Forever Love (Circle of Ghadan Book 1)

by Kimberly Cummons

  He smiled, he actually smiled, and she’d been right. The creases turned into the most beautiful dimples. All she wanted to do was dip her tongue into the creases and taste him. No one this gorgeous had ever given plain, mousy, her a second look before. If Derian hadn’t interrupted them, she couldn’t begin to imagine what she would have done with this stranger. Against a wall no less. What was happening to her?

  Keegan slowly removed his hand from her butt and eased her to the floor where she stood on shaky legs. He kissed the tip of her nose. “No, Cassie, he didn’t see. You were blocked by me. He doesn’t know what we were doing.”

  She nodded, unable to think of an appropriate response. Telekinesis wasn’t her only “gift”. She always knew when someone lied so she didn’t believe in a million years what Keegan had just said, but she’d take his reassurances and hold onto them for all she was worth. Because she really, really wanted to believe in the lie this time. Otherwise, she wouldn’t ever be able to face Derian again.

  ***

  Cassie was beautiful, her face glowing. She had an intrinsically feminine scent that blended with his shampoo, making the common herbs so erotic Keegan could become addicted to it. He’d never again be able to take a shower without thinking of her sweet, innocent response to him. Not that he thought she was untouched, but he was sure her experience was very limited, no more than one or two partners at the most. The thought made him glad, even though it shouldn’t. Then again, he should be glad Derian stopped them before he had himself buried deep in her, but he wasn’t.

  He did feel like an ass taking advantage of her. She was reacting to the situation, not him. He knew it even before he kissed her. But nothing could have stopped him from taking the taste he’d been wanting ever since he’d walked into his bedroom and found her awake.

  Her breathing was slowing, and her mouth looked so kissable he wanted to do it again. Deciding not to refuse that desire, he would soon but not just yet, he bent and kissed the side of her mouth where, when she smiled, a little crease formed making a small indention his tongue wanted to explore. He sipped his way slowly across lips that still held the taste of wine and kissed the other corner of her mouth.

  His erection became uncomfortably painful pressing against his jeans, and damn he wanted her. With one last kiss, he pulled back and caressed her soft cheek with two fingers. Despite every sane and sensible ounce of reasoning, he wanted to take her to bed and finish what they’d started, but one look in her emerald eyes told him how tired she was. He was grateful for it since it reminded him sanity had to win out over insanity. And having sex with her was nothing but insanity in its purest form.

  It’d been days since she’d slept well, he really should insist she use the bed. In fact, that was precisely what he intended to do. Denying himself was nothing new and a wise man wouldn’t think twice about doing it now. Not for the first time in his life, he chose wisdom over foolishness, but rarely had the choice been so difficult.

  She clamped her lips together, stifling a yawn she couldn’t stop and he smiled. Her body’s need to sleep was taking over her desire as it became soft and relaxed, while his body was tighter than a drum. Didn’t matter, he could easily ignore his wants, he’d learned young how to do that and more.

  He turned her toward the sofa and, his voice harsh with the strain of his desire, said, “Sit while I turn on the alarm and change the bed. No one’s goin’ to sleep on the couch. You need a soft bed, and you’re right, I’m exhausted. I was returning from a trip to Dublin when I hit you. Jet lag is starting to set in.” Hell, it’d set in hours ago, but by necessity, he’d put it on hold.

  He lectured himself to get rid of his desire as he walked to the front door and set the alarm. Derian had most likely gotten enough of an eyeful to know what they’d been doing, but there was no way he’d let Cass know that. Her new world was not that of mortals. They didn’t view things the same way the mortals did, but she’d be learning that soon enough. She had enough to absorb, the Aeterni moral compass could easily wait another day.

  By the time he’d changed the bed, put on a pair of sweatpants to sleep in and banked the fire, Cass had curled up on the sofa and fallen asleep.

  He picked her up, careful not to wake her. She weighed no more than a gnat. He laid her on the sheets, but before he pulled the blanket up, he lightly ran his hand over her ribcage. Damn the git who’d taken her, he’d half-starved her. He could feel every one of her ribs. What good had it done the man to bloody well starve her? Or had whatever he’d given her made her too sick to eat? She’d mentioned she hadn’t been very hungry.

