The Marked Ones (26 page)

But when her unease lifted, and her excitement began to climb, Tristan found himself in a sensory overload he was powerless against. The heat and vanilla scent of her silken skin, combined with the coconut perfume of her curls and the lusty way she called his name as her gravity-defying breasts jostled above her impossibly tiny waist was so overwhelming that it made his cock ache. So when she mounted him and began to ride him back, thrusting her perfectly rounded ass against his hands to gain leverage, Tristan knew the end was near.

‘Ivyanne!’ He raked his fingers through her hair, forcing her face back. ‘We have to stop-’

‘Like hell we do!’Ivyanne silenced his lips with a messy, vicious kiss. But Tristan groaned and turned his face away, reminding himself that his honor was at stake.

‘No we have to-I can’t hold onto my control when you’re like this!’

‘So
don’t!’ She swiveled her hips, sinking down his length even further, and making every muscle in his body taut with teeth-grinding pleasure. ‘I want you to let go!’

‘But-ugh-’ His eyes squeezed shut as he teetered on the precipice of release-every roll of her hips was punctuated by a current of electricity rollin down his throbbing erection. ‘I can’t. Protection remember? I need a minute to put it on!’

Ivyanne’s eyes were molten emeralds when she threw her arms around his neck and whispered: ‘If you get me pregnant, I’ll deal. But if you pull out of me right now, I’ll die.’

Tristan’s blood rushed to his head, then straight back down to his shaft. He reached up, unlatched her arms then fell forward until he was on top of her again, curling himself around her.

‘You sure about that? I am still just one of your subjects at this point,’ he drove himself into her, knowing exactly what she needed to reach oblivion. ‘Your word is my command, so you can’t throw it back at me later.’

‘Ahh…!’ Ivyanne’s beautiful face contorted in ecstasy. ‘Then finish what you started, Tristan-
inside me. That’s my damn command!’

That was all the confirmation Tristan needed. He angled himself and thrust into the hilt, watching her eyes roll back into her head when he forced his entire length into her lush body. After three swift strokes, her green eyes opened and the expression of wonder and bewilderment inside them was beauty in it’s purest form. At that moment, he knew that Lincoln was the last thing on his mind, and it filled him with triumph that equalled the ecstasy of burying himself inside her sweet body to the hilt. She was burning for him in a way she had never yearned for another man, and what would start in her body would blossom throughout her in no time, he was certain of it.

‘Oh...god-’ Ivyanne arched her back and began to shake in his arms, and her sex followed suit, spasming around him as she dug her fingernails into his shoulder blades. Tristan sucked in a breath when her quickening body tried to milk him, bracing himself with one arm over her body while reaching between them and circling his thumb around the responsive bundle of nerves on the edge of where he was embedded in her.

Ivyanne’s sharp answering cry let him know that there was in fact, one more way he could undo her before his own surrender, so he stimulated her silken pelvis as he thrust into her, finding her mouth and kissing her with passionate abandon as she let go once more, shuddering in his arms, the violent jerking of her body as she clutched at him pushing Tristan over the edge of his self control.

He came hard, and seemingly forever, his buttocks clenching as he thrust his hips into hers and stilled, relishing the moment until his weakened limbs collapsed from the exertion of holding out against her. Ivyanne crushed him to her, whimpering his name, while her body absorbed his seed, and her soul absorbed his everything.

26.

Ivyanne turned in Tristan’s arm and her eyes opened slowly, seeking his. ‘I slept?’ she asked huskily.

‘For awhile,’ Tristan stroked her arm lovingly. Her skin felt like satin. ‘You looked so peaceful that I couldn’t wake you.’

‘I think I needed some shut-eye,’ Ivyanne admitted. She sat up, groaning, holding the throw from the bottom of his bed around her bare breasts. ‘Oh. Ow.’

‘Tender?’ he asked guiltily. ‘I’m sorry.’

She shot him a sidelong glance. ‘Actually I have a stiff neck,’ she rotated her head and then cringed again, her hand falling between her covered thighs. ‘Oh. Yep. Definitely tender there too. You’re right.’

