The shadows had woven their way into him, andthey weren’t going to let go any time soon, but that was fine,because she wasn’t letting go either. And shewouldwin.
Resting her hands against his chest, she roseon her toes and kissed him. His firm lips remained rigid againsthers, but she loved the familiar taste of them.
When he didn’t respond and stayed as still asstone, Lexi knew it was because he feared hurting her, but he waswrong. She trusted him completely and wished he’d do the same.
Sliding her hands up his chest, she drapedthem around his neck and flattened herself against his bare flesh.He’d showered recently as his hair was damp when she slid herfingers through it, but then, so was hers.
The soap he’d used was heavy on his skin, buthis natural aroma of allspice sharpened as she teased his lips withher tongue. She loved that crisp, familiar scent as much as sheloved him.
When she nipped at his lip and drew it alittle way into her mouth, some of his rigidity eased. She used hertongue to ease the sting of her bite, and he released a low,throaty growl that made her toes curl.
She hadn’t started this kiss with desire inmind; she’d simply been seeking to connect with him, drive away thedarkness, and assure herself he was stillhers. But passionbuilt rapidly inside her, and she felt an answering wave of itemanating from him. Not only did she need him, but he needed hertoo.
***
The shadows within Cole released theirvise-like grasp as Lexi’s love chased them further away. Theyslithered into the farthest recesses of his soul, retreated to thedarkness where they belonged, and fled back into the night.
He would never again be separate from theshadows residing within him. But he could banish them for periodsas he embraced Lexi.
Earlier, when he first arrived at this place,the shadows creeping through the night had found him. He hadn’tcalled for them, but he’d felt them out there, and they respondedby coming to him.
And when they did, he’d welcomed them. Unableto stand his clothes rubbing against his skin, he’d pulled them offand tossed them aside as the shadows entered and surroundedhim.
Welcoming them was a slippery slope he mightnever ascend again, but they felt sofucking right.
But not even the shadows felt as right asLexi. Now, all he wanted washer.
She was the light to his darkness, thestability to his growing instability, and the love he required tochase away the frenzy growing inside him. The shadows were becominga festering, malignant entity he could neither deny nor accept, butwith her by his side, he could master them.
Pulling her closer, he bent her a littlebackward as her breath warmed his lips, her breasts pressed againsthis chest, and her body melded to his in all the right ways.Nothing had ever fit him as perfectly as she did; nothing had everamazed and captivated him as much as her.
And nothing ever would.
He relished the power the shadows gave him,but it was nothing compared to the rush of being with her. Theshadows made him more powerful, but she made him capable of doinganything.
He would never get enough of this woman, hismate, and his reason for living. One day, she would be his wife andthe mother of his children. She would stand by his side as,together, they returned all the realms to places where crueltydidn’t reign.
Cole weaved his fingers through the damp,silken tresses of her hair as he cupped the back of her head anddeepened the kiss. Her fingers dug into his nape as she gave asmall mewl and ground her hips against his.
His first instinct was to lower her to theground and take her, but stone surrounded them, and he couldn’thurt her. However, there was no way he would make it down thestairs and to whatever room Orin had given them without taking herfirst.
Grasping the bottom of her shirt, he tuggedit off and tossed it aside before reclaiming her mouth. His handsslid down the supple skin of her lower back, tracing its enticingcurve until they settled against her firm ass.
With a gentle squeeze, he held her closerbefore releasing her; he hooked his fingers into the waistband ofher pants. He pushed them down her hips and thighs before she brokeaway to shove them down further.
She stepped gracefully out and, with her toe,kicked them aside. The moonlight spilling over her didn’t bring outher glow or the silver markings, but it did emphasize the deep redof her hair and the striking green of her eyes.
As he gazed at her, his cock hardened untilit throbbed with every beat of his heart. And when he was aroundher, that beat was alotfaster.
Stepping close again, she smiled as she ran afinger down the center of his chest. She bent her head to his skinand followed her finger with her tongue as she made her waysteadily lower.
When she went to her knees before him, henearly pulled her up again. The stone couldn’t be comfortable, butshe showed no sign of it bothering her.
“The stone. Your knees.” The clippedsentences were all he could manage as anticipation raged insidehim.
“I’m fine.”
His hands settled on her shoulders to lifther, but when she gripped his shaft and her tongue caressed itshead, he froze as pleasure radiated through him.