  He covered her, gently tucking her in as he had the only daughter he’d ever allowed himself to have. He’d get the bastard who did this to Cassie, and he’d be sure he suffered before he took his head. Mortal or Aeterni, he would take his head.

  He turned off the light and got in beside her. Unable to resist, he pulled her against his bare chest, sliding his arm under her neck and holding her close. No one would get her again.

  ***

  Cass woke to bright sun shining through the uncovered window beside the bed. For the first time in days she felt rested, and hungry. Yes, she actually felt hungry and not nauseated. She stretched her legs and rolled over on her back, only then realizing the weight across her stomach was an arm. Keegan’s arm. He pulled her closer to his chest, nuzzling his mouth against her ear.

  “Mornin’, Cassie. Do you feel better today?”

  Cripes he felt good, smelled good, too. All spicy danger. She remembered how it felt to be in his arms being kissed and wanted to be there again. He made her feel safe, and oddly enough, beautiful.

  “Yes. Thank you for helping me. For the first time in days, I’m not sick to my stomach.”

  A growl came from his throat and his breath fanned across her ear, his scent teasing her. God, he smelled good. “You were sick all the time you were held, then?”

  He propped his head on his hand and looked down at her. His dark hair was sleep tousled, his beard even heavier. This time, she could see the earring. It was an ouroboros pierced by a sword, the red she’d seen the night before was the ruby in the blade’s hilt. Another earring was above that one, a Celtic triple swirl.

  His dark eyes were serious, even a little angry. Dangerous. She should shrink back from that look but somehow he made her feel protected and she didn’t want to move away from him. He’d forgone putting on a shirt and was all luscious muscle. The dark hair scattered across his chest made her want to run her hands over him. She needed to follow the path over his tight abs downward to his sweatpants. Explore what she’d only gotten a hint of last night.

  “Cassie?” He raised an inquiring eyebrow.

  Oh, yeah, he’d asked her a question. “Yes. Every time he took me into the other room, he injected me with a liquid that reminded me of thin cherry cough syrup. I can only guess now that it was what he was using to change me. When I woke, I was sick to my stomach. Fortunately, the last few times he took me in, when I woke I was no longer throwing up.”

  His touch was gentle as he pushed her hair away from her cheek before lowering his hand to rest on her ribcage. The borrowed sweatshirt was between her bare skin and his stroking fingers, but she felt as though he was touching her, skin to skin. His thumb made a slow movement over her protruding ribs. “You weren’t this thin when he took you, were you, Cassie luv?”

  She wanted him to raise the shirt and touch her. “No, I was ten pounds overweight.” She forced a laugh. “I should thank him for the diet. I’ve been trying to lose weight for the last year, but I just couldn’t get rid of that last ten pounds.”

  “Christ.” His eyes flared bright with anger. His mouth became a firm line and as his brows drew together. His cheeks were hard bone where the skin stretched across them. “We’ll find the bastard, I swear. And I’ll personally make him pay.”

  She swallowed hard, she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking. “How?”


  Keegan shook his head, and his expression became softer. “You don’t need to know how, pet, just know he’ll pay. It’s what I do for the Circle of Ghadan, the Aeterni’s ruling body. I mete out punishment to Aeterni who have stepped beyond the bounds of what our society feels is correct. They call me Drakōn.”

  “Like Draco, the Lawgiver, in ancient Greek justice? Do you kill them?” She remembered that an Aeterni could be killed by taking his head, but she didn’t want to think of Keegan as an executioner. She knew he was dangerous, of course she did. She really didn’t know anything about the man who’d put her to bed the night before, did she? Or the world she’d been thrust into for that matter. As far as she knew, it could be a violent world where death to another meant nothing.

  Keegan looked away from her, his thumb stroking her side in comforting swirls. “If that’s how the Aeterni is judged by the Circle, then, yes, I carry out the punishment. Death, however, is not always the verdict once the Circle pronounces judgment. Aeterni are not bloodthirsty, Cassie. The man had to’ve committed an unpardonable sin before death is adjudicated.”

