Page 31 of Mated to the Mad Marquess

Hrafn felt it in her broken soul when her familiar entered the room. She gave her mate one last, hard kiss, then separated. “We’re not alone,” she warned.

Malcolm pulled the sheet up over them both.

A large black moth had flown in through the crack between the door and floor. It circled overhead, smelling of sulfur.

I spotted no sign of the monster or his spawn,Ezra grumbled,not that you seem the least bit worried about that at the moment. Or about me . . .

“Well done, Ezra,” she said soothingly. “Thank you for keeping a look-out.”

And now you’re doing that funny thing with your teeth.

Hrafn touched her mouth, surprised to find it once again in a merry slant.I’m smiling because I’m happy to see you.

Pfft.

“Yes, thank you for your service,” Malcolm said, not sounding at all enthused. “Now, please go away.”

Hrafn threw an elbow into his gut, eliciting a grunt. “Make yourself comfortable, Ezra. You’ve been gone for hours. I’m sure you’re tired.”

No thank you,the familiar said.I’d rather be someplace where everyone is wearing clothes, not bedsheets. I think I’ll go see what the feral little fairy is up to.

The moth made one last fluttering lap about the room before gliding back under the door.

“You offended his honor,” Hrafn said, resisting half-heartedly as her mate pulled her against the broad expanse of his chest, bathing her in his heat.

“I’ll make it up to him later. Right now, I want to spend the entire day in bed with you.”

“But we have,” she said, pointing behind her to the dusky slivers of sunlight pouring in through the window.

“Have we?” He nosed at her neck, skimming his lips along her throat, and her belly swooped. “It went by so quickly, I hadn’t noticed.”

“Aren’t you hungry?” she breathed, lungs hitching. “We haven’t eaten in hours.”

“I’ve been feasting all day,” he purred.

“It did go by quickly,” she admitted, sinking against him. He was deliciously warm and so attentive.

His strong hands skated down her back, between the sensitive sinew that separated the blades of her shoulders from her wings, and muscles in her belly clenched. “It could be like this all the time, Raven,” he said. “You and me.”

Hrafn’s heart plummeted. Planting a hand high on his sternum, she stiffened in his arms. “Oh, Malcolm . . .”

He sucked in a breath. “Don’t say my name like that.”

“You seemed to enjoy it when I said your name before,” she noted sweetly, trying to soften the blow.

He shook his head, eyes sliding shut. “Shout my name in ecstasy all you like, but don’t ever say it in that pitying tone.”

Hrafn rubbed her thumb over the sprinkling of ashen hair on his chest, trying to soothe the damage of the words that remained unsaid. She inhaled deeply, and her lungs faltered again. “I’m so sorry.”

Malcolm took her hand in his and gripped it. “Don’t be sorry.Stay.”

“How can I when I’ve grown tohatethis place?” Hrafn’s throat went tight. Her next words pitched higher in her efforts to squeeze them out. “I’ve been trapped here for so very long. All I’ve dreamed of in that time is a chance to finally be free of it.”

“I know I haven’t been in your life long, but . . . Raven, you’re all I want. One look at you and that was all I needed. There was a lifetime in just a glance from you. Two lifetimes in your death threats.”

Her eyes stung. She had to close them to keep them from watering. Her lip trembled. “You belong here, and I don’t.”

“You belong with me.” His hold on her hand tightened. “I’m certain of it.”

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