“Isabel, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he took her hand and pressed it to his lips. She blushed, feeling the heat rise up her chest and smiled unwillingly.
“You must be Morkain?” She took a step back to regain some composure.
He took a step towards her again. “I am. It pleases me to hear you speak my name.” He smiled.
She felt the blood further rising as he swept his arm around her back and put his face in her hair. She was utterly frozen. God he was forward.
“Your hair smells intoxicating. Like fresh mint and rosemary.”
His hand twirled a curl around his fingertip. “You are mesmerizing Isabel, as I knew you would be.”
She closed her eyes and breathed in. She hadn’t had one decent date in her entire life and now two of the most gorgeous creatures she’d ever seen were ogling over her. What a change in pace!
“Morkain, please. We’ve only just met.”
“Yes, but we have a few thousand years of catching up to do and why wait?”
He nuzzled his face into her neck and grazed her skin lightly with his teeth.
“Please stop, or I will go home.” She shivered.
“Ah, so you have already learned how to do that?” He looked at her like she was an amusing child. “Aren’t you surprising Beauty? I know that you are far from average but it’s no matter. You will never wish to leave once you have known me.”
What a pompous ass! Her chin rose as she turned away noticing the silk of her dress whip across his pants as she walked away. She turned and walked towards the balcony off to the corner of the room and her breath cut off in her throat as she stepped outside.
She was in the tower of an incredible castle that stood massively against the horizon. It was a shimmering deep blue like water just before it froze, and glowed with golden light. Great walls encircled a city that stretched as out far into the distance as she could see to one side and fires and light were sparkling throughout the kingdom. Not terribly unlike Loveryn in its build as far as the arches and flowing rooftops, yet at the same time it was entirely different too. A smell lingered through the air and as she looked down she saw vines that crept up the towers alone that were covered with white flowers that she couldn’t name but that smelled like a mixture of jasmine and honey. Her eyes closed for a moment breathing in the sweet, intoxicating scent.
When they opened again she noticed that it appeared she was in a sort of huge canyon with steep sloping rock from all directions around them except one. That was the way in and out. The only way in or out she imagined. Unless of course you were her, then you required nothing but sleep to gain entry to this majestic world. Fields stretched out forever with long grass and animals grazing and the soft moonlight trickled across the large lake that was centered in the land. He stepped up behind her again and she gasped when his hands touched her arms gently.
“Welcome home Isabel. Tell me, do you like your Kingdom?” He breathed softly in her ear.
Her eyes rolled softly at the feel of his breath and she felt slightly dizzy with him so close to her. She could feel his body pressed behind her, at least the first 5’6 feet of it and it was…nice. Why was she behaving like this? Her hormones were really out of control. Last night she was ready to jump Bodhe and now her body was brimming with tension from Morkain. All from one simple touch? God she was in trouble.
“I want to walk Morkain. Take me out of the bedroom please.” If she was going to be forced into making a choice, she would do it with as clear a mind as possible. And it was absolutely not possible to do so in this close a proximity to him.
“As you wish Beauty, but you are only prolonging the inevitable pleasure that will come from me within this room.” His hand slid through her hair and his eyes began to get a soft glow to them.
Please don’t kiss me, please don’t kiss me.
She stared at the perfect, strong jawbone and the full lips that called to her. She bit her own lower one and that seemed to be all the provocation that he needed. He lifted her up and sat her on the balcony’s edge, one arm behind her back and his broad waist parting her legs. His lips devoured hers in an instant and she began to melt steadily into his embrace. Her arms reached up and ran the length of his rippling chest to the back of his neck. They just didn’t make them like this where she came from! He was hungry and she fed him with the sweetness of her mouth. He groaned and her pleasure spiked further, getting lost in the raging beast before her.
He gnawed at her flesh in between kisses, taking a bite of shoulder or neck here and there. Then he pressed himself against her thighs and she could feel his excitement through the brown leather pants that he wore. Were they all like this? Huge and so…male. She caught his scent, spice and earth tickled her nose and beckoned her deeper into his steady arms. His hands rose to her breasts and settled there, pinching and rubbing them until they swelled. Moaning and trembling beneath his powerful touch, she thought she was going to fall off the railing.
“Isabel, you are making it very difficult for me to take you for a walk. I think you should join me in the bed instead. Or we could always stay here if you rather?” He resumed grazing her skin with his teeth as she tried to regain control of her senses.
“Stop Morkain,” she panted. “I need to…think.”
He looked up at her and grinned, flashing a perfectly wicked smile. “Think my dear? Whatever for? You are a Princess, others will do that for you. All you need to do is feel pleasure in my touch for the rest of time.”
She perked right up then. “Oh no you don’t! You may be handsome and damned if you can’t kiss but you will stop this instant! Where I come from, women do think! And I have thought plenty now and want down from this ledge this instant!”
He groaned and put her down, closing his eyes to compose himself. When he opened them the blue fire wasn’t as smoldering as it was before. “As you wish.”
