Shade groaned. “Fuck this.”
Everything blurred and when it came back into focus, they were hovering above Shade’s palace.
Eddie gasped. “What did you do?”
“A little trick we keep on the down low.” Shade back-winged into the courtyard and they touched down softly. “I believe it’s time I showed you all my tricks.”
Warmth curled through Eddie. “All of them?”
He took her hand and led her up the stairs.
A beautiful demon opened the door and bowed. “My lord. You have been missed.”
“Apassionata.” Shade drew Eddie to his side. “This is Edme, my mate. She is to be treated accordingly.”
Apassionata smiled, and it nearly took her breath away with its sensuality. “It will be our privilege to welcome our lord’s cherished mate.”
Hand in hand, she and Shade walked through the soaring atrium with its serene pond in the center. Silk drapery fluttered in a warm breeze and twined around the columns.
A wave of lust hit her, and Eddie had to stop and catch her breath. “Wow! I need to have a look at that seal.”
Shade frowned. “Eddie—”
“No, Shade.” She stopped him before he could buckle into his super protective armor. “I’m stronger now, and Sophia has been teaching me how to control my power. If there is still only one seal not destroyed, we have a chance of holding back the end of days.”
Shade’s full, sensual mouth tightened, but he led her out of the atrium to a breezeway draped with ivory silk between the columns. “We’ll talk about it.”
Yes, they would, because she loved him, and he deserved to know her reasons. After that, she’d do another patch on Wrath’s seal and then Shade’s. They didn’t have the option of keeping her swaddled and safe. If Indolex had his way, none of them would be safe for long anyway.
The breezeway ended in a set of onyx doors that opened as they approached.
Shade’s bedroom was filled with light. Ceilings arched overhead with scenes of blatant sexuality painted on them. Eddie got momentarily lost in studying them. She hadn’t even known some of that stuff was possible.
Glass walls made the room feel like it was part of the surrounding jungle. A large wooden deck jutted from a set of sliding doors into the trees. Wisps of steam rose from a gently swirling pool in its center.
The lust seal sent another—and totally unnecessary—reminder that she was alone with Shade in his bedroom.
“Eddie.” Shade enfolded her in his arms from behind. “It’s difficult to believe you’re finally here.” He pressed his cheek to hers. “That we’re finally here.”
Eddie melted into his gentle embrace. “I love you, Shade.”
He caught his breath, and his arms tightened around her. “And I love you, my Eddie. Always.”
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Now that you have me here, what are you planning to do with me?”
His eyes heated, and his voice grew low and raspy. “So many things.”
Eddie couldn’t resist teasing him. “Even though you’ve never done this before?”
“I’m a fast learner.” He grinned.
“Yeah?” She smiled up at him. “What did you have in mind?”
“Hmm.” Shade looked thoughtful. His voice vibrated from his chest through hers. “I thought I might start with a bit of this.” He dipped his head and nuzzled her neck. His hand dropped to the small of her back and pressed her tighter against him. His lips gently teased her skin. “What do you think?”
“That’s a good start.” Eddie’s breath caught as his kisses turned to small nips. “I see we’re progressing fast.”
His breath huffed in her ear. “Considering how long I’ve been waiting for this, fast may be the only way this can go.”
She laughed, free and joyful that it was him.
“But first.” He sucked her lobe and bit, hard enough to get her attention but stopping shy of painful. “A brief study of your erogenous zones.”
“Erogenous zones are good.” A bolt of desire shot from her ear to between her legs.
Sliding his hands beneath her shirt, he spread his large, calloused fingers over her back. “How about here?”
“That works.” She wanted to stretch and purr under his stroking hands. It was getting hard to catch a decent breath. The skin of her back became sensitized to each brush of his hands, but there were other parts of her crying out for attention, and she wriggled. “Try somewhere else.”
He slid his hands to her sides and ran them torturously slowly up to stop beside her breasts. “Research indicates this to be another erogenous zone.”
“Research?” She wanted his hands on her breasts with a fierce ache. The flesh swelled, and her nipples stood erect and begging.
“Of the purely theoretical kind.” That tormenting mouth of his nibbled along her jaw and up to the corner of her mouth. He flicked his tongue over her bottom lip. “Care to conduct a field test?”
With whatever part of her brain was still functioning, she said, “Uh-huh.”
“Give me the words, Eddie.” His voice was hoarse. The thick hard column of his cock pressed against her. “Do you want me to touch your breasts?”
