“I asked you to stay still,” he growled.
Her body filled with warmth and her eyes widened.
Shadows coiled around her body, slithering up her thighs and over her hips. They were cool against her skin, light and teasing. She whimpered as one grazed her nipple.
The shadows continued their ascent up her body and paused at her neck. Her breath quickened as a shadowy strand wrapped around her throat. Another strand continued upward, twisting around her arms until it stopped at her wrists.
“Daimon,” she begged.
A slow smile stretched across his face, admiring his work.
“Should I bring you paints to make a portrait,” said Evelina, huffing, “or are you actually going to touch me?”
But her words weakened as he stalked toward her.
Without a word, he slowly removed his shirt. Her eyes immediately fell to the scars that plagued his chest—they told stories of the pain he had endured. She wanted to kiss every scar until she replaced the memories with new ones.
He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them off, bringing her gaze to the knife tattooed across his hip. His shadows danced around her, caressing her skin as she struggled against the bindings still holding her hands above her head. He pulled her legs up around his waist, positioning himself against her and pushing in.
“Daimon,” she gasped. Tension built inside of her, her body drinking in the delicious feel of him inside of her. The shadow around her neck pulled tighter, and he chased every gasp that came out of her mouth. She met every kiss, every stroke of his tongue against hers with equal urgency. Every moan, every gasp, pushed them closer to the edge.
“You are mine, Evelina,” he rasped.
She screamed as the pressure between her thighs reached a tipping point, her vision blurring and body tightening. He groaned with her and gripped her waist, following her over the edge.
But she wasn’t ready for it to be over yet. She needed more.
He pulled back, silently reading her needs. Her arms suddenly dropped, and he stilled inside of her.
“This won’t be the only time you come for me tonight,” he said with a smile.
She was lifted off the tree, and he walked them over to the window, the rain still pounding against the pane. He set her feet on the ground and spun her around. Her palms met cold glass as she pressed her hands to it. Thunder splintered across the sky, so loud that it rattled the glass beneath her palms.
Desperation washed over her, needy and breathless. She wanted to remember every second spent with him, every touch of his hands and kiss of his lips. She watched as streaks of lightning spread through the clouds like a splintering web.
The moment she inhaled, he pushed into her again. Their breathing was jagged and quick, full of longing as the reminder sunk in that this was just a dream, that they might never see each other again.
As they fell over the edge together once more, he pulled her close to him, turning her back around.
They pressed their foreheads together, their breath melding. He reached for her hand, pressing his palm against hers—scar to scar.
“Even if the lands die, my love will remain for you.” It was a vow from him, a promise. “Until the stars collide and these wretched lands implode, my love will not falter.”
Seventy-Six
Daimon
Daimon couldn’t believehe was here with Evelina. Vidaris might have tried taking everything from him, but she couldn’t have this.
He held Evelina in front of the fire, a fuzzy blanket draped across her body as she lay on top of him. He never thought the day would come when he got to see her like this again, see her crinkle her nose when she thought too hard. She was the only thing tethering him to something good. The few glimpses he’d had of her on Harvest Moons had been the only thing keeping his head above water, reminding him there was someone who still cared about him.
His days were filled with darkness, and with every passing moment he could feel himself slipping closer to stepping into the Vale and fully giving himself over to Vidaris—if only to dull the pain. No matter how good he felt now, at the end of the night, he would have to go back to the darkness from which he came.
He shook his head. He wouldn’t taint the one night he had with Evelina with such thoughts.
“I wish you were here,” Evelina whispered. “Reallyhere. I know you’re suffering, Daimon. I can see it in your eyes.”
Daimon sighed and looked away from her, his gaze set on the leaves above. Evelina reached over and turned his face back to her. She pressed her palm against his cheek, her gaze holding his.
