When the battle finally dims and comes to a close, I can't help but stare at the several corpses lying around the very few of us left. All of the witches are down but so are almost the majority of Darian's people.

I scan the area for Manin and my heart thunders against my chest in vicious beats. Where the hell is he? My eyes meet his and I physically sag in relief.

Darian is beside me so I know that he is okay - well he would inevitably be okay. His shadows are what keep him so safe. If only we all had such protection.

Manin strides towards us. "We must be getting back. News will be out soon and you both need to be as far away from here as possible. You are both uninjured?" Manin questions then eyes my head.

"I'm fine it should heal itself," I explain and Manin nods his head. Manin's eyes seem to snap everywhere like he can't will himself to look away from the sorry sight that surrounds us. But, I can't seem to blame him. His court, his friends are now mangled corpses.

"Let's get going," Darian says and rests his hand on the small of my back. I begin to walk away from the death site but immediately stop.

"Agnis... I didn't kill her. She's still lurking in the woods somewhere," I say and search the area for any signs of where she could have fled. I cannot believe that the one person I came here to watch the demise of managed to flee uninjured.

"You'll be fine. If she even manages to survive the night... she will have no power or strength to even make it safely to the palace," Darian says and I realise that I am just overthinking. Without, her coven she is nothing... nothing but frail.

We continue following Manin's lead as he keeps his sword drawn, ready to pounce on any attacker hiding in the shadows. This night really has been one for the books. I hadn't expected the amount of death to occur... I'm not sure I have even processed any of this yet.

The walk is silent - Darian's spell is still in full effect. I'm sure we're all just thinking and trying to sort through everything that happened.

I never thought in a million years that my marrying Darian would cause such a vast amount of blood-filled events to occur. So much blood had been spilt tonight and it is safe to say that I will not be partaking in anything like this again for a long time - if ever.

Palace lights can be seen shining through the gaps of the trees and I finally feel like I can breathe again. I was constantly on edge in the woods... waiting for Agnis to jump out at any second, despite Manin being there and ready for anything that may be thrown his way.

All I know is that I feel disgusting and that I am tired out of my mind. I have no clue how Darian has such stamina to do all of this with his old age and all. I know he isn't truly old but for how long he has been around... immortality must become a bore.

That has to be the biggest insult you have ever given me. I am not old thank you very much, he speaks into my mind as we come to the clearing in the woods that reveals the gravel road.

I can't help but laugh to myself. You are old and you know it, I retort and I notice him hold his hand over his heart in the corner of my eye.

You pain me, Nova. Who knew such a pretty mouth could say such insulting things, Darian acts as though it has physically pained him to hear such words. I roll my eyes at his comment but then place my guard back up... I hadn't realised it had ever gone down.

As soon as we enter the palace, I let relief wash over me and let myself relax completely. Yes, we took down the Fortuna coven but that doesn't mean that it's over. With our luck, someone else will be after us tomorrow.

We part with Manin after he tells us that more guards will be installed outside of our chambers and that we shouldn't worry. Darian proceeded to say that he is never worried and knows that if it comes down to it he can get us out of here.

"You did really well tonight," Darian whispers as we both stand before our separate doors. I can't stand being so close to him but I also don't mind the sense of safety that comes with being in the room beside him. It has helped cure sleepless nights recently.

I nod my head. "Thank you for inviting me," it feels weird thanking him for inviting me to kill witches. However, I am proud of myself for not backing down. Darian always seems to remind me about how I walk away from every fight but tonight... I stood my ground.

"It was a pleasure," something glints in his eyes as they bore into mine and I have to force myself to look away - I always seem to find myself captured in those crimson eyes.

"Goodnight," I whisper and look back at his face. Gods, I want to kiss him... but I can't. I can't push him away then lure him back in and lead him on. I couldn't think of anything more awful to do to someone.

"Goodnight, Nova," he whispers my name as though he is not allowed to say it. Darian brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear before he kisses my forehead and walks into his bedroom.

I stand in the hall, unable to force myself to leave. My heart belongs in that room with him but my mind belongs in my own.

Forcing myself to leave the hall and go into my chambers, I feel a crack splint my heart.

Deciding on running a bath to clear my mind, I gather everything that I need. As soon as I am back in the bedroom something moves in the corner of my eye. My eyes snap up and there he is leaning against the door frame.

"I can't stay away from you," Darian whispers and stares at me so intently that it feels as though he is looking straight through me. The sight of him looking at every inch of me sends shivers dancing through me.

"I've noticed," I smirk and he looks down, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek as that charming smile resides on his lips. "I'm getting ready to bathe," I explain as a way of hinting that he should leave and he looks up again.

