by Vella Day
He leaned back. “Fair enough.”
She huffed. “Did you really struggle at first to learn how to control your talents? You were born a Fey.”
“Are you kidding? That’s like asking a young child if he had to learn to walk. I remember one time, Bevon and I were getting ready for bed. Back then, we shared a room.”
“The castle wasn’t big enough?”
He laughed. “My parents wanted us to bond.”
“They succeeded.”
“They did. Anyway, one time I wanted to get dressed for bed and swept my hands to take off my clothes. Instead, I took off Bevon’s.”
She barked out a laugh, but quickly sobered. “That could prove embarrassing.”
“I agree.” His gut told him not to do it, but he swept a hand and removed his clothes.
Her eyes widened, and then Tory looked away. “You are wickedly bad.” He put his clothes back on and then took off hers. “Kenton Forrester, dress me immediately.”
“Are you sure?” Please say no. Before she had the chance to answer, he took off his clothes again. “See? Now we are both naked, so you don’t have to be embarrassed.” Not that he thought she would be.
She crossed her one arm over her chest and kept the other arm on her lap. “You think you can come in here after lying to me and expect me to fall at your feet and make love to you just because you are naked?”
If her eyes hadn’t turned purple and her scales hadn’t been flashing bright yellow, he would have clothed them immediately. He reached out and slowly lowered her arms. He had no doubt that his eyes were pure gold. When her gaze dropped to his cock, followed by a deep inhale of breath, he’d say the answer was close to a yes.
“Why, yes I do, love.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Tory was so torn. She wanted to remain furious at Kenton. It would be easier for sure, but she could no more deny him than she could stop breathing. After his near-death experience, she realized that if he’d died, she would be lost forever. Considering he was naked—gloriously so—it was more or less a done deal. Why not take a slice of happiness now? She could always resume being mad at him later.
“You are confident,” she said as she straddled him. The moment her body pressed against his hard cock, all clear thoughts escaped. It didn’t matter. Enjoyment first, rational thinking later.
“I don’t need confidence. I can read you like a book.”
She groaned. “Where did you learn that terrible expression?”
His cheer seemed to evaporate. “At the coffee shop.”
He was too much. “For someone so powerful, your interpersonal skills need some honing.”
His cheer reappeared. “You are just the woman to help me. Once we mate, I will be able to sense your mood and act accordingly.”
“Really? Will I be able to tell what you’re thinking too?”
He ran his hands down her shoulders, his gaze on her breasts. “You won’t need to read my mind. I’ll make it obvious.” Kenton pulled her forward just enough for his mouth to reach her right breast. He licked and suckled until every one of her nerves were on fire.
Wanting to let him know that she was in full lust mode, Tory pulled off the tie that held his long hair, tossed it aside, and then dragged her fingers along his scalp. Oh, how she loved the silky texture. Kenton was not only powerful, he was kind and sexy as hell. His communication skills were a bit lacking, but with some work on her part, she could help him develop that talent.
When he switched to the other breast, her teeth sharpened. Tory had no idea when she had decided to mate with him, but it was time. It wasn’t because she was about to become some magic-wielding dragon who would someday rule Feyrion. It was because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Kenton Forrester. From what he said, it could be forever.
He grabbed her waist and lifted her up. It was clear what he wanted her to do. Thankfully, she wanted the same thing. How he would mate with her, she didn’t know, but he’d figure it out once she bit him. Needing to help him aim his cock, she grabbed hold and slid down onto him. His eyes flashed gold as his mouth opened.
“You feel so damned good.” His voice almost sounded like a croak.
Tory leaned over and kissed him, his lips pliable yet demanding at the same time. As opposed to the last time they were together, she was the one who demanded entrance. This first contact sent her soaring. Even though Kenton might deserve it, Tory could never stay mad at him. He was her world and the other half of her heart and soul. She was never going to let him go.
Their tongues explored and tasted while she lifted up and then dropped back down on him, riding him hard. Just when she was on the brink of a climax, he held her hips still and drove up into her.
Their mating would change her life forever, which meant she should savor this moment. Too bad, she lacked the control. When she broke the kiss and dragged her lips to his neck, something strange occurred. His inner light grew brighter and brighter as a white haze blurred the edges of his body and encompassed her. Heat swamped her. As if she no longer had any control, she bit down on his neck. Love and light poured into her and heat infused every cell of her body. Tory could almost feel his power enter her.
When Kenton drove into her again, her orgasm exploded, briefly taking her back to the sweet-smelling forest on Feyrion. All troubles evaporated, and only the two of them existed.
As soon as Tory lifted her head, Kenton gave one last hard thrust and released his seed into her. Had this been in the past, she would have freaked that they hadn’t used a condom. But today? It didn’t matter. She licked his now-closing wound where she’d bitten him and sighed.
She sat back up, and the grin on his face made her smile. “You okay?” she asked, pretty sure she knew the answer.
“Never better.” He lifted her off and set her on the sofa, but not before he magically created a cloth and placed it underneath her.
“I could get used to this,” she said.
“That so?” He laughed. “It won’t be long before you’re just as powerful.”
