The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince (20 page)

another climax he was sure would even surpass the first. He just

needed one more thing, the culmination of their bond and the truest

essence of their nature as mates.

No sooner had Winter thought this than Corbin complied with the

silent demand. He bit down on Winter’s neck, his canines embedding

themselves in Winter’s flesh. White-hot pleasure-pain rushed over

Winter, and crying out his mate’s name, he found his peak once again.

His mate joined him in absolute pleasure, filling Winter’s body with

hot seed. Their joint climax seemed to go on and on, Winter feeling

the ecstasy twice, both through his own senses and through Corbin’s.

In moments such as these, he and Corbin ceased to be two people.

They were one, two souls united in the most perfect moment of all

time. It was so powerful, so transcendental, that Winter’s mind

couldn’t take it. For a few seconds, he blacked out, the nirvana so

intense it pushed aside his very consciousness.

When he came to, Winter found his mate looking down at him

with a concerned expression. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” Corbin

asked.

Winter smiled lazily. “Better than okay.” He’d never felt more

alive, more loved than he did with Corbin, and for that, he would

never cease to be thankful.

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Visible relief flooded Corbin’s face. He briefly left the bed and

padded naked to the bathroom. Winter allowed himself the luxury to

watch his mate’s naked form. When the lynx returned, carrying a wet

washcloth, Winter beamed at him. “Love you, Corbin.”

Corbin smiled back as he returned to the bed. “I love you, too,

sweet,” he said, gently cleaning Winter’s body with the cloth.

Winter still had many things to say and even more he wanted to

do. He yearned to spend every possible moment in Corbin’s company.

But much to his dismay, he found his eyes drifting shut. His orgasms

seemed to have drained him dry and sleep beckoned like a siren’s call.

Corbin chuckled lightly and lay next to him. “Sleep, Winter,” the

lynx said. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Winter might have protested, but his lover started purring. The

comforting sound lulled Winter into slumber, and as he surrendered to it, only warmth and happiness reached out to him from his dreams.

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137

Epilogue

The last time he’d been at such a party, Winter had been too

happy for his impending marriage to be truly concerned about its

political implications. Now, however, he was more than aware of it.

In fact, all throughout the reception, he’d been unable to focus on

anything else except the calamity failure could bring.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Corbin asked, his voice concerned.

“You look pale.”

“I’m fine,” Winter shot back snappishly. He usually liked

Corbin’s protectiveness, but now it grated on his already strained

nerves. He would soon be the leader of a nation, for crying out loud.

He couldn’t cling to Corbin all his life.

“Leader of a nation you might be, but you’re still my mate,”

Corbin said in a chastising tone. “Come sit down. You’ve had a busy

day. You deserve a breather.”

A scathing reply was already on Winter’s lips, but the elders from

various nations were close by, probably watching them. Since he’d

recovered, he’d received several messages, not only from the

vampires and the mer, but also from other species, who explained

their concerns with recent developments in the paranormal society.

Elder Mercier’s attack was only a symptom of a larger problem.

She believed shifters were to blame for the conflicts between human

hunters and magical creatures. Personally, Winter thought she was

full of shit. Humans were the least of the Sidhe’s problems. The

never-ending battle between the Seelie and the Unseelie was much

riskier, and the last thing they needed was foolish purism causing

dissension. Regardless, some of the other species shared similar

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opinions, if not exactly to such an extent. And while Cherise’s attack had been caused by what appeared to be a mental disorder, Winter

had no doubt that the woman held resentment toward magical

creatures as well.

Winter grimaced as a wave of queasiness flowed over him. To his

knowledge, Sidhe couldn’t get an ulcer because of stress, but maybe

he was an exception. He’d certainly been feeling strange enough these days. His magic was erratic, his moods volatile, and his temper

snappish. How could he help in building a better diplomatic future if he interpreted any comment as hostile?

Corbin was right. He needed a break. Sighing, Winter allowed his

mate to lead him away from the group. Thankfully, Skylar and

Sterling were around, and Winter knew they’d keep everyone busy

long enough for him to take a breather.

“Have you eaten today?” Corbin inquired as Winter sat down on a

nearby couch.

The nausea returned with a vengeance just at the thought of a

meal. “I ate enough,” he lied, knowing Corbin would see right

through him. Sometimes, the mate bond had disadvantages, too.

Now was one of those times. Winter could have been snappish

and annoyed had Corbin berated him angrily, but the lynx just gave

him a concerned look. “Sweetheart, you have to eat. Please. You’re

really worrying me.”

“Fine.” Winter released a disgruntled sigh. “I’ll try. For you.”

Winter got up, intending to go to the buffet table and grab a small

snack. He didn’t get to reach his destination. He swooned, tripped,

and would have had a painful meeting with the hardwood floor had

Corbin not been there to catch him.

“That’s it, Winter. I’m taking you upstairs, and I’m getting a

medic to see you.”

