Page 56 of Her Fallen Angel

Kai's thumb traces circles on my palm, the gesture almost tender despite the predatory gleam in his eyes. The black flames cast shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the intensity of his gaze.

The Orb of Solis pulses on its obsidian pedestal, its surface swirling with galaxies and stars. Each flash illuminates the chamber in bursts of celestial light, turning Kai's wings to gleaming silver. The magic builds, layer upon layer, until the air itself feels thick enough to drown in.

"Your souls will merge," the Praexa continues, raising her hands. Dark energy coils around her fingers like living smoke. "The weak shall be strengthened. The strong shall be elevated."

My heart hammers against my ribs. Kai's wings curl forward, creating a feathered cocoon around us both. His eyes never leave my face, watching every flutter of my lashes, every quickened breath.

He assured me that I could withstand this ceremony. But with the magic swirling and the Praexa's intense gaze, I'm growing more and more nervous.

"Do you accept this bond?" the Praexa asks, her voice echoing with otherworldly power.

Before I can respond, Kai's grip tightens. His magic wraps around me like chains of starfire, both protective and possessive. The intensity of his gaze pins me in place more effectively than any physical restraint.

"I do," Kai says, so confident that I forget everything else. I love this man. I want him.

It eases the tension out of me as I turn back to the Praexa. "As do I."

The Praexa's hands weave through the air, pulling streams of golden magic into intricate patterns. The energy coalesces between Kai and me, forming a glowing tether that pulses like a living heartbeat. Each throb sends waves of power cascading through my body, setting every nerve ending ablaze.

The connection snaps into place just over our hearts as the Praexa completes the bond. My breath catches as the tether tugs me toward Kai, and he catches me in his arms. I stare down at the magic flowing between us, stunned.

"Be still," Kai murmurs against my ear, his voice rough with barely contained power.

The Praexa's fingers trace burning symbols over my heart, right through the thin fabric of my dress. The runes sear into my skin – not with pain, but with a cold so intense it steals my breath. Ancient markings bloom across my flesh in swirls of midnight and starlight, each line connecting me further to the warrior behind me.

Kai's chest rumbles against my back as the Praexa marks him in turn. His magic surges through the tether, flooding my veins with liquid fire. The symbols on my chest pulse in response,pulling me deeper into his embrace. His arms lock around my waist, fingers digging into my hips as the bond strengthens.

Power rushes between us in waves, each pulse stronger than the last. I feel his strength, his darkness, his obsessive need to possess. His emotions crash through me – pride, hunger, a possessiveness so deep it borders on madness. My own feelings reflect back through the tether, amplified by the ancient magic – fear tangled with fascination, defiance wrapped in submission.

The runes flash brighter, their glow visible even through my dress. Each symbol represents a different aspect of our connection – dominance and submission, protection and possession, strength and vulnerability. They write our story in a language older than time, binding us together in ways that transcend physical bonds.

Kai's wings tremble as the magic peaks, his control slipping just enough to let me feel the depth of his response. Through the tether, I sense his surprise at the intensity of our connection, the way it shakes his carefully maintained walls.

His magic coils around me like a living thing, tendrils of violet power sliding beneath my skin. And then he bends, his lips claim mine with fierce possession, stealing my breath. Through our new bond, his emotions crash into me – triumph and relief and a hunger so deep it makes me dizzy.

His wings create a dark cocoon around us, blocking out everything except the pulsing glow of our shared magic. One hand tangles in my hair while the other presses against the small of my back, molding me against the hard planes of his chest. Each point of contact sends sparks racing through my nerves.

The runes on my chest flare with answering heat, resonating with his touch. His joy floods the bond between us, pure and savage in its intensity. This is what he's wanted since the moment he claimed me – to own not just my body, but my very soul. The thought should terrify me, but the magic singingthrough my veins transforms fear into a different kind of surrender.

"Mine," he growls against my mouth. "Finally, completely mine."

His kiss deepens, demanding total submission. Through our connection, I feel the way my response affects him – how each small sound I make stokes the fire of his possessiveness. His magic pulses stronger, wrapping us both in chains of violet light that bind us closer with every heartbeat.

The bond thrums between us, new and raw and overwhelming. Every brush of his lips sends cascading waves of sensation that echo back and forth, amplified by ancient magic.

His satisfaction rolls through me in dark waves, tinged with a relief so profound it makes my knees weak. After all his careful planning and patience, he's achieved what he truly wanted – a connection that can never be broken.

"Solas has blessed your union," the Praexa says. "You will now go forward as one soul, bonded forever."

Kai scoops me up, his arms wrapping around me like iron bands as he carries me out of the ritual chamber. The raw intensity of our bond pulses between us, a live wire connecting our souls. Every step he takes sends jolts of sensation coursing through me – his hunger, his triumph, his dark desires that promise both pleasure and pain.

"You're shaking," he says, a smirk in his voice as takes us back to the townhouse. I cling to him as he hurries through the crowds, carrying me up into the home and to our room.

"You're overwhelming," I counter, my fingers curling into the leather of his armor. His magic surges through our connection, a mix of satisfaction and amusement at my response.

He drops me onto the bed, the soft furs doing little to cushion the impact. His violet gaze pins me in place, the hunger inhis eyes making my heart race. "Good," he growls. "I want you overwhelmed. I want you drowning in me."

His wings stretch open, blocking out the light as he climbs onto the bed. The mattress dips beneath his weight, the motion sending me rolling toward him. His hand clamps around my thigh, hauling me closer until I'm pressed against his chest. The runes on my skin flare to life, responding to his touch with a heat that borders on pain.

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