Page 212 of Mama Si's Paradise

Happy—how strange. I thought I was that when I played the piano, and it did come close, but this…this was something else. SomethingmoreI was never quite sure even existed like they described it in books.

“Forever’s too soon, my beautiful Fall,” he told me, and I just about melted.

“Did I ever tell you that I love the way you talk to me?” And I’d been pretty sure it would soundcheesyin real life, but it didn’t.

Grey grinned. “You do?”

“Mhmm. I love it. It’s just you, I think. Or maybe the fact that you’re older.” Maybe that’s why he knew how to make it work?

“I’ll be as young or as old as you want,” he said without missing a beat. “None of it really matters.”

I shook my head. “Why, though? Not like I’m complaining, just…why?” He was so different with the world. With the other brides. With his own brothers.

“It’s just you, I think,” Grey repeated my own words. “Everything about you speaks to me. I see through you, baby. And you’re as beautiful on the inside as you are out here.” He ran his fingers down my cheek.

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. “You don’t know who I am, though.”

“But I do.” He pressed his hand to my chest, right over my heart. “I know your rhythm and your mind.” He leaned down and kissed my neck, right where he’d bitten me. “I know your blood.”

“Mhmm. Yes, you do.” My eyes closed and I was taken back to the bathroom, to his shower, to the way he’d felt when he’d bitten me…

“It was different, your blood. So much different than anything I’ve ever felt before,” Grey said, and I opened my eyes again.

“It was?”

He nodded. “I’ve been doing some reading while you slept. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it tasted different. Not like blood does, just like…more.”

I turned to look at the book he’d been reading, and his wings moved to the sides a bit to let me see it. “And? Did you find something?” The thick, burgundy-colored covers of the book looked old, and when I reached for it, it was heavier than I realized, but Grey pulled me to sit up straighter and the book fell on my lap.

“Nothing. So far, everything I read says what I already know—blood is blood. Human blood gives us about fifteen times more power than animal blood, but that’s the thing.” Grey pulled the cover open a handful of pages to where he’d been reading. “I only took a little from you, and I feel like I drank every drop in your veins. I feel…powerful. More powerful than I ever have after taking blood from anyone.”

I turned to look at him. I couldn’t understand any of the strange symbols on these pages. “Isn’t that normal, though? You guys get more powerful with time, don’t you?”

“Yes—with time. Not within minutes,” Grey said.

For a moment there, he was so focused on the symbols that I had enough time to analyze his beautiful face to my heart’s desire.

The same question still haunted me: how in the world was he real? It just made no sense. Really—it didn’t add up.

“What’s it saying?” I said, kissing his soft cheek above the line of his dark stubble. Fucking delicious.

“Nothing important. It’s just describing the ways in which foreign blood works with the magic in our bodies,” Grey said, leaning his head to the side so I kissed him harder.

“How do you even understand those symbols?” I planted a kiss all over his face every few words, and he loved it.

“It’s Faeish, the old language of Ennaris. Nobody has spoken it for centuries now, but all our books are written in it still. I’m not even sure why,” Grey said. “You missed a spot here.” And he kissed me on the lips.

I laughed. “I didn’t miss it. That was intentional.” I’d wanted to kiss the rest of his face first.

He grinned like the devil. “If you want, I’ll teach you Faeish.”

Fuck, yes—I’d wanted that since I first found myself in Emerald’s library, though back then I’d had no idea that all their books were written in Faeish. “Yes, I want. I want to readeverything you have here.” And the books he’d brought for me as well. The ones in English—romance novels he’d risked his life for.

Which is absolutely understandable becausebooks, but still…

“Then you will,” he said, like it was already a done deal.

“Tell me a word. Whatever pops in your head first.” I wanted to hear how it sounded from his lips.

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