The water sshed and rippled around us as our bodies joined, creating tiny waves thatpped against the stone bath. Darren emitted a low, satisfied growl that vibrated from his chest into mine, primal and unrestrained. His grip on my waist tightened, fingers pressing into my flesh with barely controlled desire.


    "You''re my queen," he murmured, the words half-statement, half-answered prayer.


    I rolled my hips in answer, establishing a rhythm. "And you''re my king. Don''t ever forget that." My voice caught as pleasure built within me.


    "Never. These memories will be what keep me alive." He growled, gripping my hips, guiding my movements.


    The slide of wet skin against skin, the gentle resistance of the water around us, the building tension between us, created the song of our lovemaking.


    Darren''s hands moved to cup my face, bringing my mouth to his in a kiss that spoke more eloquently than words. His lips were demanding, almost bruising in their intensity, as if he could imprint himself on me, leave some indelible mark that distance and time couldn''t erase.


    I matched his passion, my fingers winding into his wet ck hair, anchoring myself to him as our bodies moved together in the gradually cooling water. The candlelight flickered across his


    features, highlighting the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the determined set of his jaw, the hunger in his eyes.


    "I''lle back to you," he promised against my lips, the words punctuated by the rhythm of our bodies. "No matter what I have to do, I''lle back."


    I wanted to believe him. Needed to believe him. But I was afraid that the war would steal him from me. I couldn''t voice my fears, not now, not when he needed my strength and support. Instead, I showed him my trust with my body, moving against him with increasing urgency.


    The water sshed over the edge of the bath as our pace quickened, neither of us caring about the mess we were creating. My hands gripped his shoulders, feeling the coiled power beneath my fingertips, the strength that would soon be turned against our enemies.


    "Look at me," Darrenmanded softly, and I did, meeting his gaze as pleasure built between us. "Remember this. Remember us."


    I nodded, unable to speak as sensation overwhelmed thought. His hands shifted back to my hips, guiding my movements as I rose and fell above him, the water creating a resistance that heightened every sensation. My skin felt too tight, too sensitive, as if I might shatter under his touch.


    His eyes never left mine, even as his breath came faster, even as his control began to fray. I saw the moment when thest of his restraint broke-a sh of something wild and untamed in those green depths, a reminder of the beast that lived beneath his skin, the lycan that recognized its mate.


    311


    My own release caught me by surprise, sweeping through me with the force of a summer storm. I cried out his name, my body clenching around him as waves of pleasure radiated outward from where we were joined. Darren followed momentster, his fingers digging into my hips as he growled my name like a prayer, like salvation.


    We remained locked together as our breathing slowed,


    foreheads pressed together, eyes closed, savoring thest echoes of connection. The waterpped gently around us, considerably diminished from our vigorous activity. I could feel his heartbeat gradually steady beneath my palm.


    "I should refill the bath," he murmured eventually, his fingers drawingzy patterns on my lower back. "The water''s getting cold."


    I didn''t want to move, didn''t want to break this moment of perfect union. He slowly shifted our bodies, turning on the faucet. As I settled beside him in the warming water, his arm immediately wrapped around me, drawing me against his side. The gesture was protective, possessive, and I weed it.


    "Dare, promise me that no matter what, you will focus on surviving. Your biggest mission is making sure youe home


    to me."


    A hint of his familiar smirk touched his lips. "Is that an order from my queen?"


    "It is," I replied, matching his tone. "And you''d better obey it."


    His expression softened, growing serious once more. "Some


    orders are easier to follow than others." He lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss


    to my knuckles. "Coming home to you? That''s the easiestmand I''ll ever receive. I''lle back to you. I promise."


    I leaned into him, letting the water cradle us both as we pretended, just for a moment, that we had all the time in the world.


    Water sloshed over the edge of the bath as we shifted positions, my back once again pressed against the smooth stone edge. Darren loomed over me, his body half-submerged, water streaming down the defined muscles of his chest like liquid silver in the candlelight. His eyes had darkened to the color of moss in shadow, focused entirely on me with an intensity that sent a fresh wave of heat through my core, hotter than the warming bathwater that surrounded us.


    "We''re not done," he murmured, his voice a rough caress that skimmed over my sensitive skin.


    "I didn''t think we were," I replied, reaching up to trace the sharp line of his jaw with my fingertips.


    He caught my hand, turning it to press a kiss against my palm, then the sensitive inside of my wrist where my pulse jumped beneath his lips. The tenderness of the gesture contrasted with the barely restrained hunger in his eyes, creating a delicious tension between us.


