Destiny United

by Leia Shaw

  Damn if that didn’t make her rapt with curiosity.

  When she didn’t respond he pinned her with a heart-breaking smile. “Come on, little enchantress. Trust me.”

  “Enchantress?” she questioned warily. “I have no magic.”

  “Ah, but you must have some.” His eyes glowed in the moonlight. “For you have enchanted me.”

  Sexy, tempting vampire. Giving him a sideways smile, she eyed him first then slid her gaze to the lake. Before she could confirm one way or another, he’d scooped her up against his chest and padded into the trees towards the lake. If she wasn’t caked in dirt and sweat perhaps she would have put up a fight. Or perhaps not. Marcelo headed straight towards the water, not slowing down once he reached the short rocky beach.

  “Wait!” she cried. “My clothes!”

  He made an abrupt stop and set her down. “Allow me.”

  In only seconds he had her undressed and her clothing strewn on the beach but at least intact. He stripped off his own clothes and took several steps into the water before looking back.

  She hesitated, standing naked and vulnerable on the moonlit shore, eyeing his not so subtle gentleman's salute. She’d never been the prudish type, as evidenced by her bar table dancing habit every weekend – although she’d usually consumed large quantities of alcohol by then. Still, she wondered if this was a bad idea. Before she had time to change her mind, Marcelo strolled over, wrapped an arm around her waist and carried her into the water.

  At first, she could only focus on Marcelo’s large – ahem, very large – body against hers, but as they waded deeper she felt the first tickle on her leg. With a girly yelp she clung to Marcelo, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

  He let out an agonized groan. “Not that I object to this position, querida, but you really must embrace your fae nature.”

  She shook her head. “Not until daylight when I can see what’s in the water.”

  “So you’d rather see the…what did you call them? Creepy crawlies? You’d rather see them as they swim around you?”

  She thought for a moment. “You’re right. That’s no better.” She tried to climb him even higher. “Just hold me up!”

  He chuckled and supported her weight with a large palm under her backside. She exhaled a relieved breath and the intimacy of the position finally caught up with her. Aila was pressed up against Marcelo’s naked body, his hand gripping her bare ass, his gaze locked on her breasts.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  She felt a tickle on her feet and squealed again, squirming under his hand.

  “You test my control, Aila,” he said, his voice strained. Feeling something large and hard prodding her ass, she knew exactly what he meant.

  She gasped and tried to wiggle free, only to be reminded of what lurked beneath the water. She was stuck between a rock and…um…a hard place.

  A chuckle from the vampire relaxed her somewhat. “You can speak to them, you know. The animals.” He cupped a handful of water and poured it onto her chest. The water felt wonderful after the hot day.

  Relaxing a bit in his arms, she studied his face. He had such a proud chin with a perfect cleft down the middle. His lips were a pale lavender, the bottom one just asking to be nibbled. Thick eyebrows shadowed the coffee brown eyes that were surprisingly expressive.

  “As a fae you can command them to come or to go. Do you want to learn how?”

  Though his lips held a certain appeal, she nodded.

  “Call to them,” he whispered into her ear sending shivers down her spine.

  She forced herself to speak, though her voice felt husky and dry. “Call to who?”

  “The fish you are afraid of.” His breath was a tickle against her neck.

  Fish? What fish?

  “Have you forgotten already?” He chuckled softly. “Then I guess I’m doing my job.” He kissed the spot behind her ear, a soft, sensual kiss that had her melting into his arms.

  She cleared her throat. “Call to them? Like…yo animals?”

  He smiled and poured another scoop of water onto her breast. “No. Call to their spirits. Use the fae voice inside, the one connected to all living things.” Another handful of water dripped down her other breast. His gaze was riveted to them as the droplets fell, some frozen onto her skin. She could feel his eyes on her, like fire against her sensitive, aching breasts.

  She coughed and he jerked his head up. He leaned into her mouth, his lips swept against hers, barely touching as he spoke. “Close your eyes.”

  She hesitated and clasped around his neck tighter.

