Mine. She was mine now completely. The realization hit harder now. Eva watched me carefully for one long second before stepping closer.
“You’re staring again.”
Because she was beautiful. Because silver fire reflected across her skin like the kingdom itself had marked her sacred. Because I could still feel my true name wrapped around her soul now. And because I could not stop touching her anymore apparently.
She noticed the exact moment my attention dropped toward the glowing mating marks near her collarbone. Then very intentionally, she reached up and loosened one silver clasp holding the ceremonial fabric around her shoulders.
The heavy material slipped lower instantly. My thoughts stopped functioning properly.
Eva’s mouth twitched slightly.
“You do look emotionally constipated.”
I crossed the room before she finished the sentence. One hand caught her waist hard enough to pull her directly against me while the other pressed against the wall beside her head. The silver flames around the chamber reacted instantly. Shadows curled violently across the ceiling.
And my wife just smiled innocently.
“You did that on purpose.”
“Yes.”
The mischief in her eyes betrayed her innocent smile. And that made it worse.
She reached for the ceremonial collar around my throat before dragging me down toward her mouth hard enough to make the bond flare painfully hot through my chest. The kiss turned dangerous. Her hands sliding into my hair while my grip tightened instinctively against her waist.
The bond reacted violently every time she touched me. Especially when she whispered softly against my mouth:
“Kaelith.”
The room nearly shook. I buried my face briefly against her neck with a low curse. Eva laughed softly under her breath.
She actually laughed. But the sound of her laughter made my chest feel full.
“You like hearing it.”
That was not the point. Unfortunately the bond betrayed me by flooding warmth straight through her. Traitorous magic.
Her smile widened instantly afterward.
“Oh my God.”
“This bond is deeply invasive.”
“It’s hilarious.”
Rude.
Then she pushed me backward hard enough that I stumbled against the edge of the enormous black bed behind us. Eva stepped between my knees afterward while her fingers loosened the ceremonial chains across my chest piece by piece.
“You know,” she murmured thoughtfully while sliding another silver clasp free, “for someone terrifying, you react very dramatically when I say your full name.”
I caught her wrist instantly before she could pull away. Then dragged her directly into my lap hard enough to steal the breath from both of us. Eva made a soft startled sound against my mouth before kissing me back even harder afterward.
The bond pulsed violently again. Need crashed through me hard enough to blur thought completely while her fingers tightened against the back of my neck.
No distance left now. No separation between us anymore. Just her everywhere. Her breath. Her mouth. Her heartbeat echoing directly through the bond.
Eva shifted slightly against me and my grip flexed hard at her waist instinctively. The reaction pulled a quiet breath from her lips. And coherent thought became significantly less available.
