ReEmergent -Guardians of Vesturon [4] (18 page)

Waiters appeared to clear away the plates and then wedding cake was being served. Not one to miss a piece of cake, Xarrid inhaled his piece. Saylan watched him in amusement.

“
Did you even chew that?” she asked.

“
Hardly. You’d better watch out Saylan. Xarrid is the cake addict. If you ever bake a cake, it’ll be gone in a flash. So if you need it for a special occasion, you need to hide it,” Maddie told her.

Xarrid let out his breath. “I’m not that bad.”

Every Yarrister eye at the table looked at him in shock.

“
Seriously! Xarrid, we could never even have a birthday cake around here because you would mow through the thing like you hadn’t eaten in days!” Annalise swore.

Xarrid had the decency to look a little sheepish, “Well, I guess I do have a fondness for cake.”

“
Yeah, well, you can call it fondness. We call it a sickness!”

********

Jurek looked at the two of them and said, “Well, you know I can only take one of you at a time. So, who’s going first?”

“
I’ll go,” Xarrid said. “I can get the place ready.”

Jurek snorted, “What do you mean? I have that placed stocked and primed for you. Wait until you see it!”

Xarrid raised his brows. “Really?”

“
Oh yeah. You don’t think I let you go there for your honeymoon and not give you the royal treatment, do you?”

Xarrid laughed. “Well, in any event, if I go first, Saylan won’t have to be there by herself.”

“
Oh, like that would be torture.”

Saylan looked at Jurek and rolled her eyes. “Just go. You two will debate this for hours and we could’ve been there by now.”

“
Point well made, love.” Xarrid looked at Jurek and he nodded as he held out his arm. In a flash, they were both gone. It wasn’t long before he was back to collect Saylan.

********

Nothing could’ve prepared Saylan for the sanctuary. She’d always thought Vesturon was the most beautiful place in the universe, but this place was its own private oasis, complete with room service, a pristine stream with a huge pond and several waterfalls, tropical foliage and flowers that she’d never seen before. The scent of them alone was like nothing she’d ever imagined. The place itself was luxury to the nth degree. She was speechless.

When she finally found her tongue, she asked, “Where are we?”

“
I can’t say.”

“
Um, is that because Jurek has you blood bound to some secret brotherhood thingy or because you don’t know?”

“
It’s because I don’t know. He won’t tell me. He just says this is his place where he comes to regroup...when he can’t seem to pull it together anywhere else. It’s where he brought me when I was losing it over not being able to find you. If it hadn’t been for Jurek, I’m not sure I would’ve held it together at all.”

“
I love you,” and then she was in his arms, kissing the hell out of him. He didn’t hold back this time, because he knew he didn’t have to. He was taking all of his cues from Saylan.

When that darn urge to breathe hit them, they stopped for a moment and then laughed. They shared thoughts about how frustrating it was to have to breathe.

“
I love to see you laugh Saylan. For that brief time, when you first returned to me, I worried I wouldn’t see it anymore. You were so lost inside of yourself.”

“
I’m here now Xarrid.” She slid her hands beneath his shirt and this time he only smiled. She smiled back because he didn’t stop her.

“
Do you know what I thought about when I was walking toward you today?”

“
What’s that?” he asked.

“
I thought about how you would look without your shirt and that I was the luckiest girl because I was finally going to get to see you.”

He stopped everything and then his lips were crushing hers again. His tongue found its way home and was met with hers as he tasted her. He groaned in satisfaction and pleasure when her sweetness hit him again. How could anything taste this sweet? She was better than cake.

Suddenly he felt Saylan’s mouth break into a smile and then her body began to shake in laughter.

“
Why are you laughing?”

“
Cake? I taste better than cake?”

“
Ah, you read my thoughts.”

“
They were shouting at me like this: CAKE! SHE TASTES BETTER THAN CAKE!”

“
Guilty as charged.”

“
Is that a compliment?”

