The pain of the bite lasted only a fraction of a second. What followed was a torrential flood of pure, blinding light.
Elara gasped, arching completely against Lucian’s chest as the mating bond snapped into place. It wasn't just a physical sensation; it was as if a dormant room inside her mind had suddenly been thrown open and flooded with sunshine.
She could feel him.
She felt the heavy, thrumming baseline of his power. She felt the jagged edges of his past pain, the terrifying depth of his rage toward her enemies, and—most overwhelmingly—a wave of awe and adoration so profound it brought tears spilling over her eyelashes. He looked at her not just as a woman, but as his entire world.
Lucian slowly pulled back, his chest heaving. His lips were slightly flushed, his amber eyes glow
