Leilen nodded as he chewed thoughtfully on a chunk of bread. She watched, strangely fascinated, as his lips moved. Would they feel soft? Or would they be firm against hers? She shook herself mentally. Against hers? Where had that come from? And what did it matter to her how his lips felt?
After swallowing, he asked, “Are you mates?”
Ciarra jolted slightly at the unexpected query. She glanced at Finley, who didn’t look surprised at all. She waited for him to answer, but he remained silent, a small smile on his face.
“Uh, we…haven’t had the ceremony,” she said. Again, she looked at the man beside her. Wasn’t he going to say anything? “But, we’ve been… I mean, we’re—”
“Lovers,” Finley supplied.
“I see,” was all Leilen said.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the trio as they ate. At least, it was uncomfortable for Ciarra. Leilen looked deep in thought, and Finley was clearly amused. She couldn’t understand it. It was a well-known fact she and Finley were lovers and had been for some time, yet she stumbled over her words like a foolish girl. It wasn’t as though she didn’t want Leilen to know she and Finley were a pair.
“You’re thinking awfully loud, love,” he murmured.
“Stay out of my head,” she snapped, annoyed that he could see her uncertainty so clearly.
“I’m not trying.” He lifted his hands up in defence.
Ciarra lifted her gaze and met Leilen’s questioning eyes.
“Finley is poking around in my head,” she stated.
“Not poking,” he insisted. “You’re loud.”
“Mm hmmm.” She rolled her eyes, then tried to explain to their companion. “Finley has a gift—a talent, you could say. He pokes…senses,” she corrected when he glared at her, “emotions, hears thoughts.”
“Truly?” Leilen’s eyes widened. “You’re not talking about our mental communication, but actually what someone is thinking privately. You can hear what I’m thinking right now?”
Finley lifted a shoulder. “I could, but I don’t eavesdrop. I’ll have a listen if needed. However, when someone’s emotions are high, or they’re confused, their thoughts are projected. It’s like they shout at me.”
Tilting his head to the side, Leilen pondered. “If needed?”
“Yes. My gift is one of the reasons Ciarra chose me to come on this journey. Besides wanting me nearby.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I’ll be able to help when you question the prisoner. See what’s in his head, what he’s feeling. I’ll be able to tell if he’s being truthful.”
“That’s amazing, and quite a handy gift.”
“It’s not always a blessing,” Finley said dryly. “It can be exhausting, particularly in a stressful situation, but it has its advantages.”
Ciarra listened with half an ear as the men continued to discuss advantages and disadvantages of Leilen’s ability She tried to keep her emotions and thoughts to herself. She blamed all of this—her reactions to Leilen and her waspish behaviour—on her restless night. On the damned dream, really.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, standing. Without waiting for an answer, she walked into the brush, away from the clearing. She needed a moment, alone. She didn’t go far; they’d resume their journey soon.
What was wrong with her? She loved Finley. She hardly knew Leilen of Fey. She’d seen him the handful of times he’d come to the realm as the King’s liaison. She’d had conversations with him before, but they were meaningless. Had she noticed he was handsome? Of course. That was hardly a crime. She sank to her knees and covered her face with her hands. This was all so stupid. Until last night, she’d been solid and sure of herself, of her relationship.
She had to stop this. It was just a dream. It meant nothing. The thought that it was a shared dream was laughable. She didn’t know a single soul who had been true mated. Of course, she’d heard of the King and his true mate, and others in the past, but hearing about something and seeing it firsthand were two very different things. Everyone here found happiness without such a thing. She’d been happy with her life, with knowing she and Finley would eventually have the ceremony and make their relationship official.
The more she thought about it, the more positive she was that she’d have recognised Finley’s touch, even in a dream. So it was just that—a simple dream—because being mated to someone other than him was completely unacceptable. A life without him was unimaginable.