    His lips continued their journey up my arm, leaving a trail of heat that contrasted with the cooling water. When he reached the curve of my shoulder, he paused, his breath warm against


    abin


    orders are easier to follow than others." He lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "Coming home to you? That''s the easiestmand I''ll ever receive. I''lle back to you. I promise."


    I leaned into him, letting the water cradle us both as we pretended, just for a moment, that we had all the time in the world.


    Water sloshed over the edge of the bath as we shifted positions, my back once again pressed against the smooth stone edge. Darren loomed over me, his body half-submerged, water streaming down the defined muscles of his chest like liquid silver in the candlelight. His eyes had darkened to the color of moss in shadow, focused entirely on me with an intensity that sent a fresh wave of heat through my core, hotter than the warming bathwater that surrounded us.


    "We''re not done," he murmured, his voice a rough caress that skimmed over my sensitive skin.


    "I didn''t think we were," I replied, reaching up to trace the sharp line of his jaw with my fingertips.


    He caught my hand, turning it to press a kiss against my palm, then the sensitive inside of my wrist where my pulse jumped beneath his lips. The tenderness of the gesture contrasted with the barely restrained hunger in his eyes, creating a delicious tension between us.


    His lips continued their journey up my arm, leaving a trail of heat that contrasted with the cooling water. When he reached the curve of my shoulder, he paused, his breath warm against my damp skin.


    5/7 "I want to memorize you," he said, his words muffled against my corbone. "Every inch. Every sound. Every taste."


    He ravaged me again hungrily, trying to give us both wonderful memories to keep


    us going while we were separated. We remained locked together, breathing


    heavily, as the aftershocks of pleasure gradually subsided.


    After long moments, Darren shifted slightly, easing his weight off me but maintaining our connection. His finger traced an idle pattern on my shoulder, following a droplet of water as it made its way down my skin.


    "We should move to morefortable surroundings." I noticed how he nced at my stomach, and my heart smiled with his concern for me. With careful movements for my pregnant state, Darren stood and lifted me from the water in one fluid motion. I gasped at the sudden chill as the air hit my wet skin, instinctively curling closer to his warmth.


    He reached for the thick towels that had been left warming near the brazier, wrapping one around me before quickly drying himself. His movements were efficient but unhurried, his eyes rarely leaving mine as if afraid I might disappear if he looked away too long.


    "Come," he said, offering his hand once we were both somewhat dry. "Let''s go to bed." I ced my palm against his, our fingers intertwining with familiar ease as we walked to our bed.


    Darren pulled back the covers and helped me settle onto the mattress before joining me, his body immediately curving around mine from behind, one arm wrapping protectively over


    my belly. Our damp hair spread across the pillows, mine a lighter brown against


    his midnight ck, tangling together like our lives had done.


    "Better?" he murmured, his lips brushing against the nape of my neck.


    "Mmm," I agreed, the exhaustion of pregnancy and our


    passionate encounter catching up with me all at once. My eyelids grew heavy, but I fought against sleep, unwilling to lose these precious hours to unconsciousness. Darren''s hand moved in slow circles over my belly, a soothing motion that our child seemed to appreciate, as I felt azy roll beneath his palm. His arm tightened briefly around me, his face pressing into my hair. I felt rather than heard the deep breath he took, inhaling my scent as if to store it away.


    "Tell our pup about me," he said after a long silence. "Every day."


    "I will," I promised, covering his hand with mine where it rested on my belly. "Our


    pup won''t even remember you being away from us." And I prayed that was true. That this war would notst for years. Still, hearing those words from him made my heart hurt. I didn''t want our child to only know their father through stories. I wanted them to experience how wonderful he


    was.


    Despite my determination to stay awake, to savor every moment of his presence,


    I felt sleep pulling at me with irresistible force.


    "Rest," Darren whispered, as if reading my thoughts. "I''ll be here when you wake."


    717


    "I can sleep after you''ve left." How could I waste the small time we had together sleeping, knowing that the next time I saw him would probably be after our baby was born? Why wasn''t I blessed with the power to make time stand still?


    "We need at least a little bit of sleep. I might have to jump straight into battle when I return." Hearing that made me worried. I didn''t want him to be too exhausted to fight. "This moment, holding you while we sleep, is precious to me, too."


    I let my eyes close, surrendering to sleep with his warmth wrapped around me, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against my back. The soft sounds of our breathing filled the quiet bedroom as we drifted together into sleep, two bodies curled so closely it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. In sleep, at least, there was no separation, no looming absence-only the shared warmth of bodies that knew each other as well as they knew themselves.


    Myst conscious thought was a memory of Darren''s voice, "I''lle back to you.


    I promise." I would hold those words close during the long months ahead. And I would be here, waiting, when he fulfilled that promise.