Page 188 of XOXO

“I’m just tired of being cold.”

“Can you tighten my lacing?” She turned away from me and I was grateful to be away from her accusing glare.

I cinched the strings on her corset to exactly where she liked them before lowering my mouth to her neck. “You’re sexy, you know that?” I asked between placing soft kisses on her skin.

“Considering you tell me daily, yes.”

We both laughed before I grabbed her cloak and handed it to her. “Let’s go.”

I quickly headed out the bedroom door and entered the hallway filled with marble statues before she could ask me more questions.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

The second we descended the stairs, she asked, “Why do we need another fur pelt? I like the gray one you got us last month. It’s warm and comfy.”

I pulled the handle on the wrought iron door and held it open for her to exit. “It is, but I want to get a black one.”

Once outside, she slid underneath my arm with a shiver. “It’s freezing out, Val. Are you sure you want to go today?”

“It’s late winter so there won’t be many left if we wait any longer.”

We made our way onto the portal with her not saying much. I wielded it go to go, but instead of envisioning Direbreak for our destination, I chose Tessalone.

It was overwhelming for Ember to be thrown through the realm at such a fast rate, so I felt bad when the light danced across my vision at rapid speed as the wind blew my hair back.

Ember’s shield was still strong when we landed but a look of confusion took over her beautiful face. “Why are we in the Fae land?”

“Oh. Wrong landmass.”

I wielded the portal again, this time taking us to Mayhem. When we arrived, Ember was not happy. Her shield was down, leaving her mind open for any vampire to hear.

What the hell! she thought loudly before quickly reestablishing her shield.

“Are we visiting your family? Because if not, I have no clue why we are in the land of the Vampires!”

“I’m sorry, my love.”

My apology was disingenuous and I faltered for a second before I wielded the portal again, this time to Ashbern.

When we landed in Angel territory, her eyes widened, her mouth agape.

“Valarian Carter Grey, I don’t know what you’re doing, but you know I hate riding on the portal. This nausea is going to kill me.” She fanned her face with her hand.

“My mind is just elsewhere today.” A sentence I had been saying a lot lately.

With red cheeks and a contorted expression, Ember wore her anger proudly, not masking the fact that she was getting pissed. “If you don’t get it right this time, I’m going to stab you.”

I wasn’t scared of Ember piercing my heart again, but I was afraid if I took her on another ride, she was going to hurl.

I swallowed hard, hesitating before wielding us to the Elven land.

Her shield was down when we arrived at Tessalone, but it wasn’t good.

Oh, hell no! The icy glare she gave me could freeze the warmest souls.

This time, she said nothing directly to me, instead wielding the portal herself, and I was surprised when we landed back in Ashbern.

“Why are we home?”

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