I sank down upon him, reveling in the sensation of him invading my body, his velvet-covered steel shaft stretching me anew, burrowing deeper until it seemed as if he had touched the very center of me. Adrian groaned as I sat still for a moment, cherishing the feeling of his heartbeat so deep within me.

As you are within me, Hasi. You are life itself. I could not exist without you. You are everything. He sat up, his hands on my hips to guide my movements as his lips nuzzled my collarbone, slipping down to where my breast ached for him. I arched back, my breasts thrust forward as I heeded his direction, setting a pace that left me breathless with elation as I rode him. His bliss folded into mine, sending us both spiraling. A warm touch on my breast had me jerking in surprise.

You are right, his voice rubbed inside my head with the sinuous grace of a cat. I should not say I dislike chocolate before I try it.

My breath caught in my throat as his mouth descended to my nipple, now covered with warm chocolate. My breast ached, positively ached for his touch, and when it came, first the soft wetness of his tongue, then the gentle tugging of his teeth, finally a hard suckling, I almost exploded with rapture.

My orgasm caught me by surprise, but even in the middle of it I realized that Adrian wanted more.

Take it, my love. Take what you need from me, I coaxed, pulling his head tighter to me as my body burst into a shower of euphoric sparks, lighting up us both. He didn't hesitate, his teeth piercing the soft flesh of my breast. I knew from the need within him that, after feeding earlier, he sought my blood not as a form of sustenance, but to satisfy the primal need in him to bind us together in all ways, body and soul, life to life. As my blood mingled with his, he poured life into me, his climax so elemental that it seemed to rock our world, ripping a scream of pleasure from me that flew straight to the heavens.

Minutes, hours, days later I pulled myself from where I was plastered against his chest, my body weak and shaking with the effects of our lovemaking.

"You think anyone heard that?" I summoned enough strength to ask.

Adrian lay exhausted, his eyes closed, his body still. The only sign I had that he was alive was the chest that heaved with ragged breathing beneath me. He spoke without opening his eyes, as if he were too tired to even manage that. I was strangely pleased by that. "Hasi, I believe everyone in greater London heard your scream of completion."

I propped an elbow on his slick chest, frowning down on him. His stubborn jaw and lower cheeks were shadowed with reddish brown whiskers, the black slash of his eyelashes suddenly parting, framing eyes of the purest indigo. I leaned forward until my lips teased him. "I love you, Adrian. I don't know how we're going to defeat Saer, but I promise you, I will never let you go."

His fingers tightened on my hips. We may have no choice.

There are always choices, I answered, sucking his lower lip into my mouth. We just need to find them.

A sudden burst of emotion swept over me, originating in Adrian as his arms wrapped like steel bands behind me, crushing me to his chest. His mouth moved on mine, ceasing my teasing touches, his tongue sweeping inside in a move of blatant possession. I will fight to the death for you, Hasi. You are light and love and life. You saw good in me when no one else did. Do not believe I would give you up so easily. I love you with all the passion I possess. I love you with every beat of my heart. I love you with every atom of my being.

My tears mingled with his as I lay clinging to him, seeking reassurance and offering everything I had. We were bound together by a love too strong to be destroyed.

Or so I prayed.

"We have got to get rid of Saer," I announced as I preceded Adrian and my cadre of mummies into the long, L-shaped room that a housekeeper had pointed out as Christian's library. It had nothing on the library in his castle, but was interesting enough that I paused to eye an incomplete suit of armor before facing Christian and Allie. "Adrian and I are madly in love, and I'm not going to stand for Saer trying to destroy him. Something's got to give, and I intend to see that it's Saer."

Melissande and Belinda looked up from where Allie was pouring tea.

"Oh," I said, stopping in the doorway. The mummies squawked. Adrian gave me a gentle shove into the room.

"Melissande." He nodded to his sister as he stood next to me. "You look well."

Her hand twitched, sending the tea in her cup splashing over the side. "Thank you, Adrian." Her eyes skittered to me before returning reluctantly to him. "As do you. I… er… congratulate you on your betrothal."

We're betrothed? I asked him.

It is customary for Dark Ones to marry their Beloveds. A dark suspicion flitted to life within him. Unless there is some reason you do not wish—

"Thank you, we're delighted, as you might expect. We hope to be married just as soon as your other brother is pounded into a pulp," I told Melissande. "We'd love to have you at the wedding, although I have no idea when it's going to be, or where it will be held, or even where we're going to live—"

"We will live in my home," Adrian said, wrapping his arm around me and hauling me against his side. It was a gesture that I'd abhor in anyone else, but it made me go all warm and fuzzy every time he felt the need to be possessive.

You have a home?

I do not live under a rock, if that is what you are asking, Hasi.

I smiled brightly as Allie invited us to sit. "Do you have some newspapers or something?" I asked.

Allie looked puzzled.

"For the mummies. Oh, they're housebroken—at least I think they are—but little bits and pieces of them tend to break off, and it's less messy if they stay on a newspaper."

She blinked a couple of times, but pointed to a neat stack of papers.

Hasi, they are not puppies, Adrian said as I spread out several sheets.

Of course they're not puppies. I never said they were puppies. Puppies are cute and adorable and have big eyes. My mummies are only cute and have no eyes. But they are former people, and thus they deserve the respect and reverence due to any deceased individual. We owe them that much, Adrian. "Sit," I ordered the mummies, pointing to the paper. They sat.

Belinda looked tired but not at all surprised to see us, but Melissande… she was clearly not comfortable with the change in Adrian's status from the feared and hated Betrayer to a lovable—and much loved—man.

I perched on the edge of a love seat, Adrian sitting next to me. Allie handed me a cup of tea and a plate of goodies, her mismatched eyes twinkling as she said, "I'm sure you need this after your… uh… nap."

A blush heated my cheeks at her unspoken amusement. Melissande's lips tightened as she mopped up the spilled tea. Belinda smiled benevolently at us, while Christian sent Adrian a glance filled with some male knowledge that I did not want to examine closely.

"Damian is sleeping," Melissande said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I know," Adrian answered.

"You are still cursed, are you not?" she asked, one eyebrow lifting. "Does that not prohibit you from merging with anyone but your Beloved?"

"Yes, I am, and yes, it does."

She frowned, clearly puzzled. "Then how—"

"We looked in on Damian on the way downstairs," I answered for Adrian, hating this awkwardness between them but powerless to fix things until we got rid of Saer. I winced at that thought, knowing that Melissande was fond of her brother. "Melissande… about Saer…"