by Nina, Tara
Curiosity got the best of her, making the temptation too great to resist. She had to know if what she saw was real or a trick. Taking a deep breath, Deveney struggled to still the quake in her gut. Her hand shook as she lifted it to touch the image.
Every ounce of her hungered to stroke its fur, feel its texture between her fingers. Before she made contact, the bear stretched and yawned. Deveney jerked her hand back and touched her fingers to her lips. Should she do this?
What could it hurt to touch a mirror? Certain it was a trick, Deveney reached to trace the outline of the bear. Bright-blue light filled the room. Heat encapsulated her and she thought she heard Maven scream “No!” as stars shot behind her eyes. Though she tried to turn, she couldn’t. The sensation of falling through fire and ice prickled her skin before all went dark and she lost consciousness.
* * * * *
One minute, Tor stood at the ancient Mirror of Azure. The next, he lay on the floor with a woman in his arms. The force at which this woman shot from the mirror knocked him on his butt. Never had such a thing happened to him before. No one ever bested the great Tobjorn Artur in battle, and yet this fragile female managed to topple him to the ground.
He struggled to sit up. She lay sprawled on her side as he gathered her carefully in his arms. How had this happened? Where did she come from? In all his years, he couldn’t remember anyone, much less a woman, being transported through the mirror. Such use was forbidden.
It had to be the work of the magi, Maven. He’d have her head for this.
The feminine creature in his arms stirred. Her scent filled his hypersensitive nose. The fragrance tainted each breath with the ripeness of the mating essence. Tor swallowed hard. This wasn’t good. Obviously, Maven ignored his command and searched for mating material outside their realm.
When she shifted in his lap, he hardened for the first time in years. Apparently his shaft wasn’t dead after all. Tor snorted. But why did it react to her? He knew nothing of her origins.
Thick strands of strawberry-blonde hair were twisted in the fingers of one of his hands. The other, he realized, rested on one of her breasts. Unable to stop, he cupped the mound in his palm. Nice fit, full and plump, perfect for a man to suckle and nip. When he circled the nipple with his thumb, a soft moan escaped from the tender morsel in his arms, making his cock twitch.
Was she awake? He couldn’t tell. Her face lay hidden beneath her hair. The steady rise and fall of her chest hinted she was not. Tempted by her intoxicating womanly scent and the fantastic feel of her bottom pressed against him, he ventured further in his inspection of her body.
Long legs caught his gaze. Her odd-looking clothing was flipped up around her hips, exposing more of her than he knew he should see. The sight of a light-pink material covering her sex made his balls tighten. That wasn’t something the women of his world were known to do. No female hid their sex from their men. It remained uncovered at all times beneath their robes so mating could happen without hindrance. The continuation of their race depended on it.
You’re not her man. You shouldn’t think of sex with this creature, a nagging voice at the base of his brain insisted. He knew he should heed the warning. No matter how much he wanted her, he couldn’t claim this woman as his. One sniff and he knew she was not of his race.
Tor froze when the woman moved. Those gorgeous breasts jutted forward, making his mouth water for a taste. Her long legs brushed enticingly against his and an instant vision of them wrapped around his waist nearly fried his brain. Stretched to her full length, she was no match for his hearty height of near seven feet. For the males of his race, his height was normal. Was her height the average for her people? She seemed petite and fragile lying in his lap.
He knew the moment she became fully awake. She shot upright, flipped over and scooted off his lap, crab-crawling backward until the wall stopped her escape.
Brilliant-blue eyes peered at him from beneath strands of her tangled hair. The breath stilled in his lungs. Pure beauty met his gaze. Those eyes outmatched the azure blue from the mirror. Her mouth looked primed for kissing, making him lick his lips with need.
When her eyes widened, he realized the hem of his mid-thigh-length day robe had risen to his waist in the fall. Since the men of his world wore no undergarments either, he sat exposed for her perusal. Knowing she stared at his cock made it stand proud for her inspection. The sight of her tongue darting across her lower lip nearly melted the last of his resolve. He grappled for the strength not to pounce and claim her.
