His eyes held laughter, but they challenged hers as he rocked against her once. Nicholas rolled again, pulling her right along with him. Adjusting her legs so that they straddled his waist, he chuckled dryly, “I have a few things to teach you Witch, before I even begin to work on that mouth of yours.”
Hours later, as the sun caused the shutters to begin to close and he was just tucking her up against him, and pulling the covers up over them. Ella was entirely sated, exhausted, and beyond her dreams happy.
CHAPTER 39
The following weeks passed quickly, the ease that existed between Nicholas and Ella made it simple to settle into routine. Pushing away worries about happenings in the Realm did not require much effort from Ella. She had been living beyond the Realm for so long, most days it was easy to keep it as an afterthought, at least until Dunkirk would arrive. He was a frequent visitor in the early evening, sometimes sharing a meal, often times sequestered in the study with Nicholas passing news of import from the Realm.
Kat had stopped in a few times as well, but only during the daylight hours and never venturing in so as to avoid any potential encounter with Nicholas. Though Ella wished the two could find common ground, there was too much historical conflict to be cured solely by the common affection each had for Ella. He was also still a Dark technically and Kaitriana’s Chosen mission was to eradicate those of that particular ilk. She realized it would take no small amount of time or some other intervention before the two would ever find ease in one another’s presence.
The issue of whether or not they would now, or at any time, return to the Realm had not been raised again. Nicholas avoided the topic of most anything related to the Realm, at least with her. Tonight, as all nights, Ella did not question either male as they exited the study, but rather busied herself with final preparations of the meal that Dunkirk had thoughtfully brought. Smiling warmly at her friend when he ambled into the kitchen, she pulled a pitcher of his favorite ale from the refrigerator. Looking up at him again, she asked, deadpan, “How’s Myrrdyn?”
Dunkirk scowled with his answer, though there was no real upset behind it, “Did I tell you before that we eat those we find the most annoying?”
Ella’s eyes twinkled with merriment before she peered around him in question, “Where is Nicholas?” Dunkirk shrugged and accepted the chilled mug she extended, “He said he needed a few moments to finish something.”
Shrugging it off, she pushed a plate towards him and took the other two in the direction of the door to the porch overlooking the back grounds, “It is such a pleasant night, I thought we might enjoy our meal out here.” She looked back over her shoulder and Dunkirk was already following. He stepped around her and shouldered his way through the door, keeping it open until she moved past.
Smiling her thanks, Ella gave him the once over. Dunkirk did not look like a fierce warrior so much in his casual attire, but his size, wild red hair and beard still made him look a bit savage, “You look well. You are faring okay?” Ella did not want to ask anything explicitly related to the Darks, however, she did worry how Dunkirk was doing now that he did not have Nicholas there with him daily. Knowing that Rhydach was obsessed with finding them, it could not be an easy time for him either.
Dunkirk understood the meaning behind her question, but he answered simply, “Aye.” He reached over and patted her affectionately atop her head after he deposited his mug on the table, “And you look well, Ella. You are recovered? Happy?”
Her beaming expression answered him without words and she was kept from a more involved response when Nicholas stepped onto the porch. His expression was strained, the tension obvious in his shoulders. She caught the quick look between the two males and moved to Nicholas’s side. Rubbing her hand lightly over his chest before leaning up to drop a kiss on his cheek, her expression mirrored her concern at his demeanor, but she kept her tone intentionally light, “You do not mind that we dine out here tonight?” Nicholas shook his head absently, fingers coursing through her hair.
Dunkirk spent the better half of the night entertaining them both with tales related to his youth in the Highlands, and though Nicholas was engaging as always, Ella knew with certainty his mind was not focused on the conversation. The men were both well into their cups by the time that they pushed back from the table.
Nicholas assisted Ella in clearing the dishes, pressing up behind her while she stood at the sink rinsing the plates. Dropping his lips to her ear, he nuzzled there and pulled her back tightly into his body, “Can you entertain yourself for a bit Princess while I discuss a few more matters with Dunkirk?”