"Mind if I join you?" Darian is already halfway across the room. With each step, my thoughts seem to muddle and I can't think straight. The things he does to me should be sinful. But, I can't stop the effect he has on me and more importantly... I don't want to.

"In your dreams," I tease and he is in front of me before I can even take another breath. I crane my neck to look up at him as his hands find their way to my hips. My eyes shut at their own accord as his fingers rub circles.

"Let me help you relax... I could feel your tension from the other room," Darian leans down to whisper in my ear and I can't help but lean into him. It feels like I have no control over my body when I am with him - like I'm merely a spectator.

"I don't need your help relaxing," I breathe and place my hands against his chest. His hands move further up my body and underneath my top. Darian's hands are cold against my skin and I flinch at the feeling.

"But I know that you want me to," he whispers and I can hear the smirk in his voice. How does he always know what to say... it's like I can't ever think of an excuse that he doesn't have something to counteract it with.

"Want and need are two different things," I say and pull away to look up at him. "Like I want you to stay but... I need you to leave."

Darian searches my face as though it is the last time he will ever see it. "I want to leave... but I need to stay," he counters and proves my point correctly.

"Then stay," I finally whisper and connect my lips with his. I have never wanted him so badly. Every time I part from him, I come back only wanting more... only wanting him more. Darian is like a drug, a drug that I just can't stop taking and that I can't live without.

But, Darian is also like alcohol. When I am with him, I feel like I am floating and like I am high on the clouds but when we begin to break again, coming down from that high is like hell on earth and it feels as though I am in physical pain.

Our lips move in such a beautiful rhythm that I never want to leave this moment. Darian guides me backwards to the bathroom, our lips not once leaving each other.

I tear at Darian's clothes as he tugs at the hem of my top. Our lips break as he peels the top off of my body and takes off his own. Darian's lips meet mine again as my hands follow the curves of his chest, dipping across every ab, and swirling around every tattoo.

My hands then tangle in his hair as his hands move up and down my torso then to unclasp my bra. Everywhere his fingers trail my skin is alight, fire trailing across every inch of me.

Darian completely undresses before kneeling before me. His lips kiss my hips as he unbuttons my bottoms. Ever so slowly he pulls them down, his lips trail down my thighs until they are completely off.

Standing back up, he whisks me off of my feet and into his arms. I can only keep my eyes on him as he steps into the bath and settles in the warm water. The scent of lavender fills the room around us and the water is all I needed.

I straddle Darian as his hands continue to touch every inch of me. Darian's tattooed hands grip my hips and I lower myself onto him. I screw my eyes shut at the already intense amount of pleasure filling me.

My head falls to his shoulder as he guides me up and down along the length of him. "Fuck," he hisses when I begin kissing his neck.

I can't lie that it feels so different in water but a good different - everything seems to be heightened. I seem to feel everything more greatly. My nails dig into his shoulders as Darian moves his hips as mine meet his.

Darian's hands wander across my back before he tugs my hair, forcing me to look him in the eyes. Our connection feels so much deeper as he stares into my eyes whilst thrusting into me.

The pleasure is making it immensely hard for me to stay upright. I lean my forehead against Darian's as he pecks my lips. I find it difficult to kiss him back as I try to stop myself from falling over the edge.

I can feel him so much deeper in this position and my breathing immediately becomes heavier. The water sloshes around us and spills over the edge of the tub with each thrust of Darian's.

Wrapping my hands around the back of the tub, I use it to move with more ease and faster. Darian groans and I can't suppress the moan that leaves my lips. Darian's hand reaches to where our bodies connect and his finger circles over me. I almost let go immediately.

"Not yet," he whispers, his voice hoarse as his eyebrows screw together. I try to squeeze my legs together at his sides as he continues his sweet assault on me.

I roll my hips in circles as I turn the pace torturously slow - needing to slow down. My thighs burn and Darian continues to move his hips. His thrusts become more rapid and deeper as he bites at my neck.

I can feel the fire burning in my stomach, the knot unravelling and I can feel myself clinging onto the edge before I fall. "Darian," I whimper and he thrusts even quicker causing it to be even harder for me to stop myself.

"Now," he clenches his teeth and I let myself go as I feel him fill me full. I can't stop myself from screaming his name as I feel myself fall into the pit of eternal bliss.

Darian continues moving inside of me and I feel myself growing closer to the edge again. And, just like that, I am thrown back over the edge. My legs shake uncontrollably at Darian's sides and I see him smirk through his own pleasure.

Darian finally comes to a stop but I still stay sat on top of him - unable to move. My arms wrap around his neck and I rest my head in the crook of it. Both of our skin is glistening with a mixture of perspire and water droplets.

It takes me longer than usual to recover and I pull back to look into his eyes. Darian gives me a lazy smile and I can't help but return it.