Page 16 of Eternal Mate

I wished I could take away his fears and shoulder the burden for him, but all I could do was offer my unwavering support and remind him of our strength when facing things together.

It wasn't worth much, considering everything we'd gone through lately.

I breathed through the nausea that always hit me at the memory of Mikey, the way his features went lax as Tarragon lifted his severed head.

Kiyomasa’s body mounted on the black spike Azazel had conjured.

Neo’s still form as the black mist cut through the battlefield.

"We've come so far, Sariel," I said, trying to shake off the rapid-fire visions, unwilling to let them linger. "Look at us. We've survived countless battles; we’ve defied the odds time and time again. We're strong, stronger than we think. And together, we're unstoppable."

Well, maybe not entirely. I still struggled to come to terms with my new lifestyle as a hybrid-angel-wolf-woman on a good day.

I rubbed my thumb over his knuckles, tempted to pull it up to my face and snuggle into the touch.

His searching eyes met mine. I saw him grappling with his doubts and his fears. I wished I could banish them with a single touch, or a whispered reassurance—but the road ahead was treacherous, and words alone could only do so much.

He had to drag himself out of the abyss, just like the rest of us.

And then, in that moment of shared vulnerability, our lips met, a powerful surge of desire thrumming down the bond. Our bodies melded together as if made to fit this way, our souls dancing in perfect harmony. Fingers intertwined, mapping the contours of each other's hands, seeking comfort and reassurance in the touch we knew so well.

The bond settled immediately, radiating warmth and soothing energy in both directions.

Gratitude emanated from his touch, his grip on my hand tightening like he never wanted to let go.

"I'm lucky to have you," he murmured, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and devotion. "You're my anchor in all this madness."

And you're mine.

I smiled against his lips, the taste of our desire still lingering.

As we sat there, I felt the weight on his shoulders begin to lift, his body relaxing into mine. I let him use me as a glorified pillow as we settled on the couch together.

It's warm and soft—everything we’d both clearly needed, from the way our bond burned in my chest with contentment.

I didn't know how long we laid there in silence, just holding one another like we had all the time in the world. I watched out our apartment window as the sun descended beneath the horizon, casting hues of gold and crimson across the living room floor. When the shadows of the trees pulled what remained of the light away, only then did we decide to head to bed.

Sariel's hand found comfort in the warm embrace of mine, our fingers interlaced as he gently pulled me up from the couch. I let him lead me down the hall, a slight grin on my face at the intimacy of it all. It's something I hadn't even realized I wanted—someone to come home to, who wanted to curl up under the sheets with me and cuddle.

Maybe fate had known what it was doing when it paired us up, because sinking into bed with Sariel was the highlight of my evening.

In the quiet sanctuary of our room, the world outside held at bay, his voice broke the silence.

"Aria, I need you to know something."

I turned to him, my eyes meeting his with curiosity and a tiny bit of dread. What happened now? Did we forget a meeting? Should we be hurrying off on another rescue attempt?

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath before he continued. "Since the moment we met, you've been my rock. Your unwavering support and understanding have carried me through the darkest times. I can't imagine my life without you."

I couldn't help but giggle as I recalled our first meeting so many months ago. It never ceased to amaze me how our lives unfolded together, when I really sat and gave it some thought.

"The moment we met, huh?" I teased, watching as his cheeks darkened in color.

"Okay, maybe not when we just met, but ever since I saved you from my father the first time."

I rolled my eyes goodnaturedly, curling into him with another giggle.

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