Not a bad place to be. But Lehd and Ovh were watching. I tried to act mildly disinterested.
Borun lifted my chin with a finger, smiled, and shoved me off toward the center of the pool.
Right past Ovh.
He latched onto me, sliding me up his curves, and planting his soft lips over mine, perfectly, precisely, adoringly.
My heart melted as his thick tongue possessed my mouth. Every modicum of my remaining willpower to just bathe with my mates vanished. Morphed into Ovh and his kiss. And I snaked my hands around his shoulders to clutch his dripping black hair. To hold onto that hot mouth that drove my need wild.
His python arms slid around me, locking my waist to his at the water's dancing surface. I didn't feel like I was slipping. I just ached to feel that iron body sink into mine. I wrapped my legs around him and locked his beating heart where he couldn't escape.
He groaned the softest sound into my being.
The sound of desire.
Need jolted through my core.
He backed away, releasing his conquest of my mouth, gazing into my eyes where he held my groin's pulse beating against his solid abs with both of his python arms.
We were alone in the pool now. The others had vanished.
He smiled one of those gentle smiles only Ovh could manage and blinked a satisfied blink.
Take me, I'm yours came to mind. "Ovh," I whispered and ran my palms down his chest, across his throbbing heart.
He just stood there, watching me touch him and his harness.
"I've really grown to appreciate these halters," I cooed.
He slid his fingers across the back of one of my hands, pried it off his supple chest with a thumb, and lifted my palm to his soft lips. The kiss he planted there was so passionate tears warmed my eyes.
He slid the palm across his bristled cheek where he leaned into my hand.
It's funny how something so sweet can hit me so deeply in the groin. Make me ache. Make my heart burst into a million overwhelming drops of magma. I couldn't breathe. All I could do was slip my other hand to clutch his face and pull his nose down to touch mine.
All the sadness and loneliness in him seemed to wash away in that pool like he'd gone through some sacred rite of passage. Transformed. He was so different from the others. So deprived. I just wanted him to tuck me into his bed and cuddle up to me. To make him whole. "Ovh," I whispered near his lips.
"Yes?"
"In your sleeping skins."
He sighed the softest sigh.
His heart was mine. Totally. Completely.
He didn't seem to want to release me. To move. But something tore through him with a quake, and he swung me into his arms to lift me from the pool.
We stood in the darkness long enough to dry off.
I scanned the shadows for any sign of Borun.
He'd obviously departed to give me time with Ovh.
Ovh hefted me into his arms again, carried me to his bed, and gently lowered me against his chest onto his furs where he began burrowing his nose into my damp hair.
The heat in his breath warmed my skin so much I trembled.
He pulled soft furs over my body and ran his palms down my back and up my side.
I love you. Your hands on me. The way you look at me like I'm going to disappear. But the words evaded my mouth.
He slid his hand to my shoulder and leaned to the spot to tenderly kiss my skin. Over and over. Moving down the length of my arm. Kicking up a rash of gooseflesh over every inch of my being.
My nipples were so hard it hurt to inhale and stretch them.
He bent my elbow, lifting my forearm enough to reach where he wanted, his massaging lips kissed a pathway up my inner arm, pausing at the pulse in my wrist, heading up to my palm. He lingered there, sliding his golden gaze to mine, then slid out the tip of his tongue to lick between my fingers. One by one, he sucked each finger into his hot mouth.
I ached so much for him I would have straddled him if he hadn't leaned over me and pinned my hips to the bed.
He watched me as he made love to my hand and made me ache for him.
My body writhed beneath his intoxicating mass and unyielding golden gaze.
A low growl rumbled through the darkness.
Thunder warning in my darkness. Heaven. I closed my eyes and drew deep breaths in said darkness. He could take all the time he wanted as long as he loved me like this.
He slid my palm across his cheek and into his damp hair as he leaned down to rake my nipple with his teeth, growling so softly. Chugging. Almost purring.
Oh for this moment to never end.
He slid his knee between mine and gently climbed between my thighs as he tugged at the heartstrings attached to that nipple.
I could have cried out I loved him. But his magic felt so wonderful. I just wanted to lie there listening and submit to his passionate possession.
He rubbed his shaft's smooth head through my folds until he locked into position and slowly tilted his hips, driving his unbelievably thick hardness inside my sensitive flesh. He had amazing self-control, incredible in how he could make me groan so long with each of his initial penetrations. I just laid there writhing around him like a virgin clutching blindly for something to grip during his ravishing.
His lips feathered across mine as I squirmed beneath him. "Aisling. My Aisling," he whispered against my cheek and buried his nose into my ear. "I can't wait any longer." He shoved up.
He went right to the spot inside me where an experienced lover knows to work, and he fiddled the wildest tune for my heart until I clawed my fingernails into his clavicles and went rigid beneath him. But he didn't stop. He fell onto his forearms and kissed me so deeply that I had to breathe air from his lungs as he began our wild ride across the darkness.
There was nothing like the power surge I felt each time a Luvk began seriously thrusting into me. My hips rocked against the amazing strength. And Ovh's affectionate seduction only amplified my deprivation. I tightened my grip on his harness, bent my knees like a jockey, and relished every time his body firmly patted mine at the root of our addiction.
