The glow of candlelight still lingered in the chamber, casting golden halos across the stone walls as the warmth between them slowly faded into something more focused—more urgent.
Lucien sat across from her now, shirtless still, as though teaching required as much exposure as seduction. His body was a study in restraint—lean muscle honed by centuries of power and patience. But his eyes... they burned with something new.
Purpose.
Sienna adjusted the robe he had given her, the crimson silk brushing against her skin like the ghost of his mouth. Her limbs still felt heavy with pleasure, her mind struggling to shift from the haze of their bond to the clarity of what came next.
Lucien studied her like a scholar watching an ancient language slowly reveal itself.
“You’re not just a woman anym
