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She glances around the temple. Other than the spilled wine and scattered bedding, the stone and earth looks the same. “Did we—”
“Consecrate the altar?” I parrot her earlier words back to her. “We most definitely did.”
Her satisfied sigh makes for a perfect response. She lifts her fingers as if testing the air. “The buzzing, the electrical snap. Is that magic?”
“An immense amount of it. If we’re lucky, the excess will settle in the columns, since they were built as beacons to channel the powers of offerings.” A design that I copied after painstaking study of ancient architecture in the holiest of spaces.
“Cool.” She leans against me.
If I had expected a more impressed or even curious response, I won’t be getting it. “What would my queen like now?” Because I owe her everything.
“A snack.” She squirms in my hold. “Although maybe save that until after a shower, since I’m sweaty and sticky.”
Her last comment makes me wish for another taste of the rich wine against her sweet skin, but not now. Later. “How would you feel about a hot soak?”
“Yes, please.” Her sleepy, sunny response has joy unraveling in my chest. I would do anything to keep her happy and safe like she is now.
My fated mate.
My destiny.
My love.
I go still, pulling her even closer and not wanting to be parted from her for even a second. I love her. Sure, she enthralled me from the first contact with her courage, her beauty, her voice, her brains. That’s part of being fated mates. But this steady, slow-burning need for her, coupled with the longing to keep her content and confident? That’s more than kismet. It’s love.
“What’s wrong?” she mumbles on a yawn.
“Absolutely nothing.” The honest answer humbles me. I’ve lived centuries without hoping for such completion. Leave it to a fiery human brave enough to tempt the bull to give me that fulfillment. I’m wrecked for anyone but Meg, and I’m okay with that.
The old pathway that led from the temple to my suite still stands. It’s dusty, smelling of damp earth and mold, but the path stays solid beneath my hooves. Magic flows from the walls through me and toward Meg. She’s the key, the warrior queen who manifested what had seemed impossible days ago. I will protect her with my life. But I’m not the only one, Oggie reminds me as he swoops through the suite to check on her.
His kitty fangs worry at his thin lips as he sniffs and paws at her.
“I’m ‘kay, Oggs,” she whispers. He licks her forehead, and she gently pushes him away with a low groan. “I know I need a bath.”
“Coming right up.” Both of us being naked makes this easy. I walk into the natural hot spring that pools in my suite, tucking her against my chest as I descend the steps. Steam curls my hide and my hair. The scent of cleaners and fresh linens means Bess and the maids have come through. A stack of towels sits next to the edge, and a few candles line the normally bare counters. The servants want this romance to work. They adore Meg.
With a flex of powers, I light the candles. The flames shoot almost to the ceiling. Dialing back the intensity, I bring down the fire until a steady flickering glow remains. I’ll need to work on magical boundaries. It’s been so long since I’ve held this much power—hell, I don’t think I ever did—that I’ll have to practice restraint of the magic as much as my strength.
Meg lets out a sigh that warms me more than the bubbling water. “Just what I wanted,” she says. “Thank you.”
I huff an incredulous laugh. “You allowed me to love your body and helped create enough magic to sustain my realm for years to come. It is I who should be thanking you.” The thought of what she endured to make that happen sobers me. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” I should’ve grabbed the healing balm on my rush back from the temple.
“Mmm, I’ve never had multiple full-body orgasms before.” My queen sounds exhausted, but not in pain. With her eyes closed, she leans her head against me, her thighs draped over my lap. The water laps beautifully at her breasts, and her cheeks go pink from the heat. I take in each detail, waiting for a flinch or a wince. “We can do that again soon, yes?”
Relief surges through me. “Yes, although you’ll have to settle for my mouth until your body has time to heal.”
“Oh, the hardship.” The soft drawl and dazzling smile on her face lets me know she’s teasing.
“But first, I’ll feed you and we’ll sleep.” Or I’ll watch her sleep while I think on how to convince her to stay when Theo comes to get her at the end of our contract in a few days. I carry her from the bathing pool, towel her off, and promise to get her whatever oil she needs for her hair tomorrow. She indulges in letting me smooth a cream left by Bess over her skin and waves off my call for healing balm, though she lets me trail my fingers over her slickness to pulse healing powers through her.
She shudders and snuggles closer. “Who knew playing doctor could come with actual magic to heal aches and bring on an orgasm?”
“I don’t know what this new game is that you speak of, but I’m happy to play any time.”
“Nuh-uh, you cheat. You’re already winning our wooing game, since I didn’t get to out-gift you. The whole almost dying at market ordeal put a damper on my plans.”
I kiss her hair, breathing in the scents of home and her—the two quickly becoming the same. “You won the wooing game tonight in the temple.”
