“But you’re not anymore.” He chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t say that. Let’s just say, I want to connect with you and I know I belong fighting beside the Warriors of the Blood. No question.

But it’s you, Vela, you’re the why of this moment, why I would say yes to something so invasive as the breh-hedden.”

“I feel exactly the same way.”

“I know. God, I’m so sorry you had to be in that cell.”

“I’m not, well maybe I am, but look where it got us?” He watched tears fill her eyes and love suddenly flowed like a powerful force through his body, a rush of heat, affection, and desire combined. He kissed her and she moaned, her lips parting. He drove his tongue into her, tasting her, savoring the feel of her in his arms. Never in a thousand years would he have believed that something like this, so full of passion, sex, and love would have descended on his life.

He was amazed. “Let me take you to bed.” She nodded.

He slid an arm around her shoulders beneath the weight of her hair and using his free arm to catch her behind her knees, he lifted her up. Carrying her meant something, that she belonged to him and more of that warm affection flowed.

He moved out of the atrium and down the stone path that led to his bedroom. The wall curved, so he shifted her at an angle taking care that he didn’t bump her head or crush her foot.

As he carried her across the threshold, she gave a soft cry. “Look at that view.” Scattered lights twinkled in a long vista north to south.

“That’s why I chose this site.” His bedroom had a wall of windows and no neighbors, just a view of distant lights, and various hills creating a soft dark skyline against a panorama of stars.

He turned her in the direction of his massive larger-than-king bed.

“And that’s a big bed,” she said, laughter in her voice, a sound he’d come to love. Vela had a basic love of life.

“What can I say? I like room to spread out when I sleep.” She looked up at him and caught his face in her hand. “And you won’t mind me taking up some of that space?” His heart did that balloon floating thing and a soft moan left his throat. “No. I want you taking up that space more than anything in the world. I love you. There I’ve said it. I love you, Vela.”

“I love you, too. I honestly didn’t think I’d have love again, ever. My life had closed down to this small little box that I’d crawled into when Jeff died. And now you’re here, this tremendous miracle in my life.”

“This is a miracle, isn’t it?” She nodded, then leaned in to kiss him, a sealing of vows spoken, of desire and need, of hearts reaching and joining.

When he drew back, he said, “I will always love you, Vela, and be so grateful that you came into my life and that you didn’t hold back when all this happened between us. You could have, but you didn’t.”

“I feel exactly the same way about you, that I’m so grateful.” He set her down on the bed, her light floral scent teasing him all over again, reminding him that what he had with Vela belonged to just a handful of ascenders.

The breh-hedden.

When she stretched out on her back, he leaned down, planting his hands on the bed, on either side of her, and kissed her, a soft pushing at her lips, imagining doing the same thing between her legs.

When her lips parted and his tongue slid into her mouth, he groaned. Her scent now suffused the air; the breh-hedden at its best.

He sighed as he drew back. “I feel as though I’ve known you all my life. How strange is that?”

“Very, but I feel the same way. I think we may have lived a lifetime together in the past two days.” She chuckled softly.

“Maybe several lifetimes.”

“I think you might be right.” She reached up and slid her hands into his hair, pulling it forward over his shoulders. “I love your hair.” She leaned close and sniffed. “It smells like you.

Chocolate and man together.”

“Mmmm, and I’m smelling—” He sniffed then shook his head. “I know your fragrance, but I still can’t place it. Maybe one day I’ll figure it out, but it’s very light and floral. Seductive.” She leaned up and kissed him. Your scent heats me up so fast.

He kissed her repeatedly, drawing her closer, savoring the feel of her against him. But he thought-the-thought and got rid of his weapons harness, which prompted an approving murmur from her throat.

After a moment, she pulled back to meet his gaze, a hand on his chest. “I think I should tell you flat out that I’m nervous about completing the breh-hedden. I mean, I want to. I really do. I don’t have any doubts, I’m just excited and anxious at the same time. I can’t imagine what it will be like, but did you see Leto and Grace earlier?” He chuckled softly, kissing her neck.

“He wanted her home in bed.”

“I know. And now here we are.” Samuel could sense her fears, but they felt normal to him and to a degree mirrored his own edged-up state. But he thought he knew how to get things moving in the right direction.

