“I’m in no hurry.”
“I’m not trying to pressure you. It’s because we’re in this city, and Octavos is expecting his first. My desire to have one is quickly becoming priority…” He deflated as he took a deep breath. “I won’t talk about it anymore.”
“I had a dream that Noxis stabbed my old wound with a sword, and somehow I knew I should have leaned into it. He killed our unborn child. I’m thankful to know what I need to do, but I think I was about six months along. I’m not eager to get pregnant knowing exactly when it will happen.”
“Maybe it’s a vision that can change. Hopefully you and Wyt are not seeing what’s inevitable, but possibilities. Maybe you and he aren’t even seeing the same thing. Besides I could always send Noxis away once you’re pregnant.” Cobaaron breathed heavily before drawing her close to him so he could hold her. “I don’t want to talk about this. I know you’re young, Ky. I want...I want to take you to bed, and make love to you.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cobaaron cradled Ky. Nothing felt better than his closeness. She needed the intimacy since their separation, and thankfully, he was keeping her near so he could trace the crimson swirls on her skin, while careful not to touch her sore back. Because he loved seeing her glow and feel the warmth of her honey-scented skin, she took off her cloak and clothes. He enjoyed seeing her lie naked next to his bare body, skin to skin. His need to make love changed to a greater necessity to lavish caresses and passionate kisses while gazing into her eyes. In his attention hid a silent promise to make love. The unspoken assurance lingered between them, which made them smile every time their eyes met.
Moments like this, when they were alone, left no question how he truly felt. Though he rarely spoke the words I love you everything from his gaze to things he expressed told her of his deep devotion. Ky took great pleasure in his adoring gaze that said so much more than his few confessions. And in quiet intimacy, Ky never loved him more.
She treasured his honesty, his protective nature, and most of all the way he acted toward her when they were alone. After spending so much time together, he had softened. Any notion he once had that he couldn’t love was long discarded; she couldn’t remember the last time he tried convincing her of a warrior’s indifference. She treasured the fact he embraced her love whole-heartedly, even risked losing the loyalty of his men and reputation as an unconquerable warrior to be with her. Still he was victorious, and as always he was her tower of strength. It surprised her when he lifted her up by her shoulders to hold her closer as he said, “I’m losing my nerve as a warrior.”
“Why do you think that?” Ky ran her hand through his hair, eased away from him so she could search his eyes for an answer that was hard for him to explain.
“I can manage men, troops of thousands upon thousands, but I can’t keep you safe from harm. Maybe keeping women is different. It’s not like in battle where I alone can fight for my men, or I lose only a few in a war because my army is far greater in size or skill. But put me in front of you and you could cripple me. Have you taken from me, and I’m completely lost.
“I always told myself that having women is a distraction that could cost me my life, but not having you is more of a distraction. I feel weak when you aren’t around. I fear the lengths I’ll go to keep you safe.”
“What lengths?”
“I’m thinking of sending Noxis to finish Octavos’s job, and never having him return. But I’ve never sent him away. He’s my brother. He’s not as strong as Octavos or as respected. I wish I could prove to him you’re simply a Star, but I don’t know how. I’d have to bring you close to death, and make you drink a truth serum in order to prove it, but there would be no guarantee you’d survive. That’s an option I’m not willing to try. So, I only have one choice; send him away.”
“I’ll survive this attack, Cobaaron. Let’s not worry about him, okay? I’m much more terrified of Zevera. She knows she can’t kill me, or she would have. But, she believes if we’re together she can kill us at the same time and end the prophecy. How are you going to prevent her from controlling you? You could be taken over, and...I don’t want to think about that. Maybe I should fight her, and prove I can’t defend myself from her. Then you might stand a chance to kill her if I’m distracting her.” Ky’s heart began to race in panic, simply thinking about seeing Zevera again. Maybe her suggestion was too foolhardy, but there was no length she wouldn’t go to in order to protect Cobaaron. “I was no match for her.” Her voice was quiet and weak.
