Page 27 of Surrendered to Mate

"Magic word, sweetheart," I tease, enjoying the way her cheeks flush with frustration.

"Please," she grits out, extending her hand.

I relent, placing the tablet in her palm. "There you go. Was that so hard?"

As Faye examines the artifact, I find myself watching her intently. The dim light of the cave catches the golden flecks in her eyes, highlighting the determined set of her jaw. She's... beautiful. Not in the polished, artificial way of the vrakken women I'm used to, but in a wild, untamed manner that calls to something deep within me.

I swallow hard, feeling an unfamiliar tightness in my chest. The urge to taste her again, to feel her pulse quicken beneath my lips, is almost overwhelming.

And her blood…I could gorge myself for days and never be satisfied. She was glorious, and if the need to hear her moan, the drive to protect her, wasn't so strong I'd be worried about how addicted I was becoming.

But it's more than just hunger. There's a warmth spreading through me, a fondness I can't quite explain.

"See anything interesting?" I ask, my voice rougher than I intended.

Faye looks up, her brow furrowed in concentration. "These symbols... I think I've seen them before."

I lean closer, drawn in by her fascination. The scent of her skin fills my senses, and I have not forgotten she's still naked. It's distracting. "Where?"

Her head snaps up as she looks at me, and then she scrambles to her feet. "Get dressed."

13

FAYE

Once we're both dressed, I lead Cassius out of the cave, my eyes drawn to his bare chest. All I can think about is what it was like to run my hands down that chest as I rode him, how fucking good he felt. I can't help but stare, marveling at his otherworldly beauty.

Man, I am glad that his shirt didn't survive the thlii now.

But fuck, it's hard to focus around him. Maybe I should be more bothered about how drugged up he can make me feel, but those fucking orgasms have me ready to offer up more blood. Not to mention it is a major turn on to think about my blood filling up his body, fueling him, driving him to the brink.

"You're gonna catch bugs if you keep your mouth open like that, sweetheart," Cassius smirks.

I snap my jaw shut, heat rising to my cheeks. "Don't flatter yourself, pretty boy. I've just never seen anyone so... pale."

His laughter echoes through the trees. "Sure, that's it."

I roll my eyes, trying to focus. "Speaking of pale, what about the sun? Won't it burn you?"

The memory of his burned and peeling skin — which I've seen twice now — flashes through my mind, and worry turns my stomach.

Cassius glances up at the canopy. "Not with my sun glamour. It's a spell that lets us walk in daylight for a while."

"How long?"

He shrugs. "Depends on the vrakken. I can manage a few hours, when I'm well fed." He winks at me.

I nod, processing this information and ignoring his reminder. "So that's how you can be out here."

I lead Cassius deeper into the forest, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The weight of my secret feels heavier with each step.

"So… Care to tell me where we're going?" Cassius asks, his voice low and smooth.

I glance back at him, trying to ignore how the sunlight dances across his bare chest. I have got to get it together. "I have something to show you. Something important."

We weave through dense underbrush, ducking under low-hanging branches and stepping over gnarled roots. The forest seems to close in around us, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.

Finally, we reach a small clearing. At its center stands an ancient oak tree, its trunk twisted and knotted with age.

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