“I am infatuated with you,” Valen says softly. “The way you take care of those around you, the way you fiercely protect me, and the way you bravely charge through life. It all warms my heart. I thought my life was over when I was rotting in that cell. After Celine saved me, I found you, and you are wortheverything.” He cradles my face in his hands, holding me like I’m his entire world, and from what he says, maybe I am.
My eyes water and I grasp his wrist. “Don’t say that, please. What you went through was horrendous. If time were reversed and you could choose differently, wouldn’t you choose to avoid it?” I shake my head in disbelief, but he holds me tighter. I can’t imagine enduring years, centuries it seems, of torture just to end up here with me.
“No. You want to know why?” He waits for me to make eye contact with him. “Everything happens for a reason. I went through hell and back while in captivity, but I never would’ve known what happened to my sister and I would not have met you had I not fallen. I can’t imagine continuing life without those two things. Knowing you’re at the end of any hell I might endure, I would choose to go through it every time.” He nuzzles my cheek and pulls me in for a hug. Burrowing into his chest, I inhale his masculine scent and squeeze him tightly.
“I’m so proud of how far you’ve come,” I praise, voice muffled by his shirt. “I know your trauma willalways be a part of you, but being in crowds, accepting touch”—I pull back—“You’ve come such a long way. We’re still working on the contractions, though.” Winking, I place a hand on his chest and press down. The flour I have on my palm leaves a mark, and I beam. “Now you’re marked as mine.”
Valen retaliates before I can track his movements and places two flour-covered hands on my butt. “Consider yourself claimed.” He nips my neck and chaos ensues.
We toss flour at each other, and it makes a huge powdery cloud. I laugh at how ridiculous it is but don’t stop. I make for his butt with flour filled hands, but he snags me so my back is to him. Wiggling my hands out, I manage to grab him from behind right when he places his palms over my breasts.
“You bastard,” I squeak out when he drifts long fingers down and tickles my sides. “Okay, I give up!” Gasping for breath, I slump against him, and he takes pity on me by stopping the tickle attack.
Valen hauls me over to the floor-length mirror in the living room to take in my appearance. My hair is a chaotic pink mess. Clothes rumpled and dirty, cheeks flushed, I radiate happiness and look like a well-loved woman. Valen’s handprints litter my body, and he looks much the same with my much smaller handprints on his clothes.
“Look at us,” I laugh. “Who would’ve thought? An angel vampire and a witchy human. We sound like some cheesy romance novel. I guess the saying is accurate—the truth really is stranger than fiction.”
“We’d sell millions.” He kisses the side of my head. I soak up all the affection like a sunflower preening to the light above.
Patting his arm, I step away. “Okay, we both need to change and the dough needs to chill.” I open the bedroom door and Pom Pom comes running out with a happy bark. Valen speaks softly to him and I smile at the dynamic duo. The other day Icaught him discussing potential matching shirts with Pom Pom, showing him options on his phone. The familiar has been good for him. With his trauma, it has to be nice to have something so small and affectionate.
Swiftly changing my clothes, I come out to see Valen has changed as well. He dons sweatpants that showcase his … asset … and a T-shirt that stretches across his chest. He notices my entrance and motions toward the kitchen.
“I wrapped the dough in the stretchy plastic and put it in the fridge. The recipe said it needs an hour to chill, so I put it on the timer.”
I clap slowly and he quirks a brow. “Look at you making technology your bitch.” While slightly reluctant at first, Valen has taken to experimenting with technology around the apartment and he’s adapted surprisingly quickly.
Valen turns away bashfully, and I wonder what we should do while we wait for the dough to chill.
“Why don’t we meditate and try to pull on my powers?” I suggest. I’ve been reluctant to try again, but I know this is a task I must face. I’m useless until I unlock them.
“Let’s sit down over here, but with a bunch of pillows just in case.” We work together to create soft padding around us and assume the position we’ve found works best when we do this.
I blow out a breath and focus on our connection. The spark of my magic calls to me and I follow the tug until I visualize the tangled ball in my mind. Upon closer inspection, I see a small thread sticking out that I haven’t noticed before.
“Wait. I think what happened last time might’ve loosened it. I want to try and pull on the thread.”
“Please be careful,” Valen rumbles, and the sound of his voice helps ground me.
I swear the ball is brighter too. I’m not sure if it’s all the meditating we’ve been doing or if it’s because I’ve been moreaccepting of the fact that I’m really a witch. Closing myself off to the possibility most likely wasn’t doing any favors.
Visualizing myself standing before the ball, a jolt of fear runs through me.
This could work. It could unlock my powers. How fucking scary. What if what happened to Jade’s mom happens to Valen?
I quickly reassure myself that I don’t believe that’s possible. All the torture he’s endured has pretty much confirmed the fact that the big guy is indestructible.
In my panic, I don’t realize it, but Valen stands before me like a comforting presence in my mind. I’ve manifested him alongside me, and his simulated form grips my hand as I reach toward the writhing, sparking ball of power. I’m not sure how it happened, but I’m grateful he’s with me.
“Together,” I whisper. I feel his real-world hands tighten around mine in response.
A warmth spreads through my body, starting at my hand and traveling up my arm like a current. Valen’s hand is a welcome weight, and I feel him pull me into the shelter of his body. I continue to pull on the thread, but it resists, which frustrates me further.
“Keep going,” a deep voice sounds by my ear.
When did I end up on his lap in real life?
Both mental and physical Valen feel dangerously close, and the hard planes of his body mold to the softness of mine. The current of power seems to spark between us as we stand longer in its presence and closer together. My breath catches in my throat at the stimulation of it all. I feel my skin begin to cover in goose bumps, and my breasts suddenly feel tight under my tank top. Every breath rubs my nipples against the cloth and ignites my body. Valen’s hand slowly runs down my side to grip my hip, and I shake my head to focus on the task at hand.
