She softened. “Thank you.”
“Or because of your sweet ass.”
She rolled her eyes.
“But because I feel you inside here.” He put his hand over his heart. She turned, and he took her hand and put it where his had been. “Feel me. I’m in you.”
We’re one.
She smiled.
“I’m still cranky too.” He felt really happy about that, more so when she laughed at him. “I know, I sound like a dope. But I need to be me with you.”
“I understand.” She twirled her hair around her finger and stared at it. “And I guess I need to be me around you. I think I’m Becoming, Orion.”
“You mean you Became. All night long.” He felt pretty proud about that fact and laughed when she blushed. “Sorry. That was crude.”
“But that’s who you are, yeah yeah,” she grumbled, adorable.
“Oh crap.”
“What?”
“Smoky—I mean, Shadow—is going to be really mad at me. I kept him out all night.” He sighed.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“Will you?” He knew it sounded goofy, but Shadow understood him. The little cat had been his companion for the last few months, a balm to his lonely nights feeling apart from his kin. “He’ll like you.”
“Don’t worry.”
“I should be saying that to you.” He hugged her. “The white hair is sexy. It’s the new you. Accept it.”
“I need to see my dad.”’
“Okay. We’ll go together.”
She paused.
“What?”
“What happens now? My mom still wants to sacrifice you. She tried to kidnap me.” Kaia paused. “And I think I might be turning into her.”
He hugged her. “No,agapi mou. You’re you. You’re just getting new power. You said it’s a thing that happens to mages, right? Let’s go talk to Mormo. He’ll know more.”
She blinked at him with a shy smile. “What doesagapi moumean?”
He hadn’t realized he’d said it. “Ah, it’s an endearment.” It meantmy love,but he felt it too soon to admit how he felt.
They cleaned up and dressed, Kaia having clothing in his armoire, because apparently that thing was magic too. Orion shook his head but couldn’t complain about Kaia in tight jeans and a cute top that showed off her slender curves. She put her hair back in ponytail, and it accented her oval face and ruby lips.
He frowned. “Are you wearing makeup?”
“What? No.”
He hated to say it, but he had to. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m an expert on Disney movies. And you are rockin’ the Snow White look minus the dark hair. You’re pale, with white hair, blue-black eyes that have a blue glint in the light, and those red, ripe lips.” He had to kiss her and would have gone for a second round of lovemaking had Kaia not pushed him back.
“Mormo first.”
