“This is right, mon coeur.” He opened the door and let me into our bungalow. “I must head to the lair and drum up support. The Seers’ direction to come here first has proven fruitful. We need to trust in them. They are our best advantage.”
I blew out a breath, planning on stopping and falling onto the couch, and was instead ushered into our bedroom.
“Let’s give Penny a reason to bust in,” he whispered before dropping his lips to mine. His tongue urged my lips to open and then swept through as he lowered his fingers to the clasp of my pouch. It fell away and then he was moving at inhuman speed, removing my weapons and my leather pants.
I pushed his jacket off his muscular shoulders and then undid his shirt buttons.
You excel when you’re out of your element, he thought as he stripped off my shirt and fastened a hot mouth to my nipple. I moaned, stilling as he ran his fingers over my panties before dipping in. Yesterday, you captivated. Today, you took control of a people. Tomorrow, you will help lead them. You are a wonder, and I cannot believe I have been so lucky as to have secured your good affection.
He dropped to his knees and peeled my panties away before pushing my knee onto his shoulder and leaning in, running his mouth along my sex. I fluttered my eyes closed, delighting in his fingers entering me, then his mouth and digits working together, winding me tighter.
“I can’t wait.” He rose in a rush and pushed me back onto the smallish bed, perfect for cuddling. Or one person on top. He was out of his pants in a flash, his tip pressed against my opening. “You are incredible, my love. As surprising as you are powerful. I love that there is never a dull moment.”
He thrust, pushing all the breath out of my lungs. I pulled his neck, lowering his lips to mine, and savored his taste. The feel of him.
“I don’t want you to go,” I murmured, tightening my hold, wrapping my legs around his hips.
“It’ll only be for a short time. I have eyes near the castle. I will get constant reports on what is happening. Have no worries—even if they capture you, they will not kill you. Not right away. If the worst should happen, just hang on until I get there.”
Feeling my heart swell, I kissed him harder, so grateful that my journey had led me to him. Not just because I did trust that he would come for me if something happened, but because this feeling for him was so powerful that it felt like it might crack me in half. It almost couldn’t be contained within me, stretching my skin and filling me to bursting.
“I love you,” I murmured against his lips, holding on for dear life, scared to death that something would happen to one of us, and we wouldn’t be able to live out forever. “Will you marry me?”
He chuckled. “No. I am old-fashioned. When I propose, it will be an event.”
I smiled, because of course he’d say something like that. But at least he knew where I stood. I’d resisted the idea, but now, on the cusp of more danger than I’d ever faced before, it seemed like a good time to embrace the things that made me the happiest. He was one of them.
His rhythm sped up, and I lost myself to it, letting everything else go. The sensation wound me so tight that it was almost unbearable. I dug my fingers into his back, squeezing my eyes shut, and then I exploded, pleasure blistering through my body.
I called his name. Or maybe a profanity. The bliss was so overpowering that I couldn’t be sure. He shuddered above me, moaning against my lips.
In the aftermath, as we came down, he asked softly, “Do you want children?” I could hear the vulnerability in his voice, the slight hesitation.
“If I wasn’t being hunted, and we knew we could keep them safe…”
He pulled back a little, his beautiful hazel eyes opening all the way down to his soul. “We’d wondered, but what Cahal said…” He swallowed. “I’ve always wanted children. I’d thought that option was denied to me. After we visited the Underworld, I started hoping. And now…”
I pulled him down and kissed him. “And now, if we can survive all this, we’ll figure out a future and have a really weird family.”
He started moving again, and I knew it would be a long, pleasant night of painful goodbyes.
Eighteen
A knock sounded at the door. I opened my groggy eyes, heat coating my back and a muscular arm draped around me. Darius stirred before squeezing me tighter.
“We’ve got movement.” Emery’s voice was muffled through the door.
“Your sermon yesterday spurred them on like I thought it would,” Darius said, the low rumble of his voice vibrating through his chest.