He picked her up and swung her around before letting her slide slowly down the front of his massive frame. She felt every ripple of his flesh. The snap on his jeans pushed against her tender flesh.
He kissed her passionately on the mouth and it didn’t take long for the kiss to deepen. It took her breath away, and her body trembled with the intensity of the feelings the embrace communicated.
Amanda stepped back abruptly. “Cameron, we can’t get distracted. Let’s focus on the plan.” Amanda-the-practical had returned.
He shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Plan? I did not know we had a plan. You and I will sleep wrapped in each other’s arms and, when we wake, we will be there.”
“That’s it? We go to sleep and then we’re there. Do you think that’s what dying must be like? You just wake up somewhere else?” Her whole body vibrated with surprise.
“I do not think too much about dying. It is difficult for me to do,” he admitted reluctantly.
“But, you can die? How? I mean, what if you die while we are over there?” His admission brought fresh worries to her already troubled mind. “How would I get home? Oh, Cam, this is the craziest thing I have ever done. I don’t know if I can go through with it.”
“Take a deep a breath. While we are there, I hope to have my full powers restored so you will be under my protection. It is very difficult to kill an immortal. A truly evil scourge of the realms would have to trap me, which is next to impossible.”
Amanda raised an eyebrow, the reason for her doubt obvious, “What makes you so sure?” She had to ask the tough questions before they slept. “I know you think you’re omnipotent, but shit happens.”
She watched him try to shrug off his disappointment. “No one knows that better than I, Amanda. However, I would be able to shift at the last second and fly away or become incorporeal, evaporating into mist. Or something.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding. I really am open-minded, but this is a bit much to swallow.” She was starting to believe anything was possible, but a fool she was not. “Oh, and what happens to little ole me when you evaporate or take to the skies?”
“Please, dear heart, you must trust me. Let us try to relax so we can sleep easy. Come sit by the fire with me and have a little cognac. It will cure what ails you.”
“If I get drunk, I may not dream at all. Then what will happen? Will you leave without me?” Her brain was jumbled with questions and uncertainty.
“You know that I cannot go without you. Certainly a little cognac will not intoxicate you, will it?” He fixed her with his golden-flecked hazel eyes. “It will just help you relax.”
Amanda sat down close to Cam in front of the blazing fire. The snow was still falling outside and the damp logs were smoking slightly. The smell of wet earth permeated the room and a ghostly haze filled the air as the smoke wound its way lazily toward the ceiling. The smell of earth and smoke, combined with his masculine scent was heady. He had piled pillows high atop a down comforter, creating a cozy nest on the floor. She sat with her back against the couch, the heat from the fire warming her face.
He handed her a snifter of warmed cognac and joined her on the floor. His long legs stretched before him so that his feet almost touched the fire. He had changed into some new jeans and a black cashmere sweater that outlined his sculpted chest and broad shoulders. The cognac tasted delicious as it slid down her throat. She enjoyed the smoothness of the rich amber liquid but, after a few sips, she could feel the effects of the liquor. She stared blindly into the crackling flames, envisioning faces in the dancing blaze. Her head was spinning. She knew that Cameron was speaking because she could see his lips moving, but she couldn’t make out a word he was saying. She felt disembodied, as though she were watching a movie of herself. She felt drugged…The last thing she remembered thinking was that, immortal or not, she was going to kill him.
She wavered in and out of sleep, her dreams fraught with turmoil. Long repressed memories of the fire that killed her father played over and over. She saw her father in the upstairs window, relieved that she was safe. He smiled at her and blew her a kiss. Amanda reached for him and then the explosion took him away. Replacing her father’s gentle smile was Cameron’s face, distorted in agony. He was pounding against the window repeatedly until the pane shattered and the glass rained down on her body.
She tried to free herself from the barbed shrubbery, but the thorns tore at her tender flesh, causing her to bleed. She could not break free and, as a piece of the shiny window pierced her chest, she realized it was not glass but a jagged piece of mirror.
