by Marie Harte
“Apparently?”
He stroked her shoulder, his eyes bright with satisfaction, and if she wasn’t mistaken, possession. “I told you, I’ve never lost control like that with anyone else. Only with you, Elliara.”
For the first time, the name didn’t bother her. Smiling, she burrowed closer, revelling in his male scent and earthy strength. Now. Now is the time to tell him how I feel. Screw perfection. This feels right.
“Ellie,” he began, hesitating.
Shit. Not now. Don’t you dare break off with me now.
“Break off with you?” He sat up.
She swore. Why hadn’t she closed off her thoughts? Now, he knew how vulnerable she really was.
“Cadmus, I—”
“Break off with you? How could you think that?” His eyes darkened, but not with sensual passion, with anger. “I poured myself into you, Ellie. Shared my soul with you. And you think I’d break off with you as if it meant nothing?” His lips flattened. “Or maybe you think that way because it meant nothing to you.”
Her own anger flared, and she gave it the freedom it deserved. “Don’t you put this back on me. You’re the ass who told me how I disgusted you, how my kind didn’t deserve to live. And I was a heartbeat from telling you how much I lov—”
He froze, staring at her in shock. “How much you what?”
“Forget it.” Wrapping her arms around herself, she sat up, looking for her clothes. Too bad she hadn’t paid more attention to Jonas’ teachings. He could fashion clothing on a whim.
“Focus, here, Ellie,” Cadmus snapped. “All those months ago, what were you going to tell me?”
Not so lighthearted now, hmm? She watched him with new speculation, noting the panting breaths, the overeager gleam in his eyes. His erection hadn’t faded, but stood stiffly under her attention.
“What do you think? I’d only spent weeks making love with you when I hadn’t given Darius the time of day. I hate to break it to you, but I could have had any man I wanted with the snap of my fingers.” Damn, if felt good to say that.
“All the more reason I’m curious to know, why me? Why Cadmus Storm, Elliara al il Ruethe?”
The jerk. After making her climax, sending her in truth, he now wanted her to lay her neck on the line. She’d tried once. She was damned if she’d do it again. Closing her mouth, she sat next to him and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Don’t want to say it, hmm?” His eyes danced, the anger in them fading under an amused smile that made her want to smack him. “How about you show me instead?”
With a wave of his hand, he cleared the centre table of everything on it. Food and wine fell to the ground before he yanked her to her feet. She struggled, dismayed at how aroused she was growing. Irritated, she refused to give in to his demands when she only wanted a simple declaration of his feelings first.
“Why don’t I show you instead?” he murmured, settling her belly-down over the table. When he palmed her ass, she knew what he meant to do, and the sheer sexuality of his touch made her wetter than before.
He thrust hard inside her again, pumping into her sex with hard, firm strokes that started her down the road to climax again. But instead of giving her more, he withdrew and spread her buttocks wide. Then he prodded her ass.
“You want to know how good you feel to me, let me show you. Let me love you, Ellie. Let me in.” He penetrated her anus and slid deeper, pushing painfully past her sphincter. Then he was in and sliding home.
“Cadmus,” she gasped, feeling so full, so stretched.
“Yeah, baby,” he rasped, pulling out only to push back in. “You’re so tight, Ellie. So perfect.” He rocked against her, increasing his thrusts. “So mine.”
He stimulated her clit with magic while riding her ass, making her feel naughty and excited all at once. The things he thought about doing to her had her so wet that his finger slid easily into her vagina while he took her ass.
Her mouth over his cock, her pussy under his lips. Coming on her breasts, over and in her ass, up into her pussy. Over and over, until they were one writhing mass of sensation.
“You are…such a…perv,” she managed, closing on an orgasm so intense she wanted to scream. He pumped her a few times with his fingers before removing them. Then he braced his hands on her hips and rode her hard.
“Go ahead and yell, Ellie.” His balls slapped against her folds as he rammed into her. “I’m going to.” He shoved again and came, filling her to overflowing.
As his milky seed slid down her legs, he shifted his mental touch over her clit. She came violently, squeezing him as she clenched her cheeks together, wanting the feeling to never end.