“I can’t be controlled, love,” he consoled her. “I have an old charm on me that my brother’s partner cast that forbids it. I was under her bidding, until I killed her. I didn’t know at the time she bound me only to her. But witches gifts always have a price.”
“But Oella held you up in the air.”
“Yes, but she didn’t have control over my body,” Cobaaron clarified. “She lifted me, that is all. I can’t permit you to fight a witch, Ky. I can’t and won’t. It’s out of the question. You will never have to face her, if I can help it. I’ll send Noxis away.”
“No, I’ve seen that he doesn’t do anything until I’m pregnant. Let’s wait. I don’t want to make it worse and have him hate me. It could be he learns I’m not a witch, and the false vision was a warning. Maybe this is all to caution me so I’m more careful, or…I don’t know. But it’s possible I have them so I know to change the future.”
Cobaaron smiled, but not convincingly. It was too feeble and expressed his disbelief. “Yes,” he said, but apparently couldn’t bring himself to lie beyond that. He returned to rubbing her side and hip with careful attention not to graze her back.
He enfolded her in his arms. She could see in his eyes, and sense in his touch that he worried he couldn’t keep her safe from harm. There was a sense of possession in his strength that held her close as if he feared letting her go meant losing her. Never had she seen him so troubled.
“Hey,” Ky crooned and then kissed him. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know,” he said, but eased her closer. “I love you. That is all I want to think about right now. Let’s lay everything aside and be consumed by each other, and make love.”
“Okay.” Ky grinned, surprised by the confession that he rarely spoke. “I love you, too.”
“This week has worn me down, and I need assurance I can keep you. Make me a promise, Ky. I need one.”
“Like what?”
“Promise me children, even if you don’t mean it,” Cobaaron begged. “I’m old. I’ve lived a long life, and I’m more than ready. I want them when we reach the City of Lights. I want more of you.” He swallowed hard as his brows tightened. He fought a heavy feeling of powerlessness, knowing the choice was ultimately hers, and she could see that he feared she’d refuse him for years.
“I promise you a child when we get to the City of Lights,” Ky vowed. “I mean that.” So he knew she was sincere, she repeated, “I mean it. We’ll have one soon after we arrive. Breathe the word and show me how Stars get pregnant simply by wishing.”
He breathed in deep, and thanked her in a whisper before adding, “I promise I will always come for you. What else do you want, Ky? Tell me anything. Surely you know I’d do anything for you.” Cobaaron brushed his lips against her cheek as she considered a promise. He traced her jaw before he nibbled her neck.
His slightest touched distracted her. She let go of her thoughts, and before their lips met, his tongue lightly touched hers. He sealed his mouth to hers as he captured her tongue in a gentle suction. He passionately and slowly circled with delicious caressing. There was no pause, no break, but only desperate caresses as if he wished to disappear into their kiss and make love forever. Ky loved the way he kissed her with perfectly moist lips and wet tongue. Eventually, he drew his tongue back, and swept several light kisses from one corner of her mouth to the other. There was tenderness in the way he silently bid her to make love to him.
He began to kiss south, needing all of her. He
reached for her wrist and kissed along her skin until he stopped and traced the puffy abrasions from the tree squeezing her. “Ky.” He was disturbed to see the marks, and brought her wrist to his lips. “I wish…” He cursed as he jolted, sitting upright. In his palm lay a long-stemmed flower with nine lengthy filaments drooping under the weight of golden, dusted anthers. He looked into her eyes with uncertainty what she’d think of it, before he said, “I was wishing I could erase your anxiety of the last few days, and then felt this in my grip. This is a naiad, a water nymph’s cat-o’-nine-tails that mature at the bottom of the deepest lakes. They bring great pleasure.” He searched her eyes, as he returned to her side, and added, “Do you trust me, love?”
“You know I do.”
“I won’t use it as intended.”
With care, he let the filaments drop and grazed her shoulder as he slowly drew the flower across her chest. Ky’s skin lit, and arousing warmth followed. She inhaled, and arched into the golden dust that fell from the disturbed flower petals. The small particles floated to her skin and heightened her pleasure. If she wanted heat, they warmed; if she wanted cool, they chilled; if she wanted the sensation of Cobaaron’s tongue licking her body, she felt the stimulating presence of him along her increasingly sensitive shoulder.
