Awed, Ro watched as sunlight streamed into the dingy flat, highlighting how much had been hidden in the shadows.
Eamon was breathing hard, but he didn’t put the cover back. “I need to do some cleaning,” he said, eyes narrowed against the light.
“Get to it, bro. We’re off,” Slay answered.
Ro went to the door and waited for Eamon to remove the chain. This was his space, and he should feel in control here, even as he prepared to take steps to rejoin the wider world. She waved and left before Slay, letting him catch up to her on the stairs.
“There’s somewhere else I’d like to take you,” Slay said.
“Then let’s go.”
Lacing hands with the one she loved, Ro enjoyed strolling through the park with the sun shining down. There was a gazebo in the center with a family enjoying a picnic. A profusion of plants lined the stone pathway, a few had tiny yellow and white blooms already.
“The long winter’s finally at an end,” she said softly. “We missed the spring thaw and it’s nearly summer now.”
“You brought the sunshine, love.”
“I can’t even believe the things you say.” Her cheeks felt delightfully warm, a combination of his flirty words and the sunlight on her skin.
“My heart is warm because of you. And it’s hot in my pants, too.”
Speechless, Rowena stared at him, trying to decide if she should laugh or hit him. “That’s enough out of you. Where are we going anyway?”
“You’ll see.” With a mysterious gleam in his golden eyes, he tugged her toward an imposing structure built of pale glass and stone.
Inside, there were hundreds of square niches filled with mementos, photos in frames and trinkets, dried flowers, and personal treasures. She gathered that this site commemorated the lost. Slay wore a somber look, his free hand curled into a fist at his side as he came to a stop before one of the memorials.
Ro recognized the woman from the family photos in Slay’s apartment. “We’re visiting your mother?”
“I wanted to do this here. Since I can’t ask her for approval, this is the next best thing.” Slay dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring box. “We’ve been through so much together, and I’m sure of only one thing—that I love you more than life and I want to spend the rest of mine with you, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. Are you willing to stick with me?”
Tears spilled down Rowena’s cheeks, and she reached out to pull him to his feet. “This is the first and last time you ever kneel to me, okay? I’m not sure why you did that, but I don’t like seeing you plead for anything, not even me.”
“That’s not an answer!”
“Of course it’s a yes. I’ve been wondering for a while if you want to be with me, but I was so scared of asking. Because what if you didn’t? What if—”
“Thanks for letting me do the big move,” he said huskily. “I needed to be the one, you know? You can take the lead in other stuff, but I needed you to know that I’m willing to lay my heart on the line.”
“I love you,” she said, delighted that she finally could. “I love you so much. I love your chin and your nose and your laugh and your ridiculous attempts to be sexy.”
“Hey, I am sexy.”
Ro grinned. “True, but your idea of dirty talk could use some work. I mean, oatmeal?”
He hugged her close, and she reveled in receiving such open affection. “You’re keeping me anyway, right? No take backs.”
“You could try to seduce me with unripe persimmons and I wouldn’t budge.”
“That’s a powerful statement,” he said. “And here’s another one. I know you went by Van Alastor before, but if you want, you can take my last name. Your choice, though.”
“Oh, Slay. I’d love that.” Ro eased back a little, studying the stern woman in the photo. “Would she like me, do you think?”
His hesitation said everything, and she was glad he didn’t lie when he finally shook his head. “Honestly, she’d be furious with me for picking you. She cared so much about the strength and purity of our bloodline that it’s gross as I reflect on it. At the time, I just wanted to make her happy, for her to be proud of me. But if she’d loved me in a more generous way, she would’ve wanted me to be happy with whoever I chose. Because it’s my life, you know?”
“I’m sorry she’s gone. I would have tried my best to make her like me.”
“That would’ve been a long, hard road,” Slay said. “And I wouldn’t have made you walk it. I learned that much from failing Pru.” Sighing, he added, “We can go now.”
Exiting the memorial, Ro raised her hand to the light. The ring he’d given her was silver with gemstones embedded in the band, alternating blue and transparent. She thought they might be sapphires and diamonds; she’d been dressed in all manner of finery when they prepared her for sessions with—no, I won’t think of him.
Never again.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “But I don’t have anything for you.”
