He smiled as he continued to touch her skin. His wolf was too stirred up for sleep. They’d waited centuries to see their markings on their mate. Finally, she was with them, in his arms, tucked close into the safety of his body.Taste, his wolf rumbled in his mind, and Gustavo chuckled. His wolf wanted to lick the markings the way he hadkissedthem.
One day, but not today.Today it was enough to touch her. He closed his eyes and slipped into her mind. He saw the memory of her looking at him through the mirror as he kissed and touched her markings. The look of adoration on her face took his breath away. She cared deeply for him already. It wouldn’t be long, he thought. She wouldlovethem.
He felt her stirring and a groggy presence in his mind before he heard hervoice.
“Kind ofalreadydo.”
* * *
“No.”
Peri glared at the three male wolves. She’d returned to see if she could talk some sense into them, but they were being just as obstinate as they had been the first time she’d explainedherplan.
“Why?”
“How can you expect us to be okay with you wanting to put Volcan’s blood into our mates?” Nick asked, his eyes cold and calculating. He may be playful when he was with Kara, but in defense of her, he was downrightdeadly.
“If it will save their two friends and help us defeat Volcan, how can younotbe okay with it?” she snapped. “I realize that it’s hard for you to do the opposite of what your nature urges you to do. You need to protect your mates, I get that. But what if the only way to protect them is to first put them in danger.” She paused. “Okay, that didn’t come out totally right. What I’m trying to say is that this is the best way to keep them safe in thelongrun.”
Lucian stepped up next to her. “Have you spoken to your matesaboutit?”
Kale laughed. “Absolutely not. My lass would do it in a heartbeat, with a smile on her face and all the while cracking some joke aboutwitches.”
“They know they would all do it,” Peri said. “That’s why they haven’t told them. It has to be theirchoice.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Ciro said in a cool voice. “We are mated. Bonded or not, we are a pair. That means we make decisions together. You cannot go to them behind our backs, Perizada. That would be extremely disrespectful to us and our relationship with out mates. Relationships that are new and stillfragile.”
She knew he was right. But it irked her royally. “Fine. I’ll give you a few days. But you have to talk to them about it. Not telling them is essentially making the choice for them. The only way you can make a decision together is if you both have all theinformation.”
Ciro nodded. “I agree. I will admit I do not want Stella to have to endure such darkness inside of her. She’s been surrounded by enough darkness. If I could bear this for her, Iwould.”
“All of you would. And that is the one thing that overrides all your other crappyqualities.”
“Thank you … I think,” Nick said frowningather.
“I’ll see you in three days.” Lucian took her hand, and she flashed them back to Jezebel’sapartment.
“You don’t have to say it.” She sighed as they stood in the quiet living room. It was dark, and everyone had gone to bed. The beauty of being a fae is the ability to add space where there wasn’t any. Peri had assisted in giving Jezebel’s home a couple extra rooms for herguests.
“Say what?” Lucianasked.
“That what I’m asking of themisn’tfair.”
“I wasn’t going tosaythat.”
“But youthinkit.”
“I think that, once again, we find ourselves in a position where we will all have to make sacrifices. That is what it means to stand on the side of good. It won’t be easy, but I think they will realize that what you are asking of them is necessary.” He pulled her to the couch and picked her up, laying her down onherback.
Peri smiled up at him. “Are you trying to distract me?” He simply stared down at her until she waved her hand and made the couch big enough for the bothofthem.
Lucian laid down beside her and pressed his hand to her cheek. “We are going to sleep,afterI kiss you. And then tomorrow we will deal with you offering to sacrifice yourself without first talking tome.” He pressed his lips to hers, and she could feel his anger, but it was wrapped up in love. He was angry because he loved her so much and couldn’t stand the fact that she might be placed indanger.
She reached into his mind as he continued to kiss her, deepening this kiss by biting her lip and forcing her mouth open.“Iloveyou.”
“And I love you. You’re still introuble.”
“I should have discussed it with youfirst.”