“
The greatest there is.”

She resumed their kiss and slipped her hands beneath his shirt to feel the ripples of his abs. Her fingers moved tentatively at first, but then she grasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it up. The movement forced them to break off their kiss, but she didn’t care because her eyes wanted to drink in all that was Xarrid right then. And so she did. And he did not disappoint in the least.

When she got her first full view of him, she brought her hand to her mouth and sighed. Then that very hand reached back out to touch him. Xarrid was enthralled by Saylan. He hissed when her fingers traced the ridges and hollows of his abs. He stood still and watched her expression shift from curiosity to deep arousal. When her fingertips slowly swept across his chest he put his hand on hers because he needed to catch his breath. Their gazes locked and then, so did their mouths. Xarrid groaned, as he’d never felt this consumed with passion before.

He felt around the back of her tunic until his fingers discovered what they sought. With care, he tugged the zipper of her dress until it would go no further. Breaking their kiss again, he stepped back, just enough for him to slide her tunic off her arms and body.

Saylan dipped her head and stared at the floor. Then in a timid voice that Xarrid had to strain to hear, she asked, “Do you mind if I have a moment?”

Being inexperienced in these things, he surmised that she needed some time to herself so he mentally chided himself for not thinking of it in advance.

“
Of course. Anything Saylan. Take as long as you need.”

He watched her scurry toward the bathroom like a frightened little animal. He was confused because only a moment ago, she seemed so heated and ready for him. Since he was unskilled, he brushed it off and waited patiently for her. Minutes passed and when the time neared an hour, he truly became concerned.

He knocked on the bathroom door lightly and asked, “Saylan, are you okay?”

At first there wasn’t a response. He knocked once more. “Saylan, honey, are you sick?”

“
No, I’m not sick,” she said in a quaking voice.

“
May I enter?”

“
I suppose so.”

He found her sitting on the floor next to the enormous jetted tub, her knees pulled up to her chin.

It was quite evident she was not okay. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes ate a hole right through to his soul as she looked at him. Xarrid’s gut revolted as though it had been doused with acid.

He was on his knees, in front of her, in a flash, and then pulling her onto his lap. “Please Saylan, tell me what’s wrong. I can feel your pain. Is it being with me that has caused this?”

“
I’m so frightened. What if I don’t please you Xarrid? What if you’re disappointed in me?”

He couldn’t ever imagine that happening and told her as much. “Oh Saylan, if disappointing me is what you’re worried about, then let me assure you that you have nothing to fear. Sweetheart, you could never in a million years disappoint me, even if you tried. Don’t you see? I’ve loved you since I first met you and when I lost you, I dreamed of you every night. I would see you in my sleep, knowing you were out there somewhere. I just couldn’t understand why you weren’t answering my thoughts. I would’ve gone the rest of my life looking for you. So you see, I would love you in any way, in any capacity I can. Listen to me. We can sit on this floor all night long if that’s what you want. But Saylan, you will never disappoint me.”

When her eyes met his, he saw hope spark in them. “You promise?”

“
Yes! I swear it!” He rose to his feet with her in his arms and carried her to the next room where there was a sofa. He sat down and still held her close against him. “Did you notice that lovely pond outside?”

“
Yes. It’s very beautiful.”

“
How would you like to go swimming in it?”

“
Now?”

“
Why not? There are some great waterfalls in it too.”

“
Okay.”

He stood again and started walking as he carried her.

She giggled and said, “Um Xarrid? I can walk you know.”

“
Oh, I know. But it gives me great pleasure to carry you.”

They went down a stone path, through some lush tropical foliage and eventually emerged at the pond. Still carrying her, he waded into it and she was now giggling even harder, as her arms were around his neck.

“
Have I ever told you how much I love to hear you laugh?”

“
Yes, I believe you have.”

“
Good, because I intend to tell you quite a bit.” He bent his head and kissed her cheek.

