Page 147 of The Powers of Nyx

I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms. Her lips parted with a soft gasp, eyes widening. “You look fucking perfect,” I said. “I can’t wait to be with you.”

Her eyes softened as she brought her free hand up to cup my cheek. “I can’t wait, either.”

If my heart hadn’t threatened to leap out of my chest before, it sure as fuck was now. “We should go before we’re trapped here by the parents.”

She snorted, pushing past me with a shake of her head. “Maeve and Elias? Pretty sure the latter won’t let us leave without him.”

“I was actually referring to Maeve andHawk,” I replied, entwining our fingers as we left the bedroom. “I think he might be worse than Wolfy.”

Ivy choked on a laugh. “Oh…no.”

I didn’t respond as we entered the living room. Adrian gave me a thumbs up. Maeve, on the other hand, pressed her lips into a firm line.

At least everyone had the bright idea to stare. Ivy looked fucking amazing. Beautiful. And she deserved to feel that way.

Even if Maeve was unimpressed by me, she gazed hungrily at our mate. Not even the vampire could resist wanting a taste.

“I don’t blame you all for taking her in,” I boasted, wrapping an arm around Ivy’s waist. “But tonight, she’s mine.”

Maeve rolled her eyes. “Careful, Archer. Your ego is showing.”

“It is,” I replied. “Because tonight, I’ll be a taken man.”

“Okay. Okay. Put your dicks—metaphorical and otherwise—away,” Ivy said, glancing at me, then at the others. “You guys okay with security?”

If it were possible, Maeve softened, and her team-leader demeanour melted away. “Of course,a mhuirnín. You’ll be safe and secure.”

“And we’ll have privacy?” I asked.

The softness disappeared entirely when she directed her stare at me. “Of course, Archer. We’ll ensure you won’t be disturbed.”

I wasn’t sure the rest of the team realised the magnitude of what was going on. They probably didn’t care except for where Ivy was concerned, which I totally understood. But I was grateful they also weren’t fighting us on this.

Or making us do it in the bedroom so they could ‘protect her’.

As much as I wanted Ivy, I didn’t want to doitin the presence of the others.

Many things I was fine with. Losing my virginity with the team in the next room…not being one of them.

I shared a look with Ivy, and that was all it took. Any worry I had completely disappeared, and it didn’t take long for the troops to be rallied. Wolfy, of course, remained as he was, and though I could tell he wanted to, he stayed back with the rest of the team as we left the suite.

Even Nash joined us. It was an unspoken realisation that he was probably one of Ivy’s other mates, but I was more than happy to leave that for later. And I think he was, too.

I kept my arm around Ivy’s waist as we stepped into the elevator. “So, where are we going?” she asked, glancing up at me through her thick lashes. “You haven’t given anything away.”

I smirked. “I’m a master of secrets.”

Behind us, Adrian, ever the asshole, coughed.

Ivy raised a brow, her smile turning into a grin. “I take it we’re staying in the palace…”

“Of course. I’m not risking your safety.” I tightened my hold on her as I pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Trust me. You’ll like it.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t ask me any more questions. The elevator stopped on one of the lower levels, letting us out into a quiet, stone hallway. Here, the palace felt different. Less opulent, and more primal. I pulled the rune stone from my hand as we began our trek towards the Meris room.

Ivy held back on her desire to question me, every so often sending me a wary look. I met each one with a smile, until we reached the door. Sliding the rune stone into place where a lock would have been, I listened as the old, enchanted mechanism clicked over, and the door opened on silent hinges.

“After you,” I murmured, moving to stand behind Ivy. I spared the rest of the team a look, not really worried about them disturbing us, not as they donned their Phoenix Agent masks. Even Wolfy got into position, leaving Ivy and I to enter alone.

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