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His fear was a small thing, huddled in the back of his mind.

But above everything else, I sensed the affection he had for me, the heated desire, and the supreme joy of what was to eventually come, should all the stars align.

I pulled away from his chest, teeth receding as I licked over the bleeding mark, even as it throbbed in tune with the one on my neck, a feeling that echoed over my heart in the way we shared our bond. I didn’t need to ask what he was thinking.

I knew.

Kisses, passion, hungry breaths, and growls of need all dissolved into sweat and bliss as we curled against one another in bed.

“No regrets, really?” I asked, nuzzling his mark with a sleepy little yawn.

“None.” Zeke rested a hand on my belly once more, pure thrill and curiosity tinting our bond. He nuzzled my neck and leaned to my ear for a whisper. “And I’ll totally get a taste once your milk comes in.”

Houston. We have liftoff.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Zeke

We rolled into the library that morning, having beat Jess there.

Isa greeted us with a hesitant expression that melted into relief when I gave her a reassuring smile. Maybe a little smarmy? I wasn’t certain.

“How are you feeling, Alexei?” Isa approached with hands outstretched.

“A little nervous, thirsty, hormonal…” Lex offered her a shrug that she reciprocated with a serious nod.

“I can imagine. Feels a little cathartic, I’ll be honest. Finally, men know our plight!” She grinned, and Lex’s brow furrowed.

“Isa, have you ever even been with a man before?” I pinned her with my most withering stare, one that chastened her when she was younger.

She blinked a few times and shrugged. “No. But it was a fantastic reason to avoid penises.”

“Right.” I walked through her and went about my business, giving my mind a break from the oncoming struggle.

As I returned to my work area, I stared at the bin by my door and sighed heavily. A quick leaf through it told me that every single book in that pile was dangerous. Fuck my morning.

***

A chill ran down my spine as the door to my office opened, a shadow standing in the doorway. A short male with rounded spectacles and shoulder-length hair in a style that had never been in fashion stared at me. Hair an infinite black and eyes a hypnotic blue—unremarkable but unmistakable.

“Mesmer,” I said by way of greeting as I closed the book I was documenting and stood, dodging a spit of fire as the dragon in the book took offense.

“Zeke.” His flat voice matched the trim plainness of his attire and bored expression as he sidled over to sit atop my desk. He crossed his slender legs, tilted his head, and reached over to rest his pale fingers over the cover of my book. “You know why I’m here.” The crisp black wool of his outfit nearly crunched as it moved by dint of the starch involved in its pristine press.

“I do.” I gave him my full attention, feeling woefully underdressed in his presence. Since his promotion, he’d lost all sense of humor. “I apologize if this is awkward for you.”

“Not at all. I am intrigued. We had our fun while it lasted.” Mesmer reached over to brush his hand over mine in an intimate gesture that had lost all emotion between us. His nails, the only unprofessional part of his appearance, had been painted a matte black that extended over the tips of his fingers as if each of his digits had been a match stricken and burned down.

I didn’t recoil from his touch or outright reject him, but I did flinch, earning a raised, perfect brow. “I’m not here to seduce you. Relax.” His metered voice ensnared my mind like a trap as he reached out to cup his fingers beneath my chin and tug, looking down at me with those violently blue eyes.

“I know. It’s—there’s some sort of bond in place between Lex and me. It is possessive.” I flinched again as his grasp slithered over my hand and clenched my wrist. His other hand reached into my face and fingers snapped, a spark flashing before my eyes as I became ensnared in his gift.

I froze in place, unable to move. “Stopped in his tracks. Spill your guts. The tea is hot. Let the cat out of the bag.”

Idioms. Fuck. Some archivists had the gift, and Mesmer was one of them. An archivist first and carmine second. Though, he’d driven his gift out of a book and molded it to fit the specific nature of a carmine.

And because I was bound, I opened my mouth and spoke the truth: how my body had changed, how the crush I’d developed had grown into a desperation to love, and how easy it had been. How sweet and innocent Lex was.