Shadow Magic (40 page)

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Authors: Cheyenne McCray

BOOK: Shadow Magic
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PLEASANT LAUGHTER AND CHATTER echoed in the great hall as Hannah and Garran were surrounded by Drow, D'Danann, the human cop Jake Macgregor, and almost all of the witches. Only Cassia was missing.
Garran looked down at his beautiful Hannah and smiled.
The Dark Elves had not taken the news of Garran's and Hannah's impending joining as well as the witches had, which was not a surprise to Garran.
Of course, the Directorate had argued against her, for being a human and a witch no less. And a woman who obviously did not fit the mold of a submissive Drow female.
Garran had been firm, leaving the Directorate no room to argue. As king the choice was his and Hannah was to be his queen.
Now it was their day. They stood upon a circular raised dais in the very center of the rounded great hall so that they might easily be seen by all those who had gathered to witness and celebrate their joining.
Hannah tilted her face to look up at him and returned his smile. In moments they would be mates forever. He saw only confidence and love in her eyes and on her expression, and his heart thumped against his breastbone.
“I love you,” he murmured close to her ear, and felt her slight shiver and caught her sweet womanly scent. “When we are finished with this nonsense, I will steal you away.”
“Behave.” She elbowed him and he chuckled.
He straightened, but continued to look at her, even as he was supposed to be paying attention to Hark, who was about to lead the small formal ceremony.
Hannah wore the Brooch of Aithne, the large diamond glittering against one shoulder strap of her black clothing. She called the revealing creation an evening dress. It was cut low in the front, ending just above the swells of her breasts. The dress bared her back from her shoulders to the base of her spine and the hem barely reached her mid-thigh and a short slit revealed part of one thigh. Thin straps held her shoes to her feet, and the heels, adorned with diamonds, were so high he did not know how she could stand, much less walk in them.
Garran was not so certain he wanted any male to see as much of her soft skin as the dress exposed. No matter that most Drow women wore very little. Somehow Hannah was more enticing in this piece of clothing than a naked woman was. As if hiding just enough of her to make a man crazy to strip it off.
Hannah's dark brown hair fell straight to her shoulders, the shock of blond hair defining her elegant features. On her upper arm, as always, she wore her moon and crescent armband. She gave the only sign of nervousness thus far when she brought her fingers to the band and stroked it.
His cock ached at the thought of those small fingers stroking
him
and he gritted his teeth and forced his thoughts away from making love to Hannah.
When preparing for the ceremony, Garran had settled his crown upon his head. Several millennia ago his ancestors forged the crown from yellow and white gold, the strands interwoven and forming an unbroken circle.
Garran had donned his finest leather breeches and boots, and his leather and gem-encrusted straps crisscrossed his chest.
He turned his attention to Hark, who wore the black tunic and breeches of the Directorate. The only difference from
what he wore daily was a large gold medallion that hung from his throat, indicating his station in the ceremony.
The room quieted as Hark ascended the dais until he stood in front of Hannah and Garran.
“On this most auspicious day, we welcome into our realm Hannah Wentworth, D'Anu witch.” Hark's voice echoed in the great hall. “She who willingly gave her life essence and her love to our king so that he might live.”
Mild surprise filtered through Garran at Hark's words as he acknowledged what Hannah had done for him and his people. A soft murmur rolled through the room as no doubt his revelation had astonished many of the Dark Elves.
Hark's smile appeared genuine as he looked upon Garran's mate. “Hannah of the D'Anu,” the leader of the Directorate continued, “has proven to be most worthy of being queen of the Drow.”
Garran felt Hannah's slight trembling as her arm was firmly against his. He took her hand and squeezed it and she squeezed his in return.
Hark turned, his back to Hannah and Garran, as he reached down to take what was handed to him from a woman at the foot of the dais.
When he faced Garran and Hannah again, Hark held a smaller circlet that matched Garran's.
Hark settled the crown on Hannah's dark hair. “Today Hannah is made our new queen, and we pay homage to her.”
Pride swelled within Garran's chest and he gripped her hand tighter as he felt her shaking increase. Hark stepped back and knelt, his head bowed in respect.
Garran glanced at Hannah as everyone in the hall knelt and lowered their heads, as well.
Hannah's lips trembled. “I don't know what to do, Garran,” she whispered.
“Smile,” Garran murmured, “and give a slight nod of acknowledgment.”
She did as he instructed her to, her lips still trembling as she smiled.
Hark rose to his feet again. “We welcome you, Queen Hannah.”
