“Asherah!”
Her small body tensed, and he was powerless to help her. Part of her visage faded. She jerked again and more of her body disappeared.
“Don’t leave.”
“I think,” she whispered, panting. “I think I’d like very much to find succor in you.”
Those words sent a haze spilling into his mind, his cock hardening in record time. Yessss. What he wouldn’t fucking give for that.
“Heath.”
He froze, every part of him disintegrating and slamming back together in an instant. Her voice was like a squall crashing over him and rolling him in an undertow. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think; he could only fight to remain alive.
He forced his gaze to the swirling water.
And came face to face with every fantasy he’d ever envisioned.
Asherah stood on her feet, arms wide as she sent the sea into a greater fury around her, her aquamarine eyes glowing and teeth bared.
Fucking fangs delicately covered with golden filigree. Unseelie fangs.
“How?”
She shook her head. “It matters not. Take me. Change who I am inside forever more. Break me from my prison and give me everything you have promised.”
He eyed the turbulent waters, but it wouldn’t matter. It could take his skin from his bones and it still wouldn’t stop him from having her.
Heath stepped up to the water, only a hair’s breadth separating them.
“I intend to, sorossalin.”
Glittering tears filled her eyes. “Am I?”
“My soul? Always.”
He took that final step, steeling himself against the rip of the water.
Instead, it kissed Heath with warmth, the sharp speed nothing like the soothing touch that occurred.
Her tinkering laughter met his ears as he took a breath. Under-fucking-water.
“It seems even my seas love you too.”
Even my seas love you too.
Love you … too.
Heath crashed his mouth to hers. They didn’t have time for a proper Fate, for him to take his slow, sweet time with her body and stake his claim while he was inside her. There was still a battle going on, but he savored her. She moaned, a soft sound filling his mouth as he pushed his tongue between her lips.
The taste of her in real life was better than anything he’d had in the dreams. Salty and sweet, like a candy that couldn’t decide which it wanted to be. He explored the flavor, enjoying the bite and soothe.
He’d never had anything to compare this to.
Her small fingers dug into his armor as he pinned her to him. Their hair mixed and twisted together as he watched expressions run across her face. Happiness. Desire. Need. And even a trace of fear.
She’d been so new to touching him. So fresh and sweet. While she’d had him in every way imaginable in the dreams, this was different.
This was real.
