Page 39 of Throne of Dreams
He knew, because a matching one imprinted upon him as well.
Just as he knew that when she asked about it, because at some point she would, he’d have to think of some excuse. Some reason to keep her safe from the truth. It would break him to have to lie to her.
He bent over her and pressed soft kisses to her eyes. Her cheeks. Her temples. Gods, he’d been a dick for not realizing she’d been untouched. However, it filled him with tremendous satisfaction knowing he was her first, and that he would be her only, for all eternity.
Carefully, so not to hurt her again, he slid out from between her legs. She whimpered softly, and he rolled onto the bed next to her, curling her into him as he settled down beside her. Again, his cock was already hardening, wanting her a second time. The sweet and delicious curve of her ass was far too tempting. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. She would need to heal and adjust, so he distracted himself by tracing the curves of her tattoos along her shoulder with the tip of his finger.
Delight slammed into him when she nestled her backside closer against him, and he sucked in a breath, struggling to keep his arousal under control. He started humming instead.
“It was you,” she whispered softly.
He detected the faintest hint of an ache in her voice and ceased his tracing. “What was me?”
“When I was poisoned by the dark fae that night they attacked, and I was so sick and delirious,” she spoke, her words filling the room. “I heard music and singing…it was you. You sang to me, and I heard it. You brought me back.”
“I sang, yes.”
He’d been frightened then. The poison from the dark fae had ravaged her body, leaving her weak. Defenseless. Not to mention those damned cuffs Carman had shackled onto her diminished the healing magic of her blood. He’d been terrified of losing her, and he’d only just met her.
He recalled the first time he saw her, when she stood on the verandah overlooking the Lismore Marin. She’d been accompanied by Rowan, Saoirse, and Casimir, and the moment he laid eyes on her, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. His soul sang for her then, called to her, and the sight of her had nearly left him breathless. She’d been all spitfire and fury, demanding he grant her refuge within his Court. She wore her fearlessness like a cloak, and when he’d threatened her, she hadn’t even hesitated to stab him with one of those pathetic throwing stars. It had been a pitiful attempt at self-defense, slightly adorable in retrospect, but pitiful nonetheless. It was then, when she’d glared up at him with eyes that reminded him of early morning sea mist, he knew she was destined for him.
Maeve rolled over to face him, and his hand went to her hips, hauling her closer.
“So.” She looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “Does this mean you don’t hate me?”
He gripped her ass with one hand, let his palm drag and skim along her thigh. Then he hooked her leg over his hip. “I never hated you.”
She arched one brow, clearly not amused.
Tiernan grazed his bottom lip with his teeth. “I just enjoy tormenting you.”
Her lips twitched slightly and then, “The feeling is mutual.”
Seconds stretched into minutes and eventually her lashes fluttered closed. When next she spoke, it was deep and sultry and on the edge of sleep.
“Are you going to leave?”
He ran his fingers through her hair, liking the way the curls wrapped around them. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No.”
Another wrench in his heart. “Then I’ll stay.”
“Do you promise?”
“Yes.”
Time slipped by as he lay there with her in his arms. Overhead, stars winked through the glass dome and a river of silver moonlight washed over them. Her eyes remained closed and though her breathing was deep and sound, he knew she wasn’t sleeping. She was waiting…to see if he would break his promise.
“Astora,”he murmured across her cheek, and she pretended to stir. Sun and sky, she was so fucking cute. “May I ask you something?”
With that, her eyes flew open, focused and alert. “If I can ask you something in return.”
“You learn so quickly,” he mused, then leaned closer, until the tips of their noses touched.
She gazed up at him, the depths of her eyes like pools of the Lismore Marin. Beautifully green. Mystically gray. Flecked with golden shards of sunlight. He stared, mesmerized, as she said, “I learn from the best.”
Tiernan swallowed. He hoped she meant it as a compliment.
