"Tell me I'm wrong." Another step closer. Her scent drives me mad—lightning in a bottle, crackling with defiance and need. "Tell me you don't feel this."
"What I feel doesn't matter." She edges sideways, but I match her movement. "I'm not what I was. Not what I should be—"
"You're everything you should be." My voice drops to a dangerous growl. "Strong. Fierce. Untamed." Each word brings me closer as she retreats. "You think losing a wing makes you less? It makes you more. Every battle, every scar—they're proof of your warrior spirit."
"Pretty words from the perfect soldier." Her back hits another wall. "The great Erik, always in control, always—"
"Control?" A harsh laugh escapes me. "You think I'm in control when you're near? When I have to watch that scumbag, put his hands on, what'smine?"
"What'syours?" Her eyes flash dangerously. "I belong to no one, Erik. Not the Valkyries, not that asshole, and certainly not—"
"You've belonged to me since we landed in Valor's Watch." The truth finally breaks free, raw and unstoppable. "One look at you, and my entire world shifted on its axis."
The memory of landing in Valor's Watch slams into me—that first moment I saw her when the mate bond exploded through my system like fire. Everything I thought I knew shattered instantly, and decades of control and careful planning were obliterated by glancing at those mismatched eyes.
Her laugh is sharp, brittle. "Right. The mighty Erik claimed the broken Valkyrie. Is this pity or—"
"You're my mate." The words hang in the torch-lit air between us. "Mytruemate. I knew it the instant our eyes met in that training ring."
"Don't." She shakes her head, but I catch the slight tremor in her voice. "Don't mock me with—"
"You think I'd mock this?" I close the distance, letting her see the truth in my eyes. "Why do you think I've barely held my sanity since we arrived? Why your pulse calls to me like a siren's song? Why the mere thought of another man's hands on you drives me tomurder?"
"That's..." Her voice falters as understanding begins to dawn. "No, that's impossible. I was meant for—"
"Rhyland. Yes, I know. But fate had other plans." My fingers hover near her cheek, not quite touching. "I've fought this since that first moment, watching you from afar, telling myself you deserved better than a cold-blooded killer."
"You're lying." But there's less conviction now, her body betraying her as she unconsciously leans toward my touch. "You can't be..."
"Search your heart. You've felt it too—this pull between us. The electricity whenever we're near. The way your body responds to my presence, just as mine aches for you."
Bryn jerks away, stumbling backward into the shadows. "No. This isn't—I can't—" Her wing brushes hay from the stalls, sending golden strands dancing in the torchlight.
Her eyes betray what her lips deny—desire warring with doubt, need fighting fear. Nearly a thousand years of patience crumbles at the sight.
To hell with restraint.
"Fuck it."
In less than a heartbeat, I cross the space between us. My hand catches the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in silken strands as I crush my mouth to hers.
Lightning explodes behind my eyes. Her gasp melts into a moan that vibrates through my bones. She tastes like storm clouds and honey. My fangs scrape her lip, drawing blood that sets my senses ablaze.
Her body arches, wing wrapping around us in feathered warmth. Her fingers dig into my shoulders as her curves press against me, her thundering heart matching mine.
I press her against the stable wall, swallowing her whimpers. Her tongue meets mine, sending sparks down my spine. The scent of her arousal spikes, making my cock throb against my leathers.
My mouth blazes a trail down her throat, across her collarbone, seeking lower—tasting salt and storm, each kiss drawing desperate sounds.
Her breasts press against my chest, the stiff peaks evident through her shirt. I palm one, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. The weight fills my hand perfectly as my thumb traces circles. Her fingers tangle in my hair, yanking me back to her hungry mouth.
Gullfax's mocking whinny echoes through the stable, his golden head bobbing over the stall door. I tear my lips from Bryn's just long enough to growl, "Mind your business, stallion," before returning to her intoxicating mouth.
Her tongue slides against mine, soft and teasing. Each breathy moan vibrates through my chest, threatening my control. This kiss consumes me, shatters me, remakes me.
The stable doors crash open. "Bryn, are you—oh, sweet Odin's ravens!" The Valkyrie's wings snap tight as she spins, practically flying back through the doorway.
Bryn tears her lips from mine, chest heaving. "This was a mistake. We can't—Ican't."