  “Come on. Close them,” he urged.

  She did. His lips grazed the corner of her mouth, moving softly - a mere whisper across her skin – to her jaw and landing at her ear. “Imagine your spirit…what it would look like if it was outside your body. A cloud, a ghost, an animal, what would it be?”

  She didn’t answer but she did try to visualize. With his breath a steady rhythm in her ear, she finally saw it. A light. A white light in the shape of a woman.

  “Do you have it?” he asked.

  Goose bumps erupted on her arms. “Yes.”

  “Good. Now make it call out to the animals. The ones in the water. Fish, turtles, snakes. Tell them you’d like peace tonight.”

  It seemed ridiculous but, with nothing to lose, she tried it. She imagined her glowing form calling the animals forth. Suddenly the water below her began to bubble. Tickles erupted all around her ankles and feet. A soft rushing sound filled the night air. She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid of what she would find.

  “It’s okay,” Marcelo said. “Open your eyes.”

  Reluctantly she peeled them open only to slam them shut again. Dozens of fish surrounded them, frantically swimming at the surface of the water. Looking at her. Waiting for her. She bit down hard on her lip to keep from screaming.

  “Hush,” Marcelo said, tightening his arms around her. “No reason to panic. Simply tell them to go away. To leave us in peace.”

  Drawing on courage she didn’t know she possessed, she calmed her body and drew forth her fae spirit. In a firm voice she told them to leave. To go to the other side of the lake for the evening. Gradually the bubbling stopped, the sound of the rushing water faded away. Peeking one eye open she confirmed they were alone. She had nothing to fear.

  “You did it,” he said.

  A reluctant grin reached her face. “I did.” She loosened her vice grip on his neck. “Wow. That was amazing.”

  “See? Being fae has its advantages.”

  She was about to agree when he ducked down and submerged them both under water. A second later they broke to the surface. She flung her hair back from her face and glared into his amused eyes.

  “Bastard!” she hissed then splashed him with water.

  He laughed out loud, throwing his head back in such a carefree way that it wiped the irritation right out of her. “I’m sorry, querida. I couldn’t resist.” She squirmed out of his arms and started to swim away in an exaggerated huff, but he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her back. “Let me make it up to you.”

  He pressed his lips against hers, mashing them together wildly. The water made the kiss slippery and wet, but the awkward messiness of it had them laughing against each other’s lips.

  “Your smile is so beautiful, do you know that? It’s infectious,” he said, backing away from her kisses even as she whimpered in protest. “These past few days I’ve been more frustrated and anxious than in my entire eight hundred years as a vampire.”

  She furrowed her brow at the offense but before she could utter a come-back he continued, “But I’ve also smiled more than I ever have, including, quite possibly, my human life.”

  Her heart melted.

  “I can’t remember much of it. Not emotions anyway. I think I was happy as a human, but Aila, you are more than happiness. You are pure joy. You radiate life from your every pore.” He held her gaze, masculine and sinc
ere.

  How could she refuse him a smile when he spoke to her like that? With a beaming grin she stroked her hands along his shoulders - learning his body, memorizing the feel of his skin under her palms. Her gaze lowered from his face to his chest, where two perfect pectorals bulged under his golden skin. Beads of water dotted along them, surrounding his nipples. Not able to help herself, she bent down and licked one droplet off his chest, then another. Having a bit of fun with that, she hadn’t noticed him lower her down his body until she felt something prodding the opening of her sex.

  With a startled yelp she tightened her muscles and tried to draw away, but he held her firmly, a haughty smirk on his handsome face. It was obvious what he wanted. It was obvious he was ready to take it. But she couldn’t have sex with him. He would hurt her, even if he didn’t mean to. And all kinds of ugly memories would bubble to the surface. Ones she wasn’t ready to deal with. Knowing he would persuade her – she felt her defenses weakening already – she needed to get away.

  Staring out into the middle of the lake behind him, she tightened her eyes and said, “Hey, what’s that over there?”