She dropped her hands into her lap and stared into the shadows of the forest. Thinking about it was foolish. Not only because it was a figment of her imagination, but sooner or later, Finley would see it in her thoughts. Tears pricked her eyes. She couldn’t do that to him.
Listening to the leaves blowing in the breeze, she focused on calming herself, on driving the images out of her head.
“Ciarra?”
She jerked around so quickly she landed with a thump on her ass. Leilen stood about a foot away, concern on his face.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. Finley wanted me to tell you it was time to continue.” He stepped forward and held a hand out.
She hesitated only a moment before grasping it. He helped her to her feet, but instead of releasing her, he continued to hold her hand and peered into her eyes. Concern filled his gaze.
“Are you all right?” He lifted his free hand and cupped her cheek, skimming his thumb along her skin. “You’re quite pale.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. His scent—spicy and masculine—invaded her senses. Her eyes drifted to half-mast and she leant into his touch.
Leilen moved closer, until there was hardly a centimetre between them. Ciarra tilted her head back to continue holding his gaze. Her breath caught in her throat as he bent his head towards her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, feel his breath on her face.
Abruptly, he stepped back. “Goddess, I’m sorry! I don’t know what came over me.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, then smiled at her apologetically. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
Ciarra blinked several times. “Y-yes. I’m quite all right, thank you. Let’s go then, shall we?”
She scooted around him and walked quickly to the small clearing where Finley was packing the remnants of their lunch away. She pushed down her rioting emotions—the embarrassment, the shame that she would have allowed Leilen to kiss her and, Goddess help her, the disappointment that he hadn’t. She imagined showing all of it into a box and snapping the lid shut. There, all calm.
Finley closed the pack and straightened.
“All ready?” he asked cheerfully.
“Yes,” she said, perhaps a bit too loudly.
His gaze lifted, focused over her shoulder, then back at her face.
“Are you all right, love?”
“Yes!” she snapped. “Yes, I’m perfectly fine. Can we just continue on please?”
Finley narrowed his eyes, and Ciarra fought the urge to squirm under the stare. She kept her mind as blank as possible and waited. His mouth pressed into a thin line, and his posture stiffened.
“I’ll take the lead,” he stated coolly and turned on his heel. “This way, Leilen.”
Ciarra sighed and started up the trail behind the men. Sweet Lady Above, she needed to get a hold of herself. Standing stiffly, she waited until Leilen walked behind Finley then followed. She would certainly be glad when this journey was over.
Chapter Three
Relief filled Ciarra as they entered the small glade where they’d camp for the night. She sat on the ground with an appreciative groan. Her muscles ached and exhaustion slid over her body.
“There’s a small creek through here,” Finley said for Leilen’s benefit. “I’m going to wash up.” Without a word or glance in her direction, he walked away.
Ciarra sighed miserably. The last few hours had been quite awkward and silent. Finley had only spoken when needing to direct them. Leilen seemed to have picked up on the tension and kept quiet during the hike.
E
ven now, he glanced between her and where Finley had disappeared into the forest. After a moment, he sat a few feet from her, setting the pack he’d been carrying beside him. He studied her intently, and she grimaced, certain she looked horrible. Sweat coated her skin, darkening patches of her clothes and making the fabric cling to her, and her attempt to tame her hair into a braid failed increasingly with each minute.
Unable to bear the scrutiny any longer, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You can join Fin at the creek if you like. I’m just going to rest a moment, then go as well.”
“I think I need a moment, or several,” he grinned, “as well. Unless you’d prefer some time alone.”
Though in truth she would, she couldn’t be so rude as to say that aloud. “Of course not.” She looked down at her hands.
“Have you and Finley been…together a long time?” he asked, leaning back on his elbows and stretching his legs out in front of him.
