Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
When they sagged to the ground, panting and shaking, she curled into his side, wholly content. Felt so natural, being with him this way. As if they were two puzzle pieces joined together.
She combed her fingers through his hair and nibbled on his earlobe. “I hope you’re not worn out, Warden. This she-beast is far from done.”
* * *
Hours later, Roux clutched his female against him. Nonconstrictive but tight. There would be no slipping from his grip.
The contentment he felt right now...the sublime satisfaction... Nothing compared. He wanted this, wanted her, every day for the rest of eternity. He’d meant what he’d said. Anyone who tried to take her from him died screaming. But.
As they lay naked together, water crashing on the shore, smoke drifting over the blackened sky, worry infiltrated his thoughts. Had Blythe made love to Roux, or Laban?
“Do we need to stay on guard for angry wraiths?” she asked with a yawn.
“No. After the door closed, the dragons rose from hibernation beneath the cavern. Penelope healed and led her wraiths against them, but the dragon fire engulfed them, their ashes raining upon the land. If the wraiths recover, I’ll be amazed.”
“Are you kidding? How is that even possible? I was only gone a few minutes.”
His arm encircled her neck. With a little rearranging, he pinched her chin and tilted her face up toward his. “You missed a lot. Someone from a village used magic to screw with the time here. Hours have passed. I would have cut a hole in the atmosphere, but I feared bringing the dragons with me. They were starved for fried Astra.”
Her eyes widened. “Hours? Is time still screwed up?” If so, what would it mean for their return trip?
“Don’t worry. I’ll get us back.” He pressed a soft kiss into her lips. “Just want to hold you a while longer. Without thinking about the task.” Or her status as the queen of Ation. That he must remove her heart with trinite, killing her, or doom his brothers-in-arms to defeat. Unless he found another way.
He’d told himself he could do so. But could he? Would he? If he failed... He could not fail.
Sweat broke out on his brow. “There’s a more pressing matter to attend to, anyway. Laban.”
“Uh, I won’t talk about the task, and you won’t bring up Laban.” She squirmed and repositioned, draping her chest over his and resting her folded arms across his pectorals. Arousal surged anew, sharper and deeper despite this first true taste of rapture. “Instead, we’ll discuss my rules. For starters, your concubine gets the boot immediately. I know you never slept with her, but I don’t care. She goes or dies, one or the other.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “I like your jealousy. And I agree. She goes. In return for my capitulation in this matter, you will move into my bedroom at the palace.”
“Capitulation, huh?” She snorted. “I’ll bunk up with you, but not right away. Not until I’ve spoken to Isla.”
“Though I wish for you to speak with her at the same time I speak with the concubine—immediately—I know it will take time for the little girl to adjust to her mother moving in with the male who killed her beloved daddy.” He wanted nothing to do with adding to the child’s suffering. Wished only to protect her from further hurts.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“But whether we are living together or not, we are together. From this moment forward. Say it.”
Baby blues glittering, she smiled. “Stop bossing me around, Warden. Haven’t you heard? It’s easier to catch a harphantom with orgasms than orders?”
“I’ve already caught my harphantom, and I’m not letting her go for any reason.” He slid a hand down her spine and squeezed her backside. “But I am willing to give her more of those orgasms.”
Her eyelids grew heavy, and her smile softened, turning wanton. “Perfect segue for my second rule. You give me pleasure where and when I want it. And Roux?” she said, wiggling against him. “I want it here, and I want it now.”
30
THE RETURN
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Blythe did like watching Roux work. After a night of pleasure, whispers, and swimming, they’d napped as the sky cleared of smoke, then woke to bright, golden sunlight. That sunlight now bathed the decimated land and framed the Astra’s powerful body.
He stood at the shore, shirtless, his alevala on display and moving. Sweat slicked back his hair. Glistening muscles bulged with every action. To create his door, he literally shredded one dimension after another with his claws.
“Try not to damage my new world too badly,” she began, stretched out on the sand in a brakini, her arms lifted, her fingers intertwined under her head. “I’m planning to offer authentic escape-realm tours of Ation. For a hefty price, immortals can stay here and solve a series of riddles that lead to your exit portal. If they fail to crack the riddles, they’ll die here. Yes, yes. I’m liking this.”