Crais (18 page)

“Brace!”
Josian’s terse word halted him, but he didn’t turn around.

Surprisingly
, the final warning came from someone else.

“I would hate to have to kill you so soon after getting you back.
So I’m going to assume that you will show her the upmost respect and care. Don’t forget the precious gem that she is.” Lallielle’s gentle voice held a hint of steel.

I peered around Brace’s
shoulder to see that Lallielle had one hand on Josian, holding him back. My father looked upset, but as I met his eyes he gave me a slight nod of acceptance.

“Abby is more than a precious gem to me. She is everything
,” Brace said before starting to move again.

I
blew my parents a kiss as we neared the door. I caught one last glimpse of Lucas. His face looked dark and thunderous. I remembered that he’d wanted to tell us something, but one glance at the stone-like features of my mate told me Lucas’s problem would have to wait.

Brace said nothing
as we marched along the hallway of the children’s wing. I didn’t mind. I enjoyed being in his arms and words could wait until we reached the privacy of my room. My door slid open and we stepped through.

He lowered me to the ground before turning and muttering a few words that sent out a shield to settle around the room’s perimeter. He captured my gaze, his expression one of longing and anger
.

S
uddenly he turned and strode away. He didn’t go far, just to the metal railing near my balcony. Leaning his arms against the wall, he let his head fall to hang between them. I ached to move closer, but he seemed to need a few minutes to pull himself together.

He lifted his arms and
, faster than I could process, slammed his fists into the steel pole holding my deck up. He repeated the action. I gasped, moving forward.

“Don’t
,” I cried out. “Don’t hurt yourself, Brace.”

He faced me, the blood on his knuckles already starting to dry.

“This isn’t hurting me, Red,” he said wryly.

He moved and was right in my face before I could blink. Everything he’d ever done to keep up his ‘human’ facade was gone now
. He was wild and strong and god-like.

“Hurt is being trapped in my own head unable help you. Hurt is watching that dead, empty look on your face.” He swore a few times as he grasped my biceps and pulled me closer. “Hurt
was knowing that that piece of shit was manipulating you and I couldn’t stop it.” He roared the last part.

It was kind of messed up but this outraged anger for me was actually turning me on. Bumps crossed my skin and my heart rate gallop
ed – and not out of fear.

Was there anything more beautiful in the world than the knowledge that you were loved, and
loved so much that there was nothing above or beyond that could compare?

Before I could
analyze the consequences I threw myself at him.

As my lips hit his I managed to murmur
, “You know how to get rid of all that hurt? Shut up and kiss me.”

I felt his lips shift under mine.
“Yes, Red.”

When
we eventually pulled apart, our breathing heavy, I was distracted by a shimmering portal opening in front of us. Why had Brace opened a doorway? I swung my head around to meet his gaze.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’d li
ke to take you somewhere.” He held out a hand to me.

I didn’t hesitate for a moment, reaching out to follow my mate.

Brace pulled me into him, his strong arms scooping me up again. I would have protested but somewhere deep down I liked it.

We entered the vacuum
. It didn’t take him long to walk through. I tried to see clearly what was on the other side but it was too dark. He paused just a moment before stepping out of the doorway. As we moved into the cool air my jaw dropped open.

“Where are we?” I gasped, never having seen any place so beautiful.

We stood on the edge of a snow field, the white expanse spreading out before us. Flakes swirled around, and icicles reflected off every surface, forming the most intricate patterns.

But the part which took my breath away was the stars.

Lighting up the darkness were millions of fiery balls, spanning almost to the untouched horizon. I’d never been so close to the sky beauties. It felt as if I could reach out a hand and capture them.

“This is the
Northlands of First World. It’s always winter and perpetually night, but it is the one place in the worlds where you can stand amongst the stars.”

I wasn’t cold
. Brace’s warmth surrounded me like a favorite coat. Suddenly he started to walk. I continued to stare at the sky, mesmerized by the beauty. Flakes of snow coated my face, leaving tiny pricks of cold. I gasped as a cabin came into view, hidden amongst the untouched environment.

It was
stunning.

W
ood lined the walls, surrounded by a large wraparound balcony.

Brace walked us
across the wooden entrance, before reaching out his free hand and pushing open the door.

Stepping into the dark room, he lowered me gently to the ground. With a whisper the house lit up and warmth spread over me as a nearby fireplace sprang to life. Being mated to a Walker was never a dull experience. I took in the full expanse of the room before me.

“Holy amazeballs
,” I said, spinning in a circle. “I love this.”

It was larger than I expected, yet still felt
cozy. Very open plan, with a spacious living-dining area all merging onto the kitchen. The wood theme continued, although the luxurious white carpet under my feet and squishy dark-gray couches indicated there were high-quality fixtures throughout.

Brace smiled. “Good to hear, Red, because it
’s yours.”

I stopped spinning around
, my arms falling to my side.

“What do you mean?” I blinked at him a few times.

“After we melded I had this built for you. This has always been one of my favorite places in all the star systems. And I wanted you to have a slice of the stars all to yourself.”

I stepped closer to him
. I couldn’t figure out how to react. My heart felt like it was about to burst and there were no words to describe my emotions.

“
How did you do this?”

