She pursed her lips before looking into his eyes. “I’ve grown fond of you. When I’m near you, I feel things I’ve never felt before. It’s this warm, soft sensation that makes my stomach flutter and my chest tighten, and I like it very much. I enjoy your company, and I want to spend more time with you.”
Spencer held Lilith’s gaze, searching for any indication of deception. All he found was sincerity. She meant every word. A fissure formed in the fortress around his heart, and the walls crumbled even more. His owl fluttered near the surface, and something in his core burned as an invisible tether formed between them.
Sweet Lucifer’s testicles. Was this really happening?
His owl rose up, filling his chest with yearning, whispering in his mind. His stomach turned in a pleasant way, like on the first drop of a rollercoaster, and his skin pricked the way it did right before he sprouted feathers. If he didn’t do something soon, he wouldn’t be able to stop the shift. The owl had spoken, and the man needed to respond.
Fuck me. “Who.” He clamped his mouth shut.
Lilith giggled. “You hooted. That’s so cute.”
Cute? Way to go. He cleared his throat and rested his hand on hers. The feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers sent a jolt of electricity straight to his heart, and whatever was left of the walls came down.
His owl had chosen Lilith as his mate. “I think I might know how you feel.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m quite certain you don’t.”
Fuck it. He couldn’t fight the connection, so he leaned toward her, slid his fingers into her silky hair, and pulled her face to his. When their lips met, she gasped before melting into him. She scooted closer, taking his face in her hands and slipping out her tongue to brush with his. She tasted like mint and honey, and his owl settled beneath the surface, content with Spencer’s decision.
But what decision had he just made? Lilith was immortal. He would grow old and die. She was the mother of all vampires. The Queen of the Night. What made him think a woman like her would allow herself to be tied down to a man like him?
If he told her now that she was his fated mate, she would probably laugh in his face. He would have to earn her trust, prove to her he was a worthy mate.
He brushed his tongue across her upper lip, and she whispered, “Be careful of my fangs.”
He didn’t want to be careful. He wanted to feel them piercing his skin, to watch her as she drank from him. But not here. There would be time for him to explore everything about this magnificent creature later…and time for him to wrap his mind around the ramifications of what his owl had done. Right now, he simply wanted to hold her.
If he were human, he would call this infatuation, lust, insanity. But when a shifter’s animal chose a mate, there could never be another. The man might as well jump on board the crazy train because it was leaving the station with or without him.
She ran her fingers down his arm, squeezing his hand before resting her palm on his thigh. His dick strained against the fabric of his jeans, and as her nails dug into his leg, he groaned.
He broke the kiss, pulling away before things went any further. Of course, Lilith could have glamoured their booth so no one would see them, but the first time he made love to her, it would not be in a public bar. He would take his time with her and make her feel more things she’d never felt before.
Lilith brought her fingers to her lips before she smiled slyly. “Perhaps you do know how I feel. At least partly.”
He trailed his fingers down her cheek. “I guess I’ll see you in Romania.”
She grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his. “Would you like to come early with me? We can get there through a portal in The Underworld. It might give us some time to get to know each other better before your friends arrive.”
Alan would be pissed that he’d have to handle all the equipment, but Spencer had a feeling Rebecca would be thrilled. Alan would get over it. Owls only ever claimed one mate, and they stayed together for life. His nutjob of a bird had chosen the world’s first woman, but as long as she seemed interested, he couldn’t deny his instincts.
“I would love to.”
Her smile widened. “Meet me here tomorrow afternoon at three.”
“It’s a date.”
“Yes, it is.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You have outdone yourself, as always, Arachne.” Lilith gazed at her reflection in the mirror at the Black Widow Boutique. The dark blue, magical fabric clung to her curves like a second skin, and as she turned from side to side, the color shimmered like the midnight sky.
“It’s UPF one thousand,” the spider shifter replied, “and I know you don’t like hats, but if you’re going to be outside for long, you might consider wearing this.” She picked up a matching midnight blue sun hat with a wide brim.
Lilith accepted the item. Arachne created magical clothing for the citizens of The Underworld, and she always knew exactly what her customers needed, even when they didn’t know themselves. She put on the hat and the pair of black sunglasses Arachne handed to her.
“You look like a Hollywood star.” Arachne clipped a stray thread from the hem of Lilith’s shirt.