Applause and cheering broke out in the hall, loud enough to make his ears ring. Garran took Hannah and wrapped her in his embrace before kissing her long and hard. The applause and cheering grew louder.
When Garran raised his head and looked down at Hannah, he saw that a blush had stained her cheeks red.
She parted her moist lips and her eyes were bright. “I love you, Garran.” He smiled, and she added, “Now get me off this thing.”
CHEERS CONTINUED AND HANNAH'S knees did that blessed trembling thing as she held Garran's hand.
Cool, collected, calm …
To hell with that.
Sights and sounds blurred and her mind spun with the magnitude of what she'd just done. She'd married a king! The Drow king.
And by the Ancestors, she was now a queen.
She was wondering how she was going to manage the stairs in three-inch heels with her legs shaking when Garran swooped her up in his arms.
Another cheer rose and Hannah gave a cry of surprise as his powerful arms embraced her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked at her and gave her his sexy, cocky grin and she smiled back. He held her tight as he carried her into the crowd that surged toward the entrance to the underground city.
Countless people congratulated them as they moved through the crowd, including her sister witches, the D'Danann, and Jake. All of the voices and faces shifted into a complete blur.
“Our people will celebrate our joining in the city,” Garran said.
“Our people.” She shook her head. “I don't know if I can get used to that.”
“They will love you as their queen.” He began to navigate in a different direction from the crowd—toward the hallway that led to his bedroom. “I can think of a better way to celebrate.”
She couldn't have been happier than to slip away with him, away from the craziness of the event.
When they reached his room, Garran used one hand to slam the door before he carried her across the chamber. He set her on her unsteady Jimmy Choo heels and grasped her face in his hands before kissing her long and hard.
Hannah moaned and sank against him, bracing her palms on his bare flesh between the leather straps crisscrossing his chest. His skin was warm and tingles radiated through her fingertips to the needy place between her thighs.
Garran raised his head and she found she could barely breathe as she looked into his liquid silver eyes. His earthy male scent intoxicated her to the point she felt almost dizzy with it. She reveled in the feel of his arms wrapped around her and how his embrace made her feel secure and loved.
He glanced down at her Dior evening dress and traced one of his fingers down her soft flesh to where the fabric barely covered her breasts.
His jaw tensed. “How does one take this material off?”
“Very carefully,” Hannah said with light smile, but she really couldn't care if he ripped the blessed thing off her.
She reached behind and managed to keep from trembling long enough to unfasten the dress and let it slip down her body in a silken glide to her feet.
Garran gave a loud groan as his gaze took in her naked body. She'd been entirely bare beneath that sexy little dress, and all she was wearing were her black heels, crown, and moon and crescent armband.
He brought her roughly against him, pressing her breasts against the gems and leather of his chest straps as he took her mouth in another fierce kiss. His lips moved over hers and he bit her lower lip, causing her to groan. Whenever he did that it made her wetter between her thighs and even hotter for him.
Their tongues met and they tasted each other, kissing until Hannah's mind spun and she lost all sense of anything but being in Garran's arms.
He released her long enough to step back and remove his chest straps, his sword, his black leather boots and pants. The entire time her heart beat fast and furious, as she waited in anticipation of feeling his naked body against hers.
“Goddess, you're beautiful.” She drank in the sight of his large, powerful body, his sculpted muscles and that cock … She licked her lips and his erection seemed to grow bigger in response.
Garran moved toward her and she sank down, her knees on her dress, not caring what happened to the expensive fabric. Her gaze met his as she wrapped her hand around his erection, and he sucked in his breath when she slipped her mouth over his cock. The drop of semen at the tip tasted salty and good, and she wanted more.
“Hannah …” he whispered as he slipped his hands into her hair. “My sweet one, my queen.”
A soft moan escaped her as he spoke and she moved her mouth up and down his length, taking him as deep as she could. She used one hand to work his shaft while bringing her other hand to her breasts, pinching one nipple then the next.
When she sucked harder, she heard his soft intake of breath. His body slightly trembled and she knew he was close to climaxing.
He clenched his hands tighter in her hair and she moved him in and out of her mouth faster. She met his gaze and his expression was pained, his jaw tense, and every muscle looked strained, as if he were holding himself back.
She'd fix that. She brought her hand from her nipples to his balls and fondled them before giving a firm squeeze.
Garran's eyes unfocused and he gave a shout before his cock pumped semen into her mouth. She hummed with pleasure as she drank from him, swallowing at the same time his unique taste rolled over her tongue.
With a groan he moved his hands from her hair to her shoulders. He gripped her upper arms and his moist cock slipped from her mouth before she rose and he kissed her firmly on her lips.