Tristan’s hand found her lower stomach and he rubbed it tenderly. ‘For the record, you blew me away.’ He admitted. ‘I’ve never had a virgin uh, be so..
accommodating before.’

Ivyanne blushed, lying back down. ‘You’ve probably never had a twenty-eight year old sexually frustrated ball of hormones virgin before
either.’

‘True. You’re definitely the crown princess of abstinence. I would have
died in your situation.’

‘I almost did. More this week than ever….’ Ivyanne sighed, shaking her head at the ceiling with a bewildered expression. ‘Well....
that may just have been the stupidest-’

His mouth went dry. His heart ceased to beat.

She smiled at his nervous expression. ‘-and most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life.’ She chuckled, tilting his face up by his jaw. ‘Why the long face? I’d expected to find you strutting like a peacock.’

‘I am-on the
inside,’ he said quickly. ‘On the outside, I’m trying to look dignified and cool. And appropriately ashamed.’

She propped herself up on her elbow and studied him, still covering herself. ‘So was sealing the deal without protection part of your master plan? Make me beg for your….’ She blushed.

‘Essence?’ He supplied, grinning at the recollection. ‘No. But it was a lovely bonus.’

She mock-scowled at him. ‘Trapping a woman with a baby? How fifties of you! Do I seem ready for motherhood?’

‘You don’t know there’s a baby in there,’ he pointed out, blushing. ‘Given your family’s track record of procreation, it’s probably going to take a lot more than one shot two days after you ovulate to breed you.’ He reached out and cupped her bare buttock, yanking her up against him. He had the sheet draped over his hips, but that and the throw were the only things separating their bodies. ‘It’s going to be hard work, but some poor schlub has to do it.’ He was growing hard again already at the very thought. He kissed her neck and whispered: ‘Over, and over again...until you can’t walk.’

A little moan escaped Ivyanne’s lips, and her head fell back, allowing him access to her neck. ‘Good thing I prefer swimming.’ She murmured. ‘God Tristan. I can’t believe what you just did to me. And I can’t believe how badly I want to do it
again. I don’t need to be knocked up to feel trapped. Your hands, your lips your body...they’re a cage. And I have no desire to be free of them.’

Her words melted him, smoothing over every wound she’d inflicted to his self confidence in the past two weeks. ‘
That was my master plan.’ He confessed, nibbling gently on her earlobe. ‘To make it difficult for you to stay away from me.’

‘Mission accomplished.’ Ivyanne pulled her head back and wagged her finger at him. ‘
Schemer. I swear, you could sell solar panels to a nuclear plant!’

He couldn’t help his goofy grin. ‘
That’s why I’m rich!’

She tossed a small, bronze satin throw pillow at him. It glanced off his shoulder and skittered off the bed. ‘
There’s the Tristan I know!’

‘Good to know you like him too,’ Tristan admitted. He glanced at her. ‘Can I ask
why you waved away the protection? Is it possible that sub-consciously you want to be locked in?’

Ivyanne frowned thoughtfully. ‘Possibly. But it was the timing, more than anything else. It was like there was this rhythm inside me, and if you stopped, it would ruin it.’

Tristan chuckled, he’d figured as much. ‘For the record, I’ve never lost a rhythm I couldn’t find again.’

‘Oh I
believe you. Now.’ She smiled at him. ‘You’re amazing. Maybe I have no basis for comparison, but I’ve read books and seen movies and heard other mermaids discussing it….’ She bit her lip and smiled. ‘And what you just did is not what most men do.’

‘I know.’ Tristan wiggled his eyebrows at her. ‘I’m a mystic between the sheets.’

She giggled. ‘Yep. Only this future queen will be decreeing that I’m the only one who gets to enjoy your, uh, powers from hereon out.’

Tristan forced his face into a cringe. ‘Are you serious? Ivyanne you told me that I was still going to be single! If I’d known getting you into the sack would have put me on a leash I never would have agreed to it!’

Ivyanne’s mouth fell open. Tristan leaned forward and kissed her.

