A sudden gush of fluid filled Sean’s mouth a moment later as Fiona let out a soft wail, pressing her slit to his mouth. Swallowing, the sweet taste only grew stronger and he wanted more of it. As she collapsed atop him, Sean didn’t stop, but licked at her folds with increased desire. Fiona didn’t resist as Sean slid her body where he wanted it, giving him a better position to get to her clit more easily. When his tongue stroked across that small but sensitive part of her, Fiona gripped his body with her arms while her legs clamped around his head.
“Oh, Sean, if you do that…” she trailed off as he increased his attentions.
A longer, louder moan came from Fiona as the second orgasm crashed over her, and again Sean was rewarded with a mouthful of her nectar. Slowly and carefully, he cleaned her as she’d cleaned him earlier. She was still limp atop him when he finished. Carefully, he rolled her over onto her back and shifted around to position himself between her thighs. Heavy lidded eyes met his, her legs going around his waist while her arms reached up around his head.
“Please,” Fiona whispered the word as she waited for him to enter her.
Bowing his head, he kissed her and shifted his hips forward, slowly entering her. The moan of pleasure was mutual as he sank inch by inch into her welcoming sex. Fiona thrust her hips up as she pulled him in with her legs, plunging the rest of his manhood into her in a sudden motion. Breath catching, Sean stared into her eyes as he went still, reveling in the moment.
Rolling her hips, she brought his focus back to what he had started. “Don’t stop,” Fiona whispered, enticing him to move again.
Bowing his head again, his lips met hers and their tongues tangled in a sensual dance as Sean began to slowly extract himself from her welcoming passage. Halfway out, he reversed direction and sank back into her, to both of their delights. The minutes seemed to become hours as they crashed together like the tide on the sands of a beach. The pleasure slowly built until both were again holding onto the edge, pushing back their orgasms and trying to prolong the moment of unity they both felt.
“Now,” Fiona asked him, her nails digging into his back, “now, Sean, let it be now.”
Her words were all he needed. With no warning, his speed went from the long slow strokes to a rapid, short, hard thrusting, like a woodpecker drilling a hole into a tree. His breath caught in his throat as Fiona gasped out a long exhale, her body surrendering to his assault. Fiona’s orgasm hit first, causing her tunnel to clamp down on his shaft. That was the last straw, causing Sean to lose his control, his shaft swelling before he thrust one more time as his seed spilled into her. Their tongues came together again, breaths mingling as the last shuddering remnants of the moment washed over them.
Arms shaking, Sean held himself above Fiona. “Fucking gods, you are amazing.”
Languid smile on her face, her legs slipped from his waist. “Thank you.”
The bed was small for the two of them, but they managed, Sean laying on his side to hold her as his fingers trailed over her body. “Thank you. I never would have thought when I found myself on this world that I would ever find someone who would accept me, much less as readily as you have.”
“I never thought I would reach out to anyone again,” Fiona sighed as she turned to face him, her hand tracing his chest. “Your voice drew me that first day, and I don’t know why. I’d never invited anyone into my home before that moment, and had resigned myself to being a recluse, even in the village. Your open, honest way drew me in and I wanted to know more about you, the person who didn’t pull away from my Shame, but called it beautiful. That night, when we Shaped together and our energies mingled, then later when you opened another Talent to me... I knew then that I had to try, or I’d regret every day if I didn’t at least take a step on a path I feared to walk again.”
“Maybe I can stay in the village, for a while at least,” Sean said as his eyes grew heavy.
“I will welcome you into my home, if you do,” Fiona whispered as her fingers trailed up to his face.
“I would be the luckiest man in the village,” Sean managed before his eyes closed and sleep overtook him.
“I would be the luckiest woman in the world,” Fiona whispered, watching him drop off. She stayed there like she was for minutes before gathering up the covers to make them both comfortable. Her arms around him, she fell asleep with a smile and a sense of happiness she hadn’t had in years.
