The Lost and the Chosen (The Lost Sentinel Book 1)

by Ivy Asher

  “Then why aren’t you?” I ask wantonly.

  In the next breath, he gives me exactly what I want, and I finally feel his mouth against mine. I sneak my hands under the hem of his shirt and run them up his sides. He guides my head back with his hands and deepens the kiss.

  His tongue guides mine expertly, fusing us together and coaxing my soul out to dance with his. I swallow his moan when I bring my hands to his chest and run my fingers over his hard nipples. Ryker sucks on my bottom lip flicking it with his tongue, and it sends bolts of yearning straight between my thighs.

  He takes hold of my top lip and then returns to my bottom lip, the tips of our tongues teasing and testing, before he breaks away. Ryker tilts my face to the side to give himself better access to my neck. He starts a trail of kisses and gentle nips, from the lobe of my ear to the runes on my shoulder.

  He lightly runs his tongue over my runes, and I moan at the sensation it creates. I’m so wet it’s probably visible through my dark shorts, but his tongue on my runes has my magic reacting in that strange way that happens whenever I get intimate with any of them.

  Ryker runs the tip of his nose up the side of my neck.

  “I just wanted a kiss, but now I don’t want to stop."

  He nips my earlobe and then sucks where it connects to my neck. I moan again, and he moves his hands under the hem of my shirt caressing up my back. He brings his face in front of mine, and I lean in for another kiss.

  “No one’s asking you to stop," I surprise myself by saying.

  I feel his smile against my mouth, and it coaxes the corners of mine up too. He steps back from me, doing the exact opposite of what his words and eyes are telling me he wants to do. His strong hands and arms leave my skin, and I groan at the loss.

  “Don’t tempt me more than you already are, Vinna,” he chuckles.

  “Why not?” I whine.

  Ryker laughs and threads his fingers with mine. He pulls me from the edge of the pool table, and I look back, surprised that I haven’t left a puddle behind. I climb achingly up the stairs and find the other guys waiting for us.

  No one, including Sabin, says anything. Bastien gives me a quick wink, and that’s the only acknowledgment I get from any of them about what Ryker and I were obviously doing downstairs. Their lack of reaction feels natural and complicated all at the same time.

  28

  We all dig in to another incredible meal from one of the sisters, and when I’m done, I check if the coast is clear and dash into the kitchen. I manage to booty bump Lila out of my way and make it to the sink.

  I can only manage to turn the water on before Lila starts to tickle me. I screech and try to scramble away, and Lila easily plucks my dishes from my laugh-weakened hands. She’s already scrubbing them before I can get a hold of myself to retaliate.

  “This isn’t over Lila. Your washing days are numbered,” I declare with exaggerated authority.

  She giggles and blows soap suds in my direction. I glare at her trying not to smile, and I turn around to find the guys smiling and laughing at me.

  “What was that about?” Bastien asks me through his laughter.

  “They won’t let me wash my own dishes,” I tell him incredulously. “That’s me battling for my right.” I raise my voice making sure Lila can hear me over the running water. She giggles.

  “That was hilarious,” Knox declares breaking into a fit of laughter.

  “I never thought I’d see Vinna bested, but alas, the day has arrived," Sabin winks at me, passing me and handing Lila his plate. He gives her a quick peck on the cheek and thanks her for dinner.

  “Ah, so food is the key to your affection,” I tease him, and he shakes his head at me chuckling.

  All the guys line up and hand their plates to Lila, like good little boys. She even shoots me a look that says, see that wasn’t so hard now was it?

  To which I reply, “You’re all sheep. Will none of you join my revolution?” I’m trying to channel my inner Braveheart, but I sound more drunk Jamaican than Scottish. The guys roar with laughter, and I concede my loss. Valen throws me over his shoulder and starts to take me back downstairs.

  I lean up on his back and yell, “You haven’t seen the last of me, Lila,” and proceed to cackle an evil laugh that would make the wickedest of TV villains proud. A slap to my butt turns my evil cackle into a startled squeak, and that sets the guys off even more. They’re bent over and crying with laughter. Even Sabin’s cracking up and that’s saying a lot.