‘Kidding.’ He whispered, grinning. ‘Slip a collar round my neck and tie me to a bed. This mongrel is yours the
moment you say the word.’

‘Jackass!’ Ivyanne squealed, getting her hands around her neck. ‘I actually
believed you then!’

Tristan laughed, prying her hands free and kissing her palms. ‘That’s what you get for making me wait so damn long.’ He traced his finger over the outline of her shell necklace. He had recognised the designer the moment he’d seen it. ‘Gift from Ardhi?’

She looked down at it. ‘Yeah. Does it bother you?’

He shook his head. ‘No,’ he said. ‘But you should know-he was watching us last night. I don’t know how much he saw, but judging by his smile, it was probably only the part where you lost the plot at Lincoln and I.’

Ivyanne grimaced. ‘That would explain his good mood this morning. Dammit. I don’t know what’s going on in that head of his, but I can’t believe someone I thought was so normal could have such a sinister side.’ She pouted. ‘Now I have to deal with it, so it’s only going to get worse.’

‘How
are you going to deal with it?’

‘By luring him back to Bracken where mum will be waiting with an ambush. We’ll send him off somewhere, where he can get some distance and have some alone time with his powers. Probably the Mediterranean, so it’s not a total drag for the poor guy.’ She ran her hands through her hair. ‘But still, the chances of our friendship recovering from this are like,
nil.’

‘Because you have to punish him?’ Tristan asked. ‘Or because you just had sex with someone he abhors?’

Ivyanne cringed. ‘Both. Ugh. I hadn’t even thought  about that second part.’ She turned to him, and  her eyes were pleading. ‘Can we keep what just happened between us quiet? I mean, I’ll have to tell mum, and she’ll probably tell dad…. But if Ardhi finds out which line we’ve crossed before he’s gotten some distance, who knows what he’ll do?’

‘Fine. I can delay the group e-mail.’ He joked.

She slapped his shoulder playfully. ‘Thanks.’

‘Oh come on. As much as I’d love to brag that I just discovered heaven between the princess’s legs, I don’t see the news going over well with the more traditional
Marked families, Ivyanne.’ He stroked her cheek. ‘If I’m going to be your king one day, then it’s my duty to protect you from scandal, not expose you to it. Especially seeing that I’m the one who led you to vice.’

‘Thank you.’ Ivyanne smiled gently. ‘I wish I could protect you too, but when dad finds out, you’re on your own.’ She wriggled her eyebrows. ‘The silver tongue that got me into bed is going to be worthless against
his wrath. And we can’t really blame him for it. He didn’t want me near you because he was afraid you’d seduce me-and he was right!’

‘Men like being right. That’ll bring him
some comfort.’ Tristan joked, but on the inside, he felt dread uncurl in his stomach. What was he going to do about Ash? Would the king resent him until the end of time? He couldn’t bear the thought of Ivyanne being torn between them. He cupped Ivyanne’s face. ‘I’ll just have to make you so happy that he grows to love me. It’ll take time, but it’ll be worth it.’

Ivyanne’s eyes searched his. ‘I hope you mean that. And I hope I’m worth it.’

‘You still doubt me?’

She smiled at him. ‘Ask me when I can think straight again. I’m still far too deep in the sex haze to assemble a logical thought.’

Tristan’s phone began to chirp. He reluctantly rolled over and glanced at the screen. ‘It’s a message from Pintang.’

‘She texts you?’ Ivyanne asked. ‘I didn’t know you two were
that close.’

He glanced at her, wondering if his eyes betrayed his guilt. ‘We’re not. But uh, she’s kind of made it clear that she’d like to be a
lot closer.’ Ivyanne’s eyes widened and Tristan rushed to add: ‘No she’s not trying to usurp you, princess. She’s just asked that I consider her for marriage if you don’t consider me.’

‘Oh.’ Ivyanne said coolly. ‘And would you? Consider her?’

Tristan swallowed. ‘I have. But don’t look at me like that. I’m under almost as much obligation to marry well as you are, remember? I don’t have feelings for her, but given how pissed her family was when I rejected Lumi, I figured giving Pintang a chance was the least I could do. And she’s a nice girl.’