While she lay on her back, he started unbuttoning her blouse, and each time he did, he dipped down and kissed her chest, lower each time, until his tongue slid between the beautiful line of her cleavage.

Her hands worked his hair and slid over his back.

He plunged his tongue in and out until she panted and pressed against him, trying to get closer.

It takes so little, she sent , to get worked up with you. I have your scent in my nose and I swear it feeds straight into my brain and makes me dizzy and weak.

I want you weak, he returned, continuing to ply his tongue between her breasts. At the same time, he worked the rest of the buttons loose and shoved her blouse away.

He drew back just enough to have a good look. Vela had beautiful breasts, very round and full. He put his hand on her bra and folded it away.

Her nipples, now tight buds, called to him.

Once more he dipped but this time to take a breast in his mouth. He flipped his tongue sideways over the nipple then sent, I want to release a potion. Okay?

Oh. God. Yes.

Her legs hung over the side of the bed so he pushed her knees wide, then stepped between.

Because she was nervous, he had a plan and he meant to work it so that by the time he took her the distance with the breh-hedden, she’d be more than ready.

He settled a hand low on her hip, leaned over her once more and, with his lips, slowly tended to each breast.

You feelin’ this, Vela?

Yes. Your tongue is like fire on me.

He flicked her nipples, one after the other, with just the tip of his tongue, moving between them. When the moaning started, he paused over her right breast, released his fangs and struck, the potion flowing at the same time. He removed his fangs and took as much of her breast in his mouth as he could. He sucked hard on the nipple.

Small cries left her throat in a series of staccatos. I’m on fire. Oh, your potion is amazing.

He sensed her need and folded off her jeans then rubbed her inner thighs and worked his way toward her mons. He played with her bareness, tracing her swollen lips down and down until he found the source of her wetness. He slid his finger inside and her body arched.

“So close,” she said aloud.

He removed his finger, then plunged two inside and thrust in and out in a strong steady rhythm, sucking her nipple and letting the potion do its work.

Vela loved a well-placed potion.

The fire around her nipple kept spreading through both breasts and even now seeped into her abdomen.

Samuel used his fingers exactly right, not too fast, so that she lived on the edge of an orgasm, panting lightly, waiting for the potion to travel right where she wanted it, straight through her clitoris.

I’m holding steady for you, Vela.

You waiting until the potion floods your entire body?

Her mind sent something in answer to his question, a ‘yes’, but probably garbled. She trusted Samuel to understand and since she felt or heard him chuckle, as he continued to suck and to plunge his finger in and out of her, she felt confident he knew exactly what she wanted.

The potion continued its journey. She turned her head to the side, grasping for small puffs of air, and releasing even smaller bits.

She was so close, so close.

Her voice emitted small grunts and she didn’t even care how it sounded. She kept her mind focused on only one thing, the way the potion crept lower, now only an inch away, now less.

The sensation flooded her clitoris all at once and she screamed as she came.

Samuel thrust his fingers harder, which intensified the pulses deep in her body.

Her back arched and the sensation held, throbbing, sending pleasure over and over through her well, into her abdomen, up and up. But when it passed, she was still left with more fire, more need.

Samuel slowed his movements. Then after a few seconds he began again, which caught her by surprise because another orgasm swept through her, the fire all along her torso now spreading up through her shoulders and down her legs.

She wanted to grab him, roll his hips onto her and beg him to take her, but she couldn’t seem to move, just feel the pleasure rolling through her in successive waves.

Finally, she grew very still, almost frozen in place, as though holding onto the sensations that had just rocked through her.

“That was…magnificent.” She couldn’t believe she’d even gotten the words out of her mouth.

He removed his fingers then rose up to fold away his kilt and battle sandals. “I loved feeling all that happen to you, the way your body moved as I sucked your breast.” She nodded and when she realized he’d lost his clothes, she sat up on the edge of the bed and placed her hands on his thick, heavy pecs. She started to play with him then had a new idea: again, turnabout’s fair play.

She met his gaze and saw the soft smile on his lips. “What do you want from me, Vela? Tell me. I’ll do anything you want.”

“I want you on your back. You game, warrior?” He seemed to lose focus for a moment then took her hand and drew her to her feet. “Let’s get rid of the comforter first.” She watched him fold the comforter back in thirds then flip it off the end of the bed.