“My gut tells me they’re being truthful,” Lilly said. “But she murdered someone, Cy.”
“I’ve murdered lots of people,” he replied. Cypher scooted closer to her and took a deep breath. It was weird when he did this because … well ... he didn’t need to breathe.
“Not in cold blood,” she countered.
“Yes, in cold blood.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead and Lilly groaned. Dammit, she missed him.
“You killed people in battle,” she argued. “That’s different.” Her hand lifted without her permission and rested itself on his chest. He felt strong and real, though there still was no body heat. He was simply a solid object. She’d not allowed herself to touch him much. Most of their touching had been instigated by him.
“Murder is murder, my love,” Cypher murmured as he ran his nose down her jawline and neck. She felt his lips press gently to her collarbone. Her breath caught as his teeth nipped at her skin.
“Why do you do that?” she asked, breathless from his touches.
“Do what?” His voice was a masculine purr that caused her stomach to drop.
“Touch me, sniff me, kiss me?”
“Because I miss you,” he said, his voice filled with so much pain it was a physical ache inside of Lilly’s soul. “You keep insisting that I am something your mind has conjured. But I am the other half of your soul, Lilly. Your soul calls to me and I answer.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m the one doing this? I’m keeping you from being at peace?”
“Who said I wasn’t at peace?” His hand ran up her calf to her thigh, across her hip, and up under her top to rest on the flesh over her rib cage. “I currently feel quite peaceful.” His lips turned up in the sexy smirk she loved.
“Why do you only come to me at night?” she asked, finally giving in to her need to touch him as much as he touched her. She let her fingers trace his strong forearm, up his bicep then his shoulder.
“Because it’s when you need me most,” he said. “And when I need to be with you. I miss holding you at night when we slept, feeling your body against mine.” His voice deepened as he pulled her closer to him. “Look at me.”
Lilly’s eyes rose to meet his. He was going to kiss her. And right or wrong, she was going to let him. She didn’t know if it made her a creeper that she wanted to make out with the soul of her now-dead mate, but she didn’t care.
Cypher’s lips touched hers, first softly, but when she moaned in response, he pressed closer. The air around her seemed to grow hotter, or perhaps it was simply the heat of her own skin as Cypher’s hand ran up and down her body. He nibbled at her lips until she opened her mouth and let him in. As soon as her tongue touched his, Cypher groaned and rolled, pulling her on top of him. He buried both his hands in her hair, crushing the strands in his fists. He turned her head so he could deepen the kiss. Lilly could barely breathe as she let herself get lost in him. His chest was hard against hers, his legs powerful as he wrapped them around her, as if he were trying to trap her and keep her from getting away. Like I’m actually going anywhere.
“Cypher,” she breathed out when he let her up for air.
“Beloved,” he whispered against her lips just before he pulled her down again.
Tears ran down her cheeks as she moved her hands up his neck to his face. When he pulled back and saw her tears, he gently kissed each one, whispering to her in his people’s language.
“Don’t cry, my sweet Lilly,” he said tenderly. “Every tear is like a stab to my heart.”
“I’m sorry,” she sputtered around the tears. “I just want this to be real.”
“It is real. It’s just not forever. Not yet,” he reminded her.
“It’s for now,” she said, repeating what they’d both said the nights before.
“Yes, beloved. It’s for now.” He held her tightly to him as she laid her head against his chest. Lilly felt her eyes drift close even though she didn’t want to sleep. When she woke in the morning, he would be gone, and she would have to wait the entire day to get to be in his arms again.
“You need rest, Lilly,” Cypher’s voice rumbled. “Sleep.”
“Still so bossy,” she murmured as she snuggled in and let herself give into exhaustion.
Chapter 12
“I’m annoyed. I’m pissed. Annoyed and pissed are a very bad combination for me.”
~Perizada
“Queenie,” Peri’s voice sang out, and Lilly heard it through the bathroom door.
Lilly had not slept well the night before, knowing the high fae would be here today. The queen had spent the day pacing her room, which wasn’t anything new. This time, however, she didn’t pace because she was agonizing over her lost mate, though that pain was ever present. Instead, Lilly had been restless because she knew Peri was going to flip her lid when she found out about Myanin and Tenia. The queen was not looking forward to explaining her previous days unexpected.
Now she was hiding out in the bathroom. If she was lucky, which she wasn’t, Peri would get bored and leave. Lilly had no hope that would happen. Peri never gave up. When she got bored, the fae wouldn’t leave. She’d simply blow down the door.
“I know you’re in there,” Peri’s voice came from just outside the bathroom door.
“Not such a hard deduction, Peri. The door is closed and locked. Where else would I be?”
“Hmm, that sounds
