Looking up at Colum, she that saw his eyes were closed, and his other arm was across his chest. He was so still. She put her hand on his chest and not a movement came from him. He was perfectly still. Just like he was dead.
“Colum!” She pushed at his chest gently at first, then harder. Panic started to seize her. At first nothing and then he took a deep breath, and his eyes opened. She heard his throaty growl. Turning towards her, at first he looked so different, like he was an animal, his eyes just slits. He appeared to be on guard. Then he took another breath, closing his eyes again. As he opened them back up he looked like Colum, the Colum she knew.
Katherine had seen the swift change that had come over him. She had felt his hand start to dig into her as he woke up. She watched as he sniffed the air, stretched and then he turned with an almost smile. Nothing made any sense when she was with him. Her life had taken a strange turn. She felt like she was in some enchanted land, but somehow she felt incredibly safe. She knew he was a warrior, well, at least anyone with half a brain wouldn’t dare get near her.
“You scared me… I thought for a split second that you were dead... ”
Colum kissed her forehead. “No, just dead tired. I tend to do that, nothing to be scared of.”
Katherine could see it was a little after midnight. She leaned in and kissed his chest. She let her fingers trace his chest as he watched her. His moan went straight to her soul. She got up on her knees and crawled on top of him. Seeing the look he gave her made her smile. No words, just a smile.
The fire hissed and crackled as she explored Colum’s upper body. There was enough upper body to keep her busy for some time. She could feel his hands gently touching her. Massaging, kneading, trailing fingers over spots that felt like they were pieces of wood that were about to ignite. She felt so fragile at the moment.
She sat up straight while lifting his t-shirt up. She had never seen a man except maybe a male model, look as fine as him. His chest was well sculptured. He looked like a god. A god sent to live with humans. She looked up through her lashes to see that his eyes studying her. They smoldered. Kissing his chest and then his stomach. She felt him tense, felt his hands dig into her ass.
She leaned in and kissed him again, really kissed him, letting her fingers go through his hair. His hair, the shade of a raven. As she let her tongue dip in his mouth, she felt him play with her. She knew he was letting her take the lead.
“Colum, please make love to me... ” It slipped out so fast. She heard another moan. If she thought the first one went to her soul this one finished her off. She became putty in his hands as he gripped her. She was over on her back with him up on top quicker than she ever thought could be possible for a man his size.
Colum dipped his face towards hers. “You’re going to remember a lot more of our past lives, tonight. I will be gentle, but all I ask is that you make love to me in return, don’t hold back. I’ve been waiting for a very long time for this night.” He touched her face and felt her hands reach up and cradle his face as she kissed him.
He was slow and methodical but very gentle with her. His hands, never leaving her body, skimming along her waist, pushing her top up, exposing her breast, hearing her sigh and moan in turn. She moved with him as he explored her body in the firelight. Her skin was like new cream with a touch of gold from the flames that warmed the room from the fireplace.
They kissed as she reached for him, holding him as his hand cupped her breast. He watched her eyes as they closed. Taking his thumb he gently rolled her nipple between his fingers. That made her come off the bed and her fingernails sank into his shoulder. A wordless gasp left her lips, as he leaned over her and took that aroused nipple in his mouth. Gently licking and tugging. His other hand had found its way down to her sweats and with one fluid movement he had them off. There was nothing separating them on her end. She was very naked and all natural.
“You’re beautiful, my Kat... I hope you don’t mind me calling you that... ”
Katherine tried to focus in on his voice but all she could focus on was what he was doing to her. His slow deliberate path of torture. “I don’t care what you call me as long as you don’t stop, I need to let go... ”
Colum smiled and kissed her belly, letting his tongue trace circles. He looked up, seeing her buck and moan.
He was on his knees, looking down at her, moving ever so slowly toward the place that would bring them both pleasure and release. He moved her legs apart and heard her gasp. Playing with the dark red curls on her mound brought a deeper moan and sigh that told him she wouldn’t be long. Kissing her thigh he separated her legs again. He felt her grab at his hair reining him in tighter and tighter.
Burying his face into her, he could tell she was holding on to that last bit of sanity.
“It’s not going to take much Colum... ” she said through clenched teeth as she strained for the littlest touch to let herself go over the edge.
“We have all night,” he said with deliberate slowness as he slowly explored, touched, and kissed not holding anything back, sensing her nearness to climaxing. Her scent was just what he remembered. That sweet earthiness that would call him home each time. He had her. Feeling her move and making small noises, she was so close. He nipped at her sending a bit of his venom into her, which would make her orgasm that more intense. He sensed it and looked up just at the last moment. Seeing her arch her back as she screamed out his name while she exploded. He stayed with her until she slowed and then he was up shedding his own jeans moving on top of her. The site of her was something he had ingrained in his memory from all the times they had made love down through the ages. Each time though, was just like the first time. She was his, so beautiful, with her hair, catching the light from the fire. He came down and kissed her as her smiling eyes opened.
