by Kiersten Fay
With his rough hands he caressed her skin, raking his way over her soft flesh until he met her core. Her head lul ed and she gave a soft sigh of approval, the faintest of smiles on her lips. An involuntary shiver rol ed through her body and her hips bucked into his hand.
“You want more?” He asked, his voice was like gravel.
“So much more,” She sighed. Blue eyes peeked out at him through heavy lids. There was a seriousness in her words.
He dipped his head to take a hard nibble between his lips while delving his thick finger into her. Eyes flashing to silver with her desire, she gripped the edge of the tub for support while her body surrendered. When he felt her slick and ready he replaced his finger with his thick shaft.
Her hand found the back of his neck she pul ed him in for a smoldering kiss as he eased himself deeper. Her unusual aggression was surprising,but more than welcome. He liked to be in charge during sex but he’d let her take control if she wanted.
Sebastian thrusts became harder, faster, causing her to break the kiss and scream her pleasure. He loved that he could do that to her, the little sounds she made provided fuel for his fire and he increased his pace. Gripping her backside he held her firmly against him for deeper contact. Her body writhed, begging for release, as his did too.
Just as their orgasms were about to peak she whispered into his ear, nails digging blissful y into his back. “I want your fangs in me.” His seed exploded forth in blinding pleasure, her back arched, body strained from her own orgasm.
Their eyes locked as they caught their breaths. “Are you sure?” He panted.
She nodded, moving her golden locks aside, presenting her neck to him. It was almost too much to believe, yet here it was. She was giving in to him, accepting his claim.
“What changed your mind?” Why was he asking this? Why hadn’t he already sunk his teethinto that soft flesh? Even nowhis fangsthrobbedwith anticipation.
She dropped her hair and gazed up at him, as if she were wondering the same thing. Her cheeks flushed to a beautiful pink hue, “You were right about Ethan.”
Grinding sounds fil ed his ears. He realized it was his teeth. “Uh-huh.”
“Turns out he made a deal with my father for the right to marry one of his daughters.”
“And which daughter would that be?”
Crunch.
Sebastian had been gripping the tub too hard. An indenture in the shape of his hand now decorated the edge.
Anya’s eyes widened. “It’s not me!” She bit out. “I told him I was in love with you.”Her mouth clamped shut,the pink in her cheeks turned to a deep red.
She loves me. Me!His mind roared. This beautiful, perfect-in-every-way, eternal creature was final y about to be his forever. The smile that crept onto his lips felt unreal, like he’d stolen something that should never have belonged to him, but has come to be his most treasured possession.
“Gods, I love you so much,” He grated.
Anya’s shoulders slumped in relief and her expression was elated, she began pul ing aside her hair again.
“Not here.” He said. She paused smile fading. “I want to make this good for you.” A yelp escaped her when his eagerness took over and he lifted her to carry her to the bed. Their bed.
Silver eyes sparkled up at him as he laid her down, and sat back to study her for a moment. Droplets of water stil clung to her skin, tendrils of hair were pasted to her shoulders and the sides of her breasts, stomach flat and thighs that made his mouth water. Never had a more beautiful creature ever lived and she was his.
Unable to delay another moment he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. She opened easily for him, inviting him in. Hot tongues met, dancing. A chuckle escaped him when she wrapped her legs around him to pul him closer. His little Anya was getting aggressive indeed.
Unclasping himself from her hold he kissed his way down the line of her body until he found her tender core. She cried out his name when he began his wicked kiss. He teased her with his tongue until her body trembled under the onslaught of her orgasm. He could stay here forever making her wiggle and writher, but it was time to claim his mate.
Her eyes widened when he began crawling up her body. He worried she might be about to change her mind.
Body stil rol ing with pleasure Anya watched Sebastian make his way up the length of her. His expression was fierce. An already pounding heart began to race. Was he about to bite her? Would it hurt? He’d said it would be pleasurable what if that was only true for other demons.
He took her mouth in a scorching kiss, breaking away her thoughts. He pushed his shaft against her, rubbing their slickness together.
In a voice so rough it sounded more like beast than man. “Do you want me?”
Heart drumming her answer came quick, “Yes.”
“Forever?”
“Yes.”
He shoved into her with the strength of a lust-maddened demon. The sweetest pleasure assaulted her senses. Practical y lifting her off the bed he thrust into her again and again, building her next orgasm to a peak, fil ing her ful of more pleasure than she thought her body could contain.
“You’re mine!” He roared. She felt his sharp fangs sink into her neck.
Ecstasy was a word she’d never truly known before. Not until this moment. The energy between them shattered, exploded outward, her body quaked at the unbelievable feel of him inside her. She found she was screaming, but only from the mind-blowing pleasure. It was almost too much to bear.
Then he began to suck, drawing her blood into him. Her vision faltered specks of light flashing in her eyes. With his breath on her neck his lower half continued to move between her legs. She’d never felt so connected to him. She wanted it to last forever. And with him it just might. Somehow she’d captured this magnificent male, Anya thought with a wicked internal grin.
