Retribution (21 page)

Quin took it from there, rushing through the introductions between his friends and the guests. Then he and Layla continued concealing the group. Once they were done, the lawn looked empty save for Cinnia and Arlen, who planned to conceal their own bodies, but leave their auras visible so they could lead the way.

“Fly straight,” Caitrin called. “Try to avoid collisions.”

The invisible crowd murmured their agreement, and Quin picked Layla up into a hug, smiling as she dove for his neck. “We're going ahead,” he announced, grasping her backside and pulling her close. “See you when you get there.”

Chapter 14

Layla stayed lost in Quin’s tingles and magical warmth as he flew to the fireproof location, but when he descended, an icy breeze found her fingers and toes. She flexed against the chill, and he filled her with another dose of heat while whispering in her ear.

“Lift your spells, love.”
 

She pulled away from his neck while exposing their bodies and lights, and her mouth fell open as she took in their surroundings. He stood on a spacious expanse of ice blanketed in loose snow, and no matter which way she turned, snowy mountains towered over them. The frozen surface was remarkably smooth for a natural formation, and it gently sloped toward a small lake so vividly blue it looked like an animated drawing. Nearly everything glittered – the ice, the snow, the water's surface, even the mountains, except for the ridges where dry snow had blown clear of the land, leaving it lackluster gray.

“Where are we?” she asked. “A winter wonderland? Shouldn’t there be an ice princess floating on that lake or something?”

“It's a glacier,” he laughed. “There are several around here. We're in Washington right now, but there are some in Oregon as well.” He curled his fingers into her hair, compelling her to look at him instead of the scenery. “Are you cold?”

“No. I can still feel your heat.”

He hovered from the ground and leaned back, letting her lie on his torso. “Let me know when it wears off and I'll give you more.”

She wore a cloak, but his chest was bare, and she perched on bronze muscle as she smiled down at him. “You know, you could teach me how to warm myself. Then you wouldn't have to constantly worry about it.”

His eyebrows drew together as his lips dropped into a frown. “Is that what you want?”

“No,” she answered, forcing his lips back up with her forefingers.

“Me neither,” he whispered, pulling her to his mouth.

Magical heat rushed her body as his tongue slipped over her bottom lip, and her blood pumped faster, increasing the warmth. She stretched and vanished her cloak, taking his face in both hands. Then she contributed to the kiss with an expertise she didn’t possess two weeks before.

His fingers curled around the lace trimming the skirt of her dress. Then his hands were on her thighs, forcing them open. Her panties moistened as they rubbed over hard stomach muscles, and her lungs quickened, sending puffs of steam into the chilly air.

“How long before the others get here?” she murmured, shivering as his fingers slid to the satin between her legs.

He moved the material aside with one hand and softly stroked pulsing flesh with the other. “About twenty minutes.”

“Mmm…” Doing it right there in the middle of a winter wonderland was risky, and they’d have to rush, but considering their schedule, their uncertain future, and their insatiable appetite, Layla decided to seize the moment.

Vanishing their clothes, she trailed her kisses over his jaw and down his throat. Then she reached between her legs, finding him solid. She firmly gripped his erection, and he shuddered as her thighs slid down his sides, her body slowly enveloping him in moist warmth. Her moan muffled into his pecs, her insides flexed and throbbing. Then she looked up, finding his dark eyes as she pulled her hand away and lowered herself in its place. His muscles jolted and swelled as his palms found her butt, his fingers spreading her open so she could take his full length, and she purred as she forced her body to conform.

She kept her movements slow, sure and intense, holding on to control by a tiny thread while enjoying the burn, the overwhelming need for release. She could have continued that way for hours, starving yet satisfied, but their time was limited, and no matter how confident she’d become, if their family and guests descended on the intimate scene, she’d be mortified. That fact was present in her mind... somewhere... way in the back, doing its best to make itself known, but she couldn't bring herself to break the rhythm of her hips and end the ride… until he gave her no choice.
 

Sitting up in mid-air, he grasped her shoulder and thigh then forcefully pulled her down around him. With that, the thinning thread snapped, and half a heavenly minute later they were breathing into each other's mouths as gratification rolled over their vibrating bodies.
 

The waves of ecstasy eventually ebbed, but Layla continued to shiver as the cold crept in. Quin softly sucked on her bottom lip while filling her with heat. Then his warm breath tickled her face. “That was fantastic.”

“It's always fantastic with you,” she countered.

He grinned and hugged her tighter. “It’s never been like this, my love.”

Keeping her torso pressed to his, he slowly pulled himself from her body, and she replaced their clothes, trembling when the chilled cotton found her form. His flesh was much warmer.
 

Her cloak appeared over her dress as Quin filled her with more heat, and after donning his own cloak, he reached for her feet, which dangled several feet from the ground. “I'm going to cast a spell to keep your feet warm. It will protect them from the snow.”

“I was wondering how I’d avoid frostbite.”

“This spell should keep your toes safe, but if they get cold, let me know.”

“Okay, but don't put me down yet. I want to stay like this until they get here.” She paused and bit her lip. “I mean, if that's okay with you.”

His forehead wrinkled as a smile twitched the corners of his mouth. “Really, Layla?”

“Really what?”

“Do you really feel like you have to ask? And do you really think I’d want it any other way?”

She shrugged as her cheeks warmed. “Not really, but I don’t want to be demanding.”

He laughed as he licked the lip she’d been chewing on. “Feel free to make your demands anytime, love. I live to please you.”

“And you do, Quin. I'm a lucky woman.”