“That, Ellie,” he gasped, “that never-ending feeling of joy. That’s what you are to me. Love is far too tame a word to describe what I feel for you.”
Stunned at his words and his loving, Ellie could only kneel and pulse around him, emotionally connected in a way she had never been before.
“Do you really mean that? You’re okay with all this?” She hated to ask, but she couldn’t take another heartbreak.
“Okay with this?” He pressed harder, and over her shoulder, she saw him grinning ear to ear. “Honey, every time I’m near you I want to come. What do you think?”
“Not this.” She blushed and moved to separate from him.
“Not yet. Mmm.” He rotated his pelvis, and a flare of heat stole through her core. “By the Light, I love your ass.”
She felt foolish. “I can’t talk to you in this position. I need to see you.”
He pulled out, and as much as she wanted to see him, she missed him inside of her.
She turned around faced him. “I’m Djinn, and the Djinn have done some pretty bad things to your family.”
“Jonas saved my life, not once, but twice. He saved my brothers too. Your father provided sanctuary when needed. I’m not so big a fool I can’t differentiate one Djinn from another.” He flushed and stroked her cheek. “I was an idiot when I left you before. But, Ellie, understand. I was in shock. I’d fallen so hard for you, only to learn you weren’t who I’d originally thought. Up to that point, all I knew of the Djinn is what my family had suffered.”
She looked down, feeling his pain like her own. He lifted her chin and met her gaze.
“Ellie, that was all before.” He turned on the high-wattage smile, causing that small dimple in his left cheek to flash.
She blinked. “Are you trying to charm me into believing you?”
“Why, is it working?” He looked hopeful, his eyes twinkling. “I love you, Ellie. All of you. The human, the Djinn, even the little perv who likes what I do to her body.”
She laughed and knocked him back to the floor, gliding over his sweat-slicked body. “It’s about time you admitted it.”
“What? That you’re a perv?” He snickered, and she rubbed her knee perilously close to his groin. “I give, I give. I love you, Ellie. All of you. And I think you know what that means.” He gave her a knowing stare that had her pulse racing. “Affai” whispered in her mind.
“That you no longer need an affai since you’ve got me?”
“It’s a good thing you’re pretty, because you sure are dense.”
She smacked him, and he pinned her arms between them, capturing her mouth in a loving kiss.
“You’re my affai, Ellie. My love.”
She couldn’t speak. The dreams she’d had, of one day finding someone to love and who’d love her had seemingly come true. Chaos blazed through her mind, her Dark magic pulsing as joy and anxiety coursed through her soul. She wanted to believe in a future with Cadmus so badly. But she was only just now coming to know herself. Could she be what Cadmus truly needed?
At her silence, Cadmus tensed and cupped her cheek. “I know it’s a lot to take in, especially considering you didn’t want anything to do with magic and the Djinn for so long. This is a lot to handle, and as much as I wish I could just work on us, I can’t yet. I have a responsibility to my people th
at I can’t walk away from.” His speech quickened the longer she said nothing. “I know what you’re thinking. I swear, though, on my soul, that in my heart you’ll always come first. But, Ellie, it’s just that the situation in Tanselm is so precarious now. Look, you’ll have plenty to do there. You’re needed, more than you can possibly know. And I don’t just mean by me. With your help, we can mend the bridge between Dark and Light, we can—”
“Shut up, already. Geesh, you confess to loving me and then you run off at the mouth. I get it, Cadmus.” He visibly relaxed, while inwardly her nerves flared. “As your affai, I’ll live in Tanselm with you. I can do that.” She swallowed around a dry throat. Talk about change. Moving to Tanselm wouldn’t be like moving to another state. Try another plane of existence.
But Ellie had always prided herself on her ability to adapt. Despite a host of flaws, she’d never lacked the courage to do what was right. She’d run from her destiny long enough. The time had come to embrace her Djinn heritage and her future with her soon-to-be husband.
“That’s it?” His eyes glinted with humour. “I don’t have to beg you with jewels or promises of vast power? You’re going to simply accept my life as your own?”
