“God, you’re beautiful,” she whispered.
He grinned at her, wide and joyful. “I think that’s my line, baby.”
And she couldn’t help but grin back. This was her James. Still a little dark. Still carrying scars. But he was finding his way back. Finding moments of happiness. And it filled her heart.
He climbed over her and settled his weight between her legs. His mouth found hers, and he tasted of musk and sunshine. He tasted of her and of him. Of them. And there was no better feeling in the world than to have James over her, all his strength, all his attention concentrated entirely on her.
Riley wrapped her legs around his hips, winding a coil of her Shadow around his cock. He groaned into her mouth as she squeezed him, gliding her Shadows slowly down his length before guiding him to her entrance. He notched himself there, teasing them both until she tightened her legs and dragged him inside.
She ran her hands over his back, luxuriating in the warmth of his skin, the way his scent wrapped around her, the way his Shadows held her, and the connection between their bodies as he began to move.
At first, it was a dance, an easy glide, words of shared joy murmured between kisses, their Shadows dipping and whirling around them.
But the pressure grew. Heated pleasure slowly returned, and her breathing picked up once more. Their voices grew hoarse, their words more mumbled. James panted against her neck, thrusting more heavily. Faster and harder.
Riley clung to him, holding his body as he drove into hers. “I love you, James.” She needed to say it as much as he needed to hear it.
“I love you too.”
Their Shadows wove and merged. Sky-blue and jade-green threaded together into one glorious, limitless whole. The world expanded as every part of her was filled with light and warmth. Joy and ecstasy.
Her body tightened, building up to an even greater explosion. She closed her teeth over James’s shoulder, needing him inside every part of her.
He growled, his movements becoming jerky as his own climax grew, and then his Shadows were back, sliding between them to find her clit, wrap around it, and tug. Riley exploded. Her arms clenched around James as she clung to him, holding him deep inside her as he soared over the edge just behind her. And they flew together.
He collapsed on top of her, inside her, skin slick and heated. The room was heavy with their scent, surrounding her like his Shadows.
And it was perfect.
Eventually, their breathing slowed, and they started to cool. James shifted onto his side, tucking her in against him as he pulled a blanket up to cover them both. Finally, they had time. They had forever.
Riley pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles, then let his hand settle between her breasts, up under her chin. James rubbed his cheek over the top of her head before settling onto the pillow.
They didn’t speak, but they didn’t need to. He was hers, and she was his. They could do anything. Be anything. Because they would always do it together.
Epilogue
October 31– Samhain - Wales
The final rays of light spread out over the surrounding hills, the wind-swept autumn grasses, and the glacier-hewn peaks in the distance while the rumpled surface of Llyn y Fan Fach gleamed in peach, gold, and orange.
James leaned back on his hands, his legs spread out over the blanket, as stars began to emerge and slowly brighten in the darkening sky. His arm was nestled around Riley, holding her tight against his side, and her hair danced in the breeze, tickling against his neck.
A little way along the ridge, Kay, Ethan, Zach, and Emma watched the sunset, and behind them, Elizabeth and David chatted quietly with Bryn.
Riley laughed at something Kay said, and James could feel the warmth between them. In the months since Gordon’s death, Riley, Emma, and Kay had become staunch friends. It was clear in the support they gave each other, the way they lifted each other and laughed together.
They’d forged their sisterhood in blood and were now growing it in kindness and respect. And their Shadows had never forgotten that they were linked. Somehow, through their sheer loyalty and determination, through choosing each other and standing together, they’d created a powerful triad.
With the collapse of the Council, several Circles had broken apart, and Kay had invited their members to join the London Circle—which now extended for miles—and she’d invited the other two women to help her oversee it all.
He dipped his head to press a kiss to Riley’s hair, and she cuddled deeper into his side. God. How had he gotten so lucky? How had he found himself in a world where such a talented, courageous, open-hearted woman would be his?
He didn’t know how it was possible, but he would be grateful for the rest of his life.
The wind ruffled the grasses, and a bat squeaked in the air above them, perhaps already looking for a safe winter roost. The breeze was cold, and the sky was clear. The temperature would fall fast. They’d brought thick blankets and wrapped up in warm coats. But even so, he was doubly glad of Riley’s warmth beside him, her voice a soothing melody while her Shadows rested softly intertwined with his.
James had never known peace like this. Or such awe. The beauty of the land around him, the beauty of the woman beside him, knowing he was loved, that he had a family he had chosen—and who had chosen him in return—was more than he could ever have imagined.
