He cupped my face, his thumb brushing my lower lip. “You have no idea how perfect you are.”
Kastiel pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply, tasting himself on my tongue. When he tore his mouth from mine, his patience was gone. He ripped the nightie from my body with a low growl of appreciation. Then he settled between my thighs, hard and ready, but he waited, his eyes locked on mine.
“You set the pace this time,” he reminded me.
I guided him to my entrance. As he slowly pushed inside me, stretching me with that perfect fullness, I let my aura flow into him, mingling with his shadows. The outcome was different from when we battled side by side. The desire between us exploded into an inferno.
Pleasure crashed over us in waves, unlike anything I had ever felt before. Our hips met on every thrust, and when we finally came together, my power wrapped around us both.
And with Kastiel looking at me like I was his entire world, I finally felt empowered to embrace every part of who I was.
14
KASTIEL
When I woke, Isolde lay curled against my chest, her breathing slow and even, one leg draped over mine. Her aura brushed against me in smooth waves as she slept, with no sign of the erratic crackling. We hadn’t branded each other yet, but the bond between us felt like a living current that made every inch of my skin aware of her. I could feel her contentment and the quiet strength she was only beginning to trust.
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, my arm tightening around her waist. Last night had changed everything. She finally let herself feed, and in doing so, she had healed something inside both of us. My demon purred at the memory, possessive and deeply satisfied.
She stirred, her emerald eyes blinking open to meet mine. A shy, pleased smile curved her lips.
“Morning,” she whispered, her voice still husky from sleep and everything we’d done.
“Morning, little spark.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “How do you feel?”
“Better than I expected,” she admitted, nestling closer. “My aura feels like it finally knows where it belongs.”
Before I could gloat, a sharp pulse of magic rippled through the room—Adan’s personal summons, urgent and impossible to ignore.
Isolde tensed. “What is that?”
“Let me check with Adan.”
What’s happening?
His reply filled me with anger.
The Council representative is back.
I sat up and pulled her with me, explaining the situation. Her face paled, but she reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly. “They’re going to demand you send me away again, aren’t they?”
“Probably.” I stood, my demon already rising close to the surface. Shadows coiled at my feet, restless and hungry. The thought of anyone trying to take her from me sent a surge of possessive fury through my veins, but I kept my tone calm for her sake. “They can demand whatever they want. We face them together. You’re my fated mate, and you’re not going anywhere.”
Isolde searched my face for a moment, then her aura flared with quiet determination. The velvety lightning that now lived in her power brushed against me like a promise.
“Together,” she echoed.
I dressed quickly, then helped her into a simple but elegant black dress The Abyss had provided. She looked every inch the powerful demon she was becoming.
When we stepped into the hallway, I kept her hand firmly in mine, my shadows curling protectively around us both.
The Abyss made its position clear the moment we stepped into the conference room.
Comfortable, high-backed chairs of dark leather waited for Adan, Calliope, Isolde, and me. They were positioned together on one side of the long table like a united front. The single chair left for the Council representative had transformed into something medieval and cruel—with iron spikes along the backand cold manacles dangling from the arms. It radiated with a threat that wasn’t subtle.
The same demon who had delivered the earlier ultimatum stiffened visibly when he saw it. His lips thinned, but he perched on the edge of the chair anyway, refusing to show weakness.
Adan and Calliope were already present, their expressions calm but unyielding. Her hand rested protectively over the swell of her belly, while his gaze held quiet steel.
