Page 46 of Melos

He studied Sierra for a moment. She looked dazed, which made sense. The lovely creature had swallowed the equivalent of a tome’s worth of information in two hours’ time. But there was nothing for it. Too much was at stake to keep her in the dark, not if they wanted to keep her safe. Grudgingly, he had Phobius to thank for that. Without his push, they’d still be stuck at square one.

I see you. Do you see me?

Only he and Phobius knew what the context of those words meant, the message in them. They weren’t for Sierra, oh no. They were meant for their father’s spawn, Demos and Phobius.

It was a taunt, a bitter poke, and a reminder that, no matter how much they and everyone involved had tried to bury Cael, in the end he had risen from the tainted ashes from which he’d been born.

Now, Demos caught Phobius’ eye. A wordless message passed between them. When his brother nodded, Phobius shifted to his crow, and with a loud ear-splitting caw, flew out of the cave and into the forest, where he’d find Lucius and give him word on Sierra’s location.

Demos breathed out a breath of relief. His Melos was safe, and By the Wind, Demos wouldn’t stray from her side ever again, even if it meant watching her share her life with her mate.

“Where’d he go?” she asked, her tone numb, her eyes dull.

“To find Lucius. Come here. We still have time before we need to leave.” He held out his arms.

She nodded. “Okay.”

Once she was on his lap, he touched her face and held it close. Her lips parted. Such luscious lips, rosy and made for loving. When her dull eyes came to life, they darkened. His breath hitched. By the Wind, he wanted her. He’d missed her every single second they’d been apart.

She closed the gap between them and touched her mouth to his. He moaned, giving in. He didn’t think there was a power on Titus that could stop him from accepting her kiss.

It started softly, sweet and chaste. At first. Then, as if the reins on their passion had been loosened, thrown into the void, their mouths joined into a dance of tongues and heat and breath.

She wrapped her arms around him, and he brought them both down to the cave floor. His hands caressed her neck, her shoulder, her hip. When she threw a leg over his thigh, he groaned. He needed to stop, for if he didn’t, he’d take her right here, and she was too precious to steal. He needed all of her, her heart and soul.

So he pulled back and contented himself with only looking at her, cherishing her with his eyes.

“I missed you, Demos.” She reached out and cupped his cheek. “While you were gone I did a lot of thinking. I want to know if you’ll still have me. As my mate. I don’t want to lose you, and I don’t want to wait anymore.”

So very brave, he thought as he stared down at her. She always wore that precious heart on her sleeve, no matter how unsure she was that her love might not be reciprocated. The first time he’d seen it in her, her love for him, it had broken his heart. Because of who she was and who he was, he had no claim on her. He had to deny her. She didn’t belong to him. The two of them had come together outside of fate; neither one prepared for such a thing. Forcing down those new feelings that day in the cabin had been the hardest thing he’d ever done.

Now, he held hope on a tight rein. “What about Lucius? He doesn’t seem the type of man to share, and I won’t have you by halves, Sierra,” he told her with as much seriousness as he could impart.

“He and I have already discussed it. He will abide by my wishes.” She cupped his face. “I love you, Demos. I have since I met you. It was fear and stubbornness that stopped me from accepting you before you left. I want you in my life, at my side, for as long as you’ll have me. And even if—if you’ve changed your mind, I’m no longer going to let fear dictate what I do any more, never again. I need to tell you how I feel. I love you. I want you. Do you still want me?”

They stared at each other. Silence was all around them. Demos could see her chest rising, waiting for his answer.

“If I take you, there is no going back, Melos. Do you understand?”

She swallowed. “I under—”

He took her sweet mouth, ravaging her, eating her words. Her hands went to his shoulders, then wound around his neck. Her little sounds of pleasure, of surrender, had his pulse rising. Finally, he pulled away, but only enough to speak. With his lips an inch from hers, he looked into her eyes, which were half-open with lust. And love.

“I accept your claim, Sierra Linden Dega. I give you all of myself, my body and my soul.” He had to have her right now. Right here in this cold desolate place, gods be damned. “I’m afraid I can’t be… gentle right now, Melos.” Even to his own ears, his voice sounded like that of a desperate man, whose control was hanging by a thread.

She started untying the ribbons of her bodice. “I need you, Demos. Take me however you want.”

In one swift moment, he undid his breeches and roughly pulled up her skirts, ripping at the silk barrier she wore under them before spreading her legs open to him. By the Wind, how long had it been since he’d buried himself inside her sweet heat? Too long.

He gave her no warning as he sheathed himself inside her in one tight thrust. The rush of air between them met mouth to mouth, and he kissed away her moan that followed one of his own. He would lose his mind from how good she felt.

No, he could not be gentle.

His taking her turned savage, his control a thing of the past. He gripped her thighs and wrapped them around him as he thrust his hips like a rutting beast.

Raising himself on his hands to look down at her, words in his native tongue spilled from his mouth. Words that said he loved her beyond all, that she was the loveliest creature to ever walk Titus. That his burning for her would never be quenched.

“I’m close, Melos,” he grunted, tensing his jaw. “Say the words.”

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