“We have,” she answered quietly. “We were best friends, really. He’s older than me, but he didn’t mind that I followed him around. Something about him…” She trailed off, lost in memories, then shook her head to come back to the here and now. “And it grew from that. Although my sister tried to get a hold of him first. It infuriated her that she lost to her little sister.” Ciarra laughed. “Never mind the fact she would have hated to be mated with Fin. He loves this realm as much as I do, and would never leave it, and Dienne will do anything to get out.”
“Really?” He lifted a brow, amusement clear on his face. “That certainly explains her enthusiasm with me.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s more than that,” Ciarra said quickly. “You’re quite handsome.” Her cheeks heated. “She’s clearly…attracted.”
“I’m not interested in Dienne,” he said firmly.
Something in his tone ignited a yearning deep in Ciarra’s belly. Though surely he didn’t mean he was interested in her. Perhaps he had a woman, a mate, back home. Before she could gather the courage to ask, Finley strode barefoot and shirtless back into the small clearing. Water dripped from his hair and rivulets ran down his chest. As before, he said nothing to her, but immediately began pulling bedrolls from the larger of the packs.
Leilen stood and offered to help. Ciarra sat quietly as the two men set up camp, knowing if she tried to help, Finley would snap at her. She watched, studying the way his muscles shifted beneath his pale skin as he moved about. A drop of water danced down his spine as he laid the bedding down. The desire to capture it with her tongue, to taste him, hit her strongly. This was what was right, she knew. Whatever attraction she felt for Leilen paled in comparison to what she had with Finley. She needed to make things right with him.
“Go to the creek and wash. Food will be ready when you return, then you can sleep. You look exhausted.”
Ciarra closed her eyes and let out a content sigh as Finley’s voice filled her head. Even though he wasn’t happy with her, he was looking out for her. Like always. When she opened her eyes, he was turned towards her, his grey gaze resting on her face. She gave him a tentative smile as she rose. He didn’t return the smile, but his expression softened. Yes, she needed to make things right with him. As soon as possible.
Later, after bathing and the evening meal, Ciarra stretched out on her bedroll and pulled the blanket over her. The men still sat around the small fire, talking. She listened to the low murmur of their voices, not hearing the words. She breathed in and out deeply, the scents of the surrounding forest comforting her. She floated between wakefulness and sleep until she felt Finley lay beside her. When his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his hard body, she finally surrendered and slept.
Her dreams were dark, in the shadows. She couldn’t see anything, but she could feel. Oh, could she feel. She lay on side—no blankets, no clothing. Hands skimmed over her bare skin, a whisper of warmth in the cool night. Lips touched hers briefly and trailed over her cheeks. A wet kiss was pressed to her shoulder, then along her back. Each glide of lips, each brief swipe of tongue and nip of teeth pushed her higher. She yearned for more. Pleasure radiated from her middle throughout her body, to the tips of her toes and fingers. Hands cupped her breasts, fingers circled her aching nipples teasingly before squeezing them to taut peaks.
Ciarra moaned and arched her back. A hard body pressed against her back, another to her front until she was surrounded by heat. Unable to resist, she lifted one hand and reached behind her with the other. She cupped the face of the man in front of her and encountered the smooth skin of the hips that pushed against her ass.
Two low groans echoed in the night. Satisfaction bloomed inside her. They were as affected by her touch as she was by theirs. She’d never felt so complete…so right in all her years as she did right now caught between these two men. Their legs tangled together as they moved closer and closer, as if trying to crawl into each other.
“Goddess.” Breath whispered across her neck as the word was hissed.
Ciarra startled, and her eyes flew open. Shadows still surrounded them, but the moons and stars held off total blackness. She narrowed her eyes and focused on the face in front of hers her. Her gasp of surprise was swallowed as he captured her lips with his.
“Shhh, love. Enjoy. Don’t think, just feel.”
“Fin?”
Was she truly sharing a dream with him? And another man? If not, how else could he be speaking in her head? Blessed Lady Above…
The man behind her sucked the delicate skin just behind her ear, awakening every nerve ending in her body.
“You taste so good,” he whispered.
