Gale Season

by Marie Harte

  “Yes, as it should be.” He sucked her nipples hard. “Like warm cherries,” he murmured and drew them deep.

  Alandra undulated over him, fucking him with needs and love and hunger. Desire flooded him, and he studied her with his inner eye, blissfully content as he once again saw their auras entwined.

  Brilliant Light and fathomless Darkness surged and kissed as Aerolus gripped Alandra’s hips, controlling her movements with a rough hands.

  “Oh, love, do it to me, make me come,” she said, parting her thighs wider.

  Wanting her more than breath, he grazed her clit and pushed up, mashing her pelvis against his as she rocked over him, slamming down with force while his winds encouraged her ride.

  Loving the eroticism of watching them make love, he talked to her, telling her what he saw as he made love to her, stimulating her to new heights as she neared climax.

  Wanting to see her explode, he rubbed his thumb over the ripe berry of her clit, harder, teasing. She gasped and moaned his name as she increased her pace, and in moments she clenched around him, praying his name over and over.

  Her walls were slick, her pussy unbelievably enticing. He cried out, unable to help the spasms that shook him as he spilled into womanly perfection. As he came, he stared into her glowing eyes and gave her all he had to give. His magic, his seed, his very life was hers as it had ever been.

  In a hoarse voice, he confessed, “You bring me hope, life, where before there was only loneliness and duty.”

  She smiled and blinked back tears. “Go on,” she said, leaning over him.

  Still joined, he hugged her to him and kissed her. “Despite your petite frame, you have the most luscious, milk-white breasts and crimson nipples. Such a smooth, taut stomach for one so small and feminine.”

  She raised a brow and he laughed, knowing she wanted more.

  “Your body and face are perfect, and I never want you to change even one small fraction of any of it.”

  She beamed.

  “I love you, Alandra. I’ll never forget what you’ve given me, or what you’ve given up for me.”

  “Now that was really good.” She kissed him with tenderness, then more passionately as he began to harden again. “So soon?”

  “Not soon enough,” he murmured and moaned as she levered off him.

  “How about if we do it this way?” she asked, going down on all fours as she glanced over her shoulder. “It’s much more masterful like this, my prince.”

  He grinned. “Trying to control me, hmm? We’ll just see about that.”

  * * * *

  Hours later, totally spent, Alandra smiled and stared down at her lover, her mate, and stroked his cheek. His eyes were closed, and though he’d told her he wanted only a moment to recover before they joined his family, he’d fallen asleep.

  Rising from his side, she stretched and patted the shadowed grass that even now, despite the bright moonlight, refused to accept the moon’s beams.

  “Just lovely.” She sighed. “I’m definitely going to love it here.”

  Hearing a trickle of water nearby, she cast a small protective spell around Aerolus, using his power now as easily as she used her own, and walked into the cool stream. She washed away the sweat of long passion and the remaining feel of having nearly died.

  “I just wanted to thank you for what you did,” she said quietly, knowing the source of her and Aerolus’ well-being lingered near, for protection more than intrusion. “And I appreciate the privacy you allowed us.”

  No one responded, not that she’d expected anything. But with Aerolus’ elemental magic in addition to Tanselm’s incredible core of energy increasing her latent magic, Alandra could feel the added presence and knew instinctively it was not Aerolus, but the person who’d healed her.

  “I just want you to know that I owe you my life, and his as well. I won’t forget that, nor will I speak of it, since by your very silence you expect silence in return.”

  Alandra started at a small patch of Darkness against the shadow of the forest that suddenly shifted.

  True love should never be denied, echoed in her mind.

  The Darkness seemed to deepen, if that were possible, before vanishing as if it had never been. Had the Shadow of Tanselm just given her its blessing? Alandra let out the breath she’d been holding, not nervous, but very, very thankful for the chance at happiness she’d been given.

  Returning to Aerolus’ side, she hated to disturb him but nudged him awake. “We need to let your family know you’re alright before we get any unexpected visitors.” She glanced wryly at their nudity.

  He grinned and spelled them both with clothing.

  Seeing the ugly jeans and clingy T-shirt he’d once before given her, she grimaced, then laughed at his challenging expression.

  She readied her magic to meet his dare, when the sound of racing footsteps approached.

  Aerolus immediately stood and placed her protectively behind him. She thrilled at the act, reaching around to embrace him. “I’m so glad you love me,” she whispered.

  “It wouldn’t kill you to return the sentiment every now and then,” he growled from the side of his mouth, then relaxed when he noted his brothers and uncle nearing.

  “Thank the Light you two are alive and well.” Darius breathed a sigh of relief and reined in his horse. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you for hours.”

  “That’s odd.” Aerolus frowned and drew Alandra next to him. “You should have been able to feel us right here.”

