Lord of Shadows (A Paranormal Romance Book): Blackness Falls

by Shania Tyler

  Then Mason’s grin widened, and Kelly knew herself to be in trouble.

  A loud knocking began at one of the tables and made Kelly turn. A man was banging the end of his blade on the table, thumping it over and over again. His face was a mask that lacked emotion. She then turned as she heard the banging come from another table. Then the entire room erupted into the banging, and Kelly felt Mason’s fingers touch hers as he took the cup from her hand.

  He turned her chin his way and, still grinning, said, “They wish me to kiss you now. May I?”

  Kelly’s breathing hadn’t returned to anything close to normal. “You didn’t ask my permission before. Why are you asking now?”

  His eyes sparkled. “I think you know.”

  Yeah, she thought she did, too. “Don’t guys normally ask a woman for her hand before marrying her?”

  He shrugged. “You asked for my cup. So, technically, you asked me.”

  It was not the answer Kelly wanted to hear.

  She blinked and tried to sort through everything in her mind. “Uh, so, does the kiss seal it? Like, in a traditional wedding?” Maybe there was a chance to reverse what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to ask the guy to marry her. She’d just wanted some of his wine and he’d known it.

  “No,” he told her. “You sealed it when you drank from my cup.”

  Her face felt incredibly hot as everything about her future seemed so final. “Then why do you want to kiss me now?”

  His eyes darkened as he brought his face close to hers. A dangerous delight shined in his green depths as the chorus of thumping sped up. “Because, I need to.”

  Kelly thought that was exactly what it felt like. Sexual need. It was a horrible thing to build a marriage on, but at the moment, she’d do anything to stop the thumping in the room and relieve some of the pulsing between her legs. “Okay.”

  The kiss Mason gave her was like the others, full of heat and passion. Her mouth opened for him and she accepted every slide and thrust of his tongue as her mouth rode his.

  But he broke the kiss too soon, turned away, and then stood.

  Kelly thought she’d done something wrong until she saw his hand stretched out for her. Her eyes traveled up his strong forearm, bulging bicep, broad shoulder, and solid jaw to meet his smoldering eyes and Kelly knew what taking his hand would mean.

  Everyone knew what taking his hand would mean and that scared the shit out of her, though she reasoned this was exactly what people thought whenever the bride and groom left the reception. They were going to have sex.

  She looked over at Ethan, who was now against the wall looking royally pissed, but she knew it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with his assignment . . . He didn’t even have it anymore. He could go home.

  She looked back up at her . . . husband. He was being quite patient with her and she appreciated that, but wondered if he knew just how patient he was going to have to be. She’d never done any of this before, though her body knew exactly what she wanted.

  His eyes softened then, their intensity dimmed, but his hand didn’t move. “Come with me,” he told her.

  How many times had that been his instruction? And where had it led her? To being chased by a large shadow, to the truth about Ethan, to a world that was nothing like her own. To her destiny. To him.

  She took his hand and they left the room to the sound of catcalls from the men.

  * * *

  12

  CHAPTER

  TWELVE

  .

  .

  .

  * * *

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  * * *

  .

  Mason watched as Kelly looked around her own room before saying, “We’re staying here?”

  “You’re staying here,” he told her, not leaving his position from the door. He leaned against it, keeping his back firmly against the wood and his hands deep in his pockets.

  He was not going to have sex with Kelly.

  He’d chanted it in his head during the long walk from the great hall.

  He was a man with few morals—but he still had some—and he couldn’t take her innocence. Not with so many lies between them. Taking her to Asea was for strategic purposes. He intended to lead her to Talon and drop her off there with minimal damage. If he touched her now, there would be damage.

  There would be damage on both sides.

  She stood in the middle of the room, still in her tattered dress with her hair slightly disheveled, looking more like an angel than any depiction he’d ever seen. And he’d seen the best: Madonna and Child by Masaccio and Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Caravaggio.

  Mason had always been a fan of Earth’s artists, but they’d messed up by not getting Kelly in front of an easel. Her hair was a mixture of rays from both the sun and moon, golds and silvers all twisting and turning in a chaos of curls. Her skin was like staring at the heart of the sun, so rosy and glowing; he burned for her and was surprised he didn’t turn to ash looking at her.

  She tilted her head at him and asked, “Why are you standing all the way over there?” Her blue eyes seemed pensive.

  Mason decided he would tell her the truth . . . well, some of the truth. “We’re not having sex.”

  He saw her stiffen at his words, and her fingers fell open at her sides. “W—what? But, I thought we just . . . you . . . I . . . aren’t we married?”

  He nodded. “But only to everyone who saw it occur.” Especially Ethan. Mason was now the only man to have say over what Kelly could and couldn’t do, which made his life much easier . . . and harder. He’d married her in front of his men, and they’d expect to see some sort of . . . love between them.

