Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Can we bring back all those creatures we killed that night?” I turned to Rook, finding her standing with her eyes closed as if listening to the entire mountain’s bones.
Her expression tightened with guilt as she shook her head. “I can hear them. I can feel each and every soul that died on the mountain. The animals. The people. But they’ve already moved on, hiding behind that veil I can’t touch. I can’t bring them back.”
Her eyes opened and she sagged with grief. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Pulling her close, I kissed her temple. “We have time. We’ll figure it out and find a way to help everyone that we hurt—including all those who were harvested and harmed because of my blood.”
She nodded, lifting her chin to kiss my lips.
I groaned as the kiss turned deep and sensual, locking us together as our energies surged, taking and giving, recharging and feeding, recovering from the cost of what we’d just done.
When we finally pulled apart, I thrummed with power and desire so strong I struggled to think. “I want you.”
Her cheeks pinked. “You always want me.”
“Can you say you’re immune to my charms?”
“Nope.” She laughed.
“Then come on.” Taking her hand, I pulled her toward Ashfall Cliff in the distance. “Let’s go home.”
“We could just slip into the dreamscape...” Her gaze slid between my legs, her tongue licking her lower lip with wicked temptation. “You could have me on my back in a second.”
I jerked her close and kissed her again. “I could...but I plan to have you on your knees.”
She shivered as lust turned hot and thick.
I fought for control. “I want you on your knees, Rook, but I want you in our bedroom. And in order to do that...we have to repair it.”
“How did this go from having sex to renovating?”
I chuckled as my skin gleamed with gold. “I promise I’ll make it up to you. We’ll rebuild, and then...I’ll spend the next ten years pleasuring you in our bed.”
“Mm...” She tapped her bottom lip. “I suppose I could be persuaded.”
I kissed her again, softly and reverently. “I want to erase all those horrible memories of watching you being stolen by shadows. I want to trust that this is real. That you are real. That I’m not deluding myself with another illusion, and in order to do that...I need to reclaim Ashfall Cliff as our own.”
Hugging her hard, I whispered into her hair, “I want to begin our eternal life together in a place where everyone else has forgotten...that way I can keep you all to myself.”
She hugged me back, watching my memories where I’d fallen into the fantasy to keep her, my mind breaking thanks to watching her die. “I’m sorry you had to lose me twice.”
“It wasn’t easy.” I pulled away and tucked dancing hair behind her ear. “But...I can finally keep my promise now.”
“Oh?” She smiled, looking like a queen kissed by moonlight. “What promise is that?”
“The one where I said if I don’t want you to die, you’ll never die.” My fingers linked with hers as I tugged her back to the cliff where our home waited. “You’re stuck with me now, I’m afraid.”
“How ever will I survive such hardship?”
“Guess you’ll just have to suffer.”
“Or I could make you suffer...with my tongue.”
I groaned. “Don’t tempt me. Renovate first. Then sex. Because if I take you now, we might not come out of the dreamscape for years and what will Whisper do?”
“And just like that, I’m back to being second best.” She laughed. “I see where your true priorities lie.”
I laughed as I scooped her into my arms, lifting her over a fallen log drowning in newly sprouted flowers. “I love both of you, but you...you’re special.”
“Special?”
“You own all of me, Rook.” I smirked while also being deadly serious. “I literally cannot survive without you. I wouldn’t even want to try. In fact, I think I’m still alive because I gave my heart to you the moment we met and it’s up to you to protect it for the rest of our existence.”
“Wow.” She slung her arms around my neck as I refused to put her down. “That’s a lot of pressure.”
“I trust you to rise to the challenge.”
“Oh, I can rise to the challenge all right.”
The heated look she gave me snapped my non-existent self-control.
Fuck waiting.
Why was I waiting? We had all the time in the world.
She bit her bottom lip as I marched toward a tree, dropped her to her feet, and pressed her against the bark. “Hold on.” Flipping up her dress, I nudged her legs wider with my foot.
“I thought you said we had to renovate?”
“How can I think of anything else when you’re the reason I defied death?”
She whimpered as my fingers found her slickness. “But don’t you want to go home...?”
“I do.” I pushed a finger inside her, making her shudder.