  “Do you have the same laws as mortals?” She didn’t know why she was pushing this, he didn’t want to talk she could tell.

  Keegan looked back down at her chest. His hand moved, resting between her breasts, he had to feel her pounding heart. “No, darlin’. Our laws are for us alone, we don’t deal with problems the same way mortals do. We do follow their laws as far as taxes and governments are concerned. We must or we’d be singled out, but we handle justice our way. The mortal way wouldn’t be effective for us, and it wouldn’t be safe. An Aeterni locked up in a mortal prison for a life sentence would be very dangerous for us as he wouldn’t age.”

  His hand moved just enough for his thumb to flick across her hardened nipple, sensation ran through her like an electrical surge. Was he trying to distract her? “I can see where that would be a problem.” Cripes, was that her voice? Throaty, breathless.

  “Hmm...” He shifted his weight and moved his hand to the hem of the sweatshirt, pushing it up, he ran his fingers against her bare stomach.

  She moaned at his barely there touch. She wanted to grab his hand and move it higher, no lower. She didn’t know which way she wanted it to go, she only knew he stole her breath and made her hot and wanting. She forgot what they’d been talking about. She lifted her hips, silently begging him to move.

  His hand slid and he took a nipple between his fingers rolling it. A streak of pleasure shot through her, she cried out as heat poured through her. She had to touch him or she was going to die. She turned toward him and pushed her hand past the waistband of his sweats finding him beneath. There was nothing between her and the hard steel as she wrapped her hand around him, reveling in the textures of his desire. His skin was hot and soft, but his erection was hard as she felt him twitch under her fingers.

  Before she could do more than that first touch, he pulled her hand away from him, rose over her and in one quick move her sweatshirt was gone. He then surprised her by putting her hand back inside his sweats with the most devilish, dimpled smile she’d ever seen.

  His smile faded. He stared at her, saying nothing. She knew she was a bag of bones, she’d even lost weight in her breasts. He had to have known millions of beautiful women in his life, slept with incredibly beautiful women. She couldn’t possibly compare to even the plainest of the lot. She started to remove her hand from him, but he grabbed it, stopping her.

  “No, a mhuirnín, I love the feel of your hand.”

  “I know I’m nothing grand to look at.” She felt shy as all get out with him looking at her like that.

  He regarded her breasts, moving his hand over them as though they were something priceless. His soft caress sent sparks of sensation shooting through her. “You’re beautiful, Cassie luv.”

  She grunted. “Yeah, right. My breasts have shrunk and my bones are sticking out. Yup I’m beautiful.”

  His dark eyes captured hers, not letting her look away, even though she wanted to. “You are beautiful. Yes, you’re too bloody thin, but we’ll take care of that. Your skin is incredible, you smell like the first blooms of spring, and,” he moved away from where he was cupping her breast, his palm rubbing the nipple, and ran his finger across her collarbone, “you have the most kissable freckles right here. Should I kiss them, darlin’?”

  He didn’t wait for her answer. He lowered his head and his dark hair spread across her, the silky strands caressing. As his tongue burned a path across her chest, she couldn’t stop the moan any more than she could stop her hips from rising toward him, wanting him inside her. Her hand tightened around his arousal and his moan collided with hers.

  He took her straining nipple in his mouth and pleasure shot straight through her, making her an inferno.

  “Please,” she said, moving her hips against him, and rubbing her thumb across the wet tip of his erection and down the shaft as her fist slid closer to the base.

  He groaned deep in his throat and stopped nibbling her breast. Looking up, his eyes met hers. “Please what, Cassie luv?” His voice was gravely, the strain showing in his deepening accent.

  “Please take the memories away.”

  His look hardened just before the covers were swept back. From one moment to the next, they were both naked and he was kissing his way down her stomach. She writhed against his touch, beyond thought when she felt his tongue taste her. She would have skyrocketed off the bed if he hadn’t placed his hands on her hips.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Keegan hadn’t meant to go this far. A simple good morning was all he’d intended, but she was so damn desirable. Then she asked him to take the memories away, and nothing could stop him from giving into his burning need.

