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My hand slides between her legs, finding her already slick and warm. I stroke her, circling her clit with my thumb while two fingers ease inside her. She rocks against my hand, breathing my name like a prayer in the dark.

“For the next two days,” I say, twisting my fingers in a way that makes her whimper, “I’m going to fuck you every chance I get. Explore every part of your body until I know it better than my own. When you walk, you’re going to ache with the memory of what it felt like to have me stretching you out. You’re going to be tired, exhausted, wondering when I’m going to be finished with you, and the answer is never. Learn that now. I will never get tired of you, my sexy Daughter of Darkness. You belong to me from now until we cross the veil.”

“I’ll be here every day. I promise, Daddy.”

When I finally push inside her, it’s slow and deep–one long, careful slide until I’m buried to the hilt. We both groan at the feeling. I stay there for a moment, savoring the tight, wet heat of her wrapped around me, before I begin to move.

Our pace is slow and intimate, bodies pressed close, skin sliding against skin. I rock into her with deep, rolling thrusts, grinding against her clit with every stroke. Arianette’s legs wrap around my waist, heels digging into my lower back as she meets me thrust for thrust. Her hands roam my back, nails lightly scraping down my skin. I kiss her again, slower this time, tongue lazily stroking against hers. When I pull back, I rest my forehead against hers, breathing the same air.

“Thank you,” I whisper against her lips, the words slipping out raw and honest in the quiet dark. “Thank you for coming for me.”

Her breath catches. She tightens around me, eyes glistening as she pulls me down into another deep kiss. Her hips move faster, chasing release. I follow her lead, thrusting deeper, harder, but still tender. When she comes, it’s with a soft, broken cry–her body trembling beneath me, pulsing around my cock. The feeling drags me over the edge right behind her. I bury myself deep and groan her name as I spill inside her, long, powerful pulses that leave me shaking.

We stay locked together afterward, breathing hard, bodies slick with sweat. I roll to the side and pull her against my chest, holding her close. She nuzzles into me, pressing a soft kiss over my scar.

“Always,” she says quietly, breath hot on my skin. “I’ll always come back for you, just like you always come for me.”

27

Arianette

Jace is waiting for me just outside the dance studio, leaning against the brick wall with his eyes glued to his phone. He’s typing rapidly with one thumb, a small smirk playing on his lips. The late afternoon sun catches the sharp lines of his face as he straightens when he sees me.

“Hey, Baroness,” he says, sliding his phone into his pocket. “How’d it go in there today?”

“Intense,” I laugh, adjusting the strap of my dance bag. “Madame Duval is determined to make that final spin sequence perfect. I think I finally nailed the timing, though.”

We fall into step together as we head toward the SUV. Jace pulls his phone back out almost immediately, glancing down at the screen again with a half-smile.

“Crypt chaser?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, her name is Lena. She’s been texting me nonstop since the last Fury. Look at this.” He tilts the phone toward me so I can read the latest message. “She said she ‘loves watching me fight’ and asked if I wanted to ‘grab coffee sometime and talk about technique.’” He makes air quotes with his free hand. “You think she’s actually interested, or is she just another girl trying to get close to the inner circle?”

“I don’t know much about dating,” I admit, leaning in to read the full exchange. “But it sounds like she’s interested. If she was just into a hook-up I don’t think she’d ask for a coffee date.”

“True.”

“Can I see her picture?”

He swipes his thumb across the screen and pulls up a photo of a redhead. “Oh, she’s cute. And wearing all her clothes,” I point out. “I think she’s safe.”

Jace rubs the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically unsure for a second. “You sure? I don’t want to waste my time if she’s just chasing status.”

“Isn’t that one of the perks of being in BRN?” I ask, nudging his shoulder. “Having girls interested in you because you’re in an exclusive group? The fact that she’s double-texting and asking personal questions? She’s interested.”

He pockets the phone again with a satisfied smirk. “Okay, I’ll see if she wants to meet tomorrow.”

Surprisingly, Jace is excellent company for the rest of the walk to the car. He asks real questions about the recital–what the piece means to me, how it feels to perform something so personal in front of the entire school. I tell him about the nerves and the excitement, and he listens like he actually cares.

When we finally pull up to the house, I spot Hunter’s truck already parked out front. Jace drops me off at the bottom of the steps with a respectful nod.

“See you later, Baroness. And thanks for the dating advice.”

“Any time.”

I wave goodbye and head in, dropping my dance bag on the floor near the entrance with a heavy sigh of relief. Even though being in Timothy’s family home is new to me and we’re only here for a few more days, I feel comfortable here. I walk into the main sitting room and find Damon and Hunter leaning over the large oak table, both focused on a sprawling set of old city blueprints.

I don’t say anything at first. I just go to them.