Aftershocks

by Marie Harte

  He needed to see her again, to delve into her being and figure out what to do about this situation. Cadmus’ feelings aside, Arim refused to let his nephew experience the pain of Dark betrayal. He knew too well the harm in loving a woman so very different from oneself.

  Shaking free of his memories, Arim focused on Ellie. The remains of her energy were easy enough to see. Feminine hunger, power, pain and joy radiated like the tied bands of a dark rainbow, the muted colours of life shadowing the reality of Ellie’s Seattle apartment. He found the contrast odd, but not in the slightest corrupt.

  Arim sighed, coming to a hard realisation that his perceptions might not be as just as he’d once thought. Confusion and a sense of disquiet filled him at thoughts of what the future might hold.

  “Damn it. I need a drink.” He ran a hand through his hair and exited the doorway in search of Ellie’s small kitchen. But the Dark Lord waiting for him in the living room froze him in his tracks.

  “Arim, so nice to see you again.” ‘Sin Garu held up clawed fingers stained with blood in a mockery of a wave. “It’s been too long. And I mean that.” He smiled through a mouthful of sharp teeth.

  “I’m sure you do.” Arim felt no other presence in the room but tightened the shields around himself nonetheless. Staring at the Dark Lord, he couldn’t help looking for any likenesses to Lexa. He found none but the same smooth, white skin.

  “You know, Arim, in my quest to save Tanselm from the scourge of Light Bringers, I may have been too hasty. It seems not all Light Bringers are without Darkness.” ‘Sin Garu rubbed his hands together, a hint of blue flame curling within his palms. “Aerolus, for example, is much Darker than I’d thought.” He waited a moment, then continued, “And Cadmus, the Earth Lord. Now that fine young man has potential.”

  Arim remained silent, and ‘Sin Garu’s smile faded. “You’re about as much fun as your nephew Marcus. Now Darius, that one I liked. Full of fire and anger. He really knows how to broadcast his energy.”

  “Is there a point to all this?”

  “Such a lacking attempt at discourse. Pity your mother never taught you any manners. But then, Ilya didn’t have a whole lot of time to teach you anything, did she? She died when you were what, eight, nine?”

  Wondering at this personal inquisition, Arim waited. The hair on the back of his neck rose at the Darkness pooling behind him, and he concentrated the bulk of his shield along his back.

  “My own father passed when I was born, leaving my mother to raise three children alone. And you know what? She did a wonderful job, until a Light Bringer stole one of us right from under mother’s very nose.”

  Arim’s interest stirred despite his desire to remain aloof. “Lexa.”

  “Yes.” ‘Sin Garu sneered. “A pity your kind tainted her. She would have made the best of us, perhaps proven even greater than myself. You have no idea how long it’s taken me to return her to what life meant her to be.”

  A sudden anger on Lexa’s behalf took Arim by surprise. “What? It wasn’t enough she was forced to endure Light Bringers for much of her youth? You had to punish her as well?”

  “I must admit, when she returned to us, she was not at all the girl I’d expected.” The Dark Lord’s face cleared of all expression. “But that’s all in the past now, isn’t it?”

  “You brought it up. And I have to wonder why.”

  “Because the similarities here are just too strong to ignore.” ‘Sin Garu’s blue eyes darkened with malice. “Just like you and my sister once enjoyed a close relationship, so too do Cadmus and Ellie, Light Bringer and Dark Djinn. I can only hope your nephew is less sensitive than you were. Why, when Lexa told me how pitifully you cried, how you cheapened yourself for a dead whore and her family, I—”

  The blast took Arim by surprise, and he’d been expecting an attack. Holding tight to his shield, the blue flame trying to sear him couldn’t penetrate his energy. The hatred coiling within him, however, needed an outlet. Shooting a ray of pure Light at ‘Sin Garu, he stared in shock as the Dark Lord absorbed the attack.

  ‘Sin Garu’s lips curled. “She was right. You’re an easy one to enrage. I look forward to our next meeting. And do bring your wits with you, then, hmm?”

