Page 67 of Fire & Ice

Her eyes flew open, two rubies of fire like twin blood moons. "Beau," she gasped.

"My love." Joy and relief washed over him as she smiled up at him, alive and awake in his arms once more. "You're safe now. I'm here."

"You came for me," she whispered, wonder in her voice.

"Always." He kissed her again, slow and deep, savoring the warmth of her lips and the beat of her heart against his chest. "Always and forever."

He gazed into her eyes, emerald pools that reflected the stars above. "I would cross worlds for you, Tempest. I would defy death itself."

She reached up, her fingers trailing along his jaw. "As I would for you, my love."

The words seared into his soul, branding him as hers for all eternity. He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, tasting the salt of tears he hadn't realized he'd shed.

"Shh," she soothed. "It's over now.”

"I almost lost you-again," he whispered. "When I saw you lying there, so still and ashen..." He shook his head, unable to continue. The memory of it clawed at his heart, ripping open wounds that had only just begun to heal.

"But you didn't lose me." She cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her gaze. "You saved me, Beau. You brought me back from the darkness. I knew you would."

He turned his head to press a kiss to her wrist, drawing in the scent of her skin. "You were gone, Tempest. Your heart, your breath...everything had stopped. For a moment I feared the worst."

"Yet my heart beats for you again, my love, as it always shall." She pulled him down for another searing kiss that chased away his doubts and calmed the raging storm inside him.

When at last they parted, Beau rested his forehead against hers, savoring her warmth and the quiet peace of the glade. "Promise me you won't leave me again," he whispered.

"I promise, Beau." Her hands tightened around his. "We shall never again be parted."

And sealed with a kiss, it was a promise Beau knew she would keep. Beau held Tempest close, his fangs already lengthening in anticipation. He tilted her head to the side, exposing the slender column of her throat. "Forgive me, my love," he rasped, then struck.

Tempest gasped as his fangs pierced her flesh, a soft cry escaping her lips. Beau groaned at the first taste of her blood, rich and dark and full of power. It ignited a fire in his cold veins as her life essence flowed into him.

His arms tightened around her, possessive and protective all at once. Tempest's hands fisted in his hair, holding him to her as he fed. Her blood was a drug, an aphrodisiac, binding them together in a way nothing else ever could.

Beau drank until Tempest's breaths came in shallow pants and her heart raced like a wild bird's. Only then did he withdraw, licking the wounds to close them. Tempest sagged against him, eyes glazed with desire. Beau could see the change in them, a subtle shift in color that proclaimed she was his inside and out.

"Mine," he growled, claiming her mouth in a kiss that left no room for doubt. Tempest responded with a passion that matched his own desire burning between them like an inferno.

The next moon Tempest slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh light filtering through the window. She felt strange, disoriented, and weak, yet also more alive than she ever had before.

Her gaze fell on Beau, who was watching her intently, eyes glowing with possessive warmth. Memories flooded back then—the feeding, the kiss, Beau claiming her as his mate.

A delicious shiver ran through her at the thought. She was mated, bound to Beau in a way that transcended anything she'd ever known. She could feel him in her mind, a steady, comforting presence that filled the empty places in her soul.

"How do you feel?" Beau asked, his voice a low rumble.

"Strange," she admitted. "But...good. Whole." She reached up to touch his face, marveling at the bond between them.

Beau turned his head to press a kiss to her palm. She drew him down for a searing kiss, desire kindling low in her belly. Beau growled against her mouth, the sound sending a thrill of anticipation through her.

They had a lifetime ahead of them to explore the depths of their bond. Tempest couldn't wait to begin.

Beau cupped Tempest's face in his hands, gazing into her eyes. He could see his reflection in their amber depths, could feel the echo of her emotions and thoughts in his mind.

They gazed at each other for a long moment, words unnecessary between them now. Anticipation hummed in the air, laced with desire and tenderness. The future was unwritten before them, full of mystery and promise. But they would face it together, bonded as mates, partners in all things.

Beau takes my hands, twining our fingers together. "You are my heart, Tempest. My everything. I would burn the world to keep you safe."

Joy and desire surge within her, twin flames fueled by his words. Their lips met, and it was like coming home. The world fell away for Tempest, leaving only Beau and the sweetness of his kiss. She melted into his embrace, parting her lips with a sigh. His arm curls around her waist, pulling her close as their bond flares to life, bright and vivid as the dawn.

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