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“Knox MacAllen, I chose you, and I’d do it again. I love you, dammit. I love you something awful.” Leaning up, I laid my lips to his, kissed him with everything I had in me, and for the first time spoke directly into my Mate’s mind. “Do you hear me, Dead Guy? I love. You."

Apparently, that was all the encouragement he needed because from one heartbeat to the next, Knox removed his fingers from my body, replaced them with his erection, and started a slow, steady rhythm that damn near drove me mad.

Never one to lay back and let someone else drive, so to speak, I grabbed my man’s shoulders, wrapped my legs around his wonderfully muscled ass, and started pushing us faster and faster. My heart soared when Knox met me thrust for thrust, and then the most amazing thing happened.

A flash of heat, a pop of light, and the Mating Bond I shared with Knox flared wide, flooding every open place between us. My heart and soul were laid open for the man the Universe made for me. Everything my mom and grandmother had ever told me about finding my One True Fated Mate was true.

They hadn’t just been blowing pink sparkles up my ass. Who knew?

And there was no time for reflection.

My orgasm came over me like the waves of a tsunami crashing over the sand. Every push and pull of our bodies sent a whole new set of tremors through my core, extending my orgasm until little black dots danced before my eyes.

Just when I was sure I would pass out, Knox placed his lips on the pulse in my neck and whispered directly into my mind, “Today we are one. Today we are Mates. I love you, Maisie MacDonald-MacAllen, now and forever.”

With the words still floating through my mind, he added, “May I mark you as my Mate?”

“Yes,” I panted. “Yes, Knox MacAllen. Yes…ahhhhhhhhhhhh…”

The feel of his canines gently piercing my neck as his erection moved in and out of me was sensory overload at its finest. Blown away with yet another orgasm, I wanted Knox to be there with me.

Pulling back from his bite, he lifted his chest. His hands slammed down on the mattress on either side of my head, bracing himself over me as he speared me with a look that was all fire, passion, and a man in love.

My muscles jumped and shivered. My body quivered, and with one last thrust, Knox and I came together, shouting our love to the Heavens.

After several minutes of regaining our wits and remembering how to breathe, Knox rolled onto his back, and I settled across his chest. I had no idea how much time had passed, but I did know I had something to say.

Propping my chin on my hand that was over his heart, I threw my messy mass of hair over my shoulder and squinted my eyes.

“What’s that look for?” Knox asked, his voice rough and raspy from yelling.

"It's just…"

“It’s just what?”

“Well, it’s just that, well, you’re not half bad for a Dead Guy.”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than Knox burst out laughing.

Not his tiny mouth twitch. Not one rough breath. A real laugh. A belly-buster, as my dad would have called it.

All I could do was stare. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. I was gobsmacked.

And apparently, I took a little too long to regain my wits because he stopped. Furrowed his brow. And asked, “What?”

And then I knew.

I had painted Arrhythmia before I understood what I was seeing.

Cages. Shadows. A sphere pulsing with trapped Magic. All of it warning me before I knew how to listen.

“I know exactly what I want to paint next.” I smiled.

“Yeah?”

“Yep…”

Knox MacAllen in sunlight.