bed, walls—anywhere they could by hung. For luck, Stuart recognized. And fertility. Everyone wanted cubs to come from this night.
Peigi’s mate frenzy boiled high, and Stuart’s matched it. They were naked as fast as they could be, falling on the bed together in laughter.
Stuart slid inside her, groaning with it, no more mirth.
He gazed down at the mate of his heart, at her glorious eyes and tender smile, and gave himself over to her. He drove into her, her body meeting his, their breaths mingling, cries echoing.
Peigi, my mate, my heart.
I love you.
Their frenzy wound up to the highest peak, Stuart burning with the brightest pleasure of his life, then dropped them together, sweating, breathless, laughing again.
Loving.
Always.
Mates.
Peigi woke at dawn, tangled in blankets and Stuart. She rubbed her eyes, groaned, and closed them again.
A kiss touched her mouth. “Morning, love,” Stuart said gently.
“Don’t sound so chipper,” Peigi mumbled. She dragged her eyes open again. “I’m sore.”
“Good.” Stuart’s smile made his eyes sparkle. “So am I. I wonder why?”
“Wild sex. At a guess.” Peigi chuckled, deciding soreness was a small price to pay for a night of wonderful passion. “Want coffee?”
“Eventually.” Stuart pressed a kiss to her breast. “After I get enough of looking at you.”
“You’ve always been so sweet to me.”
His brows went up. “Really? The scary, kick-ass dokk alfar who can teleport and make iron into metal rain is sweet?”
“Yeah. You are.” Peigi rumpled his hair. “I’ve always known you had a big heart.”
Stuart dropped a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Not nearly as big as yours, love. Nowhere near.”
“I’ll debate that.” Peigi met his kiss and indulged herself in the taste of him.
When they finished, Stuart lay down against her, his arm across her abdomen. The quietness of the early morning soothed her. Bands of first sunlight leaked through the half-closed blinds, showing her that the gray rain had gone for good, and desert blue sky had returned.
It was quiet outside, which meant Shifters were sleeping off whatever they’d done last night—dancing, imbibing, mating. Mating frenzy was catching.
“Stuart,” Peigi said after a long, comfortable time. “About the mate bond.”
“Mmm.” Stuart burrowed against her. “What about it?”
“I formed it for you a while ago.” Some Shifters worried about achieving it with their mates, but Peigi had never been concerned, always knowing for certain what was in her heart for Stuart. “When I first moved here, and you were there for me. Surprised me, but there it was.”
Stuart raised himself on his elbows to stare down at her. “Really?” He seemed more interested than surprised.
“Yes.” Peigi touched his face. “Why do you think I was willing to sacrifice my blood so you could open a gate?” She touched her chest. “I felt it—the mate bond. The gift of the Goddess.”
Mate bonds could form whether Shifters were mated or not. It had nothing to do with the mating ceremony—which was a social tradition—and everything to do with the bonding of love and a mystical union.
“I’m glad.” Stuart’s voice went soft. He stroked his thumb across her shoulder. “Because I formed it for you. Around about the same time.”
Peigi’s eyes widened. “You did?”
“Yep. For a Shifter. Imagine my shock.”
“Are you sure?”
Stuart’s grin warmed his eyes. “Very sure. Dokk alfar form mate bonds. It’s something of Fae that got transferred to Shifters. I was stuck in this world, alone, and then you walked into my life. You looked at me, and boom.” He pressed his fist to his heart. “Mate bond. Why do you think I kept volunteering to stay with you?”
Peigi’s jaw went slack. “You never told me.”
“You never told me.”
“I was afraid you’d run. At least, as it was, I could be with you. But I think we both knew.”
“Possibly,” he said, his smile unwavering.
“I love you, Stuart.”
“I love you, Pegs.” Stuart’s eyes warmed as he slid his arm around her. “Mate of my heart.”
It was a long time before they got around to coffee.
When Stuart led Peigi out of the bedroom much later, both of them finally dressed—which had taken a while—her heart was full.
Her gorgeous mate walked beside her down the hall, the two of them laughing like cubs, and she loved him. She shared the mate bond with him, and they had six beautiful cubs in their lives. And if the Goddess was good to them, more would come.
Peigi had the feeling they would. And, as Stuart had said, they could try every day and every which way to make certain of it.
By Stuart’s expression as