Chapter 21
Sam dropped the throw as he stepped into the big walk-in shower and turned on the water. There were several shower heads, but he only needed the one that would allow him to scrub the dust of what was left of Schwarz from his hair and the blood off his chest.
His arm stung under the water spray, but it was already healing. He was used to that. One of the joys of being a shifter was fast healing, and as an Alpha who somehow always ended up in the middle of fights, he’d put that gift to the test time and time again, especially in his younger days.
“Do you want to get in here or are you good to wait until we get back to the hotel?” Sam spoke loudly over the whoosh of the water so Claudia could hear him.
She stood in the doorway of the large master bath, still breathtaking in her ballgown, even if her hair was a bit disheveled.
She still looked every inch the lady she was, and he realized with a sharp intake of air that she was the perfect queen for the king of all lions—a title he’d accepted only reluctantly.
Claudia looked into the mirror and immediately her hand went to her hair. “I’m okay. I’ll just try to fix my hair a bit, so I don’t look like I was in a fight tonight.” She chuckled, and he nodded, continuing to soap up his chest and arms, getting rid of the blood.
“If anyone sees you, they’ll think we’ve been having sex,” he said, his voice a low growl as he watched her work on the strands of her hair that had fallen around her face.
She was so beautiful. Too bad they didn’t have time to take advantage of this obscenely large bathroom right now. Of course, they were going back to the obscenely lush hotel suite that would do just as well. He could wait until then. Just barely.
Her hands had stilled at his words, then she went back to work, a lovely blush lighting her cheeks. The woman was pure class and fit him in every way, even though he was a bit rougher around the edges in a lot of respects.
He scrubbed the dust out of his hair and rinsed off under the hot water, glad to be clean once more, though he’d do more thorough job once they were back at the hotel.
He shut off the water and grabbed a towel to dry off, then quickly dressed in the spare outfit Jacques had retrieved.
A shifter always had to think ahead and stash clothing in strategic spots.
He had a nice suit to wear, which was part of his usual business attire.
There were also gym clothes in the trunk, but the suit was a bit more appropriate to this occasion.
Good thing he’d prepared ahead of time, or he’d be walking back into the hotel in his tux jacket and shoes with a towel wrapped around his waist, and nothing else.
Yeah, that would make headlines if anybody managed to get a photo. He almost laughed at the image that came to mind, then thanked the Goddess once more that he’d had the spare clothes in the trunk of the car.
He joined Claudia by the big mirror and put one hand on her shoulder, tugging her into his side. She came willingly, leaning against him as they just breathed for a moment, regrouping before they went out into the world once again.
“You were amazing, honey. Truly spectacular.”
“So were you, Sam. Your lion is truly a wonder.” She turned to him and reached up to kiss his jaw.
“He likes you too,” Sam murmured as he moved to capture her lips with his.
He kissed her and promptly lost track of time. It was a sweet kiss. A kiss that reassured each of them that they’d been tested and survived. That they were still together. Still alive. And their enemies were gone. At least for now.
When he finally drew back, he realized they had probably stayed in the house a little too long. They had to get back to the hotel before their disappearance was noted and questions were asked.
“We should head back,” Sam said, rubbing her arms gently. “Are you good to go?”
Claudia nodded. “I’m good.”
He escorted her out of the master suite, leaving the wet towel behind for the cleaning crew Jacques would supervise to clear away later.
Jacques would have his people take care of the place and whatever other cleanup was necessary.
He had the contacts and the people in the area to manage that aspect of the job, and Sam trusted him to do it.
As they exited the house and walked toward the car, Claudia stumbled slightly in her heels.
Sam was wearing his alternate clothing and suddenly felt the weight of what they’d done here tonight settling over him.
They’d killed a centuries-old mage and captured his colleague.
They’d crippled a Venifucus operation. They’d made powerful enemies.
But they’d also survived. Together.
And that, Sam thought as he helped his mate into the car, was all that really mattered.
The ride back to the hotel passed in near silence.
Claudia sat pressed against Sam’s side, his arm around her shoulders, both of them still processing what had just happened.
