Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(78)

“Your mark is stronger than mine,” I pouted.

His mouth dipped to my neck, his kiss jolting my body fully awake. “When you’re an angel, yours will be stronger.”

I caressed his cheek. He was so unbelievably gorgeous. And he was all mine.

“Do you want me to mark you when I’m an angel?” I asked coyly.

“Nothing would give me greater pleasure, Leda.” The look in his eyes could chase away any storm. “I find myself impatient for you to be an angel. A female angel’s mark is uniquely powerful.”

“It might be a while.”

His hand traced slowly down my back. “I am counting on your precocious nature.”

I laughed. No, giggled. Gods, I was in so deep.

He drew me in closer, holding me tightly to him, like he never wanted to let go.

“Having…trouble…breathing,” I gasped.

Amusement slid over his face. “You can hold your breath for over five minutes. I looked up your training scores. Now that you possess the power of Dragon’s Storm, it must be at least double that.” He loosened his grip anyway.

“It still feels weird to not breathe.”

That wasn’t the only thing that felt different. When I’d set out to join the Legion, I’d done it to save Zane. I’d known my body and magic would go through changes. But I hadn’t expected to fall in love with an angel.

Nero watched me closely. “Do you have any regrets?”

Either he’d read my thoughts, or read them on my face.

“None,” I told him, smiling. A tear slid down my cheek.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t let go, but his hold eased enough that I could have broken free.

I pulled him in closer instead. “My life wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was supposed to be a bounty hunter, staying as far from the Legion as humanly possible. I was supposed to save my family, not the world.” I drew in a deep breath I didn’t need, but it felt good nonetheless. “But I can do both. You showed me that. You weren’t just always there when I needed you; you were what I needed. So, no, I don’t regret anything, Nero. Not a single thing. Because it all led me to you.”

His eyes widened, his lips parted. “I love you,” he whispered into my mouth.

My heart burned with emotion. “I love you too.”

Happiness flashed in his eyes. “I felt like my heart was frozen, stalled, until you came.”

Angels didn’t give their hearts easily. They had many lovers, but only one true love. A love eternal. I didn’t flee from the pressure of knowing I was the only one he would ever love; I embraced it. I loved the way his eyes lit up when he looked at me. It was the same look I’d seen in Damiel’s eyes when he’d spoken of Cadence. She was his one true love. I’d always known it in my mind, but in this moment, I knew it with every part of me.

“There’s something you need to know,” I said.

And then I told him of my dreams—of Zane and Cadence and the Guardians.

“My mother and your brother are in the same place,” he said when I was done.

“Yes. The same place I saw in my mind after our first blood exchange. If your mother is there, you can use Ghost’s Whisper to connect to her, to find her. Then we can go to them.”

“I tried that after Damiel told us she’s alive. I felt nothing.”

That explained why he’d been convinced Damiel was lying.

“Until she visited me in my dreams last night,” he said.

“Really? What did she say?”

“That you’re pretty.”

I blushed. “You’re making that up.”

“No, I’m not. She told me I shouldn’t be afraid to give my heart to someone who deserved it.” The long, penetrating look he gave me melted me from the inside out. “And she told me not to look for her just yet. When I awoke, I tried to connect to her again, but I felt nothing.” He frowned. “She’s blocking me.”

“You are powerful. You could break through and find her.”

“The battering ram approach?”

“Absolutely. It is the way of the angels, isn’t it? Brute force.”

He chuckled lightly. “You still have a lot to learn about being an angel, Pandora.”

“Like how battle debris is not a recognized weapon?” I said silkily.

“You haven’t transgressed in that regard recently, have you?”

“Of course not. That would be totally uncivilized.”

“Are you mocking me, or have you truly learned your lesson?”

“All of the above?”

He snorted.

I wet my lips. “You’re welcome to try to teach me that lesson again.”

His hands gripped my hips roughly. His voice was a low, vicious growl. “Was that a challenge?”

“That depends. Do you accept?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

He brushed my hair from my face. “When you become an angel, you’ll mark me. That will allow us to merge our magic.” He kissed me once on the lips. “Then we’ll have the power we need to find them, whether or not the Guardians want us to.” His hand traced the inside of my thigh.

I squirmed beneath him.