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“Not my blood.” He smiled breathlessly. “I, uh, the claiming marks, they changed some things. I could literally feel you thinking about me and it created like, this pressure.” He motioned to the back of his skull. “My head was pounding like an addict needing his next hit.”
“I’m the drug, right?”
“Yes.” Dace cupped my face, pressing a small kiss against my lips.
“You didn’t change first.”
“I had to see you.”
I rolled my eyes, intertwining my fingers with his. My racing pulse calmed at his touch. My queasy stomach was finally settling. “The distance was making me sick also.” I pulled him forward. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I’ve heard that these effects, the discomfort of being away from each other, will wear off with time.”
“But?” I asked, sensing that he hadn’t said it all.
“But I’d have to leave them alone to fade.” Dace’s knowing smile brightened his blue eyes, making them sparkle with the reflection of the sunset.
Even if they lightened, they were permanent scars now. Though, I knew what he meant. One day they’d be a soft color that nearly matched my skin tone, but not quite, instead of the pink marks they were today. To let them fade he’d have to leave them be.
The marks themselves were so sensitive, and one stroke from him would have me on the edge of bliss. Dace often brushed over them, kissed them, or traced them with his tongue. The look on his face told me he didn’t plan to stop teasing me any time soon.
“You did what you needed to do though?” I blinked, remembering why he had left to begin with. Was the plan with Maggie done? Was she set up to be queen?
“King Ganglin is our only problem left and then we’ve done it, Ryker.”
We’ve done it, Ryker.
* * *
Heat surrounded me.I was so cozy that I didn’t want to shift from this exact position. A cocoon of blankets surrounded Dace and me, pressing our bodies closer. I propped my head upon his chest watching him as he watched me back.
“What?” he laughed.
“Nothing,” I shrugged, continuing to examine every sharp angle of his jaw, the soft pillows of his lips, and the brilliant blue of his eyes.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Our room remained mostly dark, the curtains still drawn. Only the soft glow of the sun shone around the fabric, giving us the smallest amount of morning light.
“No reason, I just think you’re handsome.”
Dace ran his hands over my face, pushing my twisty curls away. His fingers stopped, holding my hair behind my ears. “Thank the gods. It would be awfully terrible to be with someone you were not attracted to.”
“Oh, yes. I’m very, very attracted to you.” Lifting up on my toes, I pressed a kiss to his lips. Dace hummed his appreciation.
Our stay in the Acture Court was coming to an end. The mess of the Twinity Court still waited for us and Dace needed to be present while everything was ironed out in the Obtune Court, but this bed felt too good to get up from. This should be like any other bandage though, I needed to force myself to get up and to get the day moving. It would be fine.
“We can’t stay like this all day. Responsibilities and king things, remember?” I patted his stomach.
“No,” he groaned, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against him. “Five more minutes.”
“I’m getting up.” I gently pushed off of him.
Dace resisted, holding me with a smile. “Don’t do it. Stay.”
If I don’t get up now, I will never get up. He’ll suck me into his good looks and fancy fuck work and the day will turn into a sex marathon and nothing more. Just get up.
“I’m going. I’m doing it. I’m getting up.” My body trembled with laughter, and Dace’s grip loosened as I pushed off of him and rolled from the covers. I whined as the cold air greeted me and I placed my feet on the floor. The slip of a dress I wore to bed last night fell back to its place at my knees.
