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Letting anyone in only set you up to let each other down.
“You are so easy to love, Devanna, just as you are. Your intelligence. Your honesty. Your bravery. Your undying devotion to those you give your heart to. You’re extraordinary in every possible way, shining so bright even when you try to hide yourself away.”
“Althea was the strongest Seer I’ve ever met. You are exactly where you were meant to be, in this life, in this town, in this church. This is only the beginning for you, and I am so happy I get to be here to see your story unfold.”
“Because you already haunt all my dreams, all my nightmares, and I shudder to think how your ghost would haunt my waking hours too.”
“You may hate me more than any other male, but I won’t forget that you were the one who came to save me in my darkest hour. The image of a beautiful hellcat standing outside my cell, ready to free me, is burned into my mind, there everytime I close my eyes.”
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t want just your body. I want you. I don’t do things half-way — you’re in or you’re out, Devanna. I’m not touching you again until you decide.”
“You think I need leather and chains to restrain you? Scarves to blind you?” My voice dropping to a whisper, I said, “You have no idea how many times I’ve thought about bending you to my will.
“I intend to own you. And once I own you, you’re mine, Devanna.”
“Pick a safe word,”
“Anything I can do, you can do better, huh? Prove it,” I stepped towards her as I unbuckled my belt. “On your knees.”
“Submission means no fighting me, Devanna. I get what I want.”
“And when you’re in my room” — My body hummed under his touch, spinning quickly towards ecstasy— “Under my control” — Just as I teetered on the edge, he pulled his fingers free, pushed me down over the arm of the couch and slapped my ass hard — “You’ll refer to me as sir.”
“You are my weakness in so many ways,”
“Tell me you trust me. Tell me you’re mine, not just for tonight but forever. It’s all or nothing, Devanna.”
“I might have submitted to you tonight, but don’t for one second think that would ever apply outside the bedroom. I’ll never be compliant, or soft, or dainty, or whatever angel females are like.” Orion reared back, his face crinkling in confusion. “I’d never want you to be. Why would I? I want you exactly as the hellcat you are.”
“Don’t break me,” I whispered, hating how fragile I sounded. He kissed me softly, once, then again. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” “I’m yours.” And just like that, I gave in. Dove headfirst into the face of my fears.
Orion had ruined me, and with or without the promises we’d made tonight, I knew I’d never be able to walk away from him. This was it. He was where I belonged.
“I thought it smelled like chum in here, but just chalked it up to how much time you’ve spent underwater lately. Didn’t realize you were fishing in the attic.”
Allowing people to love you doesn’t make you less. To lean on others doesn’t make you weak. To let others fight beside you, with you, doesn’t mean you’re not capable of fighting for yourself. You don’t need any of us, which makes the fact that you want us that much bigger, more important.”
“Sometimes it blows my mind that you can wear such thick glasses and still be so blind, Four Eyes.”
“Whatever I am, it’s yours, Devanna.”
“Next time I’m gagging you. I see the appeal now.” “Shut up and ride me, hellcat.” “No backseat driving.”
“Good boy.”
“Eva Watford streaked through town earlier, tits bouncing as she sprinted into the ocean. I suddenly understand the term ‘knockers’ because those things were swinging harder than Rocky Balboa.
Light shone from the windows I’d replaced all those weeks ago when Devanna had passed out in the cemetery, exhausted from working so hard to refinish the exterior.
With an almighty chorus of roars, the nymphs acted as one, wrenching each tentacle in a different direction, shredding the kraken into dozens of pieces. Inessa, now no more than ink on the water.
Ezra wasn’t my brother in truth. Brothers loved each other unconditionally. Defended each other at every turn. Were there for both the best and the worst days, lifting each other up when they needed it. Blaze was the only true brother I’d ever had, and the only one that mattered.
“Not today, Satan.”
He thought he was going to come here and mess with Morgaine? Oh, hell, no.
“Can I do better at communicating with you? At making this a partnership between us? Yes. And I will. But Devanna” — I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek and tucked it behind her ear — “I’ll always want to protect you, to keep you safe in any way I can, even though I know how little you need me, how capable you are on your own. I can’t change that part of me, so don’t ask me to.”
“I knew exactly what I was doing when I shared my powers with you, Devanna,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned in, dropping my forehead to hers. “I knew I’d be tying my life to yours forever, and I chose it. Just like I’m choosing it now, because you’re worth it. Because you shine brighter than anyone I’ve ever met. Because my world is dull without you in it and I can’t bear the thought of going back to a life without you at my side.”
“Don’t go.”
“Open the damn doors, gentlemen. It’s time for a new world order.”
An elegantly tall woman who could have passed as Galadriel’s severe older sister stood there, not a stitch out of place in her wrap dress, her hair in a strict ballet bun.
“Do you ever regret choosing this life for yourself?” Dev asked. “Trying to herd these cats.” Bagheera let out an indignant chirp from Dev’s other side. “Never.” I didn’t even have to think about it. “This is always where I wanted to be, even with all its ups and downs.”