I didn't have to squeeze my inner muscles because he was so thick. I just laid there and let him fill me over and over with every hard thrust and matched his increasingly aggressive moves. I couldn't bite back my groans.
He craned his head back and roared, bursting inside me.
My Ovh went rigid, his shaft straining and throbbing where it barely fit in my channel, pulsing and thrashing while his body flexed in focusing every ounce of his remaining energy on planting his seed inside me. I ground my hips against the wonderful straining pressure buried in my body and slid my hands down to his iron ass where I tried to pull his amazing cock deeper inside me.
If only he could keep the mindboggling sensation going for an hour. I'd throw him on his back and orgasm again and again.
He started pumping his hips again, milking himself into my body to drain every drop of himself into my soul.
Thank God. I stopped holding his ass and started rubbing the two mounds of muscle.
His moaned, his gaze dropping to mine but he looked over his shoulder at my hands and threw his head backward as if he loved to be touched.
The blue light shone between us. Just enough to illuminate the proud angles of his face before handing them back to the darkness of the guards' quarters.
Finally, he sighed a dying groan.
The big warrior had fought his battle well. I reached out to him.
He carefully draped my body with his amazing weight, his trembling body.
"Sweet, sweet Aisling, I didn't think you'd want me tonight," he whispered into my ear.
My heart clenched.
Although Borun kept me busy all afternoon, I knew Ovh would be wanting time with me. Mart wasn't that big of an issue. He didn't do more than smile sinister smiles. But Ovh's expressive eyes haunted me. And I'd had time to recover from the afternoon. "It isn't a matter of want. It's more a matter of capabili
ty."
He rolled onto his side and pulled me against his body. "You're extremely capable."
I wiggled up to look into his eyes. "Just how long were you the leader of your Royal Guard?"
"Twenty-eight years."
"That's a long time to want to love somebody, Ovh."
His arms tightened around me.
"I meant it when I said I'd always be here for you. Anytime you want me, anytime you need me, I'm here."
He rolled a hand into my hair and tucked my nose beneath his chin.
"And even though you don't believe there's a second portal, I still love you."
A chuckle rocked his chest and my body.
"Sweet, sweet Aisling. I'd ride anywhere on the planet to chase your wild dreams."
"You keep pulling tricks like what you did to my hand, and I'll be the one doing the chasing."
?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
By the time Borun stared at the forest covered mountain of the ancient city, he'd decided humoring his mate in search of this hidden portal was probably the best thing they could be doing. Albeit, it took almost ten days to reach the ruins, two days faster than being held stalled at the Thunder bridge connecting Sunset realm to Sunrise realm. But Kruk seemed to be busy with his warriors elsewhere. What they were up to was a mystery. Probably strategizing another sky demon attack. At least they weren't here, harassing my mate's beating heart wrapped around my back.
Mart's war beast stopped beside us, and he shot me an imperious stare with those gray high-caste eyes. "Are you certain you want to search here? It's dangerous. There are some treacherous areas inside. Aisling shouldn't go in."
"You're not leaving me out here," she snarled.
The feisty little thing. "We'll take care. Nobody wants anything to happen to our mate."
Her grip tightened around my waist for the length of a breath.
Just a little hug of acknowledgement.
Mart sighed. "Why do you think I point out the dangers?"
"I'll be alright, Mart. I've studied in ruins from two different cultures. Both built stone structures."
Mart's annoyed gaze slid to her. "Very well. I guess debating the situation further isn't going to do anything but waste time." He kicked his mount into a trot and moved toward the gaping cave of an entrance.
Could Mart be hiding something though? Clans often had secrets. But the truth was probably simple. And Aisling had to realize Mart only worried about her safety. "Little one-"
"I know. He worries about me. I'm not angry. I just want to get this over with."
We left the war beasts outside to guard the entrance and traveled deep into the dark bowels of the ancient city. Many passages had been blocked with rubble. Others only partially. Mart navigated the murky shadows as if he'd lived there every day of his life. All went well until we had approached a narrow passage requiring we crawl on our hands and knees.
"Uh, I don't know about that way." Aisling scratched the back of her head.
She'd passed through dark corridors with nary a hint of heartsong to note she cared. Now her heart beat like a war drum. I extended a palm and stared her down. "We go together."
She stared at the palm.
"It's not long, Aisling," Mart announced. "Just a few minutes crouched over," he said in mindspeak. "There's something I want you to see."
Lehd and Ovh towered attentively behind Aisling's shoulders.
Well, Aisling could handle a few minutes bent over. "It's got enough clearance that you can stop and sit if you need to."
She crouched down beside Mart at my foot and studied the space.
"I thought you'd studied ancient cities back on Earth," Mart picked at her.
Probably to annoy her into leaping into the tight space.
"I did." She growled. "But I didn't kill myself in the process. All I see down that black tunnel is suicide." She turned to us. "Anyone else? After all, you're the ones with night vision."
"It was your choice to search for a portal," I said.
The petulant smirk on her face only made me want to laugh.
"Alright. But you're the smart ass who's got two babies to lose."
