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A husky laugh tumbles out of him. Surprised. Wrecked.

When he moves, it’s careful, then less careful, then not careful at all.

One hand slides under the small of my back and lifts me, finding new ground that has me arching into him. Everywhere we touch, he’s cool, and I’m blistering. I say something against his throat. No clue what. Too caught up in the pressure building as we move together.

He answers, low and frayed. “Elle.”

I open my eyes. His are bottomless, and he looks at me the way he looks at the aurora.

“Stay with me.”

I don’t know if he means in this moment or for always, but right now, I don’t care.

When I come apart, his name is the only word I have left. His arms lock around me, and he follows with his face buried against my throat.

He’s still again. No heaving chest, no racing heart. He holds himself there while my heart gallops hard enough for the both of us.

Chapter 35

Ellery

Nick’s twisted in my sheets, head on the pillow, eyes closed. His chest doesn’t move. Under all that stillness, he might be asleep, but there’s no way to tell.

Nick is in my bed.

Naked.

Carefully, so I don’t wake him, I lift the covers so I can see all of him in broad daylight and be sure this is real life.

“You’re objectifying me while I sleep.” His eyes stay shut.

“I was checking you were still there.”

“Under the blanket.”

“It’s a thorough check.”

“Right.” The corner of his mouth twitches. “If you get to check, then so do I.”

He dives under the covers and kisses his way across my stomach.

I’m laughing so hard my ribs hurt. “Stop, stop, please.”

He comes up for air and pulls me to his chest.

“For now.”

With my head resting in the crook of his shoulder, I trace the raised scar over the spot where his heart would be. He flinches, and I move my exploration elsewhere.

“What does it mean?” I ask, running my finger over the tattoo on his left forearm. It looks like half a compass rose and half a sun surrounded by circles and moon phases.

“It’s the Valzera clan crest. We get it before we take our Rites, so it stays with us after we transition.” He lifts the corner of the blanket and smirks. “What about you? I didn’t see any tattoos last night, but maybe I should check again.”

I laugh. “No, I don’t have any.”

“Hungry?”

“Famished.” I tip my face up to look at him. “And you? Do you need to…feed? Is that the right term?”