She made a non-committal sound, unwilling to argue with him about what constituted divine guidance and what constituted a cursed magical object messing with your head.
Personally, she had no desire to be put into that kind of position.
Well, that wasn’t true. Technically, every piece of her wanted to be put into all kinds of positions by him, but she knew she couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be right.
She was sure of her own feelings, no matter what Ryle said. She wasn’t affected by the Magic Wand thing at all.
But Dom?
He’d been under its spell for so much longer. There was no telling the kinds of things it was doing to him.
She wouldn’t take advantage of him, she vowed to herself for what had to be the hundredth time tonight. She just needed to keep reminding herself of that fact, because it just seemed sillier and sillier not to throw herself into his arms and forget about being strong.
She closed her eyes, fighting against the rush of emotions when she thought about him touching her. It was as if he was in her head, gathering all the good events and feelings in her life, pulling them to the surface, and making them better.
Like his mere presence made life better somehow.
They were connected. She didn’t know how or why, but she was sure of that.
Whatever the Magic Wand did, it wasn’t doing this. She was also sure of that. Well… not really “sure,” more like… “praying.” Because she didn’t want whatever this was to end. She… needed it. It was like she’d finally found what she’d been looking for her entire life and when Dom had showed up, it had been like, “Oh, there you are! Finally!”
She could be real with him. She could be herself and she hadn’t been herself in years. She’d been replaced by someone who fought and scraped and lied to get through life. She’d become pretty good at it. But with Dom? She didn’t have to be. She could… relax. She trusted the man, and she didn’t really trust anyone but Ryle. Not anymore.
And the thought that it could be one-sided or be the result of some mystical cursed thing, made her scared and unsure of herself.
But she had to be strong and ignore the feelings. Ignore how amazing it felt when he touched her or how much better she felt whenever he was around.
She silently vowed not to give in for the hundredth and first time.
She set about looking for fabric, hoping that would take her mind off of things. She had some free time and if she could get a nice pattern for his suit going, she’d be able to finish off the final version of it all the quicker.
And he’d look amazing in it.
His strong muscles wrapped in expensive fabric, which would feel amazing against her skin as he held her…
Dammit.
Silent vow number one-hundred and two.
“Your problem is that you’re just being too human about this.” He told her seriously. “That is why humans don’t value their own Pyra.” He paused. “If they did, you’d be taking this more seriously. You might be used to all of this, but I assure you, it’s very new to me.”
“I’m going to figure out how to fix it once we reach the capital.”
“I already know how to fix it, I keep telling you.”
“But you don’t know what you’re saying right now.” She made a noncommittal sound, grabbing a sheet from off of a table and holding it up to him. “On your feet.” She ordered.
“I know what I’m saying.” He did as he was asked. “And it’s really not so bad you know.” He informed her, obviously trying to sound persuasive. “In fact, it’s desperately needed. Because if we didn’t have it, we’d never be able to find our mates.”
She closed her eyes as something close to pain shot through her at the word. “Please don’t say ‘mate’ around me right now, okay?”
Silent vow number one-hundred and three.
“And if it’s ignored, bad things happen.” He warned ominously. “The burns are only the beginning.”
“Well, your holy Mountain thing can go to hell, because I will not be controlled by some cursed wand thing.”
“It isn’t ‘control’ it’s a gift.”
“I don’t want it.”
“It doesn’t care whether you want it or not.”
She made a face at him. “And that doesn’t bother you at all?”
“No.” He shook his head seriously. “I’m thankful for the gift because it’s the fulfillment of my every dream. Plus, I need it to keep from dying horribly in the fire which will result if I try to reject it.”
“You’re on fire all the time.” She argued logically, placing the sheet on his shoulders.
“Yes!” He agreed. “That’s what I’m saying!” He slapped one hand into the other. “The Pyra is what allows us to spot our mate. It gets our attention like only being completely engulfed in burning flames can, so that we know where our mate is and when to look for her. It allows us access to our full power, so that we can attract her attention, prove ourselves as protectors, and gain the ability to defend her if that’s needed. And once we join, we’re both protected. The flames will not harm us. But if we ignore that, if we decide not to pay attention to the Mountain’s holy gift to us and choose instead to live the last few days of our life in painful loneliness and despair, we really can’t blame the Mountain for it, now can we?” He slapped the back of his hand into his palm again. “Because as our skin burns and sizzles, we’ll really have no one to blame but ourselves for it. Because we could have stopped it at any time, if we had just stopped being so stubborn.”
She nodded, barely paying attention to his religious zeal and not really listening. “Yeeeeah.” She pointed at him. “I think we’ll need to go with the double-breasted. “ She decided.
He let out an aggravated sound. “You’re not even listening, are you?!” He rolled his eyes. “Here I am, carefully explaining the deepest beliefs of my people, which at the moment are the only thing keeping us both from the certainty of an excruciating fiery death, and all you can think about are human clothes.” He sneered the word out like it was some kind of slur to him.
