I reached out, tracing imaginary constellations with my fingers. My other hand threaded through her long hair. “You see that one?” I pointed toward a particularly bright star.
“I do.”
“That’s you in my world. Youaremy starlight,” I told her. I didn’t care if it was cheesy.
It was the best comparison I could come up with for what she truly was for me.
She moved until we were side by side, and she pressed herself against me. The silvery glow of the sky reflected in her red eyes as she looked at me. “And what does that make you?”
I paused before chuckling softly. “Just a wanderer, lucky enough to be able to look at you on my darkest days.”
“Hunter,” she giggled, but the surge of love that flowed through the bond almost knocked the wind out of me.
“You’re so special to me, Pandora, and not just because you’re my mate.” I kissed her head, wanting to prove to her just how much she meant to me. “You’re a guiding force in my life. Just like the stars were to so many supernaturals before.”
“I love you so much.” She snuggled closer, and my heart soared with every single movement she made to get closer to me.
Fuck, I really loved her more than she could ever understand. The Fates truly blessed me with this matebond. My only regret was that I hadn’t found her sooner. If I had, I would’ve never allowed Penny Bones to hurt her the way she had.
“I love you too, and I’m so proud of you and how far you’ve come.”
“I am, too, Pandora,” Nebula called from her bag.
The sound of sand crunching came from our left as Dexter stepped out of the shadows and bent down to pick up Pandora’s bag. “This looks like it has potential to get spicy. I’m going to take you away.”
“Dex,” Pandora gasped as I chuckled.
“Please do,” Nebula begged. “But monitor her.”
“You know I will,” Dexter scoffed at him before melting back into the shadows.
Pandora and I laughed, and the raspy sound of hers made my heart beat faster. I found myself watching her instead of the stars above.
My gaze was locked on her and the way the moonlight splashed over her black hair, turning into a waterfall of ink. Her head was tilted back as she laughed, and her red lips parted, full and kissable, catching the soft glow of the night. Even her eyes were burning a deep red as they met mine.
Fates, I couldn’t look away from her even if I wanted to.
“I love your laugh more than anything,” I croaked.
“I thought we came here to stargaze,” she teased me, turning back to look at me with a bright smile.
“We did.” I smiled so hard my cheeks ached. “But I found something even better to gaze at.”
She giggled, shaking her head as she turned her face back toward the cosmos—but I didn’t. My starlight wasn’t light years away. She was right in front of me, smiling, burning just for me in this moment.
“I meant to ask you about Sabine’s daughter,” she asked suddenly, snuggling closer again. I inhaled her caramel scent greedily as she did. “Rune Bloodwyne, right?”
“Yes.” I nodded, trying to focus more on what she was asking. “I know little about her. She has a special power that has to do with venom and poison, and she’s rumored to be stronger than her mother. Her parents are very protective of her, but that’s really all I know. Why? Is there something wrong with her?”
“No. Nothing like that.” She shook her head. “Her soul is good, but it’s incomplete in a gaping kind of way.”
“Like she’s going to have fated mates?” I furrowed my brows.
“Yes, a few. It’s almost like her mates will calm her chaos a bit.” She shook her head with another giggle. “I liked her. She seemed really nice.”
“She’s got a reputation for being eccentric, from what I’ve heard, but I’m glad you like her.” I held her tighter as I heard footsteps in the distance. I turned, but there was nothing there. I wasn’t stupid enough to think it was nothing. “Do you think you’ll be okay with the next ritual sabotage?”
“Of course,” she promised, the thirst for vengeance burning through her at the mention of it.
