Wicked Waves: Solsti Prophecy #2

by Kay, Sharon

  Okay? That was her response? Well, what did I expect? It’s not like I proposed.

  “Tell me something, though.” She stared down at him, eyes brooding.

  “Anything.”

  “What’s your history with Miranda?”

  “Miranda?” Her question shocked the hell out of him. The red-haired demoness was the farthest thing from his mind. The night she’d shown up, when the Neshi demon had attacked Brooke, seemed like months ago.

  “She looked like she couldn’t wait to get her hands on you, that night in the alley back home.”

  He opened his mouth, then closed it, his sex-hazed brain still trying to process her question. “Miranda is an old friend.” And yeah, her hands had probably roamed all over him at some point in the past. And he probably enjoyed the hell out of it. But now probably wasn’t a good time to share that detail with Brooke. Or ever.

  “Was she your girlfriend?”

  “Girlfriend? No.” He racked his sluggish thoughts for a diplomatic way to describe his casual sex partner. Hell, just call her your fuckbuddy. “Uh…she and I…”

  Brooke waited, eyebrows raised.

  “Our paths don’t cross often, but when they do, I mean did, we would, uh… end up in bed.”

  Brooke’s jaw tightened and she swallowed hard. Shit. He had to fix this.

  “That‘s all it ever was. Just sex. No commitment, no relationship, no expectations.”

  “So, friends with benefits?” Brooke’s tone was neutral, but flickers of emotion danced across her eyes.

  “Yeah.” He and Miranda had been friends for twenty years. Why did their arrangement seem dirty now?

  “Is it still…do you still see her?” Piercing gray pools waited for his answer.

  “No.” Hell, Brooke was jealous. And she didn’t realize she had no need to be.

  “When did it end?”

  Scratch tenacious. Brooke was as focused as a gladiator.

  “That night with the Neshi was the first time I’d seen her in a month. I was on patrol with Gunnar and we ran into her. But nothing happened between her and me. Not that night. Before that, I hadn’t seen her before that in… I don’t know, it had to be several months, at least. Maybe a year. So whenever that was… yeah, that would’ve been the last time.”

  “Oh. That was awhile ago.” She stared at his ear. Or the pillow. Or some random dust mote beyond his head.

  He cupped her face in his hands, careful of her injured cheek. “Brooke, look at me. Everything with Miranda is in the past. I’ve known her for decades, and believe me, she has no claim on me. She wouldn’t want that if I offered it. Which I never would.”

  He took a deep breath, not wanting to freak her out by saying the L word. He had no idea what she really felt for him—hell, two weeks ago they weren’t speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary. “Ever since I met you, I’ve only been able to think about you. No other woman. Period.”

  “Yeah?” With a hopeful note in her voice, she smiled.

  His stomach did a backflip. “Yeah.”

  “I can’t seem to get you off my mind either.”

  “Don’t you even try.” He cupped her nape and pulled her lush mouth to his, pouring his devotion and possession into his kiss. She was his.

  He slid his other hand down to her ass and spanked her again. She gasped and he thrust his tongue into her mouth, probing the deepest recesses where her sweet taste lay waiting. Honey…and sex.

  Her lips were soft and giving as she let him claim her mouth, so different from the minx she’d been a few minutes ago. God, he loved learning every nuance of his woman. Her lilac scent infused his every breath. And mixed with the heady floral note, the spicy-sweet fragrance of her arousal curled in the air.

  Blood surged to his cock with the awareness of her need. He snarled with the desire to claim her in every way possible, and his muscles tensed to flip her over.

  As if reading his thoughts, she pulled his hands from her face and pushed them to the pillow, on either side of his head. Holding him at his wrists, she shook her head and grinned. “Nope.” Her gray eyes twinkled with mischief.

  He smiled up at her. It felt like his heart was dissolving, one molecule at a time, and flying into her hands. “Is this another nurse’s order?”

  She brushed a teasing kiss across his lips. “Yes. You shouldn’t put weight on that leg yet.”

  “My Sprite knows best.”

  “Keep saying that, and you’ll stay a happy demon.”