She woke as Cam tenderly wiped the tears from her face. She was incensed that he had drugged her, but the fog from the sleeping potion kept her from speaking. The soft compassion in his eyes warmed her bruised heart. For a moment, she could not remember what she had been angry with him about. She relaxed into his embrace, inhaling his scent. He stroked her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
“Amanda, if there had been any other way to ensure sweet dreams, I would have never given you the herbs,” he said softly in complete contrition. “Please forgive me.”
“Will…kill…you…soon.” She yawned sleepily and returned to dreamland safe in his arms.
Chapter Six
Amanda woke next to Cameron in a soft warm bed with a pounding headache. She could not even open her eyes, struggling against the herbs he had slipped into her cognac. Trying to get her bearings, she replayed the evening’s events in her mind. She remembered the pillows by the fire and his body close to hers. She remembered the warm cognac sliding down her throat and then…
She pushed his arm off her roughly and tried to turn over. She wanted to be face to face when she told him to fuck off. As she moved, the bed spun and her stomach rolled. She opened one eye cautiously to find her center, then she opened the other and sat up abruptly.
“Oh, my God, where am I?” she cried out in fear. She couldn’t see much because the massive carved bed was shrouded in darkness, enclosed by drapes all around. The heavy tapestries didn’t let in even a ray of sunlight. Amanda reached for the drapes, but then fear overtook her curiosity. She felt his body stirring beside her. He reached out one long arm and pulled her back down beside him. Kissing her solidly on the mouth, he pulled back and looked directly into her eyes in the dim light.
“Good morning, my sweet. I know that you are angry with me, but we have such a short time here. Are you willing to call a truce?” he asked her softly.
She sputtered irately. “No!” Her head began to pound and she realized she couldn’t afford any enemies right now. “Well, okay—truce. But if you ever betray my trust again, you will rot in that mirror for eternity. Got it?”
“You are sexy when you’re angry, you know that?” Cam kissed her playfully until the kiss deepened and he raised himself over her.
Amanda could feel his erection hardening against her stomach. Her arms went up around his neck as she leaned into his kiss. His hand cupped her bottom and slid down her thigh to pull her leg across his pulsing cock. He massaged her breast, pulling at her taut nipple with his fingers. She arched in exquisite agony, pressing her body against his groin. A low moan escaped her lips as he kissed her deeper. The sweet taste of his spice enveloped her senses and she was lost. She rubbed her pussy against his strong thigh, looking for relief. Cam pulled away from her mouth and pushed aside the cotton gown to kiss her breast. Her nipples tightened as he sucked on each taut peak.
He led her hand to his straining erection. She stroked him with a feather-light touch until he wrapped his hand around hers and encouraged her to squeeze a little tighter as she stroked his length. Her breathing quickened keeping pace with her rhythmic stroking.
Cam’s hand found the moist folds of her soft flesh and parted them slowly. Amanda tensed in anticipation as he gently slid a finger inside her aching core. Using the proof of her body’s desire, he slid the finger up and let it glide gently across her clit. She cried out, jerking uncontrollably a
t his touch. Nerve endings exploded as he circled the little bud. She didn’t understand what she needed, she only knew she needed it now.
“Cam. Please. Don’t stop. It feels so good,” she panted in his ear.
“I know, baby. I’m not stopping. I am close too.” He pressed a trail of tiny kisses from her nipple to her throat.
A knock on the door startled her and she immediately tried to move out of his embrace. Cursing the timing, she pressed against him tightly within the privacy of the heavy drapes.
“Come in,” he called toward the door.
“Master Cameron, please excuse me. Your great-grandmother is in the garden having breakfast and would like to see you as soon as possible.” The man’s voice sounded serious.
“Thank you, Gunter. We will be down shortly.” His finger was still brushing against her clit, just barely, and her body trembled with need.
“Excuse me, Master Cameron, if I may, your great-grandmother said to tell you that you and your lady can, uh, hmm, be together later. She wants to see you now.” This man named Gunter emphasized the word “now” heavily. “She has waited a very long time.”