“There’s you, my love. You’re all I will ever want or need.” The pause stretched as she gazed into his eyes, adoring him so much it hurt. Then he added with a ridiculous grin, “That, and the odd grilled sausage.”
She laughed until tears ran down her cheeks. “I can’t with you. Were you starved as a child or something?”
“No, but food jokes always make you laugh, and your smile is fucking magical, Ro. Your laugh is like windchimes.”
Ro drew in a shaky breath. “And you’re being adorable again.”
“I can’t seem to help it. Thanks, by the way.”
“For what?” she asked.
“Everything. I’m a better person because of you. But specifically, I meant for what you said to Eamon. One day, I hope to see him out here painting in the sun.”
“Me too.”
Slay came up behind her as she watched the kids chasing each other. It was adorable when an older boy shifted unexpected, a gangly young lynx chasing the smaller children around.
“This is what we fought for.” Slay wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Do you think it will ever be like this in Golgerra?”
“It’ll take time, but yes. Chantisse is the right person for the job. Her plans for educational reform are incredible.”
Smiling, she turned and hugged him tight. His smell, when she breathed him in, felt like home. He no longer carried the murky tang of the undercity; neither did she. Here in the light, it felt so good with the wind on her skin and laughter ringing out all around.
Ash Valley is beautiful. So was Hallowell. I want to see everything.
“Have you thought about where you’d like to live?” she asked.
“Not really. It took all my nerve to ask you to stay with me. Maybe you had higher expectations, but you’re my dream come true. Sometimes it feels like you’re my other half, and I didn’t even know I’d been split in two until I met you.” He hesitated with a rueful expression, his gaze on hers, gold and silver entwined. “Too much?”
“Unlike the unsexy food stuff, that came across exactly right. I feel the same way.”
Holding Ro always made Slay hot, and the weather got him there faster.
All Animari had heard of the mating frenzy, and it was kicking in. He couldn’t wait to get her naked. Damn, even her smell is driving me crazy.
I need this woman so much.
“We could use some privacy for the next stage. You good with that?” he asked.
Ro stretched up and kissed his chin. “Definitely. I have to be careful how much time I spend outside anyway.”
“We’ll get you some UV protection,” Slay said. “I’ll enjoy rubbing it all over you.”
“Okay, that’s an improvement on the seductive talk.”
He smirked. “See, I’m teachable.”
They stopped at the market for a few groceries, and he enjoyed the hell out of putting them away with Ro. She thought so much about where everything went, adjusted the angles of all the boxes and cans and lined all the perishables up like little soldiers in the fridge. He’d never tire of her adorable quirks.
“I was thinking of what we talked about earlier…” Slay appreciated the graceful stretch and the way her skirt rode up, giving him a glimpse of her thighs.
Fuck yes. Soon. But let’s finish this convo first.
“What was that?” Keeping his mind on her words might prove impossible, though.
“Where we want to live. Any suggestions?” she asked.
With a grin, Slay said, “Most of my ideas are filthy right now, but I’m trying to stay on topic. I can promise maybe two more minutes before I start taking clothes off.”
Hopefully, she’s up for it because I might die if I don’t have her.
Ro cast him a flirty look, though she didn’t take the bait. Yet. “One day, I’d like to settle in Hallowell. A mixed settlement would be best for both of us, and I want to go to school.”
“To study what?”
She lifted a shoulder in an eloquent shrug. “Everything. I’d eventually like to work with Chantisse to set up an educational exchange program for those who want to leave Golgerra but need some support. Kani and Nolen want to visit anyway…would you be willing to help?”
Slay answered, “I’m ready to do anything for you. Ford rivers, scale mountains. So something like that is an easy yes.”
“Not right away,” she added.
“It sounds like you want to do something else, first?”
Ro nodded, her eyes going smoky. Mating frenzy must be kicking in for her too. Better to get us in a more intimate position. Holding out a hand, he took hers and headed for the bedroom.
Ro snuggled into his side with a happy sigh. “Where was I?” she mumbled.
“Your dreams.”
She kissed the side of his neck, provoking him. “Right. I want to travel the world, Slay. My mother said she came from Kelnora, so that’s the first place I want to go.”
“You might have family there,” he suggested.