He smiled. “
A few handy Walkers owed me a favor.”

He looked so perfect standing there, framed by the white snow
visible through the large windows behind him. I couldn’t stop myself from launching into his arms. He put his large hands under my thighs. They almost wrapped completely around them and with no effort he yanked me up. I clenched my legs around his waist. He moved us backwards until I was cushioned against the wall. I absorbed his weight. The kissing was intense, beyond anything we had done before. I felt my control slipping.

And
then as the kiss deepened, any reservations I had were gone.

Without removing my lips I arched back
to gain enough leverage to lift his shirt up over his head. We had to separate for a moment but then were right back to the kissing. Always impatient, Brace ripped my tank-top right down the centre. He was going to be hell on my clothes. Lucky I had plenty of them. I wanted to feel self-conscious just in my bra and jeans, but there was no room for that here. The emotional overload was crazy and the heat we were generating almost had me tearing my own clothes off.

“Are you sure you want this, Red
? Tell me now and I will find the strength to stop.” He spoke as he kissed his way down my neck.

He hesitated at the swell of my breast, his eyes
rising to meet mine, seeking permission to continue.

I nodded once, gasping out
, “If you stop I will kill you. KILL you.”

He smiled again, the melting c
hocolate he called eyes drowning my senses. “Message received.”

And then my bra was gone
. We were skin to skin and I couldn’t stop moving. My entire body was so sensitive. Every brush sent shivers through me. I was making all these noises, which should have been mortifying, but I could tell he liked them. And I sure as anything couldn’t have stopped.

“Holy hell, you are the hottest thing in all the worlds, Red
,” Brace said.

We were still against the wall, but
then he shifted, striding in three large movements across the white carpet, along a hallway and into a bedroom. The first thing I noticed was the bed. It was beyond gigantic, spanning most of the room and framed by gauzy white netting.

Witho
ut allowing an inch of space between us, we dropped down on the soft cover, his huge body crowding over mine. And as I glanced up over his shoulder I gasped.

“The ceiling
–” I started, my voice falling in awe.

He lifted his head
, but instead of looking into the open expanse of glass ceiling that showcased the most stunning starlit sky, he simply examined my face. He started kissing me again, raining them over my face, before moving along my neck and down my body. I forgot about the view. In that moment I was about to self-combust.

“Your lips and tongue should be registered as wea
pons against women,” I moaned, wriggling against him.

Hi
s expression was soft. “You’re so beautiful, everything about you, and I have lived too many millennia without knowing the sweet perfection of your kiss.” He never shifted his eyes. “I love you, Abigail. I adore you. I cherish you.” He kissed me between each statement.

Tears filled my eyes.

“They better be tears of joy, Red,” he joked, his eyes narrowing as he examined me.

“I love you too.” I thought the words would be difficult, but they flowed out effortlessly. “Don’t ever leave me again
,” I added, my tone fierce.

“Say it again.”
His entire body stilled.

Surely he’d been told that before
? I opened my mouth, but he captured my lips before I could speak.

I
love you.

There was something more intimate
about saying it through our bond.

More than my own life
,
Brace added as he continued to destroy me with his kisses and words.

A
nd then I caught an errant thought that I knew wasn’t supposed to be heard.

I will destroy worlds to keep her safe.

I
realized then that Brace wouldn’t have hesitated to release the Seventine and free me. A part of him truly did not care about the consequences.

But I knew our love wasn’t worth the cost of millions of innocent lives.
I’d have to make sure we both stayed on the side of good and didn’t abuse our powers. My worries were swept away then as Brace lifted me into his arms.

W
hen I surfaced again we were in an adjoining bathroom. The lights were dimmed and the large whirlpool bath was bubbling away. We were naked, which just felt natural; the melding bond wouldn’t allow for insecurities. Which was good. I’d hate to be trying to see my butt in the mirror and worrying about its size or something. Brace sank in and pulled me back against him.

“Why did y
ou stop out there?” I asked, glancing up over my shoulder at him.

He groaned into my
neck. “You’re a witch, Red, and there’s no rush. I plan to take my time with you tonight.”

I was relieved to know the night wasn’t over yet
. And the warm, bubbling water definitely helped to relax me.

Eventually we made it back to the bed
. I bit my lip as I ran my eyes over him. He laughed before reaching out a hand and clasping my face gently. He pulled me up to meet him halfway. His lips pressed into my own as he expertly seduced me with his kisses. This time there was no pausing, our bodies needing this after all the time apart, the reassurance that we were both together and that the bond was intact. The only break was when I had a moment of clarity and asked about birth control.

He shook his head. “Walkers make the choice to create life
. I would have to release energy at the exact moment, otherwise there’s no chance of a baby.” He ran his hand gently down my body, distracting me. “And there are no diseases that we need to worry about.”

Our bodies moved closer and ju
st when I thought I couldn’t take any more the final moment came. The pain was brief as my body adjusted, and then there was only pleasure. It surrounded me, blocking every sense, shutting out the world and all my worries. I shattered beneath him, and was surprised as he too lost control. When he said my name, I think my heart swelled to breaking point.

Exhaustion overtook me as we lay there, and just before I closed my eyes, surrendering to the darkness
, I whispered to him, “Best night ever.”