Chapter 7

Little Star wants to follow him, but I've been where Sam is and, sometimes, when the darkness gets too much you just need to be alone. Perhaps something about being around all of us together like this makes him feel worse. Perhaps it's nothing to do with us – it's just a deep ache he can't get rid of.

Either way, he does not need to be followed. So, I grip her hand tightly and sigh as she leans back into me.

Having her close feels so fucking good I almost forget that my entire body is on the edge of breaking. All I want – all I really want – right now is to be alone with her. To spend whatever time I have exploring her body, hearing her make those noises that drive me wild, kissing her until she lights up.

Snow gruffs at me. He thinks I'm being too pessimistic. But, deep down, even when Miranda said she'd got what she needed, I felt like it wasn't real. Like all of this is just a distraction, a waste of time.

Like my fate has been sealed.

This time, Snow doesn't just gruff in my head, he looks up at me from Kim's bed and narrows his eyes.

I agree with Kim; Snow is cute as a dog-sized bear, but he needs to be a bear-sized bear again. The spell should wear off soon. I glance at my phone for the date. Tomorrow, if my calculations are correct. Which means we need to make sure he's inside when that happens.

For a while, Kole questions Kim on what happened with Zephyra. How he knows she's alive, where she was, what state she was in. By all accounts, it seems Nova left her pretty damaged. But not dead. Which makes Kole stand up, mutter something about Thornfield, and leave the room abruptly.

Swallowing a yawn, Tanner walks over, kisses Nova's forehead, and says he's going to check on Miranda's progress, see if he can help, then get some sleep. That we all should too. His hand lingers on her shoulder, as if he's expecting her to go with him, but she simply kisses his knuckles and says, "I'll stay with Mack tonight."

Tanner nods then looks at me. "You okay? Need any more pain meds?"

"I'm fine," I tell him. "Whatever Miranda's giving me is keeping the pain at bay."

He doesn't believe me. He can see right through my lie, and probably hears the small intake of breath as I try to shift myself higher on the pillows. But he doesn't break my cover. Instead, he calls to Snow, "What about you, buddy? If you're hungry, come with me and I'll fix you some supper."

Snow jumps down from Kim's bed then hesitates.

"It's okay. We can be parted for a few minutes." I nod at him; he's been cooped up in this room for too long. He needs to stretch his legs.

Brushing against Nova's leg as he passes us, Snow ambles after Tanner, who looks down at him with a smile. "Seriously," he says. "I'm going to miss mini-Snow when you turn back."

Snow huffs. He's not going to miss it. He feels ridiculous, and I think he's a little worried that we'd all rather he stayed this size.

As Tanner leaves, Nova climbs out of bed and dims the lights. In his bed, Kim is already dozing. Eyes closed, blankets tucked up under his chin.

She stands in front of me, tugs off her jeans, then climbs beneath the sheets and snuggles in, ass pressed up hard against my crotch. I wrap my arms around her waist and breathe in the scent of her hair. Her skin. The slightly metallic tinge of blood fills my nostrils. "You and Kole?" I ask quietly.

She nods. "We played with Thornfield a little, too," she whispers.

That surprises me.

She angles herself in my arms so she's looking up at me, and toys with my beard. "I didn't fuck him. Kole did."

That surprises me more.

She reaches back and slips her hand beneath my tee, running her hand over my chest. "Fuck, you feel good, Daddy," she breathes.

Hearing her call me that never gets old.

Creeping up from beneath the pain, arousal tugs my balls. I move my large hands up her body. She is so soft, and so warm, and her nipples pebble beneath my thumbs as I brush them. "Nova…"

She slips her other hand between her thighs and moans as she starts to play with her clit. I keep my attention on her nipples, finding the rhythm that makes her start to pant and grind back into me.

"Will you fuck me?" she asks. "Will it hurt you?"

I don't care if it hurts me; there's no way I'm not fucking her. No way.

I tug down my pants, and jerk her backwards, angling her legs so I slide right into her slick, waiting pussy. She leans forward, pushing back onto me, wiggling her ass. But I grab hold of her and force her body against mine. I want her back pressed against me. I want to play with her clit and her breasts, and fuck her so hard she screams.

Three thrusts, and I wince with pain.

Nova moans, tilting her pelvis, searching for more. But then she realizes I'm hurting, and makes me roll onto my back.

Climbing on top of me, she lowers her pussy onto my shaft. She flicks her hair back over her shoulders, and takes control. As I hold her hips, she moves up and down, and grabs her breasts, thumbing her own nipples, staring down at me.

I fix my gaze on hers. I can't let her go. I want to be staring into her eyes when she comes for me.

She reaches for her clit, leaning back so she can play with it and fuck me at the same time.

"Come for me, Little Star. I'm all yours. Use me however you need to."

With a groan of pleasure, she leans forward and kisses me hard. She grabs my hands, interlacing our fingers, and jerks her pelvis up and down so hard I can hear her pussy slapping against me.

When she comes, she holds my face and doesn't break my gaze. She shudders, and her spine arches, and then… there are her wings. She lets them free and they illuminate the entire room.

"You are so incredibly beautiful." I stroke her hair from her face, and kiss her softly.

She rubs my chest. "You didn't…" she says quietly.

"It's okay, I don't need to. This was all about you, Nova. All about being with you."

I stop myself from adding, One last time.

Because, even now, I can't help feeling like it might have been.

Our last time.