“I did what you said.” Tierra waved her hands as she spoke. “I stayed out of sight, spoke to not a gods’ blessed soul ’til the barbarian caught sight of me and chased me down. And I trusted no one—”
Tierra went rigid as To’en’s words rang through her mind. Trust none but the one who holds your heart.
Even as she shook her head in denial, Liana and Ranelle laughed and To’en quirked one eyebrow.
With a smile, he reached up and captured Tierra’s chin in his hand, halting her movements. “Listen to your heart, Tierra. It will aid you when the time comes to choose.”
“Remove your hand from my woman,” Renn bellowed from the doorway, “or I will slay you where you stand.”
Tierra’s gaze snapped to Renn’s to see naked fury in his eyes. His fists were clenched, his bare biceps bulging, his veins popping beneath his skin. He looked as though he could easily rip a man’s head from his body.
Gods how it made Tierra wet and her nipples hard to see Renn looking as though he would best a hoard of dragons to save her.
“Renn.” To’en released Tierra’s chin and gave a slight bow. “Aric. Jalen,” he added to the men who had appeared behind Renn.
“’Tis good to see you, my friend,” Jalen said as he pushed past a still furious Renn. Jalen walked to To’en and clasped his hand in a two-fisted grip. “Long has it been since I have seen you in this form.”
To’en smiled. “Long has it been since I was needed as such.”
Renn narrowed his eyes and Aric raked his hand through his hair. “Toen,” Aric said, recognition lighting his black eyes. “I often wondered…it is a pleasure to meet you as such.”
“I am known as To’en when I take this form, rather than as Toen when I am in wolf shape.” He clasped Aric’s hand in a two-fisted grip. “A half century it has been, at least, since I have appeared as a human.”
Jalen nodded. “The battle against Voral.”
“Aye.” To’en smiled. “That it was.”
“Overseer.” Renn planted himself in front of To’en and extended his hand. “My apologies. I did not realize it was you touching my woman.”
Tierra stood up straighter. “I am not your woman.”
Renn continued as though Tierra had not spoken, “But if you touch her again, I will have to kill you.”
To’en grinned and everyone in the room laughed, except for Tierra. She opened her mouth to tell Renn exactly what she thought about him and his possessive attitude, but the words turned into a scream as he grabbed her by the waist and flung her over his shoulder.
“Put me down,” she shouted and pounded with her fists on his hard muscled ass as she hung upside down, her hair covering her face.
To no surprise, Renn ignored her demands and strode across the room. Laughter and calls of encouragement followed him.
“You have much magic to master, before it masters you,” To’en added as Renn carried her out the door. “Tomorrow we begin your lessons, child of Fae.”
“Over my dead hide,” Renn muttered as he jogged up the winding staircase to take his woman to his bedchamber.
“That can be arranged.” Tierra’s voice was muffled against his back. “I have a mind to spellbind you and hang you out the window.”
“Tomorrow.” Renn slipped his hand under her sheer emerald dress and caressed her naked buttocks. “After I fuck you.”
Tierra moaned and wriggled her ass against his hand. “Yes, my Lord.”
Renn’s cock hardened. He slipped his fingers into her wet silk, increasing the length of his stride at the same time. By the gods, he had never realized his bedchamber was so far from the drawing room.
When he finally reached his room, he flung open the door and then slammed it shut behind him. Tierra gasped as he slid her from over his shoulder, set her in front of him, and pressed her hard against his cock.
“I have needed to fuck you all day.” He put his hands over her silk-covered breasts and lightly rubbed his palms over her hardened nipples. “And you tortured me by wearing this dress and flaunting yourself at dinner.”
Renn crushed his mouth to Tierra’s in a savage kiss, letting her feel the need that had been building in him the entire day since he had last fucked her in the dungeon. She tasted of spiced wine, smelled of honeysuckle and desire. He nipped at her lips, growling his lust, and she moaned in response.
When he tore his mouth from Tierra’s, he saw that her lips were swollen and red. Her breasts rose and fell beneath the sheer dress that had driven him crazy with the tantalizing view of what he intended to claim. Yes, every luscious curve of her delectable body was his for the taking…again and again.
