Morning light filtered through the curtains with the subtlety of a paparazzi flashbulb, determined to document our first post-coital dawn whether we liked it or not. I blinked awake slowly, momentarily disoriented by the weight of Kieran's arm draped possessively across my waist and the unfamiliar sensation of contentment that seemed to have settled into my bones like a squatter with excellent taste in real estate.
Kieran was still asleep, his face softened in repose in a way that made him look younger, less burdened by the responsibilities of being his father's second in command and my personal supernatural bodyguard. His wing marks had faded to a silvery outline again, though they seemed to shimmer slightly with each breath he took, like a celestial screensaver in low-power mode.
I stu
