Page 50 of His Fate

This is the best kind of surprise attack.

"Is everything ok?" Posey asks, her voice husky and riddled with sleep.

I nod and tentatively wrap my arms around her then sigh at how right this feels. "Andrej just wanted to make me aware that he received word from our uncle. He apologized profusely but it was important because—"

"Your uncle is still in Slovakia acting as your spy in order to keep tabs on the civil war?"

She never ceases to amaze.

"Exactly. I anticipate he will be coming stateside sooner than expected."

"Is he married?" Posey yawns. "I mean mated? Will he be coming alone?"

"He is mated but will be coming alone." I hold her a little tighter, unsure if I should continue but Posey does anyway.

"He lost her at the same time you lost your parents?"

"Yes."

"So he's surviving on nothing but vengeance right now, huh?"

"You are incredibly perceptive, beloved."

"I know." She lets out a tired laugh and burrows further into me, her toes sliding under the cuff of my sweats. "You are so warm."

"As are your feet. More so than I anticipated."

"I could always go back to my side of the bed..."

I hold her harder and snort. "Absolutely not."

"Then deal with it, sugar lips." Then she leans up and presses a kiss to the underside of my chin right before she knocks all of the air out of my lungs. "I love you, Kasimir."

Fuck, there have never been four more beautiful words ever spoken.

"I love you, my beloved Josephine." I kiss the crown of her head then leave my nose buried in her hair, "Sleep now, my love. I have big plans for you tomorrow."

Posey doesn't speak but I can feel her smile against my chest.

My father was right, everything just seems better once you find your mate.

A Ritual Kind of Thing

Something is poking me in the face.

Something soft.

Something warm.

Something pointy.

I swat it away and it stops so I burrow further into my pillow, tuck my arms underneath it, rub my nose and stubbled cheek against the Egyptian cotton.

Then I'm being poked in the face again.

I growl and use the pillow to shield myself.

The poking stops.

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