“Quinn’s marble.” My hand goes to the pocket of my leather pants where I feel the small bump. “She let me borrow it years ago. I carry it with me always.”
“A borrowed item.” She chuckles. “How very clever of you.”
The day Quinn let me have her prized possession, I wasn’t thinking of the future. Not like this, anyway. I just wanted her to believe I’d return. As long as I had something of hers—something she valued—I had to. And I’ve been going back to her ever since.
“Well, my work is done here.” Astrid places the portal in my palm.
It’s small, cold, and almost feels wet.
“Thank you.” For the first time since Quinn was taken from me all those months ago, I smile.
It’s time to go get my woman.
I throw the portal down right here, and Astrid doesn’t try to stop me. That means Quinn and I will end up in this spot when we return. I probably should’ve at least taken it to the Dream Realm first, but I’m too impatient.
Just as I step through, Astrid’s fading voice calls, “When you have children, bring the little ones to me whenever they need a trim.”
Kirian
Plink. Plink. Tick.
Tick. Plink.
As I toss pebbles at Quinn’s window, I hope to the stars it’s the right bedroom. Although I’ve never been this close to her house, she’s told me of the layout. I can hear three different patterns of breathing inside, and the one nearest to me has to be her.
Plus, I can feel she’s close. My veins buzz with awareness. The sensation isn’t as strong as it was in my realm, but I recognize it.
I welcome it.
The nighttime air is humid and warm. Anticipation and hope flood my system, giving me energy. Summoning my ability, I call on the cicadas and crickets to merge into a flowing melody.
Come on, Quinn. Where are you?
Tick. Tick. Plink.
The window slides up with a groan.
“Kirian!” Quinn whisper-yells. There’s so much happiness in her voice, and everything is right again. My heart is mended just by hearing her say my name.
“Quinn,” I choke out, overcome by emotion.
“Stay right there. I’m coming down.”
Not more than twenty seconds later, Quinn’s flying out the door and running toward me. I open my arms, and she leaps, latching onto my body by strangling my neck and wrapping her legs around my middle.
A canvas bag she carries smacks me on the back, but I barely feel it. What I do feel, however, is that she’s not wearing any pants.
Our lips fuse together like magnets. Palming her smooth thighs, I roam her supple flesh as I taste her mouth. Her sweet scent fills my nostrils.
I groan. I could get drunk on her.
“It’s three o’clock in the morning,” she says without moving her mouth away from mine. “How are you here?”
Stroking my tongue against hers, I deepen the kiss. I don’t want to answer her because I’d rather use my mouth for other things. Like making up for lost time.
Standing in the grass, we stay in this spot for several minutes, just holding each other. Soaking up every kiss. Every touch.
When she grinds her center against my hard cock, my patience unravels.
Turning, I start walking us back into the woods. Back to the portal. Back to where Quinn belongs—in my bed.
Twigs snap under my feet as I duck under a low branch, and I squeeze Quinn’s luscious ass to keep her anchored to me.
“Missed you,” she says between the frantic kisses she peppers onto my face. “So much.”
“Missed you more.”
She huffs out a laugh before pulling away. “I don’t doubt it. Kirian, I have to tell you—”
“Who took you?” I interrupt, needing answers.
Shaking her head, Quinn nips at my jaw. “I don’t know. I tried to find you in the Shadowlands, but it was so scary. So dark. Then the guy grabbed me, and I couldn’t see him. He never said anything, so I didn’t hear his voice either.”
“Shh,” I calm her, stroking her hair—which I notice is a bit shorter than I remember it. Astrid’s handiwork. “I know the events are fresh for you.” To her, this all happened about eleven hours ago. “None of that was your fault.”
“You didn’t figure out who’s behind everything?”
“Not exactly. My life has sort of been on hold ever since you got taken away. Astrid mentioned the witches who cursed me, but I know there’s more to it than that.”
“Are you okay? It must’ve been hard for you to wait so long to get to me.”
“You have no idea.” Nuzzling her cheek, I briefly summarize the hell I’ve been through. I tell her about the rumors of her death, my absence from Delaveria, and my unexpected friendship with Astrid. “All will be well again once we go back. We can stay at Damon’s until we find who’s after you. Then we can continue with our plans to marry.”
“Wait. Wait, wait.” Wiggling until I set her down, Quinn laces our fingers. “We need to go to the treehouse. We need to consummate the bond.”
“Now?” Our separation made me yearn for her as well, but I don’t know how long the portal will stay open. “What’s the hurry? I can wait.”
“No, you can’t. I’m your mate.”
“I know.” Striking right, she is.
“No, you don’t understand.” Her voice takes on a hard edge. “I’m your mate mate. Fated, Kirian.”
She’s forging ahead, dragging me by the hand, but I have to stop to process her words. I plant my feet on the ground. “What?”
Quinn reaches up and links her hands behind my neck. “It’s me, Kirian. My face—my hyperpigmentation—it’s the night realm sky. Every star. Every constellation. It’s here.” Taking my fingers, she presses them to her cheeks. “I’m marked by the night sky, and I’ve loved you since I laid eyes on you when I pulled you out of the creek.”
This is… incomprehensible.
But suddenly, the facts click into place. The way her scent lured me. My inability to resist coming back.