He knew nothing of this woman. What if she died during the mating ritual? That was something he wasn’t sure he could risk. As the new leader of his world, it was his job to help her, not use her as a science experiment in an effort to find a cure to the curse, which plagued him and his fellow clansmen. Women were scarce and bloodlines were threatened by extinction.
In one swift movement, he leapt to his feet, tugging the hem of his robe down. It didn’t help. The woman had him hard and hungry, making the front of his robe tent. Turning away from her, he grabbed his cloak from the wardrobe and wrapped it around his waist. He knew he looked ridiculous, but it couldn’t be helped.
Tor walked over to the woman and extended his hand. He read the hesitation in her eyes before she conceded and laid her hand in his. Pure heat filtered through their connection, filling every molecule of his being with her essence. He wanted her. He had to have her. But couldn’t.
She was a pleasure he wouldn’t allow himself to partake.
Without warning, she fisted the front of his robe and jerked, causing him to bend at the waist. She stood on tiptoe and captured his mouth in a passion-soaked kiss. Her hand slid under his cloak, slipped up the hem of his robe and cradled his hard-on in her palm, weakening his knees.
He silently prayed to the Goddess Nirvana, the Goddess of strength for his people. This woman was going to kill him.
Deveney’s head swam with confusion. Was she dreaming? A gorgeous man stood before her. Deciding it had to be a dream, she kissed him. Resistance met her lips as she acted on impulse. Solid steel covered in skin soft as silk filled her palm. The healthy cock twitched as she stroked its length and wrapped her fingers around its girth. Deveney hungered to sample the drop of pre-cum that coated her fingertips when she caressed the plump head.
An audible moan rumbled up his throat, across his lips that caressed hers, sending a shiver down her spine. Though his stance was taut, his mouth responded as she plunged her tongue inside for a taste. Pure masculine flavor coated her taste buds, enticing her hunger.
God, this man felt real. Never had she actually tasted his lips or seen his face in her dreams. Even the slick sensation of a drop of his juices on her fingertips seemed real as she caressed the head of his cock. This felt so good she hoped never to awaken from this dream.
When his teeth nipped her lower lip, Deveney’s eyes opened wide. Realization hit her like a cold November wind. Chills skittered along her skin, making her stiffen. She pried her mouth from the wondrous connection with his and stepped backward, dragging the length of his cock in her palm until she reached the end and released it, dropping her hand to her side. Never had she been so bold as to grab a stranger in such a way, nor would she have if she hadn’t thought she was dreaming.
Oh god, this wasn’t a dream. Oh god, she’d just accosted a man.
Deveney darted a quick glance from side to side and realized she had no clue as to where she was or the identity of this man standing a few feet away. What happened? How had she gotten here? And where was here? Her heart pounded and her breathing shifted to shaky gasps. The last thing she remembered…
The mirror… She touched the mirror.
As if guided by some unseen force, Deveney turned to the mirror. The brilliant-blue light faded. Nothing but her reflection appeared when she stepped in front of it. Had it somehow transported her to another place? And if so, where? Did she dare touch it again?
Most of all, did she believe she telepo
rted through space via a mirror? Deveney swallowed hard, trying to tamp down the mounting anxiety clawing at her. A few months ago she didn’t believe she possessed magic. Now she held a tentative control over it.
Anything was possible, she decided.
Her fingers shook as she lifted them to trace the mirror’s edge. Before making contact, a strong grip wrapped around her wrist and words of a strange nature graced her ears.
“Nadda un touke.” The meaning wasn’t lost on her as he reinforced his words by yanking her hand away.
Great, not only had she transported to another place, it turned out to be a foreign-speaking country. Just wonderful. Deveney sighed as she stared at the deepest blue eyes she’d ever seen. How in the hell was she going to get home? The heat of his touch seeped into her skin, sending waves of electrified sparks to pebble her nipples, and she shivered.
