“If he values his life, he’ll never cross your path again,” Gabriel said and put his hand on Cain’s forearm. “Try to forget what you can’t change.” He glanced to the side from where Faye was now approaching. “You have a wonderful life ahead of you. Don’t let hate poison your happiness.”

“I won’t,” he promised Gabriel and walked to Faye, opening his arms and wrapping her into an embrace. “My queen.”

Faye looked ravishing in her long strapless red dress, the same dress she’d worn in his dream.

“My king,” she responded, her lips only inches from his.

“I think it’s time to leave.”

Faye chuckled. “You can’t leave your own welcome home party so soon. Your subjects came expressly to see you.”

“I’m the king. I can leave whenever I want.” He swept her up into his arms.

“Cain! Put me down. Everybody’s looking.”

Cain glanced at the crowd and noticed heads turning. “I don’t care.” It didn’t matter what everybody thought of him taking his mate and carrying her out of the ballroom. All that mattered was that he wanted to be alone with her now.

They had both healed thanks to Blake’s and Nicolette’s blood, and now was the time to renew their love.

Cain kicked the door to his suite shut behind him and brought his lips to Faye’s. “I had a dream.”

“Yes?”

He carried her to the bed and stopped in front of it. “You were wearing this dress, but you wore nothing underneath.”

A soft laugh rolled over her lips. “My love, you have a very wicked imagination.”

“Do I?” He laid her down on the crisp sheets. “Or do I have a very wicked wife?”

Faye batted her eyelashes at him. “Maybe you should investigate that claim of yours.”

Cain ripped his bow tie open and tossed it to the floor, then shrugged his dinner jacket off his shoulders. “Yeah, maybe I should,” he answered teasingly. “Just as soon as I’ve gotten rid of my clothes.”

Her eyes watched him as he freed himself from his shirt. “I’ve always loved you stripping for me.”

Cain found himself smiling down at her as he opened the button to his pants and slid the zipper down. “Funny, in my dream I was the one saying that.” He stepped out of his shoes and pulled his socks off, before dropping his pants.

Faye’s lips parted on a breath while she let her eyes run over his nearly naked body. Cain dropped his gaze to his boxer briefs. The outline of his erection was clearly visible underneath the black fabric. Lifting his lids a fraction, he looked at her.

“Would you like me to take those off, too?”

Her eyes glowed with undisguised lust. “Don’t be a tease. Show me what I want to see.” Her hands reached for him. “Let me feel you.”

Cain hooked his thumbs under his boxer briefs and pushed them down slowly, watching with delight how Faye’s chest lifted and how her nipples hardened under the thin silk fabric of her dress.

Cool air wafted against his cock when he finally rid himself of the last piece of clothing and stood in front of her completely naked. His chest lifted with each breath, and his heart pumped more blood into his cock, making his eager appendage point upward, tilting toward his navel.

“Is that what you want, my insatiable queen?”

Faye opened her mouth wider. Fangs now peeked from her upper gums, slowly descending to their full length. He’d never seen a more erotic sight.

“Now show me if my dream was right,” he demanded.

She stroked provocatively down her torso. Mid thigh she gathered the fabric in her hands and pulled it up higher, first revealing her calves, then her knees.

“More,” he demanded, his voice now sounding hoarse.

She complied silently and pushed the fabric higher. Her bare thighs came into view. She spread them just a little, then inched the fabric over her hips, revealing the treasure beneath.

Cain’s mouth went dry. Just like in his dream, she was bare. A dark nest of hair was all that guarded her sex. He lifted his head and connected with her gaze.

“Satisfied?” she murmured.

“In a moment both of us will be,” he promised and gripped her dress.

She helped him strip her of it by sitting up, before pressing her flat back onto the bed. He moved over her and pushed her thighs farther apart with his knee to make space for himself.

When he felt her arms come around him and pull him to her, he knew the world was right again. Without a word, he adjusted his angle and thrust into her.