by Vella Day
Somehow her hands found their way around his neck, and she leaned in closer. When he begged for entrance, Tory didn’t think twice. Without breaking their seal, he spun her around so that her back was against the kitchen counter. The tongue-twisting exploration did things to her insides that she’d never felt before. It was as if they were connecting on an elemental level, and she wasn’t convinced she’d be able to stop anytime soon.
Kenton cupped her face and groaned. If his eyes hadn’t turned the most amazing gold color, she wouldn’t have leaned back. “Your eyes! They are gorgeous.”
“Not any more gorgeous than your purple ones.”
There were so many things she wanted to ask him. Everything about Kenton seemed so normal and yet so different. When she dragged her hand down over his shoulder and placed her palm on his heart, her skin nearly singed. “Does it hurt?”
“Not when I’m with you.”
From the way his eyes were hooded, looking at her with such longing, she had to move closer. She then slipped her hands under his green T-shirt and lifted it out of his jeans.
Kenton stepped back. “Time for another one of my talents.” With a swipe of his hand his shirt disappeared.
She giggled. “Where did it go?” He nodded to the neatly folded shirt on the counter. “How is that possible?”
He grinned and then dragged a knuckle down her cheek. “I’m a Fey. I’m full of magic.”
This was amazing. “Can you do that to my shirt?”
When a cool breeze shot across her chest, she looked down. Her shirt was gone, but not her bra.
“Want me to keep going?” he asked with a devilish grin.
“How about a few more kisses first?” she asked as she toed off her shoes.
“I’ll never turn down a kiss from a beautiful blonde.”
If that was a line, she didn’t care. She pretended he meant it. Tory probably should have suggested they move to a more comfortable place, but this make-out location was almost forbidden and therefore more exciting. Not only that, she didn’t want to spoil the mood by suggesting they move.
Tory threaded her arms around Kenton’s waist, tilted her head back, and when his lips met hers, she moaned. His kiss was soft yet demanding, strong but giving. Out of the corner of her eye, the light show she was providing bounced off the kitchen walls. Oh, my. Never had she been this turned on before.
His hands slid from her waist upward, and when his thumbs brushed over her bra, she wanted nothing more than for him to touch her intimately. She let go of him and reached around her back. Before she could unhook the clasp, her bra disappeared.
“What just—?”
Kenton leaned back and smiled. “Like I said. I’m a man of many talents.”
“I’m not sure I’ll get used to this. Can you magically create a condom?” Holy shit. Did she just say that?
He snapped his fingers, and one appeared in his hand. Her pulse shot skyward. This was almost too much to absorb: disappearing clothes, teleporting, creating objects out of thin air.
Before she could ponder his extensive abilities, his magic tongue nabbed a nipple while his hand cupped her free breast. He flicked, licked, and tugged all the while kneading her other breast, occasionally plucking her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. The more he licked, the faster his fingers moved. Despite his apparent desperation, Kenton remained gentle.
Needing more tactile stimulation, she dug her nails into his shoulders. Just as the pressure Kenton was exerting on her body was about to push her over that first climactic edge, Kenton stopped and lifted her onto the counter.
He straightened and then smiled. “Your skirt has to go.”
“I give you permission to zap it off,” Tory said, not remembering the last time she’d been so forward with someone she barely knew. The thing was though, it felt as if they had met in another life, which was clearly impossible.
Instead of the expected wave of a hand, Kenton unzipped the back of her skirt like a normal human would. She lifted up a bit, and he tugged the material down her hips, taking her panties with it. He whistled. “You are more beautiful than in my dreams.”
His dreams? Sure, he’d entered her dreams once or twice—okay, every night—but she didn’t think it was the same for him. But maybe it was. When he widened her legs and bent over, Tory instinctively slid forward and then dropped back onto her elbows. A second before her skin hit the counter, his folded shirt magically appeared under her. Whoa! Just breathe, she told herself.
Tory half expected to wake up and find this was all a dream, but from the way her body was exploding with need, this was completely real.
The first swipe of his tongue between her legs had her sucking in a deep breath. It was as if he’d set every nerve ending on fire with that one lick. She closed her eyes and let the wonder of it all sink into her. The area around her heart heated, her teeth elongated, and her nails sharpened. To say she was excited would be an understatement.
While Kenton didn’t seem to need any encouragement, she panted and groaned, wanting him to take more. “Yes. Don’t stop.”
And he didn’t. The onslaught of erotic elation kept coming in waves until her orgasm arrived hard and fast. Chest heaving, she dropped back onto the counter.
Kenton stopped. “I see you liked that.”
“Funny man,” she managed to say.
The tearing of the condom sounded louder than it should have, and she sat up. “I wanted to return the favor.”
“Next time, my love.” In a flash, he pulled her onto her feet and spun her around. “As much as I want to kiss you for the next hour, I can no longer hold out.”
She couldn’t either. Tory planted her hands on the counter and spread her legs. When he cupped her already sensitive breasts, more lust coursed through her. He pressed his chest against her back and swept her hair out of the way, exposing her neck. Because he wasn’t a shifter, she didn’t think he planned to bite her.
