“I am. I belong to both of you forever.” My body trembled as tears swam in my vision. The room began to spin around us in a kaleidoscope of colors as if something else was happening, and I held no control over it.
“Do it,” the beast growled.
“I’m afraid.”
“You were made for this, woman. I tire of sharing a body. Do what you were created to do,” he demanded, and I swallowed the scream as the beast tightened his hold, demanding I obey.
“Ryder,” I whispered through tears as the room faded to black around me.
“Pet.” Ryder kissed my forehead as he held me up, cradling my face in his hands. Slowly, he released his magic, watching me as he continued rocking his hips. His hand found mine, clasping on to me through the talons of the beast that had yet to recede. His other hand mirrored the action while holding me on his lap, watching as I lifted my head, staring into his golden eyes.
“I love you,” I whispered through trembling lips.
“I love you, too.”
My body began to glow with power, igniting his brands in a pulsing thrum of magic that filled the room until it became deafening. Ryder thrust into me feverously, watching me with his mouth wide open as I fed him magic, changing him, making him more powerful.
Blue and violet streams of power pushed through my hands into him, transforming his black brands into a golden color that slithered over his flesh. When he jerked with his release, I whispered his name, igniting more than a blessing of power.
I pushed a part of my soul into his, binding us closer than we’d ever been.
He growled, staring into my eyes, unseeing, as I gave the power of his beast to his fae form, just as the beast had commanded. My head rolled back, and he called my name as everything went dark.
Chapter Twelve
I awoke to Ryder cradling my body, glaring at me through darkened eyes burning with flecks of gold as his wings concealed us. I touched the back of my head and winced against the pain. Although I could tell he was concerned, he didn’t look happy. I lifted my head, moaning before I rested against his shoulder, continuing to stare at him in confusion. My body trembled violently, hating that I didn’t know what happened because nobody could fall asleep on this man’s dick. My guess was that I’d passed out from too much pain.
“Your wings are out,” I uttered through chattering teeth.
“Yeah, about that,” he replied angrily. “What the hell did you do?”
“What, what do you mean?”
“You pushed power into me, but then it changed to something else, something violent. I felt like I was on fire and being ripped apart into a million fucking little pieces, and I told you to stop, but you looked right through me and kept fucking pushing more magic into me, Synthia.”
“I didn’t do that to you.” Confused, I blinked at the dark wings, noting the sharp, pointed talons along the outside edges, resembling serrated teeth. They unfurled, spreading wide, then snapped closed to reveal a room full of men, all glaring at me accusingly. “I didn’t…” My mind replayed the magic at the end of the sex, wanting to do whatever it took to protect Ryder from our enemies. I’d wished him strong enough to live through what was coming, so had I done this to him? “I don’t know what I did. I just remember pushing power into you, willing you to survive the war. I felt something inside of me shift, and then it entered you.”
“The beast within me has yet to speak, Synthia. Is that what you wanted? For him to no longer be a part of me?” Ryder demanded, tossing me onto the bed, staring at me through narrowed eyes full of hurt and betrayal.
“No, never,” I whispered carefully. “Ryder, whatever I did, I did to protect you. I would never want to change who