Page 31 of King of Moon and Claws

It took everything within the Alpha King to speak, to seal the deal on her departure.

“If you are leaving, I need you to promise me one thing.”

She moved around the island and stood before him. She was not within arm’s reach, and that cracked at his heart further.

“Tell me,” she urged him in the same smokey tone she used in bed.

It was also the only one she used when she was being deathly serious.

“I want you to promise me that you won’t go away to the witch academy. That is all I ask of you, from this day forward."

Her mouth twisted into a sullen glare, and Bastian expanded upon his request.

“I saw the shaman today. He discussed the vampire lord and why his interest in you was so sudden, so eager. We concluded that there must be a witch who is close to me, pulling all the strings. A witch that encouraged the vampires to find you and to torment the potential into you.”

Bastian finally lifted his gaze from the floor and met his Elora’s. He grimaced, and Elora brought a hand to her chest.

“Serife?"

“Yes,” he said.

“You think she would do something like that?"

“It is the only logical explanation. Vampires can't detect witches. Only witches can. And you have been living with humans. She flushed you out and wants to continue to bring out those powers in you."

Elora was stupefied, rubbing her palm on her chest in her circular motion. The revelation likely stung, but he couldn't have her making such a mortal mistake. Even if she was not in his life, he would do anything to keep her out of harm’s way.

Even if it was miles upon miles away, in the arms of another.

The thought made him wince.

“I’m disgusted,” Elora said. “I hate to think that she would have fooled me like that… That she would team with someone so conniving."

There was a knock on the kitchen door. Bastian grunted, asking gruffly what the hell they wanted.

“I apologize for the intrusion, My King,” Tavish said from behind the door. “But I'm afraid it’s nearly time for your announcement. A large crowd has assembled and they are waiting for your promised speech."

Bastian sighed and rubbed roughly at his forehead. Elora’s eyes were downcast, and the movement on her chest paused.

“Yes, yes, I am on my way,” he grumbled at Tavish, then turned back to Elora. “I'm sorry. I said I would make an announcement today to inform the people about the attacks. They have to be warned."

Elora bobbed her head slowly, dropping her hands to her sides. She craned her neck up at him, and magnificently, a spark of mischief rose up from the depths of her melancholy.

She was smiling with that sly glint in her eye, the one she’d had out in the garden. The freckles on her face, the bridge of her nose, the plump parting of scarlet lips, it was all too much to take.

It made his heart crash and burn.

“Talk to your people,” she murmured. “I understand. But I also have one last request of my own.”

Bastian faced her and brought his hands to her waist, his fingers hovered. The way it made her gasp destroyed any woman he could conceptually ever bed again. Not that he would want to. She was his mate and the only person he wanted to make howl with pleasure.

“Tell me,” he growled.

“Kiss me. One last time."

He did as she asked, taking her by the waist and crashing his pelvis into her torso. She buried her fingers in his hair as their mouths collided, a wild chaos igniting. He tasted her for the last time, studying every movement like a ballet, memorizing the cadence of every moan, measuring the circumference of her breasts pinned against him.

He didn’t want it to end. He wanted to lift her onto the countertop, strip her naked, and make love to her right then and there. Then he would mark her, sinking his teeth into the delicious nape of her porcelain neck. A monstrous act to claim the only woman he would ever long for.

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