Page 63 of Villainous Greed

Nova’s arousal faded, and I wanted to see if I could bring it out again.

Pressing a kiss to her shirt, I studied her expression. “What are you feeling right now?”

Slowly, she placed her hand on top of my head. “Hungry.”

I smirked. “Same. I’m ravenous, and you smell so good.”

Her scent thickened. Fucking Hades. That mouthwatering arousal of hers made me want to throw her on the bed and lick the source. One of the greatest perks of being a Reaper was the ability to sense so much more than a human could. If Nova tried, she could smell my desire. I wished she’d try using some of my abilities, especially for sensing emotions.

“I want chicken,” she announced.

“You know how good it feels to touch you?” I asked, slyly running my hands over her ass.

She stepped backward. “I didn’t say you could touch me there.”

“Just checking to see if I’d lose a limb.” I waggled my brows. “And I didn’t. I call that progress.”

I wouldn’t dare bring up the fact that she was rubbing my body when I woke. If I wanted her to do it again, I best not speak of it.

I materialized her chicken when a deafening sound jarred the castle. Nova’s brows pinched together as I stood. “Is Harvest’s dragons attacking?” she asked.

“Let’s go check.” I smoothed my hand over her cheek, meeting her gorgeous gaze. “I know you’re strong, but we stay together, okay? We don’t know when Derrick will try kidnapping you.”

She pulled my hand from her cheek and intertwined her fingers with mine. “If it makes you feel better, you can hold my hand while I destroy the dragons.”

I pulled her closer. “You realize you only turn me on when you get all badass?”

“That sounds like your problem. Not mine,” Nova responded, but her scent said otherwise. Even with the threat outside, her arousal spiked.

“I don’t want you to lose that fire inside you.” I brought our hands up and kissed the top of hers. “That fire has kept you going when I didn’t know you were still in this world with me. I wouldn’t dream of smothering it.”

The corner of her mouth twitched. “You say a lot of nice things to me for someone who dislikes witches.”

“You’re never going to forget what those old hags said, are you?”

“Don’t call them that.”

“I lived a lifetime believing you turned down my help and got yourself killed. So, I might have held some hatred toward other witches because of that, but only because you’re all so creepy.”

When Nova’s eye narrowed, I chuckled. “I’ll just shut the fuck up now.” For good measure, I added, “You’re my mate, and I love everything that you are.”

“Probably for the best. Isabella said I’m a part of their coven now, too.”

Oh, fuck.

_____

There was no fight waiting for us in the woods. Joy was the source of the wailing. She gave birth to not one, but three eggs. Not babies. Fucking eggs. Everyone was confused, but Momand Dad were happy as Payne and Joy carried them inside. I’d been so focused on finding Nova that I never got the chance to congratulate them. But it’s not my fault she made me an uncle toeggsa couple weeks after getting pregnant.

Melinda arrived later, explaining that Joy’s pregnancy must be like a deathraka’s. No one had any clue what to expect, but we were nosey as fuck and worried as Payne placed them on the ground and spat fire at them. The family shrieked. Nova clutched my hand tightly.

“What are you doing to my nieces or nephews?” Maureen shouted.

“What he’s supposed to,” Joy said, eyes glistening as the flames covered the eggs.

Payne hugged Joy from behind. “I don’t know how long it’ll take, but the flames will keep them safe until they hatch.”

“Wait,” Sebastian murmured. “Whatever Payne did to them appears similar to the cocoon-like structure that protected him during his change.”

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