Page 145 of Court of Evil

Pleasure flows between us so strongly, I practically glow from how full I am on it.

“Tate.” Her name is a moan, and she shudders, her hips speeding up. Her length spears me faster, taking me like no one else ever has.

Her touch is possessive and loving as she drives into me. “Baby,” she groans, and I know she’s close. I am too, I feel it deep inside me, growing like a wave heading to shore. When her lips find mine, it crashes across us, both of us crying out as we come.

We find our release together. My powers hold us together until pleasure is all we know. I can’t even feel my body anymore, but I still feel her soul, her kiss . . . my everything.

Eventually, we come down from the high, both of us weak and shocked.

She falls into my open arms, and I wrap them around her, even as I twitch and pant. I hold her close, pressing my lips to her wet hair as my eyes close, a blissful smile curling my lips. I float in the afterglow as we lie together in the cooling water, our bodies locked together.

“I love you, Tate,” I say truthfully, needing her to know. “I love you so much. I was made for sex and lust, but you turned me into a being of love. I need you to know that.”

She lazily lifts her head, smiling as she kisses me gently. “I love you too, Isabella, my beautiful girl, now until forever.”

Eventually, we break apart, and she takes the strap-on off, washing it before bathing us both and helping me out, since I’m still weak. She dries every inch of my skin before blow-drying my hair, plaiting it back, and leading me into her room.

We tumble into her bed, exhausted and sated, our skin still pruned from the water as our eyes meet. Our smiles disappear, and we crash together once more, our lips pressing together as our bodies move so not an inch of space exists between us.

I want this for a lifetime, and I’ll have it.

CHAPTER 62

Three weeks later . . .

It’s taken us a while to prepare, but today is the day. The invitations have been sent, the documents are ready, and my team is with me as I pace at the head of the table.

I chose this place because it turns out it’s real, not just in my mind, and my ancestors guided me here. Shamus found out it used to be a meeting place of sorts between worlds, which makes sense, and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to do this.

The walls are covered in flowers and a tree, and the moon is bright above us. Candles are placed everywhere to welcome them and guide them to us, and the huge wooden table is empty bar the cream parchment, waiting for its use.

“Stop worrying. It will be fine,” Shamus promises as he joins me. “Look at me, angel.” I glance at him, and he gives me the look he first gave me when we met in his office, full of awe and respect. “You’re changing the world, angel. The hard bit is done. Trust in yourself and in us.”

“I do,” I whisper just as there’s a noise, and we turn.

Althea and her men step into the table area, Simon and his mate at her side. “Hello, Tate. I told you we would be seeing each other again.” She smiles at me and glances at my men then nods. “I read your invitation. I am very excited to see you and it.”

“As am I. Thank you for coming. Please sit,” I offer as kindly as I can despite my nerves. She takes a seat.

Moments after, Quinn appears with her wolves. She takes her seat quickly, and then Freya appears, looking hesitantly at me. “Please sit. We are all friends here.” She takes a seat, her men behind her. I wait nervously as I glance at Jarek, but moments later, Avea steps inside, joining us, and holding her hand is the god of death.

“We meet again,” he says.

“I’ll admit I was surprised to be invited to this . . . gathering,” Avea begins. “But we are here. Now play nice, Mors,” she admonishes, making him sigh.

“Yes, my love,” he replies as he leads her to a seat. He sits and then tugs her down onto his lap as if he cannot bear to be parted from her. He ignores us, playing with her hair, which is fine by me. It’s not him I want. It’s her.

Everyone is here, so it’s time to begin.

I walk to the head of the table where no seat waits, and I lean into the wood. “I have gathered you all here for a reason. You are visionaries and fighters who are trying to make this world a better place. You are like me. You’ve been hurt.” I look at Althea. “Betrayed.” My eyes land on Avea. “Forgotten.” My gaze settles on Quinn. “Ripped apart.”

Lastly, I meet Freya’s eyes. “Died for this belief in good and evil. I am one of you. We come from all walks of life, and we are different races, but we all have one common goal—to keep our family, our people, and this world safe. I offer peace between us all through shared knowledge, a place to come when in need, and a shoulder to lean on—a treaty”—I glance around, my heartbeating nervously, which I’m sure they can sense—“between the courts and its queens.” I grin. “You may not know much about me, but I am Tate Havelock, a hunter and a descendant of a fae who was the protector of this place. I have cleansed my own people and will continue to do so. The hunters were once a proud guild focused on protecting people, but we cannot let this happen again, so I propose a treaty between our courts and a helping hand for when it’s needed.”

“How?” Avea asks.

“We sign this document and seal it with our blood. It will link us. If anyone breaks it, we face death.” I glance at Mors. “Er, or him, I guess. We’ll come when called, but most of all, we’ll become a united force for change in the fight between good and evil. With all the power we have in this room, we stand a chance. Who would dare challenge a vampyrs queen blessed by gods, an ancient magical being mated to death, a prophesied alpha wolf, and the first necromancer to survive the gods?”

“You forget yourself,” Shamus offers as he comes to my side. “The hunter of the ages.”

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