Page 53 of Temple of Magic and Bone

Vanth eased himself out of her and lifted a sheet over her still-shaking body. "I'll be right back."

He went into the ensuite and turned on the bathtub before going to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water and some juice. He paused only for a second to try and catch his breath. He didn't feel like he was in his body properly, but his need to take care of her overpowered everything else.

He put water and juice next to the tub before going back to the bedroom. Elektra hadn't moved. He carefully removed the sheet and lifted her up into his arms.

"Don't want to move," she murmured sleepily.

"You have to let me take care of you," he replied and lowered her into the warm bathtub. He opened the juice and gave it to her. "Drink that."

Elektra's eyes were still unseeing, but she drank. Vanth climbed into the tub with her and added more hot water. He took a flannel and began to wash her lightly. Her neck and shoulders were red and bruising. She was covered in his marks, and his dick tried to rally at the sight.

She sighed and leaned back against him. He cradled her with his body, and she laid her head on his chest. "Thank you," she whispered.

"I think I should be the one thanking you for that, princess," he replied, running the cloth over her. "Are you sure you are okay? You're not hurting anywhere?"

"No. Just feel high."

Vanth kissed the top of her head. "Feel what you need to. I'll take care of you."

"Always?" she whispered sleepily.

Vanth's heart squeezed, not knowing what she was really asking him. It didn't matter. He knew the answer. "Always, princess. Always."

30

Someone was banging on a door in an aggressive beat. Elektra rolled over, her limbs heavy with exhaustion, and pushed at Vanth's shoulder.

"Vanth! Get up! There's a very handsome and angry Irish man outside," Cecelia's voice called through the door.

"We will be right out," Vath grumbled back. He rolled over and kissed Elektra on the cheek.

"Up you get, gorgeous. Galen is going to want to talk to both of us." Elektra didn't move. Vanth brushed his fingers through her hair. "How are you feeling? You're not aching anywhere?"

Elektra did a quick scan of her body before she opened her eyes and smiled up at him. "No. I feel good. A little tired and tender and that I could do with another five hours of sleep. Stop worrying."

Vanth frowned. "I'm allowed to. Aftercare is important. Especially when you have other forces influencing your normal limits, like a mating cycle."

Elektra reached up and kissed him in the middle of his brows. "Thank you for checking. I appreciate you looking after me, but we really need to get up."

"Galen can wait," Vanth said, moving to kiss her.

The wards around the house shuddered, and Elektra laughed. "Galen doesn't seem to be in a waiting mood."

"He better have a good fucking reason for being here so early," Vanth grumbled.

They got dressed, and Elektra went to the bathroom while Vanth answered the door. Elektra couldn't remember getting out of the tub and into bed the night before. She had been so blissed out.

She bit back a gasp when she saw the state of her neck. There was a ring of fading bruises around it and trails of them over her chest. Being fae with rapid healing meant they would be gone by the end of the day. Heat and desire raced through her veins.

Vanth had marked her in a way that would scream ownership to any other fae who saw them.

He wasn't raised to know what this means, she tried to tell her racing heart.

She quickly washed up and put on one of the new shirts she had bought the day before. The collar was high enough to hide most of the bruises. Voices were getting louder out in the kitchen, so Elektra hurried to join them.

Galen was pacing and agitated. He was out of his power suit and dressed in expensive dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt. He didn't look like he had slept a wink.

"Okay, we are both here now," Vanth said, putting on the coffee. "Why don't you tell us what bug has crawled up and bit you on the taint."

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