The man released her wrist, unwrapped the cloak from around his waist and, faster than she could blink, placed it around her shoulders. He thought she was cold. An unstoppable smile tugged at the corners of her lips. At least he was a gentleman, whoever he was.
“Who are you? Do you speak or at least understand English?” Deveney asked on the slim chance he would understand. The pursed-brow, confused look that greeted her gave her the answer. He didn’t.
Wonderful. She’d fallen into the lap of a gorgeous hunk and neither understood the other’s language. Typical dumb luck. Deveney rolled her shoulders beneath the heavy cloak and tugged the front closed around her. She wasn’t cold but she needed a safe haven and the warmth of the thick velvet seemed to help. Not to mention his scent permeated the garment and filled each breath she took, adding to the unsettled ache of desire that lingered in her core from their kiss.
* * * * *
Tor had no doubts the magi Maven disobeyed his orders. When the strange woman had latched on to his lips, he was lost. Her taste rushed his senses and commanded his blood to pool in his cock, jutting it outward even more. It had been many years since he’d held a woman, much less kissed her lips. Her exotic flavor enticed him to plunder her mouth. Her hand on his cock fueled his desire to mate. Was his body’s reaction to this strange, beautiful creature wrong? Was it selfish to want to live as a man?
With women being scarce, men were in danger of turning Proprius Bestia and being exiled to live in the badlands of Dystopia. The reality of his situation warred with his own needs as he relished a few moments of her touch. If any of the other clan leaders of Eximius Mundus found out about this woman’s presence, it would strain the fragile treaties between them and quite possibly lead to war. As it was he dealt with the problems of possible extinction of their race of Morphionians on a daily basis. The magi overstepped her bounds by sending this woman here. She disobeyed his direct order concerning the Mirror of Azure.
As ruler of Eximius Mundus, first and foremost he needed to configure a strategy for ending the plague of his people. The problem of finding suitable mates for the men in order to prevent them from turning Proprius Bestia lay upon his shoulders, not the magi’s. Her disobedience wouldn’t look good for him in the face of the other clansmen. Tor’s reign was less than a year old and there were those who thought him unfit to lead. If it became known he couldn’t control his own magi… He didn’t want to think on that now. Another issue tortured him.
The thought of turning Proprius Bestia tightened his chest. At the ripe young age of one hundred, if a Morphionian hadn’t found his lifemate, his inner beast took control. Confined to bestia existence drove the mind trapped inside insane. He couldn’t imagine the extent of frustration and pain one went through knowing they’d never be whole again. But he’d witnessed the uncontrollable creature they became. It saddened him to think of the losses of many great men to this curse.
Being six months from the hundred-year mark, Tor debated his stance on the situation. Enjoying the tender caress of her hand from the tip of his cock to the base, he felt his resolve weaken. The cupping of his balls had almost done him in.
No. He shouldn’t enjoy this. Every ounce of him wanted to continue, to take her to his bed and fuck her. His conscience roared. There were many men in great need for a mate and he was supposed to concentrate on finding a way to help them, not gratify his own sexual hunger. Though her touch left his cock hard and every molecule of his being was rankled with unrequited desire, he needed to remain in control, to remain focused on the goal.
He wanted to know who she was, where she came from and why she was here. And most of all, did the magi have a hand in her teleportation? He needed proof in order to confront her. He should’ve known Maven was up to something. For the past couple of months, her presence had been scarce. She only appeared when summoned and on several occasions, she didn’t come in person. She’d manifested herself magically in his office in holographic form. Did that mean she wasn’t even on the Isle of Avalonia?
Tor stared at the beauty in his bedchamber. Fear permeated the air with each inhale she took and washed off her in waves. He watched her back away and her gaze scanned the perimeter in a nervous rush. He knew the moment she realized she was no longer in her own world. Her eyes widened, her heartbeat increased, as did her breathing. His inherent bestia instincts were never wrong. This woman had no idea where she’d landed and he doubted she understood how she got here.
