by Helena Shaw
They didn’t need words then. Draven only needed to pull Cadence closer to his hot, glistening body as their heavy breathing finally began to slow.
As he held her, Cadence realized she did feel different. It wasn’t anything she could say with words, but as she snuggled up against Draven’s lean body, she knew something had changed. She felt closer to him somehow, and stronger still. She didn’t know if he felt the same, but she didn’t know how to ask it. All she knew was she never wanted their moment together to end.
ѱ ѱ ѱ
Draven didn’t need to eat, that much Cadence knew, but she didn’t know if he needed to sleep. Still, as she watched his chest rise and fall, she had to believe he was doing just that. His eyes were closed and he laid perfectly still on the bed.
She wanted to lie there with him forever, his strong arms wrapped around her delicate, petite body, but her curiosity was eating away at her. She had to know if things were really different or if he had just told her they would be.
They had made love three more times since the first, and each time it hurt a little less. Every time he claimed her, she swore she felt closer to him in some way she couldn’t explain, but now the hour was getting late and he had said it was time to rest.
Still, while he laid there peacefully, Cadence could not join him. She wiggled free from the arm that held her and quietly tiptoed across the room until she found Draven’s suit jacket.
In the light of the fire that still cracked and burned in the fireplace, she saw the thin slashes of Andras’s claws. It was enough to ruin the jacket, but not enough to leave it in tatters. She pulled it over her arms and quietly left the room.
The house was eerily quiet as she made her way downstairs. Part of her told her she was foolish, that this could wait until morning when she had Draven by her side, but she needed to see for herself. She moved through the grand entrance towards the double doors of Draven’s home and pulled them open.
For a moment, only a moment, she feared running in to Andras again. Even though she’d watched him turn to dust, she couldn’t help but flinch as she opened the doors and stepped out into the cool night air.
“What do you see?” Draven’s deep voice asked from behind her.
He gave her a start and Cadence couldn’t help but jump just a little. She turned to see Draven behind her, wearing only his slacks.
Barefoot, he came and joined her on the top of the steps that lead to the driveway. The night was cold on her bare legs, but Draven was warm as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Nothing,” she said as she looked out into the clear night that surrounded her. “Nothing at all.”
Acknowledgements
Wow, my third book. It feel sort of unreal right now that I’m wrapping up my third release. First up, I obviously want to thank you, the reader, for finding my book in a sea of other paranormal romances and saying, “this looks good to me!”
Thank you again to the awesome Veronica Hardy. She’s a fantastic editor and I’d recommend her to anyone. Many late nights were spent discussing commas and tense and she’s beyond patient with me.
Thank you, of course, to my family. I know I spend too much time locked in my office, typing away. This book, though, is dedicated to my son, K. Thank you for always being ready with a hug when I need it most.
About the Author
Helena Shaw resides in a small town in western Ontario. When she is not writing, she is taking care of her two boys and her husband.
You can get in touch with Helena through her twitter, her Pinterest account, or by email.
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Her books are available now on Amazon.