Pressing her hands against where his rested on her waist, she nodded, rubbing her head back against his shoulder, “Yes…but, would you tell me if something were wrong, Nicholas?”
He turned her, keeping her trapped between the press of his body and the counter behind. Letting the weight of his hips sink heavily against hers, Nicholas found her mouth. He kissed her, slow and hot, before answering, “If there comes a time when there are matters which are that important, I will let you know, Ella.” He kissed her again and smiled with satisfaction when she nudged her hips up ever so slightly and sighed against his lips.
Dunkirk cleared his throat and Ella jumped. Color flooded her cheeks when she shoved Nicholas away from her. Waving her hand dismissively at them both, she kept her gaze lowered, “I will be fine, go have your talks. I am tired, having some time to relax suits me.”
Nicholas turned to go, a wicked grin on his face. He knew it would make her squirm that Dunkirk was within earshot and enjoyed it, “If you were not so demanding, keeping me up all night begging for more, I am certain you would not feel so tired.” Laughing, he passed through the entryway and heard the thump of the dishcloth hitting the wall. He was lucky the witch had horrible aim.
When Dunkirk finally took his leave in the wee hours of the morn, Nicholas found Ella in the library. Curled into the cushions of the couch, her book had fallen to the floor while she slept. She pushed at his hands as he made to move her, grumbling a bit. He realized she must truly be exhausted when she did not immediately rouse for him. The pallor of her face made him wonder if she were not becoming ill. Her immortal nature made her resistant to many ailments but the Witch were susceptible to certain human infirmities. Now that he lived with one, he would need to be more mindful of it and seeing to Ella’s needs.
Ella had slept through until dusk with him this evening although she was usually up every day for a few hours before he awakened at sunset. He pressed a hand to her forehead and then temple. She had no fever, but he considered that she might still be suffering some lingering effects from her wound.
He eased down next to her on the cushions and pulled her, with only a little groaning protest, into his lap. Ella raised hooded eyes to his. Nicholas could still see the effects of sleep in them. Placing a kiss on her brow, he pushed her head gently to his shoulder. She fought against that, her voice a drowsy whisper after a long yawn, “I want you to love me, Nicholas.”
Nicholas answered plainly, “I do.” Ella gave him a sleepy glare through half-closed eyes. At it, he shook his head and pressed her head once more, firmly, down against his shoulder, “You need rest, Princess.” She started to gripe at him, but he pressed his fingers to her mouth, “Shhh…Witch, behave and do as I say.”
She gave up the fight; he was more stubborn than she when he had his mind set. Ella’s eyes were drifting shut when she felt his lips brushing over her ear, “I will be right here when you waken, you insatiable tart.”
Nicholas waited until she was in a deep sleep once more before shadowing them to the master suite. Leaving her fully clothed, he tucked her beneath the blankets. Her skin was indeed a bit pale, though probably more from the lack of rest the last three weeks - he had kept her awake and pleasurably occupied most nights - rather than actual illness. Her health had been compromised when she had been injured which probably made her less resilient. He would need to watch her closely until he was
certain her recovery was complete. Thoughts of her and the added worry caused by the news from the Realm made it many hours later before he wrapped his arms around her and let sleep take him.
CHAPTER 40
The same pattern repeated over the next three days. Dunkirk met with Nicholas behind closed doors until the wee hours of the morn, leaving Ella to her own devices with the exception of their shared meals. She finally felt well enough to return to her running and made good use of the long evenings to begin working herself back into fighting form. She also used the workouts to alleviate the stress being fostered in her by those long meetings between the two warriors. Ella was growing anxious, as a brooding darkness seemed to descend on Nicholas often after those discussions. When Dunkirk left those nights, instead of leaving her to her sleep, Nicholas had woke her and loved her, almost frantically, until the sun began to climb.