But then the pollen-covered anthers touched her, and she exhaled Cobaaron’s name with surprise. Ky trembled as he traced the dancing anthers down her breasts. Her skin glowed brighter, and as the filaments climbed the mound of her breast and across her nipple, she cried out in a loud moan that filled the room. The glowing golden-dust trail on her skin gave her unspeakable pleasure.
Cobaaron continued to slowly sweep downward, holding onto her as he whispered, “You’re moans are levitating us. I love your sounds; don’t stop.” Then his lips touched her skin, and she cried out in bliss. He kissed the glowing trail he made, and his lips glowed as he groaned. Once he began his own path, his lips left shimmering kiss marks that tingled her skin. He kissed the red swirls that crossed over her breast. When his mouth lightly teased her nipple, the pleasure was too much and she squirmed.
Ky couldn’t be quiet, as the pleasure doubled when he followed his warm nibbling with the anthers, and a tidal wave of a growing climax coursed through her body. He drew a scattered line with his bottom lip up to her neck, as the anthers tickled down her ribs, circled her stomach, and then teased her core when Cobaaron stubbornly brushed the flower down her hip and leg, but avoided her sex.
“No, please,” Ky begged. She wanted the flower to satisfy the tight aching, or she felt like she would go mad with frustration. Cobaaron opened her legs, to allow him access as he rested his stiff shaft close to her opening. Then, with a long stroke, he slowly brought the filaments up their bodies, and watched as the trailing gold dust lit their skin. The anthers skipped along Cobaaron’s lengthy erection, alighting it as the flower passed. A low, husky rumble escaped him from pleasure as his entire body tightened. Then the gold touched Ky’s sex, and she crashed into a powerful orgasm. She screamed in pleasure. They held on to each other as they climaxed together. He kissed her; once again hoping their lips would anchor them as magic overpowered their senses. Cobaaron gripped her tighter as he ejaculated. He tossed aside the flower; the stimulation was too much for them. Ky continued to tremble beside him, and with him.
Cobaaron and Ky slowly spun as they held on to one another. The surge of his much stronger climax somehow passed from end to end in her body as well. Ky felt like she was freefalling as adrenaline rushed through her body. As the effects of the magic slowly faded, they panted as if they made love for hours. It was then that Ky realized how high off the bed they were.
When Cobaaron came down from his unnaturally long climax, they laid still a moment. Their bodies were silver from sweat. Large leaf fans on the ceiling gently rocked back and forth to cool them.
“That only whets my appetite to make love again.” He breathed heavily, close to her ear. She loved the warmth of his breath on her neck, and his words thrilled her. “I want you pregnant. I want you all night.”
His leer was mischievous, as he blatantly bid her to him with intent to conceive. His wishes made her nervous; she felt too young, but she went to him willingly, knowing they risked pregnancy each time they made love.
“We won’t fall,” he assured her, as he lifted her leg to straddle him. He then shifted her effortlessly so she lay on top while they somehow felt a soft surface beneath them. He affectionately rubbed her butt in the smallest of circles, before pressing her against his groin. Ky needed him, more than ever. He held her firmly against his shaft and watched her as she returned the mesmerized gaze.
“Come here and kiss me,” he lovingly commanded in a sexy growl.
She leaned against him, planting her mouth on his. She gently bit his bottom lip before smoothing her tongue across the temporary indentations. For a brief moment, his eyes closed as her tongue slowly swirled around his.
A breath escaped his lips as he coached her to stroke him with the hidden warm, wet skin of her folds. He flexed his taut buttocks to hold his erection high. He moved her, slowly and easily rubbing her against him because his seed slicked her perfectly. As their combined flower pollen mixed, it evoked a thrilling tingling that both excited her beyond belief and exhilarated her with cooling relief as if all the previously desired effects from the flower instantaneously enmeshed. She let out a long moan, enjoying the firm pressure of his shaft caressing her clitoris, and Cobaaron had never been so hard.
