Lani gave a little moan of surprise when he shifted his cock inside her, feeling her snug and wrapped tight around him.
He burned, just thinking of all the ways he would take her, just thinking of all the ways they wouldlearnone another.
Winding his hand around the back of her neck, he brought her close, gently touching his lips against hers.
“You,” he rasped, emotion clogging his throat, “are amazing,luxiva.Vrax, I love you so much.”
She softened, her blood bond thrumming with joy, with…happiness.
And he felt it right then. That happiness. His eyes widened in realization because he’dseenthis happiness before. When she’d heard music in his labs, on the Golden Record. Her features had grown soft, her eyes had brightened, her lips parted with awe. He’d doubtedhecould ever make herthathappy.
But Lani was looking at him like that, right at that very moment. His blood bond was open, so shefeltwhat he was realizing…that he did make her that happy. That hecould.
Tears entered her eyes and she whispered, “You make me happier than music does, Kirov. Never doubt that.”
Beauty in words.
It stunned him.
Beyond those words, he felt their truth…and that was even more beautiful.
Lani kissed him, sliding her body over his so that he lay beneath her. His hands glided up her smooth, bare thighs and she steadied herself with her palms planted on his chest.
Seeing hisluxivaframed against the night sky, a sliver of the Luxirian moon drenching her in silver light, surrounded by thepillervatrees in that sacred place of the Fates…Kirov felt like he wasjustbeginning his life, like he had found his true purpose in her, in loving her.
“Vellixa,” he rasped, awed.
He remembered the first time he’d called herbeautiful. Back in the Golden City, the morning after he’d caught her spying on him. She’d rejected his words, though he spoke the truth, as if she hadn’t believed him.
But right then, with him, in that magical, ancient place…Lani smiled. A radiant smile that burst from her, that lit her up and blinded him with its luminance, with its beauty.
Kirov vowed that he would dedicate his life to making her smile like that…for the rest of their spans.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips. “Thank you, Kirov.”
Then through their blood bond, he felt the mating call rise.
And for the rest of the night, they spoke all that needed to be said in other ways.
Epilogue
Two lunar cycles later…
The song echoedaround their home, the acoustics amazing. It still surprised Lainey, despite her playing the piano every single day, just how rich the music was, how full.
Needless to say, Kirov had nailed her piano. On his first try.
He’d presented it to her shortly after the completion of theirravraxia, when she’d still been high out of her mind on incredible, consuming sex and her equally incredible and consuming alien mate. He’d snuck it into their house in the middle of the night, while she’d slept, a replica of a grand piano design she’d sketched out for him, complete with a bench.
In the morning, he’d awakened her with kisses and orgasms and afterwards, had asked her to go downstairs.
She’d burst out into tears the moment she’d seen it. Beautiful and white and gleaming, sitting in the corner of the living room that had a perfect view of Troxva’s lake. And she hadn’t been able tostopcrying, even as she tested the keys with trembling fingers, hearing those perfect sounds, those perfect notes.
Lainey had played her favorite song for Kirov that morning.Claire de Lune.
And afterwards, he’d looked at her with awe in his gaze and she felt that awe reverberate through their blood bond, mingled with his love. He’d murmured, “Vellixa.”
And every day since, she’d heard that word come from him, multiple times a day.