  When he swung his head around to look, she managed to kick away from him and swim into deeper water. When he turned back around, he had a challenging brow raised.

  “I can’t believe you fell for that,” she said laughing. “It’s the oldest one in the book. Maybe even older than you, old man!”

  “You’re asking for trouble,” he teased, crooking a finger. “Come back here.”

  Smiling, she swam further away. “No. I want to go for a swim.” She’d expected him to go after her. He wasn’t the type to be deterred by a little teasing. Or a lot of teasing. Or a smack in the head with a four-by-four. But he didn’t follow.

  “All right, have it your way.” His shoulders sagged and she almost swam back to him. Then he added, “For now.” Two words and he became just a little less in control and a little more dangerous.

  Perhaps she shouldn’t be teasing an eight hundred year old vampire.

  “I’m going to go start a fire. But when I get back,” his eyes narrowed with a hunter’s focus, “be ready for me.”

  She watched him leave the water, his muscles carrying his body with graceful fluidity. Water flung from his hair when he shook it out like an animal. He yanked on his jeans before walking back the way they came, barefoot and shirtless. So sexy.

  Down, girl! About a half an hour later she’d all but forgotten the vampire, caught up in swimming the lake, gleefully enjoying her new strength and speed. She sensed Marcelo’s presence before she saw him emerge from the trees.

  Standing on the shore, he called to her. “Come, Aila. It’s getting late.”

  “No. I like swimming under the stars.”

  Even from far across the lake she could see the white of his teeth as he grinned. “Even so, you need to eat and get some rest. We have a long hike tomorrow.”

  Still in a playful mood, she decided to push his buttons. What would happen if I teased an eight hundred year old vampire? “If you want me,” she said in a challenging tone, “you’ll have to come get me.”

  “You think I won’t? Word of advice. You shouldn’t toy with creatures you can’t handle.”

  Tapping a finger on her chin, she chided, “I wonder if the fae are faster swimmers than vampires.” A twitch of his lips told her he was playing along. “Since we’re better at almost everything else…I’ll bet we’re faster too.”

  “Wicked little temptress,” he muttered, and in a blur he was naked and diving into the water.

  When he broke to the surface his eyes were dark with a hunter’s intent. His prey? Her! With a squeal she dove under the water, allowing instinct to take over. She flexed her powerful muscles, swimming into the dark, deep water until she was sure she’d bested him. She broke to the surface and dragged in a lungful of air. Strong fingers clutched her ankle. Kicking back was instinctual, but he held firm. Water rushed over her in the opposite direction she was going as she was pulled backward then smashed into a hard body.

  An arm wrapped around her waist in an unbreakable hold while a gentle whisper was at her ear. “To answer your question, cosita, vampires do swim faster than fae.”

  Then she was hoisted over his shoulder, one large palm splayed boldly across her ass, as he carried her towards the beach.

  “I feel like a war prize being carried off to the champion’s sex lair,” she said.

  “Sex lair, huh? Maybe. If you’re good.” He gave her butt a playful slap and she laughed.

  On the beach, he reached down with ease and grabbed up their clothes then marched back to their campsite where a fire was already roaring. He set her down gently on her feet but kept a hand clutching her hip to keep her in place. Using his t-shirt, he started dabbing it against her body.

  “I can dry myself off,” she said, trying to step away. But his grip on her tightened and kept her still.

  “Let me do this for you.” Had his voice dropped an octave? “I enjoy it.” He got down on one knee and rubbed his t-shirt along her legs. He looked up at her with what she could only describe as an expression of awe. Like she was something to be worshipped. Feeling vulnerable she wrapped her arms around her mid-section.

  He frowned. “Don’t hide yourself from me, Aila. Never hide yourself from me.” He rose to his feet and pulled her arms away from her stomach, setting them at her sides. His gaze roamed up and down her body, growing dark and hungry. “Beautiful.”

  When she shivered, he frowned again. “You’re cold.”

  She chuckled. “No.”