When they were submerged, he kept on walking until they reached the waterfalls. “Are you ready for this?” he asked.

“
I guess so?”

He took them under the smallest of the falls and let the water gently cascade over them.

“
Oh! This is amazing!” Saylan shouted over the soft splashing of the water.

She wrapped herself around Xarrid like ivy, clinging to him with every part of her. Xarrid simply gaped at her, for he couldn’t get enough of Saylan. Wet tangled hair, and water dripping off every part of her, she was as enticing as he’d ever seen her. She threw back her head and laughed and then her tongue peeked out as she licked the water droplets off her lips. Xarrid was lost to her forever.

“
Saylan,” he began hoarsely, “you are so lovely. You...I’ve never seen anything quite so beautiful.” He swallowed hard, not once, but several times. Their eyes locked and he had the feeling again that all the oxygen had mysteriously disappeared.

She placed her palm on his cheek and rubbed her thumb back and forth. Then she bent her head and licked the little droplets of water off his lips. He moaned and asked her, “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

“
Do I please you?”

“
Oh sweetheart, ‘please’ can’t begin to describe it,” he started to explain but then he said, “I think it’s time I showed you. Unless, of course, you’d prefer to wait.”

“
No, Xarrid, I think I’m ready now.”

“
You know Saylan, you need to keep in mind that this is my first time. I’m not exactly someone that has any preconceived notions of what to expect. I mean, I’ve imagined and all but...well, I think I’ll shut up for now.”

By this time, they were back at their room, but they were still wet, so Xarrid walked them into the bathroom and grabbed some towels. He set Saylan on her feet and dried her off first and then himself. For a moment, he simply gazed at her. When she began to fidget, he knew he’d stared too long.

“
Sorry love, but there are things about you that I hadn’t noticed before. Like the way your hair curls around your shoulders when it’s wet. And the way your eyes sparkle in certain lights. Or, the lovely indentations right here,” he bent his head and kissed the hollows around her collar bone, “that are the perfect fit for my lips.”

Saylan sucked in her breath and heard Xarrid chuckle. “I like that sound. It tells me I’m doing something right.”

“
You’re doing everything right, Xarrid.” She put her hand on his waist and squeezed. “You tell me how lovely I am. Well, I want to tell you I think you’re the most perfect male I’ve ever seen. Now kiss me like you mean it.”

He gave her a humorous look and said, “Yes ma’am.” It was the most exquisite kiss they’d every shared. Saylan felt the rest of her wet clothing disappearing, and she welcomed it. She was trying to help Xarrid remove his too. They laughed as they did it, because they were both fumbling around like two idiots.

“
Do you think one day we’ll get better at this?” she asked.

“
I should certainly hope!” he said.

They finally were stripped bare and Xarrid looked deep into Saylan’s eyes and asked, “Are you okay with this? Because if at any time you’re not, you just say the word and we’ll stop. Understand?”

“
Yes, I’m fine Xarrid and I want us to be together...as in together. You know...” she smiled shyly.

“
Oh honey, don’t ever be shy about this and what happens between us. Okay?”

She nodded. Then she found herself in his arms as he carried her to the large bed. They kissed all the way there and their hands were everywhere, frantically searching out each other’s secrets.

********

Xarrid woke up to find something soft, silky and perfectly lovely draped across his chest. One arm was encircling her and the other hand was twisted up in her hair. Her breath fanned across him, causing his blood to heat and his body to warm everywhere. He became lost in watching her sleep, for she was truly beautiful. Her slightly parted full lips entranced him and he remembered what those lips had done to him last night. If Xarrid thought he loved Saylan before, it was nothing compared to the way he felt this morning as he stared at her. The comprehension of the way Vesturions bonded hit him with such magnitude that he shook his head, and then hugged Saylan with a protective fierceness.

The change in his movements disturbed her sleep and she woke up, stretched, and then lifted her head to look at her beloved. “Good morning,” she said sweetly.