“Go to sleep,” he said softly. “We can talk more tomorrow.”
I couldn’t have remained awake even if I wanted to. My head hit the pillow, and my eyes drifted shut. Dreams soon mixed with reality, but I could have sworn that Sebastian walked over and pulled the blanket up under my chin, tucking me in. He murmured something under his breath, but I couldn’t make it out.
I tried to rouse myself to ask him why he was being so kind, but sleep pulled me into its embrace like a long-lost lover.
* * *
I woketo the sound of a hushed conversation nearby. My head swam, still fuzzy from sleep, and it took a moment for my mind to catch up that someone was talking.
“Have you found Ciro?” The voice was low, but instantly, I knew it belonged to Sebastian.
A deep, male voice replied, “No, Your Highness. I have the raven shifters sweeping the Koln Mountains, and the owl shifters are under strict orders to tell you if they see him.”
“Any news from Rhain?”
“None.”
There was a pause before the sound of flesh against stone rang through the room. Sebastian cursed, and I could imagine him rubbing the back of his neck as he said, “All right. Thank you, Nelo.”
My ears perked up. Nelo was one of the vampires that had brought me back from my home. I hoped Estrella wasn’t there. I did not want to see her.
“What about the other issue I mentioned?” Sebastian asked quietly.
Nelo hummed. His voice dropped, and I didn’t hear the beginning of what he said. “… the priestesses might know more, but I cannot find any evidence… last night, three dead bodies turned up outside the city… it’s dangerous—”
Sebastian cut him off with a low huff, and I decided this was probably a good time to make my awakened state known. After all, it didn’t seem incredibly wise to eavesdrop on two powerful vampires, even if one of them was my husband.
On paper, at least.
Definitely, just on paper.
I wasn’t having dreams about the way his hands would feel on my body. Absolutely not. Dreams like that would put me in the dangerous position of caring for the male who could kill me without a second thought.
It would have beenimpossiblefor me to have dreamed about what Sebastian’s tongue would feel like on my skin as he explored the way my body tasted. Nor did I think about the way those wings had so carefully draped over me in front of the leering eyes of the vampires at our wedding.
Icertainlydid not spend hours considering what it would be like to have him on top of me. Nor did I think about those wings flaring out behind him as we came together as close as two beings could be.
No. I wasnothaving any dreams like that. If I were having dreams like that, I would be in a world of trouble.
I had gone so far down the rabbit hole of what my dreams absolutely didnotconsist of that I didn’t hear the vampires moving. Or maybe they didn’t move. Maybe they just walked through the shadows, as seemed to be their way.
When I finally opened my eyes, Sebastian leaned against the wall opposite me. He smirked, looking rather princely in a silken black tunic and trousers. I was starting to think the male did not own anything that wasn’t black. Not that I blamed him.
Black was definitely his color. If there was anyone who could make darkness and shadows and death look good, it was the vampire prince.
“Good evening, Luna,” he rumbled. Those purple lights were lit once more, and they illuminated the amused look on the prince’s face. Almost as if…
Wait.
Did he know what I had dreamed about?
Oh, my gods.
If he knew about my dreams, there was no way I could face him. We were already Tethered. If nothing was private, I wasn’t sure how I would be able to survive.
Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I fought the building desire to bury my head in the pillow. There was nothing more I wanted than to remain in this room all night, ignoring everything. Rest and relaxation sounded like exactly what I needed.
Unfortunately, that would not be possible.