“If that’s true, I’m sure I’ll need a lot of practice.”
He stroked her cheek. “I can help with that.”
Tory leaned over and kissed him. “Thank you. Now how about we get dressed. If you stay naked for much longer, I’ll have to have you again.”
“And that is bad, why?”
She laughed. Life with Kenton would never be dull. “Just do it.”
One second later, both were dressed. “As much as I would like for us to stay here in your very cozy home, we have something we have to take care of first.”
“The demon?” she asked.
“The demon—or maybe the demons.”
“Do you think cutting his throat would work?” she asked.
Kenton hesitated. “I would love to say yes, but I don’t want to stake my life on it—or rather your life.”
“You might be in danger if this demon could knock you out and then do something with that poisonous herb.”
“That’s probably true, but I am more or less an immortal.”
“Except when Treniam is present.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
She didn’t want to think about the fact that he could die. “What about that magic ball that might destroy this demon. Why not use that?”
“My mother is working on it as we speak, assuming Tally agrees to help.”
She’d heard a few comments about this elusive sister. “What is her story?”
“She likes it better on Feyrion.”
Now wasn’t the time to push. “You seem worried.”
“I am a bit. Over the centuries this demon has learned to adapt to this magic ball that my sisters will make. What once worked to kill his kind might not kill them now.”
This was so frustrating. “I guess if his kind were constantly being killed by these magic balls, the demon would have a need to adapt. But if no one has made one in a long time…”
He smiled.
“There would be no need to change.”
“Exactly,” she said.
“What do you say we go back to the woods and speak with my sisters? They will need to take a little trip to Feyrion unless Tally comes here. To put my mind at ease, I’ll put a cloaking spell on the cabin just in case some demon comes sniffing around. When you’re there, you and the rest of us will be able to see it, but the demon won’t see us.”
A ton of thoughts bombarded her. “Can I become invisible too? I am able to cloak myself when I’m in my dragon form, so maybe now I can do that in my human form as well since we’ve mated.” She was unable to hide her excitement.
Kenton laughed. “Maybe.”
Without warning, he disappeared. Kenton was probably trying to demonstrate that he could cloak himself at will. However, she bet if she felt around she’d find him. Or was he like a ghost? There was only one way to find out. She leaned forward and waved her arms, hitting something solid.
Kenton appeared again and smiled. “Invisible but not gone. Remember that.”
“I will.”
“I’d like to try teleporting to the forest,” she said.
Kenton took her hands in his. “How about I give you some pointers when we have more time? If you do manage to teleport and mess up, you’d have to find a place to shift and then fly back to the forest.”
He had a point. “Fine.”
Kenton smiled. “Want to pack a few things? I don’t know how long we’ll be gone?” he telepathed.
While they had been able to communicate like this when she held onto her bracelet, they hadn’t been able to do so without it. “Okay.”
She smiled, slipped her hands out of his and stood. Tory pulled her phone from her pocket to let Greer know she wouldn’t be coming into work for a few days.
“Are you letting Greer know?” Kenton asked.
“Yes. Can you read my mind now?”
He tapped his head and smiled. “Maybe. I’m a Fey after all.”
Okay, that was a bit scary. Greer’s cell went to voicemail, so she just left her a message. “We ran into the demon. Kenton scared him off, but I’m on my way to Feyrion to figure out a way to get rid of him permanently. I’ll be out of communication range for a while. Don’t worry. I’m in good hands.”
Next, she called her mom, whose cell also went to voicemail. Wasn’t anyone picking up? Maybe it was for the best. It would have taken some time to convince her mom that she would be safe. She left the same message as she had for Greer.
Kenton placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “I’m sure both will appreciate the heads up.”
Once Tory packed, they teleported to the forest. This time they landed inside the cabin. She faced him. “Just to be clear. Can anyone just walk in here?”
“Not without being invited. That means this is a no-demon zone.”
Relief rushed through her. “Good to know.”
Kenton slipped her bag from her fingers. “I’ll put this in the bedroom.” He returned quickly. “Ready to go to Feyrion?” he asked.
“What about Bevon?”
“I just telepathed him and explained our plan. He and the two guards will make sure no demons get through the portals. I also asked Meena and Fay to join us at our Feyrion home.”
Tory wrapped her arms around his neck. “I have to say that this telepathing thing is certainly more efficient than phones.”
“Eventually, you’ll be able to communicate with anyone in the realm.”
She lowered her arms. “Anyone? Not just your family.”
“Anyone, but no one would dare interrupt your mind unless something critical had occurred.” He wrapped an arm around her. “Let’s focus on the here and now, shall we?”
“What about my suitcase? Shouldn’t I take it with us?”
Kenton stepped back, swept a hand up and down her body. Air brushed her skin. When she looked down, she was stunned. “I was wearing black jeans and a pink top. Now I have on blue jeans and a green top. How did you do that?”
“It’s magic, love.”
Tory wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to get used to that. In reality, Tory shouldn’t be too surprised. He was able to pluck a condom out of thin air. “So it appears.”