“I don’t know what you did to me, that little nibble sent me over the edge... don’t forget that, I could use an orgasm like that each and every time.”
Colum kissed her lips. “It’s always going to be like that, or better.”
Colum felt her hands come up and guide him to her. She looked down at him and let one hand capture him sending his head back. His body was tense, ready to explode, all his muscles like a taut cable. He moaned as she wrapped her fingers around him, gently but firmly stroking him again and again until he could stand no more.
“I’m sorry Kat, but I can’t wait any longer or my real self may come out... ”
He saw her come back into focus while letting go of him. She took a hold of his butt cheeks and brought him down to her as she welcomed him into her, wrapping her legs around him. He never let his eyes stray from her as he entered her slowly, taking his time knowing she was small.
“I’m not going to break Colum... ” She pulled him in harder, moving herself up so as to accommodate all of him. Hearing her sigh of satisfaction and knew he was home. He laid his head on her breast, hearing her heart, feeling her breath. He moved ever so slightly, causing her to moan.
“Move, do something to end this torture Colum.”
She kissed him as they started to move in unison. They were one. He felt their bodies as they became one again, after all these long years. He kissed her back and murmured things for only her ears to hear. He saw the tears and the smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. He watched her as they moved faster and harder. She let her head go back stretching her neck. Instinct took over, even if she didn’t know what she was doing.
To make them mates again he would give and he would take. He needed to taste her blood so she was truly his. He watched her pulse beat in her neck to the rhythm of their lovemaking. Dipping his lips down to her neck he left kisses trail down her neck towards her collarbone. Kissing a small area he let his tongue trace the spot and as he sensed from her movements and sounds that she was getting close again. Now was the time, he gently bit into her neck. She arched her neck more and that drove him over the edge as she let go and clawed at his back.
* * * * * * *
He pulled her into the crook of his arm and felt her leg go over his hip. They lay there in perfect stillness in the afterglow of their lovemaking. He felt her stretch and sigh, felt her small hands run along his hip. He took one of her hands and brought it to his lips. Kissing it first, then nipping each finger, making her squeal. But he didn’t stop there. He took each finger and started to suck them in turn. She started to move and moan as he made love to her fingers.
Katherine thought there would be no way she could feel aroused again after the lovemaking they had just had, but here she was, so ready for him again. Wanting him so. She also felt like she had to take charge, take him like she was claiming him. Little did she know this had happened each and every first time they had made love.
There was the desire to kiss him but when he arched that wonderfully massive, solid body, he exposed his neck, her mouth watered and she wanted to bite it. She was up and on him, first claiming his lips for just a moment before she took his neck. At first she thought she was just going to kiss it but then she heard him.
“Bite me my Kat, take me, it’s OK, I won’t break... ”
She glanced up quickly saw a rakish grin playing on his lips as he moved his hips to move inside of her again. He grabbed her ass to remind her. The bolt of heat that shot through her made her eyes come unfocused as she leaned in.
At first she kissed and let her tongue play with the skin. Then she heard his growl, “Take a bite out of me... ”
She bit down and at first she felt like pulling away. Like the time she had bit little John to teach him never bite again after he had bit her in a temper. He hadn’t after that.
She felt Colum’s hand come up and gently press but massage her head, holding her. Moving her in tighter, stoking the fire that was about to blaze over.
“It’s OK, Kat.”
She felt his neck given to her as an offering. She didn’t understand the need that was building, but he stretched himself and not only did she feel him deep inside her as he moved but her mouth was watering so. She wanted blood, his blood.
She sank her teeth into his neck. She tasted blood and heard his growl of triumph
“That’s it baby, lick it, it doesn’t hurt. Taste me. Know me.”
As she licked her lips she felt him move slow and steady in her. She wanted more and more.
She felt herself taste more until her body became a tight rubber band again and she let her head go back as she screamed his name.
Colum watched as Katherine slept. She was on her belly, and the gentle rise and fall of her back told him she was out. He got up and covered her. Going to the fireplace, he put more wood on the dying fire. Sparks rose up and then the fire hissed and popped. He turned to the sound of her movement.
Katherine saw the flame shoot up from the shadow. She knew Colum was feeding the fire.
Turning she sat up and watched as he came to her.
“Colum?”
He climbed on the bed and lay down on his side looking up at her. “What my, dear Kat?”
“What just happened? I felt like I was under the influence and I just bit you... I wanted to. I wanted to sink my teeth into you, deeply. Like some primeval urge was taking over... ”
Colum pulled her to him. “Look at me, at my neck. It’s a just a tiny bite.” He let her fingers trace the bite. She kissed the spot and looked at him, shy all of a sudden.
“I want you to sleep. If you are going to be stronger and remember us, and our past together, our connection you need to sleep. With sleep, the dreams will come. Dreams will show you your past lives. My blood will strengthen you.”
Katherine let herself be cuddled. She loved the feeling of being loved and kissed again. He rubbed her back and scalp. Murmuring to her, telling her things, sharing until she could feel herself falling into a slumber filled with places and faces she knew she had never seen before. Well, at least not in this lifetime. Times that were from the past. She stretched and fell into a deep sleep. Then the dreams came.