  In the blink of an eye, he vanished, making Arim wonder what the hell this altercation had really been about. Mention of Lexa and the past seemed no more than a cheap trick to make Arim lash out. But ‘Sin Garu’s attention to Cadmus and Ellie concerned him most. The Dark Lord knew Ellie was Djinn. It was only a matter of time before he invaded Foreia in his quest for domination. And no matter how strong Ethim and his Sarqua were, they were no match for the power of a Dark Lord so steeped in hatred that Arim’s emotions merely added to the mire within him.

  ‘Sin Garu’s insinuations made Arim take a closer look around him. Hell, the Dark Lord’s words rang true. Arim and Cadmus shared similarities too close to be ignored. The time for a deep conversation with the Earth Lord had come. And the time to see Ellie for who she was, and not who ‘Sin Garu or he wanted her to be, had definitely arrived.

  One way or the other, Arim vowed to protect Cadmus—from himself, if need be.

  Chapter Ten

  Ellie sat up in the gazebo as Cadmus entered. “Where have you been?”

  He wrapped her in a warm embrace, making her forget all about keeping her distance. His strong arms both comforted and aroused, making her feel safe and desired. “I heard you’ve been having a time of it.” He pulled back to look down at her, and she noticed a strange, almost sleepy sheen over his eyes.

  “Are you okay? You look a little tired.”

  He gave a short laugh. “Tired? You could say that.” When she would have questioned him further, he kissed her hard on the lips and drew her to a nearby bench. “But I’m more concerned about you. Tell me what has you so upset.”

  She sighed. “Am I that obvious?”

  “To me.” He rubbed her palm with his strong fingers, and vibrations of longing tingled through her veins. “Jonas told me a little bit about your conversation.”

  Before, her only concern had been to see if Cadmus was all right. And, she admitted, to share her feelings and find a haven in his solid embrace. But now that she’d touched him, saw with her own eyes that he really did care, a flood of love overwhelmed her, bringing with it a brood of worries.

  “Tell me, Ellie. I’m here for you.”

  Still hesitant, she wavered until he turned her around and pulled her back against his chest, running his hands up and down her arms and over her shoulders in an incredibly tender massage.

  Surrendering to his care, she recounted her parents’ conversation. “I’m so confused. It’s like the people I once thought I knew never existed. I understand why my mother wanted to keep me safe growing up, but to let me believe my father didn’t care about me for so long? I’m twenty-eight, for God’s sake! I’ve spent my whole life despising my father while wishing he loved me, even a little bit. And it was all a lie.”

  Tears welled, and she angrily brushed them away.

  “I’m sorry.” Cadmus turned her face and wiped away her tears. Then he tucked her head under his chin and hugged her tight. “Seems like your parents both wanted what they thought best for you. They love you very much.”

  “I know. That’s what makes this so hard. I spent so much of my life trying not to be like my father, even while I wanted him to like me. I thought he just didn’t care. But now I find he cared—cares—a lot.”

  “And you feel guilty for the way you treated him.” Cadmus huffed. “Ellie, the way I see it, both your parents screwed up.”

  “What?”

  “Your mother could have dealt with your father without dragging you in the middle. And your father could have told you the truth. No offence, I like your mother, but she’s not perfect.”

  A sense of justified anger at her father sparked. “You’re right. Ethim could have sought me out, but he didn’t.”

  Cadmus stayed quiet and rubbed her arms. G
od, but it felt so good to be with him. She could feel the soothing warmth in his hands the depth of his concern in the gentleness of his touch.

  “Why didn’t he tell you, do you think?” he asked, leading her in the direction she’d been heading.

  “Because…because I never embraced that part of me that was like him.”

  “The Djinn.”

  “That Dark side of me. The side you can’t stand,” she couldn’t help prodding, trying to work out her resentment.

  “Nice jab.” He kissed the top of her head. “We really do have a lot in common, besides both of us being exceptionally attractive, I mean.”

  “Oh?” She rolled her eyes, openly smiling because she knew he couldn’t see her face.

  “We both like to take shots at people when they’re trying their best to comfort us. We both have loving families, and we’ve both suffered the loss of our father, though you’re at a lucky point in your life enabling you to breech that hurt. Then there’s that most important trait we have in common.”

