"Where are we going?"
"To my bedroom."
Uneasiness swept through me. My cheeks heated.
He stopped and turned to face me, his silver eyes soft. "You're my mate." He lifted my hand and kissed the back of my wrist. "Everyone knows that now. Mates don't sleep apart."
He opened a door to a huge room with a king-size bed draped in deep emerald velvet. A picture window dominated one wall, looking over the mountains. Heavy curtains in gold and green framed the view. A glass door led out onto a patio.
I took it all in—the dark wood furniture, the stone fireplace, the paintings of dragons soaring over mountain peaks. A worn leather chair sat in the corner, a stack of old books beside it. This was Darius' room. Where he'd slept as a boy. Where he'd dreamed before he got trapped in the Elder Dimension.
He set his hat on the bed and peeled off his pink jacket with a look of disgust. "Would you like to change? I know I do." He tossed the jacket into the corner. "I'm never wearing pink again."
He turned back to me, his expression softening. He ran his hand down my arm. "My mom is bringing some clothes for you. Your tunic and leggings need to be washed, beautiful."
There was a knock on the door. Abrianna opened it and stepped inside, her arms full of clothing.
"Dinner will be at seven, so you two have time to clean up and get settled." She set down a pair of jeans, a black sweater, and undergarments on the bed. "These are from Raven. The undergarments are new, and I think they'll fit you, Alice."
My throat tightened. Clean clothes. A real bath. After days of filth and blood and dungeon stench, it sounded like heaven.
She crossed the room and pulled me into another hug. "Thank you for returning my son to me." She cupped my cheek gently. "You're family now."
Family. That word meant so much to me and tears welled in my eyes. “Thank you.”
“I’ll see you both at seven.” She closed the door, leaving us alone.
The silence settled around us. I was here. In Darius' home. His family had welcomed me—not as a guest, but as one of them. For the first time in my life, I belonged somewhere.
Darius took my hand and led me into a bathroom I hadn't noticed was there. I stopped in the doorway, my breath catching.
Marble everywhere—floor, walls, counters—all in soft shades of cream and gray. A walk-in shower with multiple heads took up one corner, the glass doors etched with delicate patterns. But the sunken tub stole my attention.
It was enormous, carved into the floor like a small pool, and I could already imagine steam already rising from the water. Candles lined the edge, and their flames would look beautiful flickering against the stone. A window looked out over the mountains, the last light of day painting the sky in shades of purple and gold.
“This is your bathroom?”
He shrugged as he turned on the shower—a massive rain head mounted in the ceiling, water cascading down like a warm waterfall. "Home, sweet home."
He ripped off his pink shirt and tossed it on the floor with a look of relief. Like shedding Alanna's hold on him one piece at a time.
I glanced at my appearance in the mirror. Dirt and sweat were plastered to my face. My hair was tangled and matted. Dark circles shadowed my eyes. "I'm a freaking mess."
Darius appeared behind me in the mirror, his silver eyes warm. "You're a beautiful mess." He slowly pulled my tunic up over my head, his fingers trailing against my skin. “My beautiful mess."
With each layer he removed, I felt something else fall away. The dungeon. The chains. The fear. Alanna's cruelty. All of it, peeling off like a second skin I no longer needed.
Steam slowly swirled around the bathroom. Even with the warmth, the cool air made my nipples bud.
No fear. No hesitation. Just him and me and this moment we'd fought so hard to have.
He kissed my shoulder, and I shivered. "Darius."
I turned in his arms to face him. His silver eyes burned into mine as he shed the rest of his clothes—pants, boots, everything—until he stood before me bare. My breath caught. He was beautiful. Scarred and strong and mine.
He hooked his fingers into my leggings and slowly pulled them down. I held onto his shoulders for balance and stepped out of them.
For a moment, we just looked at each other. Skin to skin. Nothing between us.
