Page 103 of Every Shade of Shadow

At his words, at the emotion in those sage depths, I fall. The power surges over and through me in a tidal wave of sensation, robbing me of breath and thought. I'm only aware of Darkwood holding me close, his presence the anchor keeping me from losing myself completely in the Nether.

I don’t know where the shadows start and I end. We are one and the same.

The rapture seems to go on forever, an eternity of feeling that gradually fades to stillness. I come back to myself curled against Darkwood, his heart beating steadily under my ear. We're both breathing hard, clinging to each other.

I’m completely drained. Dazed.

His knuckles glide along my cheek, a feather-light caress. "So responsive, so open to the darkest of magic. So open to me." His lips quirk. "I fear you've ruined me for anyone else, my pet."

I smile, utterly content, but the urge to sleep is almost overwhelming.

He kisses me, slow and deep, before pulling back with a frown. "Ana?" His hands slide to my shoulders, giving me a gentle shake. "Ana, can you hear me?"

I try to respond, but my lips won't move. Panic rises as I realize I can't feel anything below my neck. I can't move.

Darkwood's face swims before me, etched with concern. "Ana, stay with me," he says urgently.

I go cold—the kind of deep, all-encompassing cold that sucks the life from your very bones.

"You've depleted your magic and gone into shock.”

He scoops me into his arms and strides across the room. I struggle to keep my eyes open, to stay awake, but a heavy veil of black descends over my vision.

The last thing I hear is Darkwood calling my name before I slip into unconsciousness.

*

I come awake slowly, surfacing from a sea of darkness into a fog of confusion. For several moments I'm not sure where I am or how I got here.

Sadly, it’s becoming something of a regular occurrence.

Then it hits me, memories rushing back in a chaotic flood. The training session with Darkwood, the explosion of magic and desire, his body, mine, the aftermath that left me drained of power and sense…

Panic claws at my chest. I jerk upright with a gasp—only to collapse back against the pillows as a wave of dizziness washes over me.

"Easy," a familiar voice says. A warm hand clasps mine and I turn my head to find Damien sitting beside the bed, watching me with a concerned frown, eyebrows knitted. "You need to rest."

My heart stutters at the sight of him, at the memory of being in his arms. Heat creeps into my cheeks as I recall everything we shared, the intimacy and passion that pushed my abilities past the breaking point, the final release that consumed me so completely, and the darkness beyond—that chill.

I swallow hard, unsure of what to say.

Darkwood gives my hand a gentle squeeze, as if sensing the tumult of my thoughts. "We'll talk when you're feeling stronger," he says quietly. "For now, rest."

I nod, too drained to argue.

Exhaustion drags at my limbs, urging me back into the embrace of sleep. I fight it for a moment longer, clinging to wakefulness out of fear that this has all been some fevered dream.

But the warmth of Darkwood's hand in mine is real. I can feel it, and the memory of his touch, inside and out.

Reassured, I allow my eyes to drift shut. As darkness claims me again, I feel the brush of lips against my knuckles.

CHAPTER TWENTY

There’s a certain kind of deep, fulfilling sleep I’ve often admired in other people. They wake refreshed and energized, with a smile on their face. Not like me, typically waking bleary-eyed and zombified like I’ve spent the night on spin cycle.

But this sleep I’m waking from now?

Pure.

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