  “Yes, we should have,” Marcus said as he stared at them both. His grin widened as he continued to stare, and Alandra knew he noticed the rosy glow of satisfaction on her face. “I knew when I felt that certain spark you were okay. But damn, Brother, you had us severely worried for a while.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes, you did,” Arim said, appearing next to Marcus on foot. “According to Darius and Marcus, you were at death’s very door. What happened?”

  He explained what he knew, but Alandra understood there was more to their recovery than arriving in Tanselm. She wanted to share her theories but needed privacy and an audience with her new husband, alone. He would accept the Shadow in their lives, but she wasn’t so sure his family felt the same, not yet. With enough time and effort, though, she knew she could bring them around.

  She clutched Aerolus’ hand tight, thanking fate for him in her life. Light or Dark, he was hers to have, hers to keep.

  “Alandra?” Aerolus asked, concerned with her tight grip.

  “I’ve got some bad news,” she murmured, remembering what Lidra had said a world away.

  The party stilled and waited.

  “Did you know I’ve got distant Light Bringer in me?”

  “I know you just had some in you,” he said under his breath, making her blush at Darius’ loud guffaw.

  “Well, then,” Marcus said, his approval making her back stiff. “Welcome to the family, little sister.”

  “Oh, so you wouldn’t have welcomed me without that—” she began, before Aerolus cut her off with a kiss.

  “Thank the Light he’s learned something about women from us,” Darius remarked. “Now before you two get hot and heavy again, we have to bring you to see Mother. She’s been worried to tears, and she won’t rest until she sees your pretty face again, Aerolus.”

  “He wanted to say ‘ugly face,’ but even he’s not that stupid, at least not all the time.” Marcus grinned at Aerolus and Alandra, ignoring the finger Darius gave him. “I tell you, the habits he’s picked up from Samantha are crude, not to mention insulting.” He turned to Darius. “You two are perfect for each other,” he ended, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

  “Funny, but I saw Tessa giving you that same finger just yesterday, Marc.”

  Aerolus chuckled, hugging Alandra to him, and she felt warmly content for perhaps the first time in her life. Her new brothers were going to be a handful, a challenge she thrilled to accept. And her new sisters, hmm. She already lik
ed the sound of them.

  “Come, Alandra,” Arim said, offering his hand. She looked to Aerolus, who smiled and nodded. “You need never fear my harm again,” Arim said softly. “Your spirit guides our Wind Mage, your heart is his heart. And in your love shines a beauty that will forever be pure.”

  “Oh, he’s good,” she said sincerely. “Aerolus, you might want to take notes.”

  The others laughed and ribbed their uncle, and as they left to meet Queen Ravyn, Alandra turned to see a shimmer of magic on the air, and a pair of ghostly blue eyes winking out of sight.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Aerolus shook Cadmus’ arm and winked, surprising Cadmus at the open sincerity in his silver gaze.

  “I look forward to your return as well, brother. Alandra sends her best.”

  Cadmus nodded, still stunned that his reluctant sorcerer of a brother had not only found but fully accepted his affai. He watched as Aerolus shook Jonas’ hand and thanked him before teleporting back home, back to his love and his future, one Cadmus knew for a fact included at least one daughter.

  By the Light, when would life make sense anymore? Darius and Marcus had fallen hard, but he expected as much from those thick-skulled control freaks. Aerolus he’d thought would stay the course. And now understanding his brother could have returned home at any time since they’d left Tanselm, he was doubly shocked that Aerolus accepted an affai when he hadn’t really needed one.

  “Are you done daydreaming or what?” Jonas asked in a bored voice.

  Cadmus glared at the Djinn, wishing he’d left his ass in the dust long ago. Jonas was harder to shake than a tick, and his ability to read Cadmus like a book grated.

  “What do you want now, Jonas?”

  “It’s time to go. You can’t afford to stay here any longer, and you know it. Too many Dark Lords and Netharat out there know where you live.”

  Cadmus knew he was right. But damn, this had been his home for a year, a place apart from Tanselm where he and his brothers had argued, laughed and shared as only quadruplets could. He felt sorry for himself, being the last one left behind, and knew the feeling to be an unworthy one. At least he had the warmth of joy inside him, feeling his brothers’ happiness at being home with their affai.

  He’d never realised how much pleasure could be found in true love, having never experienced the sensation himself. Loving one’s parents and siblings was quite different from loving a woman, and his brothers treasured every second with their mates. He could feel it in his bones.

  “Last but not least, eh, Earth Lord?” Jonas asked with a smirk.

  Cadmus sighed. “Shut up, Djinn. Now are we going back to Ellie’s or not?” He tried to act disinterested, keeping his tone casual. But his body tensed at thoughts of the tempting female.

