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December 5 - December 6, 2025
“It’s the same one,” he said softly. You and me. That’s what he’d said when she’d panicked. When only his touch could bring her back from the darkness.
It was their mark. And regardless of how ugly it was or what it said about them… it was theirs. Merrick’s and Lessia’s.
Gripping her face in his hands, he tilted it upward, his eyes traveling slowly over it—as if he was savoring every inch. His gaze left a warm trail in its wake, and Lessia couldn’t help her cheeks heating in response to his darkening eyes. “You’re beautiful,” he declared quietly. “You’re always beautiful.”
“Do not touch her.” Ice dripped from Merrick’s voice as he pushed the regent back a step. “You lost that privilege that night. Get back before I kill you.”
“Merrick,” Lessia whispered, needing him to reassure her. Needing him to tell her she was strong enough for this. Just… needing him.
“No one could miss how Merrick stared at you when you weren’t looking. Well, apart from you, of course.” He threw her an empty smile. “When I realized just how reluctantly you were bound to the king that day, I had to act fast. Rioner would have understood if I pushed too hard to keep you in Ellow, so… I had to throw him off.”
And for some reason, whenever Merrick was anywhere near her now, she couldn’t focus on a single other thing than the tingling feeling racing up and down her spine and the damned fluttering that started in her gut as soon as his eyes bore into hers.
Every pair of eyes drew her way as she made her way over, but it wasn’t Loche’s piercing gaze nor Raine’s raised brows that had her face nearly melting off. It was Merrick’s dark eyes dragging over her body, the slight flare of his nostrils as he must be picking up her scent mixing with his, the fingers gripping the table so hard the others had to catch their glasses from falling over, and the heat that followed like a shooting star on a clear winter night.
“Absolutely not. I don’t plan on getting killed today. You go over there.”
“He didn’t want to, Lessia.” Raine took a step toward her. “He wanted to ‘fight fair.’ Win your heart without using the bond, so you made the decision, not fate. But that’s not how the bond works… you are affected as well—it’s not one-sided! So after you bit him…”
my heart is breaking
“But you could have told me weeks ago, Merrick. For weeks I’ve gone around thinking I’ve lost my mind because I can’t stop thinking about you—because my skin fucking vibrates when you touch me! And you let me!”
“I don’t want you because of the stupid bond!” she screamed. “I want you because you make me feel alive! Because you believe in me when I don’t believe in myself. Because you try to make dumb jokes to make me happy. Because you make me fires to keep the darkness at bay. Because you hide your smile when I’ve made you proud in training. Because when I fucking stab you, you lecture me about missing your heart!” She shoved him back again. “You knew there was something deeper, something even stronger, pulling us together! And you fucking reject me when I kiss you! What is wrong with you!”
What did she want from him? She nearly reached for one of her daggers to stab some sense into him. “The fucking truth, Merrick.” She shoved him once more. “I want the truth and not you trying to spare me from fate or whatever else you might think to take upon your own shoulders. I want it all! I want to fucking share it with you.”
“Do you want to hear how I can barely be in the same room as you without losing my mind from your scent invading my every fucking sense?”
“Do you want me to tell you that every time I helped you up from the floor when we trained, I had to physically restrain myself from pushing you down again and having my way with you? From claiming your fucking perfect lips and ripping those damned leathers off, making you scream from something other than frustration?”
“Do you want me to tell you I nearly ripped that fucking dress Loche gave you to shreds and that I was only able to stop myself because you wore something with my scent with it?”
“Do you want me to tell you I wanted to fuck you senseless on that table tonight—regardless of who was watching—when you walked in wearing my shirt?”
A rough breath left him before he cursed “Fuck it” and ripped the jacket to shreds.
“Fuck, Lessia,” he breathed, and she squirmed until their chests heaved against each other and Merrick’s eyes darkened so much she could barely make out any silver. “If you don’t tell me to stop, I am going to fuck you until your screams echo so loudly within the castle walls that his damned soldiers might try to tear the door down,”
“Please,” she whispered. “Please don’t stop.”
“Do you want me to tell you every instinct inside me is telling me to kill him? Not because he loved you or because you loved him. But because he fucking hurt you?”
“Do you want me to tell you I’ve loved you since you stood up to Rioner and me on that cliff?”
“Do you want me to tell you I’ve fallen more in love with you every day, watching you fucking fight for your life?”
“Do you want me to tell you no one—mate or not—has loved anyone the way I love you? That I would laugh as the world fell apart as long as you stood by my side? That even if I could only have one fucking night—one night pretending you’re mine—I’d take it?”
