Page 26 of Hers to Keep

She stared up into his cosmic gaze as he took what he needed from her, offering all of herself up to satisfy his endless desire.Gasping cries fell from her lips as she came unraveled again.He drank her overflowing magic down, growling as he claimed her open mouth.

His cock throbbed inside of her as he emptied into her again but he still didn’t pause, as if the most feral part of him had taken over and wouldn’t give way.His rumbling sounds of pleasure filled the grove along with the wet slapping of the relentless drive of his hips.Hot, viscous fluid leaked from her after he had filled every crevice of her, pooling under her.

She couldn’t move as he possessed her completely, from where his claws delicately pressed into her throat without breaking the skin, to where he pounded into her.Eventually, her voice broke, and she subsided into whimpers that he licked from her mouth with ravenous snarls.

Much later, he came to a rest over her, pressing gentle kisses to her swollen lips.She groaned wordlessly when he finally withdrew his softening cock.She ached everywhere, so deeply she didn’t understand how it was possible.Even though his shadows had retreated, she still couldn’t move.Every drop of her magic was gone, sucked into his endless hunger for her.

Dohal traced his hands over her body as if memorizing every inch of her.His fingers delved between her legs, purring softly to her as he fondled her with the lightest touch.Though she was sore, her body responded to him, warming again.

Without her magic, she felt raw and exposed as he touched her so intimately, so sweetly.He didn’t try to build her up again, just enjoyed his exploration of her body for several minutes as she lay unmoving under him.

She watched his quiet reverence, contentment blooming inside her.He’d given her exactly what she’d asked for, and she’d provided everything he’d craved—knowing she’d satisfied him so well elated her despite her exhaustion.Once he was done with his slow worship of her body, he settled over her, staring into her eyes.

“You have given me more than I ever thought possible in the span of a few weeks.You’ll never know how much every moment of this time with you has meant to me.No matter what our future holds, know that you are the most precious thing to me in all the realms.”

His words had the sound of a farewell, and it made her chest ache.She made a noise of protest that emerged from her abused throat in a croak, because while he’d said he’d chosen to live for her, there was a finality to the way he felt in this moment, as if he’d come to a decision.

Mari didn’t understand how she knew, only that she did.When the moment came, he would surrender himself if it meant she would live.

“Shh, my little mate,” he crooned as he wrapped himself around her, pulling her against his warm body and enveloping her in his wings.“Be easy.”

Crying silently, she settled against him.His affection for her surrounded her on every side, certain as the cosmos, but no less doomed for that.

Chapter 9

Marianawouldneveradmitout loud to a single soul what a bad idea this Halloween party had been.How had she let Willow convince her that a night of debauchery and excess was what they needed to convince the paranormals of Las Vegas that she was the person who should be in charge of it all?

She’d been staring into her closet for at least twenty minutes without settling on anything because she was too worried about how the night was going to go.

“The mermaid gown.And pull out the short, red, sequined dress for dancing later,” Cisco said softly from behind her.

She turned to look over her shoulder at him.“You really think so?”

He was watching her with his arms crossed, his wings relaxed behind him.He was already dressed in a Victorian-style tailcoat in red and black velvet and looking utterly delicious—making the most of his natural gothic vibe.“Absolutely, you look hot as hell in anything cut to show off your ass.”A dirty smile curled his lips.“Plus, when you’re dancing with Rio, that short one will ride up all the way to the clouds.”

She laughed as she reached for both hangers.“You going to spend the entire night looking up my skirt?”

“Well, hopefully not the entire night,” he said with a bit of a seductive rumble in his voice.“I hope to be under your skirt for at least part of it.”

When she turned back toward him carrying the dresses in question, he was dangling a red, lacy thong that would cover approximately nothing from one clawed finger.

She met his eyes.“That’s a different choice.”

“The frilly ones are just for me to enjoy.These are for everyone else.”

“How much of my panties do you think everyone else is going to see tonight?”

He shrugged a careless shoulder.“I think Dante and Rio have some kind of bet going, so maybe quite a lot.”

Mari raised an eyebrow.“What’s the bet?”

“I have no idea.I saw them with their heads together and big grins on both their faces in the hallway just now.”

Mari took a breath and let out a big sigh, then reached for the panties.“I’m not going to worry about that.”

“Probably for the best.”He watched with interest as she slipped out of her robe and stepped into the dainty thong.

She turned around and gave him a little shimmy.“Do they meet with your approval?”

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