The cool night air wrapped around them as the garden's shadows deepened, isolating Pyris and Seraphina from the rest of the world. It was as though the stars above had disappeared, leaving only the two of them in a cocoon of heat, desire, and the undeniable pull of power.
Seraphina, once the proud princess of the Dragon Empire, now trembled in Pyris's arms, her breath ragged, her defenses utterly destroyed.
Pyris's grip on her waist tightened as he pressed her back against the cool marble wall. His lips traced a path from her neck to her jawline, every touch making her shiver with a mixture of anticipation and surrender. Seraphina's hands clutched at his shirt, her fingers gripping the fabric as though he were the only thing anchoring her in reality.
"You've been fighting it all night," Pyris murmured against her skin, his voice like velvet, roughened by the satisfaction of his victory. "But now you know—this was inevitable."