“What’s wrong with it?” Sebastian queried.
She frowned and her brow furrowed fearfully.
“What is it?” He rushed to her side. Taking her hands. To his surprise she let him grip her fingers, lightly stroking the knuckles with his thumb. “What can I do?”
She worried her lip and eyes roved his face as she tossed over what to do. Then abruptly her expression melted. Her head lolled back and when it dropped forward, her eyes were liquid. She licked away what remained of the wine on her lips and her head lowered. Eyes intent on him.
I know that look. He was startled. But I’ve never seen it on her.
***
Her lips parted breathlessly, damp and red from the drink. She slid one of her hands free to flatten against his chest. In less than a second it molded over his body trailing up. She stood on her toes to reach the back of his neck.
He noted faintly her smell had changed. Lending a more poignant sweetness to the air. Som
“H-how did you make that appear in your hand?” She blinked at the cup he held near his shoulder in horror. His other hand was sweeping her lower back to keep her pulled tight against him. “Magic.” She was staring at him. Looking more terrified than any prey he’d ever hunted. “Care for another sip?” Her lips parted and her chest heaved. “Take it.” He urged. “It’s yours.” Like a hopeless addict after opiates she stole the glass and drank what was left. Her throat working as she swallowed and a single purplish wine drop slipping from the corner of her mouth to trail down her neck and over her collar into the hollow between her breasts. Unable to resist, he lowered himself enough to stop its progress with the tip of his tongue. Deliberately dragging his tongue over the trail it’d left. Up over her torso, along the side of her neck, her jaw and to that pretty mouth as she removed the cup. Humming in her throat in a long purr
The feel of linking with her. Of her sweet body swallowing him up was nearly enough to make him collapse where he was. She was like all the finest things he could imagine. Satin, velvet, honey. Like the most tantalizing dream. But he wasn’t dreaming. He’d probably checked five times in the last three minutes. He was deeply inside her while she braced her body along the bed, her ass in the air. For the taking. He pulled out of her and caught her hips as he lurched back in. Watching her body jerk and her silver hair bounce. Hearing her alluring gasp of surprise as he filled her again. “More?” He leaned around to query. “More.” Surprised at her honesty he was willing to obey. So, he gave her more. Pumping into her, more ferociously. Building the friction between them and hearing her soft pants as her climax drew closer. The intensity of those short quick breaths telling him she was straining not to come already.
“You are the most intense man…” She said a bit harshly. But he understood it was her version of teasing. He scoffed. “I’d think you much the same kind of woman.” Her mouth scrunched to the side in disapproval of his comment. She doesn’t like hearing that. “Tell me, Woman. What does it feel like to have me inside you?” He began gliding smoothly in and out of her. Letting her body slick to make her channel more open for his length which filled it in like a dagger into a scabbard. Caressing so softly over his length to swallow his base and brush along his sack. Entirely surrounding him with her warmth. “Your spike is fat and stiff.” She said uncertainly. “Indeed.” He laughed slightly but tried not to be discouraging. “And what else?” Her sexual praise is a bit staled. He fought the twitching of his lips. Reminding himself that now was not the time for his twisted humor. “You feel like…Like…” She b
When Elsabet made her way downstairs, she found him sitting across from her. Sipping from a cup of coffee and looking out a windowslit. Watching birds flying from the trees below. He glanced at her as she entered. “Good morning. I had Elengard draw you breakfast. I thought you might be hungry.” “Thank you.” She murmured. Pulling out a seat as she gazed appreciatively at the platter of scrambled eggs with some manner of leafy green blended in. Some fresh vegetables and fruits on the edge of the plate. Her gaze landed on a bit of sliced strawberry disdainfully. She glanced up and saw him sipping his coffee and looking out the window. The very embodiment of innocence. She grunted derisively and flicked the strawberries from her platter onto the table. Scooting the rest of her food away from them. As though the juice might contaminate it. She ate some egg and nibbled a bit of vegetable before lifting the glass to drink. Stopping j
“What about that master of yours?” She straightened, and Quandary slipped off the bed after her. What about him? “He’s rather strange is he not?” Yet, devilishly attractive, admit it. He watched the swing of her hips as she walked in-front of him. Making his throat rumble as he sent a glance Heavenward. Willing himself patience. Her bare feet were soundless down the corridor. “Well, let me tell you! I’m quite done with that man of yours telling me what to do. Thinking he lords over everything here!” She gave a wide gesture. I do rule here. His dark head whipped to look at her. I built it. “He doesn’t lord over me!” She proclaimed. Glancing at Quandary, who was in step with her. “In-fact were he here now I’d surely tell him so! That insufferable cad be damned!” Quandary jerked to a stop and promptly sat in the corridor. Highly tempted to duck into a chamber and emerge as aman, to