When he drew her blood again her mind went blank. Al she could concentrate on was the incredible sensations he was giving her. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. The orgasm ripped a sound from her lungs she’d never before heard herself make. Vaguely she heard a myriad of popping sounds as the room delved into darkness. Bastian released her neck, joining her, their cries of passion mixing in the air around them.
Final y, his body slumped beside her. But he didn’t let her go. He pul ed her against him, laying kisses on the top of her head and streaking his hand down her spine. She sighed deeply with satisfaction, burrowing deeper into his chest.
They lay there like that, basking in each other for a long while. Not speaking, just touching, kissing, loving each other.
Then Sebastian chuckled, which soon grew into a hearty laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“You broke my bulbs.”
Confused, she was about to ask him to elaborate, then she realized the room had been light when they’d started and now there was none. In her ecstasy she’d unwittingly destroyed al the light bulbs in the room. Embarrassed she buried her face in his chest but couldn’t help but snicker when he continued to laugh with joy over the destruction they’d caused. Soon they were both holding their sides, unable to quel their laughter.
Once their moods died down Sebastian examined the smal wound at her neck. “Does it hurt?”
“Not at al .”
He dipped his head to give it a flutter of kisses. “You have no idea how gratifying this is for me.” He said, melting her heart with a look that saidyou are the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me.
“It was pretty gratifying for me too.” She said with a sultry smile in place.
“It was pretty gratifying for me too.” She said with a sultry smile in place.
A sinful y wicked grin, ful of masculine pride crossed his lips. “Yeah, I kind of got that. Guess I’d better invest in candles.”
She play smacked his chest and he brought his hand down on her backside. She reveled in their intimacy, eating every bit of it up, but for a fleeting moment worry clouded her thoughts. He noticed.
Eyes lowered, “I just hope you don’t come to regret this one day.”
Lifting her chin he gazed at her with so much love in his eyes it almost hurt. “That could never happen.”
I hope you’re right.
Stil riding a high from the night before Anya did a horrid job during training. She was too happy to fight. Frustrated, and in a more-than-usual crabby mood, Cale sent her away early muttering under his breath. She thought she’d heard the wordmate, but decided she was just being paranoid. With some extra free time to waste she decided to see how far along Ethan was with the book. First she stopped by the gal ey to pick up some pastries in caseEthan washungry.
With an unusual expression Marik handed herthe food, thensmiled andwinked at her.
Hmmm.
Ethan greeted her on her approach. He looked excited for the first time since she’d known him. At first she thought it was for the food but then he explained that he’d made a breakthrough with the code.
“That’s wonderful!” Then she noticed the bags under his eyes.” You didn’t work through the night did you?”
He only shrugged eyeing the bag. “Something smel s good,” He edged.
Handing over the bag Anya glanced at the once tidy room. Papers were strewn everywhere, bits of code written on each one, some notes crossed out some circled. She couldn’t begin to make heads or tails of it. One of the two computers was endlessly gliding through hunks of code, the other seemed to be switching through pictures of different planets. It was obvious he’d accomplished quite a bit.
“You should take a break. You’l burn yourself out if you continue like this.”
Without warning a familiar squeal shot at them from behind. Turning toward the noise she only caught a glimpse of Sonya as the demon smashed into her.
Surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her.
“Oh my gods, oh my gods! He final y did it!”
Anya sucked in a breath.She couldn’t know.
But her unending screeches and delighted bouncing said otherwise.
“You couldn’t … You don’t … How …” Anya sputtered.
Somehow understanding Anya’s convoluted babbling Sonya offered, “It’s a demon thing. We can just tel .”
Anya felt her cheeks flame.
“We have to celebrate!”
“No! That’s okay.”
In a grave voice Ethan interjected. “I don’t want to know what this is about. Do I?”
Al Anya could think to say was, “Uh.”
“Didn’t think so.” At length he stood. “Maybe I wil get some sleep after al .”
From behind them one of the computers beeped, demanding their attention. Ethan’s mood changed instantly, from hurt masculine pride to hunter.
Planting himself in front of the computer that had been cycling through images of galaxies he rapped on the keyboard. Curious both she and Sonya crowded around.
Ethan spoke quickly, “This could be it. The code seems to be pointing me toward a solar system in this particular galaxy.” He started speaking more quietly, calculating, as if he would be speaking whether or not they were there to listen. “Five moons, two moons, eight moons, three moons …” He said as he cycled through images of the foreign planets. When he stopped at the last image Anya was almost knocked over by an unfamiliar wave of energy.
Sonya was by her side in an instant. “Are you okay?You’re notpregnantare you?”
What!” That gave her pause.She supposed it was possible.“I don’t think so.” For some reason she looked to Ethan.
Ethan studied her. “Did you take his blood into you?”
“No, of course not!”
“Then it’s impossible.” He faced the computer once more, hiding his emotions. But Anya didn’t need to see his face to know he was deeply hurt that she didn’t choose him. Even though Ethan knew perfectly wel that he wasn’t attracted to her either.
“So Faieara have a mating ritual similar to ours?” Sonya asked.
