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Daimon

Daimon couldn’t believe he was here with Evelina. Vidaris might have tried taking everything from him, but she couldn’t have this.

He held Evelina in front of the fire, a fuzzy blanket draped across her body as she lay on top of him. He never thought the day would come when he got to see her like this again, see her crinkle her nose when she thought too hard. She was the only thing tethering him to something good. The few glimpses he’d had of her on Harvest Moons had been the only thing keeping his head above water, reminding him there was someone who still cared about him.

His days were filled with darkness, and with every passing moment he could feel himself slipping closer to stepping into the Vale and fully giving himself over to Vidaris—if only to dull the pain. No matter how good he felt now, at the end of the night, he would have to go back to the darkness from which he came.

He shook his head. He wouldn’t taint the one night he had with Evelina with such thoughts.

“I wish you were here,” Evelina whispered. “ Really here. I know you’re suffering, Daimon. I can see it in your eyes. ”

Daimon sighed and looked away from her, his gaze set on the leaves above. Evelina reached over and turned his face back to her. She pressed her palm against his cheek, her gaze holding his.

It only made it hurt more that she could see past the words he wasn’t saying. She was always so observant, so patient and willing to try and understand those around her. It just made it worse.

“Everyone deserves to know what you did,” she said softly. “What you sacrificed to keep us safe.”

He placed his hand over hers, moving it down to his chest. “Maybe one day.”

But they both knew that day would never come. Not while Vidaris had a hold of his soul. He may have been able to travel outside of the Shadow Realm in the dream realm, but he’d never make it this far in the waking.

Daimon didn’t want to think about all the things that would never be. Instead, he rolled over, sliding on top of Evelina and bracing his arms on either side of her head. He wanted to savor every inch of her, to hold her until the moon disappeared and it was time for them to wake back up.

She wiggled beneath him, her eyes brightening with hunger. “Is this where you make me remember your touch?” she said with a smirk. “It might be hard to top earlier.”

He leaned down and whispered against her mouth, “I will never stop trying to top the time before.”

She threw her arms around his neck, bringing her lips to his. He hiked the blanket up, bringing it over her knee and past her thigh. His eyes trailed the movement of his hand, savoring the feel of her skin. She shivered beneath his touch and scooted her hips closer, but he took his time.

He wanted to sear this into his memory, to be able to close his eyes and picture her naked beneath him. He grabbed her hips and squeezed, digging his fingers into her soft flesh.

With a torturously slow pace, he pushed into her. One of his hands roved down her body, gripping her breast and basking in the sounds he could draw out of her.

Their bodies melded together as he moved on top of her. She was everything to him—what he had sold his soul for. He would become the darkness for her time and time again.

The fireplace burned brighter, illuminating the shelves of books surrounding them.

“Quit thinking so much,” Evelina whispered. “Stay here with me.”

He kissed her, drinking in the taste of her skin. “Always.”

She smiled against his mouth and he twisted, lifting her on top of him. She sat up, straddling his hips and spreading her hands across his chest. His eyes dropped to her breasts as she leaned forward, entranced by the way the firelight danced off them. He felt like he had entered the gates of Caelum, like he could lose himself between her legs and never come up for air.

He held her thighs as she rode him, their gazes colliding without breaking.

It was different this time, slower. He was eager to make it last, to watch each moan that came from her lips, to touch every inch of her before she came undone. They were both desperate at first, but now he wanted to draw every second out.

She leaned down, bringing her mouth to his. The kiss was deep and passionate, like they were making up for every missed kiss over the past three hundred years.

He came undone beneath her, squeezing her hips. She leaned her head back, her hair so long that it brushed across the tops of his thighs. He watched her in wonder as her mouth dropped open, her pace quickening and thighs clenching. She screamed his name, her hips slowing as she came back to her body.

Her eyes were closed but his were wide open. Being like this with her again—not the frantic touches against the tree—it almost broke him. To be reminded of how deep his love for her ran .

Leaving her to go back to the Shadow Realm would be torture. But he would make the deal again without hesitation.

She lay on top of him, her breathing returning to normal.

“I love you, Evelina,” he whispered, pulling her close. “I am yours, forever.”

She wrapped herself around him, her arms shaking. “And I yours.”

They talked for hours, tangled together beneath the blanket, the fireplace crackling nearby. It was mostly Daimon listening and asking about her life, eager to avoid talking about the Shadow Realm. Evelina’s happiness made it all worthwhile.

She told him about her daughter, Leda. How strong and brave she was.

“You should see her, Daimon. She sent five Aegis to the infirmary for touching her.”

“She sounds incredible,” he said softly.

Evelina shook her head, laughing fondly. “She’s a force of her own.”

His chest was tight with grief, but he smiled through it. He could never blame Evelina for moving on—for having a family. But it hurt all the same that it couldn’t be with him.

A tear slid down her cheek as she told him all she had been through—everything she had lost. The jealousy stirring in his chest faded away, replaced with sadness. She was ruling by herself. Even if he wished it had been him at her side, it didn’t make it better now that she was alone.

She talked about Annora, how she had a daughter named Avery who was the spitting image of her. How Annora became the council head for the Nocturna after Maliena and Neve retired .

“And I met a human—an artist that sells to Clara,” she said quietly.

“A human that still lives in Penyth?” he asked. “They must have a hard time with that.”

Evelina looked away from him, her eyes filling with sadness. The fire still burned beside them, keeping them both warm.

“I’m trying to show him that not all fae are so…difficult.” She sighed.

Daimon smiled, watching her talk. She told him everything, from Leda’s progress with her sword fighting lessons to Annora’s career as the Nox leader. He would never tire of seeing her like this, with the glow of the fireplace lighting up her skin, how animated she got when telling a story.

Her arms flailed around, telling him about how Iris got under her skin like no other council member. Even when she drifted off to sleep, he watched her until the very last second.

He could feel the Harvest Moon lowering; his time was almost up. If he tried to hold on much longer, the dream would fall out of his hands, slipping through his fingers.

With one last kiss on her forehead, he separated their connection, ending the dream.

He didn’t want to tell her goodbye—didn’t want to see her cry. At least this way, he felt like it wasn’t actually over.