“No, you shouldn’t be,” Neala said, raising his hand and pressing a kiss to his palm. She led him to the bed and pushed him gently down until he sat before her while she stood. “I need you right here. With me.” Saying no more, she brought his hand to her heart, and pressed her lips to his mouth.
“But… we’re in battle,” Dagda said, once more trying for honor.
“And battle we shall on the morrow. But tonight… I want to give you my love,” Neala said, her breath soft against his lips. “Let me show you.”
“No, I should give to you,” Dagda said, his hands coming to rest on her hips, his face mulish.
“I’m in charge tonight, Dagda. As my protector, I demand that you listen to my orders,” Neala said, her voice stern.
Dagda’s mouth dropped open, working for any words, any sense of control he had over the situation. When he realized it was futile, he dropped his face to her chest and hugged her.
“There’s my man… my bear,” Neala whispered. “Lie back now and let me love you.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Neala trembled as he stretched out on the bed, his muscles rippling down his body as he reached out his hands for her.
“Nope, I’m in charge. Cross your arms behind your head,” Neala ordered, faking a bravado that she didn’t necessarily feel. This man was far more experienced than she, and his lazy sensuality was both a turn-on and an intimidation for her. When he reached up and crossed his arms behind his head, following her orders, Neala felt her mouth go dry at the sheer masculine strength displayed before her.
Give love, Neala reminded herself. Show him.
Crouching on the bed next to him, she bent her head and let her hair trail over his chest, touching her lips lightly to the muscles found there. Slowly, she teased a row of kisses up his chest, letting her breasts swing lightly across him, her nipples perking as they brushed his skin. Needing a better position, Neala boldly straddled him.
Dagda moaned just a little, and pulled his hands back from his head.
“Hands up top,” Neala ordered, and he groaned, but did as she said. Sitting back a little, she just looked down at the amazing man below her, and reveled in all that was Dagda. For days now she’d been watching him and noting how confident he seemed in every situation, handling things with quiet control or fierce bravery. The only time she’d seen him unnerved was when he’d had to admit to a willingness to be vulnerable.
To her.
And here he was, once again gifting her with his own vulnerability, by letting her take control. She smiled at him, so brilliantly, as light seemed to flood her entire being, and helpless not to, he beamed right back at her.
Bending, Neala slid her hands up his muscular chest and nuzzled into his neck, teasing kisses along the way, reveling in his scent – so musky and manly – and nipping lightly at his ear. When she finally found her way to his mouth, Dagda moaned.
To make a strong man moan – well, that was empowering, and intoxicating, Neala decided as she became entranced with his lips, kissing him until they both panted for breath, the slow slide of tongues a dance of heat and anticipation. Neala writhed against him, already wanting more, her body crying out to let him touch her.
Ignoring what her body wanted, Neala broke away and began to slowly kiss her way down his body.
“Have I told you how handsome I find you?” Neala asked, stopping to pay attention to his nipples, scraping them with her teeth just enough so that he jerked against her mouth.
“You haven’t,” Dagda said, his breath ragged.
“Ah, I’m sorry for that,” Neala said, continuing to lazily explore his chest, her tongue running along all the grooves and ridges, her hands caressing the strong muscles of his arms. “Have I told you how much I love that you take care of me?”
“Ah, you have not,” Dagda said, groaning just a little as she reached his abs, her tongue sliding along the eight-pack she found there.
“Have I told you how I think you have a good heart?” Neala asked, pausing to look up at him under heavy lids.
“You have not…Neala, you don’t have to say this stuff…” Dagda’s words trailed off at her glare.
“Have I told you that I think you’re amazing beyond belief and that I’ve never met anyone like you before?” Neala asked, her eyes still on his.
“No,” Dagda said, the word a ragged plea on his lips.
“I suppose I’ll have to show you then,” Neala said, and kissed her way down to where he wanted her most, sliding him deeply into her mouth so that he gasped in ecstasy. Taking her time, she enjoyed the feel of him, heavy in her hand and mouth, as she licked her way toward completion, growing just as excited as she felt him becoming.
