by Aurelia Skye
She wanted to return as much she never wanted to see it again. “Yeah. Simple and complicated.” She sighed and sipped the cup of fire punch in her hand. They literally lit it on fire each time they brought out a new bowl, which was a little scary-looking, but also entertaining. It made the punch delicious as well.
“I have to go. My father’s gesturing for me.” Kriss sounded annoyed as he moved away from her with a sigh. As soon as he was gone, Marek and Eamon appeared. Then Ryland, Orin, and Eli migrated toward her as well. They seemed as bored as she was, but standing there with them and sharing the experience made it easier to endure.
The ball finally ended, and she was back in her room. It was after midnight, and she should’ve been sleeping, but was restless; feeling on edge, as though waiting for something. It wasn’t until there was a knock at her door that she realized she’d been waiting for one of her men to visit her. With her insomnia and racing mind, she was glad to have any company. She wasn’t certain if her inability to sleep was because the events of the day had left her to keyed up, or if the room was really some sort of modified torture chamber. It was certainly grim enough to convince her of that theory.
Either way, it was a relief not to be alone. She opened the door and wasn’t entirely surprised to see Kriss there. She’d been certain it would be one of the six, if not more than one. She smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you.”
He glanced in, but didn’t step across the threshold. “I can see why if Father parked you in this room. The Torture Room.”
She might’ve found his words ominous if not for her conversation with Lyssa earlier. In that light, they made her giggle despite the oppressive atmosphere. “Your father has a way of getting the point across that I’m not welcome.”
“Don’t worry about my father.” He took her wrist and tugged her lightly into the hallway.
She looked down. “I’m just in my robe and nightgown.” The garments were high-quality, if plain, but weren’t fae fabric. Before the ball, she’d surrendered that to one of the chambermaids to be washed and returned by the next morning. The old-fashioned set was made from some kind of scratchy lace, though the softer underlayment of silk was pure decadence against her skin. She looked like a Victorian bride as she took his hand, not quite walking with him just yet.
He waved his other hand. “It’s fine. I doubt anyone will see us, and if they do, they won’t say anything.”
“Your dad might,” she said softly. A hint of anxiety bled through her words, and she knew she had revealed too much. It weighed heavily on her that his father so clearly disapproved of her, which presented another obstacle to their relationship.
He put his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side and kept his hand on her hip. They walked together in rhythm, and she tried to forget about his father and other problems. Instead, she focused on enjoying her time with Kriss, though she was a little displeased when he led her back to the ballroom from earlier. “What are we doing here?” The space was completely spotless, and either the servants were fast, or they had used magic to clean up and restore order after the ball.
“I didn’t get to dance with you.”
That was true. There’d been a never-ending stream of strange men and women who asked her to dance. Most of them had been the ones who seemed to want to try to charm her into giving them some sort of favor. Would they be disillusioned to know she barely knew how to use any of her magic yet? She’d only danced with Orin and Eamon. It surprised her that Eli hadn’t managed to snag her for at least one dance, but his show of restraint had pleased her, though she couldn’t help wishing he had rescue her from some of the worst dance partners.
Without protesting, she snuggled against him and laid her head on his chest. They moved in circles, somehow finding the perfect rhythm, though no music played. She clung to him, enjoying the warmth of his body and solid presence. It was completely natural to lift her head and kiss him.
Kriss lowered his mouth, and their lips met in a heated exchange. She hadn’t been exactly inhibited by the presence of the others when she kissed him yesterday, but she was definitely a little freer tonight and able to surrender to the sensations overwhelming her.
His tongue caressed hers as it slipped into her mouth, and she moaned. Another moan left her when he cupped one of her breasts in his hand. North whimpered and arched her back, offering him more even though it broke the kiss. All thought suspended, and her entire world seemed to be focused on where his fingers danced lightly across her nipple.
“You were amazing in that flame dress. That fae fabric outdid itself.”
He wanted to have a conversation now? How was she supposed to focus on anything but how good it felt to have his fingers tugging lightly at her nipple? She made some sort of unintelligent sound, trying to credit Lyssa, but unable to form syllables.
“I wanted to sweep you into my arms and go immediately back to my bedchamber. You make me feel crazy and impulsive, and burning with desire. It’s more than that though.” He lifted his other hand, smoothing a brown curl behind her ear. “You make me feel things I didn’t know were possible, North.”
“You too.” That wasn’t exactly eloquent, but it was all she could manage at the moment.
With what sounded like a regretful sigh, he took a step back. “We need to stop this now before I can’t.” His eyes flickered with flame, but it seemed more like a slow and lazy burn, like a banked fire, rather than the hot, bright flames she’d come to expect when he was angry or upset.
When he blinked, shielding his gaze from her, his expression changed too. He started to look more businesslike. “I thought we might have a lesson, since there’s no one here to bug us.”
“You want me to play with fire with you?” There was a sultry, seductive tone to her voice that she hadn’t intended, but the words emerged with all the longing she felt for him to take her into his arms and keep touching her.
