Page 106 of Shadows of Light
He took her hand and held it against his erection. “I’m more thanupfor it.”
Lexi started to protest, but his kiss cut her off. She’d expected his kiss to be demanding, but it was so gentle it nearly brought tears to her eyes.
He maneuvered her behind some boulders near the rocky mountains surrounding them as he stripped away her clothes. His fingers grazing her flesh sent shivers through her as her shield crumbled and her glow lit up the day while the shadows entered her.
Power swelled between them, and by the time she was naked and hidden in a rocky alcove, she was wet and trembling with need. It had beenfartoo long since they’d experienced this, and she craved more.
He wasn’t the only one who was ravenous; she hadn’t fed from him in a couple of weeks, and hunger thrummed through her veins as his pulse beat against her lips. His skin was salty and warm against her mouth; it was familiar and loved as her nails grazed his back.
When he lifted her off the ground, she encircled her legs around his waist and took his cock into her. She gasped at the familiar sensation of him stretching and filling her as rightness stole through every inch of her body.
Nothingfelt as right as when she and Cole joined. It was beautiful and poignant and made each of them stronger.
She took more shadows from him while he feasted on the energy their sex created. And when the shadows lessened, she broke the kiss, sank her fangs into his throat, and came while his blood filled her.
CHAPTEREIGHTY-TWO
After another week passed,she and Cole started talking about their wedding again. They wouldn’t get married until their loved ones returned, or they had answers, but they decided to prepare for that day… whenever it came.
Her time in Alina’s cave, and the memory of what Amaris did to her while wearing it, had ruined her dress. However, the witches and light fae had gotten together to weave a beautiful creation; Lexi cried when she saw it.
The ivory-colored dress had a sweetheart neckline and bell sleeves that almost fell to the ground. The bodice hugged her upper body and narrow waist before spilling down to become a simple skirt flowing around her when she walked. The small train trailed a couple of feet behind her, and silver embellishments of flowers lined the edges of the sleeves and decorated the skirt.
More silver strands ran throughout the bodice in such a detailed, intricate way that they gave the impression of vines weaving throughout the material. It was such a beautiful yet earthy dress that all blended beautifully together.
It was so much more elegant and fancier than her first dress, something she’d sworn she didn’t want, but she lovedeverythingabout it. And she’d be much more excited about wearing it if they had some answers about their missing loved ones.
The Lord broke much of the arach’s things when he took over the palace, but he hadn’t destroyed their jewels. Why would he when they were worth so much?
It pissed her off that he’d been so careful about preserving the things worth money in this place but so careless with the lives of many immortals and humans. The throne really had rotted his brain.
Amongst those jewels, she and Sahira had found a beautiful silver headpiece. On her wedding day, it would lay flat against her head before winding back into two long trails down her back.
The top of the headpiece was two dragons facing each other. Their mouths were open, and the rubies coming from them looked like a small plume of fire.
Emeralds made up the dragon’s eyes, and their tails entwined to create the flowing trails that would weave throughout her hair. She planned to wear her hair in an intricate twist Sahira had perfected. She had no idea when she’d be able to wear it, but one day, she would.
Once he was strong enough, Cole sent shadows into Doomed Valley, but like the guards she sent, they reported nothing about the missing group.
That could mean the shadows hadn’t gone into the region where Brokk, Kaylia, and the others were now, or they’d all left the Valley and were searching somewhere else for the crudue vine. She doubted they would have done that without coming back to check in with all of them first.
It could also mean they were dead.
But the shadows hadn’t reported bodies either, so that gave them all hope. And she needed that hope. Theyalldid.
Without it, there was only more loss and sadness, and they’d had enough of that.
She didn’t kid herself into thinking it would be all sunshine and roses from here on out, but things would get better; she and Cole would make sure of it. They would give everyone in all the realms a better life.
But she wanted her loved ones here for it. And she would do everything she could to ensure that happened or to bring their bodies home to be mourned as they should be.
The shadows hadn’t just gone into Doomed Valley; they were also in some other outer realms. But since she and Cole were keeping them under control and there were fewer inside him, they weren’t as strong as they used to be and couldn’t reach as far.
Plus, there were countless outer realms to explore; the shadows could never search them all. It was slow and steady, but hopefully, there would be some answers soon. The not knowing was tearing her up inside.
Despite the uncertainty gnawing at her belly, life had to go on, and neither of them could go in search of the others, though she’d like to go with some dragons into Doomed Valley. She couldn’t leave Dragonia after everything that happened and everythingstillhappening.
The other immortals would see it as a weakness and try to strike if she and Cole weren’t here to defend it.But no one came for the realm when I was nearly dead.