“And you?” Elsabet didn’t deny it. Calisto shrugged. “About the same. My conceptions of time are slightly skewed now that I’m trapped outside of it.” Elsabet’s confusion was written across her face. “Would you tell him something for me when you see him?” “Who?” Elsabet cocked her head. Calisto gave her a look that clearly indicated she thought it quite clear. “I prefer not to talk to him.” “If you didn’t enjoy him so much, you wouldn’t try so hard to dodge him. He simply wouldn’t matter...” Calisto countered. “He’s insufferable.” “Definitely. But magnetic just the same. With a raw animal appeal that’s nearly irresistible.” “You say that with admiration. Why? How can you stand him? He’s crass, always making innuendos.” Calisto’s purple-blue eyes widened. “Is he? Usually, its women speaking such to him. I’ve never heard Bast do so. Are you saying he flirts with you?” There was nearly envy in her tone. “He taunts me.” “Mercilessly.” Bast emerged from the shadows at the other
“Yes.” Bast acknowledged that he believed it was Caliso relaying the messages to Elsabet. “She says he is where the tree pods are yellowing.” They were talking about Raese, the missing Forever Knight. And his mate. The woman which, as far as they could tell was either dead or bound outside the realms of time. Something she could do to others... “The Isle.” Deragan filled in. Knowing that the many wooded forests littering the inner sanctum of the island tended to have yellow pods this time of year. “Or the Paladines.” “So, who goes to the Paladines?” Deragan asked. Knowing they needed to have people searching both directions if they wanted to have a chance of finding Raese. “Rhyers is. I thought perhaps you might join me?” Deragan looked him over thoughtfully. “You have not checked the Isle for her in some time. She may be there.” “She’s not. She’ll be closer to here.” “It’s not good for you to sit here. Wasting years until her next reincarnation.” “It is what I do.” Deragan
Outskirts of LandingTown, Igonox Sebastian and Deragan now watched the cottage on the outskirts of Landingtown. Where they’d trailed the boy’s scent to. Bast glanced up gratefully when Lucien arrived. “We need a plan.” Lucien knelt next to them to peer over a pile of logs. Looking to his right and assessing the trees and the number of huts. He checked his left. His eyes worked down the road ahead of them. Moving methodically over the threats and possible directions. Inspecting each hut in detail and tuning into the sounds emerging from each. “How many?” Lucien asked. “I’ve no idea.” Bast eyed him askance. “How would I know that?” He glanced at The Alpha crouched next to him. “Would you know that?” “He’s talking to me.” Both Deragan and Bast jumped at the sound of Rhyers’ voice from directly behind them. “I hate when you do that.” Even The Alpha was annoyed with his silent movements tonight. “We can’t hear you at all.” Bast twisted to glower at him. “He was at the castle.” Lu
Later that night, as Elsabet slept, Sebastian found himself sitting in the library. In his luxurious red chair next to the fire. The one he so often shared with Elsabet.He tilted forward in the seat, then leaned back. Rocking his body since the chair, on its stationary legs, could not.He slowly lulled the tiny being in his arms. Bright gold curls framed her small round face. And little hands flailed sleepily. Looking for something to hold onto.When Elsabet had curled into a ball and murmured that she needed to rest, he’d taken the baby and retreated downstairs. Sensing that Elsabet was grieving the loss of her own freedom. Resenting her own surrender.And the reasons she had to do it.
Elsabet giggled, then grunted in pain. Holding her abdomen as pain knifed deep into her center.Bast tightened in fear, but before he could question her the pain seemingly subsided. She relaxed and her hands slid away.“He is right though.” Sebastian said quietly, seeing she was alright. His words caused Elsabet to glance back at him. “She is as fair a beauty, as her mother.”Confusion crossed Elsabet’s face. She looked lost, not understanding something.“What is it?”“I’ve never heard people discussing me as though it’s fact that I’m fair to look upon.”“Fair!” Sebastian said incredulously. “You’re far more than fair. As I’ve told you on many an occasion!”Does she jest?Both men looked shocked.“I thought you said that, merely for the sake of being charming.”“Does she not know?” Alazareth blurted, staring at her astounded. Eventually he gave Sebastian a horrified look. “Clearly not.” Seba
Sebastian looked at his twin, Alazareth, to answer his question. “Her name is Sebet. After her beautiful mother.”Sebastian’s gaze returned to Elsabet and he noted her shocked expression. Her stormy blue eyes were huge, awash with emotion.“What?” He queried.“You’d name her after me?”Of course.“I name her after my greatest treasure.” His eyes returned to his new daughter, and he missed the flicker of pain flashing over her face at being referred to as something she would’ve considered property.Alazareth noticed her agony and his gaze slid to his brother who was absorbed in murmuring to the curly haired little girl. Blissfully happy to see her. Alazareth couldn’t bear the thought of stealing his brother’s moment of joy, to point it out to him.Elsabet’s gaze fell to her hands, and her expression was anguish.Sebastian would’ve noticed instantly, any other moment. But this one, all he could see was his new daughter.