Sam was wearing his spare clothes, but there was still a faint trace of ash on him, remnants of the ancient mage who’d threatened to consume her.
She’d killed someone tonight. Well, destroyed might be more accurate. Schwarz had been reduced to nothing more than dust blown across the floor.
Claudia waited for guilt or horror to hit her, but all she felt was a bone-deep exhaustion and a fierce satisfaction that the threat was gone. Schwarz had been a predator who’d terrorized mages for centuries. The world was better without him.
“You okay?” Sam’s voice was rough, and when she looked up at him, she saw concern etched in every line of his face.
“I think so.” She pressed closer to him. “Are you? Marta hit you pretty hard.”
“Already healing, as you saw. I’ve got a fast metabolism.” He kissed the top of her head. “You were incredible, Claudia. I’ve never seen anything like what you did to Schwarz. That wasn’t just defensive magic.”
“Granny Tucker taught me a few special tricks.” Claudia’s hand found Sam’s, their fingers lacing together. “She knew someone like Schwarz would eventually target me. So she gave me the tools to fight back. To turn a devourer’s own magic against them.”
“Remind me to thank her profusely when we get back to Houston.”
The hotel appeared ahead, its elegant facade lit up against the night sky. The car pulled up to a discrete side entrance, away from the main lobby where guests might see their disheveled state.
“Alpha,” the driver spoke up. “I’ve arranged for the staff to clear your route to the elevators. You’ll have privacy.”
“Thank you, Jacques. I was glad to have you with us tonight.” Sam helped Claudia from the car, and she was grateful for his steady presence as they made their way inside.
True to Jacque’s word, the hallway was empty, and they reached the elevator without encountering anyone. As the doors closed, sealing them into the small space, Claudia felt something shift in the air between them.
The danger had passed. They were alone. And suddenly, she was acutely aware of how close Sam was standing, of the heat radiating from his body, and of the way his gaze darkened as he looked at her.
“Claudia,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “When Schwarz was threatening you, when I thought I might lose you—”
“I know.” She turned to face him fully, placing her hands on his chest. “I felt it too. The fear of losing you before we’d really had a chance to start.”
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, stopping whatever he would have said.
Sam took her hand and led her down the hallway to their suite, his movements controlled but urgent.
He swiped the key card with shaking hands, and then, they were inside, the door closing behind them with a decisive click.
For a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other across the entryway. Claudia could see her own emotions reflected in Sam’s face. She felt the same relief, desire, love, and a desperate need for connection after coming so close to death.
“I need—” Sam started.
“Yes,” Claudia interrupted. “Whatever you’re about to say, yes.”
He closed the distance between them, his hands framing her face as he kissed her with an intensity that stole her breath. This wasn’t the careful, exploratory kiss from their first encounters. This was raw need and claiming, and the fierce joy of survival.
Claudia kissed him back with equal fervor, her fingers tangling in his hair.
She could feel her magic rising to meet his, that now-familiar dance of power that happened whenever they touched.
But unlike at the ball, she didn’t try to suppress it.
She let it flow freely, wrapping around them both in golden light.
Sam made a sound low in his throat—half growl, half purr—and lifted her into his arms. Claudia wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her toward his bedroom, never breaking the kiss.
“The dress,” she gasped when they finally came up for air. “Maurice will kill me if I ruin it.”
“I’ll buy you a thousand dresses,” Sam said, setting her on her feet beside the bed. His hands found the zipper at her back. “But right now, I need this off you, my love. I need to see you, touch you, and make sure you’re real and safe and mine.”
The emerald silk slithered to the floor, and Claudia stood before him in just the delicate lingerie that had been chosen to go beneath it. Sam’s eyes went molten gold as he took her in.
“Beautiful,” he breathed. “So damned beautiful. And brave. And powerful. And mine.”
“Yours,” Claudia agreed, reaching for the buttons of his shirt. “And you’re mine.”
They shed the rest of their clothes with fumbling urgency, hands and lips exploring newly revealed skin. When they finally tumbled onto the bed together, nothing between them but want and need, Claudia felt something click into place deep inside her soul.
This was right. This was home. This was everything she’d been searching for without really knowing she was looking.