  Lust he understood. Cadmus was an Earth Lord, after all, and his passions had always run deep. But this obsession he felt for Ellie, for a damned Djinn, eroded what little sense of self he had left.

  Jonas frowned. “You can forget about Ellie, Cadmus. Her part in this is finished, and truth be told, the only reason she came on to you the way she did is because she was trying to help her father. Now take my hand, and we’ll teleport to Foreia. It’s been a while since I’ve been home, and there’s something there you need to see if you’re ever to defeat the Dark Lords.”

  Cadmus nodded, glad to finally have something to do other than remain locked up with a babysitter. But thoughts of Ellie refused to leave his mind even as they entered the cold between.

  She’d come on to him to help her father? Not likely. She’d been too hot for him, too eager for his touch to have accepted him merely to aid her father. No Djinn female writhed and begged and spread herself for a man at her father’s request, and especially not for a Light Bringer. Having learned more of the Djinn than he’d ever wanted to these past few weeks, he knew there was no way in hell Ellie’s father wanted or even knew exactly what his precious daughter had done with a Storm Lord.

  A silent shimmer later and he landed in Foreia, a place covered by an alien shadow, lavender clouds, an ocean of dark blue grass and giant, red-leafed trees. The foreign landscape intrigued him, as did the sense the land tried to touch him, licking at his energy with a need to know more.

  “Don’t worry, the pain will pass,” Jonas offered.

  “It doesn’t hurt.” Cadmus knelt and reached beyond the grass into golden soil, pleased when it responded to his touch by offering up more.

  Jonas stared open-mouthed as Cadmus laughed, joy at once again finding himself refreshed and an Earth Lord too much to hold within. Unbidden came the image of Ellie, of her blue eyes twinkling with delight behind the bar, of her golden hair shimmering like spun silk under him as he took her hard and deep, her magic as strong as any the earth could give.

  He gripped the dirt between his fingers and rubbed it into his palms, renewed and redirected. He had much to learn here, much to understand about a land he once thought to be evil incarnate, about a people he had come to understand had the same foibles and riches as the Light Bringers, but lived life in Darkness rather than Light.

  A sudden memory hit him, of Ellie parking her car in her driveway in the early light of dawn one day, of sunlight washing over her hair and figure, illuminating her with white flame as if she were in truth instead of just caught by a piercing ray.

  She’d smiled when she’d seen him watching her and had eagerly joined him in bed again, loving him with her mouth and her magic, the very soul she tried to hide behind common work in a magicless world.

  So Ellie thought her part in Tanselm’s war was finished, did she? He stood and dusted his hands off on his jeans, his brown eyes glowing with determination.

  Ellie might not know it, but she was far from finished with Tanselm’s Earth Lord. He would do everything in his considerably charmed nature to find the key to the puzzle she presented, until memories of her touch, of her scent and laughter, plagued him no more.

  Satisfied now that he’d come to a decision about Ellie, he took Jonas aback with a chuckle. “Come, Jonas, introduce me to the Dark side of life. It’s time I saw whatever it is you think will help us defeat the Dark Lords.”

  Jonas shook his head, clearly not ready to trust the new and accommodating Cadmus. No matter. It was only a matter of time before—

  “Holy shit!” He stared at the figure waiting for him surrounded by a dozen Djinn warriors and knew he’d been betrayed. “I saw you die.” He turned to Jonas for validation, but Jonas said nothing, merely stood waiting with his arms crossed.

  “Fine, be a dick.” Frustrated at Jonas, at Ellie and the sorry hope he’d had for something he could never quite grasp, he clenched his hands tight. His death would crush his family. He only prayed it wouldn’t kill Tanselm’s bright future. “Kill me if you want. But I’m taking as many of you to the Next with me as I possibly can.” Golden soil began groaning beneath them, shocks of energy fisting around his hands as he demanded Foreia’s aid.

  The figure in the midst of the still warriors stepped closer, giving Cadmus his only answer—a smile slow in coming.

  About the Author

  Marie Harte is an avid reader who loves all things paranormal and futuristic. Reading romances since she was twelve, she fell in love with the warmth of first passion and knew writing was her calling. Twenty-four years later, the Marine Corps, a foray through Information Technology, a husband and four kids, and her dream has finally come true. Marie lives in Georgia with her family and loves hearing from readers.

  Email: marie_harte@yahoo.com

  Marie loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.

  Also by Marie Harte

  The Perfect Creation

  Creation’s Control

  Creating Chemistry

  Caging the Beast

  Storm Lords: The Fire Within

  Storm Lords: Below the Surface

  Storm Lords: Guardian’s Redem
ption

  Life in the Vrail: Lurin’s Surrender

  Life in the Vrail: The Thief of Mardu

  Life in the Vrail: Engaging Gren

  Life in the Vrail: Seriana Found

  Over the Moon: Enemy Red

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