His eyes flashed, the green darkening. “That pack is trash,” he said bluntly. “They need to be wiped from the face of the Earth.”

He was upset, and I really fucking needed to talk to Simone. Where had all of this tension between my friends come from? Maybe I was finally noticing because my own tension with Shadow was somewhat resolved.

“She has the power to protect herself now,” Shadow said bluntly. I wasn’t surprised when his next words were, “Is there anything else, Luce?”

My mate was nothing if not an impatient bastard. Lucien finally seemed to register the position Shadow and I were in, especially the way he held me against his body. A ghost of a smile appeared on the vampire’s face. “Nothing else for now. As long as she’s safe, my responsibility is over.”

I had my doubts that was the truth, but neither of us called him out on it. He waved before strolling away. “See you two tonight at dinner. If either one of you can walk, that is.”

Then he laughed, the sound only fading away when he exited through the portal, leaving us alone in the lair.

“Inky, guard the door,” Shadow said softly, and the mist wrapped around us a few times before it drifted off, disappearing from sight as well.

Then it was me and Shadow.

Anticipation sent bubbles through my veins, making me feel lightheaded. I had a brief moment where I wondered if I needed to check into Sex Addicts Anonymous, but considering Torin had left me as dry as the desert, I knew it wasn’t sex I was addicted to.

It was sex with Shadow.

The Shadow Beast, demon of the darkness, and plunderer of my vagina.

Okay, that sounded wrong, but sometimes wrong was the exact kind of right I needed.

Which also made no sense, but who expected sense when one was about to be fucked by their mate? Their love? The plunderer of their vagina?

Because we were going with that.

37

Shadow’s flames appeared first, and as much as I wanted to turn and see the fire in his eyes, his hold kept me immobile. Not just his hold, but also his power.

“You never fight me here,” he rumbled, and dammit, why was his voice sexy enough to curl toes? “You have power beyond almost any other, and yet, you’ve never tried to fight my hold on you when I touch you like this.”

He was talking and walking, and I was burning alive in the most delicious way. “Why would I fight?” I croaked, trying to remember what words even were. “You give my body so much pleasure that at times—and this is no lie—I feel like I might die from it. I gave up control to you that day in the Shadow Realm, and despite thinking that would be a onetime thing, I find that… I don’t mind it so much now. I get to be strong in every other avenue of my life except—”

“Except with me.” He interrupted, needing to take control of my words as well. “This is why we’re true mates; beyond anything you could have had with Torin. We build each other up, making each other stronger by embracing who we are. Torin wanted you for your beauty, strength, and brains, but only in a way that enhanced his. You were his trophy mate, his prize. A male of strength will get on his knees for his woman and know that it doesn’t lessen him in any way. Torin was too weak and stupid to see that, and he never could have honored you as you deserved.”

My body was on fire, my panties drowning, and I needed Shadow to do exactly what his words were promising. I wanted him on his knees. Easing the ache that no one else in the world could except my beast.

“I love you,” I told him.

His hands came up to cup my breasts, his power holding me against him. “I am honored to be your mate.”

He was still avoiding the L word, but somehow what he did say felt like the same thing. Or stronger. Because for a being like Shadow, honor was everything.

I’d expected him to take us into his room again, but I should have known that conventional sex wasn’t Shadow’s jam. He wasn’t into weird shit like cucumbers in my lady parts, but he also never headed straight for a bed.

We ended up in a part of the lair I’d never been to before, and it was here that Shadow’s power fully released me, allowing me to turn on the spot to take it all in.

Pushing past the comfy-looking couches, I was immediately captivated with the view. “Windows,” I whispered. I hadn’t known that any parts of this lair had windows, but here we were, surrounded by the most beautiful night sky I’d ever seen. There were stars, scattered outside of the twenty-foot-high paned glass, seemingly so close, I felt like I could reach out and touch them.

“Is this real?” I breathed, feeling overwhelmed and awed, standing on the edge of the universe. It reminded me of Faerie, but in a way, far more intimidating.

“Does it feel real?” he asked, his hand sliding across my side as he pulled me into him.

I nodded, finally tearing my gaze from the stars so I could look up at him. “For the first time in my life, everything feels real.”

His eyes held me, the intensity there enough to draw forward my soul as he cupped my face. It wasn’t in Shadow’s nature to be soft, not in touch or mannerisms, but as he pressed his lips to mine, it was with the gentlest of pressures. He turned me so that both of his hands held my face, cradling it like I was precious, and maybe this was the point my heart finally burst.

The kiss started slow, a sensual sweep of our tongues. There was no rush—we had no reason to hurry this night—and in that, we savored every taste. Of course, we hadn’t actually had personality transplants, so it was no surprise that within minutes, hormones kicked in and that slow, romantic kiss turned more passionate.

I groaned into his mouth, rising up on my toes to get closer. Shadow used his power to drag me higher on his body, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands slid down my hips, gripping the flesh of my ass, holding on as he rocked me against him.

Kissing Shadow was maybe the best thing I’d ever experienced in my life, and I could happily do this forever without ever tiring of it. He kissed like he fucked, with so much intensity that it sizzled in the air. Shadow had officially ruined me for all other men, but since I planned on having him stick around forever, I was okay with that.

Our kiss grew even more frenzied, my back pressed to the thick glass, which was the only thing separating us from the universe outside. When I was about ready to start begging, my aching pussy grinding against him, Shadow lifted his lips from mine.