As much as she wanted to ask why she bothered to pack in the first place, she figured he had his reasons.
Kenton held out his hand. “The portal is out back.”
“When we arrived the last time, it was in front.”
“We often move it. Ever since the demon made his appearance, I’ve been switching it up. Come on.”
She wasn’t about to argue. He swept a hand to create a portal, saying a few words—words that she’d have to learn. After stepping through it, they were in Feyrion. The light was brighter and the colors richer, making her smile once more.
Kenton looked down at her. “Let’s say hi to my folks—assuming dad is here—and then get together with my sisters. It’s time you met Tally.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Kenton telepathed to his family to join Tory and him in the palace’s front room. By the time the two of them arrived, all five of his family were there. He smiled, but the tension rippling through Tory unnerved him a bit.
“They will love you. Relax,” he telepathed.
She looked up at him and smiled. That seemed to do the trick. His mother rushed up to them and hugged Tory and then him. “You’re back so soon.”
“We need the magic ball,” Kenton said.
His mother smiled. “Of course.”
Tally stepped up next and introduced herself. His father was next, but as soon as he greeted Tory, he gave some reason why he had to rush off.
Meena smiled. “I know, brother, that you don’t want to be gone from the portal for too long, so we should get started in making that magic ball.”
Good old Meena. She was the peacekeeper of the family. “I appreciate that.” He nodded to his mother. “If you’ll excuse us. Tory and I have some training to do while you and my sisters create your magic.”
He teleported to the glen that was surrounded by the forested area where they’d had their splendid interlude.
Tory laughed. “I think we need to have some kind of warning signal. It’s a bit disconcerting to be standing in one spot and then be whisked off to another a second later. And be forewarned. As soon as I learn to teleport, I’m going to do that to you.” Tory faced him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pulled him close. “Okay?”
He laughed, loving his mate more each day. “I’ll be ready, but I did kind of warn you when I told my mother we were about to train.”
She smiled. “Fine, but we should set up a signal.”
“I get it. You want to be told. I’ll do that for the next time.”
“Thank you. What are we training for first? Teleporting?”
His mate was always so refreshing. “I thought we’d try cloaking first, which was why I took us to the glen. It’s totally open and you can shift into your dragon form first if need be.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“I’ve never trained anyone to do this, but I think cloaking yourself while in your dragon form first and then shifting into your human form would be easiest.”
Her eyes widened in understanding. “That would be incredibly useful if I can stay invisible in my human form even after I shift.”
No doubt, Tory was picturing herself as a Guardian. “Give it a try.”
She stepped into the middle of the field, and when she shifted, Kenton couldn’t help but stare. She was even more beautiful than the first time he had seen her flying overhead. Her intense yellow scales were glorious in contrast to her darker ones. Before he finished admiring her, she had disappeared.
“I’m in my cloaked dragon form,” she telepathed.
“I can see that—or rather I can’t see that. Now try shifting into a human.”
“Wish me luck.”
She didn’t need luck. Tory had magic on her side. When nothing hap
pened, he figured something had malfunctioned returning to her human form. “Can a cloaked dragon shift back into a human?” he asked.
Instead of answering, hands grabbed his waist and breasts pressed against his back. Kenton spun around in her grasp but saw no one.
“Yes, I can.” Tory then appeared, dropped her head back and laughed. “That was so cool.”
Kenton lifted her up and spun her around. “It was. Now go from visual human to invisible human without the intermediate step.”
She bit down on her lip. “Do I just picture being cloaked?”
He had to think about that. “I guess. I just command my body to do it.”
“No password or chant?”
“Nothing, my love. Becoming invisible for a Fey is built into our brain.”
She inhaled. “I’ll try.”
One minute she was in front of him, and the next she wasn’t. Technically, she was still in front of him, but he couldn’t see her. Tory then reappeared. Kenton couldn’t help but lean over and kiss her. “You did it!”
“I did.”
“I am proud of you. We’ll turn you into a Fey after all.” He stroked her cheek. “Do you think I will inherit any of your dragon capabilities?”
“I don’t know. Magnolia—one of the Four Sisters of Fate—was the only one of the four to inherit her mate’s shifter abilities.” She cupped his face. “But let’s give it a try.”
While Kenton no longer relished becoming king, because he now had Tory, if he could become a dragon, his status would be elevated. “How do I do it?”
“Close your eyes and picture a dragon—me, maybe.”
That was easy enough. He shut them tight. “Now what?”
“I too have never taught anyone to shift, but maybe start running and flap your wings—I mean arms that will hopefully turn into wings.”
“Seriously? I’ll look ridiculous.”
Tory smiled and shook her head. “No one is here but me. How about I turn around and close my eyes?”
Kenton never worried about looking like an idiot before, but this was his mate. “That might work.”
She faced the other direction, and he had to assume she’d closed her eyes. Kenton closed his for a moment to center himself. When he was ready, he opened them and ran, raising and lowering his arms. He imagined soaring high in the air with the wind beneath him. Even after ten seconds at a full out sprint, nothing happened, and his tight control started to crack. He teleported back to Tory. “You can open your eyes.”