The fan mizzled a potent mist, and a spicy fragrance that smelled like Cobaaron consumed her senses until she was desperate to join with him. After he took a deep breath, he said, “I love your scent. This does it for me.” Cobaaron devoured her in a passionate kiss as he enfolded his arms around her, holding her to his chest, keeping her near. “Make love to me,” he requested in a husky murmur, with dilated eyes full of passion and a craving for closeness, which would go unsatisfied until he was in her and a part of her.
He sat up, holding Ky to him. They gradually rolled midair until he was somehow able to sit on his feet. He had Ky wrap her arms around his neck, and legs around his waist while he held her to his chest. He then guided her hips until she felt his head pressing hard against her heated opening with the start of a new upswing, and for one explosive moment, he slid his tip inside.
She clutched fistfuls of his hair, as he pressed only his end inside of her once again. Ky inhaled sharply with her mouth pressed to his, and enjoyed tremors from his penetration. He continued to enter and withdraw again and again. He teased her while taking his time, ensuring she would not only need him but also crave him. The combination of their glowing skin stimulated Ky again as if the anthers were rousing her once again. Cobaaron growled as he kissed her, confessing he was about to release. No sooner than his words escaped his lips, he burrowed deep.
He kissed the faintly glowing trail on her skin along her breasts. Ky was amazed how so little touching could so quickly bring her close to a climax again. They both indulged in great pleasure, as Cobaaron remained stiff and the Naiad’s effects quickly rekindled his fire again.
He cupped her butt, holding her still, as he somehow pushed off his feet and pressed himself deeper inside of her. With strength and ease, he held her where he wanted her, as he gently raised and dipped, rocking deeper. With soft-spoken words and breaths uttered in her ear, he reached her depth as they made love.
He dropped his forehead to hers, and held her close. He raised his hips, deeply touching her once again as he peaked once again. She cried out with pleasure when he tapped against her cervix. “I’m aroused simply knowing what I’m doing to you, Ky; I want you pregnant. I want to make love to you all night, and think I can.” Ky leaned away from him, letting his lips wet her gold-dusted skin, in a delicious arch down to her chest. When she began to lean too far, and he steadied her by placing a hand on her back; she winced and gasped in pain.
“Ky.” He cringed, seeing her anguish; he
looked as hurt as she. He removed himself from her and then carefully rolled her on her stomach as they floated. He slid his hands under hers, covered his fists with her palms, and locked their fingers. He kissed the tender skin of her bruised back. “Ky.” He spoke in agony, and she did not doubt that her back was riddled in welts and silver stripes.
There was mild pain from his delicate lips. Though it stung, he kissed her as if trying to mend her and take her pain. Full of romance and empathy, he attentively kissed along her ribs, near her most tender spots. He paused, before exhaling a heavy, grief stricken sigh. For a while, all he could do was whisper her name; his breath on her skin soothed her. He sounded broken, and not the Cobaaron who was unshakable. It made her emotional, that he cared so much he hurt for her.
When he began making love to her again, the pleasure covered the sting of his tremulous lips. She lifted her hips, welcoming his deep rocking that brought so much pleasure. They were making love in the truest sense: pouring emotional and sensual affection into their union and connecting soul to soul.
Her hands squeezed tightly around his, as Cobaaron’s shaft filled her, and she moaned with pleasure she couldn’t hold back. He rocked her slow and deep as he said, “I’m more protective of you, possessive even. I want your climax as assurance that I have you once again, and that you belong to me. You are mine. You are my possession as much as I am yours.” His murmurs were a husky, low groan that slipped from his lips while he continued to wet her skin and blow cool air onto her back. He sucked in air from clenched teeth; it was a low-pitched sexy sound. He knew how to bring her to completion and brought his mouth close to her ear. He hovered over her, closed the gap between them slightly, and then whispered with desperation to never be apart from her again as he said, “Give yourself to me completely. Climax, Ky.”
The Coming Dawn Trilogy Page 49