“Mutual name screaming.” Vivv gave a soft huff of laughter. “I can live with that.”

It was a human saying I’d heard before, but I wanted her words to be literal. I wanted her with me forever. My chest thrummed as the mate bond resonated between us. She’d mated me to save my life, but would she ever love me as I loved her?

We hadn’t talked about the future, what with more immediate threats looming. We flew into the unknown in the morning, putting both our lives on the line. Who knew what the Grug had waiting in there? What if—

“Hey, come back to me.” Her soft touch on my cheek made my forehead tingle. “You’ve got worry face. Let all of that go for tonight, all the leadership burdens. Let’s pretend it’s just you and me having a date night like a normal couple.”

“Nothing with you could ever be called ‘normal.’” I tucked her more fully into my side. “But I will do as you wish.”

She hummed in contentment and rested her head on my shoulder.

I gave the command for the light globes to dim and held her close, enjoying the way the soft sighs of her breathing mixed with the splash of nectar into the most soothing sound in the universe.

Her body relaxed fully when she fell asleep, melting against mine in the way I adored. These last few days had been tense and far too filled with responsibilities. I was so very glad I’d given her this night to escape from it all, and she was right to demand that I take some of that relaxation for myself, too.

Letting everything else spiral away, I sank fully into the pleasure of holding her in my arms.

“I love you,” I whispered into her silky hair long after she’d fallen asleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Vivian

Wrin rose over me, his cock filling me with a languid slowness that made the tight coil of tension in my center wind higher.

Earlier had been angry, fast, and so very hot. But this gentle assault on my senses made tears prickle in my eyes.

I’d woken to him pressing kisses into my neck, his tongue teasing me as he moved down my body to settle between my legs. His fangs scraped over my skin until I shivered, then his tongue soothed the sting, only for him to repeat the delicious torture again.

The globes cast just enough light to make the crystals on the waterfall sparkle behind him. They also let me see his wicked tongue as it flicked out to dance over my clit.

He’d teased me to a slow orgasm that coursed through my blood like honey.

Now Wrin was doing it again, his hard length stroking into me so slowly I could feel the extra sensation from each ridge. He angled his hips to hit my g-spot, and I moaned, tingles flowing outward in waves.

“My soul’s breath, you are so very lovely.”

Those dark-purple eyes bored into mine, full of an emotion that wasn’t anger but burned just as brightly. Its beauty took my breath away.

I think he loves me.

The thought sent me over the edge, my orgasm spiraling outward from my core to ravish my entire body in pure pleasure. I sobbed, the sensations overwhelming and wonderful.

Wrin gave an answering groan, burying his length in me with a delicious fullness as I fluttered around him. His come splashed within me, hot enough to feel, and the sensation sent aftershocks racing through me.

He collapsed onto me, his full weight pressing me into the soft mattress for a few minutes as I clung to him, my face buried in his shoulder. Before it could get to be too much, he rolled us onto our sides.

I curled into him, unable to move, because he’d turned all my muscles to jelly. His hand stroked my back, slow and tender.

We stayed like that for a while, held in the bubble of the clearing, the splash of liquid still keeping the rest of the world away. Then the light grew brighter overhead, as the center of Breyva began a new day. The cheeps of birds sounded, high-pitched enough to be heard over the waterfall.

A chime rang from his phone, and he said, “That means that our breakfast is about to be delivered.”

I lifted my head to look at Wrin. “Breakfast, too? I feel spoiled.”

“Good.” He grinned, flashing his fangs. “I meant for you to.”

“This is nice,” I sighed, not wanting to move. “I liked seeing what normal sex is like with you.”