Between Light and Dark (39 page)

"Indeed, who does not?" A deep male voice echoed off the
polished wood floors and over the marble countertops. Both
women spun around to see whom the voice belonged to.

Laurell, however, recognized that husky timbre immedi ately. Her breath caught, and the spoon slipped from her fingers and made a pinging noise as it clattered to the floor.

"Holy shit," Lynn gasped.

Axiom chuckled in response. He looked beautiful.
Ebony hair, longer than Laurell remembered, curled over
the collar of his three-piece, smoky gray suit. His mouth
was lifted in a smile, even white teeth bared. His tall, broad
frame seemed to fill the room. He crossed the kitchen until
he stood close to her, so close she felt the hairs on her arm
stand up and she had to tilt her neck to make eye contact.
Musk and sandalwood drifted over her.

Tears sprang to her eyes. How many nights had she held
that damn shirt of his to her face and breathed in the remnants of his scent, wishing like hell it was him she held?

"I've dreamed of this moment so many times," she said
on a broken whisper, vaguely aware Lynn scurried out of
the room, no doubt to give them some privacy.

"As have I, my love," he responded, his hands cupping
her face, his gaze washing over her features as though he'd
never seen her before and wanted to memorize every line,
every angle. Her heart sped at his choice of words.

"How is it possible?"

"I was given a choice, Council seat, or Earth." His thumb
traced her bottom lip, lightly, teasing, and she had to blink
and shake her head to focus on the matter at hand.

"You refused a seat on the Council?" Her chest constricted.
"But that's what you've wanted more than anything."

Axiom shook his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead,
then his eyes met hers again and sparked silver light. "No.
What I want most is you. And our child. And a life together. No political office I could hold would content me as
being with you does. You accepted me, loved me when I
was not acceptable to those in the Light Realm. I belong
with you."

Moisture streamed down Laurell's face. Now that she'd
opened up to her emotions, tears did not shame her; she
no longer needed to keep strict control. Fear, sorrow, joy:
these things were meant to be shared. A life lived behind
a wall, no matter how safe and controlled, was no life at
all. She understood this now. Axiom had helped show her
the way.

"How long will you stay?" The question broke from
trembling lips. Not that it mattered. She'd love him for as
long as she could. She couldn't stop herself if she wanted
to. And she didn't want to. She longed to kiss him, hold
him as deeply, as much, as long as she could. She'd take
what she could get. The last months without him had been
the bleakest of her life.

Axiom pressed a kiss to her nose, then each cheek, raining them over her face.

"How long will I stay? Is forever long enough?" he whispered. "If I am with you always, Laurell, I do not think I
will have had my fill of you."

Her heart swelled with elation. "But how is this possible?"

"I am human now."

Her breath caught. "You became human for me? I-I
don't know what to say." She sighed. "Maybe instead, I'll
show you." She stood on tiptoe, and parted her lips in invitation, begging for his kiss, not bothering to hide her need.

His lips crashed against hers, hard and hungry, his arms
circling her and pulling her so tight against him it seemed
they were no longer separate beings, but one body, one
mind, one heart. Heat seared her insides, turned her legs to
Jell-O, and she thrilled at the feel of him, the taut muscles
bunching under her hands as she kneaded his back.

He lifted his mouth from hers just long enough to whisper the words she longed to hear him say. No matter that she already knew how he felt; she'd needed them to pass
from his lips.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured.

A metallic sheen layered his gaze, and her own eyes
widened. "You have powers still?"

He grinned. "An old friend made sure of it. How else
might I be able to fight evil alongside my magical child and
my powerful witch mate?"

Laurell laughed at this, and his head turned, his eyes
searching the room. "Where is she? Where is our child?"

Laurell's throat grew tight. She swallowed, suddenly able
to envision how their lives together would be-hers, Axiom's, Aurora's. How was it possible that in the space of
mere months, she'd found everything she'd ever wanted
and more?

She stepped from Axiom's embrace and tugged his hand,
leading him toward the back patio. Through the sliding
glass doors she could see Dawna tossing a Frisbee, her black
ponytail bobbing, face flushed with delight. Little peals of
laughter indicated Aurora was on the receiving end of
Dawna's soft throws.

"She's outside. Come meet your daughter."

She heard his sharp intake of breath. Did his hand tremble just a little bit in hers? My, how the mighty have fallen,
she thought with a small smile. Wait until he saw the little
angel. Wait until he saw what they'd created together,
whom they'd created.

She paused and glanced at him before they reached the
door, eyes washing over his suit. "What's with the suit? I
thought you gave those up."

Axiom chuckled and shrugged. "I wanted to look my
best for you. And for Aurora."

Laurell laughed, thinking him the most gorgeous man
she'd ever seen and anticipating Aurora's excitement when
she met her father.

Then, hand in hand, they walked outside into the crisp,
sun-kissed morning. Laurell blithely ignored the thunder
that rumbled somewhere in the distance.