“Hey!” Neala gasped, surprised to find herself lifted from him, his arms most decidedly no longer crossed behind his head. Sitting up on the bed, he pulled her to him so she straddled him, and his eyes met hers dead on.
“I’ve never wanted someone so much in my life as I do you, Neala. You glow for me – you’re my light, my true north, my everything. I’ve ached to be with you,” Dagda said, his stormy eyes holding hers.
“I want to show you my love, Dagda. I feel it. It scares me. It feels too soon or… I don’t know, but I won’t let fear stop me from knowing what I feel. And I know that I’m falling for you, if not already fallen,” Neala said, melting against him as he cradled her in his arms.
“I fell for you the instant I saw you. You’ve captivated me like no other,” Dagda said.
“Be with me, Dagda, make me whole,” Neala said, and he filled her in one delicious thrust. She threw her head back, her hair tumbling over her shoulder as she moaned in delight, her muscles clenching around him instantly. Burying his face in her breasts, Dagda paid careful attention to the sensitive peaks, sending her so quickly over the edge that she cried out, pure ecstasy filling her as together they claimed each other as one.
And when it was over, Dagda started all over again, showing her how much he also liked to give, until Neala, spent with love and lust, passed into a dreamless sleep, snuggled on his chest and feeling like she’d finally found home.
Chapter Forty-Nine
“Full moon tonight,” Clodagh informed her the next day. It was mid-day already and the travelers were packing up camp, readying themselves for the travel ahead. Both Neala and Dagda had been shocked by how long they’d slept; Dagda had even had a few angry words with Clodagh about it.
“Your man worries,” Clodagh said, pointing to where Dagda packed up with a studied precision that belied the anger he was keeping tamped down.
“He wasn’t happy that we slept so late. I think he feels he needs to be awake at all times, constantly protecting me,” Neala said on a shrug.
“Rest is good for the soul too. As is lovemaking,” Clodagh said, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I see you gave him your love.”
“I did,” Neala said, flushing a little as she thought of their night together.
“Good. Tell your man not to worry. The battle is for this evening. We’ll all go,” Clodagh said, rising and stretching.
“Wait, how do you know it is tonight?” Neala scrambled up, surprised.
“I listen to the wind. As should you, pretty one, since you control it. The curse is over at midnight this eve. You’ll not fight this battle alone tonight.”
“Wait…” Neala’s mouth fell open as complete shock coursed through her. “I thought we had more time. What do you mean it’s up tonight? How do you know this?”
“We’ve had a few missed days over the centuries to account for, my dear. Fae calculations can often be a little off. Trust me when I say… tonight, we fight.”
Neala didn’t wait to hear any more, and she raced across the camp to where the others stood by the SUV.
“It’s tonight. They say the curse is up tonight. At midnight. Big battle tonight,” Neala gasped, almost trembling with her worry.
“We just heard,” Bianca said, pulling Neala into a hug. “
It’s going to be fine. The gypsies will come with us. We’ll have backup.”
“We need more than the travelers! We need an army! We don’t know what we’re walking into,” Neala said, feeling panic bubble up from deep inside, threatening to choke her.
“No, we don’t,” Dagda said, pulling her to him so that he had his hands on her shoulders, her face tilted up to his.
“We do. It’s too much. I can’t do this alone,” Neala gasped, dangerously close to tears. She’d grown to like all these people she’d met along the way, and the fear of letting them down – of destroying the future for Gwen’s daughter – all of it, threatened to overtake her.
“You’re not alone. No matter what,” Dagda said, brushing his lips gently over hers. “Remember, you gave me your love. And I gave you mine. No matter where you stand, I’m with you.”
His words steadied her and Neala nodded, hoping that when the time came she was capable of living up to everyone’s belief in her. Because at the moment, she wasn’t feeling all that confident that she’d have the right answers, or even be strong enough to withstand the onslaught of dark fae who so desperately wanted to run free in this world.
