Page 73 of Fae Reckoning

El leapt to her feet and turned to lift Saffron from the stump. “Pru, will you please take Saffy?”

Though the dragonling complained, El quickly handed him off and clutched my hand again. Gripping me tightly, she told the others, “Rouse whatever allies you can. We can’t afford to wait, or Talisa”—no longer thequeen, I couldn’t help but notice—“will steal our one opportunity. Be ready to move out when we return. We go to the palace, to the very belly of the beast.”

“And where are you going?” Azariah asked in a squeak, a tad alarmed for his newly accepted queen to leave him.

“Into the woods.” And before anyone could ask additional questions, she led me by the hand into the thick of the trees, calling behind us, “Be back soon, X. Roar if there’s any danger and I’ll come running.”

To me, she said, “I’ll need your lumoon to show me the way.”

I arched a brow as I directed my lumoon out in front of her. “And wherearewe going exactly?”

“Far enough away to have privacy. You and I,mate, are going to make love.” Her grin was possessive and feral, and I fuckinglovedit.

When she started down a trail of her own making, I all but stepped on her heels to follow, the beast withinme fighting to claim her here, right the fuck now. And when she peered over her shoulder at me, even with my lumoon casting her face in shadows, her light was so brilliant I knew I’d follow her to the end of the world, or the pits of the Igneuslands. Wherever she went, I’d be at her side.

Her fight was my fight. Her heart was my heart.

She broke into a run and I stopped her—but only to whisk her up into my arms. Her husky laugh was like a whip at my back, searching for the first spot to lie with her I could find.

24.MY QUEEN, MY KING

RUSH

Anticipation rushed up and down my body, testing my control as I held Elowyn close to my chest and loped through the woods with her in my arms. I’d never in my entire life wanted anything for myself more than I wanted this woman.

What I’d come to think of as the mate-bond beast that Elowyn had awakened within me gnashed and scrabbled to be let loose, to feast upon her body—her glorious mouth, so responsive to my own; her plump, scrumptious breasts with those hard, straining nipples that begged for my tongue; the curve of her neck, so elegantly feminine; the sexy-as-fuck bend of her waist; absolutely everything. I needed every bit of her all at once—to lap up her arousal, licking up every drop, which I could scent above the smells of the forest and through her leathers.

Never would I have imagined that love could make me this ravenous. Over the decades, whenever I’dencountered bonded mates, I’d paid close attention—much as most fae probably did while pretending they weren’t tamping down envy. Few fae were bestowed with the fortune of dragons in their lives; most had to do without the one pairing that legend held to be inimitable. I’d closely listened to mates’ stories of how life-altering it had been to find each other. I’d tracked their shared smiles and lingering touches and how they seemed to light up, as if mates had also been gifted with their very own secret language.

Now I understood, and wondered only if I’d ever be able to get enough, or if I’d forever be driven by an insatiable need for her.

Although my arms vibrated, I lowered her to the grass of a pretty glade with the care a treasure like her required. I’d summoned a second lumoon so I could see farther and run faster, and I directed both to hover a few feet away so I could admire her while my heartbeat and breathing slowed after the run.

Talisa reckoned herself the most beautiful female in all the realm, wearing her arrogance like a medal. But Elowyn, who shared many of her aunt’s features, was stunning in a way the evil queen could never be. Warmth radiated from my mate, and though I couldn’t see it with my eyes, I knew it was her light, drawing not just myself but also our companions to her side. Elowyn’s natural beauty, when melded with her character, became a transcendent lure, like she’d been sent down from the Etherlands to walk this realm.

I beamed. She returned the gesture, and the sight ofit warmed my chest like a shot of sunrise spirits on a cold night. Languidly, she rolled her head back and forth across the thick grass beneath her body as if we had all the time in the world—by the Ethers, how I wished we did. How I wished I could entirely banish the fear that this unfettered time we were sharing might be the last of its kind. We were about to head into battle with the most formidable adversary the fae had ever encountered. One outcome was guaranteed: our world—the Mirror World—was about to change forever.

Her hand rose to caress my cheek. I leaned into her touch as she asked, “What is it? What has you so lost in thought?” She grinned, mischief dancing across her face. “I thought you’d be all action now that you finally got me alone.”

I chuckled hoarsely. “Mmmm, good point.” My stare landed on her lips. They were luscious and full and a deep, bright pink. She licked them and they glistened enticingly. “I have big plans for you. Very fine … enticing plans.” I wanted to be witty, to dazzle her with my oratory skills before desire drove me to rip off her clothes and claim her. But I found my mind dazed, too overcome by the beast’s needs. “I was just appreciating you,” I admitted. “I can’t seem to help but do so.”

Her smile softened—she was pleased—and I leaned into her touch even more.

“I’m grateful for you too,” she said gently. “I was really freaked out I might never see you again. Thatwas almost worse than the pain of what I went through.”

As if my body knew exactly where it belonged without my direction, I discovered myself already settled over hers. Her legs had parted for me as I leaned onto my elbows to either side of her chest. Disturbed by my thoughtlessness, I inched back off of her.

“By a dragon’s roar, I’m so sorry, El. I was so overwhelmed by, well,youthat I forgot all you’ve gone through.” I was in the process of sitting back onto my knees when she gripped my tunic and tugged me forward so suddenly that I had to scramble not to land on top of her.

When I was back on my elbows in the same position I’d been before, she said, “That’s better.” Heady, sultry desire replaced the former playfulness in her eyes.

My dick throbbed then thickened. “But you’re hurt. You even have fresh cuts on your face.”

She chortled darkly. “Yeah, seems pretty much everything in this place wants to take a bite out of me.”

I know I do.

Her eyes widened suddenly. She craned her head to look around us in all directions.

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