“It… touched you,” he gritted it out as if the word tasted sour on his tongue. “It should not have gotten close enough.”

“Maybe not.” I shrugged. “But it did, and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. I’m also not in any pain. Rattled, yes, but all things considered, I think I got outta there pretty unscathed.”

He seemed to sober at that, blinking out of his stupor. He strode back over to the bed and lowered himself to his knees again.

“Forgive me,” he murmured, taking my small hand in his large one. “You went through this ordeal, and I am making this about myself.”

“Uh-uh, we’re not gonna do that. You’re allowed to have feelings, and to need comfort. You don’t have to bottle everything up or set your worries aside for me. I won’t love you any less if you fall apart every once in a while.”

Eyes glassy, Cair leaned forward and rested his head against mine, breathing the same air. His voice cracked in his throat when he finally said, “Seeing you hurt made me remember that I can lose you, and I… Fuck, I can’t lose you.”

“I know.” I combed my fingers through the hair that had fallen from his braid, closing my eyes and letting his scent surround me. “But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

He brushed my nose with his, drifting lower until he could kiss me, the gesture soft and adoring. All of his emotion poured into me, and I pressed closer, suddenly wanting more now that I could taste him. The desire to throw my arms around his shoulders and drag his body on top of me was urgent and startling, but annoyingly, exhaustion had other ideas.

I broke away, yawning, and he chuckled softly. “Tell me what you need, sweetheart.”

“Come to bed?” I lifted the sheets and shuffled out of the center to make room. He began to peel off his clothes without hesitation, and another thought came to me just as he was about to slide in beside me. “Can you release your wings? I want all of you around me.”

He’d glamored them for practicality, but I missed their larger-than-life presence, their power and protection.

“Of course.” They unfurled from his back, still so breathtakingly beautiful it almost made me cry.

My mate settled into the bed, maneuvering us until my back was against his chest and every part of him could curl around me as I’d wanted. His wings blanketed me last, the crystalline panels shielding me from the outside world, and though my nerves still buzzed under the surface, being in his arms, safe and comfortable, quieted the worst of their bite.

This time, when the dark came, I was less afraid.

Chapter Seven

CAIR