“It’s not a mating ritual, it’s a fertility rite. We don’t believe in fated mates like you. We choose who we want.” He averted his eyes back to his screen, “But without the fertility rite, which could be likened to yourideaof mating, there wil be no offspring.”
“Idea?” Sonya growled.
Anya interrupted before they broke out into a ful -fledged fight. “This is not important right now. I think seeing that planet is what affected me.”
“Hmmm. What a coincidence,this planetis at the top of my list.”
Chapter 25
Undewla—the planet they were currently heading toward, in the cramped shuttle ship—was various shades of whiteandblue, a result of being covered entirely in ice. Ethanule had done some research before they’d left, and the demons had heard rumors of it.
Possibly a clan,or hierarchy based society, the inhabitants are cold, literal y, their blood was chil ed, which helps to make the harsh conditions livablefor them. They keep to themselves and typical y don’t trust outsiders. They are said to have domination over the ice, whatever that means. Their appearance mimics the snow and ice that encompasses their planet—white hair, pale skin. Itwil be difficult to find them if theywish not to be.
Anya staredthroughthe smal windowof the shuttleas the blue surface of the planet eclipsed her view. She’d insisted on being part of the scout team, which included Sebastian, Cale, Marik, and Ethan.
Once she’d demanded that she be al owed to join them Ethan had practical y forced himself into the group as wel , earning himselfa kil ing look from Sebastian, butAnya knew he hadn’t come to try to win her affection. She’d seen it in his eyes, Ethan had accepted her choice. He came because he was an elite soldier and loyal to his King, he felt it was his duty to protect his princess. She was grateful to him for that loyalty. She hoped that one of her sisters would find him worthy.
“Tel me about the energy you felt,” Sebastian probed.
It was the only reason he’d al owed her to come at al . Anya felt a pul , even now, to this planet. She had no words to explain it other than an encompassing need to get to Undewla as soon as possible. There was an urgency sifting through her with each passing minute.
“I felt a strong energy just by looking at a picture of the planet,” She studied the growing planet once more. “I sense something terrible wil happen unless we get there to stop it.” If one of her sisters was on this planet, she feared she was insome kind ofdanger.
“If I’ve deciphered the code correctly, Princess Nadua, second in line to the throne should be found on this planet.”
Anya hoped to the gods that Nadua had lived a more advantageous existence than she had.
Sensing her troubled thoughts Sebastian placed a strong hand on her upper arm, making smoother circles with his thumb. “If she’s here, we wil find her.”
Anya nodded, knowing he would do anything in his power to make that statement true.
Suddenly Anya received another jolt of energy. In the cramped space she made her way to the front of the cabin where Cale control ed their trajectory. The front window was like a miniature of the huge control room window, it wrapped wide around the entire front of the smal vessel.
“Do you see that basin with that patch of trees?” She saidto Cale.
“You mean that treacherous looking canyon with the thousand tons of potential yunstableice-wal on either side?”
“Yeah, land us there.”
“Right on.”
After a slightly rocky landing the group donned their cloaks and heavy boots. Al the males began fastening weapons to their person, easily hidden behind their thick clothing.
Cale handed her the sword he and Sebastian had gifted to her. “Your first field test.” He said, wrapping her fingers around the hilt. Trying to feign bravado, she fastened it to her belt, al owing her cloak to fal over it.
Final y ready, they stepped out into what she quickly declared as the most horrific environment she could imagine. The cold bit
at her exposed skin, stinging whenever the wind brushed past. Her lungs struggled to bring in the icy air that was so cold she feared her lungs would freeze from the effort.
They hadn’t gone ten steps and shivers were already developing.
“How can anything live out here?” Ethan mimicked her thoughts.
“Wel ,” Cale offered. “When you are the same temperature as your surroundings, it probably works out fine.” He didn’t seem to mind the cold.In fact,none of the demons did, though more of their skin was exposedto it.
Ethan noticed as wel . “Don’t you guys get cold?”
Marik brushed past him, “Internal heating. Come, before you both freeze to death.”
They walked a little way, guided by Anya. Sheprayedthat her gift wasn’t on the fritz. Sebastian offered to carry her more than once, but she refused, wanting to be strong for him.
She did cleave to him however, when smal white bal s began to fal from the sky. In her alarm she tried swatting them away, until Sebastian explained it was just frozen water. Apparently, when cold enough, water particles would freeze, become weighty, and fal to the planet’s surface. She felt a little sil y not knowing this, but nobody faulted her for it.
It wasn’t too much longer that the smal white bal s became large white bal s, gliding calmly to the ground. If she wasn’t so cold, she would have appreciated the beauty of it. White masses of the stuff clung to her hair and clothes, traveling with her for a moment before melting and dripping down her neck.
It was official, she hated this place!
How could her sister have lived so long insuch anawful place?
Sebastian’s voice rang out beside her. “Looks like this storm wil worsen before long. We should take shelter back in the ship and wait it out.”
Anya was al for that plan. She was about to say as much when she caught a whiff of something familiar. Heart pounding, she sucked in a harsh icy breath as emotions assaulted her. Unshed tears pricked her eyes.