Chapter 20

It's too bright. My head is splitting in half. I feel like I drank too many well tequila margaritas on lady's night at the bar across from the university. I scrunch my forehead up, and someone presses a cool cloth across it. My mouth is fuzzy, and my whole body feels numb, like my finger did once when I accidentally shocked myself. Someone hands me a glass of water, and I drain it without even opening my eyes.

Oh god. This isn't from cheap tequila.

"Dabin," I croak. I crack my gummy eyes open, and he swims into my line of vision. "You're alive." It comes out a sob, and a tear slides down my cheek.

He's holding me, burying his head into my neck, and my fingers curl around him.

"I thought I lost you," he finally says, pressing his forehead against mine. "I thought I was going to lose you."

I hiccup a laugh, crying at the same time. "I thought the same about you. And about me," I admit.

"I do not want to live without you," he says.

"I know." I reach up and touch the jagged end of his wound, semi-healed. "I feel the same."

Healed? My head spins. "How long have I been out?"

"A few days." He's rubbing my hair, my skin, like he can't get enough of me, and despite being exhausted, that same desire runs through me. The lust I can't turn off when it comes to him. His touch is everything, and even now, the light caress of his fingertips on my skin sends a frisson of delight through me

But it's not just lust. As soon as the gate ripped a hole in our world, I wished I hadn't tried. Wished I had more time with Dabin. Wished I hadn't been such an idiot and ignored the best thing that's ever happened to me. Then the creatures came through… and— I swallow. I don't even want to think about it. I want to think about Dabin, and what we might have.

What we already have.

"I love you." I peer into his eyes, hoping I'm not a fool. "I don't want you to lose me. I don't want to lose you. I want you to love me."

His eyes widen, a small smile curving his mouth. "You do not want to return to your home?"

"Home?" I laugh. "A shitty apartment and a bunch of loans and colleagues that won't ever believe me? This is my home now, Dabin." It's true. Stubborn to the bitter end, I've been avoiding that truth for weeks now, but there it is.

He runs a finger along the curve of my jaw, and I sigh, leaning into the touch.

"You're my home now."

"I am not a house," he says solemnly.

I tip back head and laugh, and when he joins in with a smile, I know he was teasing me. This? This is easy. Being with Dabin is easy and right, and my heart squeezes.

"I'm staying," I tell him. "I want you; I want it all." Excitement flares through me, his gaze heating me. I frown.

"Wait. How did I do that?" I look down at my hands, remembering the warmth of the fire, the feel of the nasty winged thing disintegrating in my palm. The sheer force of the power inside me, unleashed and violent and volatile. "The fire… how?"

His grin grows. "Because the women were always the more powerful of our kind. You drew on the latent power of the gate, but you still were not able to draw on your full potential. Neither was I." He looks troubled at that, and my heart breaks. I can't imagine how I'd feel if the tables were turned, if I'd been the one worried sick while he slept and slept for a week on end.

"I'm sorry."

He shakes his head. "Do not apologize. You save our lives." He places a hand over my heart. "You are stronger than any guardian I've ever met. Fearless."

I give him a sly look. "I bet you can show me my full potential." I run a hand down his chest, the gesture full of obvious meaning.

He chuckles, his eyebrows rocketing up. "I do not think you are strong enough yet."

"I want to," I say, breathless, and I do. I need to. I need him. It pounds through me, every beat of my heart carrying it to the tips of my toes and fingers. "Please, Dabin."

He smiles gently at me, and I pout, thinking he's going to refuse. Instead, he leans in, brushing his lips softly across mine. He does it again, teasing me, and I moan, wrapping my arms around his neck.

She loves me. My Danielle. I kiss her softly. The last thing I want is to cause her more hurt. But even as I give her the lightest, barest of kisses, she pulls me into her soft body. Her moans undo my control, and I deepen the kiss, desperately trying to be mindful of her. Then her tongue slicks into my mouth.

I cover her breast with my hand, and she lets out a needy whimper that makes my head spin. "I cannot resist you, my mate," I tell her.

Her eyes are full of lust, her lips already swollen from kisses. Dark hair spills across the pillow, her chest heaving under the light blanket. I pull it down, exposing the perfect curve of her flesh, reveling in the play of sunlight across her skin.

"I love you," she says again, and it's my turn to groan.

I grip her chin, devouring her lips, her mouth. "I love you, my mate. I have since I first knew you were mine."

"Shut up," she says, grabbing my horns and pulling my face down to hers. The last time she grabbed me like this, I had my face buried in her thighs, tasting her until she came. It is one of my favorite memories.

"Danielle," I growl, breaking off the kiss. "Are you sure you are well enough?"

"Dabin," her eyes are narrowed, her voice fierce. "If you don't make love to me right now, I am going to scream."

