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True strength was found not in muscle and bone, but in hearts and spirit. True strength was in staring at a world so much larger than oneself, a world determined to crush you, and fighting on even when there seemed to be no hope of success. True strength was Ivy.
“I am here, Ivy.”
She smiled to herself. Her mate. Her lover. Her very own sexy, insatiable spider man.
You will wake soon, my nyleea, and I shall hold you in my arms until the sun’s fire has burned out.
She only saw him. Her mate, her love. Her heartsthread.
“Say that scars were pain. She should not look upon them with shame. She does not have to feel pride, but when she sees them, she should take pride in herself. Because she survived whatever left them. Because she, like each of you, is strong.”
with Ketahn that his, uh… Its color matches his markings.” Callie pumped her arm. “I knew it!” Lacey covered her face with her hands. “That’s all I’m going to be picturing now.” “A rainbow of cocks?”
“Ketahn, what are you doing?” A large, rough hand smoothed up her thigh to grip her bare ass, holding her in place. “I have need of you, female.”
“You are bound, my luveen. You are conquered.” “I am yours, my nyleea,” Ketahn rasped.
“You are mine, Ketahn. You will always be mine.”
“Then don’t feel guilty for it. I’m stronger than I look, Ketahn. I’m not going to break with a little rough sex. And this love bite was so worth it.”
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “Our broodling is growing inside you. My heartsthread…”
“I weave my word into a bond, my nyleea. Nothing in this world shall harm you or our broodling. You are the heart that beats outside my chest.”
“We are tribe. Touch my Ivy, I kill.”
He cupped her jaw, squeezing her cheeks just a little to make her lips part, as he drew her closer. “Say. Urkot.” Callie’s brow creased, and her hands came up to grasp his arm. She looked into his eyes. “Urkot?” He purred and said in vrix, “My name sounds right in your voice, female.”
“You are mine, Ivy,” he growled. “I claim you, now and forever.” He caught the cloth wrapped around her body with a lower hand. “You are mine. Body”—he tore the cloth away, throwing it to the floor—“heart, and spirit.”
“Beg me, Ivy,” he rasped, letting his breath flow over her sex again. “Beg me for pleasure.”
Garahk dipped one of his upper hands into the paint, coating his palm, and then pressed it to Ketahn’s shoulder. “We are as one. With this mark, I share my shar’thai.” One by one, the other thornskulls stepped forward. Each stopped before Ketahn, dipped a hand into the paint, and touched it to him, leaving a new handprint on his arms, legs, hindquarters, back, or abdomen. Each echoed Garahk’s words—we are as one.
The female he’d taken from the pit all those eightdays ago had changed so much since—but in those changes, she had become more herself. More beautiful, more self-assured, more courageous. The strength she’d shown had only grown as she’d endured trial after trial.
“You are mine.” She dipped a hand into the paint and pressed it over his hearts, which thumped harder beneath her touch. “Hearts.” She moved her hand down, placing it just over his slit and making his claspers stir. “Body.” Now she coated both hands in paint and lifted them, cupping each side of his face. “Spirit. You and I are as one, Ketahn.”
“You will come back to me,” she said firmly. “I will, my heartsthread. You have my word. My vow. My promise. For you, I would stand alone against the Eight. I would find a way to cross the blackness between the stars. Nothing will keep me from you.”
“My mother carried this weapon against Takarahl, as did I. It thirsts for Zurvashi’s blood.” Ketahn tapped a knuckle against his headcrest. “It shall drink well this day.”
“Tell Zurvashi she is summoned by Ketahn tes Ishuun’ani Ir’okari, Spear in Shadows.” Ketahn hammered a fist against his chest. “She will answer for all she has done.”
“Ivy Thoztur, Slayer of the Blooddrinker Queen, Kaldarak sees you as queen of Takarahl. We welcome peace between yours and mine.”
“Before all of you and the Eight, I declare Ahnset tes Ishuun’ani Ir’okari queen of Takarahl in my place.”
“You are my heart beating outside my chest, Ivy. You are my reason, my desire, my everything.” He cupped the back of her head, holding her firmly against him. “You are strong, female.”
