Page 106 of All the Devils are Here

“Sorry.” But he was smiling.

Ariel took my hand as we walked to the living room. “When did you agree to do this?”

“While you were unconscious. Snoring.”

“I donotsnore.”

His eyes were twinkling. “You do a little. But like the soft, cute kind. When you’re down deep.”

If I couldn’t feel the joy and lightness through our bond, I might be annoyed. But he was teasing me, and I loved that I knew that. “Where are the others?”

“Asleep. Ready?”

“I have no idea.”

Ariel scooped me into his arms and dissolved around me, flying us out of the house and into the cool night air. “Where are you going to leave me?”

“On one of the beaches. You can go wherever you want, except the mountain, obviously. But if something happens, call me.”

“I will.”

We dropped to the sand. He kissed me quickly and winked before disappearing like mist. It was so fast, and I was left alone on the beach, drenched in moonlight.

CHAPTER FORTY

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CALIBAN

Ariel carrying her made little difference.

My mate’s scent was so distinct I could taste it on the breeze. Little pops and flickers of flowers and lemons, like sparks or bursts of light.

I followed them away from the house, dodging through the trees and over rocks I had memorized.

Meg now knew the truth. There wasn’t much to know about me. This had always been my home, and I knew every inch of it. What life I had before Prospero recreated me, I didn’t remember. But there wasn’t a real history for my mate to learn.

Not the way I needed to learn hers.

A sharp flare of scent caught me and pulled me to the left. Toward the beach. She was like a beacon, and inside I smiled. Her normal scent was powerful enough, but my mate’s arousal was like the world’s strongest perfume.

Delicious. Addictive. Mouthwatering.

The wind off the sea carried that scent to me, and it was almost too easy.

I froze when I saw her standing on the shore looking out over the water. The breeze tossed her hair and she wiggled her toes in the sand before looking around.

Watching her wade into the water made me happy. I wanted to see her do it in the daylight. My beast wanted to play with her in the shallows.

If I hadn’t already found her, the move would have been clever. She might have thrown me off her scent for a few minutes.

But no more than that. I would always find my mate.

Mate.

The need to claim her rose and took over. She was mine.Mine.

I turned around and doubled back to follow her, weaving myself into the grass to watch and wait and listen. Soon she would try to hide, and I would find her.

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