  I hang over Valen’s shoulder, happy to pretend I’m the sack of potatoes he’s carrying me like. He makes his way to the theater room then pulls me from his shoulder and sets me back on my feet.

  I take a minute to let all the blood rush from my head back into the rest of my body and then race Valen to my spot. He muscles ahead—damn shorter legs--so I leap at him spider monkey style trying to keep him from winning.

  We both fall back into the spot at the same time, and Valen isn’t the slightest bit phased by my efforts to push him out of the corner. He simply repositions me against him, the way I was when we woke up from our first movie night.

  This time I’m not as confused or hesitant, and I make myself comfortable against him shoving my hand up his shirt and resting it against his warm chest. He doesn’t seem to mind and grabs my knee pulling it up, and over his hips. He leaves his hand tucked in the crook of my knee and the other rubs small circles over my lower back.

  The other guys chuckle at our antics and settle in. Sabin puts on a movie, and I can’t help but sneak glances around the room at the others. I wonder what they think about all of this. I kissed Bastien and Ryker less than twenty-four hours apart. Now I’m sprawled across Valen like it’s no big deal, thinking about how I’d like to make out with him.

  I know this is how things are supposed to work for casters, but how is none of this weird for them? Better yet, why is this not weirder for me? Maybe Mave was right, and I am a closet freak. The fact that my libido currently has her engines shamelessly set to full steam ahead does support that theory.

  So far I’m only kissing these guys, but what happens when it goes beyond that--which if I’m being honest could be any moment now, with the way these boys kiss and how incredibly attracted I am to them. If I decide to have sex with one, will it piss off the others?

  What if I have sex with one before I even kissed all the others? Do they talk to each other about this stuff? Fuck. Does it bother Ryker that I made out with him earlier, but now I’m cuddled up with Valen and not him?

  I glance over at Ryker, but he’s focused on the screen. My quick peek causes me to rub my cheek against Valen’s chest lightly, and he kisses the top of my head. I’m not focused on whatever movie is playing, but it must be funny because Valen’s vibrating with laughter.

  An endless amount of questions rapidly fire through my gray matter, but the vibrations of Valen’s laughter and his hands sliding through my hair are enough to quiet my frenzied thoughts and before I know it I’m soothed to sleep.

  Soft lips on my forehead rouse me from my sleep. The soft, steady touch of fingertips across the runes on the back of my thigh turns me on, and my magic starts to wake up alongside me. There must be something with these guys touching my runes; I ponder sleepily.

  That’d be the only thing that would explain the magical current and heat I suddenly feel building in my chest. It happens every time I’m intimate with these guys, and the only overlap is them touching or kissing my runes.

  An intense crackle of magic moves over my skin, and I sit up quickly and scramble off of Valen.

  “Vinna, it’s just me," Valen tries to comfort, but another crackle of magic lights up my skin, and I look at him with panic in my eyes. He reaches for me concerned, and I scramble even further away.

  “Vinna it’s okay you’re safe," he reassures me.

  “I know it’s you, that’s not the problem. I just don’t know what the fuck is going on with my magic.”

  A huge pink c
rackle of magic moves up my arms, and I freak out. I barely hear Valen’s whisper of “holy shit” before I’m sprinting out of the theater room and up to my room as fast as my legs will carry me. The more distance I put between us, the more the pressure in my chest decreases.

  I make it up to my room and throw the door open. I take deep breaths to try and calm my magic down. I hear Valen’s footsteps just slightly over the pulse in my ears. I turn to shut my door, so that I can lock him out, but I’m too late. The door latch clicks shut behind him, and he walks tentatively towards me.

  “Valen please,” I plead. “I don’t know what’s going on.” I put my arms up begging him with my words and body language, not to come any closer.

  “Vinna it’s okay, I’m trying to help you. You just need to ground your magic."

  He steps closer despite my protests, and another crackle of magic blinks up my body, lighting up the darkness in my room.

  “You’re like a living plasma ball," Valen comments absently, as he watches magic flicker and flash across my skin like lightning.

