Page 25 of The Demon King's Destiny

“I’m not. I just wanted to hear you say it.”

“I don’t know you well enough tomissyou. But I never imagined, little mate, once I’d confirmed for you that you were my saatus, you’d wait so long.”

Evelyn attempted to free herself from his arms. He didn’t budge and she glared up at him. “And I didn’t think, once you confirmed for me that I was your saatus, you’d do absolutely nothing to find me.”

He let go and she felt oddly bereft when he put space between them.

“So you didn’t call for me out of some sort of revenge?” he snapped, trying to let go of the last of his frustration.

“What? Of course not. And what makes you think I didn’t call for you?”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. He glared at his gorgeous mate, who had physically matured greatlythese last two years. Evelyn would be twenty-one by the next solstice, which meant she’d reached full physical maturity during their time apart.

Her cheekbones were more pronounced, giving off a regal countenance. Her small nose pointed to two full, pouty lips, still swollen from their shared passion.

Her breasts were larger, rounder, making her waist appear tiny. Maybe it was tiny. He was having trouble concentrating, caught between spanking her arse and kissing her senseless again.

“I think you didn’t call for me because I haven’t seen you in almost two and a half years, Evelyn.”

A thrill shot through her. Marrok really was upset about being away from her. He must have missed her greatly. “I’ll remind you I have no idea how you come to me in my dreams. Besides, I thought demons could break into the dreams of others, if they chose.”

His arms crossed, not liking the reminder. He, too, had tried everything he knew of to enter her dreamworld. For more than two years he’d desperately hunted her in his sleep, needing the touch of her skin to sooth his mind. With every attempt, he came up against a barrier he could not breach.

He’d come close to ridingintoGwydion to retrieve her. When he’d last left, she’d been battered and bruised. He wanted to know of her health, to look upon her with his own eyes. The dreamworld was the only safe place to do so.

Several more attempts had been made by the rogues to breach the walls of the Terenuskit Fortress, the building he called home. Only the constant fighting kept him away from his mate. It reinforced the fact she would not be safe in Sundari.

Marrok was the strongest of his species. It was too risky for him to travel to the Westland and leave his people vulnerable. Or, worse, risk rogue demons following him. He was loath to bring her to the Southland. What was he to do? He felt like he was fighting on every front of his existence.

Evelyn licked her lips and he fixated on the reddened skin. He hadn’t intended to be so rough and he certainly hadn’t expected her to return with equal fervor. His trousers had grown uncomfortably tight, a direct result of her enthusiasm.

“If it means anything,” she said, “I did try reaching out to you. I’ve tried every night since. I was afraid you wouldn’t come for me so I tried to pull you here. I thought … I was afraid something had happened to you. They cut you.” Her voice whispered the last part sadly.

Marroklost some of the fight in him. His mate had worried he’d been harmed. He reached forEvelynand she didn’t resist his embrace.

Resting his chin atop her head, he told her, “I tried, as well. Dreamwalking is tricky business and, obviously, I was just as unsuccessful.”

“Why didn’t you come for me? To Gwydion?”

“My kingdom is not a safe place to be. I’m not inclined to endanger you.”

“Then don’t bring me to Sundari. You can still come to see me, to visit, maybe speak to my father?” she added hopefully.

Marrok exhaled. “Walk with me.”

He spoke with no emotion and Evelyn’s heart plummeted. He wasn’t going to come for her.

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