He cleared his throat, shifting on his feet for a moment as though he’d suddenly become uncomfortable. A quick glance down revealed his cock was hard, pressing visibly through a pair of athletic pants the seemed far too casual for the Prince of Celestina to wear in the palace. Kriss cleared his throat and shielded his body from her slightly.
North managed to tear her gaze away from that part of his anatomy and focus on his face. She gasped slightly when a ball of fire suddenly appeared in his open palm. She’d seen similar magic, but it was still new enough to surprise and enchant her. She hoped she never grew jaded with it.
“Take the fire from my hand.”
She frowned at him. “No way. I’ll get burnt.”
“Feel the power first. You should be able to tap in after that amazing kiss.”
She frowned, distracted from the task he set her. “Did you kiss me just so that you could boost your power, while giving mine a nudge?” She couldn’t hide her hurt at the thought.
He shook his head, tossing the ball of fire from one hand to the other. “Of course not. You kissed me, remember? I had no plans to kiss you, or at least nothing concretely plotted. I was hoping to get a chance to, but had every intention of simply dancing with you and teaching you a little magic first. You’re too tempting, North.”
“Sure, blame me,” she said. Her tone was grumpy, but she was secretly pleased by his words. “How do I find the magic?”
“How does it feel to you? To me, it’s kind of a low vibration. Is that how you feel it?” At her nod, he closed his eyes. “You need to draw it forth from you. Visualize it protecting your hand. Form a barrier between you and the fireball using the power of the fire itself.”
“You know, Marek just started me out with water drops.”
He didn’t open his eyes to deliver a lazy retort. “I have faith in you.”
She closed her eyes as his opened, trying to focus on the low hum of power. It filled her, gradually increasing in intensity. She visualized her entire body covered with some kind of protective barrier to keep the fire from consuming he
r. When she opened her eyes, she held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Okay, give it to me.”
But he didn’t. Instead, he looked stunned. His mouth hung open, and he was a little pale.
“What?” She trailed off before asking anything further as she realized there was a bright flame surrounding her. She hadn’t just visualized some kind of fire shield. She had created it.
That was freaky. In a panic, she flailed around, trying to shake off the fire shield. It didn’t burn her, but it didn’t go away either. She let out a small wail, on the verge of hysteria, and accidentally brushed her arm against one of the tablecloths covering the set of massive tables that had born the weight of the buffet earlier in the evening. Fire whooshed, and she was certain she was going to burn down the palace.
For a moment, she couldn’t think as panic tried to grab hold of and strangle her. It was only when Kriss put a hand on her shoulder, seeming like he was trying to gently push her out of the way so he could deal with the burning tablecloth, that panic receded.
Power surged in her, and it was instinctive when she drew the water and the flowers from a nearby vase and directed it to fall straight onto the fire. The unfortunate blooms were caught in the process, and they wilted and singed, but other than a scorched tablecloth, were the only proof of what had happened.
She turned to face Kriss, expecting recriminations. He still seemed shocked, but blinked and shook his head. A moment later, his expression was back to normal, though there was definitely a trace of awe in his eyes. “That was amazing. You’re a natural. Most people who start training to tap into the fire element burn themselves the first few times. I’ve never heard of anyone creating a shield like yours on their first try, and then you were able to use water magic to put out the fire…” He shook his head, sounding astounded. “Caius was right about you.”
When he opened his arms to hug her, she went to him and leaned against him. It was nice to have his comforting touch, but his praise of her abilities bothered her. It took her a moment to realize why she as walked with him out of the ballroom, his arm still around her waist.
She wanted to impress him, but not because she was a natural with fire elements. Instead, she wanted it to be because he saw past that to see her—just plain North Campbell, before all the Trueblood and magic stuff. She wanted to have a real connection with him, but not just because they shared an element, and some prediction by an Oracle she’d never met that they might be mates. She wanted to be a woman to him, and have him be just a man to her.
It was as simple and as complicated as that.
Chapter Eight
Perhaps in consideration for how late they were all up due to the ball, no one woke her the next morning, or brought breakfast in bed until she had awakened on her own. It was nearly noon, and she had a pang of guilt for a moment before remembering she wasn’t particularly anxious to engage in palace life anyway. Instead, she took her time with a leisurely breakfast ordered via the intercom system in her room and a long bath before leaving her room. She was surprised to see Eli standing in the hallway, and she approached. “Are you waiting for me?”
He didn’t confirm or deny it, but there was definitely a line of red sweeping up his neck. He was adorable, but she struggled not to respond or tease him about it. “Did you need something?” She kept her tone mild as she asked.
“I thought we might take a run and see if we can tap into the shifter power in you.”
“Just you and me?” At his nod, she asked, “Would it be better to wait until we’re in the shifter realm before I try to shift again?”
His lips clamped for a moment, going white around the edges, but then he shrugged. “If that’s what you want. I’ll catch up with you later.” He started to turn away from her.
