Page 20 of Shifting Hearts

“Six hours.”

“Really? It felt like ten minutes.”

“Krishka, the head of the Obsidian Coven, said you need to rest and this will happen often until you learn to listen.” I know I’m frowning but at least my tone is even. I don’t want herto feel like a chastised child or that I am fighting with her, but I need her to know how scared I was. “You need to take what Krishka tells you and teaches you to heart, Little Mate.”

“I know.” She looks at her hands with the water bottle still clutched between her fingers. “I just wanted to help.”

“I know, and your heart is one of the reasons I fell in love with you, but you can’t put yourself in danger like that. I can’t remember ever being that scared in all my forty-five years.”

“You love me?” she asks softly, staring at me with wide eyes.

I frown. Surely, I have said the words in the past four days of lovemaking, fucking, and all my efforts to breed her. But I can’t think of a single time those words crossed my lips.

I sit beside her on the bed and take her face in my hands. I kiss her, hard, pouring all my love and passion into the single action.

“I love you, Akasha,” I say once I pull away. “I love your body and your mind. Your beautiful soul and your open heart. I love the way you say my name in your sleep and the birthmark on your left butt cheek. I love you completely and irrevocably.”

A tear slips down her cheek and I gently wipe it away with my thumb.

“And I love you too,” she whispers. “You and your beautiful black bear.”

Chapter Fifteen

Akasha LaVey

Learning About Myself

After our declaration of love, Korvin slips into bed behind me and cuddles me through the night. it isn’t about sex, even though I’m sure both of us would happily fuck each other’s brains out. This is about connecting and showing affection without getting naked. Weird concept, I know, but I have never felt so special and cherished in my entire life.

Once we wake to the new day and the bright sunlight coming in through the open drapes, we shower together, taking care to wash each other before getting dirty all over again. Korvin fucks me against the white tiles until I scream, and then we have breakfast.

A knock at the door draws our attention. I lift a brow in his direction.

“I don’t know anyone in Brooklyn,” I say with a smile. “Must be for you.”

He walks toward the door with a grumble. “No one visits me.”

“You’ll have to get used to visitors,” I say with a laugh. “I’m a social person. Maybe it’s Ari.”

He shakes his head, trying to hide his own smile as he opens the door. His immediate frown lets me know it isn’t someone he wants to see.

“What do you want?” he asks right before Krishka, the witch from last night, ducks under his arm.

“Chill out, Grumpa. I’m here to see your witch.”

I can’t hold in my giggle at her nickname for him, which only earns me a scowl.

“She needs more rest,” Korvin says to her.

“She needs to listen, then she won’t have to rest,” she retorts as she reaches me where I’m drinking my coffee at the breakfast nook. “Besides, we are running out of time. She needs to master her element before I can teach her anything else or she won’t be able to control the fire.”

“My element?” I ask, intrigued.

“You’re a fire witch,” she says with a bounce of her eyebrows. “Shifters can smell their mates, I can smell elemental witches.”

I wrinkle my nose at her. “So, I smell like smoke?”

She laughs, packing items on the counter she pulls from her shoulder bag. “Not at all. Each elemental witch’s scent is unique. Yours is more like s’mores. You know, caramelizing marshmallows.”

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