  Touched by his insight, she sighed and completely relaxed against him. “What’s that?”

  “We both love my body.” The smile in his voice started a chuckle out of her. She turned to face him, to thank him for his understanding, and stilled at the pure desire pulsing in his soul. “You have no idea what you do to me, baby.”

  He kissed her softly, increasing the pressure of his lips when she pulled him closer. Just the taste of him had her hungry. Her breasts ached for his touch, and her clit throbbed with need.

  “Cadmus, I want—”

  “So do I, baby. I want you to be happy. But more, I want you. I always do.” He stood with her, kissing her until she could do nothing but kiss him back, her thoughts in a sensual daze. When he broke the kiss, she moaned her displeasure. But he left her only to toss several pillows to the floor, creating a makeshift bed.

  “Pretty handy, aren’t you?”

  “You could say that.” He grinned, his eyes alight, and she couldn’t help falling into absolute love.

  As if reading her emotions, his gaze darkened and the smile on his face faded. “Take off your clothes and lie down with me.”

  She moved her hands to the hem of her shirt and bit her lip. She hadn’t seen the inside of it before, but what if Cadmus’ Light made them both visible? “But the gazebo—”

  “Is private. Trust me. I won’t let anyone interrupt us.” With a flick of his wrist, spectral bands of Light wrapped the pavillion. “Now take them off.”

  He leant back against a post and crossed his arms over his chest.

  Wanting him out of control and needy, she slowly stripped. First her shirt, then her jeans. She wriggled and gyrated, taunting him with the curve of her breasts and the fullness of her ass. Cadmus was far from unaffected. She could see his erection straining through the front of his trousers.

  “Where did you get those clothes?” She toyed with the strap of her bra.

  “From Jonas,” he answered in a thick voice, his eyes glued to her hands. “The bra, Ellie. I need to see.”

  She reached behind her, thrusting out her breasts as she did so. His eyes, she noted with satisfaction, were so dark they looked black. After she unhooked the bra, she teasingly eased it off her shoulders, letting the scrap of silk slide to the floor. Her panties soon followed.

  Cadmus’ stare made her nipples pucker with desire. “By the Light, your beauty is breathtaking.”

  She flushed, pleased by his praise, and waited for him to approach her. When he only stood there staring, she took the initiative and stepped forward.

  “No, wait.” He held up a hand and stripped out of his clothes with harried movements. “Lie down.”

  Excitement quivered in her belly as complied. On her back, she gazed up at him, wondering how, in such a short span of time, she’d gone from sad and angry to loving and aroused. Cadmus’ sweltering gaze lingered over her body, his hands clenched by his sides. His velvety cock bobbed and grew, and her mouth watered. She wanted so badly to taste him. She breathed a sigh of relief when he finally knelt. But she started when he settled between her thighs, nudging them wide, and stared from her belly ring to her mound, licking his lips.

  Her pulse skyrocketed.

  “That ring drives me crazy.” He leant forward, the hard tip of his shaft brushing her cleft and making her hunger for more. But he moved back, and with a gentle bite, he tugged at the silver ring, licking her belly and sucking at the tender flesh. She moaned, and his mouth trailed lower, resting just above her pussy.

  He licked his lips. “That brief taste of you in the shower wasn’t enough.”

  He ran his thumbs through her blonde curls, sliding through her folds but not any deeper. He barely glazed her clit, but the fiery touch was enough to have her arching to meet him.

  “That’s it, baby. I want you wet for me.” He lowered his head and nuzzled her curls. “You smell so damned sweet.” He splayed her folds wide open and lowered his mouth.

  She gasped, unbearably aroused when his hot breath settled over her clit and he began licking her in earnest.

  His lips whispered along her flesh, stroking and teasing, deliberately keeping his touch light. She writhed, needing more, and he inserted a blunt finger inside her. He wouldn’t move it, so she rode him, moving with the pressure of his tongue and teeth.

  Dark need settled over her, and she realised with some surprise that part of her arousal came from Cadmus. Her energy and his meshed, their sensual desire building as their bodies demanded more.