Winter wanted to protest being babied with so many important

leaders close by, but he admitted he felt off. It wouldn’t be a bad idea
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139

to get a healer to examine him. He was beginning to have some wild

thoughts, and that sort of thing simply wouldn’t do.

As if by miracle, his uncle materialized by his side, a wide smile

on his face. Chantay followed in his tracks, quiet as always. “Well,

then, I guess congratulations are in order,” Sterling said.

“What?” Corbin asked, sounding shocked and a bit angered. “He’s

sick. The spell must be making a comeback or something.”

Sterling shook his head, chuckling. “No. Nothing like that. Come

now, Winter. Surely you must suspect what’s going on.”

The somewhat stoic Chantay smiled as well. Since recovering

from the shadow curse, he’d been spending a lot of time with the

Sidhe, learning about his heritage. Even if, in the beginning, he’d kept his distance from almost everyone, he seemed to be opening up now.

If Winter wasn’t mistaken, Elder Kevin Wade’s son, Isaac, might

have something to do with that.

“Don’t look so put out, Your Highness,” Chantay said. “This is a

moment of joy.”

Winter gaped at the two men, wondering how his uncle always

seemed to know everything. “It’s silly,” he said, dismissing his own

ideas before they could really compute. “There’s no way it could

happen.”

But the thought had already flashed through his mind and must

have slipped through his bond with Corbin. The lynx turned toward

Winter, his eyes wide. “Pregnant?” he cried out.

Winter had never heard Corbin’s voice sound so high pitched. It

was funny, and he barely managed to suppress a hysterical giggle.

“It’s just a possibility,” he replied.

“It’s a certainty,” Sterling corrected. “I can assure you that you

are, indeed, carrying the next heir of the Sidhe throne.”

Winter had always known that once upon a time, centuries in the

past, Sidhe males had been able to give birth. But to his knowledge,

that ability had gradually disappeared until Sidhe reproduction was

strictly through heterosexual intercourse. Same-sex relationships

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weren’t frowned upon, but for important families, the issue presented a problem.

He’d thought that, once he and Corbin were ready, they’d just

adopt. Apparently, that wouldn’t be necessary. But how could this

happen? His mind whirled with shock, excitement, and just a little

disbelief.

“Those abilities are still preserved among great healers, especially

those of the royal line,” Sterling explained. “I expect the healing

process you underwent because of the spell might have made you

even more fertile.”

“So, you’re sure then?” Corbin’s voice was weak. “Winter’s

pregnant?”

“Oh, absolutely. Congratulations. You’re going to be a father.”

“Congratulations, Your Highness,” Chantay echoed.

There was no doubt in either of the two men, and in that moment,

Winter knew his uncle was right. He was going to have a baby.

A strange sense of calm filled him, and he beamed at his mate. “A

baby, Corbin. Our baby.”

It was Corbin’s turn to swoon and Winter’s to catch the lynx.

They fell together back on the couch, laughing and unable to keep

their hands off each other. Winter was aware of all the eyes watching them, but he couldn’t care less. He was too happy.

His mate’s hand landed on his still-flat stomach. “Thank you,

sweetheart. Thank you.”

Even as Corbin expressed his gratitude, Winter knew the truth. He

was the one who should be thankful. He’d come here with hidden

intentions and had found a new family and a mate who adored him.

He’d gotten a second chance at life and managed to make his peace

with his uncle. And now, the Nameless One had blessed him with a

miracle, granting him the ability to fulfill Corbin’s greatest wish, and yes, his own. Things might not be perfect, but he had his family, a

family who loved and trusted him. What more could he wish for?

The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince

141

THE END

WWW.SCARLETHYACINTH.WEBS.COM

HTTPS://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/SITE/SCARLETHYACINTH/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A native Romanian, Scarlet was born in 1986 and grew up an avid

fan of Karl May and Jules Verne, reading fantasy stories and

adventure. Later, when she was out of fantasy stories to read, she

delved into her mother’s collection of books and, of course, stumbled onto romance.

As a writer, though, Scarlet Hyacinth was born one sunny summer

day, when a dear friend of hers—the same friend who introduced her

to GLBT fiction—proposed they start writing a story of their own. As

it turns out, the two friends never did finish that particular story, but Scarlet discovered she had a knack for writing and ended up starting

to write individually. And so, between working on her dissertation,

studying for exams, and reading yaoi manga, she started writing the

Kaldor Saga. Along the way, Scarlet met a lot of wonderful people

who supported her, and in the end, she found her story a home and, in the process, fulfilled a beautiful dream.

Also by Scarlet Hyacinth

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 5.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 6.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 7.

The Demon Who Fed on a Shark

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 8.

The Seahorse Who Loved the Wrong Lynx

For all other titles, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/scarlet-hyacinth

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

• THE LYNX WHO PURRED FOR A SIDHE PRINCE
  
• THE END