"Ah," I say, growing harder. "I think maybe you will scream anyway." My erection presses into her, and she rubs her fingers over where it bulges in my pants. I growl, then hastily disrobe. She watches as I do so, her mouth slightly open, her eyes full of need.

I've never wanted anything so badly in my life as I do this woman.

When I reach down to rub her sweet cunt, my Danielle is so wet already that I growl in approval. "I think you are ready, my love."

"I already told you that." She squirms on the bed, and I crawl on top of her.

I want this to be good, so good, but I'm already close to losing control. I snag one of her nipples in my mouth, teasing the other one with my hand as she moans and writhes.

"Stop, stop. I can't."

I jerk away from her, confused. "Did I hurt you?"

She's panting, her forehead scrunched up. "Lay on the bed."

I do as she says, berating myself. I feel terrible. It was too soon. She needs to recover?—

Then Danielle straddles my hips, sliding her slick pussy over my cock before slowly, excruciatingly slowly, sinking onto it. I grit my teeth, trying for control. Nothing has ever felt as good as her wet heat, the feel of her body pulsing around me.

She throws her head back, and I grab her hips as she rocks, ever so slightly.

"Dabin," she says on an exhalation. Our eyes lock, and she leans forward, picking up the pace. Her hair is a curtain, falling across my stomach as she rides me, and I've never seen anything so erotic.

"I love you, Danielle," I tell her.

She moans, and I tease her nipple, the way I know she likes, the way I've dreamed of doing for a month since I did it last. She rises up, then slams down on me, and I groan in ecstasy.

"Dabin," she says again, and it sounds like a plea. I reach a hand down, pressing a finger against her clit. Her breasts bounce as she rides me, moaning her pleasure as she rocks harder and faster. I match her pace, thrusting as she does, pleasure building to a crescendo.

When she stiffens and slumps against my chest, I hold her to me, rocking hard into the wet heat of her core.

"I love you," she says again, and I come, shuddering with the force of it. I hold her to me, cradling her against my chest. Fulfilled.

Pain lances my arm, and I wince, looking down in confusion. My eyes widen.

"Look," I say.

Danielle lets out a gasp, running her fingers over my forearm. "What is that?"

"The constellation Auriga," I tell her, pride at my mate filling me. "The keeper of the goat. How fitting. You must be descended from that house. Welcome home, my love."

The constellation on my mate's arm glows red, like mine. I'm still gasping for breath, the aftermath of my orgasm making me limp and relaxed. I trace a finger over the red on his arm. We're both slightly sweaty and sticky, and I don't want to move, because it's perfect.

"Does mine look that cool?" I finally ask. I press my cheek against his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart.

"Cool? It looks hot, like fire. Like your fire." He sounds pleased, and I snort, then sober.

"What happened to those things?"

"The harbingers?" He sighs, and I know I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear. "We stopped the ones at our gate."

I squint up at him, catching the emphasis. "What do you mean, our gate?"

"Something happened. They've been here since the blood drinkers came through, but since the Starbound women left, no more have entered our world."

"Until now," I finish, covering my face. "Oh god, I'm so sorry."

He tugs at my wrist, and I peek through my fingers at him. "That's not all."

"It gets worse?" Fuck me.

A corner of his mouth kicks up, his eyes glimmering with amusement. "No, my love, it gets better."

"How is that possible? I let a bunch of monsters through the gates."

"And Starbound women."

I let my hands fall away from my face. My mouth is wide open, and I close it with a snap. "What?"

"They've been popping up. Reports of random women, women not of this world, simply appearing out of thin air."

"Oh shit," I say. "That doesn't sound good."

"How does it not sound good? You've called them home. Now our people stand a chance against the harbingers and the Butcher King. Kaus and Castor could not be more pleased with you."

I groan. "Of course it sounds good to you! But what about all those women that are stuck in a strange world, with no friends and no idea what's happening to them? At least I knew what I'd gotten myself into." Guilt eats at me, and I roll off him, burying my face in the pillow.

He pats my hair, and I relax into the caress, my mind working at the new issue a mile a minute.

"We'll have to find them. Protect them. Introduce them to this world slowly, help them adapt."

When I look up from my pillow, he's grinning at me, his head propped up on an arm. "That's my mate. Always thinking of how to solve any problem that dares stand in her way."

"You don't mind? Finding them?"

He gives me an incredulous look. "Of course not. They are our lost people. What greater honor can there be? We will also prepare for war, I think."

War? I groan. "With whom?"

"The Butcher King also seeks the women."

"Fuck." I forgot about him and his vampire horde.

He draws me to his side. "You are ready to go again?"

I laugh at the eager expression on his face, but the sound dies off as he kisses a trail on my neck.

Our problems will still be there tomorrow. But for today? I'm going to show him just how much I never want to leave his side again.