by Susan Hayes
And now he lay here, alone and waiting for a single woman to come back to him, so weak he could not even exist in her world long enough to seduce her properly.
He stopped his thoughts and quieted his mind, assessing his strength. Not strong enough to stay in her world, no.
Yet— he willed himself to shift planes, felt the tingle as he passed through the veil and stepped into Keri’s room. He drew in a lungful of air and grinned as his senses adjusted to a world of light and scent and sound. By Styx I’ve missed this! He turned and looked at the bed, his eyes glittering with hatred as he ran a hand over a carved column. He’d forgotten what his prison looked like from this side.
He could feel the magic flow beneath his fingers, spells imbued throughout the wood and metal to form a cage he had never been able to escape. Alistair dropped his hand and stepped away from the bed, testing the limits of his prison. Sure enough, five strides from the bed he hit a magical barrier that would not give way. Still, it was better than the void.
He checked his reserves, knowing the small amount of energy he’d gained from his dream encounter with Keri wasn’t going to let him to stay long. The dream world was too insubstantial for that sort of feeding. Still, it was a good beginning, his first true seduction in two centuries or so.
He explored her room, amazed at the contents of her closet and dresser. So many colors and half a dozen fabrics he had never seen before. A grin flickered over his lips as he discovered a drawer full of nothing but lace and satin lingerie. Whatever else had happened while he was lost to the world, woman’s fashions had certainly gotten more interesting.
He lifted his eyes to the mirror over her dresser, seeing himself for the first time. He usually crafted his image to suit the needs of the woman he was targeting, changing his appearance to become what they most desired in a man. It was instinctive, and yet as he gazed into his reflection he realized this time he had appeared as he truly was. He ran a hand over his brow and chuckled. Well, almost as he truly was. His instincts still had sense enough to hide the jet black horns that normally rose from his hair line and curved back into dark hair. Some things a woman just wouldn’t understand.
There was very little else in the room, no mementos and only a few feminine touches; a painting of a vibrant meadow on one wall, a portrait of an older woman set in a silver frame on the dresser, and little more. This woman was not someone who needed material things. Alistair took one last look around the room before shifting again, returning to the void. He remembered her nightmare and the pain he’d sensed when he touched her thoughts. No, whatever Keri yearned for in her life, it wasn’t tied to money or objects. Given she was now the only hope he had of breaking free, he’d have to find out what she needed and offer it to her in exchange for his freedom.
*****
It had totally slipped her mind that Saturday was market day in Ganges, and Keri spent several happy hours wandering from stall to stall, sampling bits of this and that and speaking to the artists and farmers who had gathered to sell their wares.
She had forgotten how much fun it was to wander, and several times the artisans had recognized her, welcoming her back to the island. Two of them had helped teach Keri how to carve wood when she was a girl, and they both expressed hopes she’d reopen her grandmother’s workshop and continue the family tradition. Though she had made them no promises, it helped her to know she’d be welcome back to the fold if she did take up the family craft again.
It was late afternoon when she drove home, her car laden down with food, some new crockery and the most beautiful tapestry she’d ever seen. The hand-spun yarn had been knotted and woven to create a stretch of wild and lonely seashore.
The waves seemed almost ready to crash down at any moment on the rocks that rose up out of the surf. Arbutus trees framed the shoreline, their trunks twisted by the wind into strange, stunted shapes. When Keri had bought it the weaver had told her it was inspired by a real beach on the island and had given her directions, assuring her it was worth the trek down through the woods to find.
It had taken several trips to get all her purchases into the house, and Keri laughed at herself as she eyed the heaps of food she’d bought. “Enough to feed an army, what was I thinking?” She busied herself finding room for it all, stuffing both the fridge and the pantry before she was done.
Inspired by her purchases, she cooked one of her grandmother’s favorite recipes, a simple but savory casserole that filled the whole house with its fragrance and reminded her of times long past. Still feeling energized, she baked two raspberry crumbles, leaving them to cool on the counter top as she tucked into her dinner.
“A few weeks of this and you’re going to need to buy a treadmill!” She poked at the soft curve of her stomach and shook her head. “Or a whole new wardrobe, something with elastic waistbands and the dimensions of a pup tent.”
By ten o’clock she was nestled into a hot bubble bath with her second glass of wine, the scent of molten beeswax blending with the night blooming jasmine that grew outside the bathroom window. Keri half dozed in the tub, her mind replaying the amazingly detailed dream she’d had that afternoon.
He’d had black hair that curled down to brush the top of the finest pair of shoulders she had ever seen, falling into his eyes in a way that made her fingers itch to sweep it to one side. A dusting of dark hairs covered his chest, tapering down over a well defined six pack to the largest cock she’d ever seen. Definitely a dream man, she laughed to herself as she let the warm water and wine do their magic.
Her hands drifted in the water, stroking her breasts absently as she remembered the way her dream lover’s mouth had sucked on them, the memory of his tongue on her nipples drawing them into tight nubs all over again.