  “I’ll be a happy demon any time you’re on top of me.” He pushed against her hold, freeing his arms, and slid his hands down to her hips. “Come here.” He shifted her body higher on his. “I need to make sure my nurse is ready to do a double-shift.”

  Her beautiful eyes widened, locked with his as he kissed the silky soft underside of her breast. His senses were overloaded with her scent, her taste, her downy skin. She sucked in a breath, letting it out on a shaky sigh when he licked and nuzzled closer to her tight nipple.

  It took every ounce of strength not to close his lips around her perfect, taut peak. But he moved to her other breast and repeated the process, making her moan. She shifted her hips and let her head fall back, whispering, “Please, Kai.”

  He rumbled his approval, moving a hand to the center of her back and pressing her down. Her muscles gave a full-body shiver as he took one puckered nipple into his mouth.

  She gasped as he moved his tongue in slow circles around the tip and a soft moan escaped her lips. He moved his other hand down to her luscious ass and massaged her velvety skin, mimicking the circling motion of his tongue. Gods, she was perfect.

  Her breath came ragged, and she rocked her hips against his torso. He responded by rocking his own, pushing his swollen cock against her slick folds.

  “I’m ready, Kai.” Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

  He released her nipple and whispered, “Not yet.” He took her other breast into his mouth.

  Her body trembled as he sucked her deep, her hips finding a sensual rhythm. “Oh God…Kai.”

  With a growl and one last lingering pull, he released her nipple and smacked her bottom. “Now, baby.”

  She pushed up onto her hands and knees and slinked backward, her eyes shining with a hunger that beckoned to the wild male in him. She centered herself over his straining shaft and dragged her slick body across him with heart-stopping languidness.

  He groaned, gritting his teeth with the effort to not grab her hips and slam her down on his aching shaft.

  Straightening up, she straddled his torso and guided him into her wet heat.

  Oh…fuck yeah. He closed his eyes as he slid deeper, her muscles gripping him tightly. This was heaven. His body locked intimately with his woman. Something he never knew was missing fell into place. Careened into his soul with the force of a raging current. Bathed him in the sweet fragrance of lilac. Mine.

  She paused above him.

  “What is it, baby?”

  She smiled. “Just getting used to you.” She flexed her inner muscles, taking him in another inch. “You’re a big demon.”

  “All for you, Sprite.”

  She spread her thighs wider, lowering her body to take him in all the way. She rocked her hips, and her eyelids dropped halfway. Her eyes glazed over as she stared down, roaming over his chest.

  She planted her hands by his shoulders and leaned forward, her body moving with raw sexual grace. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, his own need rocketing as she lost herself to her lust. Needing to touch her everywhere, he caressed her ass and her back before sliding his fingers around the delicate curves of her ribs. He cupped her full, ripe breasts, flicking his thumbs over the tips.

  Her pace quickened. He thrust high inside her, her tight channel holding him in a haze of urgent need. The desire to please her stormed him, and he rocked his hips to match her rhythm.

  Breathing in shallow bursts, tiny cries escaped her lips. He was so ready to explode insid
e her that he couldn’t form a coherent thought. He squeezed her breasts, tugging her nipples and pinching them gently. He pumped harder, slamming into her sweet sheath. “Fuck me, Brooke. Just like that.”

  Her scream echoed off the rock wall as shuddering spasms overtook her body. A fresh wave of wetness bathed his cock. The scent of her sex assaulted his mind. He slid one hand down to her hip to hold her and kept his other hand on her breast. Just a few days and he knew his woman liked to have her nipples touched when she came.

  The tip of her breast was hard as a diamond, and he continued to tease it until she shattered again with her second orgasm. This time, with her tiny muscles milking him, he roared and slammed into her with all the force of a rutting beast. He grabbed her trembling thighs and held her in place as he plunged inside with furious strokes. So hot, so tight, so fucking perfect.

  He bellowed her name as his seed shot deep into her body, pumping like a piston as he came. He rode out the waves as he took her, claiming her, pounding long and hard, until he had emptied himself. As he floated back down from some unseen point on the ceiling, he wrapped her in his arms and waited for his breathing to regulate.

