Marked For Magic (26 page)

No longer fed by the will of evil, the flames dimmed from the scorch of blue to yellow. The fragment of time and place the creature had created spun into the pale funnel of their power.

Thabit held her secure while the torrent of light spilled from her body. A starry white beam shot from her raised fingertips and pointed above. Up and up, the whirlwind dragged everything around them. Even the sullen violet sky leached into the pale, spinning cone.

The starless black void surrounded them. The creature’s shrieks became distant. Shaking with the violence of the radiance torn from her, she clung to Thabit’s sword belt.

“Not everything, or we will end up with it.”
Thabit warned.

She fought to rein in the incredible power whipping through her and around them. They both balanced on tiptoe now. A tiny patch of the cold cinder path remained.

One last pitiful shriek of the demon echoed a second before the air stilled.

Her only awareness was Thabit’s arms clasped about her.

“Home, my love.”

The darkness shivered, her fingers slipped from his belt, and she tumbled down spinning.

As though yanked by a fierce cord, Nin shot back into her body. A second of peace. Their ritual had protected her so the painful burns were left behind, but the physical sensation between her spread thighs came crashing back. Thabit took a deep breath above her. He too, had returned. When he withdrew, a fiery heat roared inside her sex to wake all her senses. “Gods!”

“My love?” He moved beside her, lifted her from the blanket and cradled her into his embrace. “You have paid the price for us all, and never will I forget.” He kissed her brow.

She touched her hair and curled a long strand around her fingers. The recollection of the moment when they had all sparked to fire returned, but he shook his head. “No, do not remember.”

She nodded. It was best to let go. What had happened in the strange other world could not touch her here. Their shared power protected her physical body in the present. Only the recollections could hurt her if she allowed them to linger in her thoughts, and there was no need to think on them.

The flame was out and their work done. They would never need to return. An ache in the pit of her stomach blossomed, and she hunched over in his embrace.

“I’ll get you a cup of wine. After you have drunk, we can sleep. Say you’ll forgive me, please?”

She nodded unable to do more.

The power they had generated had been necessary even if painful for her in its creation. He settled her on the white blanket. The huge room was silent. The others must have gone hours ago. The fire had burned down low.

She glanced at the window. Telltale smudges of dawn touched the horizon beyond the snowy field and the lake.

He returned with a goblet and handed it to her. “Will you ever be able to trust me again?”

She laughed, for she had given him everything it was possible to give. “Do you think I will trust you less now?”

Cassandra had warned her how things could be. The journey had been worse than she had imagined, but by joining with Thabit and defeating the evil creature, she had taken on the fullest of her powers. At present, the change felt an uncomfortable fit, but she would recover. Silent while her understanding grew, she sipped the wine, and only then did she reach over and kiss him.

“Who but you could have taken me there? No other would have faced the demon with me. I love you and this…” She brushed at the smear of blood on her thigh. “This will wash away.”

He took the cup from her, captured her face in his hands, and kissed her until the room spun around her.

“Stay here while I end the ritual.” He moved from candle to candle, murmuring words of thanks for protection and the gifts of the gods. The room grew dim and gray when the candles snuffed out.

He rejoined her and caught her chin gently in his hand. “I am taking you to bed. We will sleep, and when we wake, we shall tell them the tale. I have several herbals to help if pain or recollections bother you.”
He wrapped the robe about her and draped his own about himself.

“Bed with you?”

“Yes, do you think I would allow you out of my sight, out of my embrace ever, if I had a choice? We have waited long enough.” He lifted her up in his arms.

A rush of pleasure surged through her, exhausted and pained though she was. “You promise?”

“I swear you will be mine for as long as you wish to be. I will be yours until the stars are gone.”

One or two sleepy guards roused, but did not speak as he carried her through the corridors.

“Thabit?” She yawned. The door to the tower chamber opened at his silent command.

“Later, my love.”

Wine and biscuits lay on a tray, a massive white candle had burned half way through, and the fire in the hearth smoldered low. He settled her on the bed. “More wine, it’s an order, and after you will sleep.”