New fantasies replaced memory and Keri could almost feel male hands stroking down her body, her dream lover’s mouth replacing her fingers as she played with herself. Her hands stroked down her body just as she had imagined his would, her thighs easing open as she arched her hips up, needing to ease the sexual tension that suddenly had her wound tight. She closed her eyes as her fingers slid into her sex, letting her imagination make them feel stronger, thicker than hers, a man’s hand pleasuring her, his fingers circling her clitoris. Her hips jerked and she whispered Alistair’s name, her fingers moving faster now.
Her orgasm came on gently, flooding her body with warmth and pleasure as her fingers worked over her clit one last time and she sighed with pleasure, feeling her tension ease again. As she lay there her imagination kicked in once again and she could have sworn she heard a man whisper the words “I want you.”
That made her sit up, lifting her head and looking around her to try and find the source of the voice. “That’s one very realistic fantasy you’ve been having.” She settled back into the water slowly, withdrawing her hand from between her legs with a rueful laugh. “Now stop thinking about that non-existent, utterly gorgeous dream man and get out of this tub before you prune.”
*****
From his prison Alistair had been watching, having sensed her return hours before. Her energy had danced on the edge of his awareness, coming and going from the magical boundaries that kept him captive.
He had planned to wait for her to drift off to sleep before he tried to contact her again, but as Keri had lay in her warm bath he had been able to sense her drowsy arousal and it had tempted him to change his plans.
She was near enough to the bed he had been able to slip into her mind, and when he had he was pleased to discover her thoughts had all been of him. He’d built on her memories of their dream encounter, teasing her with images of his mouth on her breasts, lapping at her wet skin. While she was awake he couldn’t accomplish much more than suggestion, but while she was receptive like this he couldn’t resist enhancing her pleasure until she dreamed again and he could make it real.
Her orgasm had been a sensual treat, a tantalizing promise of what was to come. He’d been so intent on the pleasure
he had felt that he missed the moment when she began to wake up fully, and in his hurry to withdraw from her mind he’d let his yearning for her be heard. Her reaction had pleased him, and he let himself return to the void with confidence that very soon he’d be strong enough to show her just how real he was. He found himself looking forward to that moment, very much.
His mind followed her as she crawled into bed without bothering with pajamas, her tired but contented thoughts coming through clearly as she settled down and closed her eyes in preparation for sleep. Her last words were a prayer he knew would be answered. “If it’s not too much bother, I’d like to dream about him again, please.”
After that she had falling asleep quickly, and he had wasted no time in slipping into her mind and arranging her dreams to his liking. He’d kept the image of her bedroom, adding candles to fill the area with soft light, and roses summoned up roses in crystal vases to sit on both sides of the bed. Finally he added himself to her dreams, appearing in bed beside her, his arms already reaching for her.
“You came back,” she greeted him, coming into his arms willingly.
“Of course I came back. You asked for me to return.” He turned his head and brushed a trail of kisses down her forearm. “What sort of man would refuse a beautiful woman such a request?”
“I can think of quite a few actually…” she started to argue he laid his fingers across her lips, stopping her words.
“Any man who failed to accept an invitation back to your bed is a fool.” He informed her as he lowered her to the bed and moved above her, dropping a kiss to her lips. Alistair groaned as he kissed her again, drawing her full lower lip into his mouth. His free hand slid between them to cup her breast, teasing at her nipple with his thumb until it tightened in arousal.
Caged by his body, Keri could only writhe beneath his warm weight, one bare leg curling over the back of his thigh. As he released her lower lip she tangled her hands in his hair and drew him down into an open mouthed kiss, her tongue seeking his as she tasted him in turn.
“This feels so real.” She whispered between kisses. He felt her try to focus, to try to understand and so he went about distracting her. His hands kneaded at her breasts, his kiss grew more demanding and then he moved atop her, his knee pressing between her thighs, opening her legs. He sensed her confusion fade as she accepted the dream, all other thoughts seared away by a newly kindled blaze of desire. Desire for him.
He ended their kiss with a gentle nip and then moved down her body, kneeling between her thighs so he could look over the beauty displayed on the bed before him. “Beautiful.” He told her as she lifted her hands to reach for him. He gently brushed her hands away and then scooped her legs over his shoulders, lifting her body higher up the angle of his thighs as his lips and tongue found the sweet core of her sex.
His beautiful mortal mewled with surprise and pleasure at the sudden contact, her head falling back to the bed as she surrendered to the moment. He watched her fingers curl into the sheet, kneading at it as her hips bucked against his mouth in encouragement.
He held her in place firmly, his hands cradling the soft flesh of her buttocks, making sure that she could do nothing but submit to the pleasures he intended to give her.
His free hand moved between her thighs, gently teasing open her folds and exposing her clitoris. He ran his tongue over it, making her tremble as he slowly laved her most sensitive spots. Again and again his tongue swirled around her clit until her breathing grew ragged and she moaned his name.
