the rapturous torment overtaking them and forcing them into a new beginning. She gave up trying to process it all and just allowed it to consume her.
Sethios kissed her.
She kissed him back.
His body moved; hers moved.
It was a timeless mating, a coupling underlined in the purest of emotions, and she reveled in it all.
He whispered into her mind, telling her how much he’d missed this, reminding her of their love, and promising her a future of eternity. She returned the words in kind, her cheeks wet from crying, her body strained from the pending release.
Everything tingled inside her.
She misted.
She turned corporeal.
She misted again.
Sethios smiled against her neck, then bit her again. She cried out, her nipples tender and hard against his muscled chest. “More,” she begged. “Give me more.”
He didn’t hold back, unleashing all his power on her, all his pent-up fury and need, all his broken emotions and love.
She clung to him, her nails digging into his shoulders, holding on for dear life as he ravaged her to an utter completion that stole the breath from her lungs. His name was silent on the air, her oxygen depleted from the force of his thrusts, her essence suffocating beneath the onslaught of his exquisite torture.
He followed her over the edge, his shudders violent and drawing more pleasure from her already replete form.
It seemed to go on forever, the euphoric tide carrying them out to sea and refusing to release them. She’d happily drown all over again if this was what it felt like. Exhaustion pulled her under, sending her into a blissful sleep, bathed in the heat of Sethios and the reminder of who they were to each other.
In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Only that they existed.
Together.
Forever.
Tomorrow, they would face their future. For now, they would just… be.
Gabriel stretched out his wings and rolled his neck, his body sore from lying in the same position for too long. After Vera had finished with Caro’s mind, she’d started on his, and it’d left him with one hell of a headache.
He never wanted anyone to alter his brain ever again.
At least it was done. Well, assuming Vera hadn’t hidden any other little nuggets away for a later time.
Gabriel scowled at the prospect, then frowned even more upon realizing he’d just expressed annoyance with his face. Odd. He’d slept off the remainder of Clara’s emotive abilities. So why were his lips moving in such strange ways?
He straightened them, but his brow furrowed right after. Stop, he commanded himself. His forehead didn’t listen, and his damn lips twitched downward once more.
“Fuck,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.
“You hear them, too?” Owen asked, skipping down the stairs. Jacque met him at the bottom, having teleported from the top. Both men were freshly shaved and showered and wearing an odd sort of glow.
Happy, Gabriel translated. Wait, why the hell do I recognize that?
“I’d be grumpy, too, if I overheard my mom getting pounded like that,” Owen said, nodding as though commiserating with him.
“What?” Gabriel asked. Then he shook his head. No. He didn’t care. None of this mattered. He needed to talk to Skye. “Where are Ezekiel and Skye?”
“She’s building a snowman outside,” Jacque replied. “And Ezekiel’s helping.” He glanced at Owen, and the two of them grinned like loons.
“You sent the photos to Jay, right?”
“Yep,” Jacque confirmed, his lips popping on the end of the word. “I figured he could use the smile during everything.”
“A whipped Ezekiel.” Owen whistled. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
Gabriel waved them both off, done with their frivolous conversation. He needed to ask Skye about her origin, then be on his way. To where, he didn’t know yet. But somewhere private. All this bonding and blood drinking and general working had altered him fundamentally, and he wanted to return to his former self.
He pulled on his boots and stomped outside to find Skye dancing around her snowman while more white flurries fell from the moonlit sky. Gabriel had no concept of the time, his nap having taken longer than he’d anticipated.
As the couple outside hadn’t noticed him, he announced his presence with a lingering question from his mind. “Where did Vera go?”
“She mentioned something about packing,” Ezekiel replied without looking at him. “I think she’s moving to Hydria.”
That made sense. She’d played a dangerous game by altering all their minds to hide her involvement. Now that she’d undone the memories, the council would more than likely find out. Once they did, they’d see that her loyalty no longer