She sipped from the cup he gave her and tasted the herbs that Cassandra must have added to the wine. When the cup was empty, he took it from her, set it down, and lay beside her. He wound his arms around her and his love cocooned her in its warmth.

“Sleep now.”
His thought once more tipped sleep into her, and she knew no more.

* * * *

The sound of running water woke her.

“It’s all right, go back to sleep. I’ll wake you in a little while,” he whispered, his breath warm by her ear.

She didn’t open her eyes, but rolled over to doze. Low sounds in the room filtered to her through the bed curtains. Only when the noise ceased, and she drifted toward full wakefulness, did Thabit pull back the curtains.

“It’s time to bathe and to feed you breakfast.” He lifted her out of the bed and pulled the tangle of the robe from her. The silky fabric gone, he placed her in a huge, brass tub full of warm water.

She relaxed and stretched out her toes toward the other end but couldn’t reach. The warmth from the water soothed. She opened her eyes in surprise when he climbed in, too.

“Sit up, Sparrow, here is wine to drink.”

Warm water cascaded from her hair as she struggled to sit, and he passed her a cup. She sipped the sweetened wine, and once more tasted the herbal tinge. “I don’t need this.”

“I think you probably do.” He sipped wine, and lay back opposite her. His feet lodged behind her.

A giggle escaped. “No, I am well, better than I’ve been in ages.”

“In truth?”

“You’ve forgotten the healing, haven’t you? There is no pain.” She leaned forward and traced her forefinger over the spirals on his wrist.

For a moment, astonishment filled his eyes. “Yes, I had forgotten. Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m certain.”

His enticing smile and intake of breath made her stomach flip.

“So, this morning I can begin to make up to you for last night?” He took another sip from the cup, but his gaze, darkening with desire, did not leave her.

“Should you wish.”

“No, my love, should
you
wish it.”

She sipped her wine, unable to speak, heat flooding through her in anticipation of his touch. She nodded. He twisted, reached to put the cup on the floor, and took hers. “Then come here and let me hold you.”

She moved onto her knees, and he pulled her against him to lie with her breasts squashed wet against his chest.

“I love you,” he murmured. He stroked his open palms over her rear so she shivered, even in the warmth of the water.

She twined her fingers through the silk of his hair. Angling her head against his shoulder, she feathered kisses across his jaw and down onto his neck. She licked at his skin. His delicious taste only increased her hunger. She squirmed against him as he rubbed scented soap over her skin. The calming lavender failed to ease the growing need for more of him.

The catch of his breath was loud in her ear when she tilted and wriggled her buttocks against his groin. He clasped her waist and slid her over his body so she lay with her back to his chest. He wrapped one thigh around hers holding her in place, and caught her hair up in one hand. Hot, soft, and teasing, he roamed his mouth over the back of her neck. Her nipples hardened and ached for him to touch them.

He rolled one between his fingers. She bit back a hungry groan.

His erection throbbed against her, hotter than the water, and he massaged her breast so she whimpered. She rested on him, skin to skin from her toes to her shoulders.

Her hair trailed in the water, her back warmed against his chest, and she groaned when he cupped both her breasts and squeezed them gently together. He ran his thumbs over her nipples and sucked at the flesh where her neck joined her shoulder until a deep pulse of need throbbed inside her.

The teasing way he caressed between her thighs caused a delicious wave of pleasure. She moved against him, and longed for his hard length to seek its home between her legs. He slid a questing finger inside her, and she gasped. Instantly, he stopped the tantalizing caresses.

“Don’t stop, please.” She needed his touch.

“I won’t hurt you ever again.”

She craned her head, and he stroked over her hair.

“I think it best we wait a few days.”

“Don’t be foolish—you’re not hurting me.” She dragged his hand back. The water sloshed when she slipped into the crook of his arm. She probed his mouth until he captured her tongue.