“We’re with you too, Neala,” Bianca said from behind her, and Neala turned to send her a watery smile. “I know we may not seem like much, but we’ve held our own thus far. What’s one more battle?”
“I think you guys are magnificent,” Neala said.
“You hear that, Bianca? I’m magnificent,” Seamus said, elbowing Bianca.
“I think she meant me,” Bianca pointed out.
“She said us,” Seamus argued, following her around the car as they continued packing up. Just like that they were back to joking and laughing, and the heaviness of what lay ahead was pushed to the back.
Neala held that feeling with her through the afternoon and into dusk as they drew near the infamous Hell’s Hole. Why, oh why, did this battle have to occur in a place with such a name? It was as though the Domnua knew it would mess with her head. Psychological warfare, Dagda had reminded her, could be just as powerful as real warfare. Dagda pulled the SUV to where Clodagh stood, a long walking stick in hand.
“Here’s far enough. The rest we’ll go on foot.”
They’d decided to approach Hell’s Hole from a roundabout back way, instead of the direct route. From what Neala gathered, it was a deep crevice cut into the cliffs that looked like a deep watery blue grave. When conditions were right, the waves would slam into the rocky walls, sending towers of water shooting toward the sky, their force sucking down anyone stupid enough to stand nearby. Sounded like the perfect place for a battle, Neala thought – rocky, dangerous, and unpredictable. Great.
They fell into line, picking their way along the rocky terrain, the sun’s last rays lighting the way for them. Neala felt keyed up, ready to jump at anything, and she continued to run through everything she’d learned along the way. She felt like she was about to go take the exam of a lifetime and she’d been given the wrong notes to study from.
“Sooooo.” Bianca drew the word out, falling back so that she walked in front of Neala. “Give me details.”
“On what?” Neala asked, still distracted.
“Duh, on Dagda. It’s obvious you two did more than sleep last night. Are you kidding me? I almost jumped Seamus again based on all the sexual energy pouring off the two of you this morning,” Bianca fanned her face and, despite everything, Neala found herself smiling.
“It was amazing,” Neala admitted.
“I’d say. Just look at the man,” Bianca agreed.
“I did. And more,” Neala smiled again, remembering his hands all over her body and his promises of love.
“Did the L-word come up?” Bianca asked.
“It did. We’re… we feel the same,” Neala said and Bianca squealed, turning to grab Neala in a quick hug. The whole line of people turned instantly and Neala held up her hand.
“Sorry, sorry. Everything’s fine. Keep moving,” Neala said, blushing furiously at the knowing look in Clodagh’s eye.
“I’m sorry. I just get so excited. I want everyone to be as happy as Seamus and I are,” Bianca said, with such an open and giving spirit it made Neala’s heart melt. She had only known this woman less than a week and here she was, crowing in delight over Neala’s happiness. It was a gift, and a power, to have such a giving spirit, Neala thought.
“I appreciate that, I really do,” Neala said. “Not to change the subject, but can you tell me again how I’m supposed to know how to find this cauldron?” It had been a sticking point with Neala for days now. They were going to go into battle and she was supposed to just… what, scurry around until she found some glowing cauldron somewhere? It didn’t make any sense to her.
“The Cauldron of Plenty,” Bianca hummed, twirling a finger in the air. “Nobody goes away from it hungry. It can feed nations upon nations, armies upon armies. It was an exceptionally sought after treasure, for even with the best weapons one can wield in battle – like the sword and the spear you now carry – nothing matters if your army or your people starve to death. It serves the most basic, and yet one of the most important, of needs.”
It gives, Neala thought. It had been a recurring theme on their journey – giving. Giving of love, generosity of spirit, giving of time, giving of friendship, giving of food – all of it was about giving. She wondered if that was a key she would need to unlock this riddle. Was it giving the power that the clue spoke of?
