Nolan's Evolution (40 page)

It soon did become too much for the both of them, but neither would break the kiss. Nolan turned with her in his arms, and lay back on the bed, taking her with him. She now lay on top of him.

Her kiss deepened, liking the control she now had over him. Her knees slid to the bed on either side of his hips, and her fingers went to the hem of his shirt. She pulled it off of him without much argument coming from him. He didn’t have time in the spilt second their lips separated, as she tugged the material over his head. The warmth of his bare skin was heaven, and he reacted with a growl when she let her hands travel his chest. She paused when her fingers trailed the scar at his abdomen. She sat back to look, though she was unable to see it in the dark. “You’re so beautiful,” she sighed. “And you’re mine.”

His hands were in her hair, guiding her to him once again, and taking the control of the kiss back. “You’re mine,” he growled against her lips. He rolled her beneath him, pressing her down into the bed. He kissed her neck, traveling to her shoulder. He sighed against the barrier of her shirt, and stopped short. He rested his head against her shoulder, fighting for breath now. His chest pressed to her with each inhale. He seemed to be in a silent war with himself.

“Nolan?”

“Oh God, don’t let Joseph or Jonathan be anywhere near,” he tried to make a joke. He knew they would turn off their ability in respect for his privacy, but not before hearing a little bit of it first.

Raina giggled now. She was breathing raggedly too.

“What are you thinking?” she whispered. Her fingers traced through his hair, and down his neck. She felt him shiver. She followed the same path with her fingers, kissing the top of his head. His hair smelled wonderful.

“That I should get up…leave the room. Leave you until there are witnesses”

“Liar,” she whispered.

He lifted his head and looked down on her with his frowny face. The moonlight caught his features, and made his face more angelic.

She smiled, tracing the frown lines around his mouth. “You want them to hear that…the war you are having with yourself. That you would not get embarrassed over.” She brushed the tips of her fingers over his lips, and felt him shiver again. “You are trying to talk yourself out of something. You are trying to talk yourself out of…”

He silenced her with a kiss. He growled against her lips. “I’m trying to talk myself out of doing what we both want.” He drew in a breath. His eyes never left her face.

Raina was forgetting how to breathe again, as she watched his face. His passion was evident in the luminous silver eyes that pleaded with her now. She gasped a little, as he drew her hands from his neck and settled them above her head. His fingers entwined with hers.

“Tell me to stop, Aelan and I will.” He barked a rough laugh. “At least I will try to. This…it’s too wonderful.” The muscles in his arms flexed.

She smiled. “If I didn’t tell you to stop when there was the possibility of me dying…why in the world would I tell you to stop now?”

He shook his head. “I know you won’t. I’m just trying to convince myself I should! I want our first time to be amazing. Not hushed in a guest room…hoping no one…hears.”

Raina smiled, sensing his nerves. She freed her hands from his loose grasp, and took his face in her hands. “It would be amazing anywhere Nolan, but I know what you mean,” she sighed.

His face relaxed, and he turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand.

“Or are you just scared you will be a screamer,” she teased.

Nolan’s jaw dropped at those words coming from his sweet Raina. He captured her hands again, holding them firmly above her head. She squirmed and squealed at the look of warning in his eyes.

He kissed her again until she was writhing beneath him, which made things worse for him, so he stopped. He looked down at her with a smug smile. “I worry for you, Aelan,” he chuckled.

She laughed, and then smiled up at him with adoration.

They both nearly shouted when the door to the room suddenly opened.

Nolan covered Raina with his body and scowled at the intruder. He moved her behind him, as he sat up, not allowing a free show of her body. Raina hid behind his back, her forehead rested between his shoulder blades. Her face felt like it was on fire.

“Really? Nolan? In our guest’s home?” Thanatos green eyes danced.

“You don’t knock before you enter Raina’s room?” Nolan’s eyes glinted dangerously.

“I would have, but I hear gasps and moans….I’m her protector…what else am I going to do but come to the rescue?”

Nolan rolled his eyes. “Get out!”

Thanatos grinned. “Two minutes I give you. That’s it! Get properly dressed.” He paused and shook his head at Nolan, noting his state of undress. “And you may want to go take a cold shower. The two of you are wanted down stairs for dinner, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want them to see you in your current, ahem, state.” He shook his head again. “Good thing I got here when I did!”

Raina groaned in mortification. “Get out, Thanatos…and go downstairs. We will get dressed and be down before mauling each other!”

Thanatos threw his head back and laughed. “You’ve already been through the mauling. It’s what happens after the mauling that I am concerned about.” He lifted Nolan’s discarded shirt from the floor and tossed it to him. “I’ll see the two of you down stairs!” He flipped on the light before he exited, closing the door behind him.

The two of them remained silent for a moment.

Raina drew in a breath, coming up behind him, and wrapping her arms around him. She kissed each shoulder blade and smiled.

“I’m sorry I let it get that far,” he whispered softly.

“No,” she whispered against his neck. She saw goose bumps rise up on his skin.

Clearing his throat, he peaked over at her. “It was okay?”

“That was an amazing taste.”

He chuckled. “Thank God he showed up.”

She giggled.

He rose to his feet, gently disengaging her arms.

Raina admired the strong bare back as he rose. “Where are you going?”

He didn’t even turn to her as he walked away. He paused, and then glanced over his shoulder. “Thanatos is right. I need a cold shower. Can’t go down and greet Our Sovereignty like this.” He gave her a wink.

“Like what?” She asked innocently.

“Aelan,” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Raina cut the neck rub short with her peal of laughter. She rolled over on the bed with the giggles. “Nolan I know what cold showers are for!”