“Now, now, Prince Cadmus. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re not married yet. You still have some courting to make up for, and I like flowers and chocolates. Jewellery, not so much.” She relaxed, knowing she’d made the right decision. Foreia, for that matter, was practically pushing her into a delirium of happiness. “Have I mentioned yet how pissed off my father is going to be about this?”
He laughed. “Just icing on the cake, baby. Not that I’ve got anything against your people…exactly. Well, not much of a grudge. Nothing too serious.”
“What happened that you aren’t telling me?”
“Which time?”
She squeezed the nearest appendage she could find, and he moaned.
“I don’t know how you do it. I’m totally wrung out, yet my body wants in you again, right now. At this rate, we’ll have little princes in a year.”
At his mention of children, she froze.
“Ellie?” He sobered. “It’s okay, honey. I was joking.”
“We haven’t used any protection.” She sat up and put a hand over her belly, not sure how she felt about thoughts of his child inside her. Scared and excited, nervous yet exhilarated.
“Not yet, baby. Trust me, when it happens, you’ll know.”
“And our differences won’t matter, you being a Light Bringer and me being a Djinn? I mean, physically?”
He frowned. “Not that I know of. Aerolus married Alandra. Both Marcus and Darius married women from your world, or should I say, from one of your worlds.”
“It’s not that I don’t want kids,” she said quickly, realising how he might take her comments. “It’s just that—”
“It’s too soon, especially on top of everything that’s happening. I understand, Ellie, I do.” He kissed her, soothing her. “Now let’s get dressed before Jonas tries to pop in here again.”
“Jonas?” she squeaked, mortified he might know what she’d been doing.
“Relax. It’s my ass, not yours, that bothers him.”
“What?”
“Inside joke.” He handed her her clothing.
They dressed in amicable silence. Ellie couldn’t believe how much she actually looked forward to the future. With Cadmus by her side, life looked much more pleasing than it ever had. She believed in him, in his power and what he stood for. He had more right than most to hold onto prejudice against the Djinn, yet he looked beyond his pain at the truth. And he had pushed her to accept her heritage, when he could easily have steered her the other way.
“Ellie,” he said softly as he guided her towards the pavillion’s entrance. “Believe me when I say I want you exactly the way you are. You’re my little Djinn, no matter how tall you are, and you always will be.” He smacked her on the butt. “Now get a move on. And if you liked that smack, just wait until I get you alone again.” He wiggled his eyebrows and had her laughing as they left the gazebo. “I love you, affai.”
Unfortunately, Jonas was not the only Djinn awaiting their exit. Her father, her cousin, and what looked like at least fifty Djinn warriors stood behind him, grimly clutching weapons.
Chapter Eleven
Jonas stared from Cadmus and Ellie to Ethim. Shit. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried to warn the Earth Lord. But no, Cadmus had been so busy. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore what Cadmus had been doing with Ellie. Suffice it to say the Storm Lord and his affai had no idea their bliss had become public knowledge.
“How do you explain all this?” Ethim growled, waving his arms around the forest surrounding the pavillion. The Djinn behind him grumbled as well, but honestly, Jonas felt Foreia’s joy with the situation.
Where once before thinning trees and just-blooming vegetation had been, now existed full-flowered bushes and shrubs, thick blue grass and trees that seemed to have grown several feet in the span of little more than an hour. Jonas couldn’t help being impressed. Cadmus was, of course, an Earth Lord. But Jonas had never before appreciated what the annoying Storm Lord could really do. Foreia thrilled under his touch, or rather, thrilled under Cadmus loving Ellie—a Darkling.
Foreia, like Tanselm, was a rare land, a place of magic and sentience. The land spoke to those who would listen, and right now, Jonas and his brethren were hearing an earful about the wonderful pairing of a Light Bringer and Djinn daughter.
“Sarqua,” Jonas said softly, “I think perhaps you should listen to the world around us.”
“You stay out of this.” Ethim glowered, his eyes like blue flame, uncomfortably reminding Jonas that Lexa would need to know about this right away, that is, if she didn’t know already.
