He was grinning at her, obviously listening to her train of thought. “Come here,” he told her.

She obeyed, walking over to him. Costin began to undress her, his movements confident. As her skin began to be revealed, he would groan and would stop and kiss her wherever his mouth happened to be. By the time he’d filled the tub and added bubbles, he’d run his hands over every inch of her flesh.

He sat down in the tub first and she climbed in, sitting down in between his legs and leaning back against his chest. She felt his chest rumble in satisfaction and felt his contentment through their bond.

“Now, start at the beginning and share your story with me.” His hands began to slide up and down her skin, touching any part he could reach.

Sally realized that he was right. It wasn’t going to get any easier to talk about. In fact, it would probably get harder. But, for whatever reason, being completely surrounded by his body against hers, she felt safe to talk to him about her ordeal.

Sally started with the moment she’d arrived in Oceanside. “Oh,” she said before she got too far in. “Are my parents…alive?”

“I haven’t heard otherwise,” he said just before pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

“Can we go see them soon?”

“Of course.”

Then she continued her account of the time she’d been gone. The entire time she spoke, Costin listened patiently. There were times his touch got more insistent. During those times, he’d stop her to kiss her and then let her continue.

Touch, it was so vital to his wolf and she realized it was vital to the man as well. It settled both of them and gave her the security she needed in order to talk to him.

That night, after they’d talked and bathed, Costin helped her dress for bed and then tucked her in next to him. “Costin?”

“Yes, beautiful?”

“How is Titus? Is he still unaware of what we are? I know I haven’t asked about him. I just don’t feel ready yet to face him. I’d like to see him tomorrow, but tonight—” She paused.

“Tonight was about beginning the slow process of healing and about reuniting with your mate,” he finished for her. “We will talk about Titus, and other things, like the fact that he doesn’t about what we are, tomorrow, after we’ve both rested.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled her tightly against him. “You aren’t the only one feeling shame. You poured yourself out to me and trusted me with your heart, mind, and body. Tomorrow, I will pour myself out to you.”

Sally’s stomach clenched and she felt tears fill her eyes. Without her, without their bond, Costin would have been fighting the growing darkness. He’d gone through that all alone, without her.

“Shhh,” Costin said gently. “Rest. If you can’t, I can occupy you until your body is worn out and then you can sleep.”

She smiled and it felt good to smile. “You still want me?”

Costin growled. “If you won’t believe my words, then believe my actions,” he told her as he pulled her shirt, which happened to be one of his, over her head.

Sally closed her eyes and nearly cried out at the rightness of her mate loving her. The completeness she felt when he touched her was overwhelming. How anyone could let someone other than their mate touch them baffled her because nothing compared to her mate’s touch. Oh, how much it soothed her, reassured her, and strengthened the bond between them.

She knew that the aftermath of her ordeal wasn’t over. She wasn’t magically healed. The insecurities, guilt, shame, and sickness over it would return, but at least she knew that Costin wouldn’t leave her. He would be with her through it all. She wouldn’t be alone ever again.

Costin whispered in her ear as his body moved over hers. “I adore you, I desire you, and I love you, Sally Miklos.”

Chapter 23

“So there wasn’t a big battle scene this time. Just Costin ripping a man apart with his bare hands. That was pretty freaking awesome. Though Sally and Costin are safe and sound, their fight isn’t over. The Order of the Burning Claw is still out there. And they’re begging for an ass kicking. Lucky them, I pass out ass kickings for free.” ~Jen

Vasile looked around at the carnage Costin had left behind. It was bad—not unjustified, but messy.

“You okay?” Decebel asked him.

He must have looked pretty shaken. And truth be told, he was shaken. The entire situation was obscene. Who does this to a young woman? They knew she had a mate. Didn’t they care about what it would do to her if and when she found out? He shouldn’t be surprised, but sometimes the depths of evil inherent in some still shocked even him.

“I’ll be better when this place is burned to the ground.”

“I’ll take care of it as soon as we are done searching the office in the back,” Peri told him.

“What caused Costin to kill the others? Why didn’t he even give them time to explain themselves?” Vasile ask the other two. The pinched look on Decebel’s face made it clear that the reason sickened him.

“He saw in Sally’s thoughts that Jericho used a seduction spell on her last night.” Decebel paused; he didn’t want to say the rest.

“He mated with her?” Vasile asked, sparing him.

Decebel nodded.

“No wonder he lost it,” Vasile said softly. “Would you mind having Jen check on them later? Costin isn’t going to want any males near her, of course, at least for a little while.”

“I can do that,” Decebel agreed.

Peri stood with the rest of the pack, watching from across the street as The Doghouse burned to the ground. She made sure the fire didn’t touch anything around the building. She thought she would have some satisfaction seeing it fall, but the memories of Sally’s broken face and Costin’s burning rage had torn a hole in her heart. Everything just felt wrong.

“Come to me, beloved. Let me make it right,” Lucian said gently as he pushed his feelings of love and adoration to her.

“Let me debrief and then I’m all yours,” she told him, feeling a little better just because she could feel her mate through their bond.

Peri wordlessly held out her arms for everyone to touch her somewhere so that she could flash them away from the fire and the heartbreak and death that happened there.