‘True.’ Ivyanne muttered.

He grinned at her. ‘You’re jealous?’

Ivyanne sighed and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. ‘She’s got amazing eyes. I’d scratch them out of her head if I could. And she can cook. I wouldn’t have a clue how.’

Tristan chuckled at the idea of Ivyanne coveting another woman’s looks. ‘Hmm, you’re making a good case. Maybe I should consider her a lot more seriously.’

Ivyanne turned to glare at him.

‘But I won’t.’ He said quickly, with a wink. ‘In fact, do you need help trapping Ardhi tonight?’

Ivyanne laughed. ‘Because
your presence will help?’ She shook her head. ‘Nope. He thinks I want to hang out, and he’s all too willing to escort me home.’

‘Okay. Then I might arrange to have dinner with Pintang, and let her down as gently as I can.’

Ivyanne’s eyes widened. ‘What are you going to tell her? What if she tells Ardhi?’

But Tristan shook his head. ‘I’ll just tell her that I’m in love with you, and that if I can’t have you- I‘m not going to be able to consider anyone else for decades.’ He stroked her hair. ‘If we hadn’t just made love, it would be
true.’

‘Oh.’ Ivyanne blushed. ‘Wow.’

Tristan leaned over to grab his phone. The fact that Ivyanne hadn’t said ‘I love you’ back or declared them ‘official’ irked him, but he hadn’t expected her to yet. She’d given him enough for one day and if he was deserving, the rest would swiftly follow.

But as he scanned the message from Pintang, his good feelings abandoned him. ‘Oh.’ He swallowed. ‘Shit.’

He felt Ivyanne move beside him. ‘What?’

Tristan groaned and handed her the phone. ‘Read it yourself.’

Ivyanne took his iPhone. ‘Hey Tristan, I forgot to warn you yesterday to cover up your tattoo, or wear a hat, when you’re around Link. He saw mine, and asked about it, and I said it was a family thing because he put me on the spot. Ivyanne covers hers with her hair, and if he sees Ardhi’s that’s fine, because he knows my brother is here-but you don’t exactly look Indonesian. Just thought I’d give you a heads up.’

‘Wow? Link spotted her tattoo?
I haven’t even seen it yet. Ardhi said she wore a watch over it.’ Ivyanne passed the phone back. ‘That’s not great, but it’s not a crisis. You and I are both leaving anyway.’

Tristan closed his eyes. ‘He
saw mine. Yesterday.’

He heard Ivyanne suck in a breath. ‘
What? When?’

‘When he came down to the beach. It was actually the first thing he mentioned.’ Tristan rolled over to face her. ‘And he asked what it meant.’

Ivyanne appeared to be holding her breath. ‘Please tell me you didn’t say it was a family thing too…?’

Tristan shook his head. ‘No. I said it meant
stallion. Which is what started our argument over you.’ He sat up. ‘As much as I’d like to write this off as a coincidence Ivyanne, I’ve got a knot in my stomach. My tattoo is behind my ear, and it’s tiny.’ He pivoted his face to show her. ‘What if he only saw it because he was looking for it?’

Ivyanne’s hand covered her mouth for a moment. When she took it away she said. ‘Last night, when he was raging over the reasons we couldn’t be together, he said: ‘I’m sicking of you
all lying to me!’ If he’d been talking about you and I, he would have said ‘you two’, right?’ She slapped her hand to her forehead. ‘And today, after I told him I was leaving, he screamed through the door that he’d work out my secret! I told him I was weird, not that I have a secret.’

Tristan’s heart sank. He’d worried about Lincoln’s objections to her strange lifestyle the night before, but he hadn’t lingered on it because he knew Ivyanne had given him a rough tale about her life the day of the incident at the coffee shop ‘Weird how? What cover story did you give him about us?’

‘Just that my family has old money and we travel helping people. That to keep the money in the family, we marry selectively and live private lives. That he wouldn’t understand the ties I have to my world.’