His wolf strained at the leash, eager to claim the woman who was now bound to him. The man, thankfully, didn’t intend to pounce.

At least not yet.

With a tender thoroughness he nibbled down her slender leg to the tips of her toes, breathing deeply of her delectable scent. Silk and lavender. Pure bewitchment. He made a similar path along her other leg before he pulled back to simply admire the sight of her stretched out before him.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured, his fingers tracing a light path along the inside of her thighs.

She trembled, her soft pants like music to his ears. “Why are you waiting?”

He allowed his fingers to drift upward, brushing close, so very close, to her damp heat. “Anticipation is half the fun.”

Cassie muttered something beneath her breath, glancing down where he was poised between her legs.

“Caine?”

He hid his smile of satisfaction at her flushed cheeks and the hectic glitter in her eyes. “Yes, my love?”

“Are you deliberately tormenting me?”

He pretended to consider. “Yes, I believe I am.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I can combust alone, you know.”

He made a choked sound of disbelief before he tilted back his head to laugh with rich enjoyment. “Ah, Cassie. You’re truly an original.”

Her lips parted, but before she could continue her chastisement, he leaned forward to discover the very heart of her pleasure.

Whatever she was about to say was lost on a low groan and she flopped back onto the mattress as he used his tongue and teeth until her hips were lifting up in a silent plea for release.

Scooting her back to the center of the bed, he moved to cover her, giving a startled grunt when Cassie reached to wrap her fingers around his aching cock.

“Shit,” he breathed as she stroked down to his heavy sack before moving back to tease at the sensitive tip. “You’re killing me.”

She arched a mocking brow, her eyes dark with a smoldering desire. “Anticipation is half the fun.”

He lowered his head to brush his mouth over her lips. “Cassie, are you tormenting me?”

Her smile was as ancient as Eve. “Yes, I believe I am.”

He allowed her another stroke before he gave a low growl and, sliding his hands beneath her hips, entered her with one smooth motion.

Cassie dug her nails into his shoulders, her legs wrapping around his hips as he began a slow, steady pace.

“My mate,” she whispered, her words settling deep in his heart. “At last.”

He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss that spoke of his unwavering commitment.

“Forever.”

Six hours later, Cassie still hadn’t managed to get to the shower. Not that she was complaining.

Laying in a tangle of rumpled sheets and sweaty male Were, she rested her head on the wide width of his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as her fingers drew aimless patterns on his skin.

Having Caine as a lover had been magical from his first kiss. Their chemistry had nothing to do with fate or mystic bonds, and everything to do with old-fashioned lust. But there was no denying that their mating had amped up the intensity of her pleasure to almost unbearable heights.

Now she was exhausted in all the right ways. Well, mostly, she ruefully corrected. Her body was so limp with pleasure the mere thought of moving made her groan. But her mind . . .

The stupid thing refused to float in the same sated bliss as the rest of her. It kept churning, searching for answers to the question that refused to leave her peace.

Assuming that Caine had fallen back to sleep, Cassie was unprepared when he slid a finger beneath her chin and tilted back her head to study her pale face.

“There’s something troubling you.”

She had to concentrate not to be distracted by his masculine beauty. Good . . . Lord. With the dying rays of sunlight shimmering like the finest gold in his pale hair and his eyes glowing like flawless sapphires, he could easily have rivaled Adonis.

“These are troubling times,” she managed to hedge.

His jaw hardened with an unexpected flare of annoyance. “Don’t bother,” he warned in flat tones.

She blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re, without doubt, the worst liar I’ve ever met.”

She lifted herself to a sitting position, glaring down at his ruthless expression. “Hey.”

“Trust me, that’s a compliment, pet,” he said, folding his arms beneath his head. “But it does mean that you can’t fool me. Besides, I can feel you worry through our bond.”

Oh.

She’d been so enchanted by the obvious benefits of their mating bond, she’d never considered the possibility there might be a downside. A sigh escaped between her parted lips. It was too late to regret that she’d forever chained this magnificent Were to her crazy existence.

It was no doubt inevitable.

“I suppose it’s a good thing that I don’t have a ton of secrets I want to keep hidden.”

Without warning, he reached out to cup his hand behind her head, tugging her down to kiss her with blatant possession.

“I don’t need a mating bond to discover your secrets,” he murmured against her lips.

A shiver of heat raced through her, stirring the passions that she would have sworn were too weary to be stirred. “No?” she breathed.

He nipped her bottom lip, the scent of his musk filling her senses, imprinting his claim on her skin. “I have more creative methods of making you talk.”

Catching a glimpse of his smug pleasure at her tremors of need, Cassie boldly trailed her hand downward, rubbing her hardened nipples against his chest as her fingers curled around the thickening length of his erection. “Do your worse.”

He groaned, his eyes squeezing shut as she explored the hard shaft with a bold touch. “Ah, how the mighty are fallen,” he ground out.

She tilted back her head as his lips branded a path down her jaw before finding the sensitive curve of her throat.

“What do you mean?”

He bit the flesh at the base of her neck, making her arch in a jolt of shocking bliss. Then, releasing his teeth, he soothed the tingling flesh with tiny kisses.

“My creative methods appear to backfire when it comes to you.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

Reaching down, Caine grasped her wrist and gently tugged her fingers away from his throbbing cock.

“Cassie.”

“Yes?”

His gaze narrowed at her small smile, and he abruptly twisted to the side so he could pin her to the mattress. Tugging her hands over her head, he regarded her with a determined expression. “I’m not going to be distracted,” he warned. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

She grimaced, accepting playtime was over. The real world was about to intrude whether they wanted it or not.

“Nothing.”

His brows snapped together. “Cassandra.”

He never used the full name they’d chosen only weeks before, revealing he was nearing the end of his patience. As if his annoyance wasn’t sizzling through their mating bond.

“I mean ‘nothing’ quite literally,” she hastily corrected.

He stilled. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”

“If the Dark Lord is truly on the brink of returning . . .”

“Wait,” he interrupted, his voice harsh. “I need you to back up, pet. Why do you think the Dark Lord is on the brink of returning?”

Cassie felt a sharp pang of remorse. How had she forgotten he’d been in no condition to comprehend what was happening during the past few days?

“She has Maluhia.”

His breath hissed through clenched teeth. “I was hoping that was just a nightmare,” he muttered. “Has she become the Gemini?”

Cassie shrugged. “I didn’t see it happen, but she must have completed the transformation if she’s able to open rifts to this world.”

“Rifts?” His eyes abruptly held the power of his wolf. Hunter. “Where?”

“I don’t know. I only heard Styx mention them to Salvatore.”

“Is the Dark Lord attempting to come through?”

Cassie shook her head. “I think she intends to empty out the bowels of hell first.”

Caine considered her words before giving a slow nod of agreement. “That would make sense. Why would she risk her neck when she could send her minions to do her dirty work?” His lips curled in pure hatred. “Bitch.”

“Agreed.”

His thumbs absently rubbed the skin of her inner wrists, his gaze sweeping over her pale face. “Are you worried we won’t be able to stop her?”

She hesitated. “In part.”

“Cassie, talk to me,” he growled.

Stubborn wolf. He wasn’t going to let this go. Not until he was convinced he’d wrung out her entire confession.

“There haven’t been any visions.”

He seemed more puzzled than frightened by her revelation. “Since when?”

She licked her dry lips. Just talking about her lack of prophecies made her stomach cramp. “Since we escaped from the Dark Lord.”