Skin Magic

by Kim Knox

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Skin Magic

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Skin Magic Copyright © 2009 Kim Knox

  Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book Publication May 2009

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Skin Magic

  Kim Knox

  Chapter One

  The solidus grew warm against Larissa’s damp palm and she let out a slow breath. The quick knock against the wood stung her knuckles, and in the dark corridor, faint muffled moans had her nerves tight. She glanced back, the golden flicker of street lamps defining the arch onto the marble colonnade. The man standing there gave her a brief, parting nod, before he pulled up the hood of his heavy cloak to obscure his features and disappeared into the night.

  Larissa closed her eyes and willed her heart to slow. She’d come to one of the more reputable establishments in the Izmirii area of the city, where the workers weren’t slaves to a ruthless master. The brothel was rumored to hide a Sardisian, and his high price reflected his…specialties. Or so she’d been assured.

  With a slow creak of iron hinges, the door swung inwards. Soft lamplight splashed gold across the floor and over the man standing waiting for her. A gaze darker than shadow held her and her chest tightened. Damn it, she hadn’t been expecting someone like him.

  Her nervous gaze flicked over his lithe torso, catching on the curls and twists of an intricate tattoo chasing down his abdomen. His breeches hung low on his hips and Larissa closed her eyes before she stared too hard. She could do this. She had to do this.

  She lifted her hand, her palm opening. The golden solidus gleamed. “For…for you.”

  He took it, holding it up to the light before he bit it. Hard. His lips quirked and he stood back. “Welcome…”

  “Larissa.” First name only. She had to protect herself. She swallowed, trying not to feel the sweat that had her linen shift clinging to her spine. Strength of will forced her slippered feet forward and he closed the door behind her. The latch clicked and a key turned in the lock. “How long will this take?”

  “Your first time?” His thumb traced along her jaw and she shivered at his touch, at the soft timbre of his voice. He pushed back the heavy hood of her cloak and his lips brushed the shell of her ear. “For a golden solidus, lady, you have me for as long as you want me.”

  Larissa had to remember to breathe. She hadn’t expected the Sardisian to be so…tempting. Nor to touch her. “That’s not what I meant.”

  She stepped back from his touch, even as she craved it. By all that was unholy, what was she doing? The sign on the colonnade said the narrow walkway housed a brothel, but rumor had it that this Sardisian worked spirit magic. And she was standing there for that, not the pleasures of his flesh. She was a senator’s daughter, had honored her parents, had respected their decision to bind her to one of the city’s bankers to protect her fortune—but now they were dead.

  Larissa sucked in a steadying breath. She had no choice but to be in the brothel. The city was about to run with blood as a new emperor wiped away the old regime. The banker, Avaro Balsai, had curried favor with both sides. Larissa knew, as his wife, she’d be safe from the new emperor’s wrath, but not even that could bind her to him now that her parents were gone. She had to escape. And the Sardisian was her way out.

  “I didn’t come for this, for…” She waved her hand at the lithe strength of his chest and tried not to follow the tantalizing curls of his tattoo down his abdomen. Her gaze lifted to his. “You’re a Sardisian.”

  “By blood, not by birth, lady. I’ve never set foot in Sardis.” He turned away and unlocked a small chest sitting on a table beside the wide bed. The clink of coins followed. He didn’t look up and his shoulders seemed tight, tense. “My specialty may not be what you think it is.”

  Larissa unclipped the heavy brooch securing her cloak and shrugged it off her shoulders. She dropped her heavy satchel over the bedpost, in plain sight. It held all she owned, all she could run with. Nerves had her folding the heavy folds of embroidered cloak together, running her cold fingers over the creases. Her gaze darted around the small room.

  Fabrics dyed in rich reds masked the rough plaster of the walls and rugs covered the stone-flagged floor. Did he live in the little room? It wasn’t simply his…workplace. Beyond the wide bed, with its pillows and clean linen sheets, a small hearth held the smoldering embers of a fire. Her gaze narrowed. On the mantle above stood a line of half-melted candles, small votives and offerings to his Sardisian spirits. He practiced. She had come to the right man.

  “I’m not here for…for sex. I’m here to ask something of your spirits.” She paused and her hands tightened in the cloth. “I can offer you more money.”

  Soft laughter escaped him. “And you think money would fill their need.” He turned, and the lamplight carved his face with shadows. Moving close again, his hand cupped her jaw, his thumb teasing over her bottom lip. “You’ve bought my body for your pleasure, Larissa. In that way, I will be whatever you need. I’ll offer you nothing more.”

  He kissed her, his lips light, warm against hers, tasting of spice and a trace of mint. A soft hum escaped him and his tongue tip teased her upper lip. The sound threaded through her flesh and her heart pounded. No, she wasn’t here for his pleasures, but… He deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing against hers and she didn’t, couldn’t resist the melting of her tongue, lips against his.

  His mouth eased away to explore her jaw until his teeth teased her earlobe and she gasped. Warm breath ran a shiver deep into her aching flesh. “You’re untouched.”

