His lashes fluttered up, eyes open in an instant as his arms tightened around me, pulling me flush against his heat. His eyes were depthless, a melting pot of chocolate as they locked on my face. Hands reached up and threaded through the tangled mess of curls at the back of my head, and I almost sighed as his soothing warmth stole away the lingering pain of my hangover. Brace continued to gently massage my head, never taking his gaze from me.
I could sense his emotions, and he was thinking the same thing as I was. Neither of us had let ourselves believe we’d ever have this moment again. This silly, perfect moment to wake in each other’s arms. To know that we were safe and that most of our loved ones were safe. We wouldn’t forget the hundreds who had lost their lives in this battle, and I most certainly wouldn’t forget my two – Quarn and Francesca.
A single tear traced from the corner of my eye, slowly descending. I waited for it to fall onto the white sheets, but Brace caught it with his thumb long before that. His hands were on my face, cradling it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. He knew what I felt through the bond, and he did nothing but offer his comfort.
“You’re the most precious thing, Red. You’re everything, and we have an eternity together now.”
I had to blink more than once to clear the tears which threatened to burst free again. “I tried so hard to have faith, to believe we could beat them … but such a huge part of me was prepared to die. I knew it was inevitable. I didn’t give up exactly. But I accepted the reality.” I wiggled closer to him. “That makes me weak, doesn’t it? That I was okay with dying to save everyone. That I didn’t fight.”
Brace looked stunned for a moment, before laughter burst from him. I was both shocked and delighted. He hadn’t laughed in such an abandoned way for a long time. He rolled backwards then, bringing me with him so that I was sprawled across him.
“You’re the bravest being I’ve ever met. You’re fierce and loyal and so protective of not only those you love but also those you don’t even know. You’ve never been weak.”
I didn’t think. I simply smashed my lips down onto his. The kiss was not sweet or gentle. It was hard, consuming and completely out of control. We didn’t even bother to breathe; we just lived in the moment. Completely lost to one another.
Brace growled before snaking one hand behind my back and using his wicked strength to flip me over. He crowded over the top of me, thick cords standing out in his arms and shoulders as he held himself just above my body.
“I almost lost you, Red.” That sheen was back in his eyes, but behind it was a glint of something. Something dark and feral. “I need you, baby.”
The sheet slid down.
Oh yeah, he was totally naked.
I reached up and threaded my hands across the back of his neck before pulling him down to me. I was wearing one of Brace’s soft shirts – he must have dressed me after I had passed out last night, because I totally couldn’t remember putting it on – and he divested me of it within seconds. Hot skin against hot skin, our bodies moved toward each other. Knowing. Remembering. Needing.
We needed this moment to heal, to feel whole again. Our melding bond was thrumming strongly between us and, if I could have paid attention to anything other than the heat surrounding me, I’d probably have seen the golden aura lacing the room. The lalunas had said that which was broken might never be the same again, and in some ways I think they were right. Brace and I were stronger than we’d ever been. Our bond thick and tangible.
For the next little while Brace loved me to the point where I almost couldn’t take the sensations any longer, and in that final moment I think I might have actually left my body the pleasure was so intense. It was like the first time all over again. Only better.
The rest of the morning followed a very similar and toe-curling pleasurable path. I knew we couldn’t keep this up forever; someone would come looking for us eventually. Of course, they’d have to break down Brace’s energy barrier across the door, though, and there weren’t many who could achieve that.
Hours later I was sprawled across the broad planes of his chest, my breathing finally calm as our bodies cooled off again. An image flashed through my mind and I sort of jerked up. Placing my elbows on his pecs, I pushed up enough to see his face.
“Am I going crazy, or were there like two-foot-tall boulders at the party last night?”
Brace chuckled, his eyes lightening to a caramel color. “Trolls. Yeah, they ventured out of faerie land to celebrate.”
“Those pixie asshats are the reason my head is killing me,” I said, cursing a few times. “They might be tiny, but they can hold their crandy.”
“Yeah, never wise to challenge a member of the fey to any contest involving alcohol. They have wicked-fast metabolisms.”
I groaned. “Now you tell me.”
He ran a hand down my side, sending a stream of tingles across my body. “Well, actually I did tell you last night, but you told me to pull the five-hundred-year-old stick from my ass.”
I froze. “I didn’t … crap. I really said that?”
I’m never drinking again. I switched to our mental talk, and his laughter flowed through my mind. But I could definitely go for some food about now.