“How does that feel, little vixen?”
My fingers laced into his long hair, mussing it as I gripped it tightly. I bucked against his face shamelessly, enjoying the building sensation. I moaned loudly, unable to stop myself as he fucked me mercilessly.
Another knock at the door, this time louder than the last.
Kalen growled, pulling away. “Go away! We’re busy!” I attempted to pull him back, but the five words that sounded from the other side of the door stopped us both.
“Matthew and Eva are back.”
Chapter5
Eva
From the moment we landed on the outskirts of the city proper, unease settled in the pit of my stomach. Suddenly, it did not feel right to be here.
Without Erina. My sister.
The soft gray of dawn was a silent offering. A cool breeze hugged me tightly, welcoming me back home. Clutching my cloak tightly, I nearly stumbled over the rocky stone leading to the palace. As we stepped through the main gate, I tossed my hood back and bared my face to the chill. It was impossible not to note how the sentries’ eyes widened ever so slightly before they both bowed deeply.
Towering white doors stood before us, taunting me. I felt hollow, staring at the ornate silver designs inlaid within them—vines wrapped around the stone pillars of the palace, intertwining above the doorway. Flowers should have been in full bloom, but there was no joy to behold here. The vines were barren.
Wrong. This all felt sowrong. And I knew once I stepped inside, there would be no room for me to fall apart. I needed to be strong, to put on a brave face, becoming a beacon of hope and strength for my people—for my family.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Matthew asked, placing a hand on the small of my back in a show of comfort. I looked at him, noting how the muted light set off a halo around his dark features. We had spent the last few hours making love all around the little cottage, soaking up those precious few moments, knowing everything would change as soon as we came back. For the first time in days, I felt hope for the future, our friends, and our family.
How lucky was I to love this man? To be lovedbyhim?
He furrowed his brows, opening his mouth to repeat his question, but I nodded, sucking in a deep breath before stepping toward the doors. They swung open slowly, groaning as the iron hinges turned.
We stepped inside to find an eerie stillness. Our footsteps echoed off the shining marble floor, bouncing back from the colossal walls surrounding us. If I assumed it was quiet when Orion and Damien were running their schemes, it was nothing compared to the silence greeting us now. The blue-tinted windows beside the doors let in little light, and there were only a few low-burning torches to guide the way.
My home had turned into a tomb. A lavish resting place full of despair and longing.
I cleared my throat, wincing as the noise traveled. “I suppose we should go see my father first. To let him know we are back.” The weight of my words nearly had my knees buckling beneath me—myfather. I had hardly thought about him while I was gone, too focused on my loss and anger, but how could I not have realized what he would have been going through in my absence? He must have feared I was lost as well, with no contact and no note.
Sensing my rising panic, Matthew stepped before me and took my face in his hands. “Do not worry about anyone else, Eva. You needed this time for yourself. To come to grips with a new reality. You do not apologize for that. Not to anyone.”
“But I—” The searing look he gave me shut my mouth. Though it was dark, I could still make out the sharp features of his face. His lips thinned. Frustration flowed from him in waves, hitting our bond like a battering ram. Not at me, but at the situation.
He gripped my face harder. “No, Eva. You do not apologize.”
It was all he said, and he made it sound so simple when our situation was far from it in reality. But I nodded, taking a deep breath as he pressed a soft kiss to my brow. “I will be by your side, Princess. Do not fear the unknown. We will face it together.”
We stopped outside a thick wooden door decked with shiny black latches to keep unwanted guests out. A golden handle shimmered as I approached, one spelled to recognize a person’s presence. I placed my hand upon it, feeling the hum of magic as it trickled through my body like an old friend. The feeling was not unpleasant, but I never could get used to it—like a soft feather tracing along my skin.
When I pulled my hand back, the door sighed in recognition. One by one, each latch clicked open until the final one came undone. I stepped forward, my hand pushing on the worn wood until I could peer inside. It was dark, but the faintest trickle of light was coming through a curtained window at the far side of the room.
“Is there anyone you would like me to alert, sir?” The sentry looked warily at Matthew, no doubt sensing the predator beneath his skin.
My mate bowed his head. “If you do not mind, I would like to speak with Kalen Drake and Renai Saveq. Would you be so kind as to inform them of our return?”
“And Luka,” I added, looking over my shoulder. “Please bring Luka Eryx as well. If anything, alert him first, and he can hunt down Kalen and Renai.”
The sentry bowed deeply to both of us before hurrying away, only stopping at the end of the hall to peek behind him.
Matthew laughed. “I could not tell if he was more frightened of me or of you and your absolutely disarming charm.”
“Charm?” I echoed, quirking an eyebrow. “I only asked him to find Luka first.”