  The smile in his voice burned fire under her cheeks and her honor had her mouth moving without thought. “I’m a patrician’s daughter!” She crushed her eyes shut against stupidly revealing that fact about herself. Larissa pulled herself free of him and wiped her hand over face.

  “There are men in the imperial court who could satisfy your…need.”

  Larissa sucked in a calming breath. She watched her hands flex in her cloak as she tried to find control. He was right. Rhodoi magicians made good money at the Great Palace, but she couldn’t trust them. Not for what she needed. “This is a mistake.” She swung her cloak around her shoulders and her fingers twisted the ornate brooch. “Let the solidus buy your silence.”

  “Larissa…” He took her hand, his grip strong, sure. For a moment, he stared at her hand in his and her heart beat loud in her ears. His thumb rubbed slow circles against her palm. “You don’t enter into a contract with a Sardisian lightly.”

  She swallowed meeti
ng his dark, serious gaze. “I know.” She closed her eyes and willed herself to find a scrap of calm. “I wouldn’t be here if it were a simple act of your brewing a love philter or casting a hex.”

  His fingers ghosted along her arm, teasing over her silk sleeve, and his touch seared her. The metal slide of her brooch as he unhooked her cloak flared heat under her skin. He eased the heavy fabric from her shoulders. “What do you want, Larissa?”

  “To change who I am.”

  His silence forced her to open her eyes and she found him staring at her, an endless moment that had her cheeks warming. He let out a slow breath and a fingertip traced along her shoulder. The simple touch scalded her. Her fingers curled, her nails digging hard at her palms. “You’re a patrician’s daughter. Why would you give that up?” He stepped closer. “If we’re to do this,” his mouth hovered over hers, his breath brushing warm against her lips, “then I have to know the truth from you. The complete truth.”

  She wanted him to kiss her. For him to bury his fingers in her hair and devour her mouth again. Need tore through her thoughts. No. She couldn’t, and she pressed her lips together. Tight. A knot twisted in her gut. She’d already stained her honor, brought disgrace to her ancestors by coming to a Sardisian. Wanting him? She wouldn’t let her traitorous body betray her further. “The new emperor is disposing of his enemies, my family amongst them.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Is that everything?”

  She pulled in a deep breath. “I could save myself by marriage.”

  “But instead you came to me.”

  Larissa gave a reluctant nod. “I came to you.”

  His finger teased the gold-stitched collar of her blue silk chiton, tracing over the lines of tiny pearls. “You have money, Larissa. You could simply run.”

  His finger slid over the revealed curve of skin below her throat. Contact ran a shiver through her and her nails dug harder. Her desire, her need to run her palms over his smooth rippled chest rioted through her but she fixed her gaze on his jaw. The warm scent of his skin mixed with unknown spices intoxicated her. Larissa told herself that was why she was so willing to tell him the truth. “I could, but my betrothed is an influential man. He’d find me. No matter how far I ran.”

  His hand pressed against her collarbone. It drifted down and Larissa gasped as he cupped her breast though the thin layers of her clothes. His thumb played with the sudden, unexpected hardness of her nipple. “Do you know what you’d have to give me?”

  She sucked in a breath, shocked that she wanted him at her breast, wanted his mouth— Words rushed from her. “Your spirits require a piece of my soul.”

  A smile touched his lips and he looked up. Heat burned in his shadow-dark eyes. “Rhodoi matrons who want their wrinkles smoothed, sagging bellies tightened…from those I take their soul. From you? I require a more satisfying payment.”

  Larissa’s heart thudded. “You already wanted to…” She waved her hand. A wince almost pulled at her mouth. This situation was beyond her. Completely. “With me. I don’t understand.”

  “For your pleasure.” His smile grew wicked and her chest hollowed. The ache low in her belly pulsed. Hard. “If you agree to a contract with me, Larissa, my pleasure will come first.”

  She blinked. “Your—”

  “Not many virgins knock at my door.”

  His other hand followed the line of her ribs to her waist, before slipping over her backside. The unexpected heat of his touch, the way his fingers teased, played… She bit at her lip and wanted to deny the need she had to press herself against him. Heat flooded her cheeks. But it was better for this man to take virginity. He could offer her an escape, a future. With Avaro, he would simply take her again—and again.

  She swallowed in a tight throat. “What…what do I have to do?” She sucked in a quick breath. “For you. Do for you?”

  He pulled at the silk of her chiton, drawing up her linen underclothes with it. “I never touch my clients…”

  “Then why are you—” He squeezed her backside and she squealed, wriggling against his hold.

  He simply laughed and held her against him. His fingers slid over the cleft of her buttocks, pressing through the thin material to play between. Need rioted through her flesh and her heartbeat ramped. What his clever touch did had her pushing involuntarily back against the slow stroke of his fingertips.