  Great stores of power flowed into her, and when he added a second finger and rumbled small, elemental vibrations over her clit, she cried out with pleasure.

  “That’s it, love, tell me how much you like it.” She could feel how much he desired her through the musk in her mind. His Dark arousal mirrored in her own. “Give it to me, baby. I want you to come in my mouth.”

  His words were like a fever, and as he sucked her flesh, he stirred something Darker, something foreign and yet familiar within her. He groaned and aroused her with nips and bites that made her crazed. She was so wet, so close, on the edge between sensation and utter chaos, when a tendril of Light whipped through her, a thread of love that snaked from Cadmus.

  She exploded in an orgasm so fierce she lost awareness of everything around her. Power rushed, a sudden understanding of who and what she could be, and the half of her heart that had been missing for so long joined hers in a whirl of joy. Glorying in the feeling, Ellie barely registered Cadmus’ worry under his passion and caring…and love.

  “Ellie, dammit. You’re in truth.”

  Gradual understanding dawned, and she stared at her lover with new eyes. In truth, she saw everything differently. Cadmus looked like a dark flame, a man suffused with bright white light and strange streaks of black that she instinctually knew came from him. Yet the feminine power surrounding him was hers. Like an aura of sex, her Darkness clung to him like a lover should. An unbreakable bond, the erotic beauty in Cadmus called out for equal measure, and as her power thrived, so did her feelings.

  “Cadmus, this is so incredible.” She held a hand up to her face, seeing in it the pure energy of her very essence. “I can feel you, all of you, your magic, your strength.” Your love. She kept the words close to her heart, aware she might have projected onto Cadmus what she herself felt for him. What they shared went far beyond the physical, that she knew. But rejection had never been an easy thing for her to accept. From Cadmus, she knew it just might crush her beyond repair.

  He licked her palm and smiled. “It’s funny, but you’re even sexier now than before. Naked energy is so appealing.” He reached out and stroked her breasts.

  She sighed, the feel of his hand over her body—her energy—like liquid climax.

  “Ah,” he groaned and closed his eyes, leaning back. “Fuck, that’s good.”

  She noted the steely erection he now caged in his hand and gave him a sly smile. “Let me take care of that for you.”
>
  “Anything you want, baby.”

  She wasted no time switching positions with him. She took him in her hands then her mouth. His hiss of satisfaction as he arched into her touch pleased her like nothing could.

  “Light’s breath, Ellie.”

  He felt like steel in her mouth, his flesh cool and hard, and wet with need. She swallowed a tease of his seed and sucked harder, running her teeth gently along his shaft, licking the slit at his crown. She cupped his balls and caressed the soft globes in her palms, aware of the contrasting energy of her hands against his flesh. She lapped up his cries like warm honey.

  “Oh yeah, baby. Fuck,” he swore, grasping her head, his fingers captured by her dark flame. “You’re killing me.”

  He gasped her name and pumped. And the harder he thrust, the more she took, making him shake with lust. She felt the tightness in his sac and knew he was close.

  “Come for me, Cadmus. Come hard.”

  He thrust one final time and came down her throat in hoarse shout. She swallowed him, thrilled at his powerlessness under her touch. He continued to come, moaning her name, and Dark pleasure streaked her soul, making her want him in ways that shocked her.

  “No, baby, that’s me you’re still reading.” Finally spent, he withdrew from her mouth. “I’ve never felt so good in my entire life.” He hugged her close.

  Without thought, she reined in her energy and lay against him, flesh to flesh, no longer in truth.

  Aloud, he said, “I want you to flame in truth the next time I fuck you. Especially when I take that pretty ass of yours again.”

  He whispered more erotic suggestions in her ear. Words that had her blushing and wet, readying for more. Glancing around her, she noted the creeping tendrils of purple-flowered vines wrapped around the gazebo. She inhaled deeply and sighed. The scent of scythia had increased as well.

  “This happened before too,” she murmured.

  “Hmm?”

  “After we made love in the woods, the plants and moss around us exploded.”

  “That’s me, sweet. When you excite me to certain levels, apparently my power outlets to the earth around me.”