Page 65 of Bound and Tide

“Walter Bigley?”

“That’s it.” He snapped his fingers as she tugged off his pants. “Pity that house was built way out on the water. You’d think with all that coin they would have endeavored to better shore up those stilts, but it hardly took any effort at all to topple the thing, and with such a bad storm blowing about, it was impossible to escape the freezing river. Unless one has a griffin, that is.”

“Xander,” she breathed, eyes wide.

He stood there before the fire, mostly naked and still rather wet, but not feeling the cold at all. “Worry not, no one will trace it back here or even to me, as much as I would love the credit. And to be honest, I don’t think anyone’s going to miss the Terrins much anyway. I’m only sorry you didn’t get to see it, darling—it was just spectacular.”

It was so spectacular, in fact, that the spectacle itself was best left unwritten, just like the exact cost of a ship or a complicated prophecy. Sometimes one just must imagine.

Xander took a deep breath of the air, still herby even without her stock. Herby and earthy and warm—just like her. “And I mean to say also that, obviously, I didn’t just do it because I thought he was a prick, and I didn’t just do it because I wanted to try out what it was like having full control over noxscura and water magery, and I didn’t even just do it because I had to resolve the B plot. Or was it the C plot? Never mind—what I’m trying to say is, I did it for you. I know you would never ask because you like to pretend you don’t need anyone—a sentiment I understand wholeheartedly—but that thing you said about protection and everyone requiring it, that’s true, and I want—” His voice hitched, and he let it, taking a breath and staring down into her emerald eyes. “I want to protect you, Evangeline, like you’ve protected me. If you’ll let me.”

Finally, Red’s face warmed, and a smile played at her lips. “I think,” she said, fluttering her lashes, “I could allow you to do that.”

He blew out a breath. “Ah, good. I was worried there for a bit you might have been angry with me for doing all that murder.”

“Oh, no, I am angry.” Her fingers entwined themselves behind his neck and tugged him closer. “I’m livid, in fact, but I’m also flattered you went on a rampage just to get me out of a little tax trouble. Kind of aroused too.”

His gaze darted out over the shop as he instantly hardened. “Where are the urchins?”

“Asleep upstairs.”

Xander didn’t need arcana to hoist her onto the shop’s counter and spread her legs, but he used errant shadows to do it anyway, holding her in place as he pressed himself against her. “Let me make my evil deeds up to you with my tongue.”

Red made him wait because that was what she did, even when bound by his shadows, taking in a slow breath as her eyes lingered down his bare front and then back up. Finally, she nodded, and he scrambled to shuck off her dress and drop to his knees so he could devour her.

Red strangled back her cries as he pleased her. Meticulously, he licked and teased through every buck of her hips and dig of her nails like he wished he had the first time and promised himself he would only grow increasingly attentive with the years, but then she gave his hair a significantly harder pull, and he stopped.

“Xander, I want to…” she panted, back arched as she gazed down at him between heaving breasts. “I need to…I’m sorry, but I love you.”

“Oh, gods, I forgot to say!” He popped back up to his feet and gripped onto her waist. “I love you, darling, and it’s marvelous, isn’t it? Just really, really wonderful to be utterly enamored. Wish someone would have bloody told me because this”—he shook her—“feels so fucking good!”

Of course, Xander had been told, but after everything, he’s probably earned one more little exaggeration, so we’ll let him have this one.

“Not exactly what I was expecting you to say,” she breathed, “but I’m glad.”

He kissed her, and it was soft and kind, and it told him she had meant every word she’d ever said to him—that she was fond of him, liked him, loved him.

But when he pulled back, she was frowning. “Dearest?”

Her eyes darted down between them and then back up. “You’re not finished.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Xander licked his lips and sank back to his knees.

EPILOGUE or HOW TO EULOGIZE YOUR NEMESIS

Xander sat at the vanity he insisted Red’s bedchamber needed and finished tying off his braided topknot. It was almost right, and when he tugged a strand loose to fall cavalierly over his temple, he grinned at his reflection, finally pleased.

A squawk erupted into the room, spoiling the brief serenity, and he scowled at the jackdaw that landed itself on the sill. The open window was only meant to let in the fresh spring air, but then it wasn’t one of the jackdaws that plagued Bendcrest, but a genuine raven.

“Corben?”

The creature flew itself across the chamber to land on the vanity and screeched in his face.

“All right, all right!” The blood mage ran fingers through the bird’s feathers, and an image formed in his mind so clearly, it was like he had been translocated. He blinked about at the parlor made up of dark stone, one he recognized, though there had been a bit of redecorating, sprawling plants climbing up the walls and a set of bright pink pillows on the sofa. And seated just between them—

“Kitten?”

Ammalie Avington’s sunshiny face beamed back at him. “Damien, come quick, our spell worked!” She popped up off the sofa and ran, lavender dress and blonde coils streaming after her.

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