Page 87 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

Meera had questioned if she was part human. I’d doubted it based on her strength, but the proof of it was now undeniable.

I didn’t know what she was, but it wasn’t human . . . and it wasn’t fae.

Smudges of red stained her lower back. I recalled the way she’d scratched my back. The sting was still there, dampened by the arousal that was steadily pulling me under. Whatever she was would have to wait.

“Vareck,” Meera moaned.

My gaze snapped to hers. The strange look from before was gone, replaced with a feverish need. I slammed into her, reveling in the way she tightened around me. My heart rate kicked up. A haze descended over me.

I didn’t want to hurt her, but you wouldn’t know it from the way I fucked her. Meera’s sweet sounds filled the room, mostly unintelligible, as I plunged in and out of her.

I couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to. She felt so good. So right.

“It’s like you were made for me,” I rumbled.

The need to ruin her was instinctual. Primal. I had to take, and take, and take—until there was nothing left for her to give to anyone else. No piece of her that craved another. I would break us both apart to rebuild something precious. Our pieces would fuse together until she couldn’t bear to leave me.

My cock jerked. The release slammed into me with the power of a god. Meera followed after me with a scream. I rocked my hips shallowly, needing to ride every last wave inside her.

I let go of her hands to wrap my arm around her waist. I rolled us to the side without separating. Bliss settled overme even though the pixie dust was far from done with us both.

I almost didn’t notice.

“You’re—” I broke off, trying to form the words, but what I was feeling, it was impossible. There was no way . . . and yet the magic couldn’t be denied. It was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. It was the start of spring after an endless winter. I finally understood why Meera looked shocked. What she was trying to say before. “My mate.”

I hadn’t bitten her, but it didn’t matter. Meera wasn’t a chosen mate. We were fated, even if I hadn’t claimed her.

So much made sense now.

The dreams. The way I hunted for her. My inability to let her go.

I tightened my hold, pressing a kiss to her temple. I didn’t know how it was possible. I also didn’t care. This beautiful, funny woman was mine.

Meera shifted, slowly rocking her hips against me. “I need you,” she groaned. The husky lilt of her voice was all it took for me to harden once more.

I thrust into her slowly, reveling in the way we came together.

This was going to be a long fucking night.

And gods help me, I was going to give her everything.

Chapter 29

Meera

I inhaled deeply, my chest rising as the crisp morning air filled my lungs. The first rays of dawn crept through the drapes, warming my bare back. Glowing embers replaced the fire in the hearth. Goosebumps lined my skin where the sheets had slipped down, the soft fabric twined around my body as my hair spilled in loose waves across a pillow.

The after-high of Faerie dust had finally burned out, leaving behind a heady, intoxicating afterglow. Even the deep winter chill that seeped into the room couldn’t chase away the lingering heat. It was almost a sin to wake up, to pull myself from this dreamlike trance.

I sighed, rolling over—only to jolt upright as shredded bits of pillow and feathers clung to my hair.

My breath hitched.

The bedding. The mattress. The sheets. All torn to shreds.

My gaze darted to the headboard, tracing the deep claw-like notches along the horizontal post. Memories slammed into me—the swirl of his tongue,the pressure as he filled me, the callouses on his hands as he caressed my skin, all the way to the moment?—

Oh shit. My eyes dropped to the arm loosely draped over my waist. I followed it to the sleeping man beside me. My fated mate.

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