Page 6 of Cursed

“I love you,” she says, crashing down to kiss me, claiming my mouth like she owns me. And she does.

Completely. Utterly. Irrevocably.

I want to be lost in this moment forever—with the sweet taste of her lips and sinking over and over into her wet heat.

Her tongue runs over my fangs, and she instantly cums over my dick, milking my member for all it’s worth.

The intimate and stimulating attention to both my fangs and my cock makes me explode. This cascades her right into another peak with the potent dose of my intoxicating release.

“Branden!” Quivering with yet another climax, she cries out for me as if she is completely lost in bliss, never to return to the world.

Then my love passes out, collapsing and falling off me.

Rourke helps me catch her. He cradles her head, setting her down between us. Once he confirms she is merely sleeping, he says to me, “I’m sorry. I probably should have left you both alone.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” I shrug and turn on my side to stroke her cheek and stare at her in awe. This bizarre, miraculous female is so connected to me now it’s unreal. Our blood has been exchanged, and I feel the beauty of her essence in every single cell in my body. She vibrates within me. She brings me the starlight where once there was only darkness. She is my midnight angel.

I want to keep her safe forever. “We shouldn’t meet the others quite yet. Shay needs more rest after kicking Death’s ass.” It’s true, but I’m just a selfish asshole who wants to keep her to myself.

“And my father might be searching everywhere,” Rourke adds.

I wonder what Rourke expects to happen now. “Did you mean what you said?” I have done the rash and reckless act of bonding with Shayla, and I want him to do the same. “Are you ready for a mating coven?”

“If it means having both of you in my life? I’m willing to do anything.”

I dart my eyes up to read him clearly. “Anything?”

He frowns. I see with only his expression what’s going on inside him. His face is so readable to me now, after all these years. I know exactly what he’s thinking.

His father must die. And he must be the one to kill him.

No matter how much Rourke hates it, that’s how this will end. He can see no other way out now.

He nods curtly. “Anything.”

3

BACK AT THE RANCH

LANDIS

Iconserve my magic and energy to either murder Rourke and Branden for keeping Shayla from us or to protect us from a random enemy.

Arden works on our new home… No, homebase.

This can’t be our new home now, can it?

I mean, it isn’t horrible. We are in one of the few wild and sacred places in Elfhame, one of the last sanctuaries in the magical fae realm.

The flower faeries are fiercely protective of this area. But I had no idea how feisty they were until I arrived here. They know all that goes on here and who trespasses on their lands. From what they tell Arden and me, there are only elemental faes here now. Tree nymphs, water sprites, and the like—thankfully, the creatures who aren’t involved in politics or power struggles.

In the soft sunlight, I sit on a stone chair outside our new domicile and watch Arden work his magic. He’s in rare form, moving and reshaping the earth to patch holes and make room additions to the house. The ground rumbles. The trees offer some of their roots to help with the cottage’s structure and to create chairs and table legs.

Thank Goddess we brought sleeping bags and pillows. This is just glorified camping. Although the flower faeries have been more than generous, bringing us fruits and having wines and loaves of bread delivered. It isn’t even for Arden’s sake.

Apparently, there is a stir among the little ones that Shayla is a special mage. And since we are her mates—although Arden has yet to consummate his bond—we are honored too.

“You need to be healthy to attend to the Sparkle Mage,” they tell us.

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