Yeah, I suspected as much. “Why did you go along with it this time?” In previous timelines, he always fought me or found a loophole. But in this one… he was almost acquiescent.
“Maybe I was tired.”
“Or maybe you fell in love,” I suggested.
“I absolutely fell in love,” he agreed, his irises flaring as he looked in the direction Kols and Zeph had gone. “We should go after them before they have all the fun.”
“Yes, I imagine Aflora is already naked.” Because I could feel Kols’s amusement and intrigue in the bond.
“She is,” Zakkai replied, grinning. “She’s gone full garden nymph, just like you desired.”
“Poking around in my head?”
“Always.” He glanced at me with an unrepentant look. “Your mind is fascinating, Shadow. So many secrets and hidden agendas. Which reminds me, that meeting with Lucifer that you scheduled on my behalf for next week? You’re coming with me.”
I sighed. “Of course I am.”
Wickedness darkened his features. “It’ll be fun, Shadow.”
“Deals always are,” I muttered, walking with him to find our Aflora.
She was indeed naked.
And dancing through a bed of flowers that definitely hadn’t been there when we’d arrived.
Zeph had taken up a position by a tree, his shoulder braced against the bark. Kols stood with him, both of them aroused and entertained by the sight of our mate spinning with glee.
“Don’t we need to fuck to finish the Earth Fae mating?” Zakkai called to her, his direct manner causing her to stumble and nearly fall.
I shadowed to her side, catching her on instinct. And she giggled against my chest. Her blue eyes met mine, the little nymph drunk on her Earth Source. “Sex sounds nice,” she said on a sigh. “Shade goes first.”
Then she pulled me down to the flowers and covered us in a canopy of petals.
Zeph and Zakkai both protested while Kols merely laughed.
My clothes disappeared beneath her power, leaving me as naked as her and on my back in the soil. I arched a brow. “No foreplay?” I teased, already rock hard from her show of strength alone.
“Mmm.” She straddled my hips, her expression radiating pure, unadulterated joy. “We’ve been playing for months.” She seated herself to the hilt, her body moving sensuously against mine. “Now I just want you, Shadow. My Death Blood Prince. And your very impressive cock.”
I chuckled, grabbing her hips to flip her to her back. I settled between her thighs and drove into her again, my lips going to her ear. “You’ve been talking to Zeph too much. He’s dirtied your mouth.”
“Do you prefer willow stump?” she asked on a breath as her hips rose eagerly to meet mine.
“Do I feel like a willow stump to you?”
“I don’t know,” she moaned. “Fuck me harder and I’ll report back later.”
I chuckled against her neck. “You really are a nymph, little rose.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “Now stop talking and take me to oblivion.”
“Anything for you,” I whispered, loving her with my body, my mouth, and my hands. Our Earth Fae bond was very much alive and fully in place, but sex was how Elemental Fae culminated the act.
And I felt it now, that warm energy of her sunbathing me in rightness, claiming me as Aflora’s mate, and ensuring my roots forever twined with hers.
“I love you,” she told me softly, her arms around my neck as our bodies joined together as one.
“I love you, too, little rose.” I kissed her then, unleashing all my gratitude and longing and appreciation into her mouth. All those years of dancing with fate. All those timelines. All those mistakes. All those near-ends. I’d almost lost her so many times. But here she was, my sweet beautiful Aflora, in a bed of her own creation, blossoming with life and happiness.