stood a fraction taller and leaned just a little closer. “How?”
Gillian had to be careful. If Shayne thought there was any risk to what she planned, he would never allow it. Sticking as close to the truth as possible was best.
“I saw a delegation go through,” she said. “The seeds let me see it all clearly. There was a hidden switch in the ground. You would never know it was there, unless you had seen them use it.”
Shayne shook his head. “What a paranoid city.”
“You have no idea,” Gillian agreed. “Though I would never have believed it, I think this was a terrible place. Something was wrong with it, and I think that’s why it fell.” She paused. “And why no Wiccans have ever come to reclaim it.”
Shayne stepped in and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Except for you.”
For a moment, she wondered if Galia had ever thought of her last time with her lover, the way his embrace felt, the way he looked in firelight. Her arms wound around his neck.
“Still,” he said, “I’m glad we’re here.”
She smiled at him. “You didn’t even believe Tenebris existed. When we first met, I was your punishment.”
Shayne’s grin was quick. “Who knew punishment could be so good?” Slowly his smiled faded. “As long as I can be by your side, there is nowhere in the world I won’t go. I’ll always…”
The flames of the fireball danced in his intent eyes.
Say it, the small voice in the back of her head said. Say it. You might not get another chance. Tell me you love me.
“…be by your side.”
She deflated a little. Despite knowing that he loved her––even if he didn’t––her heart sank a little.
His eyebrows furrowed. “Are you all right?”
She smiled sadly. “I guess I’m just…looking forward to being home.”
He cocked his head at her and glanced at the blocked door.
“It’s dark but, if you like, we can try to find this switch you saw.”
Gillian shook her head. There was nothing she wanted more than just to be with Shayne. Tomorrow would take care of itself. Suddenly an idea occurred to her that made her go still. It felt a little bit wild, maybe even impetuous. She understood where the desire came from, but would Shayne?
“Shayne, will you initiate me?”
Though it would make her immortal to have unprotected sex with another Wiccan, that wasn’t the point. What she wanted most in the world was to be as close to her lover as she could. There would be nothing between them and nothing in the way of their love.
Shayne was silent for what felt like a small eternity. She bit her lip.
“Gillian, are you sure?”
It was something that had come up between them at the Midnight Market. He’d been incredulous she hadn’t done it yet.
“Very,” Gillian said lowly. “I want it to be you.” She gripped him a bit tighter. “I need it to be you.”
“I’m honored,” he finally said, his voice a velvet rumble.
With a gentle gesture, he lofted dozens of small flames into the air, ringing the room. The effect was beautiful, as though the library was filled with candles. Carefully, almost gingerly, he began to undress her, slipping her tunic off over her head. But it wasn’t just candle flames that Gillian saw. The crown of sparks that Galia had worn had cast a similar light.
Everything travels in a circle, she thought, undoing his belt. Here we are again.
In moments, she only wore her gloves, and Shayne stood naked under the soft light. Gently, he took her hands and eased her down on the bed. For a long moment, he only looked at her, as though he might say something. But the time for words was over.
He came to rest on his elbow, leaning down to kiss her mouth with a tenderness that made her melt. His lips were warm and lingering, and he took his time. His tongue slid along her upper lip. His mouth nibbled her lower lip. There was a reverent tenderness about him at odds with the power of his body. Tonight wasn’t about the savage passion they had experienced
Gillian had to be careful. If Shayne thought there was any risk to what she planned, he would never allow it. Sticking as close to the truth as possible was best.
“I saw a delegation go through,” she said. “The seeds let me see it all clearly. There was a hidden switch in the ground. You would never know it was there, unless you had seen them use it.”
Shayne shook his head. “What a paranoid city.”
“You have no idea,” Gillian agreed. “Though I would never have believed it, I think this was a terrible place. Something was wrong with it, and I think that’s why it fell.” She paused. “And why no Wiccans have ever come to reclaim it.”
Shayne stepped in and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Except for you.”
For a moment, she wondered if Galia had ever thought of her last time with her lover, the way his embrace felt, the way he looked in firelight. Her arms wound around his neck.
“Still,” he said, “I’m glad we’re here.”
She smiled at him. “You didn’t even believe Tenebris existed. When we first met, I was your punishment.”
Shayne’s grin was quick. “Who knew punishment could be so good?” Slowly his smiled faded. “As long as I can be by your side, there is nowhere in the world I won’t go. I’ll always…”
The flames of the fireball danced in his intent eyes.
Say it, the small voice in the back of her head said. Say it. You might not get another chance. Tell me you love me.
“…be by your side.”
She deflated a little. Despite knowing that he loved her––even if he didn’t––her heart sank a little.
His eyebrows furrowed. “Are you all right?”
She smiled sadly. “I guess I’m just…looking forward to being home.”
He cocked his head at her and glanced at the blocked door.
“It’s dark but, if you like, we can try to find this switch you saw.”
Gillian shook her head. There was nothing she wanted more than just to be with Shayne. Tomorrow would take care of itself. Suddenly an idea occurred to her that made her go still. It felt a little bit wild, maybe even impetuous. She understood where the desire came from, but would Shayne?
“Shayne, will you initiate me?”
Though it would make her immortal to have unprotected sex with another Wiccan, that wasn’t the point. What she wanted most in the world was to be as close to her lover as she could. There would be nothing between them and nothing in the way of their love.
Shayne was silent for what felt like a small eternity. She bit her lip.
“Gillian, are you sure?”
It was something that had come up between them at the Midnight Market. He’d been incredulous she hadn’t done it yet.
“Very,” Gillian said lowly. “I want it to be you.” She gripped him a bit tighter. “I need it to be you.”
“I’m honored,” he finally said, his voice a velvet rumble.
With a gentle gesture, he lofted dozens of small flames into the air, ringing the room. The effect was beautiful, as though the library was filled with candles. Carefully, almost gingerly, he began to undress her, slipping her tunic off over her head. But it wasn’t just candle flames that Gillian saw. The crown of sparks that Galia had worn had cast a similar light.
Everything travels in a circle, she thought, undoing his belt. Here we are again.
In moments, she only wore her gloves, and Shayne stood naked under the soft light. Gently, he took her hands and eased her down on the bed. For a long moment, he only looked at her, as though he might say something. But the time for words was over.
He came to rest on his elbow, leaning down to kiss her mouth with a tenderness that made her melt. His lips were warm and lingering, and he took his time. His tongue slid along her upper lip. His mouth nibbled her lower lip. There was a reverent tenderness about him at odds with the power of his body. Tonight wasn’t about the savage passion they had experienced
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