Today Ella had actually woke mid-day and felt amazingly well, deciding to spend the first few hours enjoying time in the sun. Ella had not expected that Kat would actually answer when she dialed her that afternoon. Although not affected by the sun as most Vampire, she did tend to keep her Coven’s hours and often slept her days through with her mate.
Kat appeared shortly after the call, sporting a strappy red two-piece, floppy hat, sunglasses, and toting a lounge chair. After she arranged herself next to Ella on the dock at the lake, Kat gave her full attention over, “What’s up, Red?”
Her friend looked more like an exuberant tourist than the reigning Queen of the Realm. Ella didn’t bother to hide her amusement and gratefully reached for the oversized cup, complete with umbrella and straw that had magically appeared in her friend’s hand. Settling back, she shot a sidelong look to Kat, asking, “If there were happenings in the Realm that I should be aware of, you would tell me, would you not?”
Kat eyed her speculatively for a moment, and then raised a brow, “You are sleeping with the enemy. Can you be trusted?” At Ella’s glare, she relented, “What makes you think anything is amiss? Is Nicholas up to something that I should know?”
Ella’s response was a firm shake of her head and she continued after a long sip of her drink, “No, he has not rejoined with his Dark warriors, but Nicholas has been meeting often with Dunkirk and his mood has been grim.”
Kat gave a noticeable amount of attention to the contents of her cup before providing a thoughtful answer, “I do not believe that either he or Dunkirk are involved in Rhydach’s movements any longer, if that is what you are asking.”
Ella shook her head again, impatient, “That is not what I am asking. I do not believe that Nicholas has any inclination to return to help Rhydach, but there is something that is causing him to behave differently.”
Kat shrugged her shoulders, nonchalantly, “Probably because Rhydach has been so focused on finding the two of you that he is not even taking the time to plot against the Light right now. ‘Mad as hell’ is an understatement, dear.” She smiled brightly then, “Not to worry though, between the magic that Myrrdyn placed here originally and that which I have added, there is no possibility that any of the Dark Witch could locate you through magical means. Only if you or Nicholas somehow expose yourselves will you be found.”
Ella dropped her head back and gulped the rest of her drink before thrusting the cup back in Kat’s direction, “I am going to need another.” The news related by her friend did nothing to ease her tension. Her husband was directing Dunkirk’s actions in the Realm, she was certain. What he was doing and what his intentions were for dealing with the situation, he had obviously decided not to share. That irked her and there was a dose of anger in her tone, “He treats me as though I am some fragile female that needs to be protected. Nicholas forgets that I am a warrior and a damned good one.” Her expression was a mixture of angry displeasure when Kat pushed the second glass back to her.
Kat winked and clinked her glass against Ella’s, “You, my dear, are a Queen.” As much as she did not want to side with her enemy, Kat swallowed her distaste and continued, in an attempt to soothe her friend, “However, you suffered a serious injury and he could have lost you. Nicholas is an arrogant male…a male Vampire, to make matters worse. It is their nature to protect us, guard us. You cannot fault him for being what he is, you can only try to help him understand that you are not helpless.”
Holding her hand up when Ella began to argue, Kat went on, “I am the Chosen and Lorcan still treats me like I might break. He is overprotective, as I believe Nicholas is of you. It does not mean he does not appreciate what you are, it means he values you too much.”
Ella’s mood was not helped by that news, knowing that Nicholas would continue to keep his plans from her in order to try to keep her from harm. She was used to being in control of her own life and she grumbled, “You and Lorcan need to quit dawdling and finish this business with Rhydach.” She looked down into her glass, midway through and then glanced over at Kat, “What is in this, anyway?”
Kat laughed merrily, eyes sparkling, “Good, isn’t it? My own blend of witch brew - a whole lot of deliciousness, coupled with enough alcohol to knock a Viking on his ass.” Ella’s head was already feeling the effects, but by the time Kat packed up to leave, the sun was low in the sky and the two had shared for than ample amounts of the concoction.