“Yes, Gunter, you are right, of course. We will be down momentarily.” He slipped off Amanda to sit on his side of the bed, and she sighed in exasperation.
“Very well, sir. Will there be anything else then?”
“No, thank you, Gunter,” he said again, dismissing the servant. She stifled a giggle as he kept trying to lift her gown.
“Cam! Stop it, now. Hey, how did I end up in this nightgown anyway?” She looked down at her clothing, mystified.
“Mmm, I don’t know, but I like it. It’s very chaste, but also sheer.” He bent down to nudge her damp nipple through the gauzy fabric. Taking it into his warm, moist mouth, he sucked hard. She responded by arching her back to give him better access. Looking up at her from beneath his long golden lashes, he stopped nibbling abruptly and gave her a light swat on the rear end.
“Too bad we have to go now. My great-grandmother is not the most patient goddess. She’ll be up to get us herself if we don’t move along.” His tone sounded resigned, but his body was obviously still very interested in their play.
Amanda groaned, her frustration obvious. She smiled hopefully at him as he pulled on black slacks and smiled. “Don’t worry, we will finish this later.”
She dressed hurriedly in a beautiful Empire-waisted gown that was laid out on an armchair. It was midnight blue velvet with a robin’s egg blue inset flowing from the gold braided trim beneath her bosom. She wore no make-up, her auburn hair was held off her face by a thin gold braid and its length cascaded across her shoulder. She heard Cam’s breath catch and she couldn’t help but notice how his black slacks tightened over his engorged cock.
“Gods, but you are magnificent. I cannot wait for my family to meet you,” he said warmly.
“You clean up pretty well yourself,” she joked, feeling a bit out of her element. Before this, she had only seen him in jeans, and she really liked the look of the creased dress slacks and the white shirt he wore open at the neck. He looked cool and confident. Neither emotion could describe how she felt right now.
As he led her through the cavernous hallways, her head was spinning with the simple beauty of her surroundings. The stone floors and walls were dark and cool but soothing. A man who could only be Gunter was waiting by the doors leading to the garden. Cameron extended his hand and, as Gunter hesitated, he clasped his back in half of a hug before they moved outdoors.
The gardens were breathtaking. It appeared to be late spring here and there were flowers in bloom everywhere. She was in awe of all the beauty surrounding her, but it could not compare to the beauty of Cam’s great-grandmother. Amanda’s steps faltered and she felt Cam’s hand squeeze hers. “My grandmother,” he whispered. The woman looked up and opened her arms. Cam hurried into her embrace.
Amanda was amazed by Freya’s incredible beauty. Impossibly, she appeared close in age to Amanda, yet her look was timeless. Her hair was the color of autumn wheat and hung in shining waves down her back. She would find it difficult later to describe her accurately; Freya glowed with an ethereal quality that was beauty itself. As Freya reached her hands out for Amanda, the immensity of the situation hit her and she froze to the spot. Cam reached out and led her forward.
“My dear girl, I assure you, I do not bite. Come to me, child.” Amanda leaned forward at the sound of Freya’s hypnotic voice and allowed the goddess to kiss her on both cheeks and give her a warm hug.
“You have brought my great-grandson to me and, for that, I am eternally grateful. You are a courageous young woman with a kind heart,” Freya continued in a warm voice, and then turned to Cam. “I am pleased for you, Cameron. Now, let’s sit and feed you some breakfast while we come up with a plan to lift this curse.”
The table was laden with exotic fruits, breads, and pastries. Covered silver bowls held eggs, sausages, and oatmeal. There was enough for an army.
Freya gestured to the repast and admitted, “I was not sure what you would want, so I asked them to make all the mortal breakfasts items I could think of.”
“Thank you. That is very kind of you, but please do not go to any trouble. I am sure that whatever you eat would be fine.” Amanda hoped she wouldn’t regret that statement, thinking of dragon tongues and eyes of newt.
“Me? Eat! Oh, my dear, I have not eaten in hundreds of years!” Freya chuckled lightly. “Well, except for some artisan chocolates. They are a weakness of mine, I’m afraid.”
