by Jasmine Walt
You are more than just the sum of your parts.
I wrapped my arms around Iannis’s neck, drawing him flush against me. “I’ve always wanted you,” I murmured against his mouth, then I kissed him again.
Iannis swept his tongue inside my mouth, and I moaned as the dark, exotic taste of him filled me. Desire burned low in my belly, and a pulsing ache spread through my body with each stroke of his tongue against mine, each brush of his fingers against my tingling skin. Impatient, I used my claws to shred the shirt from his body, and he laughed, rising up a little so he could shrug off the tattered garment.
“More,” I demanded, grabbing the waistband of his shorts. I was about to rip them off as well, but he closed a hand over mine.
“Slow,” he murmured, stroking his thumb over my knuckles. Somehow, he managed to infuse so much sensual promise in that one word that my knees went weak, and I was glad I was already on the ground.
“Slow,” I agreed, and he released his hand. Rising to my knees, I pressed my bare torso against his, savoring every ridge of muscle as I kissed him long and deep. My fingers worked gently at the buckle on his belt, easing it free, and then the button on his shorts came next. By the time I gripped the button with my thumb and forefinger, we were vibrating with anticipation.
I unbuttoned his shorts slowly, feeling every inch of his arousal as my knuckles slid against the fabric. His shaft sprang into my waiting hand, and I grinned against his mouth as he growled in approval.
“No underwear?” I teased, skimming my finger along his length.
“I never wear any,” he muttered, trailing hot kisses across my jaw. His teeth clamped down on my earlobe, and I instinctively squeezed him.
“Yes,” he groaned in my ear, hips rocking forward. A thrill shot through me at the sound of raw need in his voice, and I gave him what he wanted, stroking him until his shoulders gleamed with sweat in the moonlight and his chest heaved.
“Enough.” His voice was rough as he pulled my hands away, and I let out a surprised yelp as he reached around and collected my breasts into his big hands. I moaned as my sensitive nipples rasped against his palm.
“You’re extraordinary,” he murmured, eyes on mine even as he used his skilled hands to tease my breasts. He seemed to be drinking in every detail of my face. “I don’t think the Creator could have crafted a more beautiful and spirited woman if he tried.”
My face flushed at that. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”
He laughed. “Of everything I’ve said and done in the past few weeks, this is what you find ridiculous?” He let go of my right breast to stroke my cheek with the backs of his fingers. “The fact that you’re stunning?”
I grinned a little. “No, you’ve said plenty of things that are ridiculous,” I said to him, sliding my hands down the back of his shorts and squeezing his ass. “It’s just hard to believe that someone who’s lived as long as you have has never met a better-looking woman than me.”
“I’ve met many beautiful women in my lifetime,” Iannis admitted. “But none of them were you.”
He ducked his head, and I gasped as he took one of my nipples between his teeth. Electricity zinged through my veins as he teased the taut, sensitive bud with his teeth and tongue, and I scraped my nails up his back and dug them so hard into his shoulders that I was certain there would be gouge marks in his flesh in the morning. But my response only seemed to encourage him, and he slipped one hand down my flank, his long fingers finding that aching place between my legs.
“Iannis!” My eyes flew wide as he slid a finger inside me. My legs turned to jelly as my sensitive, aching flesh pulsed in response to his touch. Sensing weakness, he took advantage of the opening and pushed me onto my back, then claimed my mouth in a searing kiss as he slid a second finger inside me. I arched against him as his fingers found that sweet spot inside me, and he massaged it until I was a hot, writhing mess, moaning incoherently as my hips strained against his hand. I desperately needed release, but his palm was just a little too far away for me to get the right angle. He was teasing me, the bastard, drawing it out, and I wasn’t sure if I loved him or hated him for it.
“Please,” I finally begged. “I want you inside me.”
“Do you?” His voice echoed in my mind, and I gasped as he slipped inside me again, the same way he’d done back in Maintown when he’d helped me heal that human. The sensation of his soul brushing against mine sent a thrill through my body, and I was suddenly awash in Iannis’s desire for me. I could feel how hungry he was, how his body ached to be joined to mine. But even more important was his desire to please me, to watch me tremble and gasp, and to know he was the cause of every sound of pleasure that sprang from my lips.
His fingers slid against my sweet spot again, and the scent of magic teased my nostrils. I cried out as an explosion of exquisite sensation filled me, clinging to him tightly as whatever he did triggered the most intense orgasm I’d ever experienced. I was utterly alive, ever single fiber of my body lit with glorious flame as pleasure rippled through me.
Gasping, I went limp in his arms as the wave finally receded. I shivered as he trailed hot kisses up my neck and across my jaw again, my body still aching for more despite the release.
“What…what the hell was that?” I managed as he nibbled on my earlobe, fingers still working inside me.
“Magic,” he said, his lips curving against my skin as he sensed my shock. “What, it never occurred to you that a mage could use his power to enhance his woman’s pleasure?”
“Sex and spellcraft don’t usually go together in my mind,” I said breathlessly, arching my hips against his hand.
Iannis chuckled, his violet eyes glittering as he pulled back to look at me. “They will by the time I’m done here tonight.”
