“Why?” he asked in a sleep-husky voice. “I like watching you awaken. Your smile is my favorite thing in the morning…and all day long. I thank whichever Fate brought you into my life.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, overcome with emotions. “Me, too.”
He glided his fingers through her hair to caress her nape. “So, Gemma, huh?”
It took her a moment before her mind connected. “Yes. But I prefer Shadow.”
“Hmmm…it suits you, my mate.” He slung a heavy arm around her waist, dragging her against his muchwarmerbody. Since she’d fed on those dark souls, he no longer had to ice his emotions to keep the vile entities from driving him insane. He nuzzled her neck, his stubble tickling her skin.
“Nik.” She half-laughed and half-groaned, pushing at him. “I need—”
“Me.” He slid lower in that impossibly fast way of his, and with her t-shirt twisted around her waist, he rubbed his face against her tummy. More laughter burst free. “Nik, stop-stop, that’s ticklish—I’m gonna pee my pants!” She grabbed his head, her heart pumping hard against her ribs. Lord, she wanted to lose herself in him again—in his playfulness, but nature’s demands couldn’t be ignored. “I need to go.”
He sighed and flopped on his back again, his heated stare on her.
Smiling, she pressed her mouth to his then rolled out of bed with a grimace. Ugh, every bit of her ached, especially between her thighs—her man was insatiable.
She made use of the facilities, then brushed her teeth. A quick shower later, a towel wrapped around her, she walked into the dressing room and changed into gray pedal pushers and a sleeveless, white cotton top. As she buttoned the front, the familiar throbbing on her chest started. She scrunched her face, gently rubbing her sternum.
“What’s wrong?”
At Nik’s voice, she dropped her hand and spun around to see her gloriously naked mate standing a foot from her. “Nothing. You didn’t have to get up.”
“Why? You didn’t return. Pointless for me to remain in bed.” His gaze skimmed over her face. “What’s your day like?”
“I told Darci I’ll help her in the library. She still has tons of cataloging to do for Michael. But I’ll wait for you, and we can have brunch together first.”
The smile she adored, which made his dimple appear, took form, and her heart turned to mush.
He stroked her cheek. “I’d like that.”
“Oh, also…” She lifted a finger. “If you’re free during the day, I’d like to practice dematerializing. I mean, I have this ability, and I’ll need to know how to use it, right?”
He nodded. “I was going to suggest it.”
“Awesome.” Now for the most important one. “Nik?”
A dark eyebrow lifted. Ugh. Nerves coiled her stomach into a knot at what she truly wanted to ask. “Can we go to The Shelter this evening before you leave for patrol? I won’t talk to Liam,” she hastily added when he frowned. “But I have to see him, please?”
“Shadow, it’s too risky. And with the damn demon hunting you, it’s way too dangerous.”
“Not if you’re with me,” she pointed out. “You can wear your glamour, so you don’t stand out amongst the homeless. Please, Nik?” She petted his bare chest. “Just for a few minutes. I thought I’d be able to stay away until we could rescue him, but I miss him so much. I missed years of watching him grow up. And I…I need to be there tonight.”
Nik sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Her heart in her mouth, Shadow didn’t move a muscle as she waited.
Those ice-green eyes met hers. “All right, but we leave the moment I say so.” His tone brooked no argument.
“Thank you.” She hugged him. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
“I do understand,agápi.” His mouth brushed her head in a whisper of a kiss. “It’s why I do this.”
* * *
Night had settled as Nik reformed them in the narrow side street opposite The Shelter.
Shadow inhaled a steadying breath and rubbed her clammy palms down her navy, pleated skirt. The day had been a busy one, but Nik had taken time to show her how to summon her ability to dematerialize—ugh. It didn’t go as smoothly as she’d hoped, mostly because she was too anxious about this meeting. Maybe tomorrow would be better.