“Please, I...I need...” She gasped and tensed her legs, trying to draw him closer. He laughed, every note vibrating against her slick folds as he lashed his tongue over her one more time and then drove it deep into her body, thrusting and teasing as she arched herself higher and finally came with a wild cry, the surge of energy that flowed between them filling him with power.
He let the dream go, allowing it to blur and slide sideways as it slowly faded back into the ether where it had been created. Frightened, Keri reached for him with a soft cry and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as the dream ended. In that moment he shifted planes, materializing beside her on the bed. Now he held her as she slept, both of them bathed in moonlight.
It amazed him that she’d been aware of the shift, sensing when he’d left her dreams. She was more sensitive than he had suspected, which led to some rather interesting possibilities. His hands cupped a breast, feeling the warm weight of it. By Styx, she was amazing, even in the confines of her dreams she had released enough energy that he was nearly drunk with it.
He leaned down and brushed a kiss to her shoulder, revelling in the way her body melded to his as though she’d been made to his measure.
He’d take her soon, letting her wake from her dreams and into a reality where he was real and wanting her.
He knew that was the moment some turned from him, terrified of what he was and what he meant to their ordered understanding of the universe, but he was certain that Keri wouldn’t fear him.
He’d lost so much in the centuries he’d been captive; time with family and friends, so many lost chances. The universe owed him this much at least, he wanted Keri and he’d do anything to keep her, anything to end the loneliness.
He let his hands drift over her body, learning every curve and line. She was more beautiful than her dreams had revealed, lush and soft and perfect. He nuzzled into her red hair, inhaling the scent of jasmine and her own sweet perfume. When she moaned and wiggled closer he bit back a groan as her ass pressed against his cock, already hard and growing harder with every passing moment. Dream sex was better than nothing, but it couldn’t begin to reduce the need he felt for this woman, not after more than two centuries of being alone.
Gently he let one hand stroke down to her uppermost leg, coaxing it to drape over his thigh. As her thighs parted he could smell the scent of her arousal, tempting him to dip his fingers into her sweet honey and taste her. He let his fingers graze over her labia and she moaned again, her hips bucking lightly against the light contact. Even asleep she was a sensual creature, and Alistair knew taking her here, on this plane would be an unforgettable pleasure. He brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked on them, savoring her essence before returning them to her sex, gliding over her slick folds until he knew she was ready for him.
Keri woke slowly, the delicious sensations coming from her sex impossible to ignore. She felt thick pressure and opened her eyes just as her dream lover arched his hips and pressed his cock into her heated core, claiming her an inch at a time.
She gasped as he filled her, then panic clamped around her chest and choked her as she realized she was no longer dreaming.
Alistair held her close, not moving as he whispered in her ear. “It’s me Keri, just me.” He flashed her a smile as she twisted her head to stare up at him in shock and confusion.
“Alistair ?” Fear warred with amazement as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Her dream lover was behind her, making love to her, but she wasn’t asleep any more.
“Aye, Keri. I’m here.” He leaned over to brush a tender kiss to her lips.
“But you can’t be here, you’re not real.”
“Now that’s where you’re wrong my beauty.” He shifted his hips, moving his cock deeper inside her. “I’m real, and I’m here, and I want to see you come undone in my arms again.”
She met his gaze, dazzled by the desire that made his eyes glow like amber in sunlight. “But how?”
“I will answer all your questions soon.” He kissed her again. “But right now I have a powerful need for you. Be with me Keri, please.”
His please sent a tremor through her and she knew she couldn’t deny his request, not when she wanted him so much it was nearly painful.
“Yes.” She kissed him back, her pelvis already arching back to meet his next thrust.
With that single word he seemed to give himself free rein, driving his cock deep inside her with
a growl of pleasure. His fingers parted her labia, seeking out her clitoris as he slammed into her again.
She squirmed, barely able to breathe as his cock filled and stroked her in ways she had never even imagined.
She had never felt so mastered, Alistair’s strong body curving around hers and laying claim to it while should could do nothing but try to stay above the tidal waves of sensation he sent crashing through her. Just as her final shreds of control started to slip he withdrew and she keened in displeasure at the loss.
“Patience little one.” He laughed as his strong hands tugged at her hips and guided her to her hands and knees. She lowered her head and raised her hips in open invitation as she felt him kneel behind her, but instead of thrusting into her he caged her body with his and buried his face into her hair, showering kisses over her shoulders and back. She could feel his rock hard length resting between her thighs and she moaned in frustration, wiggling herself against him in protest at his delay.
“What do you want Keri?” His voice was a breathless tickle at her ear, the faint burr of his accented words adding to her longing.
“You.” She answered and turned her head to kiss him.
“As my lady wishes.” He took her again, burying himself so deep inside her that there was no room between their bodies. She felt her inner walls grip him hard and Alistair groaned loudly, thrusting into her over and over until they were both hovering on the edge of control.
Keri reached between her legs and pinched her clit, bringing herself to climax on a scream.
Her body’s release triggered Alistair’s and he followed her into ecstasy with a shuddering roar as his balls emptied themselves in her womb.