I hid my smile.
Then he walked closer to me while a silver firelight moved across his face. And there it was again. That stupid heartbeat moment. Like my entire body still recognized him before my brain caught up. It was absolutely humiliating at this point.
“You’re staring,” I informed him.
“You’re beautiful.”
“That line should stop working eventually.”
“It won’t.”
God. I blushed harder. I grabbed the front of his shirt the second he reached the bed and pulled him down hard enough to steal the next sentence directly from his mouth. Much better. Lucien kissed like he did everything else completely, confidently, like he already knew I’d meet him halfway. Which I did. Immediately.
His hands slid around my waist pulling me straight into his lap while the bond between us warmed soft and familiar now instead of overwhelming.
Home. Somehow, despite everything, that was what he had become to me. Not Hell and not the palace. Just him.
The realization still caught me off guard sometimes. Lucien brushed his nose lightly against mine before murmuring softly:
“You’re thinking again.”
“That accusation feels aggressive.”
“You get angry when you think too hard.”
“I have literally never been furious once in my life.”
The bond instantly betrayed me. Warmth slammed straight through him hard enough that he started laughing against my neck.
Traitorous magic.
I buried my face dramatically against his shoulder. “I hate this bond.”
“No you don’t.”
Honestly? No. I really didn’t.
Then violent pounding erupted against the chamber doors again. Both of us groaned. A terrified servant burst inside two seconds later.
“Your Highnesses, the shadow creatures reached the council chambers.”
Silence settled over the room for exactly one second before another explosion echoed from somewhere deep inside the palace.
I looked toward my husband.
“…What exactly did you summon?”
Lucien considered this seriously.
Then: “They may have learned teamwork.”