  She nuzzled her face into his chest, and he felt her body go slack. He stroked her silky hair with one hand, and held her tight with his other. Twined with his female, sated, blissful, one thought formed in his mind. I love you.

  CHAPTER 24

  RANIERO HEARD JOHANNA CRACKING HER gum before he saw her tiny silhouette outside the tavern. She grinned as he and Ashina approached and introductions were made.

  “Congratulations, demon. Where’s the honeymoon?”

  “Stroehm,” Raniero replied.

  “Stroehm?” Johanna’s eyebrows shot up to her blond bangs. “Um, I can recommend a number of places on Torth where the scenery and lodging are…nicer.”

  “I’m sure you can,” Raniero said dryly, holding her purple gaze. Hell, there were a dozen places he’d rather take Ashina right now. “Maybe next time.”

  The elf shrugged. “You know where to find me.” She frowned. “That forest is huge. Any particular spot you want to land?”

  She had a point. Not Draven’s compound—if Kai had broken out of there, he’d be as far away as possible. He’d probably follow the river. “Take us to the area that has both healthy and dead trees.”

  Johanna nodded and reached for their hands.

  “Wait.” Ashina glanced around. “Right here? In the open?”

  “It’s not like anyone can follow us,” Johanna said. “Even if another porter was here—which there isn’t, and I would know—they’d never guess where we’re going.”

  Raniero sensed the hesitation rolling off his mate. “What is it, love? All your patients already know you’re going away for a little while.”

  She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I know. I just haven’t left here…ever.”

  Not since your father dumped you here.

  She nodded.

  “There’s a whole realm waiting for you, Sheena.” Smiling, he trailed a hand down her arm and grasped her slender fingers.

  I just worry that he’ll know, somehow.

  He pulled her into his arms. I won’t let him hurt you again.

  A mix of trust and worry flowed through their bond. I know you believe that with all your heart. But he’s so powerful. We can’t underestimate him.

  I won’t, Sheena. Anger at his employer rippled through his blood.

  She leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. I know. I trust you.

  They turned to Johanna, who stood absorbed in filing her exotic fingernails. The pink and black zebra stripes were gone, replaced with tiny silver beads on a purple background.

  “Ready,” Raneiro said. Out of nowhere, he wondered if his daughter had painted her nails. What colors did she like? He shoved the errant thoughts away. There’d be time to dwell on that later.

  “All-righty-then.” The elf took each of their hands so that the three of them formed a circle. With one last crack of her gum, she closed her eyes.

  Tingles of power zinged from Johanna’s hands into his. A soupy gray mist curled around them, obscuring the tavern and the rest of Evena’s landscape. A tremor of Ashina’s uncertainty shot into his mind.

  I can’t feel anything under my feet!

  It’s okay, love. It won’t last long.

  They swirled in a slow, rotating motion, seeing nothing but wispy fog. Then with a tiny pull of gravity, his feet touched solid ground.

  The cloudy tendrils parted, revealing the eerie sight of ghost trees mixed with green leafy ones. The sky was the same gray color as the mist. A weak sun fought to break through the thick clouds.

  Ashina looked around, eyes wide. “Parts of Evena look like this.”

  Johanna tilted her head and gazed at Ashina. “I have no idea why he brought you here.” She held up her hands to stop Raniero’s retort. “I’m just sayin’, I’d really love to take you somewhere nice. Like Rivkin. That forest is beautiful. And the wood nymphs that live there sure know how to have a good time.”

  “Your suggestion is duly noted, elf.” Rivkin. The friendly wood nymphs exuded sex, but couldn’t hold a candle to his woman.

  Johanna nodded. “This concludes the terms of our contract, demon. I’d be happy to transport you and your mate in the future.”

  “Thank you, Johanna.” Ashina pulled the elf into a quick hug.

  With a wink and a crack of her gum, their tiny porter disappeared in a swirl of fog.

  Ashina looked up at him with expectant green eyes. “Now what?”

