The second he’d embedded himself completely inside her, and her internal walls gripped him, a devastating sense of peace and rightness centered him. She rode the feeling, both humbled and amazed. They shared far more than most couples, even immortals. She felt everything he was and everything he hoped to be. At the center of him . . . was her.
Shelived in the heart of Zane.
The thought threw her body into a hunger that quickly gripped him, too. He thrust harder, faster, both of them beyond the moment. He drove inside her, one hand tethering her hair, the other clamping her hip. He half-lifted her, increasing his pace.
Flames scorched through her, forcing her higher, searing her nerves. A small explosion detonated, then another, and then her body ignited into an orgasm so strong her skin burned. She cried out and dug her nails into his skin, her body arching into his. Energy uncoiled from her core to singe outward and consume her entire body.
She shut her eyes and held on tight, trusting Zane to keep her safe. To keep her tethered to the world.
The surge took everything she was, finally releasing her to drop onto the bed, panting. Shaking. Eternally fulfilled.
Zane dropped his head into her neck, still pounding, and then groaned her name as he came.
The sound of their ragged breathing filled the room. Zane lifted his damp head and kissed her, slowly and thoroughly. “It’ll all be okay, Belle. I promise,” he gasped.
She nodded and kissed him back. Prophesied for centuries, she had power of her own. Now it was time to figure out how to save her mate.
Chapter 27
Zane cracked his neck, trying once again go get rid of the dull ache spreading from his shoulders to his temples. His bulletproof vest was cinched too tight, and his feet felt as if he’d donned the wrong boots. He kept his gaze on the dark screen spanning an entire wall.
All of the Kayrs men stood around the conference table, nobody bothering to sit. Sam and Nick kept to the wall behind Zane, as if already covering his back.
The king punched in a couple of numbers on a keyboard, and slowly, a Kurjan took shape.
“Kayrs,” the current Kurjan leader said. His hair was a blood red with black woven throughout, and his eyes darkened to a pure purple. A pregnant woman handed the white-faced soldier a drink and then quickly disappeared from sight.
“Dayne,” Dage replied. “Congratulations on your child.”
Dayne smiled with sharp canines. “Thank you. We do want our race to continue.”
“We all do.” The king gave a regal nod. “Right now, we have your ruler in a cage. Want him back?”
Zane bit away a smile. Dage sure knew how to get to the point.
“No,” Dayne said.
Dage’s dark eyebrow rose. “Excuse me?”
“The Kurjan Butcher can stay in your cage. Keep him. I’ve found I like ruling.” With his own regal nod, Dayne cut the connection.
Dage blew out air and turned to the group. “Can’t say I’m horribly surprised.” Turning back to the keyboard, he punched in several more numbers. “All right. For the next part of our meeting, let’s talk about Zane’s crazy idea to go after Suri.”
Zane lost his smile. The room seemed to waver. What was wrong with him? It had to be all the teleporting he’d done lately. Hopefully there wouldn’t be permanent damage, because he’d hate to lose the ability. Shaking his head, he forced himself to concentrate as the king mapped out Suri’s current location on a huge wall screen.
Talen growled. “You need to take me with you.”
“No.” Zane tried nonchalantly to wipe sweat from his brow. “The presence of any vampire in the vicinity of Suri’s death will be taken as an attack on the entire demon nation.”
“You’re assuming Suri will be the dead one,” Conn said evenly.
Zane lifted an eyebrow. “Assuming any other outcome will get me killed.”
“Good point.” Talen’s hard features flushed. “Somebody turn down the damn heat in here.”
Zane nodded. God, it was hot. Maybe the furnace was on the blink. He eyed the terrain around the Idaho compound, where they believed Suri was still located. “I can’t kill him there.”
“No.” The king tapped the tablet in his hand, enlarging the screen to show Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Utah. “If Suri sends out the power surge you believe, you have to get him to a more secure location.”
