She looked less than convinced.
“How I could feel if we were given the chance to explore it,” I amended.
She gave me a sad smile. “Unfortunately for you, you don’t have the same freedom that I did. For the next two years, at least, the high court has the power to deny you passage through the gateway.”
My heart sank.
Then she said the last thing I was expecting. “I agree with you.”
I was lost.
Her eyes danced with something that looked very much like mischief. “I would feel much better if Axel had a member of the guard staying with him while Vai Zh’alek remains unaccounted for. I have also suggested to the high court that it might be prudent to have a more permanent liaison with the paranormal police. Perhaps this can be a trial run.” She looked at me and smiled, the sudden warmth in it taking me by surprise. “If that’s something you might be interested in?”
I couldn’t get my answer out quick enough. “Yes.”
She stood, smoothing out her clothes. “I can’t promise that they will agree to my suggestions, but I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
I had no doubt.
She paused in the doorway, glancing back at me. “If you decide to finish what Nick Parker initiated when he helped save your life, then I think I should like to officiate.” She left before I could answer, leaving me opened mouthed and staring after her.
Hope flared bright and dangerous inside me.
I prayed to the Goddess that Lady Sarhin was every bit as persuasive as she claimed to be.
Nick
I’d worked until closing at Midnight, not getting to bed until half-past four, so the knock on my door at a little after nine was wholly unwelcome. If it was Mase coming by to check up on me, yet again, I was going to murder him. I knew he wanted to make sure I was okay, but I just wanted to be left alone to wallow in my misery for a bit. Was that too much to ask?
Clinging onto the hope that I’d see Dathal again any time soon was getting harder as the days passed, and I found myself rubbing that spot on my chest more and more.
I ached with the need to see him, to touch him, to talk to him.
It fucking sucked, and the only living things I wanted to be around right now were currently trying to trip me up as I made my way to the door.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered as Satan dashed between my legs so quickly that I almost took a header into the wall. What the hell was wrong with them?
I was still grumbling when I opened the door, glaring down at Bee as he fought to get past me. “Look, Mase, I appreciate—Dathal.”
In the almost four weeks since I’d seen him last, I’d forgotten just how beautiful he was. Bathed in morning sunlight, he positively glowed with life. Words caught in my throat, my eyes welling up because…fuck. “I can’t believe you’re here,” I whispered, finally finding my voice. “How?When?I don’t…”
Dathal laughed, the sound so wonderful I grinned at him through my tears. “I’ll explain everything later,” he said, moving into my space. My cats rubbed up against his legs before trotting off down the hall. Of course they’d known who was at the door.
He slipped his arms around my waist, backing me up against the wall. “I’ve been dreaming of this ever since I woke up.”
He kissed me, and it was as though the last four weeks had never happened, like we’d never been apart. I pulled him close, opening my mouth under his as my magic surged to the surface, reaching out for his.
And found it.
This time it was far from weak.
Powerful and demanding, it twined with Dathal’s, connecting us on a base level that felt so right my heart clenched behind my ribs and I gasped. Heat flooded my body, sliding through my veins until I felt alive in a way only Dathal could illicit.
We should probably talk, Goddess knew there was plenty we had to discuss, but any rational thoughts that remained were quickly chased away with every stroke of Dathal’s tongue against mine.
I wanted him.
Wanted to explore every inch of his glorious body and light him up inside, like he’d done to me every time we’d been together.
