Page 104 of Treasured
It certainly was. The room was decorated in shades of blue, ranging from a deep navy to something I’d once heard called cerulean. The large bed rested on a fuzzy carpet, and curtains blew in the breeze. Several cracks in the stone floor allowed the wind to enter, but it was a much more comfortable space than the last room.
Taking Luna’s hand, I urged her to sit on the bed. As soon as she complied, I sat next to her and drew her leg onto my lap. Carefully removing her shoe, I tossed it on the ground before rubbing my hands over the base of her foot. She’d been standing for hours. Though she hadn’t said anything, I noticed her adjusting her weight in the lab.
A soft groan escaped her mouth, the sound going straight to my core. Everything in me tightened. Encouraged by her subsequent soft gasps and moans, I pressed both hands against the heel of her foot, moving up and down until she practically melted in my hands.
A sense of peace washed over me. Here, alone, none of our problems bothered me greatly. How could they, when I was in her presence? In these moments, I forgot about the queen, the numerous deaths I’d caused, even the blood staining my soul. Luna made me feel like maybe I wasn’t entirely lost.
“Give me the other one, darling,” I murmured, not wanting to speak too loudly lest I shatter the calm.
Luna did not argue. Instead, she shifted so both her feet landed in my lap. Working quietly, I kneaded her feet before slowly moving up her legs. She groaned, collapsing on the bed as a sound of absolute enjoyment escaped her.
“That feels so good,” she said.
I kissed the arch of her foot. “I’m glad. You deserve it after working so hard in the lab.”
The Binding Mark pulsed with pleasure as I worked. Shadows slipped from her palms, darkening the room. The knowledge that I was making my wife happy filled me with pride. Each one of her smiles, each gasp, each moan as she melted in my hands was like a ray of sunshine illuminating the night.
For decades, I’d been alone, living in the darkness. I hadn’t even known joy could be found in such simple pleasures. Athena, the gods be with her soul, had made me smile, but our relationship had been different. We’d had fun, and she’d been a good companion, but we’d never lived together for a long period of time. We’d never had the opportunity to build the kind of long-lasting relationship where it was acceptable to remain in silence and simply enjoy each other’s company.
That was the kind of relationship Luna and I had. By the time I moved on to her hands, rubbing each one with care, my wife was blinking sleepily at me from her position on the bed.
“Come here,” she whispered, inching back towards the pillows.
No other invitation was needed. I crawled next to Luna, releasing my wings and curving them around us. Gathering her in my arms, I sent a wave of contentment through our bond.
She sighed contentedly. “Why are you so good to me? It’s probably not great for your scary image, you know. What if people learned the Prince of Darkness was gifted at giving foot rubs?”
I chuckled. This was one question I had no problem answering. “I don’t care about my image. I’m good to you because you’re mine.”
She snuggled against my chest. “I like that.” She hummed. “I’ll always be yours, Sebastian.”
Sleep came easily that night.
* * *
I woke from a dreamless sleep to a cold room and an empty bed. Panic flooded through me, my heart raced, and I jolted upright. A quick scan of the space told me no one was there.
Memories of Luna’s screams when those bastards tried to kidnap her ran through my mind.
I had to find her.
In a hurry, I released my shadows. They crawled over the floors and up the walls while I checked the wards. They were still intact. Panic rose before I glanced at my wrist and remembered the magic tying us together.
I shouted Luna’s name down the bond.
Her response came a moment later. I’m fine.
I clenched my fists at my sides. Where are you, Princess?
A pause, then a knock came from the wall.
Next door.
Pulling my shadows back, I moved through the Void into Marius’s room. The moment I laid eyes on Luna, my breath left me in a ragged exhale. Wearing a shawl draped over her nightgown, Luna sat on the edge of her brother’s bed and trailed her fingers down his cheek. The halfling was asleep, but the faint scent of fear lingered in the room.
She glanced at me, her black eyes wide and her mouth curved in a frown. One of her fangs peeked out as she whispered, “He had a nightmare.”
Marius stirred beneath her touch, pressing his cheek into her hand.