“She would be honored,” I said earnestly. “My family takes our legacyveryseriously. It’s the reason we fight so hard. Not for the Assembly’s politics, and certainly not for their approval, but to ensure that the culture we brought with us survives. It’s literally all we have left as a species.”
I took another sip of my tea, staring down into the dark liquid for a moment. “My father and his shield team understand that better than anyone. They’ve been active on the front lines for over thirty years. They’re legendary in their own right.”
“Thirty years?” Jupiter looked astonished. “I didn’t realize shield teams stayed active that long. At Dominion, they made it sound like most warriors burn out or die before they hit forty.”
“Many do. The attrition rate is brutal. But my father’s team is exceptional. Still, even the best can’t fight forever. Magic takes a toll on the physical body over time. They’re actually about to retire in a year or so.”
“Wow. That’s a huge milestone.” She tilted her head, studying me with a look that made my pulse thud a little heavier. “How do you feel about that? About them stepping down?”
I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a slow exhale. “Proud, mostly. They’ve earned their rest tenfold. But it also means the mantle passes fully to us. When my father’s shield retires, Stardust is expected to step up and take their place. The expectations are massive.”
I shifted my knee, deliberately allowing it to brush against hers this time. I didn’t pull away.
“You guys can handle it,” Jupiter said. She didn’t pull her knee away either. In fact, she leaned in just a fraction of an inch closer. “I’ve seen how you work together. You’re brilliant, Theo. All of you are.”
“We’re getting there,” I murmured, my eyes dropping to her lips again. The urge to kiss her was becoming a physical ache, a deep, throbbing need that warred with my disciplined nature. “But we’re missing our center. A shield is only as strong as the axis that anchors it.”
I let the words hang there. I wasn’t going to push her, and I certainly wasn’t going to demand anything she wasn’t ready to give. But I also wasn’t going to lie about my intentions. I wanted her. We all did. And sitting here in the quiet sanctuary of her room, feeling the slow, steady hum of her cosmic magic brushing against my own, I knew I was willing to wait as long as it took for her to realize she belonged with us.
For hours, we talked as the sun slowly descended toward the horizon, casting the room in golden light. As evening settled in, I rose to light a fire in the small hearth, the flames casting a warm glow across the room. When I returned to the loveseat, Jupiter had pulled a throw blanket across her legs and shifted her position. Now her legs were draped casually over my thighs. My heart hammered as I carefully rested my hand on her ankle, my thumb tracing small circles on her soft skin.
As night fell completely outside the windows, our conversation gradually slowed. Jupiter’s responses became shorter, her blinks longer. I should have suggested we continue another time, but I was selfishly enjoying her company too much. Eventually, her eyes drifted closed and stayed that way, her breathing deepening into the rhythm of sleep. I remained perfectly still, not wanting to disturb her. She looked so peaceful, all the wariness and guardedness were completely absent.
I sat there watching her sleep, memorizing the delicate curve of her jaw, the sweep of her dark lashes against her cheeks, the slight parting of her full lips.
Time slipped by unnoticed until the clock on her wall showed it was nearly midnight. Jupiter stirred, her eyes fluttering open slowly. For a moment, she looked confused, then her gaze focused on me. “Theo? What time is it?”
“Just shy of midnight. You fell asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Thank you.” Shifting slightly, she reached out to lightly brush her fingertips against the back of my hand where it rested on the blanket. “For staying.”
I swallowed hard. “Of course,” I murmured, turning my hand to gently entwine their fingers. “I’ll always be here, Jupiter. Whenever you need me.”
Her smile widened, and I felt my heart skip a beat. In that moment, with the firelight dancing across her face, she was the most breathtaking woman I’d ever seen. Slowly, almost involuntarily, I leaned in, my gaze dropping to her lips. Jupiter’s breath caught, and she tilted her head ever so slightly.
I paused, mere inches from her. This was it. The moment I’d been both longing for and dreading. With a shaky exhale, I closed the distance, pressing my lips to hers.
Jupiter responded immediately, her free hand coming up to curl around the back of my neck, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, igniting a fire in my veins that raged and thrashed. All thoughts of restraint and caution fled my mind as I lost myself in the taste and feel of her.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I rested my forehead against Jupiter’s, my eyes still closed. “Jupiter, I?—”
But the words caught in my throat, and I found myself unable to voice what I was feeling. Instead, I tightened my grip on her hand, silently pleading for her to understand.
“I know,” she murmured, her own voice trembling slightly. “Me too.”
Leaning in, I pressed a feather-light kiss to the tip of her nose, then her forehead, before finally capturing her lips again. This kiss was slower, deeper, and made my cock throb so painfully I wanted to moan.
Something in both of us snapped simultaneously. One moment we were sharing a tender kiss, and the next, my hands were tangled in Jupiter’s hair, pulling her onto my lap. She straddled me, her fingers fumbling with my shirt while I pushed her sweater up, needing to feel her skin against mine.
I tugged her sweater over her head and tossed it aside, revealing a simple black bra that cupped her perfect breasts. My hands shook as I reached for the clasp, unhooking it easily. When her breasts spilled free, I groaned aloud.
“You’re fucking exquisite,” I breathed, bending to capture one rosy nipple between my lips.
Jupiter arched against me, her head falling back with a soft cry as I sucked and licked. Her hands clutched my shoulders, nails digging into my skin. The sweet pain only intensified my desire.
We tore at each other’s remaining clothes with frantic urgency. I yanked her cotton shorts down her legs while she fumbled with my pants, both of us breathing hard, unwilling to separate our mouths for more than a second. When she wrapped her hand around my cock, I nearly lost control right then.
“Fuuuck, Jupiter—” I hissed, bucking into her grip.