Chapter Twenty-seven
A body shifting against his woke him. Blinking open his crusty eyes, he found Fiona spooned against him, her back to his chest. He smiled as he recalled their intimate night, until Fiona’s body shuddered and a whimper came from her. “Fiona,” Sean called to her gently, his hand lightly rubbing her flat stomach, “are you okay?”
“Die!” Fiona jerked upright, her eyes unfocused and wild as she spun on him. Her left hand clamped down on his throat while her right touched the wall, Shaping a wooden dagger from it in mere seconds.
Shocked by the sudden attack, Sean was barely able to grab her arm as she brought the dagger toward his chest. The wooden blade had a wicked point that he’d stopped a hair’s breadth away from piercing him. “Fiona, stop it,” Sean managed to get out as her hand tightened on his neck. “It’s a nightmare, wake up.”
Baring her teeth, she levered herself above him and pressed down with both arms. “Raping bastard, I don’t care what it costs, you’ll die for this!”
Sean knew he had flaws, but rape wasn’t one of them—especially not when she’d invited him into bed last night. Using his left hand to hold the dagger at bay, he grasped her left hand with his right and dug his thumb into her wrist under the pad of her thumb. “I’m not your enemy,” he spluttered as he felt her left hand begin to weaken in his grasp.
The pain of his thumb digging into her wrist helped clear some of the madness from her eyes. Realization came a moment later, and with a gasp of horror, the dagger fell from her hand as she let go of his throat. Tears began to pour from her eyes as she tried to stammer out a coherent sentence. The dagger dug a small furrow into his chest, but he ignored it as he released her arms to put his around her.
“Shh, it’s okay. I know you didn’t do it intentionally,” Sean tried to calm her.
Crying with loud, hiccupping breaths, Fiona kept trying to apologize to him. Sean repeated his words in a calm tone as he rubbed her back and held her to him. Fiona eventually calmed enough to manage to speak. “I’m so sorry, Sean. I was having a night terror from my past. I wouldn’t hurt you intentionally, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, no harm done,” Sean said calmly. He knew that she needed the reassurance, so he ignored the small part of him that was upset she hadn’t told him of this possibility. “The past is done, it’s okay now. Are you going to be okay?”
Laying her head against his shoulder she sniffled, “I don’t know. I haven’t had that terror in years. I thought that maybe I had moved past it, but I obviously haven’t. I’m sorry I tried to kill you just like I did him.”
Stroking her hair as the pre-dawn light began to fill the small window, Sean held her. “Do you want to talk about it? I understand if you don’t. It sounds like somebody was forcing himself on you.”
“Maybe later, when we’re traveling. I don’t want to think about it right now, if that’s okay?”
“Sure,” Sean told her, easing her away from him a bit so he could see her bloodshot eyes. “I don’t think any person should be blamed for killing a rapist. It won’t change my opinion of you for the worse. If anything, it makes me think better of you for defending yourself like that. Just, maybe next time, try not to kill me?” He tried for a bit of levity with the last few words, but her lips only faltered, as if she wanted to smile but couldn’t.
“Maybe you shouldn’t stay with me—” Fiona began, turning her head away from him.
“It will take more than a dagger to the chest to drive me off,” Sean said, cutting her off. “As long as you’ll have me, that is.”
P
uzzled eyes met his, “I almost killed you.”
“No, no you didn’t,” Sean said, his lips turning up at the corners. “You only got that far because I wasn’t prepared for an attack. Next time, you won’t even come close.”
Her lips wavered, “You’re crazy…”
“Maybe I am, but maybe I need to be. My father once told me to never turn away from a friend in pain. I can see the pain in you, Fiona, and I care a great deal. I would risk being stabbed a hundred times over, if it means I can help you overcome that past hurt.”
“I…” Shaking her head, Fiona seemed at a loss. “I don’t understand you. You confound me so much. Your kindness, your willingness to overlook Shame or race to know the person, instead of the circumstance; your strength, both mentally and physically, your ability to forgive me trying to kill you in my terror.”
