Amma bit her lip, curious. “Sanguinisui, kiss me.”
His lips were on hers, and they melted into one another.
“Oh, that’s fun,” she said as she pulled back.
“Amma, there are moral implications you should consider—”
“Sanguinisui, do not hurt yourself or anyone else and purge out Bloodthorne’s Talisman of Enthrallment.”
There was a thunk and the stone fell to the floor between them.
Damien stared at the talisman and screwed up his face. “Maybe I should have tried that back in the Sanctum.”
Amma snorted. “Well, thank darkness you didn’t.” And shekissed him again.
INSERT CATCHY ALTERNATIVE FOR EPILOGUE HERE
Damien popped his head out from beneath the linens, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth. He smirked down at the satisfied look on Amma’s face, crawling up to meet her. “A great evil has come upon your land, Mistress Ammalie.”
She blinked, dazed, senses slowly coming back. “It better not have yet,” she said, taking him by the shoulders and rolling him to his back. “I intended to ride out and meet it.” Amma climbed atop him, taking him by the wrists and pressing them back on either side of his head. She teased at him as she held him down, barely close enough to brush over the tip of his length.
“Surrender,” he growled from beneath her. “You can’t possibly resist the dark forces intending to penetrate—”
“Honey?” There was a sharp wrap at the bedchamber door. “Your father and I are headed to the Sanctum.”
Damien squeezed his eyes shut, stomach twisting, ire rising. “Yes, mother, all right.”
“We’re taking the imps with us, just in case you’re wondering where they are,” she called.
“I’m sure we won’t,” he called back.
Amma snorted out a laugh, regrettably lifting her hips upward.
“And Gril just mopped the throne room, so do be careful if you go in there.”
He grunted. “Fabulous. Thank you. Goodbye.”
“Oh, and Ammalie, don’t forget our training session tomorrow.”
Amma grinned wide and called back, “I’m looking forward to it! Full armor or are we doing low contact?”
“Amma, please don’t encourage this,” Damien grumbled from beneath her, and she gave his wrists a squeeze.
“Well, that depends,” his mother continued from the other side of the door, “do you want—”
“Basest beasts, the two of you can speak tomorrow!” he exploded, throwing his head back. “Just go already!”
“Goodness, you are so grumpy,” Diana huffed, and he could practically hear the look she was giving the door. “All right, goodbye!”
Damien groaned, rolling his head forward to glower at Amma. “I know we have decided to split our time between Aszath Koth and Faebarrow, but wemustacquire separate accommodations. Constant badgering about producing heirs from all four of them, yet never a damn moment of peace to make any.”
Amma laughed, wiggling her hips as she dipped them back down. “Well, now that we’re finally alone, do you want peace or do you want war?”
That woke up the blood that had gone dormant in his loins. “War, please.”
Just as she pressed her lips to his, there was a flutter of black feathers that shot in through the window, crashing into the linens and rolling up in them. Amma squealed, sitting back and releasing him, and Damien buried his hand into the blankets to pull the bird out.
“Dark gods, Corben, have a little respect.” He grabbed the bird about his middle and tried to cover his beady eyes with his other hand, but the raven bobbed his head around his palm.