He caressed again between her parted thighs. She latched one leg over his, spreading her thighs so he could stroke where he pleased. The pleasure continued to swell, until arching against him, she whimpered. He dipped a finger inside her.

The water was cooling, but her flesh blazed. Each strum of his fingers more powerful than the last, he took her toward the summit of pleasure. She remembered the sweet sensation from before their journey into the flames, but this time it was better. There was no hurry, and he did not stop.

He captured her mouth with his when her body went into spasms. The pleasure peaked, and she was beyond all awareness but the hard fast pulses inside her, and the power of his mouth on hers.

When her body slowed, he scooped her up and stood, stepped out of the water, and laid her on the bed. He settled beside her. In one fluid movement, he pulled her above him so her hips straddled his and her hands had the freedom to touch where she willed.

She let her fingers roam over him. For months, she had wanted the liberty to caress him. Today, his glorious body was all hers. Thrilled by his responses, she stroked the outline of the tattoos and palmed her hands over the smooth muscles of his chest until he gritted his teeth.

When she ran her fingers over the velvet flesh of his erection, he groaned. A second later, he moved her hand away, and unseating her, he sat up. “Too many of those caresses, and I won’t last long enough to love you as I should.”

She didn’t understand, but before she could frame a question, he pulled her forward and licked down her throat. Wet and warm on her cool damp flesh, his mouth teased at her skin, sucked hot at her neck. He moved so she slipped sideways and down, then he slithered beside her. She pushed one breast toward his lips so he could capture the nipple in his hot mouth. She cried out as he sucked hard.

She clasped his damp hair to cradle his head at her breast. When his teeth grazed against her taut nipple, she couldn’t hold back the cry, “Thabit, now please, I want you.”

When he lifted his mouth from her breast, she pushed him back, moving up to straddle his hips. “Please,” the low moan escaped her. “I want you now.”

Nothing marred the sensations he created as he pushed his erection into her.

“Oh, yes!” Her cry echoed around the room.

His rigid heat stroked every nerve as he pulled back, and when she slowly sank down onto him, more pleasure rippled through her in waves.

Supporting herself on fingertips, she lifted herself up along his length and sank back with a soft cry. He smoothed his hands over her breasts. Deliberate and wicked, he rolled and squeezed her nipples until they ached between his fingers. He echoed each sigh she made, but she wanted more.

His gaze did not leave hers. He searched her face with each gentle movement inside her.

“Please, Thabit, I need you. I want it all.”

He smiled in answer and slid his hands to her waist again. Clasping her hips tight, he increased the pressure of each descent onto him. His eyes closed when she gave the first loud cry of pleasure. She gasped and moaned at each thrust and slow withdrawal.

Their breathing grew swifter, matched in intensity. Tension built through her body while she concentrated on giving herself to him.

The rhythmic surge of his body into hers commanded all thought. She ached for each return. The pace of their movements increased. Each thrust made the universe complete and took her closer to the peak. “Thabit!” Pleasure engulfed her, and her body clenched tight to his while spasms rocked deep.

The world dissolved, and this time it was the greatest of joys. This was surely magic, for her bones melted under the barrage of his long strokes. Her cries echoed the pulsing tempo of her flesh. He held her firm while she writhed, arching her back, lost to delight.

“Yes, my love, that’s good. That’s how it should be.” He pulled her to lie down on him, her breasts flattened onto his chest, his rigid length still lodged inside her. He stroked up her back and into her hair to cradle her head as he kissed her.

He rolled her over onto her back while her flesh contracted against his. When the pulses faded and her breath slowed, she stared at him, awed.
“There is no magic more powerful than yours.”

She reached up to kiss him, and he settled over her. “And now, can you do that one more time for me?”

He moved again, thrusting with slow, deep plunges inside her.

She locked her thighs around his waist and closed her eyes. Her heart thumped swift to match his powerful movements. Her gasps, like each lunge, grew closer together, and she pushed up to him to return the pleasure. The rhythm increased and she tightened her thighs around him. Sweat sprang on his brow, and he pounded into her.