Ella dropped all of her sunning gear in the foyer and made her unsteady way up the staircase. She was singularly focused on making certain each foot gained solid hold on a step before venturing to the next. Having made the landing with no mishap, she was careless and tripped when she opened the door to their rooms. Her shoulder took a good knock against the frame of wood, eliciting a curse, but she assumed Nicholas would only just be rousing and might not notice her stumble. Thinking so, she was given a shock, evidenced by her drunkenly dramatic gasp when she straightened to find him standing a foot in front of her. His arms were crossed over his chest, when he questioned dryly, “Walk much, Witch?”
She grinned up at him, laughter bubbling out. Waving off his question, she tossed back her own, “Bite much, Vamp?”
He kept his gazed fixed on her as she precariously made her way across the room, distracted as much by her halting gait as he was the barely-there bikini. Half reclining against the footboard of their bed, he pursed his lips, considering, “Where are you going, Ella?” Given that she’d been heading in the direction of his closet, Nicholas thought it was a fair question.
She glanced back at him, confusion taking her features, “I really do not know.”
Nicholas was at her side before she realized he’d moved, tugging her into the fold of his arms as he made quick work of the strings holding her top, “You, my dear little mate, are schnockered.”
Ella nodded gravely and then ruined it by giggling and pointing to the strings on her hips, “Those come untied too.” She touched the strings meaningfully, looked at him, and then looked back at the strings, “Those…right…there.”
Nicholas pulled her closer, nipping lightly, playfully up her neck, “I know, Witch.”
Ella let out an exaggerated sigh, closing her eyes as she dropped her head back, “You are the most amazingliest, hot, sexy Vampire I have ever known in my whole entire life.”
Raising a brow at that, he smirked. His brilliant witch was making up words and he had little doubt her head would hate her in a few short hours. He pressed his lips to her ear, “Dear, I am the only Vampire you have ever known…at least in the most intimate sense.” She gave him a frown for ruining her point as he continued, “How did you get yourself in this condition?”
Playful, she poked him in the chest, “Mated to a Vamp? I have no idea.” The room tilted when she landed in the center of the bed. Nicholas had tossed her there. Ella eyed him as he stalked her, tossing aside the shirt he had undoubtedly just put on. Laying flat on the bed in surrender, she knew she would not be outmaneuvering him in this condition. Instead, she pointed to the strings at her hips again, cheeky with her reminder, “You forgot about those…”
The low growl rumbled through his chest. His eyes were already blackened and she could make out the tips of his fangs in the dimness of the room, “I did not forget, Princess.” He stood still at the edge of the bed, staring down at her. His sensual smile was accompanied by a husky order, “Untie them.”
Her eyes were beginning to dance with light and a tiny smile played on her lips. She shook her head. Nicholas growled again, his fangs glinting dangerously when he bared them. Leaning over, but still standing, Nicholas supported himself with one hand resting on the bed. The other pushed her thighs apart, allowing his stroking fingertips to roughly explore the material that covered her center. Abruptly, he straightened and ordered again, “Untie them.”
Ella had already started pressing her hips up to meet his touch before he stepped back. She was frustrated that he was going to play this game with her because she was fairly certain, given her lack of sobriety, that she would not prevail. Instead of complaining over his quickly ended teasing, she lifted her arms. Pulling them through her hair before raising them over her head, Ella arched her back slightly off the bed. She could tell by the look in his eyes he was on fire before she challenged him, “No…you do it.”
He resumed the position he had taken moments ago. His female was glorious with her red hair fanning out around her and the fullness of her curves offered up in invitation by the way she was posed on the bed. His fingertips returned to touch teasingly, and Nicholas was unable to control the urge. Brushing aside the scrap of material, he thrust them against her core. Ella was already hot from this little game she was playing with him and he was painfully aroused himself.
He waited until she started working herself in a rhythm against him before he pulled back and stood, crossing his arms over his chest, “Obey me, Witch.”
Forsaken (Ancients of Light #1) Page 28