  “Now we take a little walk. I need to find someone.”

  “Find someone…for my father?”

  “Yes.”

  “You won’t…” Fear picked up where her words trailed off, snaking through their bond.

  “No, love. No more killing.” He took her hand and her palpable relief washed over him. “But I need to talk to this guy.”

  They followed a faint semblance of a path for about a mile. Raniero reached out with his senses, finding nothing at first. A faint trace of pine lingered in one area. Elves. Since when do elves hang around Stroehm? He shook his head.

  A half mile further, he caught the unmistakable scent of a Lash demon. And oddly, it was entwined with the reek of a large group of Serus demons. The Lash scent teased the edges of his memory, but the overwhelming stench of the Serus kept recognition just out of reach. What the hell?

  Raniero crouched, hands on the ground. The group was close. If his mark was surrounded by a horde of Serus demons, the job would get tricky. Not that he hadn’t been in worse spots before.

  A warmth in his heart cracked through his lethal calculations. Ashina. How could he expose her to this? But the raw tug of their connection burst like a shining star of clarity in his soul. Now that he’d found her, he could never leave her. Hell if he’d let any Serus demons near his mate. He glanced around the gray landscape, needing a place to hide her.

  “I don’t want to be away from you,” she said, knowing his thoughts.

  “And I don’t want you in any danger. Well, not more than necessary.” He surveyed the boulders scattered on rolling hills, silver-gray flashing among the green. Damn. The foliage wasn’t thick enough to hide in, thanks to the dead trees. “Can you climb?”

  She wrinkled her cute little nose. “Of course. I grew up playing in trees, hiding from my brothers.”

  “Come here.” Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he guided her to a massive, healthy sugar maple. He put his hands on her hips to lift her to the lowest branch, but she didn’t get that far. She wrapped her legs around his waist, their lips meeting for a tender kiss laced with her worry and his frustration.

  He hated to pull away from her soft lips. “Wait for me here. Do not leave without me.”

  “I don’t like this.”

  “Me neither, love.” He hoisted her to the branch and handed her one of his daggers. She shimmied higher, thick-soled boots giving her tr
action against the bark, until her feet disappeared into the green leaves. “Stay safe. I’ll be right back.”

  If Cale never saw another silver ghost tree, he would die a happy demon. The endless repeat of gray and green, combined with the pine scent of the four elves he’d picked up, had gotten under his skin. And now he had two Serus guards who never returned from their patrol. He was ready to kill someone. May as well be Kai.

  A burst of heat against his chest made him freeze. What the hell? He looked down. The amulet had been quiet for almost a hundred years.

  He fingered the thin leather strap around his neck. The pewter orb that hung at his sternum contained a few drops of his daughter’s blood. It had been easy to collect. The bitch bled like a sieve when he hit her. And she deserved it, after giving up her virginity to that Lash soldier. Daughters weren’t good for much except a marriage alliance, and she’d ruined that.

  Cale had ensured they both suffered, though. With the spelled necklace created by his personal mage, he’d be alerted if she ever left her shithole of a new home. And the Lash had become his forced employee, on the threat of the girl’s life.

  The mage had added her blood to the amulet and worked his sorcery on it, creating a virtual magic trip wire. And this was the first time the thing had fired up. He cursed, not needing the distraction of his wayward daughter on top of everything else.

  “My lord?” One of the Serus guards appeared at his side. “Do you wish to stop?”

  Cale opened his mouth to say no, but as he took a breath, he caught the scent of a Lash male. He held up one hand in a silent command.

  He scented the air again. Yes, one male Lash demon. No trace of the female fae. Maybe she was dead. She was secondary to Kai, anyway.

  Cale turned to his guard and kept his voice low. “There’s a Lash male in that direction. Take ten men with you and circle around behind him. Form a perimeter. If he gets past you, I’ll kill you myself.”

  The guard paled and nodded. With a gesture to his men, they filed silently into the trees.

  Motioning for half the group to stay put, Cale led a small contingent toward the Lash scent. Every predatory instinct flared to life as he stalked forward. The rogue male’s scent grew stronger.