Instead, he kissed his way from her shoulder blade up her neck to her sensitive earlobe. “I love doing this,” he whispered as he pressed on her nipples and placed his large cock against her opening.
She lowered her head to give him more access. I love you doing this to me. Good thing they couldn’t communicate telepathically since some things were better left unsaid.
Using his hands to distract her or possibly just to drive her insane, he slid his cock into her. Because of his large size, it reached only halfway, however Kenton didn’t seem bothered by the restriction. He slowly eased out and nudged his way back in again. This time he filled her completely. Her stomach contracted, and her breath whooshed out of her. If she didn’t know it was impossible, she would have said he had filled her with his light.
He stayed deep in her for a few seconds before retreating again. He then lowered his hands to her waist and held her still while he thrust into her again and again. Each time, her body lit up more, causing her second climax to build.
His lips found the crook between her neck and shoulder blade and then gently dragged his teeth across the surface. While he was distracting her with his talented tongue, he withdrew his cock and stayed half in and half out for what seemed like forever. Not one to be timid, Tory slammed her hips backward, taking him deep into her again.
“That did it,” he mumbled.
For the next few seconds they both pulled and pushed until she came harder than she ever had, and Kenton exploded seconds later. Only after his pulsing stopped did he press his cheek against the back of her head and wrap his arms around her.
Neither said anything for a while. Tory at least, was trying to come to grips with what just happened. It was almost surreal.
Kenton eventually withdrew, placed his hands on her shoulders, and lifted her up. He then turned her around. “I have no words.”
“Neither do I.”
He stepped back, swiped a hand, and was instantly dressed. While she didn’t want to put on her work outfit, she was a little self-conscious about be
ing totally naked. “Let me grab a robe. Be right back.”
As she trotted down the hallway, his fingers still seemed to burn on her skin. What had she just done? She’d slept with some magical Fey is what. Where was the future in that? Kenton Forrester had charmed her, plain and simple. She wondered if his innocent act had been a ruse to get her into bed—or rather into her agreeing to have sex with him. Or was she overthinking it all?
By the time she donned a pair of panties, threw on a robe and returned, she’d decided this might have been the biggest mistake of her life.
There was one problem.
Kenton wasn’t there to tell him.
Chapter Ten
“You just left after sex?” Bevon asked. “Without saying goodbye?”
“Don’t hassle me. I feel guilty enough. I could sense she was having regrets and thought it best if I leave.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you, bro?”
“I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. I thought it would embarrass her if she had to tell me to bugger off.”
Bevon shook his head. “You’re a dick, and I’ll leave it at that. Did you at least give her the communication bracelet that Meena made?”
“Not yet. It was too soon.”
“Too soon? You had sex with her. What are you waiting for?”
Kenton hadn’t been thinking straight. “I will when the time is right.”
“I can see I can’t talk any sense into you. I’m out of here.” His brother disappeared.
“Fine,” Kenton said to an empty room.
Bevon claimed his favorite spot at night was on top of some mountain overlooking the sea, saying it was where he went to think. Maybe Kenton should go to his peaceful place. It was in the middle of a frenlen forest where the needles cushioned the ground. Next to his spot was a small but fast-moving stream. That area brought him peace—something he could use right now.
His other option was to talk to Meena. If it hadn’t been so late, he would have. Though knowing her, she’d tell him to go back to Tory and apologize. Heading back to Feyrion wasn’t a viable option either as that would be admitting he was wrong. It was always possible his life light was just in need of renewal. The lack of power might have messed with his ability to think clearly.
For now, the best solution was teleporting to his place of peace. Once there, he sat cross-legged in the middle of a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. Kenton looked up and studied the stars. While he continued to second-guess his decision to leave Tory, he finally decided on his next step. He’d give her a few days to settle down, and then he’d apologize. In the meantime, he planned to keep a very close eye on her. Staying invisible took a lot of energy, but he could handle it for short periods. Had he not given her part of his life light, he’d have had a bit more strength.
From past experience, he understood that overanalyzing a situation led to poor choices, so he stretched out and inhaled the freshness of the frenlen and told himself tomorrow would bring more clarity.
“Kenton sent you flowers?” Greer asked at the store the next day. “That must have been one hell of a movie you went to.”
“Funny, funny.” Tory wasn’t in the best of moods. What did his gift mean exactly? That he was sorry for literally disappearing on her? Or was he asking for another date? “Fine. If you must know, the sex was mindboggling and amazing. It was better than anything I’d ever experienced. It was—”
“I get it. You liked it, and I’m guessing Kenton did too.”
“Yes. Or so I thought. After we ah…finished…I needed to change since we were in the kitchen naked and all.”
“The kitchen?”
“Don’t judge. We happened to be in there when the kissing started. Anyway, afterward I went into the bedroom to grab a robe. In the time it took to throw something on and return, he’d left.”
“I thought you said you drove.”
“I did, but Feys can teleport—or at least Kenton can.”
