Page 71 of Shadows of Light
Maybe the shadows were a different kind of magic than the throne, and maybe the Lord couldn’t control the shadows, but he could control the dragons, and it had eaten his mind until only a shell of the former man remained.
And if she didn’t do something, that could become Cole.
Unable to stop them, tears dripped off her chin to land on the rocky floor with a small plop.
“We don’t wish to be your enemy,” the shadows said. “We are your protectors; that is why the arach created us. Stop fighting this and accept it. He is gone, we will rule, and you will livemanyyears because of us. No harm will come to you while we live.”
“I don’t want this, and neither does Cole.”
“Everyone wants something they can’t have. Our needs must be met; we are necessary for your survival, and you must live if the realms are to know peace.”
Lexi’s shoulders shook as more tears streamed down her face. She didn’t hear Cole anymore; it was all those things.
“He is gone; we are your protectors now.”
Her head spun as the shadows whispered, and her heart shattered. Maybe in these broken, battered, and far too often brutal realms, the best thing she could do foreveryonewas to walk away and concede defeat to these things.
They would protect her and the fragile peace they’d so recently established, but she could never let Cole go so easily. She couldn’t leave him here to be devoured and driven mad by these things.
Unable to see him in the dark, she released his arms and grasped his face. Rising onto her toes, she inhaled the scent of rocks and earth clinging to him along with his natural musky, allspice aroma.
His beard tickled her palms as she leaned forward and kissed him. At first, he tried to recoil from her… No, not Cole; he would never do such a thing. Theshadowstried to pull away from her.
They had taken control of him again, and she would wrest it back.
CHAPTERFIFTY-SIX
The shadows screamedas they recoiled from Lexi’s lips. They railed against her, againstthis, as they insisted she would destroy them and him.
But as the shadows resisted the warmth of Lexi’s lips, her enticing strawberry scent, and the love she exuded, the lycan and dark fae parts of him surged to the forefront. They buried the wrath of the shadows as they were rewarded with what they desired most.
His claws extended as his arms encircled her waist, and he pulled her naked body flush against his. Lifting her off the ground, he slid one of his hands up the silken skin of her back to clasp her head.
As he did so, she opened her mouth, and he invaded to savor her taste as their tongues entwined. He was ravenous, hard, and desperate for everything she gave him.
Even as the shadows continued to rage against this, his other hand slid to her ass, and he squeezed it. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and she draped her arms over his shoulders as she kissed him like she would never kiss him again.
And if they stopped now, thiscouldbe their last kiss. Cole’s arms cinched around her at the possibility. The lycan and dark fae had taken control from the shadows and wouldn’t relinquish it while she remained in his arms.
Cole started to turn her into the wall to fuck her, but though he was nearly mindless with his lust for her, he still retained enough control to know it couldn’t behere. He didn’t want her in this horrible, dark place where he’d washed so much blood off himself and waged countless battles he’d repeatedly lost to his inner demons.
Hedidn’t want to be in this place anymore. The stale air, the dank smell, and the countless whispered words that plagued him since finding this cave were a bane to his existence.
His erection made walking more difficult while he carried her up through the winding cave, and she continued kissing him. With every step he took, the head of his shaft slid across her wetness as she ground against him and her fingers bit into his nape.
Each stride was pure torture as he resisted plunging into her, but whereas he was willing to wait, Lexi wasn’t. With a subtle shift of her hips, she took him into her.
Cole groaned when her sheath enveloped him, and he stopped walking as she rose over him before sliding down again. He shuddered as the familiar, amazing sensation of being inside her nearly brought him to his knees, but they were still inside the place where he’d exiled himself, and he had toget out.
When this was over and they separated, he would most likely retreat from her as the shadows seized control again, but he had control now and would exert it.
“No.” He grasped her hips. “Notin here.”
* * *
Lexi was so lostin the waves of emotion swamping her that it took a few seconds to process his words. When she did, her eyes flew open, and she pressed closer to him.
The brilliant silver of his eyes was all she could see in the darkness. It was difficult for her to remain still when his cock throbbed within her, but she didn’t move as she buried her face in his neck.