Gently cupping her jaw, he brought her eyes to his again. “I’ve known infatuation, I’ve known lust, and I’ve known raw naked desire. When you taught me Shaping and I opened your eyes to being more than you were, that sparked something deeper inside me. I tried to resist it, but I couldn’t. I want to know you, as much as you’ll share with me. The depth of the feeling I have for you already is insane, and the more I’m with you, the stronger it becomes. I was afraid of what it might mean and I fought against it, but last night, I couldn’t fight it anymore. Fiona Mithrilsoul, I believe I love you.”
Her lips trembled as he spoke, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she listened to his confession. The last three words broke the dam and tears of happiness began to flow from her eyes. Her lips met his softly, yet resolutely, as she accepted his declaration. Arms going around his neck, she pressed her naked body to his, letting the warmth his words had sparked flow through her.
When the kiss finally ended, Fiona managed to say what she’d been trying to express. “I feel the same. That moment when our energy connected was profound. When you opened my eyes to see my Shame as something positive, I tried to reject it. I always thought I deserved to be less than I was before. Your unflinching acceptance of me and my Shame made me want to hold you, but I resisted. When you spoke out on my behalf to Gern, I was angry. I thought you were trying to deny a part of me and who I am because of my Shame. I see it differently now. You see me as someone so much better than I am, and I have a hard time accepting it. But I will, if you’ll keep trying to help me. Last night, I pushed away the last of my reservations and asked for you to give me life again, and you did. The last two decades have been hard. Shamed, alone, friendless, and unwanted, I’ve struggled just going on. Now I know that all my pain, all my troubles, have all led me to this point, this nexus of choice that stands before us. I know that you are far too good for the village. You can do so much more, and I want to see you do it. We can speak with Darragh when we return and ask if he’ll free me from my Agreement so that I might go with you.”
Gently pulling her in, he kissed her. Part of him was shocked at the breadth of the emotion they were sharing, and part of him reveled in it. It had taken death, gods, and a whole different world to find love, but now he had, and he would fight to hold onto it. Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. “Yes. I would love for you to always be with me. I would ask for one thing.” He paused, seeing her eyes grow wide with hope, “That you see yourself as I see you. No more letting others put you down, no more accepting their disdain. You are a wonder, a jewel that should be treasured, and I will not stand by and let them treat you as less than I see you. I would topple the Courts, if need be, so you will be recognized as the amazing person that I know you to be.”
“Fool,” Fiona sniffled as she kissed him again. She pushed against him so he lay back on the bed with her atop him.
The kiss, and ensuing passionate lovemaking, took hours to finally bring to a conclusion. Panting, they lay there spent, but happy, as the sun climbed higher into the sky. Fiona was tracing small circles on Sean’s chest when she looked at the window and sat up abruptly. “Oh, it’s late. We need to get going if we want to make it back to the village before dinner.” Sean watched her scramble out of bed, enjoying the view as the sunlight came through the window and played across her skin. She was mostly dressed before she realized he was still laying there. “We need to go, or my Agreement with Darragh to have you back will be broken.”
Getting out of bed, Sean began dressing quickly. “Can’t have that. He might not listen to our request to let you go with me later.”
“I’ll get food for the road. Meet me downstairs as soon as you can,” Fiona said, getting her boots on and slipping out the door.
Once he was dressed, Sean followed her downstairs and found her at the bar, assembling two sandwiches. “I have your change,” Gosrek told Sean as he came to a stop beside Fiona. Placing a handful of copper on the counter, Gosrek gave Sean a tight smile. “Thank you for taking the fight outside last night. I explained what happened to the watch when they came to investigate.”
Bowing his head, Sean replied, “Thank you, Gosrek. I doubt I could have explained it well. Did anyone say why they seemed so insistent on the confrontation?”
“Not to me,” Gosrek said. “Next time, take it outside at the start though, please. You almost landed one of them on one of my tables.”
“I’ll try to end it faster next time. I kept thinking they would stop,” the wry smile on Sean’s face got a snort from Gosrek.
“The three you beat so soundly are known for bar brawls in town. Rumor says they can be paid to rough people up,” Gosrek said the words casually, but he stared intently at Sean as he said them.
“Guess I upset someone in town, then,” Sean laughed. “Good thing I’m leaving, isn’t it?”
