“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said as his eyes raked over me.

The glow in Darkness’s eyes intensified as his icy hands lazily slid up my thighs. My breath hitched as his fingers moved over my stomach, cupping my breast as he leaned down to pull my nipple into his warm mouth. A wave of heat spread from my core to the top of my head and the tips of my toes.

“Mm,” I purred as I reached down to feel him.

It was like his body was carved from granite, but his skin was made of rose petals. My heart pulsed faster and faster, threatening to burst out of my chest with each stroke, each caress.

All I wanted was for this moment to stretch on forever. When I was with him, there was nothing else to think about. Nothing to worry about. Everything was perfect.

As Darkness slipped deep inside, a raw cry of pleasure ripped from my throat. I felt as though I’d dissolved into the floor, completely consumed by him as his hips moved faster and harder. His insatiable hunger was unmistakable as his lips crashed into mine in a fervent kiss. Shivers rippled through me as his hands explored every inch of my body until I trembled beneath him.

“Hold on,” Darkness whispered into my ear, his breath tickling the side of my neck.

“I can’t,” I gasped.

“A little longer,” he begged, pushing himself even deeper. “Look at me.”

My eyelid flicked open, and I was greeted by a sparkle in his glowing eyes. He stroked my cheek with his thumb as he stared at me.

“You are my everything,” he said, placing a soft kiss on my lips. “Always and forever.”

My entire body blazed with desire. It was a need so incredibly strong and powerful that I could wait a moment longer.

As if he felt it too, Darkness hammered into me, sending a searing wave of pleasure pulsing through every inch of my body. I clawed at his back as my orgasm exploded, cascading through my veins like lightning bolts of bliss.

I cried out with sheer euphoria as our bodies collided in a frenzy of passion, desire, and need. My heart thundered in my chest as his body shuddered against mine, our simultaneous releases rocking us as one.

Darkness rolled to the side, his arms wrapped tightly around me. We lay in silence as we patiently waited for our breathing to return to normal.

After a long moment, he started chuckling. My eyes met his with curiosity.

“What’s so amusing?” I asked, looking up at him through heavy-lidded eyes as a smile played on my lips.

“I’m quite well rested now,” Darkness said, an impish grin curling his mouth. The brightness in his eyes faded only slightly as he sat up, flexing his muscles with deliberate grace. “Yes. Much better.”

I sat up, biting my lip as I looked around the room, waiting for something to surge through me. Nothing felt different except for the beads of sweat gathered at my temples.

“I’m glad you do,” I said, reaching for my shirt.

“No,” he said, getting to his feet and scooping me off the floor.

Darkness carried me up the stairs and into his bedroom with effortless strength. He tossed me onto the bed, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. The dimly lit room cast a seductive ambiance, with shadows dancing on the walls like eager witnesses of what was to come.

Darkness eyes bore into mine, a fiery inferno that revealed an insatiable hunger. He eyed me as he dragged a thumb over his bottom lip. “I’m not finished with you yet.”

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Darkness savored every moment as he made love to me, each second stretching into an eternity of shared desire. I felt dizzy and out of control as time seemed to lose all meaning in the rapture of our mutual passion. Eventually, our bodies finally collapsed into sweet exhaustion, our limbs still entwined as we drifted to sleep.

As I woke, a shiver crashed through me as I noticed I was alone in the massive bed. Muffled voices ascended the staircase, their elusive words just beyond the grasp of comprehension.

A yawn escaped my lips as I extended my arms overhead, realizing I was still naked and my clothes were scattered on the floor downstairs. My eyes snapped to the closed bedroom door.

“Shit!” I said, seizing the top blanket and draping it over my shoulders. The last thing I wanted to do was go downstairs with Darkness’s blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

I rose from the bed, clutching the blanket tightly as I tip-toed to the door to see if I could discern the voices drifting up from below. As I walked past the dresser, I spotted my clothing meticulously arranged on the top.

A relieved breath escaped from between my lips as I let the blanket drop to the floor and hastily pulled on my clothes. If only I’d had the luxury of indulging in a shower and changing into a clean outfit.

As I smoothed my palms over the fabric to iron out the wrinkles, I stole a glance in the mirror. My hair was a tangled mess, as if I had engaged in hours of fooling around with Darkness. Of course, that was exactly what happened, but I didn’t really want to advertise that fact to whoever was downstairs.

I combed my fingers through my hair, attempting to tame the wild, unruly strands. Once satisfied, I turned away from the mirror, donning a facade of confidence as I walked to the door and slowly pulled it open.

The voice became a bit more clear. I could make out both Nightmare and Storm, but there was another voice I didn’t recognize.

As I reached the top of the stairs, Darkness stepped into view and held out his hand to me. “Join us.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, glancing toward the room as I took his hand.

“We’ve gathered the artifacts,” Darkness announced as he led me to the velvet chair. “Sit, please.”

“Thanks,” I said, placing my sweaty hands in my lap.

A young man with slicked-back hair grinned at me, well, more at the medallion around my wrist. “That’s the medallion, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Darkness said, gesturing toward the young man. “This is my brother, The Bringer of Honor.”

“Call me Gius,” he said, crossing his leg widely over the other.”

“She never calls us by our names,” Nightmare said with a chuckle.

Honor shrugged as he brushed an invisible piece of lint from his pants. “Whatever makes her happy.”

The young man exuded an enchanting magnetism, his features flawlessly symmetrical, and his eyes were like pools of liquid obsidian. He had a strong, chiseled jawline that seemed to mirror the sleek platinum hair, artfully styled with each strand perfectly in place. Honor exuded an unwavering aura of self-assuredness that made me feel very under-dressed.

“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you,” Honor said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me carefully. “Not exactly what I was expecting.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I said, pressing my lips together.

“Quite the opposite,” Honor said, grinning. “Anyway,” he said, shifting his eyes to Darkness, who was standing beside the chair I was in. “Everything is here. What do we do now?”

Darkness glanced at Nightmare, who offered him a quick shrug. “Perhaps we give them all to Remy.”

“Balance,” Storm said, looking at her nails. “Let’s show her the same respect she shows us, hm?”

“Balance,” Darkness repeated, correcting himself.