Velvet Cataclysm (Princes of the Underground 1)

“They’ve got their own battle ahead of them, that’s for sure. Ought to be interesting,” Saint said wryly.

“I suppose it makes sense that Fardusk would take them to the crystal chamber,” Christina murmured. “Since they can take nourishment from it.”

Saint’s eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

“What?” she asked, intuiting that he wanted to tell her something.

“I have not been to the crystal chamber for days now, Christina,” he said gruffly.

Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. “I…I had noticed that. But I thought it was because of our lovemaking. I thought I was sustaining you,” she whispered.

He slowly shook his head. His eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. “I am able to eat more…to take nourishment from food. Only the food you prepare, food infused with your vitessence…with your soul. But I’ve been eating it regularly. I’ve been able to eat your food occasionally since I’ve known you, but only in small amounts. Only your meals appealed to me.”

“Really?” she asked in amazement, thinking of how he’d told her at the party—had it really only been several weeks ago—how he could only eat her food, and she’d assumed he was joking.

He nodded before he leaned down and nuzzled her nose with his own. His lips brushed against hers in a warm, firm caress. She shivered, but the topic at hand was too important to let Saint’s delicious kisses sidetrack her.

“But what does it mean?” she asked.

He kissed her slowly and thoroughly. She tasted the new, subtle hint of bitterness in his rich, delicious flavor and embraced the complexity

and sheer power of his soul. His kiss enveloped her, and she promptly forgot what it was they were discussing as her body began to hum with increasingly familiar potent sexual arousal.

“I spoke with Kavya about it,” Saint said huskily next to her seeking lips a moment later.

She blinked, recalling their conversation. “And?”

“He says that when I absorbed Teslar, when I accepted my dark self and took domain over it, that my soul was fully crystallized. I can feel it now, Stina. I am no longer one of the soulless ones. I can give as well as take.”

She looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, moved by the depth of feeling in his voice. She figured now wasn’t a great time to tell him that he’d always given to her, always shared himself in a way that made her feel vibrant and alive.

“I’m so grateful you realize it now, Saint.”

He swallowed thickly and bent his knees. He pressed his forehead to hers.

“That isn’t all. Kavya says that through the transformation that occurred in the chamber…I became mortal. In gaining a soul, I set the term of my life.”

She leaned back in alarm. “What?”

He gently placed his hand at the back of her skull and pressed their foreheads together. His breath was warm and fragrant as it brushed against her nose and lips.

“I’m not dying now. Kavya wasn’t sure how long I will live, but he guessed I will begin to age now in a way that’s similar to other humans. Is that so bad? For us to grow old together, Christina?”

A tear skipped down her cheek when she shook her head. “No, no. I would love nothing more than to grow old with you.”

“Stina,” he growled softly. He enclosed her in his arms and kissed each of the tears that fell from her eyes.

Then he settled on her mouth hungrily.

A moment later, he pulled her down to the soft, cool grass and lay on top of her, belly to belly. She sighed blissfully, loving the feel of his weight and hardness pressing against her. He nuzzled her breast with his nose and mouth and then, ever so gently, bit the tip, scraping his teeth over a beaded nipple until she shivered.

“You gave me my soul,” he whispered gruffly into the darkness.

“No, Saint.” She threaded her fingers through his soft, tousled hair and pulled him down to her. “You earned it.”

About the Author

Beth Kery loves a sexy romance and a good story, whether it be of the contemporary, paranormal or historical variety. She grew up in a huge house built in the nineteenth century where she cultivated her love of mystery and the paranormal. When she wasn’t hunting for secret passageways and ghosts with her friends, she was gobbling up fantasy and romance novels along with any other books she could get her hands on. Currently she juggles the demands of her careers, her love of the city and the arts and a busy family life. Her writing today reflects her passion for all of the above. To learn more about Beth Kery, please visit www.bethkery.com, send an email to [email protected] or join her Yahoo group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Beth, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/totalexposure