A/N- We all know what these mean in these books by now... Mature content ahead... and not just a little. I'd recommend waiting for the next chapter if you're put off by that. While there will be some forward plot, most of this chapter is about Meribella and Raff making the most of what might be their last night together- since we left off with them making a plan to take down Nerida. I'll make sure any important info appears in the next chapter. But, if you don't mind a little loving... here's the latest chapter!

Raff

"Shh," Meribella whispered as she opened the window to her bedroom. "No telling who is listening or watching."

Raff jumped through, landing on his paws with the ease of cat. A fine mist clung to his coat, and when he shook, it sent water droplets cascading across the room. Meribella giggled. The sound was a soothing balm to his heart.

"Thought we were supposed to be quiet."

"You're the one who slung water everywhere," she snapped, then paused. "Holy crap. I just heard you while you were in wolf form."

His tongue lolled out, and his damn tail wagged in excitement despite his stern orders to it to remain motionless. He needed to shift into his human form before he started yipping and rolling on his back, but considering their current predicament, he didn't think it was in their best interest to be naked around Meribella right now.

"I guess that makes sense," she said as she rummaged through a wardrobe. "You're still you."

"I didn't expect it either. For so long, this is the part of me- of any wolf- that we have to keep secret. I can't put into words how much it means to me that I can communicate with you while in this form."

She handed him a blanket and turned around. As he shifted, silver and white fur fell to the floor, the only remnant of his wolf's presence. Once he tied the blanket around his waist, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Meribella, peppering soft kisses along her neck. His lust, sluggish from all the chasteberry he'd consumed, stirred as her scent filled his nose.

"Raff," she warned, spinning around so her breasts were pressed against his bare chest. "You promised to behave if I let you spend the night."

It was true. Everyone had protested when he declared he was staying with Meribella until they put their plan into place. Too much temptation they insisted. Which was also true, but being apart was painful. Nearly debilitating in its intensity. They both knew they had to be together.

His hand rose up her stomach, creeping under her shirt and brushing the underside of her breast. She sucked in a breath and arched into his touch.

He winked. "This is me behaving. If I wasn't, you'd already be on the bed with my tongue inside of you."

Meribella blushed. "Gods, I never thought I'd have a thing for dirty talk."

Raff chuckled and kissed her slowly. Thoroughly. Running his tongue over hers until she responded in equal abandon. She pushed against him until the back of his legs hit the edge of the bed and he fell backward. Wasting no time, she straddled him and started to rock her hips against his erection.

"Meribella, okay, you're right," he grunted as pleasure shot through his body. "We should probably stop."

"You don't like it when I fight fire with fire?" she panted.

Now her cheeks were flushed with desire instead of embarrassment. Her hair curled around her face, and her eyes glowed in the dim light. He knew it meant she was close to coming, and it killed him to not slide his fingers between their bodies and ease her into oblivion.

Grabbing her hips, he rolled until she was on her back and he hovered over her. The knot in his blanket unraveled and it parted in the front, giving her a full view of her effect on him.

"Raff, do you notice that the pain gets less when we're touching each other? Fighting it makes it worse. Maybe the key isn't to not give into the pleasure but to embrace it." Her long fingers were cool against his heated length. "Let's stop fighting it."

"Meribella." He pulled her hand away and readjusted his blanket. Laying on his side, he pulled her close, spooning her on the bed and stroking her hair. "I love where your mind is at, but I don't think we should be pushing boundaries right now. Besides, I don't think you're in any place to be making those kinds of decisions."

"What do you mean?" She scooted away from him and rolled over so she could look him in the eye. "We're starting another war tomorrow. We may die. Is it so wrong that I want to feel your touch again in case it's the last time? I'm not saying we should throw caution to the wind, but we know how to stop ourselves."

"Baby, I'm not even talking about that. And believe me, I am right there with you, but you just found out Kai is dead."

"And?" Her tone was defensive. She no longer looked at him but up at the ceiling.

"And just like Valencia, you need to grieve. You need to mourn the loss of a loved one."