She frowned in confusion. “I’m sorry, what?” She blinked rapidly. “Were you saying something?”
He heaved a longsuffering sigh. “No.” He closed his eyes as if in pain. “Continue with your work.” He turned to look at one of the cracks on the wall. “It’ll be a lot harder to measure my arm once we’re both burning to death, I suppose. Best to do it now.”
She ignored him, gently running her hand down the arm in question to measure it.
He winced and nearly fell over.
“Oh, God!” She swore at herself. “Sorry! I forgot about the burns!” She leaned closer to him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He stood up straight again.
“Did it hurt too badly? I didn’t mean to…” She stammered. “I would never…”
“It didn’t hurt.” He told her softly. “Quite the opposite, in fact.” He met her eyes. “Your touch is the only thing in this world which can make the burns better.”
She stared at him in silence for a beat. “Oh.” She had no idea what to say to that. “Okay.”
Silent vow number one-hundred and four.
“That is what The Pyra allows us to do.” He whispered. “It gives us both the burns and the means to sooth them.” He gently took her hand and touched her fingertip to one of the charred looking spots on his dark greenish-grey skin. Immediately the painful looking wound began to heal and return to healthy skin.
He closed his eyes in relief and let out a low breath.
“Wait…” She was still trying to process this. “So, you’re saying it wasn’t the water that fixed my arm then?”
He shook his head. “How could water help to stop The Pyra?” He sounded both amused and horrified by the idea. “One is Divine, the other is just… well… water.”
“And you’re saying that this thing is what I’ve been feeling for days…”
“Like embers beneath the skin and fire in the v
eins.” He summarized, nodding. “Yes.”
“You’re saying that this is because we haven’t…” She pointed back and forth between them and nodded meaningfully.
“That is what I’m saying, yes.” He looked relieved, as if finally making headway with a particularly stupid student. “I’m saying that if we do not complete our union, the pain will only get worse and will end in tragedy.”
“Ah.” She was still in shock over the entire idea.
“So can I touch you?” He asked softly, his voice a whisper. “Please?”
“What?” She was still too distracted and amazed by this entire thing to really process his words. “Sure…” Her brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to figure out how all of this could even be possible. “Go ahead.”
He nodded, looking incredibly relieved for some reason, and then took hold of the zipper of her uniform and pulled it down.
That snapped her out of her focus and her eyes widened. “Wait! You can’t just…”
His hand was already slipping inside though, casually pulling down the cup of her bra. “How can you stand being so covered?” He wondered aloud. “I would feel so suffocated. Like I was hiding myself from my mate.”
She shook her head frantically. “I don’t think you should…”
His hand closed over her breast and the protest died on her lips. It was like her entire mind shut down or somehow just started focusing on the stuff that mattered rather than the many, many things in this world which didn’t.
She met his eyes, feeling dazed and more beautiful than she ever had in her life. His fingers gently caressed and strummed at her nipple, causing a wave of sensations to cascade through her. The fire in her skin seemed like it was put out with a fire hose, washing away all traces of the uncomfortable pain which had plagued her since before the river.
Her skin began to grow hotter, but this time, it was a good heat. It felt so comforting and safe, like being curled up next to a warm fire. It brought with it passion, not pain. She began to shrug off the uniform and pulled it down, being careful not to dislodge his hand. If he removed his hand, she might cry.
His eyes moved to survey the newly exposed skin. “I…I was wondering about that.” He said as if to himself. “Everything’s in the same place,” He pulled down the cup of her bra to expose her other breast to his view, “but so much more beautiful.”
“What are we talking about?” She whispered, still trying to control herself and feeling like she was trying to catch up with a lot of stuff in her life she’d missed out on. “I… I didn’t catch that.”
“Humans.” He informed her struggling with the clasp of her bra. “This is my first time.”
“With a human?” She guessed, helping him to unlatch the bra and then toss it aside.
“Yes. But with anyone, really.” His hands returned to her body. “One of the disadvantages of being the last of your kind.” He looked down at her breasts as he held them in his large hands. “I find it worth the wait.”
She shuddered, feeling like the wave of emotions flowing through her was getting hotter for some reason. “D-D-Dom?” She gasped, her voice breaking.
“Shhh…” He soothed, pulling her pants off over her boots. “It’s okay…” He gently ran his finger across the lace of her panties. “Don’t fight against it…”
She swore as the wave of passion and lust and love took her.
Whatever kind of weird magic his “Mountain” put out, it was wonderful.
If this was what his “Pyra” was like, she might never be able to forgive him for not letting her experience it before now.
She panted for breath, feeling unsteady on her feet. “I… I don’t think…”
He pulled her panties down and pressed his hand against her weeping core.
She swore again, feeling like she was about to explode. She bit her lower lip, fighting against it desperately, afraid of what might happen to her if she let go, but she was unable to keep it back any longer.
She exploded.
And not only in a “sexual climax” sense, but quite literally.
