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He detected the defeated tone in her voice, but was unsure if it was her father’s deteriorating condition, or concerns about learning the truth about her background. “What is it, Riley?”
“I want to find out about my history, but honestly what difference does it make?”
“Why would you say that?” Colton asked.
“The demons are so going to come for me. Even if we find out why, nothing will change that,” she said.
He contemplated how to reassure her, when everything she said was true. Before he could respond, he noticed the change in her breathing. It warmed his skin in slow even breaths. He thanked the heavens, hoping this was a good sign.
Colton inhaled deeply, letting her unique scent fill his lungs. Allowing her warmth to thaw the cold loneliness of his existence. He wanted to touch her, be inside her, and to make her completely his. While his lips trailed over her temple, the images playing through his mind, hardened his body to the point of pain.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves and the window, casting a filtered glow against her creamy skin. Colton slid his finger along her neck, tracing her collarbone. Such a feminine and delicate feature. The feel of her skin fueled his insides. A fire he had no way of controlling.
Her hair spilled like satin coffee across his chest. A silken blanket that tickled his skin and sent his body into overdrive. While the night belonged to the shadows, she belonged to him, and he would allow nothing to stand between them.
She deserved more time to get used to his world. Their world, but if he was honest with himself, he knew she wouldn’t get it. She may be a shadow warrior, but she still viewed the world as a human. She couldn’t fathom the primal instincts experienced by shadow warriors in the throes of mating. He feared nothing except an existence without her.
He bent his head to put his lips to her ear. Gentle kisses and licks that progressed down her neck. He knew the exact moment she began to wake. The hitch in her breath and the tension in her body as her mind surfaced from its slumber.
“How long was I asleep?” she asked.
“No more than an hour and a half,” he said as his hand moved from her ankle up her calf and along her thigh.
Her body shuddered, but it wasn’t in fear. “That’s a nice way to wake up.”
His lips moved against the seam of her ear. “I would like to wake you up every day in this way.”
She put her arms around his neck. “Careful. A girl could get used to this.”
Colton’s eyes trailed over her lips. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. We could make your blood less potent. It may not deter the demons, but it may give us more time.”
“How?”
“If you are no longer a virgin.”
CHAPTER23
Her heart fluttered in her chest. Colton’s eyes remained glued to her lips as her tongue darted out to lick them slowly. Her body hummed with arousal and fear. It was a heady combination. One that kept her teetering on the precipice, yearning to fall.
While intellectually she understood her trauma was directly responsible for her reservations, her mind was yet to catch up to the instincts of her body. Colton didn’t move, but his muscles flexed beneath his skin. Tension coiled like a cauldron about to boil over. He was trying to give her time. She understood that, but his animal, his warrior, was barely leashed. This wasn’t anger, it was lust. A desire so deep he struggled to contain it.
Colton put his forehead to hers. “I wanted to give you more time to acclimatize to our world, but the longer we are together, especially when we travel the pathways, I realize I’m not as patient as I should be.”
“What does that mean?” Riley asked.
His eyes were dark liquid pools. “You are my mate, Riley. I know you don’t fully understand what that means. It is more than a wife. It’s a bond that connects us until we take our last breath. Our souls are like one and I’m hoping you will complete the bonding ceremony with me when you are ready. We have time for that, but I need you.”
She leaned into him. “I’ve never been attracted to anyone like I am you, but I won’t lie to you. I’m scared.”
“I know. I’m not just asking for your body. I’m asking for your heart and your soul, but I promise mine in return. You will be my first priority, now and forever.” His lips touched hers. Gentle. Coaxing. A feather-light caress that had her blood singing in her veins.
It was there that she realized part of her accepting him, was acknowledging that she would never be human again. “I can never go back, can I?”
“I’m sorry, baby. Your human life is gone, but I promise that your mate will fill your days with excitement, desire, and love.”
She ran a finger along his cheek. “I have to admit, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives.”
His lips rested above hers, brushing against her when he spoke. “Let me have you. Trust me with your body. With your heart.”