  Valen’s comment pulls me from my panic, and I almost chuckle. I do look like a plasma ball.

  “This won’t hurt me Vinna, it’s okay," he assures me.

  He runs his fingers through my hair and grips my nape. When his hand lands on the two lines of runes on the back of my neck, a rush of magic moves from me to him. I gasp at the feeling and the flashes of pink and orange magic that are streaking across my skin morph into a deep purple.

  Whoa, my magic’s never been purple before. I stare transfixed as the violet streaks flicker up Valen’s arms and then sink into his skin. He closes his eyes and releases a deep moan.

  “It’s hurting you," I accuse, and try to step out of his grasp.

  Valen opens his eyes and pulls me even closer. “It doesn’t hurt, it feels fucking amazing.”

  I barely have time to think what the hell, before Valen runs his fingers down the runes on the back of my neck. His touch sends a jolt of sensation and magic through me, and it snaps powerfully to my center. I moan and suddenly feel like I’m on the verge of an orgasm.

  “See, it doesn’t hurt."

  “Are you grounding it? Will this stop soon?” I ask, feeling a lot less panicked and a lot more turned on.

  “I can’t ground it. It’s not an overload of magic. It’s something else… your magic is doing something to mine," Valen confesses, and another erotic moan escapes his lips.

  “That doesn’t sound good!” I squeak at him, but he laughs quietly.

  “Ignore whatever it sounds like because it feels fucking incredible.”

  His gaze traps mine, and he leans down. He waits a hair’s breadth away from me, silently asking me if what he’s doing is okay. I close the distance, and he hungrily kisses me. His lips on mine send another jolt of magic from me to him, and we both moan at the ecstasy it evokes.

  It’s like I can feel him everywhere, his tongue against mine, his mouth, his body. I can’t feel where he begins, and I end. His kisses possess me, demanding ownership of my mouth and body and I gladly give it over to him. His lips break away from mine for less than a second, as I tug his shirt over his head. As soon as he’s clear of it, his lips crash back down to mine where they belong.

  Valen nips at my bottom lip, and I moan into his mouth. I run my hands over the muscles of his arms and chest, everything defined and stone like under his soft golden skin. He feels incredible...he feels...like he’s mine.

  I pause at the intense possession that’s coursing through me, but Valen’s hands slowly pull up the hem of my shirt, and suddenly that’s all I can focus on. I reach down to help him pull it off. My hair cascades down my naked back and Valen closes his eyes when he feels my bare breasts against his chest.

  He kisses me again, and we move entangled to my bed. I scoot back to the center of the bed and streaks of moonlight shine through the windows to caress my skin. Valen takes in a deep breath and pauses to take me in.

  “By the moon, you’re gorgeous.”

  Valen’s eyes are filled with worship and hunger. He climbs over me, and I spread my legs in invitation. He settles his hips against mine and kisses me slowly and passionately. I can still taste his frenzied want, but this focused intensity is everything right now. He runs a hand up my side, and his thumb gently caresses the side of my breast.

  His lips pull away from mine and move down my neck. His tongue finds the runes on my shoulder, and a new surge of magic jumps in from me to him. I’m gasping and grinding my hips against him wanting more.

  He sucks my aching nipple into his mouth and flicks his tongue against its hardness. I whimper and arch my back involuntarily, as my body responds shamelessly, demanding more. Valen’s mouth draws out the most incredible sensations, and he moves from one nipple to the other.

  My fingers are tangled in his long, dark chocolate brown curls, and I tug lightly as I grind my clit against his hard-on. Valen releases my nipple with a final flick of his tongue and brings that incredible mouth back to mine. I mewl with need, but I pull his face away from mine.

  “Valen you have no idea how much I hate saying this, but we can’t have sex tonight.”

  I prepare to explain that all of us need to talk and discuss a lot of things before any of us take that step, but he makes the need to justify myself unnecessary.

  “No sex, got it. Can I do other things?”

  His quick acquiescence makes me smile. “What other things did you have in mind?”

