time we almost touched and didn’t. Every fight, every kiss, every scar.

We move together like we’re made to—like our bodies were designed for this. For each other. I don’t even know where I end, and he begins.

I cry out as I fall apart beneath him, and he follows a heartbeat later, his head buried against my neck, teeth grazing my skin like he might bite—like he might mark his ownership.

Maybe he already has.

When it’s over, we don’t speak .

He lies beside me, breathing hard. I press my forehead to his chest, eyes closed, trying to hold on to this moment. Trying not to think about what comes next.

Because whatever happens now...I’m his.

And he’s mine.

I never stood a chance. I can’t fight the bond any longer.

Love sucks.