“Come, my mate.” He dematerialized them.
Can we stop at the cliffs first?Leya telepathed him.
Don’t you want to see your sire?
Just for a few minutes, please.
A moment later, they reformed on the grassy plateau. Leya slipped off her shoes, set them aside, and tramped to the cliff’s edge, stopping a foot from the drop as the winds tugged at her clothes. Inhaling deeply, she shut her eyes, and his warmth seeped into her through their mate bond, a calming wave.
“Better?” he asked from her side.
She opened her eyes and scrunched her face wryly. “I’m sorry. I just needed a moment.”
“I know everything is overwhelming, but we rarely have these kinds of gatherings unless it’s a state of emergency. Or, by some miracle, Daén finds his mate,” he drawled.
She laughed, tucking away the windblown strands of hair from her face. She glanced at the undulating sea when something else resurfaced. Oh shit!
She pivoted, grabbing onto her flying scarf. “Aerén, I think I have a power!”
He nodded. “I know.”
“No, no, not the Siphon one, another.” Her heart thudded as she recalled what occurred. “I flashed, I mean, I was walking the gardens the day of the island incident, and I saw the beach in the distance. I don’t know, maybe I willed myself there or something—because suddenly I was there.”
“That’s amazing.” He grinned. “It’s likely when Aethan brought you back, and with a power like his, aye, anything is possible. I’ll teach you how to summon and use your new ability…” He looked up at the overcast sky as clouds rolled in. “Before this hit, shall we go home?”
Home?“I am,” she whispered. “Wherever you are is my home.”
His tender gaze met hers. “As are you, Leya. I never knew that was what I needed until I met you. The foundation was tough. You aren’t easy, my love, but the end result?” He shook his head. “It’s all I desire. You are everything.”
Man, he sure knew how to steal her breath and make her want to bawl. She grabbed his coat lapels, pulled him down to her, and kissed him.
Ready to go back? No longer overwhelmed?
She laughed and groaned against his mouth.I’m fine now.
I’ll be there for you, Leya mea.Always.
Yes, he would.
And he had been, right from the very beginning.
The end, for now…