“Are you going to punish me, my Lord?” Her voice was husky, her eyes dark green pools as she looked up at him.
“Yes,” he growled, trying to sound fierce when he wanted to smile. He clenched his hands in the fine material of her dress and ripped it open with one quick pull.
“My Lord.” Tierra’s body trembled with her excitement as he pushed the material away and studied her now naked breasts and the tight red curls of her mound. “What would you have me do?”
“That trunk.” He pointed across the room to a wooden chest. “Lay across it, on your belly. And spread your thighs, wench.”
Tierra licked her lips. “Yes, my Lord.”
Renn followed her to the trunk, watching her naked buttocks sway. It was all he could do to fight back the urge to take her now, hard and fast.
She did as he bade, lying over the smooth domed lid, her ass at the perfect height to be fucked, her exposed and engorged clit poking out from her wet folds.
Tierra was so aroused, her channel soaking wet and her clit throbbing. The feel of the trunk beneath her breasts, belly and mound was completely erotic. The way she was positioned, she could not see him or what he was going to do to her, and even that heightened her excitement.
“Are you going to fuck me now?” Tierra asked, hoping he would say yes.
“When I’m ready, wench.” The deep, masculine sound of his voice sent a tingle along her spine and made her quim ache even more.
She felt his presence as he knelt beside her, and then his callused hand stroked her naked buttocks.
“I promised to punish you.” He trailed his fingers along the crack of her ass and neared her curls, then returned to the cheeks.
Tierra could scarcely speak, she wanted him so badly. “Touch me.”
Renn leaned so close she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. She could imagine his wickedly sensual smile as he said, “Beg, wench.”
A groan rose up within her as he continued to stroke her, but stayed away from her folds. “Please, my Lord.”
“Very good, denai.” His fingers moved from her buttocks, then lightly stroked her folds. He slid two fingers into her core and at the same moment swatted her ass with his other hand.
“My Lord!” Tierra cried out as a burst of sensation tore through her, and her eyes widened in surprise. She could not believe how good it felt to have him fucking her with his fingers and spanking her buttocks.
He rubbed the still stinging skin with one hand, while keeping the fingers of his other hand lodged in her quim. “Did you enjoy that?”
“Gods yes.” She bucked her hips against his hand, riding his fingers.
“Behave, wench.” He swatted her again while thrusting his fingers deep inside her and she almost screamed with the need to reach orgasm. “Do not move unless I say,” he demanded.
Tierra moaned at the erotic tingle inside her and the sting of her buttocks. “Yes, my Lord.” The man was driving her out of her mind. She had to come. Needed to have his cock sheathed in her quim.
He slid his fingers from her channel and moved away. “Get up and on your knees before me.”
A flutter of anticipation blossomed in her belly as she eased off the trunk onto her knees and turned to face Renn. He raised his hand to his mouth and licked his fingers. “You taste so good, denai.”
&nbs
p; Seeing him taste her juices, combined with the sound of his deep voice, made her ache even more for him. Cool air brushed her sensitive nipples as he jerked his tunic over his head and tossed it aside. He unfastened his breeches as she watched, releasing his cock.
The stone floor felt cool beneath her knees as she trembled with anticipation.
He moved so close she felt the warmth of this skin. He wrapped his fingers around his thick erection and brushed it across her lips, sliding. “Suck my cock.”
“Yes, my Lord.” She darted her tongue out and licked the drop of fluid from the eye of his erection. His cock jerked and she smiled, knowing that she held far more power over him than he held over her, no matter their play at his domination.
Tierra slid her lips down his length, swirling her tongue as she took him as deeply as she could, ’til he reached the back of her throat. Instinctively she applied light suction as she moved her mouth up and down his shaft.
“Good wench.” Renn groaned and slid his hands into her hair. “Your mouth. So wet and warm on my cock.”
Tierra released a spellbinding from one fingertip as she worked his staff, allowing it to wrap around his erection as she sucked him.
