Page 57 of Crowned By the Shadow
In answer, I kissed him again, harder this time, with a need born of desperation and desire. He groaned into my mouth, his hands sliding down my back to pull me flush against him.
We sank to the soft grass, never breaking the kiss. Thorn deftly removed our clothing, though I could sense the urgency through our bond, which only eased when nothing separated us but the silver moonlight on our skin. His gaze roamed over me, drinking in every inch with a reverence that made my heart ache.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed, trailing his fingers along the curve of my waist. “I’ll never tire of looking at you.”
I arched into his touch, craving more. “Then don’t just look,” I whispered. “Touch me. Make me yours.”
He growled low in his throat, a sound of pure male need that set my blood on fire. Then his hands and mouth were everywhere, mapping my body with a hunger that bordered on worship. He paid homage to every scar, every mark, every imperfection, until I was trembling beneath him, lost in a haze of sensation.
When he finally entered me, it was with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the intensity of his stare. He was fully sheathed within me in one long stroke, then he held himself still for a long moment, just looking down at me with an expressionof such raw adoration that it stole my breath and made my eyes prick with tears of joy.
“I love you,” he said again, the words a solemn vow. “In this life and the next. No matter what happens, no matter what challenges we face, I will always love you.”
Tears that had threatened earlier now overflowed, even as my heart swelled with an emotion too big to contain. “And I will always love you,” I whispered back. “My sun, my stars, my everything.”
He kissed my tears away before he moved. Each thrust was a declaration, a promise. Our bodies came together in a dance as old as time itself, pleasure building and cresting until it consumed us both. I wanted to cry out as I shattered, but we were too close to camp, so instead I bit down on his shoulder, clinging to him as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over me. He followed me over the edge with a barely contained of his own, burying his face in my neck as he pulsed deep inside me.
We lay tangled together in the aftermath, hearts pounding in unison, skin slick with sweat. Thorn pressed soft kisses to my temple, my cheek, my lips, each one a wordless affirmation of his love.
“No matter what tomorrow brings,” he murmured, “we’ll face it together. You and me, against the world.”
I smiled up at him, feeling the truth of his words resonate in my very soul. “Together,” I agreed. “Always.”
And there, wrapped in his arms under the silver moon, I let myself believe, just for a moment, that love could conquer all. That together, we could face any darkness, overcome any obstacle, as long as we had each other.
For in that perfect, shining instant, the future was ours to shape. And I knew, with a certainty that went beyond words, that I would fight with everything I had to keep it that way.
The world felt still, wrapped in the warmth of Thorn’s embrace. I nestled against him, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a calming anchor in the chaos that awaited us. Our bond had deepened, solidified by more than just love. It was a connection forged through battles fought and sacrifices made. Together, we were stronger than we ever could be apart.
Yet even in this moment of peace, a dark foreboding stirred within me. The Empress loomed like a shadow on the horizon, her influence creeping closer with each passing hour. My heart sank at the thought; I could almost feel the chill of her breath on my neck, an echo of dread that wrapped around me tighter than any chain.
“Senara?” Thorn’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his expression serious yet tender. “What is it?”
“It’s time,” I whispered, but the words felt heavy on my tongue. The thought of facing the Empress sent chills racing down my spine.
Thorn stiffened slightly, but held my gaze and nodded. “Then it’s time. Let’s find the others and?—”
“I can’t lose you,” I interrupted sharply, fear flooding through me. “Not after everything.”
“We won’t lose each other,” he insisted fiercely, pulling me closer as if he could shield me from whatever lay ahead. “You are not alone in this fight.”
I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the encroaching darkness swirling in my mind. Our bond was powerful; it had to be enough to keep us both safe when the time came to confront our fate.
“Promise me something,” I breathed.
“Anything.”
“Whatever happens... don’t let go.”
His grip tightened around me as he nodded solemnly. “I promise.”
And with that vow hanging between us like an unbreakable thread, I closed my eyes and prepared for the storm ahead. If only I could ignore the knot of foreboding that had formed in my stomach.
Chapter
Eighteen
Senara