There was no more time to think, as a shout went up from the front of the line. They’d drawn to a stop at the rise of the cliffs, the water sweeping out to the left, and a downward slope before them leading to the crevice that Neala knew must be Hell’s Hole. But it wasn’t the impending doom that she saw there that made her almost weak in the knees – oh no, it wasn’t. For as the sun blew its last kiss to day and night claimed them, the sight before Neala was like nothing she could have prepared herself for.
“They’re here.”
Chapter Fifty
Tears pricked Neala’s eyes, and Bianca clenched her arm in shock as they took in the army before them, and the leaders who stood in front.
Clare and Blake, Sasha and Declan, Gwen and Lochlain – all stood, arms locked, heads held high, with the goddess Danu in front, her purple glow lighting the field around them. And oh, for acres, it seemed, a faintly glowing army of Danula stood at the ready.
“Look!” Bianca gasped, and pointed to the sea below, where the water teemed with mermaids and merman. Tridents galore glinted with magick, a veritable water army at the ready.
Neala could only shake her head at the magickal beings, mermaids, fae, fairies flitting by – and was that a leprechaun? Humans, gypsies, and goddesses alike stood at the ready, all to have her back and to help fight for the light in the world as they knew it. For the first time, hope bloomed in Neala’s soul and she let go of Bianca’s arm, striding forward to meet the goddess Danu.
She looked like her sister, Neala thought, as she came to a stop and bowed her head before the goddess. Fiercely beautiful, but in a warm way. Where Domnu’s beauty had been lethal, Danu’s seemed to envelop and coax warmth into your soul. She was the bright side of the moon, the rainbow after the rain – and being in her presence made Neala want to weep with joy.
“Goddess,” Neala said.
“Seeker, you’ve done well for yourself. You’ll see hardship before the night is over. Trust yourself,” the goddess Danu said, then whirled when a cry shrieked across the land. Ice shards of evil rained upon them as the Domnua poured from Hell’s Hole, in a tidal wave so great it was blinding.
“Head up, heart open,” Dagda said, grabbing her into one soul-searing kiss, then he stood before her, sword at the ready, as the battle descended upon them like a bomb had exploded.
Neala had no frame of reference for this. It was like a cloudburst – no, a hurricane of evil, unleashed with such tremendous force that she couldn’t even think. All she could do was react. She decide
d upon the spear as her weapon, for she’d been told no battle could be won against it, so she let the sword hang at her side and plunged forward, dropping anything that had a hint of silver glow and even so much as looked at her.
Battles may seem glorious in movies, but in reality they were intensely scary and left no time for Neala to catch her breath, let alone look for the cauldron. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to see past the wave of Domnua that fought their way forward. And the screams – oh, the screams of the dying were enough to chill her to the bone and she prayed that none she loved would be hurt this night.
Just as she thought they were gaining some headway and that the army was receding, they dropped from the sky, winged beasts of silvery fury. Neala was plucked from the ground in the claws of a vulture beast, the talons digging so deeply into her sides that blood ran in rivulets. The last thing she saw was a panicked Bianca screaming to the sky, and then Neala was dropped from on high into the teeming pit of Hell’s Hole itself.
Chapter Fifty-One
The silence shocked her the most. Not the pain of the landing on a sharp rocky cliff, nor the magickal wounds at her side that burned as though hot pokers had been stuck into her ribs. Neala struggled to breathe, blinking her eyes against the darkness, confused as to where she’d landed.
“Foolish humans. They always fight like they actually have a chance.”
Neala coughed, struggling to her feet, one hand grasping for purchase on the ledge where she stood, the other holding the spear in front of her.
The Goddess Domnu stood in front of her, her head high, her eyes whirling in madness, matching the hair that swung in riots around her head. Neala glanced up to see that she’d been dropped into Hell’s Hole, but her landing had been broken by a ledge that stuck from the otherwise sheer rocky cliff. She could just barely hear the cries of the battle above, but she couldn’t hear the water below her at all. It was as if she were cocooned inside some magickal bubble.
04 Sphere Song - The Isle of Destiny Page 19