Page 133 of An Oath at Midnight

I strode to the ladder as she reached it, and my heart did another of those heavy thumps when she tilted her head back and smiled up at me. It knocked the wind right out of me and made me fucking weak at the knees.

She climbed the ladder, and when she reached the top, I took a step back and kept going, backing into the tree house, unable to take my eyes off her. The scent of her blood hit me, and I snarled. “Why are you bleeding?”

Magnolia shook her head. “I’m okay. We did a ritual, one that needed my blood.” Then she gripped the bottom of her gown and lifted it off, tossing it aside.

She stood in front of me completely naked. Streaks of blood had been painted over every one of her scars. “What is this? What did you do?” I was fucking panting, because my female was naked and not only could I smell her blood, but I could smell how much she needed me. Wanted me.

“While I was in Umbra, I found out the pain I was feeling was because of Cora. Every stab of her knife forced some of her evil inside me. She hexed me, but it’s gone now.”

“It’s gone? No more pain?” I choked out.

“No more pain.”

“Thank fuck. Knowing you were in pain… It was killing me.” My skin felt tight over my bones, and my palms itched to reach for her. Being this close to the female I loved, knowing that if Death hadn’t done what he had to her, I’d be pulling her into my arms right now, carrying her to my bed and finally making her mine—I won’t lie, it fucking cut me to the core. But I shoved it down. Mags didn’t need to feel that from me. It would hurt her, and I’d rather die than do that.

“I found out something else tonight,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

I searched her amber eyes but wasn’t able to read what I saw. I don’t think I’d ever seen that look on her face before. “What did you find out?”

“Do you trust me?” she asked.

“You know I do.”

“With your life?”

“I’d fucking die for you,” I said, and she knew that as well.

“I want to be your mate, Bram, in truth.”

I hauled in a ragged breath. “I want that, too, baby, more than anything. You’ll get control over this thing, I know you will, then we can—”

“No, I want to be your mate now. I want you to make me your mate tonight,” she said, her voice shaky.

I stared at her, at the way her eyes sparkled, the excitement on her face. “There’s a way?” I didn’t want to hope, but I couldn’t stop it.

“Yeah, there’s a way,” she said, the pulse at her throat fluttering wildly. “You game?”

“Fuck, yes, I’m game.” There was no need to think it over, I’d do anything to make her mine.

I gripped the couch to hold myself back as she explained what we had to do.

“Rose used her powers. She said you’d be okay, and she hasn’t been wrong yet.” She chewed her lip. “But I guess there could always be a first time, right? Maybe we shouldn’t—”

“We’re doing it.” Magnolia trusted her sister and her gift. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t be proposing this to me now.

Silence stretched out between us.

Her hands were fisted at her sides, her feet pressed together, her naked body streaked with blood. Her hair was wild around her face, and her eyes were wide and bright. She was the most stunning thing I’d ever laid eyes on.

And she was waiting for me to tell her what to do, like I had the last time we were standing here like this.

“Bedroom, Magnolia,” I said, the strength of my need for her deepening my voice. “Get on the bed.”

She licked her nearly healed lips and did as I asked.

I followed, watching as Magnolia crawled onto the bed and sat in the middle. Her long hair fell over her shoulder, and she stared up at me. Her deep cherry lips were glossy and full, and I was desperate to taste them again.

Fuck, she was beautiful. I couldn’t believe this was finally happening, that I was finally going to claim my Magnolia in truth. I’d waited for this day for so long. I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as hell. There was something I needed to ask first. “Can I mark you? I know you hate your scars, and I’ll understand if you don’t want more, but crows, when they mate—”