"Little dove," Xion laughed, slowly easing my hands away from his belt. "I have just fed from you. You need your rest."

I had taken a rest, though. My head was filled with the rush and though the pierce of his fangs made everything a little distorted, I knew he hadn't taken that much. I went off to soak in the hot springs and the need hadn't gone away. I knew I had to have him.

"I want you," I murmured. I was only half submerged in the warm water, my breasts bare to him and still he pushed me away.

"Lark, please, I have no expectations of you, of this."

"Xion," I moaned. "Please."

He paused then, staring at the blue sky as if he were asking the gods for guidance.

Weeks had passed since the attack and much had changed between us and the kingdom around us, but my desire for him had never lessened. Once a doctor confirmed that he was healed and that he had no permanent damage, every time he kissed me, I tried to push him into an alcove. Every time he went to the hot springs, I happened to be there, waiting naked in the water. Like now.

"I don't want you to feel any pressure. Everything is so fragile, little dove."

Right now, the only thing that felt fragile was my ego. "If you don't want me then--"

Xion was removing his clothes with incredible efficiency. I had seen him naked before, in this very hot spring, in fact. It didn't stop my mouth from falling open and my eyes from widening as I took him in. Now, he carried a few more scars than he had before. His body had lost a bit of the muscle definitions after much time resting and recovering. But his eyes held the same fire and his hands felt the same around me when he jumped in the water and pulled me against his bare skin.

"You are entirely mad if you think that I do not want you every second of every day."

"You have been pushing me away," I protested, but my hands found his strong shoulders anyway.

"I'm afraid, Lark," he confessed, so easily. Perhaps it was not the thing most women would want to hear from their men, but the casual way he trusted me warmed my heart within my chest. "You are not practiced and the lusting lily tainted our first moment of intimacy. I wouldn't want to upset you again."

"Well, I am not afraid and I know what I want and that is you."

"You have me, Lark," he murmured.

"All of you?" I asked, sliding my wet hands down his bare back.

"All of me," he vowed.

"Good, now you are going to have to be patient with me. As you said, I am unpracticed."

"Lucky for you, I like to think of myself as a great teacher."

He kissed me in the steam of the hot spring until I was dizzy and panting. I felt his need growing with every passing second and wondered how rough he would be, if he would hurt me like all the girls in my village complained. But Xion was slow. He explained things to me as we went, propped me up on a towel outside of the hot spring and took his time. He showed me how to touch him, where he liked it and how much pressure to use. He knew my body better and watched me intently whenever he touched me.

I had his eyes rolling back in a matter of minutes and he had me whimpering and whining even faster. He laid me on my back, begging me to tell him to stop if anything bothered me or hurt me. When he entered me, I gripped him tight to my body, my legs wrapped around his waist, and I refused to let him go until I was a shaking mess.

I was limp and weak, the aftereffects far more intense that what normally followed a feeding. Xion swept in, kissing me all over as he helped me wash in the hot spring and dried me off. He took better care of me than I often took of myself, smiling when I leaned on him and helping me into my clean clothes.

"Was it alright?" he asked as we walked back to the palace together.

I could only laugh at his question and immediately cornered him in his bedroom, demanding a second round. It came easier now, a little less shyly. I could grab his hair, I could nibble on his neck. He loved everything I did. He touched me so wonderfully.

"I think we should just stay in bed all day," I purred from atop his bed, admiring him while he attempted to put on his clothes again.

"We have a meeting with your new guard and your parents, get dressed or we are going to be late," he said, but one side of his mouth pulled up with satisfaction. "I have to make sure you don't get bored with me too fast."

It seemed impossible that I could ever be bored with a man who looked like that and touched me like he did.

But he was right, we had other things to attend to. Like meeting the guard who would replace Seraphina on her leave. Though I was a little sad to see her go, when she announced that she wanted to return to Mount Hex for sometime, we knew we could not object. After everything with Daisy, she needed space and time just as much as the rest of us. Devlin assured me that my new guard was discrete and talented, despite the fact that she was a head shorter than Sera.

The next meeting was far less somber. Now that my father had decided to like Xion, at least a little bit, seeing my family all together was less awkward. And it would have to be, because there would be no way I was moving my family closer if I thought my father was going to be the next one to attack my mate.

"This house is huge!" my sister gasped, twirling in the middle of the home.

It was smaller than what Xion insisted on, but I knew it would be enough for my family. They needed somewhere for their animals -- no one was getting left behind-- and a garden to keep my mother busy. Anything too exuberant would not impress my father. He would scoff at the luxury and bring it up every time we were around.

But the house was lovely. And more importantly, it was safe, warm, and close by.

"We will have to get new furnishings, what we have simply will not do!" Alice stated, her hands on her hips. She looked wonderful and young in her new gown, someone who did not need to grow up too fast.

"We will have plenty of time for that," I assured.

"Will we? Dad thinks that you're going to be busy being a queen. Is he right?"

I cast my eyes towards a very pleased looking Xion. Queen seemed like a far reach for a peasant girl from a small, cold village. But it didn't seem like a stretch for the woman I have become.

"We will have to wait and see."

~~~Distraction Section~~~

This is finally the end. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book. It was interesting to write, at least. And it was nice to step back from werewolves, even just for a little bit. I hope you enjoyed it, even just a little.

Question of the day: Hardcovers or paperbacks?