Cam took a plate and piled it with food. Amanda knew that he did not need food either and was touched by his gesture to help her feel more relaxed. He poured her coffee while she helped herself to some fruit and an almond croissant.
“Freya, where is my mother? I was hoping she would be here,” Cam said dejectedly.
“And so she shall. We sent word to her as soon as you arrived.” Freya assured him, her eyes alight with love for him. “The years that you have been gone have been difficult for your mother. Not only does she miss you terribly, but she also feels responsible for what happened. She has tried to stay busy.”
“She has been at Valhalla training the newest Valkyrie in the fine art of finesse, working on their people skills, so to speak. Some of the poor souls chosen by the Valkyrie to die in battle were so frightened by their aggressiveness that they did not want to be taken to Valhalla or to Folkvang! Can you imagine? At any rate, she enjoys working with the young people.”
“I have had many years to think of the pain I have caused her. If only I had married Brita—” Cameron’s tone was regretful, his countenance bleak.
Amanda turned to look out over the lawn, hoping to give him a little privacy. She watched a small bluebird hopping on the stone rail and smiled. What a lovely day this is turning out to be.
“Cameron!” Freya spoke very sharply and Amanda jumped in her seat, turning to witness what appeared to be a flash of flames in the goddess’s eyes.
“Your mother loves you and would never want you to be unhappy. Nor would she want you to settle for anything less than your birthright. What has given her strength is in knowing that, when you do return, it will be because you have found The One.” Freya paused, “Isn’t that right, Lilah?”
Amanda had no idea why she was talking to the stone wall until the tiny bluebird disappeared and, in its place, sat the most magnificent woman Amanda had ever seen. Cam was right; it was truly difficult to look directly at her. The woman glowed with a light that was barely tolerable to mortal eyes.
Cam knocked his chair over as he got up quickly to reach Lilah. He swept his mother off the stone wall and twirled her around in the air. They were both laughing and crying. Amanda had never witnessed such love between a parent and child and was touched beyond measure. She tried to hide her tears but she knew Freya was watching her and had seen her raw emotions.
He set his mother down, kissing her soundly on both checks and hugging her once more. Amanda
could see he was trying to regain his composure as he led Lilah to the table. Amanda hoped she didn’t have strawberry stuck in her teeth as she rose to greet the goddess, smoothing her dress self-consciously.
“Mother, I would like you to meet Amanda Wellington.” His eyes were dancing with delight as he looked from one woman to the other, “Amanda, this is my mother, Lilah.”
Amanda was unsure of the proper protocol in this situation, so she gave a small curtsy.
“You need not bow to me as you will soon be my daughter,” Smiling warmly, Lilah lifted Amanda’s chin, searched her eyes, then hugged her close. Amanda wasn’t sure how she could be this close to Lilah and not burst into flames from the glow surrounding this beautiful creature.
As she hugged Cam’s mother with growing relief, she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her lovingly. He genuinely seemed pleased with their meeting. A thrill of pleasure ran through her as she realized how important this moment was. They all returned to their seats as the conversation turned back to ending the curse.
****
The morning worked out better than Amanda had expected. Unfortunately, not much real progress had been made on the curse.
Cameron took her on a tour of the grounds by horseback. With a light picnic lunch in the saddlebags, they cantered out through sunny open fields of wildflowers and headed for a quiet meadow. With the sun high in the sky, the day was growing much warmer. She pulled at the neck of the dark velvet gown as the warmth filled her. They stopped to rest under the shade of a large willow. The beauty here continued to amaze her. Flowers, trees, and animals were everywhere, many of which belonged only to this magical realm. They lay in the shade of the tree, eating and sharing some cool wine. She felt warm and sleepy, lulled by the sound of nearby rushing water.
She felt a light tickle on her face and woke to find delicate flower petals raining on her face. She smiled at Cam’s boyishness as he bent down to gently remove the more stubborn petals from her now unruly mane. Smiling broadly, he took her hands and helped her up from the ground.
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