Page 124 of The Princess and Her Grand King

“I do.” Her reply was quick, breathless. “I really do.”

Relief touched his stormy gray eyes. “I will understand if you don’t—”

“I love you.” The words made an escape before she could even think to hold them back.

He blinked at her.

But Aekeira wouldn’t take it back. Couldn’t.

“I’m in love with you,” she said, cheeks flushing, voice steadier. “I have been for a long, long time. I want to bond with you, to be with you. I want to love you in every way I can, for as long as we have.”

The soft breeze of the night filled the silence.

“Why?” he asked, gruffly.

Aekeira’s eyes zeroed in on the silver embroidery at his neckline.

“I would be lying if I said it did not cross my mind, however there is a question that troubles me. Why?” He sounded almost pained. “Why do you love me?"

“I—"

“I never gave you a reason to," he continued, confusion coating his rugged features. “I was brutal to you. A monster. I forced myselfrepeatedlyon you—” he cut off, looking away. “Why? Why would a lady like you love a male like me, Aekeira? It’s downrightbafflingto me.”

“Why? The truth is, I don’t know." Aekeira finally answered, shaking her head. "I don’t have a logical reason for you.”

The cool night air swirled around them, the chirping of birds in the distance.

“In the beginning, I was sure I hated you. But somewhere along the way, those feelings started to change.” Sincerity rang in her passionate voice. “I began thinking of you, worrying about you…desiringyou.”

Steeling herself, she stepped closer, closing the small gap he’d placed between them. “Everything I gave, I gave willingly. When you needed blood, when your bloodlust consumed you and your beast was too close to the surface, I wanted nothing more than to give you mine. I wanted to ease your pain. I wanted you inside me, even then.”

She took his calloused fingers into hers, guiding it to her cheek, nuzzling against it. “I never forced myself to do any of it. I never regretted anything. I wanted to give youeverything—two years ago, and now.”

His hand trembled slightly against hers.

“I want us to be together, even if the heavens deem us unfit,” she whispered, tears swimming in her eyes. “Even if our kinds don’t match. Let’s try anyway. I love you with everything in me—”

He silenced her with a kiss. His lips crashing into hers, so fiercely consuming it knocked her breath away.

His hand slipped to her hips, possessive and desperate, as if afraid she might slip away. The kiss was fire and longing… need and devotion.

Aekeira melted into it, kissing him back with equal passion, pouring every ounce of her feeling into it.

She couldn’t get enough of him—this gruff, powerful, grumpy male who had somehow becomehers.

When he pulled his lips from hers, he breathed heavily, his hands still firmly gripping her.

Without a word, he turned her back to face the window, his arms wrapping around her shoulders as he slumped slightly, enveloping her completely.

Together, they gazed out at the beautiful, airy night. The stars above glittering.

He knows now. He knows how I feel.

Aekeira felt lighter in her heart. It didn’t bother her that he hadn’t said the words back, she didn’t need him to. His actions, his kisses, spoke louder than any words ever could.

“I never thought I’d feel these emotions running through me again,” Vladya murmured, his cheek brushing hers, his breath warm against her skin. “I’m starting to grow accustomed to them. Weeks ago, they felt so foreign.”

“What do you feel?” she asked softly, tilting her head slightly to meet his eyes.

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