Seven days later.

Bianca was sitting on a bench in the garden that overlooked Rochnan Mountains. She was gazing the wild red flowers that fluttered in the soft chilly breeze. Over the last seven days she heard how the combined armies of Brantley, Ileus and Dmitri had fought with the winged demons. Her uncle and her father had

The demons were slayed and the ones, which survived, ran back to Zor'gan. Yesterday she came to know that Kar'den had also tucked his tail between his legs and ran off to Zor'gan.

However, Nusgroth had blasted the chambers where Sedora had hidden her Shadows. The palace was shattered. The blast had ripped it right from the center. So when Kar'den came back to the palace, he found ruins of his glorious past.

Her mother and Darius hadn't gone back to the human realm. They were still waiting for her father to return.

Bianca's hand went to her neck inadvertently. She rubbed it with a sigh. Ever since she had detached her body with her soul, she had felt so lonely, incomplete. However, now that she was in her physical form, she still didn't feel good. She yearned for her husband, her mate. And for seven agonizing days she would come everyday to sit on the bench and watch the red flowers.

The morning sun was falling on her skin and she wrapped her shawl close to her body. Suddenly she felt that someone was watching her. She gasped when she smelled a familiar smell. She turned her head on her shoulders, stopping the tears that formed in her eyes. "Brantley, are you there or I am hallucinating?" She asked in a choked voice.

A twig crunched under his foot as he walked towards her. He came to stand right in front of her and extended his hand. She grabbed it immediately. She whimpered. Brantley pulled her up and scooped her in his arms. The woman had grown thinner. He clasped her tight next to his chest and walked with her to his bedchamber as the servants watched them with adoration in their eyes. Bianca buried her face in his chest.

Holly was there outside their bed chamber and she exclaimed with happiness. She bowed as they passed her. The royal guards walked behind them with their spears until they reached their room. Holly opened the door for them and closed as soon as they entered the bed chamber.

"I missed you," she said in the room and kissed his neck. The softness of her lips made him groan. He placed her on the bed gently and flicked his hands. The windows were instantly covered with shutters and only the candelabras lit the room. He looked into her green eyes and the world ceased to exist for both of them. He cupped her face and brushed her cheeks lightly with his knuckles. At this moment all he wanted was to explore her all over again. He wanted to assure that she wasn't just a spirit. He wanted to feel every inch of his wife.

Bianca's lips quivered as she stared in his hazel eyes. No one was as beautiful as the man standing in front of her. Battle-weary with blood soaked in his clothes, he looked alluring. She was dying to touch her and Brantley… he explored her everywhere. He crawled over her and branded her with his kisses on her face, her nape, shoulders, her collarbone, until she closed her eyes when his lips found her breasts. He kissed them, suckled them and then moved further down to her stomach.

Her body shuddered under his touch and when he looked up, he saw her red hair that was spread around her, burning like the morning sun. Brantley kissed her all the way up to her neck and then pressed his lips on hers. She hastily unbuttoned his shirt and unbuckled his pants. He removed them in one swift move. He sat down on the bed and pulled her in his embrace. He removed her clothes and buried his face in her hair. "Bia… sweetheart…" he rasped. Brantley didn't leave a place on her body and learned her again and again. "I can't ever get enough of you angel," he said.

When he pressed a kiss on her folds in between her thighs, she muttered his name like a chant. And when he plunged inside her, he forgot all about the battle he had fought with the demons and the evil. They made love wildly, they made love until they were satisfied and they made love until they didn't know where he began and where she ended.

She lay cradled over his body and let the tears fall from her eyes. Brantley stroked her hair and rubbed her back until her tears stopped. When she looked up at him with her red swollen eyes and swollen lips, she said, "Welcome home."

He stared at her face and then his face erupted into a smile. "Now I know that you missed me, sweetheart."

She giggled and settled back on his chest. Moments later he cupped her face and said, "You have been so brave, sweetheart. You didn't give into the lure of the darkness and successfully warded the evil away from our lands. I think the Loreans can't thank you enough."

She sniffled and wiped her face with the blanket. "I did this for our better future husband," she said in a soft, gentle voice.

Brantley pulled her closer to him and pressed her against his chest. Everything receded in the background—his palace, his people and his kingdom. Only Bianca was there, his mate was there—alive and kicking. And Sedora was gone. Could he get any luckier? "I love you, wife," he said as he kissed the crown of her head. "You are my home." Saying that he plunged again in her.

---

Dawn was sitting across the bed when Daryn had entered the room. She looked at him with trembling lips. The man had undergone so much over the last few days that she didn't know how to soothe him. She got up and ran to him and embraced him tightly. Through her tears he breathed, "You are back!" She kissed his chest as he just hugged her in his arms.

Daryn scooped her in his arms and took her to the bathroom. He had to take a bath and get rid of the creepy feeling of the winged demons and of Sedora.

Later as they lay against each other, he played with her hair as usual. This small act assured him, relaxed him.

"What about Aed Ruad?" she asked as she drew lazy circles on his chest.

"He disappeared on the third day of the battle. God knows where he is and frankly I am not bothered."

"And Caleb?"

"Both Caleb and Ileus have gone back to their kingdoms."

"I wanted to ask you one thing Daryn."

"Hmm?" he said he pulled his wife over his chest. Her weight always calmed him and he needed to sleep.

"How come the blood of the winged demons never affected our armies?"

"Ileus had prepared a potion for all of us, which he made us gulp down our throats before letting us fight!"

Dawn chuckled. "He is a smart wizard!"

In the next few days, economic and trade embargos were imposed upon the kingdom of Zor'gan. Ileus, Caleb and Daryn had sealed its borders with their magic to such an extent that for an innocent passerby the place would just look like a barren desert.