He trailed kisses down her jaw to the erogenous zone behind her ear and she shivered while her folds became wetter. “I will taste every inch of my queen.”
“Don't take too long.” She moaned and tilted her head back when his warm mouth latched onto one of her nipples. So hot and wet, his tongue so masterful. “I want you inside me.”
He made a sound of pleasure as he moved his mouth to her other breast and began flicking his tongue over her nipple in the same way he had with the first one. She slipped her hands into his beautiful silvery-blue hair and traced the curves of his pointed ears as he clasped his hands around her waist.
When he raised her up, she wrapped her thighs around his hips and felt his cock press against her folds. Goddess, she couldn't wait.
They neared the bed and her eyes widened in surprise. The bed was covered with the rare blue-tipped orchids she had learned were only to be found in the realm of the Light Elves.
“A gift from the Guardian.” He settled Hannah down in the middle of the soft petals that welcomed her in a gentle caress. “To lie in a bed of orchids on your joining night is considered good luck.”
She held her arms up to him. “I have all the luck I need.”
With a smile he lowered himself so that he rested between her thighs, his body so snug and warm and comforting against hers. She reached for his cock that was deliciously erect again and his smile turned teasing as he began moving down her body, his tongue and lips tasting and taunting her.
“Do
not
make me wait,” she said in her most imperious tone, and he chuckled. Well, she might as well start acting queenly now. Not that he was listening.
Garran slowly glided down her body, making her writhe and groan with every touch, every caress. The unusual, sweet scent of the orchids combined with what he was doing to her was making her light-headed.
When his mouth reached the dark curls of her mound he nuzzled her and she heard him drawing in her scent in a deep breath. He placed his palms on the insides of her thighs and spread her wide as he focused on her with single-minded intent on his features.
She held her breath as she waited for his mouth to come down on her. He flicked out his tongue, tasting her only lightly. She released her breath as she groaned for more.
An orgasm started to roll toward her the moment he pressed his mouth to her folds. Her belly clenched and she brought her hands to her breasts and started squeezing her nipples, adding to the delicious shivers racing through her body.
Garran nipped her clit and she almost lost it. She barely held on to the thinnest thread of control as his tongue laved and sucked her folds and her clit. The orchids acted like an aphrodisiac to her senses—not that she needed anything with Garran.
He inserted three fingers into her core and she gasped just before he lightly bit her clit.
Hannah cried out as her entire body shuddered and green sparkles glittered behind her eyes before she realized they were coating her skin, too.
Dizziness from the orgasm made it hard to come back down from the high of her release. Her core contracted around his fingers and he gave her folds and clit final, loving strokes of his tongue.
She was still shuddering when Garran eased up her body and wedged his hips firmly between her thighs. As he brought his mouth down on hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She moaned as she tasted herself along with his masculine flavor that made her want more and more and more of him.
“Now, Garran,” she murmured against his lips. “Enough is enough. Make love to your queen.”
A smile of satisfaction curved the corners of his mouth as he rose up and brought his hand between them to place his cock at the entrance to her core.
“Yes,” he said with a hard thrust that felt as if it reached her belly button and caused her to cry out. “I will make love to my queen. This day and every day.”
If she could have laughed she would have. Instead she gasped and said, “I don't know if I could handle this
every
day.”
“You will.” A wicked look lit his eyes and she knew he meant it.
And she looked forward to every night they had together.
With hard, firm strokes he thrust in and out of her core, driving her on and on toward another climax. She looked up into his eyes and the expression on his face—the love, the caring—made her want to cry from the joy she felt.
Her orgasm started with light contractions that she knew were only a taste of something much bigger coming toward her like a storm of spellfire. Everything glittered inside and outside of her, tingles of heat and light and love.
Even though she knew it was coming, her climax still took her by surprise with its force and intensity. She gasped then cried out as her whole body shook with her orgasm's power.
Garran drove in and out of her so hard that he made her core spasm with every thrust. She held on to his broad shoulders, trying to anchor herself as if her whole body would take flight.
He pressed his hips tight to her mound and sweat glistened on his skin as he came with a shuddering groan. His cock pumped his semen inside her and she held him close as she felt every throb of his release.
Garran kissed Hannah hard before drawing her on her side and bringing her into the curve of his arm. Scents of orchids and sex and sweat and male filled her.
“You have my love always, my queen,” Garran said as he brushed his lips over hers.
Hannah smiled, her heart aching with more happiness than she'd ever felt in her life. “I've found my home with you. And you'll always have my love.”

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