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Killian gave Raika an army salute, and the other vampires nodded in greeting before all of them disappeared from the garage.
Raika let out a long sigh. “We should talk.”
I frowned. I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk just yet, but I knew we had to do it sooner rather than later. “Where do you want to go?”
She slipped her hand in mine. “How about we go for a walk?”
I nodded. Holding hands, we walked out the underground garage through the ramp, and found a stone path that wound through one of the castle’s many gardens.
It was warm out, the sun still high and strong. The path was flanked by roses of many colors—red, pink, white, yellow … and their scent wafted through the air.
“Rotgar was there,” I started. I hadn’t planned on that, but the words came out. “He told me Paimon had sent him there so Serge could take over the Whitecrest pack.”
She nodded. “I know. Paimon and Rotgar told me.”
A heavy ball fell into my stomach and I halted on the path, making her stop. “So you fell for Paimon’s trap.”
“I fell for his trap on purpose.” Then, she told me everything. Ivy’s texts, meeting her at the inn, Paimon’s trickery, spending the night with Ivy, getting the portal key, running away, losing the key. “Now Ivy is locked in a room in the castle as if she was a terrible criminal.”
I nodded. I had held my breath for half of her narrative, battling against my anger and relief. When she told me Paimon had had her in his clutches, ready to take her power away, my heart wrenched in pain. Dear moon, this woman would give me a heart attack. “They are being cautious since something similar happened with Lavinia.”
She frowned. “They told me about that. You were here back then, right?”
“Yes. We all thought we had rescued our friend, and she was acting oddly because she had been kidnapped. But it had been a show to put us at ease. She didn’t know what she was doing.”
Raika nodded. “That’s unfortunate. I know Ivy isn’t like that, but I understand everyone’s apprehension. I’m only okay with this because she’s in a comfortable room and she’ll be treated well.”
“Our friends are fair.”
“I know, and I know Ivy will prove to be useful. Soon, she’ll be at our side, fighting against our enemies.”
I bristled. “After we defeat Paimon, we could take a break from fighting for a while, don’t you think?” I refused to think that a future with her was impossible unless we found a cure ASAP. Part of me wanted to run back to the library and continue researching until I found something, while the other wanted to stay right here with her. I wanted to stay by her side every second she had left.
She chuckled. “I agree. We could proclaim the Nightshade is on indefinite vacation and party all day long.”
“That would be amazing.” I stared at her, lost in her eyes, in her smile, in the wild hair, the shape of her neck, the curve of her breast.
A sudden rush of lust coursed through me. It was hard to contain myself whenever I was near her. It was a miracle I hadn’t ravished her the moment I stepped out of the SUV.
I trailed my fingertips down her hair, her neck, her breast.
Raika’s back arched, as if eager for my touch. “Shane,” she whispered.
I lost it.
I claimed her mouth. Raika didn’t hesitate. She opened her lips for me and clung to me as I pushed her away from the path and deeper into the garden. I pressed her against a thick tree, holding her captive.
She gasped when I broke the kiss and explored her neck with my teeth. Her hands skimmed down my arms, my stomach, and slipped inside the front of my pants. She cupped my hard-on and I groaned, biting her neck.
I brought my lips to her ear. “You have no idea how much I want you.”
“Yes, yes, I do,” she rasped. Her hand moved up and down my length, and I groaned again and pure pleasure spread through me. Dear moon, I had missed her, I had—
I stilled and moved away from her. “We can’t. You’ll lose control.”
“I took two doses of the elixir, and I have an extra one right here,” she said, her eyes practically pleading. “If you’re afraid, that’s okay. We can stop now, but if you trust me—”
I closed my mouth around hers, swallowing her words. I trusted her completely. Right now, I wanted her so bad.
