Chosen Destiny (30 page)

felt the warmth of his palm through her pants as his hand cupped her pussy. In spite of

her grip, she couldn’t stop him. He didn’t seem to even feel her nails. A finger pressed

between the plump lips of her labia. Cloth rubbed against her clit as his finger moved

slowly back and forth. The slight friction of fabric added an extra layer of sensation to

the mix. At the first stroke, she could feel sensation curling low in her belly. Just playing

and teasing had heightened her awareness, now excitement began pulsing through her.

She tried to push it down and control it. The last thing she wanted was to feel the burn

of desire when she knew he’d leave her hanging.

Jaeson’s finger circled her clit. Her hips began to rock into his hand. Samiel’s fingers

cupped her chin, tipping her face up to his. His face seemed drawn tight and his eyes

glowed with hunger. His lips brushed over hers. The contact was brief and light and left

her wanting more. She groaned and reached for him. She let go of Jaeson’s arm. Her

hold wasn’t making any difference anyway. Her hand slid beneath Samiel’s golden hair

and cupped the back of his neck. She wanted him close again. He didn’t resist as she

pulled him closer.

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Samiel’s mouth opened beneath hers. She wanted—expected—him to kiss her, to

feel his lips close over hers in a fierce kiss. She liked the way his mouth claimed and

possessed. His mouth moved softly against hers. Soft wasn’t what she wanted. She

nipped his lip. Her tongue lapped at his lips just once before driving deep into his

mouth. She felt his laughter and then his tongue stroked into her mouth. She moaned.

Her hips rocked into Jaeson’s hand. His fingers stroked over her clit. His teeth scraped

over her neck. The feeling low in her gut tightened. It felt so good. Her eyes drifted

down. She was close to coming, just a few more strokes. She pushed into his fingers.

Jaeson pulled his hand back. Her eyelids snapped open. She ached. She tore her mouth

away from Samiel and drew in a gasping breath.

“I think that’s fair. Now you feel just as much as I do.” Jaeson’s hand slid up her

stomach.

“You are just so wrong. I don’t like you much. You know that, don’t you?” She

stood stiffly in between them. Frustrated, her mood soured, she gripped Samiel’s shirt.

Just a few moments alone, that’s all she needed, but knew there wasn’t time. They had

to go back to the town.

“You don’t like me now. You will when I have a chance to finish what we started

later.” Jaeson’s tongue slowly lapped at the skin above the pulse at her neck.

“I don’t need you to finish what you started. I can do that myself or I’m sure Samiel

would volunteer. You shouldn’t have teased.” She winked at Samiel. “Now take us

back to the inn so we can get the details of the plan worked out.”

“Don’t laugh at and tease a vampire. We bite back.” Jaeson didn’t sound too

concerned over her anger. “Are you going to try to hold a grudge? You know, you

never stay angry long.”

“I don’t think you’ve known me long enough to say I never stay mad long.” She

looked back over her shoulder and arched a brow.

He was so arrogant. And he was right, probably. She didn’t think she’d be able to

stay mad with him very long. There wasn’t anything that would induce her to tell him

that now though. He was already overconfident. She wasn’t going to encourage it.

“She’s right we need to get back and secure a room so we can talk undisturbed. You

two can finish your argument after we get some work done.” Samiel’s arms tightened,

pulling Jaeson closer. “To the inn.”

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Jaeson looked over at Meagan. She was nervous. He could tell by the way her eyes

continuously looked around the area. She expected trouble immediately and had said

so before they’d left the lair just before dawn. She looked ready for battle and absolutely

grim. Dressed in tan clothing from head to toe, she appeared ready to fight, but

wouldn’t blend in too much against the rocks and trees. They wanted to be seen. Jaeson

had been tempted to wear white, but had settled on all brown. Samiel was in black, but

then again the dragon did like to stand out.

The planning had gone long into the night and it hadn’t been easy to decide who’d

go after the actual generator piece because everyone wanted to be part of both groups.

No one wanted to miss confronting the Dark Sorceress, but getting that artifact to safety

was important too. In the end, Lassan and Gaellon had gone. Danan and Grae as well as

Maxim and Jadin had come to bait the witch into believing that she was getting the

actual generator part. Otherwise if the Dark Sorceress actually tried what they expected,

the situation could end with someone dying.

The mountain loomed over them, casting them in darkness even though the sun

had risen. They were near its base on the north side while Lassan and Gaellon did their

duty to the west. He knew that nothing he could say would reassure her. Only when

this actually worked would she relax. Then they’d have to find a way to discover what

it was the Dark Sorceress wanted from those pieces. It obviously wasn’t a generator. If it

had been, she’d have stopped once the first piece was lost. There had to be something

she’d be able to do with only one part. Jaeson abruptly pushed the thought aside as

Meagan moved to the dark entrance of the cave they’d chosen. According to Meagan, it

had a few carved rooms in it. She didn’t know what they’d been used for in the past,

but had said they could have passages or hiding places.

Meagan tossed a ball of light into the air and led the way. Jaeson stepped into the

cave just behind her. He heard Samiel’s firm tread a step behind him. Meagan led the

way down the tunnel. She bypassed several connecting tunnels, leading them deeper

beneath the mountain. Finally, she turned to the right and led them into a room full of

carved statues and detailed murals on the wall. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have

thought this would be an ideal spot to hide the second generator piece. He grabbed

Meagan’s hand and drew her to the side of the room. He pulled her into his arms. She

leaned back and raised a brow at him. He suspected she thought she looked imperious

or demanding but to him she just looked as if she needed to be kissed into a better

mood. He was tempted, but they wouldn’t be here long enough to satisfy either of

them. Beside that she was just getting over being mad at him for teasing her last night.

