Page 125 of The Mating Claim

He rolled over, slowly withdrawing, leaving her body feeling empty. But deep inside she felt his spirit and knew she’d never be aloneagain.

They drowsed in each other’s arms. Drust nuzzled her cheek. “Remind me to thank Aiden again for giving us a cabin far from others. I wish to be selfish and not share you with the world for a few hoursmore.”

“Okay,” she murmured. “As youwish.”

Once she thought only her parents could love her. She had searched her entire life for a father whom she thought was her ideal, someone who could love her for herself. Lacey felt she had wander far and wide to find it, always roaming, neversettling.

How wrong she was, and how little she had tosearch.

When real love was just a whisper away, right here in Drust’sarms.

And here she would stay,forever.

Epilogue

It wastime for hispunishment.

Drust was mated to Lacey and the ceremony had been lovely. They had slipped away, probably to consummate theirmating.

Even Danu had remained throughout tocelebrate.

He’d enjoyed dancing with Danica, although knowing the goddess was present made him nervous. After two waltzes, he escorted Danica back to her table and thankedher.

He did not leave his own table for the rest of the evening, for he felt the goddess watching him. As the festivities died down, the Shadow Wizard knew the fun wouldn’tlast.

There was always a price topay.

He’d made certain wayward witches paid it over theyears.

Now it was histurn.

He watched with trepidation as Danu rose from her table, and approached theirs. The other wizards and their mates bowed their heads. He did not. He knew what shewanted.

Danu’s smile was gentle. Always. Even when her words wereharsh.

“Caderyn. I will meet you at your Irish home in tenminutes.”

Then she vanished, her fairies vanishing aswell.

Xavier whistled. “Dude, your turnnow.”

“I know,” he said sharply. “Do not remindme.”

Excusing himself to the other wizards and their mates, he dematerialized to his castle inIreland.

He was the last wizard to pay for the price of sharing power with the others to restore Tristan after the Silver Wizard had sacrificed his magick to save his beloved Nikita a few years ago. Danu had warned his punishment would be thelast.

For a millennia or more, for he’d lost track of time, Caderyn had been a powerful warlock and then a wizard of the Brehon. Little scaredhim.

But Danu was clever, and she knew his weakness. As he paced inside the living room of his castle, Caderyn automatically felt for the blades strapped to his back. And then he touched hishair.

The silver-blonde streaked locks spilled halfway down his back. The other wizards sometimes teased him about his hair and its cascade of colors, the way he pulled it off his face by tying the front part back with a leather thong. Xavier called it supermodelhair.

None of them knew his powers as a warlock, and even some of his wizard powers, were woven into his hair. The length was a sign of his nearinvincibility.

He thought of Danica, the pretty witch with the bright blue eyes, and her fascination with his tresses. Danica the hair stylist. Danica, who felt so right in his arms as theydanced.

When she’d touched him, fire lit inside him for the first time in ages. Yet he felt wary of this witch. She looked intrigued, as if she wanted to sit him in one of those barbaric chairs and take out thescissors…