“But Sarqua—”
“I’ve tolerated a lot to save our world and Tanselm from the Dark Lords. But to give my daughter to a Light Bringer forever?” Ethim spat, Darkness seething around and through him. “That goes too far.”
“Your prejudices are showing,” Lexa murmured, her light blue eyes appearing before the rest of her filled in. A soft hush settled over the Djinn behind her, and they backed away respectfully. “Come now, Ethim. We talked about this. Ellie is better now than she’s ever been.”
“Hell. As if the Djinn weren’t bad enough.” Cadmus’ dry words sounded more amused than worried, and Jonas narrowed his study on the couple holding hands outside the pavillion. Great. Not only was Ethim in a major rage, but Cadmus appeared to enjoy it and made no effort to hide his amusement.
“Who is that?” Ellie murmured to Cadmus, who sighed.
“That is a Dark Lord.”
Instead of cringing, Ellie stared at Lexa with curiosity. “There’s something about her that looks familiar.”
“Elliara, I’m pleased you seem so interested in Foreia’s riches,” Ethim interrupted, his jaw clenched. “But tying yourself to a Light Bringer is not necessary. I never meant to let you go to one of them.”
Ellie’s features tightened, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with defiance. “You’ve got a lot of nerve telling me what to do considering—”
“Ellie, Sarqua, perhaps this is not the time or place for such a discussion.” Jonas tried to stop before they got really started. The Djinn behind Lexa watched the drama unfolding with unapologetic curiosity. Jonas knew they had only Ethim’s best interests at heart, not to mention quite a few of them must have harboured fantasies of mating with The Sarqua’s daughter. Though Ellie hadn’t visited Foreia until now, Ethim had often sent his warriors to the mundane plane to protect her in secret. Word about her beauty and vivacity had spread like wildfire.
“Jonas is right.” Lexa smirked at the lovers’ joined hands. With a wave, the crowd of Djinn behind her suddenly disappeared. “Relax, Ethim. I just sent them back to the training fields. This conversation is one that should be held between family.” She nodded at Ellie and bowed her head, shocking Jonas. “Welcome
, Elliara Storm, to the beginning of the rest of your life.”
Ellie frowned and took a step towards Lexa. “I know you, don’t I?”
Lexa’s smile faded. “No, Ellie. You don’t know me.”
Jonas’ gut clenched, and he felt a Dark awareness pass between the women. Ethim, surprisingly, remained oblivious to the odd communication, as did Cadmus, who had too much Light still in him to see what happened.
Ellie’s eyes widened but she said nothing.
“Ellie?” Cadmus pulled her back into his arms and glared at Lexa, a move Jonas had to respect. The Storm Lord knew Lexa could bend him like a pretzel, yet he still fought to protect his own.
“Never mind,” Ellie said in a distracted voice, shaking her head. “I was mistaken.”
Cadmus nodded but remained tense, guarding his affai. As Jonas watched the two stand as one against Lexa and Ellie’s father, he had to admit they looked right together. Ellie was fair where Cadmus was dark, yet her Darkness fit his Light like a key into a lock. Through Ellie, Cadmus was stronger and Darker, better able to meet and defend himself against ‘Sin Garu and the Netharat scourge readying for war. The love he and Ellie shared empowered them both, and had Ethim not been so prejudiced against the Light Bringers, he might have felt a measure of peace seeing his daughter so well-protected and well-loved.
Instead, he growled at Lexa. “This is bullshit, Mistress. My daughter brought the Earth Lord to heel. Giving her to him was not part of the plan.”
Ellie laughed at her father. “To heel? Are you serious? You obviously don’t know Cadmus very well, Father.”
He blinked at the familial title and softened a fraction. “You’re right, Daughter, I don’t. But I do know his kind and ours don’t mix.”
“Don’t mix well,” Lexa corrected. “And that’s a mistake that has cost many lives and much pain through the years. Because of that chasm, Tanselm is in dire straits. But with Cadmus and Ellie mending the breach, along with Alandra and Aerolus, things are looking up.”