Sebastian gave Elsabet’s hand a quick squeeze. Leaning over her and pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.We can’t lose our daughter. He tried to push Agatha’s warning aside. But he was afraid. Very afraid.Elsabet screamed in pain.The ground under their feet quaked as she moaned in pain. Stones cracked and corners of moldings fractured and fell away. Bits of stone fell like rain from the outside of the building, past the window slits.“I’m here.” He whispered against her forehead. Leaning over her. As he did, he exuded enough magic to steady WaterRose against her unconscious swells of it.There was suddenly the vivid smell of blood and unknown fluids, an odor that terrified Sebastian in its foreignness.Agatha began shouting excitedly while Mags soothingly coached Elsabet on what to do.Then Agatha made a sudden rapid movement and swept her other hand under the coverlet draped over Elsabet’s knees.There wa
Once he felt the energy of the stronghold steady, he felt it was safe for him to go upstairs. He needed to stay collected. If the both of them were in chaos, the stronghold could peel itself apart.Bast hurried up the steps and turned into the flat hall. Pulling himself around the banister to rush his pace. He hurried to her chamber, only to come to an abrupt halt at the chamber just before hers.The door was open and inside was Sebastian’s twin brother.Alazareth was sitting in a chair inside the room. His back to the wall so he could hear everything within the next room. Worry was on his face, and he was massaging the back of his jaw. A motion that always indicated severe tension. Alazareth was always composed.This is bad. “What is it?” Bast’s steps slowed.“Something is wrong.” Alazareth’s jaw ticked.Oh, no… Sebastian tensed. His fists working at his sides as he waited. “What?”
Dread Hideout, Dread CountrySighing, Acharius headed back toward his caves. His huge form should’ve lumbered, but he moved far lighter than he should’ve for his size. His blonde hair hung to his shoulders, a few warrior braids near his face. A fur was slung over his back with a bow and a quiver over that.He lifted the bow over his head just as he reached his chamber but paused when Alazareth’s voice summoned him back out. “Acharius!”The viking’s head whipped in the direction of the opening. Noting it was odd for Alazar to come here.Acharius ducked slightly as he emerged from the lower mouth of the cave. His massive size blocked the darkness beyond him. “Alzareth?”His eyes moved to the identical figure next to him. “Bast?” His voice dropped in concern. “What is it?”“What is it?” Acharius asked.“We need the women.” Alazar responded.“Mags and Aggie?” Acharius looke
“Elsabet?” Sebastian called, having just arrived back at WaterRose, he was frantic to check on her.To see if she’s alright. If our babe is.“Yes?” She called from upstairs.He followed the sound of her voice up to her chamber. Finding her still abed. “Are you well today? Is there anything you need?”“I’m exhausted.” She sighed wistfully.Drawing near, he saw that her ripe belly seemed to have grown overnight, straining her petite frame.“I feel weak. But better. The pain is less.” She swept hair from her forehead so she could better look at him. Blue eyes lovely.“Come.” She waved him over.He walked to her.She caught his larger hand in hers. Rubbing the back of it with a soft thumb pad.He turned his hand to link his long fingers through her small ones and let her pull him down next to her.She scooted over and he was swallowed by the warmth of where she’d lain. Feeling that rare heat he only pe
Elsabet eventually fell asleep.Sebatian was wide awake behind Elsabet. Careful not to bump her wounded back. He suspected that, like him, if she were able to change shape she could go far in the way of healing.But she can’t. Her body wouldn’t let shift while there was an infant in her womb.He stroked her hair.She made small sounds of distress that told him she was either having a nightmare or suffering the throes of her fever.“It’s okay, sweetheart.”“Why weren’t you there?” She whimpered again.She doesn’t believe I was. That made him feel like he’d let her down, even though he had been there. He laid with her for a long while.When he did finally move to go and began sliding his arm from beneath her head, she abruptly caught his forearm and wrist. “Stay.”He did. Because he could deny her so very little.It was hours before he did slip away. He made it to the door that time
“Sebastian. Sebastian…” Elsabet moaned. Throwing her head side to side.“I’m here.” He told her. Crouched next to the bed, holding her hand. His expression was rife with worry as he saw her suffering.She was so strong, seeing her this weak was painful. She was fighting against something she couldn’t see.For both her and my daughter. Sebastian’s throat felt raw, and his face was swollen from the emotions he had while sitting at her side.“Where are you?” She murmured, tossing her head. She was covered in sweat. The fever had taken hold and now wreaked its cruel havoc.“I can’t find you!”“I’m here, sweetheart.” He said brokenly.“Why won’t you come?” She whispered urgently.He realized she was dreaming, perhaps reliving that moment in the grove. Wherever she was, his voice wasn’t reaching he