  A smirk settled on his lips then he bent down to finish drying her with saintly restraint. Aila waited patiently but when his fingers trailed behind her knee she squirmed with a giggle. He removed his fingers from her skin and she almost lamented the giggle. Until his lips replaced them. They grazed her knee, then her inner thigh, moving up slowly, torturously. She chuckled and did a little wiggle again, then gasped when he nipped her skin in warning. When he reached the inside of her mid-thigh she couldn’t hold back a soft moan. A rush of heat flooded her core. Parts of her ached in ways she’d never experienced. She clenched her thighs to relieve the burn. Could he tell she was wet from more than just lake water? He looked up at her with a cocky grin. Oh, yes, he could tell. Higher still, his lips moved, until he was almost –

  “Stop,” she said, clamping her legs together at the knees.

  “No,” he growled, forcing them back open.

  “Marcelo,” she pleaded.

  He sighed. “All right.” He released his vice grip on her legs. “You don’t want me to kiss you down there. Yet.” Instead he glided his tongue around her navel, licking up the water drops. “How about here?”

  She hissed in a breath and goose bumps rose on her skin. Her knees wouldn’t hold her weight much longer. When his t-shirt caressed her side, where her hips flared, she snickered and squirmed until he grasped her backside with both hands.

  “Be still,” he commanded.

  She tried. She really tried.

  With a resounding sigh he stood and looked her sternly in the eye, though she could see the teasing beneath. “Again, you test my control. Do you have any idea how much I want to throw you to the ground, enter you in one thrust, and pound into you until you beg for mercy?”

  Her eyes grew wide as her stomach fluttered with desire.

  “Yet you continue to squirm beneath my touch.”

  “N-no. You can’t,” she said.

  “Exactly. I have to make sure you’re ready first.”

  “No. I mean you can’t…we can’t –”

  He cut her off with a kiss. His tongue swooped into her mouth, his hand tangled in her hair pulling her back for deeper access. She groaned against him, rocking her hips into his erection, desperate for release. Then he bit down on her bottom lip. Hard.

  “Ow!” she cried, pulling away. “What was that for?”

  With a dark chuckle, he answered, “Toying with som
eone bigger than you.”

  ***

  She pursed her lips and scowled at him. “Humph. See if I let you taste this delicious mouth again.” She tried to take a step back but hell would freeze over before he would let her go. He kept one arm wrapped around her waist. “Didn’t I tell you to keep your fangs to yourself?”

  “Oh, those weren’t my fangs, querida. Believe me, you’ll know when those come out.” When her eyes widened in what he hoped was curiosity, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He tackled her to the ground with a not-so-graceful thud.

  “Now,” he said, his eyes riveted to her breasts, “you were saying something about wanting me inside you.”

  “No, vampire.” She grabbed onto his head but seemed conflicted about whether she should push him away or pull him closer. He kissed each rosy peak as they hardened under his lips.

  “That’s…not…not…” She gasped when he pulled a nipple fully into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it and she groaned, fisting her hands into his hair.

  One hand moved down between her curls, parting her flesh, finding her folds slick and wet. “Ah, querida, how I’ve wanted to touch you here.”

  Another gasp from her lips almost had him inside her with a brutal push, but he forced himself to wait. Instead he lowered his body to lie next to her on his side. He spread the wetness, keeping her slick as he stroked her, teasing at first, watching her breath quicken as she squirmed under his touch. Her back arched, so feline in its movement, and her eyes fluttered closed. Each stroke elicited a different sound from her parted lips. The feminine gasps and moans made him so hard it hurt. Gods, I could play her like an instrument.

  He lapped at the nearest breast mercilessly while his fingers worked her to a flushed frenzy. When he thought she was ready he slipped one finger towards her entrance.

  Her eyes flew open, her knees clamped together. “No!”

  What is this? A glance at her face and he could see it. Fear. “What is it, querida?”

  She sat up on her elbows. “Nothing. We just can’t…go that far.” She sounded breathless, confused. He didn’t want to make her nervous, not when she was so close.