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“Samiel doesn’t need that much room.” She shook her head and tried to turn out of

his arms.

He flattened his palm on her butt and held her in place. She felt too good to let go

just yet. After wriggling a little more, she settled for shooting him a hot glare and an

irritated huff.

“I’ll use any excuse to hold you. Now be still before you make simply holding you

even more difficult than it is. It won’t take him long to create the piece.” Jaeson rocked

his hips to give her a better feel of his hardening cock.

He wanted to push her up against the wall and make her as hot as he was. No play,

no teasing, just the feel of her body against his and how his body had hardened. His

cock throbbed, a low ache beginning to build. He didn’t know if he liked the fact that

she had such a strong effect on him.

“If it’s so difficult, then why don’t you let me go? As you say, we won’t be here

long.” Laughter lurked in her husky tone although she kept her eyes fixed at some

point on his chest, so he couldn’t see her expression.

“I like holding you too much.” Jaeson stroked his hand up her back as he watched

Samiel create a very good copy of one of the generators.

They weren’t afraid that the Dark Sorceress, or the Dark Sorcerer if he showed,

would notice the newness of the magic. The only thing that caused Jaeson any worries

was convincing the Dark Sorceress that they didn’t want to give the generator up, but

would do it to protect someone’s life. It was a risky game they were playing, but

without knowing what the Dark Sorceress and her ally were after they couldn’t let the

generators fall into their hands. They wouldn’t give their enemy any kind of weapon.

The Dark Sorcerer and Doria were already formidable enough.

“I like being with you too, but we should be focusing on the coming confrontation.

We have to control it as much as possible.” Meagan’s arms slipped around him. Her

head rested against his chest. He could feel the tension in her body.

“We’ve done as much as we can. Now we have to see if the Dark Sorceress takes the

bait. She might not be watching as we suspect.” Jaeson dropped a kiss on her head.

He hoped that they’d guessed right, but in the end it all came down to chance. If

they were lucky, the Dark Sorceress would come to them. He knew she hadn’t gone

after Lassan and Gaellon. The two men already had the real generator out of the

mountain. Lassan had contacted him when he was sure they were safe.

“If you two are finished chatting and cuddling, I’m finished and we need to get this

out to the others.” Samiel’s dry voice cut into Jaeson’s thoughts.

He felt Meagan stiffen and shot a glare at the dragon. Samiel was right, but Jaeson

didn’t have to like it. He slowly let his hands slide down to her buttocks. With a last

squeeze of the deliciously rounded curve, he released her. She stood on her tiptoes and

brushed her lips across his. He immediately wanted to grab her again and pull her close

for a real kiss. Hell, that quick caress was only a tease. He leaned toward her.

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“No Jaeson, we don’t have time. I told you we’d both want more.” Meagan danced

back before he could get his hands on her. She smiled smugly and strode over to look at

the generator piece.

She walked around the thing, her head titling to the side as she stared at it. He

wanted to wipe that smirk off her face with a hot kiss and a long, slow fuck. He took a

long step forward. Samiel stepped in front of him, blocking his view of the taunting

witch. She’d been swinging her hips deliberately. She normally didn’t walk with that

extra sway.

“No.” Samiel folded his arms across his broad chest and looked as though it would

take at least three men to move him.

Jaeson felt like growling. If he could have done it as impressively as Samiel did, he

would have. “Why do both of you think you can get away with telling me what to do?”

“Right now, because you know we don’t have time for what you want to do.”

Samiel grinned.

Jaeson didn’t like it, but the dragon was right. They had to get the piece out into the

open and see if the Dark Sorceress was going to attack. He sighed and relaxed. He’d

have to wait, but he knew he’d get his hands on her soon. He’d enjoy turning the tables

on her.

“This looks good. Now we need to get it outside and make it look like we’re ready

to leave with it.” Meagan sounded cheerful and too damned innocent.

“Of course it looks good. Don’t try baiting me, little witch.” Samiel’s tone may have

been gruff, but his smile was all teasing warmth.

Meagan laughed. “It was supposed to be a compliment. I didn’t know it was a

given that you’d do a fabulous job.”

Jaeson felt his lips twitch. He couldn’t resist poking a little at the dragon’s ego,

especially since Samiel had been so eager to stop his fun.

“That’s the way it is with our big dragon. You should always expect him to do a

perfect job unless he makes a mistake.” Jaeson walked over and threw an arm over

Samiel’s shoulder.

Samiel humphed, shot Jaeson a disgruntled look and walked over to the generator.

His hand moved and the created piece rose off the floor. Samiel could have easily lifted

it himself, but most people would expect it to float out the entrance. Samiel walked out

of the room and the generator piece floated after him. Jaeson waited until Meagan

stepped into the tunnel and then followed. They strode into the slowly lightening day.

Jaeson looked around the area. There was a heaviness in the air and it wasn’t an

approaching storm.

The Dark Sorceress was here. Even though he couldn’t feel any magic, he knew that

she or the Dark Sorcerer had come to claim the piece of the generator. His muscles

tensed and his pulse began to race. He didn’t let his awareness show. They had to seem

surprised when the woman made her presence known. He didn’t say anything to

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Meagan or Samiel. They’d find out soon enough. The Dark Sorceress wouldn’t chance

them leaving with it.

“Everyone ready to go?” Meagan asked, her eyes surveying the group around her.

She seemed relaxed and cheerful. “We’ve gotten what we came for.”

“Meagan!” The female voice echoed in the valley between the mountains.

Meagan’s head snapped up. He saw her looking around the area because there was

no way to tell which direction it came from. He turned slowly, looking into the trees. He

finally saw a man and a woman standing near a large boulder. The woman he