  Working his way down her stomach to her wet heat, she was ambrosia. Nothing in all his centuries had ever been this incredible. He had to be inside her, or die, but she was so small. He sucked her taste into his mouth as he slid a finger into her heat, her hips rising to meet his tongue. She was close, he could feel it, taste it. He slid in a second finger and praise the gods, she came. He needed her to be as wet and ready for him as she could be.

  He rubbed his erection against her leg, gritting his teeth against the need to sink deep into her heat. It’d been far too long. He wasn’t going to hold out long enough to make it as good for her as he wanted. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could wait for her to come again, but he would bloody well die trying.

  He kissed her one last time as her shudders ended. Slowly as he could he worked his way back up her stomach stopping long enough to suckle her breasts and then poised above her. Looking in eyes shining bright with the afterglow of her climax he said, “I’m goin’ to enter you, Cassie luv. If you don’t want me, tell me and I’ll stop.”

  She reached up and put a tender hand to his cheek, rubbing against the two days of growth, the heat of her hand burning him. “Thank you for asking.”

  Christ, she was going to say no. He’d pull back, he knew he would, but it was going to damn near kill him to do it.

  Then she did the most extraordinary thing. She spread her legs and reached for him, leading him to her. An instant of sanity penetrated his lust-filled brain, and he pulled back.

  “No, don’t! I want you to.”

  He stroked her hair as he eased off her and swung his legs over the bed. “I know darlin’, but I need to be gettin’ a condom out of the dresser. Aeterni can be rather fertile.”

  She groaned as he crossed the room and pulled a box out the top drawer removing a packet. “Oh, thank you. I don’t know what came over me to forget.”

  Opening the condom and rolling it on, Keegan gave her the most lascivious eyebrow wiggle he could come up with. “Don’t you, then, darlin’?”

  She opened her arms, giggling, and he hurried back to her. Chuckling, he straddled her and gave her a long lingering kiss bringing their tongues in to join the play. It’d been a long time since he’d felt so carefree and truly enjoyed sex.


  His cell phone on the nightstand started playing Beethoven’s 5th.

  “Now I have cell service,” he mumbled. The rain the night before had made it unreliable.

  Swearing long and hard, he pulled away from her. “That’s Gaderian, luv. I’m sorry but I have to take it, he wouldn’t be callin’ if it weren’t important.”

  “I know, I understand.” She sounded as disappointed as he felt.

  He grabbed the phone off the nightstand and sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand on Cassie’s leg, he snapped. “For such an old man, you have the worst timing. This better be a matter of life or death, Greek.”

  Derian chuckled. The bastard had the nerve to chuckle. “Believe me, Celt, you’re going to be more than happy I called before Nilos arrived with Cassandra’s clothes.”

  Bloody hell. “When?”

  “He called me for directions before he got to the turn off. I just hung up from him.”

  Depending on how far up the mountain he was, he’d arrive in twenty minutes. More likely much less knowing how Nilos drove. Keegan looked at Cassie and said, “We’ve got company comin’, lass, you might want to head into the bathroom and freshen up.”

  Her eyes grew wide for a split second before she jumped out of bed and gathered her clothes on the way to the bathroom. Keegan watched her bare arse as she disappeared. Shite the woman was too skinny. Beautiful and desirable beyond measure, but too bloody skinny. And he still wanted to bury himself as deep in her as he could.

  “Yo, Celt, have I lost you?”

  Keegan shook his head and pushed hair out of his eyes reaching for his watch he’d set on the nightstand. “Hell, it’s nearly one. I’ve lost the entire mornin’.”

  “Did you have something more enjoyable to do?”

  “Lose the bullshit, Greek.”

  “I saw you two last night. You weren’t exactly discreet.”

  “Thank you for stopping us, I should’ve never let it get that far.” Either time. Keegan ran his hand over his rough chin, he hoped he hadn’t scraped Cassie’s tender skin. “Why isn’t Nilos with you, and where are you?”