Dammit! There I go, ruining another night. “I’m sorry. This was supposed to be about Nate.”
She pulls me into a hug. “His birthday is a week away. We still have time to plan something special.” Her lips press against my ear, voice low. “Besides, you know Nate would never want to cockblock you, and tonightwould be the perfect time to practice the tantric sex thing I was talking about.”
It would be nice to feel his skin under my hands, to trace the deep line of his hips. I want him so badly, and I’m done feeling this way.
“I’m gonna do it.” I squeeze her tightly.
Her face is beaming at me when she pulls back. “Atta girl,” she says, already headed for the door. Right before she reaches it, she looks back. “I’m proud of you, Frankie.”
CHAPTER 3
Zarreth
Jess stops on the way out and pats me on the shoulder, giving me a goofy smile. “Take care of our girl,” she says. What the fuck? I don’t need her to tell me that. I will always take care ofmygirl.
Once she’s gone, I lean against the wall, crossing my arms, studying my mate. She looks at me, her eyes greener than usual, thanks to her red-rimmed eyelids. She’s been crying. Did she actually let go, let some of her grief out?
I sit next to her, the mattress groaning under my weight. “Are you okay?”
Shaking her head, she curls around a pillow, a tear slipping free. “I almost lost it today,” she says quietly, “thinking about Nate. I cried to Jess.” She looks at me, that faint glow in her eyes catching the light. “I could’ve killed her. I know better than to open up like that. I’m so fucking selfish.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “You are the furthest thing from selfish, and you wouldn’t have killed Jess. I’m sure she pulled away as soonas she felt anything, and she’ll do that next time, and the time after that, until you have more control over your power. She’s a smart girl.”
Her sigh is heavy as she shrugs. “I’m just so tired of feeling this way. I don’t know how to make it stop.”
It fucking kills me watching her suffer, not being able to comfort her. “I have an idea.” I stand, holding my hand out to her. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?” She places her hand in mine, and I lead her to the door, snagging a blanket on our way out.
“Somewhere to make it all stop, even if it’s just for a little while.” I wrap the blanket around her shoulders and shoot into the sky.
She sighs, her face relaxing as we soar over the trees. I’ve never understood why humans thought heaven was real, but flying with my mate in my arms makes me realize it might exist, right here in the sky. Maybe the humans are on to something.
It’s only a couple minutes until we land in a clearing not too far from Beauty Lake. I’ve only been here once, but I’ll never forget it. The smell of pine trees and wet earth take me back to the first time I saw it after returning from the Dark Realm. Frankie on her knees, her tears soaking the ground when she realized we were finally safe.
We swoop down and land under the only tree in the clearing. With a flick of my hand, tiny flames rise into the starlit sky, drifting like fireflies while I spread the blanket out.
“It’s beautiful,” she says, looking around.
I lift her chin so her face is tilted up to mine. “You’rebeautiful.”
Laying on the blanket, I pull her close and wrap my wing around her. She snuggles in and we watch the stars. Our hearts beat in unison nowthat we’re mated, and it's the only sound that matters to me. I listen to it every night when she sleeps, even when she thinks she’s alone.
Her hand runs down my chest. “I can’t believe I ruined Nate’s birthday celebration. I really wanted to be strong for him. For you guys.”
I slide my hand to her waist, finding the warm skin under her shirt. My thumb moves in slow circles meant to ground her, not take anything from her. “You didn’t ruin anything. Ronin is staying for the entire week, so we have plenty of time to celebrate together.”
She rises onto one elbow and studies my face for a long second. Then her mouth pulls into a slow smile. Her fingers find the waistband of my pants, tracing my hip bones with the faintest touch. And like an adolescent boy, that’s all it takes before I’m hard. “I would go the rest of my life without ever being inside you again. I mean it, Frankie. You’re everything to me. Sex doesn’t matter, but if you don’t stop touching me like that…”
Her cheeks flush and one of her fangs drag across that pouty bottom lip. I want to follow that fang with my tongue, feel it break my skin, taste the copper it would leave in her mouth. But I don’t. I never do. Her body calls to me in ways that rip through my control, but I will not take a single thing she isn’t ready to give.
But Gods do I want to bury my head between her thighs, making her scream out to herGod, to me. Especially when she looks at me that way.
She moves her hand to my lips, shushing me with a finger. “Shh, I want to try something.” Heat shoots through me, but I lock it down, reminding myself to take it slow.
She straddles my waist, letting her fingers explore my chest and torso. My head falls back, eyes closed as I relish the feel of her soft hands. But soon the warmth disappears, so I peek through one lid, making sure I didn’t somehow scare her off. And I’m glad I did, because I’m gifted withthe sight of her back arching as she pulls her shirt off. My cock twitches when her full breasts come into view. The sheer fabric covering them does little to hide her pink nipples. Her dark curls fall around her shoulders as she tosses the piece of clothing aside.
“Are you sure?” Goosebumps form over her collar bone when I trail my index finger across it.
