me,” she mumbles against my chest.
“I did, but I landed in the sea.”
“Can a winter fae swim?”
“This one can.”
She sighs. “You were avoiding me. Every day since the Gray Mountains.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The green glow dissipates slowly.
“I didn’t want to become too attached to you.”
She pulls back, her mouth in a hard line. I guess that was the wrong answer?
“Good to know. Why are you here?” She tries to push me away. She may as well try to rip the stars from the sky, she’d get as far.
“Because you’re mine.”
11
Beth
“Leave it to a high fae to try and claim ownership of a changeling.” I roll my eyes. “I thought all were free in the winter realm.”
He bares his fangs. “You’ll never be free of me.”
“Missed your changeling sidekick, eh? Needed someone to kick around, did you?” I put a bite into my tone, though I don’t know why I’m so angry. He’s here, after all. Even if he smells like weeks-old fish and has a crazed look in his eyes, at least he came.
“I need you.” He strokes a hand down my cheek so gently that I wonder if I’m dreaming.
My breath stutters, my eyelashes fluttering as his purr intensifies. That sound sends vibrations to all the right places, waking up dormant needs. What is going on?
“My beloved.” He leans closer, his gaze more intense than anything I’ve ever felt. It’s as if he sees me, finally. And not just that—he wants to devour me.
I blink. “Did you just call me ‘beloved’? I thought I was the ‘smartarse changeling,’ or ‘that one’, or ‘the one with the mouth’, or ‘that—”
His kiss is unexpected, powerful, and hot enough that my knees go weak and my mind blanks. I squeak in surprise as his tongue brushes along my lips, his hold on me tightening as he backs me into the wall, his hard body pressing against me. How many times have I fantasized about his thick muscles, his firm lips, the way his hands seem to swallow me up? I moan as his purr intensifies, and heat blooms between my thighs. His fangs graze my bottom lip as he grips my hair, angling my head to the side and deepening the kiss that seems to singe every bit of my skin. I grip his hips, holding on as he reaches down to my ass, squeezing it in one palm and lifting me with ease until I’m straddling him, my back against the wall, my breasts crushed against his chest, and my mouth his own personal playground. When I moan, his hips buck against me, his impossibly hard length pressing against my core. I’ve never wanted a male. Not really. Not like this. Every part of me screams for more, for him to throw me down and take me.
He kisses to my throat, his fangs dancing along my skin.
“Gareth,” I breathe and clutch his shoulders. “What is going—”
“You’re mine.” His eyes meet mine, and they’re no longer the dark green I’m used to, but instead a vibrant gold.
“Feral.”
“Hmm?” He sniffs my throat and thrusts his cock against me.
“You’ve gone feral.” I can’t catch my breath.
“I can smell every bit of your arousal.” He grinds again. “Honey on the air. I want to coat my tongue in you, lick every drop from your sweet cunt.”
“Gareth!” I gasp. Proper Gareth would never use such a word. Now I know he’s gone feral. And maybe I like it, filthy word included. Scratch that, love it.
“What?” he growls and nips at my throat. “I will mark you here, beloved, so no male will ever question my claim.”
“Hey.” I wriggle but don’t get far. “What are you—”
“My mate.” He slides his hand up my thigh. “You are my beloved.”
“I’m your mate?” I grab a handful of his dark hair and pull his face to mine. “Did you hit your head or something?”
“Can’t you feel it?” He presses a hand over my heart.
“I feel something, all right.” I move my hips, and he groans.
“The bond,” he purrs.
“I feel…” I don’t know. I’ve always lusted after him. Surely, he knows that. But his mate?
“Don’t doubt it.” He moves his hand to my breast and rakes his thumb over the hard nipple.
I say the only truth I know when it comes to him. “I want you.”
His growl is its own aphrodisiac as he reaches between us to unfasten his pants. “You belong to me.”
The door bursts open.
Gareth releases me and whirls.
“Odd.” Granthos points a sword at Gareth’s heart. “I was under the impression she