I gasped as his power filled me again, bracing myself for another explosion. Instead, he only enhanced my need, increasing the tingles running through my veins, the heat flushing my skin, the swollen ache between my thighs until I writhed beneath his fingers, mindless with need. He held me at the brink of orgasm for a long time, then released me just when I was on the verge of punching him. My cries of pleasure echoed in the night as pleasure ripped through me again, leaving me breathless and shaking.
“Now,” he growled, pushing my legs apart. His arousal brushed against my center, and I hissed as my inner muscles clenched with need. How could I still be so hungry, after he’d already given me so much pleasure?
But I was hungry, and I knew I wouldn’t be sated until we went all the way. I gripped his hips, urging him forward, and he laughed as he buried himself completely inside me. We moaned in unison at the instant rush of pleasure, and I instinctively clamped my legs around him, drawing his body tight against me. My lips sought his as he began a slow, steady rhythm, and I lifted my hips to meet his, thrust for thrust. As equals.
Our bodies trembled with the effort of holding back, the desire to savor our first time greater than our need for completion. But instinct eventually won out, and Iannis’s thrusts came faster, harder, deeper. Our souls were still joined, doubling the pleasure for both of us, and I dug my fingernails into his shoulders to try and find purchase in this crazy, relentless storm of sensation.
“More,” I demanded, arching into him. He used his magic on me, intensifying the pleasure of each thrust, turning me absolutely molten with need. When I came again, the rush of euphoria was so intense I was, for a moment, without sight or sound. There were only the waves of fierce, almost violently pleasurable sensation, followed by the sweetest relief I’d ever experienced.
I felt Iannis’s body stiffen against mine, sight and sound coming back as he surged deep inside me with a groan. He buried his face in my hair, shuddering as he came, and I wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight as he rode it out, savoring his orgasm as it rippled through my own body. And as I stroked his trembling back, I knew I would never let him go, no matter what life decided to throw at us next.
24
“So you still won’t agree to marry me?” Iannis demanded, sounding highly offended.
I rolled over to face him, smiling at the confounded look on his face. We’d spent the night on the beach, unwilling to stop touching each other long enough to move and find a better spot. There was sand in my hair and ingrained into every inch of my skin, and I felt way too fantastic to care. A night of hot sex could do that to a girl, especially if it was with the right guy.
And boy, did I have the right guy.
“You don’t have to look so insulted about it,” I said, cupping his cheek with my left hand, then dropping a light kiss on his nose. “Remember, marriage is forever. A long time for me, and even longer for you.”
“And here I thought you were the impulsive one.” He sighed, passing his hand through his dark red hair. “I know it is forever, Sunaya. That’s the whole point. Of course, if you need more time to think about it, we could stay here a while longer. This is the first time in weeks we have a chance to talk without constant interruptions.”
“Yes,” I murmured. “I’ve missed you. A few stolen minutes here and there aren’t enough as your apprentice, let alone your lover.”
He smiled. “The last few weeks were far from normal, and you know it.” He looked around the beach. “After last night, I find myself developing a fondness for this deserted island.” He cupped a hand between my legs. “If you are only willing to be with me here, I guess we’ll have to stay longer. As long as it takes for you to agree.”
“Beast,” I gasped as he pressed the heel of his hand against my sweet spot. The burst of pleasure sent a flush to my cheeks, and I arched my hips, seeking more. “It has nothing to do with the island.”
To my frustration, the hand retreated. “By Resinah, darling, what do I have to do to make you see reason?”
I sighed, realizing Iannis wasn’t going to drop this subject. “I’m not saying that I don’t want to marry you,” I said, levering myself onto my elbows so I could look him in the eye. “In fact, if it means we can do this every night, I’m all for it. It’s just… I’ve got some concerns.”
Iannis frowned, rolling off me and onto his side again. “What sort of concerns?”
“Well, for one, I have no idea what’s going on at home. Are we still in the middle of a revolution?”
“No, of course not,” Iannis said. “Two days after Thorgana’s capture, the Shiftertown residents decided to withdraw their support of the Resistance and attempted to kick them out. Between the clans and the Mages Guild, we managed to overwhelm them, and those who have not been killed have been taken prisoner.” He sighed. “I will need to sort that out when we return. Prison Isle is far too small to hold so many.”
“That’s fantastic though!” A weight lifted from my chest now that I knew the city was safe, or at least on its way to being safe once more. I grinned. “You know, I may have had something to do with the shifters deciding to change sides.”
“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me at all.” Iannis kissed the end of my nose, eyes twinkling. “You’re becoming quite the unstoppable force.” His expression grew serious again. “But none of that has anything to do with our future. Tell me why else we can’t get married.”
I squirmed beneath the weight of his stare. “Everyone will think we’re rushing into this to silence all those rumors and gossip. I want to be with you, but I don’t want this to look like we got married just to solve a problem. And what about the fact that we’re supposed to be master and apprentice? I thought carnal relations with your apprentice were frowned upon among mages.” That was what I had always understood, though I was not entirely sure how bad it was. Mage customs and laws were not well understood among the other races.