Renn hissed and bucked his hips, the tingling feel of the spellbinding around his cock, along with Tierra’s mouth, nearly driving him mad.
“Stop!” he bellowed and halted her head with his hands. “I want you on my bed.”
“Yes, my Lord.” Tierra slid the spellbinding from his cock, drawing it back into her body as she gave him a sultry smile. “Will you not remove your breeches and boots?”
“No.” With a growl, Renn grabbed her by the waist. Tierra cried out, a sound of surprise and arousal, as he flung her over his shoulder and carried her to the massive bed in the center of the bedchamber.
He tossed her onto the bed and immediately moved his head between her thighs. Tierra gasped and shouted, “Renn!” as he plundered her folds with his tongue and fingers.
Her thighs trembled, the cries of her passion growing more and more frantic and he knew she was close to reaching the pinnacle. He reared up and pushed his breeches to his hips and placed the head of his cock at the entrance to her channel.
“You continue to deny me, denai,” he said, holding himself back.
Her skin was moist with sweat the air heavy with the scent of her musk. “I need you now.”
“You need me always.” Renn thrust his cock into her core and she screamed as her body quaked with her orgasm. The sound of her sensual cry sent him over the edge, and as his seed left his body, he held her close and murmured, “As I shall always need you.”
* * * * *
Tierra rubbed at her starmark as she waited for To’en to speak. It was the following morn, after breakfast. At the Overseer’s insistence, Tierra and Renn had joined Liana, Aric, Ranelle, and Jalen in the drawing room.
Sunlight spilled in through the massive arched windows, the curtains drawn back to reveal blue skies with the hint of a storm on the horizon. Renn’s muscles flexed beneath his sleeveless black tunic as he moved toward where Tierra sat upon a blue velvet chair. When he stood beside her, she found herself breathing in and savoring his masculine scent of sun warmed flesh and the outdoors.
Conflicting emotions stirred within her. Part of her desired his closeness, wanted to touch him, feel him. Wanted him to hold her, caress her.
And yet another part of her still wanted to push him away. The part of her that feared and hated confinement. She’d had enough of prisons in her lifetime.
“How did you come to find me in the cottage?” Tierra asked as she brought her hands to her lap and clenched them. “I should have been at the inn—I had never been ill a day before in my life.”
To’en looked directly at her. “Your illness…that was to keep you safe.”
“You made me ill?” Tierra’s jaw dropped. “What about Liana and Tierra? Why did you allow them to go?”
“They were being watched out for and I knew they would be in good hands.” He gestured toward Renn. “Renn was needed at Phoenicia and could not come for you ’til he met you in the wood. A guardian followed you, to keep you from harm.”
“What?” Tierra’s fury rose. “I—”
“Enough.” To’en cut her off. “We must deal with the matter at hand.”
Still fuming, Tierra snapped her lips shut and glared at the Overseer.
Renn folded his arms as he faced To’en. “What news do you have of that bastard Zanden?” Renn asked, his voice tight with impatience.
To’en surveyed his audience before speaking. “I believe you have already realized the Sorcerer has always intended to exploit Liana’s, Ranelle’s, and Tierra’s offspring in order to keep each species in line—from Faerie to Elvin to Nordain to Tanzinite.”
The Overseer’s expression was calm, at odds with the anger curling tight within Tierra’s belly. “The Sorcerer,” he went on, “intends to create his own magical races.”
Liana’s hair slid around Aric, as though she sought his comfort as she said, “But haven’t we already set the direction of our fates by the choices we have made?”
“I wish it were so simple.” To’en sighed. “Zanden has determined that the fates have worked in his favor by you, Liana, a Tanzinite marrying the Nordain King; with Ranelle being a Nordain Princess and having wedded the future Elvin King.” To’en’s gaze moved to Tierra. “And Tierra, you are of course second in line for the Faerie throne and wield more power than the Faerie Queen herself. If you join with Renn, second in line to the Nordain throne, that makes you even more valuable to the Sorcerer.”