She jerked so violently, pulling away from Finley and nearly slamming into…Leilen. Leilen was with them, twisted with them on the bedrolls. As she shifted, he wordlessly moved back to give her room. She rolled onto her back and lifted her head. Glancing around, she recognised the small glade they were camping in. Confusion muddled her senses, and she began to sit up. Finley stopped her with a firm, heavy hand on her shoulder.
“Fin? What—”
“Don’t think,” he repeated and leant forward to press a kiss to her temple. He brushed his lips back and forth. “I know you want this. I know how you’re feeling right now.”
“I thought… A dream…” She attempted to rein in her thoughts, but Goddess help her, she could still feel the warmth emanating from both of them and wanted nothing more than to have them against her again. She looked to Leilen. He rested on his side, propped up on his elbow, watching her intently. Desire was clear in his eyes and—her gaze moved downwards—elsewhere. She licked her lips. She wanted to take the large erection into her mouth, taste him. Her body responded, her folds swelling and dampening, even as her mind rebelled against betraying her lover.
“Betrayal? Stop it. Stop the blasted thinking. Feel, love. It feels right, doesn’t it? Everything about this feels right.”
It did. Her eyes slid shut and she inhaled deeply. It felt so damned right—their skin against hers, their hands on her.
Hands cupped her face. She opened her eyes to Finley’s gaze.
“He wants you so badly. I can feel it coming off him in waves.” He bent his head and kissed her. His flavour exploded on her tongue as he delved in.
Leilen wanted her. That knowledge sent her flying. Could she do this? Give herself to both men, force Finley to share…
Laughter echoed in her head. “Force? Who woke who up, love? Let me be perfectly clear. I want this. Would you deny all of us what we desire?” He lifted his head and glanced in Leilen’s direction. “He’s beginning to think you don’t want him. Show him, Ciarra, show him what you want.”
Finley pulled away, leant back and waited. Ciarra’s heart raced so quickly she was certain both could hear it clearly. She held Finley’s gaze for a moment and the sweet smile on his face, along with his words, convinced her he really was all right with this.
Taking a deep breath, she sat up and shifted onto her knees. She moved towards Leilen, who w
atched her carefully. She smiled at him tentatively and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. As she leant forward, he pulled away slightly.
“Ciarra?” The question, the doubt, was clear in his voice.
“Leilen,” she murmured and, sliding her fingers into his thick hair, pulled him until their lips met. Her first thought was he felt different than Finley, he tasted different. Delicious and arousing, but different. Then all thought left—she only felt.
He circled her waist with his arms and rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. She immediately straddled him and groaned into his mouth when his cock slid along her slick folds. She lifted off him slightly and squeezed her hand between their bodies, intent on grasping the thick erection and sliding it inside her.
“Wait.” He didn’t break the kiss, but spoke in her mind as Finley had earlier. “I won’t last if you do that. I’ve waited a long time for this, and I want it to last, sweetheart.”
His voice in her head—so soft and husky—sent a ripple of desire coursing through her straight to her centre. Only her family and Finley had ever used this form of communication, and it felt so intimate to have another man’s voice speaking to her this way.
She rocked her hips, and her juices coated his cock, pulling a guttural groan from his throat. She didn’t want to wait. The need to have him inside her was so overpowering she was dizzy. All she could think was now, now, now.
Finley chuckled. “Always the impatient one.”
“So I see.” Leilen’s lips curved, then he pulled away. Suddenly, she was spinning. The hard ground was at her back again and he loomed over her.
“Goddess, you’re beautiful,” he said aloud, his gaze raking over her body. “I’ve wanted you for a long time, Ciarra.”
A long time? Her?
She didn’t realise she’d spoken out loud until he responded “Yes, you. Every time I came here for the King, seeing you was the highlight. Even if only from afar, even if only a fleeting glimpse. Stupid, stupid me for not acting on it sooner.”
Shadows of Fate Page 3