Page 151 of Fated In Forever
With a smirk, he squared his shoulders, sucked in his stomach, and braced his legs wide. Bex made a little sound, somewhere between a moan and a squeak and I knew the feeling, because he was…well, he was…naked as the day he forged in the shadows of the Underworld, and as well-endowed as any male I’d ever seen.
“Fucking hell, cover that shit up,” Blake finally growled, fist bumping with Eldric. “Nobody wants to see that.”
“Well…” Bex whispered, “actually…”
“Malachi, please do us all a favor and put on some clothes,” Riordan said, trying to keep a straight face. “We’re having dinner, in case you haven’t noticed.”
A swirl of shadow and Malachi was back in his mortal form, dressed in a long black coat and pants, wide eyes locking with mine, a shell-shocked look on his face.
Is this real? Or am I dreaming?
Very, very real.The silence stretched and I kept smiling. Smiling like I couldn’t stop. I can’t believe you’re really here. I’m pinching myself to make myself believe this is real, actually.
Malachi ran a hand through his pale hair. “I don’t understand. I thought…one moment I was in my castle and the next...” He looked around at our formal dinner party, taking in the candles, the crystal, the pleased, amusement of our friends. “Are you having a party?” His brow pinched together, “I get sent to the Underworld, a life sentence, by the way, and you’re having afucking party?”
“We are. Technically, though, you're the guest of honor,” I laughed, getting up from my chair to lead him to the empty chair. “Do you remember what I told you about leaving a seat at the table for when you came home? The Wishrender granted my wish. Six days a month together—three days you come here, and three days I visit you.”
His eyes widened as the implications sank in. “Six days a month? You mean we actually get to be together? But I thought…my oath…”
“I didn’t like that arrangement, so I changed the rules,” I told him, reaching up to cup his beautiful face. “Technically, these will be working vacations, since I promised to help you with your task, and you have to help me with mine, but I’m sure we can find some down time.”
The smile that spread across his face was brilliant, and I reached for the champagne. “I’m assuming they don’t have champagne in hell?” I poured him a glass. “So you should probably drink your fill while you’re here.”
For the rest of the night, we talked about routine problems, like fixing the rift, and strengthening our alliances with the other clans. Malachi kept his hand on my thigh, like he couldn’t stop touching me. Then Blake and Eldric got into it over the library being bigger than the war room, until Fiona stepped in and warned them she’d turn them both into frogs if they didn’t cut it out.
The laughter that followed was infectious, spreading around the table until we were all doubled over, tears rolling down our faces.
“So,” Malachi said, wrapping his arm around my waist and tugging me against his chest, “tell meeverything.”
EPILOGUE
MALACHI
Three days I'd spent in Evangeline’s world. Three perfect days of sunlight and laughter and the simple miracle of holding her in my arms.
The second my time was up, I’d been hurled back to my domain, but in the months since, I’d been busy, planning for her return.
Since time moved so differently in both realms, I’d had some trouble working out the differences, but if my calculations were correct, today was the day she’d appear, and I wanted everything to be perfect.
The castle had never looked better. The polished obsidian of the great hall gleamed, the tapestries were bright and colorful—red and white and black—the chandeliers glowing with red flames, everything was set for her arrival.
I paced nervously from one end of the hall to the other, went to the fireplace and struck a pose.Too formal. Another, over by the towering gothic windows.
Too slouchy. I blew out a breath and went back to pacing, a giant ball of nerves.
But the castle itself wasn't my real surprise. My big secret lay beyond the walls, a project that had taken most of my accumulated power to complete.
I sensed the dimensional shift that announced herarrival—a ripple in reality that made my heart race—then the portal opened right in front of me, in the center of the great hall, and Evie stepped through with the same cautious grace she'd shown the first time she'd visited my realm. She was dressed practically in dark jeans and her favorite leather jacket, her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail, but to me she looked like royalty.
“Malachi,” her face blazed with joy as she charged across the floor and threw herself at me. “I wasn't sure if the magic would actually work both ways.”
“It worked,” I said, sweeping her into my arms. For a moment, I just held her, nuzzling deep into her hair, drowning in her scent, marveling at the fact that she was really here, in my realm, by choice.
By a wish.
“The trip was fast. Not even that bad.” She laughed, staring around the great hall. “This place looks amazing. Did you rebuild the entire castle?”
“Most of it,” I said, trying to sound casual despite the burgeoning pride that warmed my chest. “I may have had some time on my hands…before.”Before, when I thought I’d never see you again. “But once I knew you were coming back, I started making real improvements.”
