Page 108 of The Storm of the Empire

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” He screwed up his face. “I kept having weird dreams, but then you tried to smother me with a pillow, and they stopped.”

“I did not try to smother you. I just wanted you to stop talking in your sleep.”

“It got the dreams to stop, so I’m not complaining.”

“A pillow thrown at you got them to stop? I doubt it.”

“I must have been turned on by the smothering.” He flashed a grin with his eyes.

“Don’t start.”

“You don’t want your hand around my throat?” He lifted his shoulders and started to get out of bed.

I dragged him back into bed, wanting to hear more about this idea of his.

We lay there longafter we were both spent.

“Is that something you do often? Because I’m going to need to invest in a good set of ear plugs if it is,” I teased.

“Not that anyone’s told me, but I didn’t usually stick around much, so maybe?” He made a face.

“What is it?” I rose up on an elbow, studying him.

“Nothing. It just felt weird telling you how I was with my past conquests”

“I don’t expect you to have had no past—I’m well aware of your experience. But things are different now. None of that fazes me.”

“Are you ever going to admit it?” he asked, stroking the side of my face and gazing into my eyes.

“What?”

“That we are mates.”

My heart skipped a beat. “You knew?”

“I’m not stupid,” he chuckled. “Nyx and Jaxus both mentioned it. When we fucked in that tavern, it felt like we became one soul, and since then, I physically can’t get enough of you. Plus, I’m no dragon, but I still want to tear apart any male that comes within three feet of you right now. Aren’t they the signs?”

“I didn’t know you knew all that.” I swallowed, feeling stupid for underestimating him.

“I’m smarter than I look.”

“Clearly,” I deadpanned, and he grabbed me, tickling my ribs and making me squeal.

When he finally let me breathe, I panted, resting my head on his chest. “Are you okay with that?” I asked.

“It’s not like we get a choice…but yes, Goddess, I’m very okay with it. Are you?”

I lifted my head to look him in the eyes. “I couldn’t be happier.”

We were summonedto see Nyx, who was still stuck to Kol’s bedside, and I took in Kol’s wasted form. It was gut wrenching. And they’d planned on doing that to us, too. I had to pull my eyes away and focus on Nyx as he cleared his throat.

“The King welcomes you to his flying legion,” Nyx said at length. His tone as he spit the words through gritted teeth let on that it hadn’t gone down well with His Majesty that yet another pairing had been made with someone from the fringes of his kingdoms. He didn’t like the gray areas.

“I would like to offer you a position under Jaxus as Major of our flying squadron. You’re one of the realms’ best, Hazel, and I need my ranks stacked with those I trust while this is unfolding. You’ll report only to Jaxus and myself. And I’ll need you both to start handling some of Jaxus’ load. He’s doing the work of ten fae while I’m here, and I can’t have him breaking under the strain.”

“What about my weapons classes?” I asked. It would be more than a full-time job to do as he asked while trying to get Luka up to speed about everything army related. He knew nothing about magic or the running of things, which wasn’t his fault, but we should have had space to train with each other like Nyx and Zaria had. With things how they were, though, there just wasn’t time.

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