Page 20 of Echoes From the Void

“Make me.”

His eyes flash with golden shadow energy. “Is that a challenge?”

“Always,” I growl, letting him feel the full weight of what we are, what we’ve always been to each other.

I swing him back around pushing him against the door savoring his moan as I use my shadows to hold his hands above his head.

Leo’s eyes gleam with a mixture of challenge and desire as I pin him against the door. His twilight shadows pulse, trying to break free of my hold, but I’ve always been stronger in raw power. What Leo lacks in brute force, he makes up for in cunning and creativity.

“You know,” he says, voice husky, “I’ve been practicing some new tricks.”

Before I can respond, his shadows shift, becoming almost liquid. They slip through my grasp like water, reforming behind me. Suddenly I’m the one pressed against the door, Leo’s body flush against mine.

“Impressive,” I growl, feeling my fangs lengthen in response to his display of power.

“I learned from the best,” he murmurs, nipping at my earlobe. His hands slide under my shirt, tracing the spiral patterns of my shadow marks. Each touch sends sparks of sensation through our connection—both our personal bond, built over years of intimacy, and the newer pack bond forming between all of us through Frankie. As alpha, she’ll eventually seal each individual bond with her bite, but we can already feel the web of connections forming: my link to Leo running deep and true, while newer bonds with Bishop and Dorian pulse with potential, all of them anchored by Frankie’s alpha energy at the center.

I let my own shadows unfurl, wrapping around us both in tendrils of darkness. Leo’s twilight energy responds, golden light threading through the inky black. The contrast is mesmerizing—like watching the sun break through storm clouds.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Leo whispers, his fingers tracing the sharp points of my fangs. “Powerful. Dangerous.” His smile turns wicked. “Mine.”

The possessive growl that escapes me is entirely inhuman. My shadows tighten around him, pulling him impossibly closer, as I lean in and capture his lips in a fierce kiss.

Our shadows intertwine, a dance of darkness and twilight, as our kiss deepens. Leo’s taste is familiar, yet amplified by the new intensity of our bond. His hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, as if there could ever be any distance between us.

“Yours,” I growl against his lips, feeling his shadows pulsing in response. “Always.”

His breath hitches as my fangs graze his lower lip, drawing a bead of blood. The taste of him—earthy and sweet, like sunlight after rain—ignites something primal within me. Our connection flares, a surge of power that’s both exhilarating and terrifying.

“Teo,” Leo whispers, his voice ragged with desire. His shadows wrap around me, holding me tight, as if afraid I might slip away. But I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.

My fangs descend fully, and I trail kisses down his neck, feeling his pulse quicken under my touch. His shadows ripple, golden light flickering through the darkness like candle flames. The sight is breathtaking, a testament to our intertwined destinies.

“I never want this to end,” he murmurs, his hands gripping my shoulders as I continue my exploration. “Us. This bond. Everything.”

“It won’t,” I promise, my shadows tightening around him in reassurance. “We’ve been through too much to let go now.”

Leo’s laughter is soft, filled with a mixture of joy and longing. “Remember when you first came here? Everyone else backed away from that look in your eyes—the culture shock, theanger—but I knew you’d never hurt me. You were just lost in translation.”

“Now look at us,” I echo, lifting my head to meet his gaze. His eyes are luminous, filled with a love so deep it makes my heart ache. “You’ve grown into someone who can protect himself, and I…I’ve grown fangs.”

A wicked smile spreads across his face. “Talk about an evolution.” His fingers trace the outline of my jaw, lingering on the sharp points of my fangs. “But you know, it’s not just about protection anymore. It’s about us. Our future.”

“Our future,” I repeat, the words resonating.

Leo suddenly drops to his knees, his hands sliding down to my hips. He looks up at me with a heated gaze, his intentions clear. “Let me show you what our future holds,” he says, his voice filled with desire.

Leo’s shadows dance around us, casting an ethereal glow as he looks up at me, his hands resting on my hips. His gaze is filled with a mix of mischief and desire, a look I’ve come to know well over the years. My own shadows respond, wrapping around us like a cloak, cocooning us in our shared power.

“Leo, what are you—” I start to ask, but the words catch in my throat as his fingers deftly unbutton my jeans, his intentions clear.

“Shh,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin. “Let me show you.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I watch him. This isn’t the first time we’ve explored each other’s bodies, but there’s something different now—a heightened intensity, an electric charge that hums through our bond.

His hands slide my jeans down, along with everything else, leaving me bare before him. There’s a vulnerability in this, a raw honesty that sends a shiver down my spine. But with Leo, there’s no fear, no hesitation. Only anticipation.

His shadows dance along my thighs, their touch feather-light, a stark contrast to the firm grip of his hands. I can feel his desire, his love, pulsing through our connection, a steady rhythm that matches the beat of my own heart.

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