North sighed, knowing she hadn’t conveyed what she really meant. She rushed after him, catching up finally as he approached the top of the staircase. She stood in front of him to block his path with her hands on her hips. “I want to spend time with you. I’m just not ready for shifting.” Of all the powers they expected her to master, that was the one she feared the most. Knowing she had to convey that to him, she took his hand. He resisted for a moment, but finally curled his fingers in hers and allowed her to pull him into the nearest empty room.
She shot a quick look around, relieved there was no bed. That meant there wasn’t the temptation to share one with him. She sat down on one of the wingback chairs near the fireplace and smoothed her hands down the flirtatious sundress the fae fabric had assumed that morning. “I’m not sure about shifting.”
He was still standing nearby, with his arms over his chest, but he finally took a step closer and sat down in the chair across from her. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t think I can do it. It just feels unnatural and sounds terrifying. If I can’t do it, I’ll let you down. If I can do it, what happens if I get stuck like that? Shifting scares me far more than the others’ powers. It’s intimidating.”
He shook his head. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Shifters don’t have all this magic stuff to learn. Our power is in transformation, and it’s likely to be the easiest one for you to master.”
She shook her head. “I hear what you’re saying, but it doesn’t feel natural to me. I hope I’ll feel the connection when I’m in your realm.” And hopefully she would have some of her courage bolstered by then to give it a full and genuine try. She was speculating she hadn’t put her heart into it the other day when she tried, though the magic had flowed through her.
His thumb stroked over the back of her hand. “Maybe you just need a more intense surge of magic.”
She frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”
He scooted to the edge of his chair, leaning forward to bring her hand to his lips. His breath fanned across her fingers before he sucked one digit into his mouth, chasing it with his tongue.
She shivered at the sensation, both from the pleasure of his mouth, and the surge of power. It was raw and primal, as she associated with Eli, but she was afraid to surrender to it. In an attempt to stop the intensity, she pulled her hand free.
He regarded her with heavy-lidded eyes, his voice exuding raw sensuality when he spoke. “Let me give you an orgasm, and let’s see if that boosts your power?”
Her eyes widened. “I’m not ready for that.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I know you’re not ready to have sex with me, but I’m talking about me pleasuring you.” His voice lowered an octave as he dropped to his knees on the floor, scooting closer until he was right in front of her. The treacherous fae fabric responded by shifting to a super-short dress that barely rested below her hips. Even knowing it had responded to what she instinctively wanted, it was still easier to blame the fabric.
His mouth moved to her knee, kissing slowly before his tongue flicked up an inch, trailing up the inside of her thigh. She whimpered, not certain if she was protesting or agreeing when her thighs seemed to part of their own accord. Her core pulsed with need, and moisture soaked her panties.
She wanted him to reach his destination even as she wanted to push him away. She wasn’t afraid of Eli, but was frightened by the intensity of her feelings, which would only grow stronger as they passed another milestone in their bonding. She put a hand on his head, so not sure if she was going to push away gently or wrap her fingers through his strands of brown hair and draw him closer. She didn’t get a chance to find out, because there was a knock at the door.
“North, are you in there?” called Lyssa through the door.
She jumped like she’d been shot, and certainly she felt embarrassed, not wanting the Royal Princess to find her with Eli’s head inching toward the apex of her thighs. She cleared her throat and shook her head at Eli as he trailed his fingers higher up her thigh. He heaved a sigh, sitting back before getting to his feet.
“I’m here?” It sounded more like an interrogative than a statement of fact, but Lyssa didn’t seem to notice. The door opened a second
later, and she rushed in with a spring in her step. She didn’t seem to realize there was anything amiss between them, and she barely glanced at Eli other than a nod of acknowledgment. She didn’t seem to be snubbing him deliberately. Rather, she was just excited. “I have a fabulous idea. I noticed last night you weren’t wearing any cosmetics. I was talking to my brother earlier, and he said he’s never seen you use them. With your background… Well, I thought maybe you don’t know to use them?”
North cleared her throat and smoothed a hand down her dress, which had reverted to the longer, flowy style she’d worn before Eli got on his knees before her. “I haven’t got a clue about any of that stuff.”
The princess beamed, looking more like an excited teenager than a grown woman for a moment. “Oh, please let me show you how to use it? I adore such things, but don’t have a sister to share with. There are ladies-in-waiting, but they’re all kind of stiff and formal. They maintain a barrier between us because of my position.” She looked sad about that for a moment before brightening. “You aren’t like that, and you might become family.” She shot an apprehensive look at Eli for a moment, biting her lip. “Or maybe not, but I think we could be friends either way.”
North was torn for a moment between the disappointment in Eli’s expression and the eager excitement in Lyssa’s. She looked at Eli, who sighed visibly before nodding just once. She wasn’t obtaining his permission, but had confirmed his acceptance that they would have to postpone whatever had been about to happen between them. She was ambivalent about that, still not certain if it was a good or bad thing Lyssa had interrupted them when she did.
With another sigh, he nodded his head to both of them. “I’ll see you later this afternoon, North. Have a good day, Your Highness.” With one last lingering glance that pointedly homed in on her lap, he moved toward the door.
After it closed behind him, Lyssa let out a gasp. “Was I interrupting something?”