Greer’s eyes widened. “Like the Four Sisters?”
“Yes, just like them.”
“Wow. Why do you think he left?”
Tory hadn’t slept much last night trying to figure that out. “I don’t know. It wasn’t like I took a lot of time changing. Sure, I asked myself what had just happened, but I don’t think he can read minds.”
Greer tilted her head. “Maybe he can. You said he was magic. Remember when Blake and I visited the eternal flame?” Tory nodded. “Meena seemed to know what I wanted before I said a word.”
That was a scary thought.
“Meena also knew who I was before I said anything,” Greer said.
“Okay, maybe he was giving me some room to come to grips with what this might mean.” She thought about that for a few seconds. “But why leave? It wasn’t like I was regretting what we’d done. As I said, it was epic.”
“I sense a but coming. What were you feeling exactly?”
Tory blew out a breath. “Maybe I was feeling a little insecure knowing that someone as powerful as Kenton would want to be with someone like me.”
Greer grabbed her arm. “Are you crazy? You’re a freaking Guardian. We have our own magic. Can he fly?”
“No. He’s not a shifter.”
“That’s one thing you have on him.”
Greer had a point. “Fine. Do you think the flowers are a way of saying he’s sorry for ditching me?”
Greer’s brows pinched. “Why, Tory Sinclair, I believe you really like him. You’ve never doubted yourself in the past. Why now?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m so confused.”
“Look, I say accept his apology and go out with him again. Ask Kenton straight out why he left. He might have thought he shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”
“He didn’t take advantage of me. Trust me, I was more than willing. If anything, I almost seduced him. I unbuttoned his shirt first.”
Greer chuckled. “Then all will be well. Trust me.” Her cousin leaned back against the counter. “I say we have lunch at the coffee shop today. If Kenton is there, you can act as if his leaving didn’t bother you one bit.”
She liked that idea. “You’re right. Men don’t like women who are easily upset. He might have had a good reason for leaving.”
“Exactly.”
Tory checked her watch. “Since no one is here and lunch isn’t for another hour, I want to check with Camden to see what he learned from that chemical signature found inside the dead bodies. Kenton seems to think it was from some kind of demon, and I want to find out if Camden can corroborate that theory.”
“You go. I’ll hold down the fort.” Greer leaned in and hugged her.
“Thanks.”
Once upstairs, Tory stepped into the lab where both her brother Ramsey, as well as Camden, were busily working. “Hello, boys.”
They both looked up. Ramsey was seated at his computer doing something that involved business most likely, while Camden was filing a piece of metal. He slipped off his goggles. “I was about to come see you.”
A rush of hope shot through her. “What did you find?”
“I’m not sure. The compound you gave me was a mix of human DNA as well as something foreign.”
“Not anything man made then?”
“No. It was almost as if this thing got inside the person—like that dark entity was able to do to Blake. Once inside, it might have commanded the person to kill himself. After the host died, it left.”
That was a bit far-fetched, but it wasn’t out of the question. “I was talking with Kenton yesterday, and he thought it might be a kind of demon.”
“You spoke with the Fey, Kenton Forrester?”
She didn’t know why her cousin sounded so surprised. “Yes. I had a date with him. He seemed to recognize the chemical, though he said nothing about this demon possessing a person like that.”
“Next time you see him, ask if this demon can enter and exit a person without a trace.”
“I will and than
k you for doing all this extra work.”
“Any time.”
“To be clear, you are saying that it could have been a demon?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I know nothing about them, but I wouldn’t rule it out. As I said, ask Kenton.”
“I will. Thank you. Would you mind sending your findings to Anderson?”
Camden smiled. “I already did. I also sent it to both of our fathers so the entire Guardian community will know.”
“You are the best.” She smiled, spun around, and left.
“What did Camden say?” Greer asked the moment Tory stepped into the shop.
Tory couldn’t blame her eagerness for finding the truth. All of the Guardians were on edge. With five very similar deaths and no end in sight, everyone was working hard to find this person—or this thing. “Nothing really conclusive.”
She explained what Camden had figured out.
“What’s next?” Greer asked.
“I don’t know. If we assume it is a Gromley demon like Kenton believes, this thing is dangerous. I get the sense it has an agenda, only I have no idea what that could be.”
“I would pick Kenton’s brain some more.”
“I plan to, but when we first discussed it, he didn’t seem to know much about them other than they were from the Cargonia realm,” Tory said.
“Cargonia? Other than taking a little trip to Earth and speaking with Zane Barrows—the hunky werebear who hails from there—we should try the Four Sisters. They might know something.”
“They are the Four Sisters of Fate for a reason. They help mates. Why would they know anything about demons?”
“Just saying. They are special. I wouldn’t put it past them to at least be aware of these Gromley demons.”
“It’s worth a shot. After we close, maybe we should take a trip to their shop.”
Greer pressed her lips together. “Blake and I have something planned for tonight. Do you think you could go alone or maybe ask Kenton to join you?”
“Sure.” Though she had no way of getting a hold of the man. He really needed to embrace the modern times.