“That’s what I was thinking too.” He took the pen, placed it next to their mate paper, and pulled her onto his lap. “I love you, Beauty.”
“I love you too. Can you believe this? We’re really happy.”
“Yes. We are. We’re going to stay that way. I will make sure of that.”
“Do you have to leave me?” The thought left her cold.
“I just swore I wouldn’t.”
“You want to go after…” She hesitated, not wanting to bring the ugliness of her past into such an important moment.
“You’re my priority.” He understood what she hadn’t said. “Others will take care of that. He can’t hurt you anymore. All we need to do is move into our new home once they prepare it for us and enjoy sharing a life.”
“I’m going to be a great mate. I’ll cook you dinner and keep a good home but I want to also do something to help our society. I want to teach other Gift Females to embrace life so they know it’s possible to have what we do, Shadow.”
“I know you will.” He brushed a kiss on her lips. “I will make you laugh and always be happy to come home to you after I finish my work shifts.”
“It sounds wonderful. Thank you, Shadow.”
“For what? I want you as my mate. I should be thanking you for agreeing.”
“For giving me a real life and making it wonderful.”
Shadow felt humbled. He couldn’t believe he had a mate. Beauty was more than he deserved, more than he’d ever hoped to have, and she’d changed his life.
“I’m the one who is thankful,” he admitted. “I’ll never see lightning again without smiling. It showed you to me and made me give chase.”
She laughed. “No more running during storms. I have no reason to do something like that again to feel alive. I just have to touch you.”
They’d be doing a lot of that. He couldn’t imagine keeping his hands off her and never planned to stop. He’d once been broken but she’d fixed him with her smiles, her courage, and her trust. He snuggled her closer, just holding her, and closed his eyes. For the first time, everything was perfect. He looked forward to whatever they would face because they’d do it together. She was his heart.
About Laurann Dohner
I’m a full-time “in-house supervisor” (sounds much better than plain ol’ housewife), mother and writer. I’m addicted to caramel iced coffee, the occasional candy bar (or two) and trying to get at least five hours of sleep at night.
I love to write all kinds of stories. I think the best part about writing is the fact that real life is always uncertain, always tossing things at us that we have no control over, but when you write, you can make sure there’s always a happy ending. I love that about writing. I love to sit down at my computer desk, put on my headphones and listen to loud music to block out the world around me, so I can create worlds in front of me.
Laurann welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Laurann Dohner
Cyborg Seduction 1: Burning Up Flint
Cyborg Seduction 2: Kissing Steel
Cyborg Seduction 3: Melting Iron
Cyborg Seduction 4: Touching Ice
Cyborg Seduction 5: Stealing Coal
Cyborg Seduction 6: Redeeming Zorus
Cyborg Seduction 7: Taunting Krell
Mating Heat 1: Mate Set
Mating Heat 2: His Purrfect Mate
New Species 1: Fury
New Species 2: Slade
New Species 3: Valiant
New Species 4: Justice
New Species 5: Brawn
New Species 6: Wrath
New Species 7: Tiger
New Species 8: Obsidian
Riding the Raines 1: Propositioning Mr. Raine
Riding the Raines 2: Raine on Me
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 1 anthology
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2 anthology
Zorn Warriors 1: Ral’s Woman
Zorn Warriors 2: Kidnapping Casey
Zorn Warriors 3: Tempting Rever
Zorn Warriors 4: Berrr’s Vow
Print books by Laurann Dohner
Cyborg Seduction 1: Burning Up Flint
Cyborg Seduction 2: Kissing Steal
Cyborg Seduction 3: Melting Iron
Cyborg Seduction 4: Touching Ice
Cyborg Seduction 5: Stealing Coal
Cyborg Seduction 6: Redeeming Zorus
Cyborg Seduction 7: Taunting Krell
Mating Heat 1: Mate Set
New Species 1: Fury
New Species 2: Slade
Riding the Raines 1: Propositioning Mr. Raine
Riding the Raines 2: Raine on Me
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 1
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2
Zorn Warriors 1 & 2: Loving Zorn
Zorn Warriors 3: Tempting Rever
Zorn Warriors 4: Berrr’s Vow
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Shadow
ISBN 9781419940491
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Shadow Copyright © 2012 Laurann Dohner
Edited by Pamela Campbell
Cover design by Syneca
Photos: VishStudios, Maxim Ahner, Jeanne McRight and Shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication October 2012
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