“Because I would. That’s how fucking bad I want you. How bad I need you.”
“I love you,” she breathed back when she came up for air, the heat within her becoming almost unbearable as it rushed through her blood. “And one night is not nearly enough. I told you. I want everything. I want to be your fucking mate, and I don’t know the right words, but I accept our bond—I welcome it—I’m proud of it.”
“I need you,” she whispered as her hand traveled the length of him again, her core clenching at his size. The solidness. The silky skin. “No.” Merrick’s arms wrapped around her, and when he lifted her, she hooked her feet around his back, her entire body quivering as he fused them together. “I’m the one who needs you.”
“I am taking my fucking time with you.” He lowered to nip at her lip, still holding on to her hands. “I’ve waited a damned eternity for this. Please don’t deny me.” As if there were anything she would deny him. She’d meant it. She loved him.
Not just because of the mating bond. Perhaps even despite it, she loved him. With everything in her.
“Fuck, Lessia.” He growled as his muscles went taut. “You feel so fucking good.” “Merrick,” she whimpered, her eyes drowning in his. “Please. I want you.” He shut his eyes, his face freeing from whatever hardness remained. “Say that again.” “Look at me,” she whispered, and when Merrick opened those beautiful eyes, she echoed, “I want you.”
It was so simple. But so true. So clear that it was him and her. Merrick and Elessia. Two broken souls healing into one.
With his name on her lips, she came undone, and as Merrick followed right after, she held on to him, her hands tangling in his hair, as the Death Whisperer whispered her name again and again.
As if she was his goddess and he was entirely, utterly devoted to her.
“Hi,” she whispered as he only stared at her, his eyes still nearly pure silver, those flecks dancing in the light from the lanterns placed every few feet of the room—on the nightstand and in the windowsills, and one right at the door leading into her own room. “Hi.”
He looked so… happy. “I am happy.” Merrick’s hands moved to her face, cupping it as he bent down to kiss her again.
“I need you to know,” Merrick whispered into her mouth, and she stopped her writhing when the pain in his tone broke through the need. “I wish to die every time you hurt. And when it’s because of me… Fuck, I nearly jumped off a cliff when they made me torture you. I—” His voice broke. “I can’t say how sorry I am for what I’ve done to you.”
“That’s because you’re a damned idiot.” Lessia grinned when Merrick’s brows flew up. “A.” Her fingers reached his hips, and she slid them over the sharp angles, a fire building within her core again. “Brooding.” She traced farther down, savoring the groan falling from his lips. “Damned.” She gripped his hard cock again, and Merrick growled so deeply the bed shook from it. “Idiot.”
She wanted him closer. Wanted more. Just… wanted him. “I want you more,” Merrick growled as heat flooded her core, and when she clenched around him, he cursed again, the words barely reaching her ears as he thrust into her with such force the bed thudded against the wall. Her cry split the air as he angled himself to get even deeper. “I want to fuck you until every inch of your body smells like me.” Merrick slammed into her again, and her eyes rolled back into her head. “I want to fuck you until I’m so deep inside you you’re never getting rid of me.” His lips collided with hers, and when he
...more
im in nirvana
A silent pant dropped from her lips as she did what he told her, and she swore she saw stars when Merrick purred “Good girl” as he moved them so that she straddled him, his back against the wall and feet planted on the floor.
“You.”
“Are.”
“So.”
“Fucking.”
“Good.”
“That…” Lessia had to pull some air into her lungs before she could continue. “Was fucking amazing.” A smug smile spread across Merrick’s face, and he cupped her face as he kissed her, tugging at her bottom lip with his canines until she couldn’t help but moan again. “That.” He trailed his lips across her cheek until he reached her ear, his whisper prickling across her heated skin. “Was nothing.”
He laughed hoarsely when her eyes widened. “Let’s never leave this room.” Lessia was about to agree when Raine’s voice floated through the door. “I am so sorry to do this, but you need to leave the room.” Nestling his face into her neck, Merrick groaned. “Go away.” “Trust me,” Raine called. “I want nothing more.
Rioner needed to die. And with Merrick by her side, it was more likely to happen.
She had nearly broken upon hearing how Merrick had suffered watching her with him, and she wouldn’t be the cause of another single moment of torment.
But Merrick was her priority. Mate or not, she couldn’t bear seeing the light that now burned in his eyes—even as they were forced from the bubble of his room—go out.
Merrick didn’t bother looking his way as he responded; instead, his eyes fixed on Lessia’s, and his hand moved to clasp her shoulder. “Because of us, I expect.”