  It was another rule they’d made for the compound at Morwen. Some of the elves they’d freed had been enslaved for more than half their lives and only knew of the forced joining of men and women so more slaves could be born. So, the Rebels declared there to be a rule of no arranged marriages. Only love matches.

  And he had no clue how he was going to play the part of enraptured husband without actually getting enraptured. He’d set himself up with this move, but it had been necessary to get Ethan out of the picture.

  Kelly’s breathing grew rapid, though it had nothing to do with arousal. “So, we’re to stay married and you won’t have sex with me?”

  Mason nodded, confirming her words.

  She winged a brow. “Am I allowed to take a lover?”

  He was on her so quickly she’d barely blinked before she was enfolded in his arms. He held her fiercely and growled out, “No one else touches you.” His green eyes had darkened in jealousy.

  She shook her head in confusion. “I don’t understand. “

  “I married you to protect you,” he told her.

  “So, you don’t want me?” How had she been led on by yet another man who didn’t want her? Was she that unlovable? Would she die a virgin? Would she never feel what it was like to be with a man?

  Mason closed his eyes. His breathing was shallow. “I do want you.”

  Kelly stared at his face. His head was bent toward her and his fingers were spread over arms. She was caged in his body, breathing in his masculine scent and the wine on this breath. Her body warmed at his nearness . . . and possessiveness. This was her husband and no one would fault her if she tried to seduce him. She would just have to start somewhere

  He said he wanted her.

  Well, there were ways for the body to prove such a fact.

  Her fingers brushed the front of his jeans, easily finding the bulge underneath the rough material. Then she cupped him and Mason groaned and at the same gave a short thrust of his pelvis. His fingers tightened on her to almost a painful grip, but she didn’t let go of him.

  Her fingers slid down to the base of him before running back up. His tip rested at the edge of his pants and the idea of stripping him so she could really feel him came to mind. Her fingers went to the zipper.

  His hand shot out and grippe
d her wrist.

  She looked up and found his passion-filled lazy eyes staring at her.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  Like he didn’t know. Her other hand began to stroke him again, since, obviously, he hadn’t been worked up enough to drop his defenses. He was hard underneath her hands, so she knew he wanted her. She just had to get him to act on it.

  Mason closed his eyes as her touching continued and he parted his mouth to breathe. She was drawn to that mouth and impulsively stood up on her toes and licked his lower lip.

  He shuddered and his hips began to rock in her hand with eagerness. “Kelly . . .” Then he groaned and tightened his eyes and gasped, “Gods . . .”

  Kelly knew his defenses to be falling when his fingers loosened from around her wrist and went to rest on her hips, but he didn’t pull her closer. His eyes remained closed and his breathing started to grow ragged. While continuing to touch him though his jeans, her other hand went up to each of her shoulders in turn to push aside the straps of the dress. If she was going to seduce him, she’d go all the way.

  She switched hands as the top of her dress was gone, gathered at her waist and resting over his hands. As the feel of extra material at her waist registered in his mind, he opened his eyes. His gaze found hers and then moved, slowly, down her face and neck, until coming to rest on her chest.

  Kelly didn’t have the largest breasts, but they were full and perky and—

  She was up in his arms and tossed down on the bed with him quickly following before she knew what was happening.

  He hovered over her. His large body blocked the light from the fireplace and he asked, “You want me?”

  Her answer was to grab him once again, and she loved it when he threw his head back at the contact. “Yes,” she whispered.

  He sucked in a breath and then his head came down. She’d prepared for his kiss, but had not expected to feel his mouth on one of her taut nipples.

  She groaned and her lower body lifted from the bed, needing him.

  His body collapsed on hers and the weight of him on her juncture made her cry. He thrust against the most intimate part of her, pressing his shaft against her while his mouth feasted on her nipple. She closed her eyes, moaning, and thrashing against him as the heat between her legs became a burning inferno that traveled up her body and closed her throat. Sweat broke out over her and she tightened her fingers into the bedsheet for fear she would float away. She cried out as pleasure took hold of her limbs and she shattered underneath him.

  An inhuman sound came from Mason, and she felt her skirts being lifted up her body, sliding past her legs, up her thighs, and bunched at her hips. Then he stopped and Kelly knew he was staring at her wet mound. She hadn’t been given any underwear to put on with the dress, so wasn’t completely sure if she’d been dressed properly.

  Those thoughts were crushed away when his mouth landed on her down there.

  The fragrance of Kelly’s arousal had been the nail in Mason’s coffin. Her scent had all but dragged his head down and once he’d tasted her. . . once his mouth had learned what good wine truly was, he knew there was no going back. Kelly would not leave his bed a virgin.

  His seductress had won.

  Kelly’s fingers went to Mason’s hair, urging him on while her body writhed underneath him. Her panting grew wilder as he stroked her peak, sucking, licking, and coaxing her to the edge again. “Mason,” she gasped over and over again until she exploded.

  Their clothes disappeared within seconds, and Mason worshiped her body with his mouth before presenting himself at her moist entrance. He pushed slowly against her tender folds, spreading her open for him, until his head went in and they groaned.

