I watched her, the color slowly returning to her pale cheeks as she shoved pasta into her mouth. “You’ve lost a few pounds.”
“Yeah.” She shrugged, clearly unconcerned. Most of the women I’d known would worry about becoming too thin, or maybe celebrate the accidental weight loss and vow to keep it off. Danica took another huge bite, and I had a feeling she’d be training again tomorrow, ensuring her body was fit and strong for whatever she would go up against next.
She raised her champagne. “I better not drink too much of this or I’ll be too boozed to roll around naked with you. But here’s to you and your fine ass, and the fact that we’re both alive.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “From the sound of you, you’re a little impaired already.”
She shrugged and took a large gulp, sending me a flirtatious wink.
And something stronger than grief, deeper than shock, burrowed deep in my gut.
I’d gone centuries feeling like something was missing, and that something washer. Danica. My little witch. I’d been waiting my whole life for her to be born, without even knowing it, and if not for her search for her mother’s killer, I might never have met her.
“You’re so tired,” I said. She smiled, but I could see the dark circles beneath glassy eyes, the pale skin that spoke of too much stress and not enough sleep. And yet she glowed with satisfaction of a job well done. With relief, and with love.
My witchling. My bondmate.
“The nap helped. And if you’d told me a few days ago that I’d fall asleep while flying between realms, I would’ve called you a dirty liar.”
She was too far away. I’d forced my hands to open, forced myself to let her go when we arrived, knowing she needed to eat. But I was almost shaking with the effort it took to hold myself back.
Danica’s smile dropped as she studied me. She dropped her fork and got to her feet.
“Come here.”
My mouth twitched. No one had ordered me to do anything before this woman. No one would have even dared.
I cleared my throat. “You need to eat.”
She gave me a look and then turned, stripping off her t-shirt.
“I’m taking a bath. You’re welcome to join me. Or not. But in a few moments, I’m going to be hot and wet and–”
She squealed as I launched myself at her, and I knew, just as no one else would dare order me to do anything, she would never allow anyone else to hear her make that exact sound.
Her laughter was the best thing I’d ever heard as she bolted for the bathroom. I followed her, arriving just in time to find her bent over and struggling out of her jeans.
“Now that’s a view I’ve been waiting for.”
She cast me a look over her shoulder and I took a mental snapshot. I wanted to remember this moment for the rest of our lives.
The tub was already filling with hot, scented water, and I stripped off my clothes. A handful of ash dropped from them, and she bit down on her lower lip.
I caught her chin in my hand. “I’ll never allow such a thing to happen again.”
She gave me a look. “You didn’t know it was going to happen this time.”
“And now I know how few people can be trusted.” I burned to tear Gloria apart with my power, but from the vengeance in Danica’s eyes, she would prefer to have that pleasure.
“I’m sorry, Samael. I should have known–”
I laughed at her. As I’d hoped, it pissed her off. Her eyes narrowed, her nose wrinkled, and she attempted to jerk free of my hold. I shook my head, keeping her chin firmly caught.
“I hadn’t realized you were a seer,” I mused, and she scowled. I released her, my point made, and used my claw to cut through her underwear. Her panties fell to the ground and then I lifted her, stepping into the huge tub and placing her on my lap so I could keep her close.
“Show me,” she demanded, and I revealed my waterlogged wings. She marveled at them, stroking the feathers lightly.
We were both silent for a long moment. I’d missed this. Just touching her, having her close. Knowing that she was rightthere.