“I hope so. Either way, after we check into that, I’d like to keep going. I want to see the ocean. I want to sail on a ship. If we can manage it, I would like to see Ice Spire. There was a wolf from the tundra in the undercity with me for a while, and I’d like to carry word to his people. He told the most amazing stories…”
Slay couldn’t look away from the beautiful shine of her eyes. “Yeah? What else?”
“I’ve heard that only those with wings can visit the Aerie. We could buy a sturdy bag and I could carry you with me.” She shot him an impish grin.
He blinked, unable to believe he’d heard correctly. Of all things… “You want to put me in a sack and take me to the top of the world?”
“Would you let me?”
“Fuck yes,” he said without hesitation.
“Complete trust is so sexy,” Ro whispered, kissing him.
“And I’m done talking. Pants off.” He proved how fast a motivated jaguar could get naked, and soon he pulled Ro on top of him, after she came back to bed, gloriously limned in the light streaming through the window. Her skin was glorious, and her hair…
“Will you let me explore you again?” she whispered.
“I’m willing to let you put me in a sack. What do you think?”
“You still need to tell me yes,” Ro said softly. “Because I never want you to feel as I have, like you don’t have a choice.”
“You’re always my choice. But yeah, have at me. Please.”
“I’ll respect your inclination toward giving later,” she promised. “But right now, I want to make you feel cherished.”
“You always made me feel that way. From the very beginning.”
Slay swallowed a groan and tangled his fists in the sheets when she put her mouth on him. Liquid heat, gliding over his shoulders, down his chest. Ro teased his nipples with her tongue and licked lower, nuzzling his abs first, thighs next. He twisted, trying not to alarm her with his response but fuck his cock was hard and aching. Anything she chose to do to him would feel amazing.
Ro curled her fingers around his cock, giving a few tentative pulls, and he loved how she watched his face, reading his reaction to her touch.
“That’s so good. You’re driving me wild, love.”
“Wonder what you taste like…”
Without preamble she lowered her head and licked the head of his cock, swirling all around with her tongue. Since he was leaking, she must be able to taste him. Ro went back for more, teasing a little gush of precome from him. Usually he controlled himself better than this, but he hadn’t gotten off the day before.
Really, he wanted inside her, but whatever Ro craved, she’d get from him, even if he lost his mind in the process. She sucked on him next, and he worked his hips, trying to be careful.
“Ride me,” he begged. “If you’re not hot enough yet, I can—”
She cut him off with a salty-tasting kiss, and he sucked his own flavor from her tongue as she slid astride. This was his favorite position because it kept his weight off her and left control in her hands. She steadied his cock with one hand and sank down with gorgeous care.
Rising and falling on him, she was magnificent, hair spilling down her back in a silver wave, long enough to graze his thighs when she bore down, swiveling her hips on him. She rode him like she was made for it, her pussy so slick and tight that he had to move, no longer content to be taken. Slay fucked up into her, watching the sensations spark in her face. He caressed her thighs, her sides, loving the feel of her. Being inside her offered more than mere sex, a beauty born of becoming one with Ro.
The orgasm crept up on him. His abs tightened and then the feeling swelled. He’d never come first before, but he couldn’t hold it, not with her moving on him like a goddess. Moaning her name, he let go in hot pulses, spilling himself inside her so hard that his vision flickered.
“Fuck. I love you. Fuck,” he panted.
“We just did,” she teased.
“But you didn’t.”
She didn’t seem concerned. “Touch me a little. I’ll get there.”
Eager to please, he stroked and teased her clit and played with her pretty tits until she clenched on his still-hard cock and fell forward, the sound and smell of their wet sex deliciously potent to his acute senses.
“You’re so gifted at making me come,” she whispered. “I never knew sex could be so…pure. Or so good.”
“It’s because we’re meant to be together. Forever.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
“And I’m holding you to me,” he said.
Slay immediately pulled her into his arms, cradling her with the surety that he never had to let her go. You made me a better man, my love. They’d gone through hell together and come out on the other side, holding hands. As the days rolled on, the world would change in countless ways, but one thing never would. No matter what shape their lives took, Slay would adore this woman always.
Rowena soon-to-be Slater was his destiny and the other half of his heart, the queen he’d follow until the end of days.