  “Sometimes it’s what the spirits need.” His hand drew away from her breast to tease fingers over her lips. “Lick.” The single word dropped hot into her belly and her mouth parted with a little gasp. “Suck.”

  Her tongue tip tasted him, his fingertip warm and unexpectedly smooth. Hints of his skin and the sharp burn of unknown spices sank through her and she wanted more. She drew him into her mouth, sucking, curling her tongue around first one and then a second finger. He teased her, the slow rhythm of his fingers pushing into her mouth echoing the play of fingers over her ass. Heat flowed through her aching flesh. Damn him. What was he doing to her?

  He eased his fingers from her mouth to chase over her waist and stomach and disappointment burned. His other hand tugged at the silken cord securing her trews and all too easily pushed them down.

  Larissa buried her face against his warm shoulder, mortified and too aroused to meet his gaze. His arms trapped her to him, her palms against the smoothness of his chest, and he pressed his mouth to her ear, his breath ragged, hot.

  His rough palms covered her cheeks, squeezing hard. His hips pushed against hers and the length of his cock rubbed over her in a way that had her biting at her lip to contain her moans.

  “First, I’m going to have this.”

  Fingers slid again between the cleft of her ass, teasing over her puckered hole. His words had her belly tight and the ache between her thighs burned. “I’m going to take you in a way you’ve never dreamed.” A wet fingertip breached her hole and her hips bucked at the sudden fire chasing up her spine. The slow, rhythmic pull and push of his finger, in and out, deeper had Larissa’s eyes crushed shut. Little, muted gasps increased and she grabbed at him as a second finger joined the first.

  Her body resisted and he pressed harder. The pleasure-pain forced her mouth open against his skin. He tasted… She groaned at the rush of him on her tongue—hot skin, sweat, spices. Her hands opened and splayed against his chest. She ached to explore him, have her breasts against his bare flesh. Her need made no sense. None.

  “I’ll take you and you’ll scream my name.” His fingers pumped faster, harder. His other hand squeezing her cheek, parting her as his fingers edged lower. He teased, dipping into her wetness. “You want me.” The rough growl of his voice sank though her and she met each thrust of his fingers, the tightness in her belly demanding it, wanting more. “What do you want here,” his fingers pushed deep into her wet flesh and a brief flare of pain ripped a cry from her, “my tongue or my cock?”

  Larissa grabbed at his shoulders. She couldn’t think, didn’t know… “I—”

  “Make a choice.” His fingers took her, thrusting hard, his teeth nipping at her earlobe. “Make it now.”

  “Tongue!”

  He groaned, something soft, possessive, and the sound rioted through her. His hot breath, the taste of his skin, and his fingers…fucking…her—

  The tightness in her belly overwhelmed her. A surge of heat and joy swept through her flesh and she cried out, grabbing at his shoulders as he continued to thrust into her, ripples of fresh pleasure crashing into the receding waves. Her hands loosened their fierce grip and only his strong arms held up her boneless body. She let out a slow breath. “Is that what you wanted?”

  His low laughter tingled her skin. “It’s a beginning.” Sliding his fingers free, he let her clothes fall back, the fabric smooth against her bare skin. “Now I want you naked, bent over and gripping the bed.”

  Panic wiped away the warm haze of bliss. She backed away from him, tripping on her linen trews puddled at her feet and hitting the footboard of his wide bed. “I…”
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  His dark eyes narrowed. “This is the contract, Larissa.” Tilting his head, he let his gaze slide down her body and warmth ran under her cheeks. “You’re asking the Sardisian spirits for a new body for your soul. Buried fingers? Not enough.”

  Larissa closed her eyes. Only her body servant had seen her without her clothes and now this man, this stranger would see her, would…take…her. Her stomach tightened. It would happen and she had to know something more about him, something to appease her diminishing honor. “Your name.” Her voice sounded raw, unused. “What should I call you?”

  “You can call me Xander.”

  “Xander…”

  “Now take off your clothes.”

  Chapter Two

  With her fingers shaking, Larissa untied the silk belt under her breasts to loosen her chiton and the fabric flowed free. She tugged it, twisting, wriggling to pull it over her head. Xander took it from her, smoothing out the silk before he hung it on a hook on the back of the door.

  He folded his arms across his chest, his dark eyes gleaming. “And now your linen shift.”

  The lamp hanging from a hook in the curved ceiling flickered light over the muscles in his arms. Larissa tried not to remember their heat, their strength, and her need to touch him, to explore him with a curious mouth and fingers, fired anger under her skin. She shouldn’t want him. Should she?

  “You’re enjoying this.”

  “That is the point.” His smile was wicked and her breath hitched. Xander was beautiful, she couldn’t deny it. “Now,” he nodded to her pale shift, “that too.”

  Pulling in a tight breath, she tugged at her linen shift, knowing that she was naked underneath. Her eyes crushed tight shut and she yanked it free. Xander took the shift from her. Cool air brushed over her skin and she shivered, wrapping her arms around her breasts. But that didn’t feel enough somehow and her hands shifted down.