He grinned. “Little kitten,” he growled. “I will only be a few minutes. I suggest you put something on under that shirt!” He proceeded into the bathroom that belonged to her room.

She blushed, and listened to the water kicking on, and Nolan’s hissed protest. She smiled smugly. “I did it again,” she sang, knowing full well he heard her.

“Get dressed!” He barked, but a chuckle followed the harsh words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The large dining room was bustling with energy and servants. It was as if they were preparing for a feast. Fine cutlery and plates were at every setting. Raina and Nolan were the last guests to arrive.

They were not directly acknowledged when they entered. Raina felt a thrum of fear at this. She quickly scanned the faces around the elegant table.

Most of them were pretty much involved in the food that was being set before them, but Joseph lifted his eyebrows knowingly. Jonathan cleared his throat and broke eye contact and Thanatos just grinned from ear to ear. There wasn’t a chance he was going to let them live down what he had walked in on. It suddenly dawned on her that she was in a house of immortals with amazing hearing. What a lovely time to put that together! Nolan always said she was good at treating others as her equal. She often forgot the amazing differences between her and them.

“Raina?” He grinned at her now. “Come on, Aelan.”

Raina’s face went bright red. She ducked her head.

Nolan just chuckled and led her to her seat. He set a kiss on top of her head. He wasn't ashamed to say he felt a little bit of pride that they knew. He would never be ashamed of having the right to Raina. He slid into the seat next to her and took the hand that was drumming nervously on the table. He lifted it to his lips. "You are beautiful, don't hide your face."

Raina peeked up at him and gave a small smile.

"The two of you took long enough getting down here," David spoke up without even looking up from his plate. He methodically cut the meat in front of him.

"Yes," Elenora spoke up. Her dark eyes were full of jealousy, as usual. "You sent the guard away and everything. Now what were you doing up there? Hmmmm?"

"What you could only dream of," Thanatos sneered with a grin. He took a sip of wine and gave Raina a wink.

“How do you know so much?” Jonathan growled. “Spying again, sister?”

Elenora’s mouth opened, and then snapped shut.

Raina couldn't help her smile.

“Ah to be young and in love,” Joseph chuckled.

Titus nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's highly inappropriate. Here? In my grandfather's house? It's rather disrespectful if you ask me." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave a shrug. Her eyes calmly studied Raina and she wished she could affect her in some way. But Nolan was protecting her and she had no way around that.

"Inappropriate?" Nolan's brows rose. "You really want to have that discussion?" He shook his head.

Elenora rolled her eyes. No, she didn't want to have that discussion. Even she knew it was unseemly showing up in his bedroom that night. Plus, it was embarrassing how it all ended.

"We were just making up for lost time," Raina said innocently.

Jonathan barked a laugh. He almost choked on the food in his mouth. His face was red and he quickly swallowed. He looked at her with a mischievous grin. "Good answer," he chuckled.

Raina smiled back. She hadn’t been able to talk to Jonathan since she got here and she was happy to see him.

"An appropriate answer," Joseph muttered under his breath. He cleared his throat to prevent a laughed.

"I call it more of a misleading answer then a real answer," Thanatos teased. His green eyes were twinkling.

Raina wanted to throw her napkin at him but she too was giggling. And she was blushing to the roots.

"Am I missing something?" David asked seeing half the table could hardly control their laughter.

This caused another burst of laughter.

Titus looked amused and Isaac too waited to see how they would answer. Emmanuel didn't seem amused in the least. He ate is food in silence.

"Are you deaf?" Thanatos was shaking with laughter.

"We shouldn’t laugh at Raina and Nolan's expense," Titus said with a smile. "And I think David's playing dumb. None of us missed a thing."

Raina groaned in mortification and then continued laughing. "It was my fault!" She peeked over at Nolan who had ducked his head and was trying to hide his grin.

"Well, seeing as our dear Nolan had to take a cold shower I would say the blame is all your own," Thanatos chuckled.

"Thanatos!" This time Raina did throw her napkin at him.

"So tasteless," Elenora moaned with jealousy. She snuck a look at Nolan. "David, I'm so sorry for their insensitive behavior." She reached over and touched his hand. “I know this cannot be a comfortable subject for you because of your past relationship with Raina! They can be quite tactless at times.”

Raina exchange a look with Thanatos and then Nolan.

Hadn't Elenora already said that she couldn't stand David? What was she doing comforting and touching him now?

Raina frowned now but not of jealousy over Elenora's touch. At one time that would've driven her nuts, but that time had passed.

Raina couldn't quite figure out if she was trying to downplay the relationship that she had with Nolan now or that she truly was trying to get on David's side. She wanted to snap and say something pretty nasty. But that wasn't in her so she bit her lip against the retort.

"I would think I would have received a bit of respect, yes, thank you Elenora. What we had in the past was pretty special and I'm not sure if I can grow used to this." David's blue eyes met Raina's. His gaze softened.

"Past being the operative word," Nolan said in a dark yet calm, voice.

"Nolan," Joseph said gently in warning.

"No, if he wants to play coy then I can enlighten him." The silver eyes turned a dark gray. "What you missed, David was Raina and I getting pretty damn close to the edge of no return."

Raina tried to hush him but he captured her hand before her fingers could cover his lips.

"I must admit, yes, it did get rather inappropriate. I apologize to all of you for having to partake as well. But I won't apologize for touching her."

"Mauling," Thanatos said under his breath.

Nolan threw him warning glance. "You see, I have that right. You gave it up. You can't sit there and act jealous or act like what we did was somehow to offend you. You just have to come to terms with that. She's mine." There was deep meaning in Nolan's words. He possessively held Raina's hand.