He lifted her and placed her back on the ground, the muscles in his neck visibly straining but she was certain it wasn’t from her weight. She shook her head and tried to clear the fog that had encircled her. When she dared to look at him again she felt in control to an extent and blushed. How was she going to balance this? Perhaps if her mother hadn’t tried to strike down every mortal that so much as kissed her she would be more prepared for these two. Sighing she realized that it wouldn’t have mattered. She could’ve slept with the entire football team and it wouldn’t have prepared her for this.
“That walk please, I have some questions.” She looked at him with dismay in her eyes, her hands wringing together in a nervous anticipation.
“Of course, this way.” He extended his hand and she took it after the briefest hesitation, liking the way hers felt in the big warmth of his. He laced their fingers together and led her down a winding staircase that was lit by candles that hung in scones on the walls. How positively medieval. And lovely.
When they reached an opening in the bluish stone they entered directly to a garden that was surrounded by a purple tinged, dare she think it, cobblestone wall? But it couldn’t be. The color was too rich and it too glistened, like everything else here. It almost reminded her of amethyst, but a rough cut stone, not one that had been polished and perfected. She reached out to touch it and felt the heat that it radiated reach into her fingertips.
“It’s a sacred stone and this is a sacred garden. Please, be my guest,” he grinned.
Beautiful plants cascaded around the landscape, not one of course could she name. She marveled at the exotic garden and walked up to a deep stone pond that was in the center. Dipping her fingers in the water she smiled.
“Perfect temperature for a swim is it not? He raised an eyebrow at her and smiled.
“Yes actually, it is.” She stood, shaking the water off her hands. “But I am obviously not dressed for swimming.” Of course, this dress could be off in a second and I bet that water really would feel spectacular.
He scowled at her. “This is your private garden now, you may come her
e and swim by yourself, or with whomever you wish. And Beauty, you do not need to worry about being dressed for swimming. It’s really rather uncustomary around the realms.”
“Really? So if I wanted to I could bring another here I could?” She taunted.
His face grew dark at her words. “You may bring whomever you wish, but careful Beauty, I will not tolerate another male in your arms.” He turned away and stalked off into the shrubs.
Jealous are we? Interesting. If he is jealous it means he cares. I think. What does each have to gain from me choosing them?
She walked off and found him lying on a bench looking up to the sky, one leg propped up and one on the ground. Well if that wasn’t a vision she wanted to pounce on, nothing was. She almost forgot her words and did just that instead.
“Morkain, will you answer my questions truthfully?”
“All that I can, yes. You should know by now that I can’t answer anything about the prophecy or curse, but anything else, ask away.” He said, still staring at the sky.
“Why do you want me?”
He looked at her startled as if she had slapped him. “How can you not answer that for yourself? Did you not feel what I did in that chamber? Beyond this curse there is the fact that I am your mate. And I have waited far too long to be thwarted now that you are here.”
She stood there with her mouth open ajar. “Mate? Does that mean you love me or am I some vessel that you are to jump as soon as we meet? Tell me what a ‘mate’ is in your world.”
“Elves mate with only one other in their lifetime Isabel. Love comes eventually but first there is a searing heat that neither can break from. We are not like the other races, we wait for our mate until he or she comes. I am a couple thousand years old so pardon me for my lack of inhibitions.”
Interesting news. Okay, so he doesn’t love me. At least he was honest about that. Heat. Oh yeah. Check. Mate for eternity? Check being left open for future debate.
“Tell me about my father.”
He looked at her sharply, then complied as his eyes reached towards the sky again.
“Your father was a good man Isabel with sincere intentions in all that he did. Norgelon was our fiercest warrior and only son to the Queen as you know. He was a bit coddled for that fact but it never stopped him from going to the fields to play with the children or working with the people and he never acted as if he was above anyone. He was a proud man and loved your mother very much from the moment he saw her. As he would have loved you with all his heart as well.”
She smiled gently trying to imagine what her father looked like, seeing him dressed for battle or playing with the younger elves. She looked softly at Morkain. “Where did they live? Here or in Loveryn?”
“They lived in Loveryn, which was Keiren’s choice. She wanted to stay near her people until the time came for Queen Lorelei to step down. The plan was that they would return then and rule Albequen together.”
Isabel stared at him. There was something troubling in his gaze. His brows were creased and he didn’t seem very happy. But who could blame him. He did have a lot to deal with at the moment. If she was truly his mate, she could only imagine how difficult this all would be.
He looked over at her, the long blue dress flowing slightly in the wind. No matter her heritage, she is beautiful. Not as tall as their women were but he noticed the burning in her eyes. She had the makings of a fine warrior in that little mortal body. He could see that they would turn the color of liquid gold when she turned fully as they were starting to now. Long hair blew like feathers in the wind and small locks of curl streamed across her face as she gazed into the night.
Shaking himself he rose from the bench and walked over to her, the need to push her hair behind her ears was too great.