"There will be time for that when Nerida is defeated. I can't think of a better way to honor a loved one than by getting justice for her."

Raff considered her words. He was not one to tell another person how to grieve. When Meghan and his son died, he shut himself off from emotional connections. He denied himself the touch of a Fae woman, convinced he didn't deserve to feel pleasure since it was his selfish desire that cost a woman her life. When he thought Meribella was dead, he sank even further into himself, nearly going feral. He was a dead man walking.

Meribella appeared to be doing the opposite. She was trying to feel alive. He was just so damned scared they'd make a mistake that would cost them their future together. If they won the war tomorrow, and she died nine months from now, then for him, the fight would have been for nothing.

"Raff. Don't you trust me? I think that's how we lost our way before. We stopped trusting the other to do the right thing, and I want that back."

Surprised that she spoke through their bond instead of with words, he turned to her. She was on her knees. The first light of dawn drifted through the window- beams of gold and rose painting her skin with fire as she drew her top over her head. Her breasts hung heavy, her desire making them fuller, turning her nipples to a hard point.

She slid her hands over her body, letting them drift lower until they reached the band of her silk shorts. "Please."

"Gods, woman. Don't you know I can't deny you anything?"

With a growl, he pulled her to him, ripping the remaining fabric from her body. He settled her over his face, making her squeal in shock, which then turned into a moan, as his mouth found her hot center. Her thighs trembled around his face, and she slumped forward to hold herself up with her hands as he ravished her, his tongue unrelenting as he mimicked how he dreamed of one day moving inside of her.

One of her hands found his hair, and his eyes watered from the pain as she pulled. Her back bowed and she pressed herself onto him as she came with an unreserved scream. Only when she fell back, did he shift so that she was on her back on the bed.

He dragged her to the edge of the bed. Her hands gripped the sheets and she thrashed her head from side to side as his fingers took the place of his tongue while his mouth latched onto one of her nipples.

"Raff. Oh gods," she said, her voice raw and breathy.

It made him want to howl as he thrust his fingers inside of her, but his mouth was too full to do more than grunt in response. When he added a third finger, she came again, this time biting her hand to keep from calling out.

Grinning, he stepped back to admire her. Sprawled out across the bed, her skin rosy with from his attentions- she was a goddess, and he was made to worship her.

Scrambling to her knees, she looped her hands around his neck, pulling him back onto the bed while she kissed him. He knew she could taste herself on his lips, but she didn't pull away. They both gasped when his erection settled between her legs, coating him with her wetness. He tried to pull away, but she dropped her hands to his ass and pressed him against her body as she started to slide herself up and down his thick length.

"Meribella," he groaned, feeling his orgasm building. It was too much, feeling her ride him like this. He was going to come, and his seed would spill between her legs. It didn't matter that he wasn't inside her. It terrified him.

"Trust me," she said, breaking off their kiss and moving faster, her eyes so bright they nearly blinded him.

"I do. I love you."

"I love you too," she said, rocking against him once more before breaking away and bending down to draw him into her mouth.

Raff gripped her hair as she moved him in and out of her mouth while she massaged his balls with one hand. When he hit the back of her throat, he shouted, coming hard inside her mouth. He collapsed on the bed while she wiped the corner of her mouth and smiled at him.

"You little minx."

"Are you saying you didn't like it?"

He let his hand roam over body. It was damp with sweat and sex, and he was eager to go again. "You know that's not what I meant. Look, our marks are brighter again."

"How do you feel?"

"I think you were right. It's like my skin was too tight, but now I can breathe. What about you?"

"The same."

Raff cupped her face. "So clearly the solution to our problem is to get naked and dirty as often as possible."

"I concur," she whispered, kissing him as she climbed atop his body. "And in case we only have tonight, let's make it count."

He sat up so that she slid off his stomach and into his lap. Already, his body was gearing up for another round, but as he looked into her eyes, he wasn't thinking with anything but his heart.

"We're going to have a million more nights together, you understand?"

She nodded. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am. Don't you trust me?"