* * * * * * *
Cormac put his book down and looked over at his wife Elsabet.
“He will not leave her now, you know.”
Elsabet had been waiting for her husband to say that.
“Is that a question, dearest of hearts, or a statement?”
Cormac growled and leveled his wife on the bed. “For being as old as you are, you are still as fetching as you were in your youth.”
She flipped him over easily. He was now on his back with her on top. She playfully nipped his ear.
“It must be the storm that has stirred things up. He is not the only one who will be claiming tonight,” Cormac said with a throaty laugh.
He flipped his wife and mate to her back with a growl of triumph.
Kissing his wife, he savored the herbs he tasted on her lips. “We must be on our guard and warn Travis, his nephews, and the men. They will not be getting anywhere near her for a while or we will be having fights aplenty.”
He turned his attention back to his wife’s lips. Kissing her slowly he then gently nipped at her lips. “Are you sure you aren’t a witch my wife. You always smell of herbs.”
Elsabet smiled up at her husband the King. “If I were, you would still love me... ”
He laughed as he shut the lights off with a snap of his fingers. “Is that a question or statement?”
Chapter 8
Katherine felt herself floating through faces and places and she had no idea who and what they were. There was one constant presence, and that was Colum. She would see him sometimes close up, other times like in battles, he would give her fleeting looks before leaving. The times that they were close, their lovemaking was like last night, full of passion.
Then the dreams turned dark, more nightmarish in quality. She saw another side of him as he prepared for other battles and that’s when she cowed from him. But he always came, arms outstretched, beckoning her to him and she went, wrapped in his love and felt no fear. One time, she felt like his arms had been wings. Looking down she saw them, a dove grey, wings wrapped securely around her as he lifted her up from harm’s way. Then she saw his anguish as she lay with a knife in her chest. She saw him covering her body with his own as men surrounded the both of them, as she floated above. She felt his sobs, felt his tears, felt him pummel the earth with his hands. Saw another time when she lay dying and he was nowhere to be seen. She passed away, was all laid out and he came rushing in, a gallant solider in his uniform.
She always heard the question by those close to him “Why did you not change her? Now, you must wait... ”
She wondered at that. Wondered why she always looked the same. A couple of times she saw her Grannie. Now she understood why she knew so much about the Fae, the wee people. She was one of them.
She felt herself being called back to the present. She was being awoken.
She slowly came awake, felt a body next to her. Felt and knew his presence before she opened her eyes. Knew the love that had followed her down through the ages. She knew one thing... she was ready.
* * * * * * *
Colum felt her stir, knew she was waking out of her slumber.
She had been out for eight hours straight, and had slept like the dead. Well, he was sure they would have a lot to talk about and questions for him to answer.
Katherine opened her eyes and realized it was no longer night, but sometime in the day. She stretched and felt lips skim her temple. She stretched more and looked up. There was Colum looking down at her. His eyes were smiling in a deep shade of violet. She turned and caught his lips, felt her body being pulled into his and molded to his, just like they were made for one another. She started to remember the dreams as she felt his kisses deepen. She let her fingers weave through his hair.
“Colum,” she said in between kisses.
Colum let his kisses trail off to her cheek. “Yes, dearest?”
“Why do your eyes change color? Most of the time... ” She let her finger touch his ey
elid, and watched as he playfully took her hand and nipped at her finger. It was the first time she really looked at his teeth. His canines looked a bit elongated but nothing out of the ordinary; nothing more than her slightly pointed ears. She had always taken the stories her Grannie had told her for granted, because, on her end, it had always been a joke. Now, she suspected it wasn’t. She truly was descended from the Fae... Faeries, the very people she wrote her children’s books about.
“My eyes change with my moods... ”
“We aren’t normal are we?”
Colum laughed and held her close. “It depends on what you call normal. There are all kinds of races... we just happen to be from a very special, gifted, powerful race. One that has been chosen to protect mankind from annihilation.” He kissed her nose and sat up, pulling her with him. “Let’s go get tea down in the kitchen and come back up and I will try to answer as many questions as possible.”
They walked hand in hand down to the kitchen. Katherine glanced at the mantle clock that sat over the fireplace. She saw it was ten in the morning. “I slept like the dead.”
Colum pulled her into the kitchen. “You needed it. You will sleep some more today, too. You need to get your strength back. Something has been robbing you of your iron.”
Katherine looked at him. “How would, you know... I mean I haven’t said anything to you, to anyone.”
Colum smiled and turned on the stove. “Remember who I am my dear. I can detect scents, things that even dogs don’t catch. I can trace, track, catch and, if need be, kill. I knew something was wrong when I first saw you running. You smelled... for lack of a better words, burned out.”
Katherine looked outside and saw the sun and how it reflected off the snow. “How am I going to sleep when I need to get the kids, they are going to want to go tubing or snow boarding.”
One Thousand Years to Forever Page 9