Iannis smiled ruefully. “It is indeed unusual, but for mages, marriage – or at least the intention to marry – trumps every other consideration. The formal bond between a couple is respected by everyone. There have been some precedents of marriage between a master and apprentice, though not recently, and it is certainly going to cause talk. Still, an illicit affair would be considered much worse, and it would be impossible to hide in our position.”
“I see,” I said dubiously. “But could you still continue to teach me magic?”
“Yes, of course. I certainly would not want my fiancée or wife subject to the authority of another master.” From the expression that twisted his face, I could tell the very notion was repulsive to him.
“I suppose I could ask Fenris to teach me when you don’t have time, and Janta to tutor me in Loranian,” I mused. “But you would still be in charge of my training.” Yes, that might work. I sighed. Even if I got Iannis to promise to devote more time to my training, after the experience of the past few weeks, it was ten to one that something would happen to interfere with our regular times.
“As for rushing into marriage,” Iannis continued, “I only wish that were possible. Marriages between mages are a highly formalized matter, with lots of rules, and usually preceded by at least one year’s engagement. Ideally, we would wait until your graduation, but that is too long in our case.” His voice was firm. “Anyway, less than a full year would raise lots of comment, but I’m willing to go right ahead, if you are.”
“No, that’s fine,” I assured him, relieved. “That is, we can still, umm, be together, while we wait for the ceremony?”
“Just try to keep me away.” He kissed me again.
I grinned against his mouth. “In that case, a long engagement is a good idea.” After all, marriage was irrevocable while both partners lived. It only made sense to be very certain beforehand. If either of us were to change our mind, I’d rather it be before the wedding when it was still safe to back out.
Not that I wanted to back out.
“Good,” Iannis growled, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me on top of him. “Now, let’s stop talking and finish what we started earlier.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I said, then he pulled my mouth down to his again, effectively shutting me up.
Eventually, the sun climbed high enough in the sky that we determined it was too hot to stay out any longer. Besides, we were both in desperate need of a bath, so I led Iannis into the forest and to the sweet water of the spring I’d been bathing in for the last week. Somehow, we managed to wash up without making love again, which was a good thing because I really wanted to get off this island.
“Do you have anything you need to take before we leave?” Iannis asked as he dressed. “Such as clothing, perhaps?” He arched an eyebrow.
“What, you don’t like what you see?” I gasped, pressing a hand against my chest in mock offense.
“You know well enough that I do,” Iannis said dryly. “But that doesn’t mean I want to share your charms with the world. You’ll need suitable clothing when we arrive at the mainland and meet any other mages.”
“Well, I’ve still got my pants,” I told him. “They’re in my cave.”
“Cave?”
I took him up the hillside, through the cave entrance, and down the tunnel leading to Messindor’s underground room. Iannis grumbled a little along the way – fitting through the cave entrance and traversing the tunnel was difficult for a man his size – but the expression of amazement when I finally led him into the room was worth it.
“Astonishing!” He crossed over to the shelf, running his finger along the leather-bound spines. “Some of these magical texts are quite rare.” He carefully extracted a book from the shelf, opened it up, and scanned a page. “I don’t think a copy of this book has been seen for several hundred years.”
“Well, that’s not surprising,” I said, sitting down on the cot. “Messindor’s last journal entry was around three hundred years ago.”
“Messindor?” Iannis asked, frowning.
I explained to him about the diary I’d found, showing him the journal entries, the maps, and the pouch of gold. “The one thing I still haven’t figured out is this damned chest,” I said, jerking my head toward the stubbor
n chest that defied my attempts to open it. “I have no idea what’s in it.”
Iannis set the book in his hand aside and crouched down to examine the chest. After a few moments, he shook his head, laughing softly as he ran his fingers over the wood.
“What’s so funny?” I demanded.
“Nothing,” he said, pressing his fingers into one of the runes. To my surprise, the carved piece of wood popped out, revealing a tiny knob that held it in place. “You can’t be expected to know about puzzle chests, as they went out of fashion long before your time.”
“Puzzle chests?” I asked, watching him press his fingers against the other runes. The next two did nothing, but the third one popped free as well, and so did the one on the opposite side of the chest.
“Yes,” he said, eyes narrowed as he sat back on his haunches. “They’re rather like a safe combination. You have to find the hidden knobs, and then you have to twist them into the right order.”
He fiddled with the knobs for a few moments, twisting them this way and that. A loud click echoed through the room, and the chest popped open.
“By Magorah!” I exclaimed as I stared at the contents. The chest was filled to the brim with glittering jewels.
“And that,” Iannis said, taking my hand in his and pressing a kiss to my knuckles, “is your engagement present.”
25
By noon, Iannis and I were on the small, but speedy sailboat he’d arrived in, with my gold and jewels safely stowed away next to Messindor’s collection of books. Iannis was fascinated with them, and the diary in particular – he told me that one of the books held a handwritten alternative recipe for recharging gulayas more quickly, with ingredients that were legal and easily obtainable. The texts also contained rare spells for magical defense that were thought to be lost.