me, overtaking my vision and leaving me with nothing but the feel of him to hold on to.
He released my vein and then he was the one holding on to me as his body shook with pleasure.
He rolled off me and maneuvered until I was curled against him, my head on his chest. “I think I could stay here forever.”
I knew I could, but he’d had very different life experiences. “I doubt that. You’ve traveled all over your world.”
He sighed, a sound of pure contentment. “Yes, and that’s how I know that home isn’t a place. It’s a feeling. It’s belonging, and that can’t come from a place, though we can associate a place with the feeling. I love my home, but what I love about it is the memories I made while I was there, the love and friendship I was given while I lived in that space. And none of it compares to how I feel about you. I know you don’t want to hear it now…”
I’d tossed aside any silly idea that I couldn’t love this male during the long hours we’d spent together. I sat up, not bothering to cover my breasts. “Stop.”
He was so lovely lying there with his muscular chest on display. I loved how soft his skin was against mine. I adored the contrast of his dark hair to the snowy white sheets. I hated the hollow look in his eyes. “I won’t say anything.”
The problem was I wasn’t saying enough. Not nearly enough. “I love you, Marcus.”
He was quiet for a moment, but it was a comfortable thing, as though I could see the words settling into his soul. “I love you, too, bella. I never have and never will love anyone the way I do you. You are the love of my very long life. So stop worrying that you’ll be the death of me. I will accept any fate we meet so long as we meet it together.”
I felt a tear slip to my cheek. He knew the worries and fears that crept into my every moment of happiness. “Charlotte Taggart has it wrong, you know. I’m not some fated goddess.”
“The planes need a power source to take over for the Day Queen. Have you considered that your name reminds one of sunshine?”
I stared down at him. “I want to be normal.”
“There’s no such thing,” Marcus said. “You are so young, my darling. What you realize when you live as long as I have is to appreciate the uniqueness in every single creature and to understand that things that bind us—this sameness you speak of—is found in our souls.”
“Who says I have a soul?” It was something I’d long worried about.
He sat up. “That is your father talking.” Marcus frowned suddenly. “Summer, have we considered that despite the fact that you look exactly like your mother, you are in truth much more your father’s child. You were born of Daniel. It was his will that created you.”
“Yes. I was born outside of natural creation, and that’s why I wonder if I have a soul.”
He seemed to think for a moment. “You were created directly from a man who wondered the same thing. Summer, what if your binding magic works on Daniel because you share a soul with him? Because he gave you a piece of his and that makes him so similar to you that when he got to the same plane, the magic bound his as well?”
“Are you saying I’m the reason my dad doesn’t have his powers?” I touched the charm at my throat. It was still solidly there, giving me comfort. “I don’t think it works that way. Dad is a vampire. It’s who he is. It’s not magic, per se.”
“I assure you it feels like magic at times.” Marcus stood, giving me a spectacular view of his backside. He reached for one of the clothes cubes we’d been given. “And I’ve begun to wonder about the binding spell itself. If Charlotte is right, your magic can’t be bound by anyone but you. What if Erna tricked you into binding your own power? You said there were rituals for you to perform.”
I’d meditated for many long hours, ruminating on what I wanted to happen.
What if Marcus was right and the only thing holding me back was me?
The idea made me sick. Like physically ill.
“Hey, love birds,” a deep voice said. “We need to move. I’ve got intel that the same witches who invaded my office just came