She startled as he touched her hair, her small pink lips moist and plump. “Your ears will be normal soon beauty. They will be pointed as ours are.”
“Normal! My ears are normal!” Her face burned red. “Boy do men from these realms really not know how to make a girl swoon!”
“Swoon? What is that?” He looked taken aback.
“It’s when a woman’s stomach gets in knots and her heart flutters at the mere words that a man utters. And neither you nor Bodhe are very good at that!”
His anger flared at the mention of the Sidhe’s name. “No? Well how about this? Does this make you flutter Isabel?”
Lips came crashing down on hers and he lifted her up into his arms, pinning her to his chest. He moved to one of the walls and she felt her back pressing against it.
Flutter. Check.
His tongue moved skillfully in and out of her mouth and her hands quickly got tangled in his hair. He was powerful and hot. Not that Bodhe wasn’t, but Morkain was similar to a caged beast and she felt like he was unleashing on her. Beneath the fierce movements of his touch she could feel every hard muscle that pressed against her. It would be so easy to let go right now. Say to hell with everything and just let this man tear her up. But then she thought about her mother and Amele and knew she had to wait.
When his tongue released her for a second she moaned and clawed at his back. Her body was burning and she would need some release soon. “Morkain, please”
“Please what Beauty? Please kiss you here?” His mouth trailed down her dress, biting down on her nipples as he passed over each one.
“Please…stop.”
He looked up at her confused. “But you don’t really want me to stop do you?”
He lifted her higher in his arms almost like she was a doll and began kissing down her stomach. His muscles bulged as he lifted her and pressed her back harder against the wall. His mouth was so close to where she burned and God did she ever want it there. But she couldn’t. Not until she knew more.
“Morkain, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do it Beauty, stay with me. This is just the beginning of our perfect eternity. Let me savor you.”
She moaned softly and was barely able to utter the words even though she knew she had to. “I want to go home.”
Chapter 6
“Well good morning sunshine!” Amele stood in her room, two cups of coffee in hand. “So, dish the dirt, what did you think of Mr. Lickable?”
Lickable? More like, licked.
Groaning, she sat up and squinted her eyes at her new house- mate.
“One thing we really need to get straight if you’re going to be living here for the next few weeks is the fact that I am not a morning person, no matter how good the dreams.”
“Well silly girl, I happen to know that already. That’s why I brought you the coffee!”
She could see there would be no getting Amele to back down if she didn’t dish so she recanted the ‘dream’ of last night. After plenty of ooh’s and ahhh’s from her, she leaned back against the headboard and was silent, a slick grin on her face.
“Well, this is anyone’s guess, is it not? Difficult decision indeed.” She took a sip from her cup.
“How can you be so light and merry about this? It’s not like I am getting ready to pick out a dress for the prom Amele! Geez,” she shrieked and bolted out of the bed leaving a stunned best friend staring at her naked backside.
“They are both so damned handsome and charming in their own ways. How can I continually go to each of them and not go out of my mind? Maybe I’m supposed to go crazy? Maybe I already have?” She mumbled to herself as she sunk down defeated onto the closed lid of the toilet and sipped at her coffee.
The bathroom door opened and Amele stood there looking at her. “Oh girl, you can’t be that bad off already? This has only just begun. You are going to have to toughen up a bit and maybe set some ground rules for these guys. You know, something like…
1. No attacking me upon entry with your sweet mouths.
2. No name calling.
3. No mention of my yet to be formed ears.
Something along those lines perhaps?” She chuckled.
Isabel groaned and sat back against the c
ool ceramic. “Why am I naked every time I wake up? I am dressed there and I am dressed here before I go to sleep, what’s the deal with the birthday suit every morning?”
They both began cracking up then. “Your necklace and ring went with you this time so I can only assume that your clothes just can’t travel there with you because you’re still mortal. Mine stay on me so that’s the only real explanation. It’s awfully generous of them to put you in something though, yes?”
She just nodded. “Great, so they get to choose when I show up in nothing then. Splendid.”
Amele started laughing again. “So, tell me. So far who’s winning the race?”
Isabel had to think about this. Both men were drop dead gorgeous and had shown her worlds beyond her wildest imagination. Would she really get to stay there? Would the people like her? Would she get to meet her family in those realms before she decided? One kiss was not better than the other, they were just different.
She shrugged, “I don’t know yet, I’ve only just met them both. They both have their charms I suppose. I’ll have to wait and see what the nights to come bring. How long exactly do I have before the blood moon rises?”
“Only ten more days, so use your time wisely. And in the meantime, you get to have life lessons from yours truly. We will be exploring the coming of your new powers. They will be coming in little spurts now that you have sight and everything will be in place when that moon rises. It’s better this way, because then you won’t be overwhelmed with power when that happens.”
“Ten days! You have got to be kidding me Amele! How in the world am I supposed to choose one of them in ten freaking days! Really? Can’t I stretch it out to a month or something? At least then I’d have a little more time to get to know them. I might as well flip a damn coin!”
Immortal Dreams Page 5