“Let me go on.” The Overseer held up his hand, halting the words of fury that burst from each man present. “By bedding each of these high-placed women, the Sorcerer believes he will show his dominion over all of Dair. And he will join their collective abilities into an unstoppable force.”
Aric clenched his jaw, his eyes flashing with anger. “The bastard will never touch any one of our women.”
“We would each die to protect them,” Jalen said, the cutting tone of his voice belying his calm expression. “And all of our armies behind us.”
Renn smacked one fist into his open palm. “I will rip the son-of-a-qinok’s head from his body and throw it into the bowels of Mount Taka.”
Despite To’en’s dire words, Tierra had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing out loud at the show of masculine rage. It was sweet, really. But she sobered at once. In the depths of her soul she knew that no matter their fierce loyalty and desire to protect, these men could not stop Zanden from coming for the three women.
Ultimately it would be up to Liana, Ranelle, and Tierra to stop the Sorcerer.
“Unfortunately,” To’en continued, his voice rising over the shouts of the furious men, “Zanden has stumbled upon the oldest magic, which heretofore has been known only to me and my people, the Overseers. This magic has been forbidden to all but Overseers because of the potential for misuse.”
The room became impossibly silent as those gathered absorbed what To’en said.
To’en continued, “The Sorcerer intends to use his own binding spell, tying Tierra, Ranelle, and Liana irrevocably together—body, soul, and mind.”
The Overseer’s words weighed so heavily that Tierra could scarcely breathe. “But we have each fended him off, alone.”
“He was merely toying with you.” The Overseer’s gaze traveled to each person in the room. “Testing your abilities.”
“Please continue with why the Sorcerer wishes to bind Liana, Ranelle, and Tierra,” Aric interjected.
“By binding the three women,” To’en said, his gaze resting on Liana, “Zanden could ‘see’ everything and anything on Dair, whenever he wanted to. This magic from Liana, bolstered by the strength of her halias.”
To’en turned next to Ranelle. “The Sorcerer could project his voice anywhere, to put a spell on anything. This with Ranelle’s powers, also backed by her heart-sisters.”
<
br /> Tierra’s skin chilled as the Overseer’s blue eyes met hers, and his voice dropped an octave. “Zanden could also kill at will, by the simple twist of a finger. This would be possible with Tierra’s temper and spellbindings, and of course, her powers magnified by her halias.”
No one in the room seemed to be able to find anything to say, so dire were To’en’s statements. And what he said next, made Tierra’s blood run cold.
“With this unholy triad,” To’en said, his voice low yet resounding throughout her soul, “Zanden would be unassailable and unapproachable, as he would always know the future. Invulnerable since he would be able to cast spells over groups or armies, from a distance. And he would be extremely deadly as he could kill individuals who displeased him in seconds with the spellbindings.”
To’en paused, and then said, “If he accomplishes all of this, as he has long planned, the Sorcerer Zanden would rule all of Dair.”
Chapter Twelve
Wind whipped loose strands of hair at Tierra’s forehead as she paused to watch her heart-sisters practice their magic. The three women and the Overseer were in Sky Castle’s massive garden, upon a grassy slope at the base of the flowerbeds. Sweet perfume from colorful blooms of red, yellow, orange and purple filled the garden, shades of brilliance that defied the dark shadow hanging over all.
Her fingers ached from countless hours practicing her spellbindings. Mentally she was exhausted from mind-speak training and learning how to effectively block any being from reading her thoughts without invitation.
And the transference practice—that was enough to make her numb from head to toe.
She tossed her braid over her shoulder and her eyes rested on To’en. The pale muscle-bound god of a man had been working with the three of them endlessly and tirelessly, yesterday and today.
Lords, was it only yesterday that he had fully explained the Sorcerer’s evil intent, and the danger that they all faced?
With a bone-deep sigh, she rubbed her hand on the comfortable material of her clothing. Like her halias, Tierra was dressed in an Elvin tunic and breeches, with soft boots laced up to her knees. The fine cloth kept out the cold, yet served another purpose as the color of the material shifted to blend in with the wearer’s background.
Obsessed Page 40