When she’d turned and attempted to touch the mirror, he’d reacted. He couldn’t let her touch it, not without making sure she’d return to her own world. To learn that, he needed to find the magi, but he sensed the old magic woman wasn’t in the palace. Heat filled his palm when he’d clasped her wrist. He read the despair as she stared up at him. Her body’s reaction didn’t go unnoticed and it was all he could do to rein in his desire to sample her hardened nipples with his mouth.
The sight of her shiver slapped his senses and made him aware of her needs over his. In a flash, he wrapped her in his cloak, all the while wishing it were his arms and his body giving her warmth. The language she spoke he did not understand. Never had he heard the likes. It didn’t match any of the native tongues of his clans.
He needed the Amulet of Perception. Would she wait quietly while he retrieved it from the magi’s chambers beneath the palace? This was a risk he wasn’t sure he should take, but knew no other way to communicate with a foreigner. Before she reacted, he led her to the chair at his desk and motioned for her to sit. Not knowing what else to do to get her to understand, he placed a finger to his lip and shook his head to emphasize his meaning. The woman stood when he reached the door. Tor spun to face her with both hands held in a stop position in front of him, his brows pursed in an angry face, and shook his head again. She sat. He turned, scooted out the door and then locked her in.
Being of the Bear clan, he was master of his race and ruler of his world. What would his people think if they knew the magi defied his wishes? Proof sat in his room. All it would take was for one person to let it leak and the situation would escalate. Would he be able to control it before it became a full-scale civil war?
Determined not to let it come to that, Tor made a quick decision. Her existence would be kept a secret until he found the magi and made her return the being to her own world. When that would be, he had no idea. For now, she’d have to remain his secret prisoner.
Chapter Three
Deveney watched the door close and heard the latch click. Locked in. Why? What had she done? Was she that bad of a kisser? Maybe her kissing had nothing to do with it. What if she hadn’t fallen through the mirror as she thought? Maybe he was a robber who broke into the shop, snuck up behind her while she looked at the mirror, conked her on the head, and took her captive. Questions tumbled through her brain one right after the other until she clasped the sides of her head and massaged her throbbing temples. Be realistic, she chided herself. What was real and what wasn’t? Control that imagination and think this through.
“Deveney.”
She shot upright. Fear stiffened her spine. Had she imagined Maven’s vo
ice? Or was there someone else in the room? Before she could take a look around, the whisper repeated in a hurried, desperate tone. Her focus narrowed on the mirror.
“Deveney, come to the mirror.”
She knew she heard it. In three large strides, she stopped in front of the mirror. Maven stood looking out at her. A blue glow emanated from the glass, shadowing the older woman’s petite frame.
“Is he gone?” Maven whispered as she strained to see into the room past Deveney.
“If you mean the gorgeous hunk, yes. He left but not before he locked me in here. And by the way,” Deveney asked, “where is here? How did I get here and how do I get back home?”
“First things first,” Maven replied. “You must keep your voice down. I’m sure he locked you in to keep the others from finding you.”
“You mean there’s more like him?” Deveney lowered her voice. A picture of a world full of men with phenomenal physiques, handsome faces and healthy-sized cocks flashed inside her head. If that was the case, this place held tremendous possibilities.
But there still was that little problem of her magic preventing her from losing her virginity. Deveney chewed her lower lip. That put a damper on staying and being disappointed by her inabilities at sex, especially with that big blond hunk around. Thinking about him made her tug the cloak tighter around her shoulders and wish things were different.
“There are others, yes. But you were meant for one. I sensed it when I first met you. Now listen, we don’t have much time before he returns.” Maven paused, glanced around and then continued. “You are in my home called the Isle of Avalonia, which is located in another universe called Eximius Mundus. It is a place of magic and mysteries the likes of which you’ve never experienced. Look, listen and learn the ways of the people. It is in your best interest to open your mind and believe the unbelievable. Your world tainted your intellect. Magic runs through your veins. Use what I’ve taught you. Your survival depends on it. And no matter what Tor says, do not touch the animal carved on the mirror that transported you.”