Gabriel laughs, low and pretty, and takes my wrist in his warm hand, tracing his fingers lovingly over my skin. A shiver passes through me and lovely sparks bloom in the air all around us, making us smile.“Big demand to make of a King,” Gabriel murmurs, looking down at the soft flesh of my inner ar
“Highness!” the voice commands. “Please, highness! Are you all right!?”“It’s been three minutes,” Jackson growls.Gabriel groans and pushes himself up straight, looking into my eyes one last time, devastated. Silently he nods, giving me permission to go.I smile back at him even as I reach for Jack
“Mids,” Jesse sighs, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head at Midnight, exhausted and frustrated. He peeks over the top of the separating screen that Juniper gave them, well aware that the tent full of ambassadors and Atalaxian royals is listening to their heated conversation and casual
“Do you…just want to go back to be with the whore?” she whispers.Jesse grits his teeth against a sigh because…well. Because he does want to see Daphne again. Very, very badly. “Mids, I promise that I want to go back to keep us safe.”“Are you going to go to her?” she snaps, turning to him with a fr
The Land of Darkness hums in peaceful silence beneath its trio of moons. A dark weasel sets his little rump on the ground and sighs contentedly, raising his nose to the sky, sniffing in the cool night air. Or day air. It doesn’t really know – it’s all the same here. It begins to wonder if there’s an
Jesse stares at his little mate for a moment and then huffs out a laugh, shaking his head and taking her hand. “All right, Mids. Do your work.”Everyone else again shuffles around and holds hands or otherwise makes contact with their neighbor so they can all travel together, quietly waiting, expecta
“Plus,” Jackson says, putting his hands on his hips and looking down at the ATV with an odd, almost fond expression. “The machine needs to charge. Clever little device, this is – doesn’t need any power source to regenerate, just time.”My wolf grumbles a little, jealous, because quite frankly we wan
“Oh, I think he should be worried,” I say, soft and cheerful. A corner of Jackson’s mouth turns up but he concentrates on his work, ensuring that the mark is perfectly clean before dabbing some antiseptic cream on it and wrapping it in fresh white cloth.When he’s finished, Jackson ties a little bow
Ariel bursts out laughing and gestures out to the rest of the roof. “Of all the interference to our plans, you’re going to point out this tiny, adorable, sleeping infant pup as the problem!?” Both boys look down at the little dark-haired baby, whose amber eyes flicker open to betray her mother’s w
Jesse sighs, glancing at his watch and then looking to the door, an undrunk glass of champagne in his hand. “Where the hell is your damn sister?” “Your damn cousin,” Rafe murmurs, draining his glass and then pouring himself another. “You’d better stop that,” Jesse says, turning his head to Rafe
She goes still for a moment and then laces her fingers with his, squeezes his hand. “We’re not dating or anything,” she snaps. “Just…because you got all rejected and stuff. I didn’t come running up here just because you’re single – I thought you were going to die –“ “Sure, you didn’t,” Jesse says,
“I love you, Jesse,” Midnight whispers, watching him, her little mouth trembling, her entire body feeling weak. “I love you too, Mids,” he replies. “Always.” She nods once. And then disappears. Midnight fights hard against her emotions as she flits through the castle, moving back and forth bet
“I’m saying,” Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse’s face in her tiny hands. “That I – I don’t want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don’t want them.” She shakes her head, vehement. “I think I’d be a bad mom. I’d leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I – I jus
She has to admit though…the stars are a pleasant addition. Midnight’s wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf’s fur, pleased to see her free and cl
“What,” Jackson asks, frowning down at the little rectangular stone in his hands. “Is it like, special?” “Jackson!” Midnight hisses, standing on her toes to smack him on the chest. “They’re invaluable! This is only the second I’ve ever seen in the world! And I only know of one besides that other o
I laugh, pointing at the big plate of apple pie on the table. “Well, I’m glad to see that you’re feeling cheerful,” I say, grinning at her. “I am!” she says, happily plopping down next to Jesse and reaching for the pie, pulling it all onto her lap and digging in with a fork. “I don’t think that an
Jesse’s eyes open first, and then Midnight’s, slow and sleepy. “How do you feel?” I ask quietly, leaning towards her, able to see her better now in the dawn light that streams through the windows. “What happened?” Jackson asks. I turn to see him standing at the door and I smile, reaching out a h