Page 77 of An Oath at Midnight

Twenty.

Ten.

My heart smashed into my ribs. “Come on, baby.”

She was almost to me.

My brothers released me, and I took several steps back as she closed the last few yards between us, as she threw herself at the fence, scrambling up it. The demons making chase slammed on the brakes as soon as they saw us, quickly falling back, not dumb enough to come any closer to our territory.

Blood pumped through my veins so hard and fast, I felt fucking dizzy as I watched her.

Mags jumped down, her boots thudding against the hard-packed earth. Then she straightened, demon blood dripping down her face and coating her clothes, her hands.

I tried to speak, but nothing would come. I was in shock. In fucking awe.

“You forgot something when you left,” she said, chest heaving.

“What’s that?” I choked out.

“Me,” she said and ran at me.

I caught her up, lifting her into my arms. She wrapped herself around me, and I buried my face against the side of her throat, my skin to hers, breathing her in.

Uma and Maeve, the rest of the village had come to see what was going on, congregating behind us, and they hooted and cheered now.

Several seconds ticked by, both of us clinging to the other, then she cupped my jaw. “Look at me,” she whispered against my ear.

Trembling, I lifted my head, afraid to believe what this meant, what was happening here, but hoping like fuck this was what I thought it was.

Her fingers slid over the shaved sides of my head, her amber eyes searching mine. “I made a mistake,” she said.

I swallowed. “What was that?” My voice was so fucking deep and broken, I didn’t recognize it.

The pulse in her throat fluttered wildly. “When you tried to kiss me... Instead of listening to the fear, I should have listened to my heart.”

I brushed my thumb over her jaw. “And what was your heart telling you?”

She licked her lips. “This.” Then her gorgeous mouth came down on mine.

My fucking pulse went haywire, my knees nearly buckled, and my body went up in flames. Wrapping my arms around her tighter, I groaned, fucking positive this had to be a fever dream, or maybe I’d died and this was Heaven.

“I love you,” she said against my lips, then parted hers, sliding her tongue over mine.

I fucking short-circuited, gripping her tighter, taking everything she was giving me, afraid she’d change her mind and take it back, that she’d stop—that I’d fucking wake up in bed alone.

Then she whimpered into my mouth, her scent, the heat of her body, the tang of blood coating her skin and clothes...hit me, lit me up, and I knew it was real. This was no dream.

I wrapped my arms around her tighter, and beating my wings, I lifted off the ground.

I finally had my Magnolia in my arms.

Where she belonged.

CHAPTER 20

Magnolia

Bram shot into the sky, and I hung on tight, lifting my head to look down as we flew over tree houses. Bram’s hand gripped the back of my head and he pulled me down again, to take my mouth. He kissed me deep, hard, his body shaking as soft rattles and growls resonated through his chest, vibrating against mine, his crow coming through loud and clear.