She really didn't want to crawl through darkness. Probably because of her limited vision. Not to mention her claustrophobia. We could take turns carrying her on our backs. I eyed the others then ended up watching Aisling's angry mask melt into pure dread. "You go with me."
Her brow arched curiously.
I pointed toward the tunnel. "Mart, you're first."
Mart disappeared into the darkness.
Probably to prove he was as significant as the rest of us who'd been leaders for years. I squatted beside Aisling and tapped her nose. "Lehd's next." I waved him on.
Lehd took a moment to pet Aisling's cheek before the darkness swallowed him.
I looked for Ovh and Var. "I'll be slower. But you both follow." They knew I meant take care of trouble from their end.
Both nodded.
I crawled into the shaft, stopped with my boots at her feet, and fell on my gut. "Climb aboard, Aisling. I'll carry you."
"You're kidding? We'll grow old together in there before you reach the end with me on your back."
Enough of the complaining. "Get on, or Ovh will put you on."
With much noisy fuming, she straddled my back and slid her arms beneath mine to grab the front of my harness, burying her nose into my back.
"Calm yourself, Aisling. We'll be there before you know it." I started crawling.
Her weight wasn't that much to bear. Although, she clung to me with so much angst I knew I'd have raw cuts where my halter's leather straps gnawed at my skin. And blow dust from the thick layer covering the stone floor out of my nose for days.
"Oh shit," she gasped.
"What?" Ovh barked at my heels.
"We'll have to do this on the way back." Her breathing hitched.
"Stop it, Aisling. You're scaring yourself for nothing. We're almost to Mart." I hoped. I couldn't see around the bend ahead. With the limited lighting from scattered sunlight, seeing in the darkness wasn't so fruitful.
By the time Lehd lurked at the end of the tunnel, I was ready for Aisling's curves to climb off my body. Lehd snatched her up like a war beast's saddle and hefted her to her feet. She clutched his chest.
Fine. I do all the work, and he gets the glory. My elbows would bear scabs for days. I got my boots beneath me.
She turned to me and slid those warm arms around my chest. "Thank you." She smiled at me even though she probably couldn't see any of my face. "I know you love me now." She actually chuckled.
Her hands trembled.
She'd have to wait to treat her blood lust. Tonight we'd share blood. So, there was time. She'd just have to wait until we crawled out of the city and had a safe place to mate. But she had questioned my love. "You questioned that?"
She giggled and stretched to her tiptoes. "Actions speak louder than words, or so wise men say," she whispered. "Actions like when you told everyone we'd mated and we really hadn't. Just to save me. You big puppy."
Although the act was futile given the guards' hearing.
Lehd shot me a questioning glance.
What could I say? "Kruk couldn't be trusted."
"You lied to secure First Mate Breeding Rights to her?" he laughed.
Ovh rose up behind me. "I would have done it."
Aisling shot him a smile. "I know you would have, Ovh."
Enough of this dawdling. "Let's go."
Mart led us through two more doorways into an enormous pitch black space. So dark I couldn't see anything. Aisling's grip on my back's harness never wavered.
She halted when I did.
"Where are we, Mart?" I asked.
"Just a moment. I have some torches."
The sound of measured footfalls bore witness to Mart's journey across the cavern's darkness. Something wooden rattled. A hiss whispered. And yellow flames burst into a dance so far away I doubted any of the warrio
rs could clear the distance in one leap.
Mart's ghostly features hovered above a torch he held to the flames.
Aisling's grip on my harness slithered away. She stood in the golden glow of the fire, half hidden by my arm, eyes wide with wonder. "Where are we, Mart?"
"My father never knew what this chamber was used for. So much time had passed, the knowledge of the chamber's function had been lost. But you always seem to offer a new perspective. I thought I'd bring you here." He carried a torch to her.
She took the wooden handle.
One by one, we all grabbed our own torches and paced around the walls of the space. A strange linear structure made of metal ran low along the length of one of the walls but didn't touch it. Aisling seemed most interested in the object.
I stopped beside her, casting more light with two torches combined. "What is it?"
"It looks like some kind of control panel." She looked at me and must have realized I had no idea what she spoke of. "And it's awfully clean given it's sat here for a millennium. The dust should be as thick as the dust on the floor."
True. I'd crawled through the silty layer back in the tunnel. "Do you think someone was here doing something?"
She glanced at me sideways. "You think like an archaeologist."
"So what are the circles?"
"Buttons." She wiped some fingers around the buttons. "I can't read the words." She turned to Mart. "Did your father know what these said?"
Shadows clutched at Mart's features more so because of his loose hair. I couldn't read his expression.
He stared at the lines and dots.
Would he lie? Was he thinking up something to say?
"Trigger. But it's upside down." Mart shifted his footing. "Father never said much about it."
* * * *
"Holy shit." We're all screwed, Aisling thought, shoving her mates toward the wall. "Everybody behind this control panel." We're all going to Slaken if we don't hurry.
"What?" Borun blurted.
Their enormous bodies didn't move much beneath my palms. But Lehd did as instructed quickly.
Finally. "Please, this thing activates something. And I'd be hard pressed to wonder what!"
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