“Better for me,” Gosrek agreed. “Next time, try not to bring trouble back to my place. If you can do that, then you’ll be welcomed back.”
“Deal,” Sean agreed. Taking the sandwich Fiona offered him, he kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
Gosrek raised a brow, but held his tongue at the display of affection. Fiona gave Gosrek a tight smile. “We’re done with the room, Gosrek. Our thanks for the clean room and the warm bath.”
“My pleasure and your coin,” Gosrek replied. “Fair speed and clear travel.”
“May your purse fill with the coin you deserve,” Fiona replied, the words having an almost ritual quality to them.
Nudging Sean with her hip, she headed for the door. Sean gave Gosrek another smile as he followed Fiona, taking a bite of the sandwich as he went. The meat was tough, cold, and held a hint of age to it, but the cheese was sharp and tasty, which helped make it a bit easier to eat. A brief wish for spicy brown mustard crossed his mind as a he contemplated what it could do for the meal.
Finishing their sandwiches as they got to the gates, they nodded to the guards on duty and headed back towards the village. “Can you believe Darragh sent Silvershame to town?” one of the guards muttered to the other as the pair passed them.
Fiona’s shoulders twitched, but she kept walking. Sean looked back, locking eyes with the guards for a moment, keeping his mouth shut but making a mental note to remember them when he came back this way later. A few minutes down the road, Fiona sighed, “It’s going to take me time to feel like I should speak up,” she said softly.
“That’s fine, as long as you try,” Sean said as he took her hand.
They walked in silence for a bit, the sounds of the birds the only noise to be heard. Fiona finally broke the silence, “You asked about my night terror.” Swallowing, she glanced at him, “Do you still wish to hear about it?”
“I want to know as much about you as you’ll share with me,” Sean told her honestly. “If you want to wait, though, I won’t press you.”
Closing her eyes, her smile was fragile. “I’ll tell you. It might take me a bit to get through it all.”
Squeezing her hand, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Take all the time you need.”
Silence fell again, as Fiona nerved herself
to share her Shame with him. Sean didn’t press, just held her hand and waited for her as they walked. The silence, broken only by bird calls, stretched on for minutes. Wondering if he had asked for too much, he opened his mouth to tell her not to worry about it.
“I was a very talented Shaper in my youth, considered a prodigy. I won a scholarship to the Academy from one of the Summer Court nobles, but was never told who. I was full of myself, knowing that I was going to be sought after by the elite for my Talent. My beauty was also well-known at the time, and I was courted by many lesser noble houses and rich merchant families who sought to tie me to them. I was very selective in who I gave my attentions to—I was a bitch, frankly,” Fiona paused as Sean chuckled.
“Sorry,” Sean said, “that is just so far from the Fiona I’ve come to know.”
“I was humbled years before you met me,” Fiona said, squeezing his hand. “When I graduated, after five years of schooling, I was the best wood Shaper in Southpoint. I made sure my mother was taken care of, as it was her blood that made it possible. A year after graduating, I had done piecework for many Lords, when one of them finally approached me with terms for a Bond. Lord Caligula, one of the Winter Queen’s advisors—powerful, rich, and known for throwing exclusive parties that were spoken of in hushed whispers. It was while I considered his offer that I started to hear rumors of his other proclivities. The coin, and social boost it would have given me with the other higher nobles, was too much to pass up, which I’m sure he knew and counted on.”
She paused in her story, and Sean slipped an arm around her waist. “Take your time. Don’t feel like you have to tell me the whole thing right now.”
“You deserve to know, after this morning,” Fiona told him before taking a shuddering breath. “The Winter Queen knows the truth. She’s the only one I’ve told the whole story to.” Taking a few more deep breaths, she continued, “I Bonded with him for a year, thinking that a single year would be enough for my ego and ambitions. The conditions on my end were being able to quit, if I warned him a week beforehand, and never having to attend one of his parties. I should have known it wasn’t a good idea when he so easily accepted my conditions. I was young, foolish, full of myself, and thinking that my conditions would shield me.”
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