  He went slowly, only moving an inch forward and back, allowing Kelly to get used to the feel of him, but her inner heat sucked at him, urging him forward with every lift of her pelvis. Her fingers skimmed his sweaty back and both her legs and arms wrapped around him tightly, moving him closer and farther inside her.

  Mason was shaking with the need to go deep, but he held back, knowing this first time would be painful for her. He moaned as her hips rose again and another inch of him was forced inside her tightness. She pushed him against her barrier and the hunger to claim her grew. “Slow down,” he barely gasped out. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She moaned and her rocking continued, just enough for him to skim the wall that stopped him from being fully in her opening. “Please, Mason.” The sensation was too much and Mason could hold back no longer.

  He buried himself deep and it was only the clawing of Kelly’s fingers and the stiffness in her body that kept him from dumping his seed.

  Kelly shut her eyes as her barrier was torn; the stinging that followed brought tears to her eyes. God, it was more painful than she’d thought it would be. She laid very still with her arms and legs still wrapped around him and prayed he wouldn’t move. It hurt too much.

  When he began a small pulsing movement, Kelly felt the stinging grow and was about to tell him to stop when it numbed out. He massaged her on the inside, soothing the ache away before replacing it with newfound pleasure. With him so deep, she could feel him brushing places she’d never touched and when his head began to bury even deeper, she groaned and arched back.

  Their movements became unified and together they found a steady rhythm that allowed them to explore one another with their mouths and hands. His lips found hers. Her fingers touched the hard muscles of his back. His fingers found her nipples. Her palms rolled over the dip at the base of his spine before cupping his ass.

  They groaned and then they picked up speed.

  Mason lifted his head away from hers and with his mouth slightly parted, she could see his teeth had elongated. The pupils of his eyes had also dilated, leaving only a green rim around them, but she felt no fear. He was beautiful.

  His eyes moved over her and he didn’t miss a beat and Kelly had never felt as beautiful as in that moment. Mason’s eyes touched her everywhere and his hands roamed her legs and slid to the back of her knees. It was as though being buried inside of her was still not enough for him. He had to possess her all over, know every dip and curve of her body. Her fingers found her nipple again and the twisting of the hard pebble was almost her undoing.

  “You’re close,” he whispered.

  “Yes.” She didn’t know how he knew, but somehow, she knew the same for him as well. He was just as close.

  Their eyes stayed connected as shivers passed from one of them to the other. Kelly felt the pressure of their joining raising and her pants grew rougher with each stroke. She was going to come and she was going to come with him.

  Her body tightened around him as she screamed out in pleasure, her voice only drowned out by his as he filled her.

  “Pava!” he shouted.

  In the next second, Kelly felt what she could only describe as a rupturing of her body and soul. An unraveling of sense and being happened right before she was reformed and tethered back together to parts that didn’t seem like her own, parts that were his. And as she took from him, she felt herself giving. The exchange severed herself from what she’d been, never to return to the Kelly she knew. She belonged to him, could feel his heartbeat as though it were in her own chest, and could feel the ache in his muscles and the pull from his lungs.

  She wondered if this was what it was like for every husband and wife, this binding of souls that felt tighter than any rope could tie their bodies.

  * * *

  13

  CHAPTER

  THIRTEEN

  .

  .

  .

  * * *

  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  * * *

  .

  He collapsed on her and Kelly took his heaviness and his sweat as if it were her own. Her fingers trailed up his neck and into his hair and she loved the way his damp strands felt. She loved his smell and the way his body felt against hers.

  He’s said a wor
d when he’d come.

  Pava.

  She wondered what it meant.

  He leaned up and looked into her eyes then he kissed her and rolled until her body was on top of his and the cool air in the room touched her. She shivered and he pulled the blanket over them, cocooning them in the damp sheets.

  She rested her head on his chest, falling and lifting with his every breath.

  She’d never felt more secure in her life.

  Then she heard his stomach growl, and he groaned.

  He’d worked up an appetite.

  Before she could speak, he rolled her away, kissed her lips and shoulders, licked her chest . . .

  Kelly moaned and felt heat building again.

  He kissed each of her knees and then left the bed. “I’ll be back.”

  She sat up and pouted. “Where are you going?” She took a moment to look over him. Her hormones had calmed and she could now appreciate him as a work of art. A very sexy work of art.

  He stretched his body, flexing the muscles of his chest as he ran both his hands through his dark hair, pushing it back from his head. Her eyes traveled down again, past his waist, and zeroed in on the part of him that had given her pleasure beyond reason.

  He chuckled.

  Kelly blushed and looked up to find him watching her watch him.

  He started to put on his pants.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To eat.”

  She frowned again. “Eat what?”

  He looked at her as he began to pull on his shirt. His face had become an emotionless mask. “You know what I eat.”

  She did, which was why she didn’t understand his leaving. “Can you not take it from me?”