Page 333 of Hunters and Prey

As usual Chiara didn’t sugarcoat it. “Yes.”

Roman started shaking as the full extent of what just happened hit him. “I need you.”

Instantly she took two steps and threw her arms around his neck. Roman held her close and wrapped his wings around Chiara. Then he buried his face in her neck and took a deep, shuddering breath.

“I almost lost you,” he murmured into her skin.

“But you didn’t,” she reminded him, stroking the back of his neck over and over, soothing and gentle. “I’m okay, and I’ll be better than okay once I heal my hand.”

He pulled back and kissed her hard, feeling the desire and desperation create a heady mix. Roman was so incredibly glad she was safe now and relatively unharmed, but he couldn’t help feeling like he’d failed her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t find out who it was earlier.”

“Don’t.” Chiara pulled back to look into his eyes. “Don’t do that. You did your best. And you discovered the problem before it was too late. We survived this. I survived this.”

Roman took another deep breath and studied her closely. Then he couldn’t help his slight smile. “No doubt you would have done just fine without me. What was that anyway?”

Chiara returned the smile but it was a bit shaky and she still held onto him with a death grip. “I’ll show you, just give me a minute to settle myself.”

As they held each other it became easier and easier for Roman to do as she said and forgive himself for not finding the Snatcher earlier.

She settled him in ways Roman had never thought possible. Each breath was a reflection of hers and Chiara rested her forehead on his chest, right where his heart was. “You want to know what I was the most afraid of?” she asked him.

Roman felt his curiosity rise to the occasion. “I do.”

“It wasn’t dying, or even falling off the edge of your stupid island.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“It was wondering what would happen to you when the bond disintegrated.” Chiara leaned back so she could look him in the eye. “I’ve never felt fear like that before.”

Her words settled into his soul and wrapped around his heart, washing away the rest of the panic. Roman tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear that kept getting blown into her face. “I’ve felt fear like that only once,” he told her. “And I never want to experience that again.”

“When you ran after me?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. Gods Roman loved when she did that.

“Yes,” he said, tapping her nose. “Obviously then.”

Chiara smiled at him. “Will you do something for me?”

“Anything.” And he meant it.

“Hold my hand as tight as you can. I want to walk to the edge.”

Roman did as she asked but frowned. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this.”

She took a deep breath. “I know, but I want to. There are worse things than the edge of a floating island when you don’t have wings, right?” Chiara took a step toward the edge and he went with her, wings ready if he needed to catch her.

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” he muttered, eyeing the edge to make sure it wouldn’t crumble under their weight.

There hadn’t been an accident in over twenty cycles, but Roman wouldn’t put it past the gods to test him one last time today.

Chiara held her ground and used the strength of his grip and his weight to lean forward slightly. Looking down, she shuddered and then closed her eyes. The sunlight gave her dark hair red highlights. It was a bright day even if the sun did nothing to ward off the chill of spring.

It was then that Roman realized his whole world orbited this female now. “I love you.”

She opened her eyes in surprise. “I cured you,” she said. “And I love you too.”

He blinked. “What?”

“It’s why the Snatcher was after me. I cured you.” Chiara grinned up at him. “It will take time for your numbers to increase, but it’s already happening.”

Roman laughed and wrapped her up tight. “You truly are the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.” He would remind himself of that every day. Roman would remember that this is what he was fighting for. The freedom to love and flourish and prosper in life.

“Now take me to the Snatcher and explain to me why you didn’t let him die.”

Chiara nodded and kissed him. “As you wish, love.”

A goofy smile spread across his face as he followed her into the palace and Roman didn’t give a damn who saw.

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