  He absently runs the back of his fingers over a firm nipple, and I arch my back into his hands. His sexy smile steals my breath and almost steals my no sex resolve.

  “Can I taste you?”

  I picture his head between my thighs, his lips wrapped around my clit, and the image itself almost makes me come.

  “If we did that then I don’t think I’d want to stop," I admit.

  “Hands only? How do you feel about that?”

  I reach down and unfasten the top button of his jeans.

  “I feel good about hands," I tell him, and I glide the zipper down.

  Valen slides down my body to kick off his jeans. He snakes his thumbs into the waistband of my shorts and pulls them down. I lean up on my elbows and unabashedly drool over how incredibly stunning he is in his boxer briefs, his cock bursting to escape the confines of the fitted cotton.

  He sexily climbs back over me, and I eat up every inch of him with my eyes. Instead of settling back between my thighs, he lays on his side next to me. He claims my lips in another mind-altering kiss and pinches my nipples between his fingers. I cry out in pleasure and purple magic sparks all over both of us.

  Valen moves his hand maddeningly slow from my breasts, down my stomach and over the outside of my underwear.

  “You’re soaked," he groans against my lips.

  He watches me brazenly, as he slides his fingers inside my underwear and rubs a quick circle around my clit. I close my eyes and arch into him, reveling in the sensation. He moves his fingers down and separates my folds where he rubs and plays with the wetness there.

  He dips his fingers slightly inside of me giving me just a taste of what it would feel like to be filled by more. He watches me start to come undone, and I reach into the band of his boxer briefs and take hold of him. It’s my turn to watch his reaction as I touch and explore.

  My fingers almost come together around him, but they don’t connect as I stroke up his shaft in search of his tip. Precum drips against my palm, and I feel the accumulation of it in the wet fabric of his underwear. I fucking love knowing that he’s dripping because of me.

  Valen pulls my wetness over my clit and starts to massage it all around. I mewl and rock my hips against his finger, as I tighten my hold on him and stroke down his shaft. We both watch the pleasure the other feels, as strikes of magic flit all over our almost naked bodies. The pressure of my magic builds, alongside the pressure of the impending orgasm Valen is coaxing from my body.

  He dips his fin
gers back inside of me, going deeper this time and begins to gently stroke in and out of me. His thumb rubs against my clit simultaneously, moving faster and faster, and an orgasm tears through me. A pulse of purple magic ripples out of me and slams into Valen and then out of the room.

  The flow of magic out of me extends my orgasm and makes it more intense than anything I’ve ever felt. As my magic flows through Valen, he grinds into my grip and swells in my hand.

  He pulls away from our kiss crashing his face into my hair as he thrusts into my hand and shouts out his release. The French doors in my room vibrate slightly from the pressure of my surging magic, and we both pant and groan as we ride out our orgasms.

  Valen’s fingers are still inside me as my body starts to come down from the rapture of everything that just happened. He withdraws them slowly and the aftershocks of his touch twitch and quake through me. We both lay back floating in bliss and trading compliments until Valen leans over and steals a quick kiss.

  “I’m going to get cleaned up and be right back.”

  I peck him again and watch him scoop up his clothes and tiptoe out of my room, closing the door behind him. Man, orgasms are way better when someone else is giving them to you. I lay for a little longer smiling and feeling blissed out before I finally move to the bathroom. I clean up, change my underwear, and slip on a tank top.

  I flick off the light and walk into the moonlight soaked bedroom, where I find Valen already snuggled under my covers. I get into bed and crawl over him purposefully clumsy. We both laugh, and I snuggle into my pillow. Valen pulls my back against his chest and kisses my shoulder and then my neck. We both simultaneously let out a satisfied sigh and then crack up at the synchronicity of it. Valen squeezes me tightly against him, and I succumb quickly and happily to the call of my dreams.

  29

  Searing pain pulls me from peaceful oblivion. It steals my breath, and I clench my jaw against the strangled scream that rises in my throat. I don’t panic, this brutal pain and I have met before, and I know it will stop, as quickly and mysteriously as it started.