“Mmm...” He moved his lips to her throat and licked its pulse points, tasting one of the many reasons he had to treat her like an angel. “You're my woman,” he whispered. Then he breathed deep, gathering a lungful of the sweet nectar that gave him life and made it worth living. “And that makes me the luckiest man alive.”

He spent the next few minutes tasting her while filling her with magical heat, and they were so wrapped up in each other, they didn’t notice Cinnia and Arlen land beside them. Arlen smirked, and Layla jolted and blushed, knowing the entire group was nearby and staring. Oh well. It would have been a lot worse had they shown up ten minutes earlier.

“Lift these spells, you two lovebirds,” Brietta called out. “Then you can get back to what you're doing.”

Layla quietly giggled as her hand flashed through the air, and half the crowd appeared, but Quin's concealment spells stayed in place as he felt his way to Layla’s lips for another kiss. Only then did the rest of the magicians show up, adding to the assortment of cloaks dotting the white glacier, and Caitrin walked forward, raising Morrigan's hand to his lips as he glanced around.

“Will this suffice, Quinlan?”

“It should work fine,” Quin answered. “We might have to repair the ice a few times, but that's easy enough.”

“Good.” Caitrin smiled, excitement brightening his sea-blue eyes. “Would you like to show us what you can do?”

“Ready to play?” Quin asked, flashing Layla a grin.

She returned his smile as she touched a deep dimple. “Sounds fun.”
 

After a big kiss, he lowered her feet to the snow and led her away from the others. “How are the toes?”

“Toasty.”

“Good. Tell me if that changes.”

“Believe me, I'll let you know if they get cold. I hate cold toes. Once, I ran through the snow barefoot, thinking it sounded like something fun to do. You know, like something you'd see in a movie, but it was
not
fun. I thought my feet were going to fall off.”

“How old were you?”

She blushed and looked away. “Seventeen.”

“Let me get this straight,” he laughed, “at the age of seventeen, you went frolicking through the snow?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

He grinned. “I'm just trying to picture it – you running in the snow by yourself, constantly jumping because your feet are freezing.”
 

“I wasn't by myself,” she corrected, “and yes, jumping was necessary.”

“Were you with a friend?”

“Yes, my mom.”

“Katherine ran barefoot through the snow with you?”

Layla smiled, remembering. “Yes. It took me an hour to talk her into it. Then it took me three hours to get her to stop giving me the silent treatment. She soaked her feet in warm water the rest of the day.” She paused, wrinkling her nose as she looked at him. “You think I'm weird.”

“No,” he assured. “I think you're fun. If I'd been there, I would have run through the snow barefoot with you.”

“Without magic keeping you warm?”

“Yep.”

“I might make you prove that someday.”

“I thought you didn't like it.”

“I didn't, and if I do it again, I’ll be using magic.”

“I'm not sure that's fair.”

“Hey, you're the one who agreed to do it without magic, not me.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You know, for every trick you pull on me, I'll have two waiting for you.”

“I like your tricks, so that's not scary.”

They were a few yards from the icy lake when he halted and turned her toward him. “You like my tricks?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He glanced at the others, who watched from the top of the slope. Then he found Layla’s eyes and vanished his cloak. “Do you want to show them one of our tricks?”

“I don't care if they watch or not,” she answered, “but I’d like to see what we can do.”

He smiled as he stretched and squared his stance. “Okay, my love, fill me with your fire.”

She’d watched his bare chest flex when he stretched, and as if her hands had a mind of their own, her palms found his pecs, her fingers dipping into the hard grooves of defined muscle. Sliding her hands over his shoulders, she took the back of his neck and pulled his mouth to hers, giving him a long kiss.

“Mmm...” she purred, licking her lips.

He smiled as he slid his tongue along the same trail. “That successfully filled me with heat,” he whispered, raising tender fingers to her throat, “but it wasn't what I meant.”

“Sorry. I just can't get enough of you.”

His fingers slid around her neck and curled into her hair, and his other hand found the small of her back, pulling her against him as he dipped her toward the ice. “It goes both ways, my love.” His kiss started soft and sweet, but passion quickly took over, stealing her breath and stimulating delicate areas.

Several family members laughed, and Brietta's voice drifted over the ice. “You guys know we're watching, right?”

“I don't think they care,” Weylin noted.

“Apparently not,” Brietta giggled. “Looks like Layla's worked her way out of that shell she showed up in.”

Quin’s lips stilled, and Layla grinned. “They're making fun of us.”

“I don't care,” he countered. “Do you?”

She kept her eyes on his as she answered. “Nuh-uh.”

“You have no idea how much that pleases me,” he approved, pulling her upright. Then he took a step back. “Shall we show them why we really brought them here? Or should we keep showing them how great our kisses are?”

“We can show them our fantastic kissing technique at home, so I guess we better get to the point.”

He flashed a hand toward the spectators, and a pearlescent fire shield enveloped them as he raised his eyebrows at Layla. “Fill me up.”

“Do you want me to give you as much as I can?”

“Sure. I see no reason to hold back.”

She walked around him and placed her palms flat on the small of his back. “Ready?”

“Yep,” he answered, aiming his palms at the sky.

Her lips caressed his spine as her palms slid up his back and shoulders, but then she had to stop kissing so she could hover to his forearms. Once she got to his wrists, she paused, leaving her fingertips touching the back of his hands as she looked down.

His head was nestled between her breasts, and his eyes glinted as he met her stare. “I can’t tell if it’s your fire or your position turning me on.”

“Then it worked?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “It definitely worked. Are you ready for me to let it go?”