The flames surrounded her suddenly, but rather than pain, they brought only a warmth. As if they were the emotions and sensations themselves, somehow made real and teasing and stroking every inch of her flesh. The fire warmed her, freeing her from the cold she’d never known she’d been living in.
She felt a rush of power and lust and excitement, which she didn’t know how to control. Everything she’d ever felt before with him, or about him, was suddenly multiplied by a thousand.
She didn’t think she’d be able to contain it.
So she didn’t.
She shoved him backwards, intending to push him up against the wall and have her way with him as quickly and as roughly as possible. Unfortunately, and to her complete surprise, instead of hitting the wall behind him, she sent him straight through it. The blow made him crash through the side of the house and then glide several feet across the yard outside, digging a deep rut in the grass.
Taylor’s eyes widened, shocked that she’d been able to do that.
He sat up, looking similarly amazed.
And then her surprise cleared and she remembered that she didn’t care. The fact that she’d somehow gained weird super-strength or whatever seemed so unimportant compared to being with him. She pushed her way through the new hole in the wall she’d just accidentally created with his body, and stalked across the lawn.
“I-I-I think The Pyra has taken root in you and…” He began to explain, getting to his feet. “The power is…”
She cut him off by grabbing him and pulling him roughly into another kiss.
“I think that…” He tried again, sounding shocked.
She pushed him again, causing him to stumble over debris and crash into the wall of the barn.
She prowled forward, feeling an almost predatory desire for him. It was completely out of her character for her, but she found… that she kind of liked it.
She needed him.
And she needed him now.
“I am actually breakable, you know.” He reminded her from the ground, sitting up again. “I am flattered by your desire, but I would prefer not to be put through anymore walls…” He swallowed, taking in her nakedness as she stalked towards him. “…if possible.”
“Shut up.” She pushed his back to the ground and sat on him, pressing him into the soft hay. “You’re tough, you can take it, you big baby.”
She kissed him deeply, his tongue pushing its way into her mouth and doing the most wonderful things.
He broke the kiss, breathing hard and still looking dazed. “On second thought, do whatever you want.” His hand closed over her breast. “The bruises will heal.”
She reached down to yank off his loincloth and toss it aside. “Let’s heal this, huh?”
He hissed in pain and pleasure as her hand closed around his thick, hard body.
“Feel better?” She asked seductively, watching his charred skin turn healthy, and making her feel so powerful.
He nodded weakly, reaching under her to once again touch her swollen intimate flesh with his fingers. “Incredible.” He told her, pulling her down to kiss her again, his fingers playing over her.
She ran her free hand down the side of his face, watching in wonder as he healed before her eyes. “Wow…” She breathed, taking in his unburnt appearance for the first time. If he had been good-looking before, he was fucking spectacular now.
He moved to kiss and suckle on her breasts and she put her head back, moaning in pleasure, continuing to move her hand over the hard length of him.
His fingers moved faster and she ground her hips against him.
“That’s it…” He cooed, laying back down and simply watching her move. “Enjoy me…”
His thumb touched exactly where she needed it to, and she climaxed. Hard.
He growled with lust, lifting her up and placing his body at her entrance, slipping inside her before her aftershocks had even
stopped.
She moaned, his body surging forward to seat himself deep within her. Her breath came in gasps as she tried to deal with his massive size filling her damp heat.
He met her eyes. “You are my mate.” He told her, leaning forward to kiss her neck as she sat on his lap, his body filling her. “I am yours.”
She clawed at the back of his head, pulling him closer.
“I know you’re scared. I will try to be gentle…” He told her, his voice tight, almost pained.
“Don’t.” She pulled his face away from her neck and kissed him, his lips immediately worked on devouring her. “The bruises will heal.” She whispered in his ear, echoing his earlier words. “Please…”
She needed him and the very last thing she wanted was to go any slower. She’d gone slowly all week with him and they’d both almost died as a result.
Plus, she sure as hell didn’t want to take it gentle with him. She wanted it hard and passionate and loving. And now.
He didn’t need to be told twice.
He moved his hands to her rear and pulled her forward, driving himself in deeper as he pressed her against him.
She let out a cry, as the fire once more danced around her, joining with his flames and filling her entire vision, blocking out everything but him.
He moved beneath her, driving himself into her and grinding her body against him. She did the best she could to move with him and surrender to the demands of his unyielding flesh.
He leaned her back until she was laying on the hay and began to rock into her more forcefully.
She gasped for air now, her entire body so incredibly hot and growing hotter, until it felt like she might melt.
The hay surrounding her head began to sizzle and burn, but she was too far gone to care. She was so close… So close…
His hand moved to run down her leg, pulling her against him as he pressed into her, and Taylor exploded.
She screamed in passion, halfway between his name and a cry of pleasure.
He followed a moment later, his entire body tensing, his face inches from hers. He let out what could only be described as a roar of pleasure. It was seductive and possessive and was so deep and rumbly that it almost caused Taylor to climax again.
Travels With a Fairytale Monster Page 24