Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (16 page)

Quirking his brow at her, he said dryly, “Do
you imagine this attraction between us will lessen, when it has
remained over the five centuries we have been apart?” At her
negative response, he hushed against her lips, “Then why would I
not seek to make you mine?” She could find no argument for him
there.

Lorcan was easily on his feet and pulling her
to hers before he gave the remainder of his explanation, “I will
mark you and mate you as is the Vampire tradition Kaitriana.”

She interjected in the same surly tone as the
night before, “Perhaps…if I allow it.”

He only raised a brow at her taunt and
continued on as though she had not interrupted, “You still identify
yourself as the Witch species.” His statement did not require an
answer but she nodded anyways. At it, he answered, “Then I will be
having those vows from you as well before I take you as my
mate.”

Lorcan finished with a sternly reprimanding
look, knowing full well another ‘if I allow it’ was on its way. Not
willing to push her luck, Kaitriana rolled her eyes at him
instead.

Grinning over his sassy witch, Lorcan tugged
her along in his wake to the edge of the bed. His grin broadened on
turning to see that she was still thoroughly disgruntled at his
abrupt end to their play. His fingertip tapped the freckles along
her nose before he quickly turned her to present her back to him.
He wasn’t done toying with the minx, “How much longer do you think
I could have resisted you, with your insistent little hands all but
tearing my clothes off, Kat? The marks your claws left on my chest
might heal by morn, if I am lucky.”

His booming laughter filled the room at her
outraged retort while she attempted to turn to see if she had in
fact left any injuries. Lorcan merely took her shoulders firmly and
positioned her back as he had a moment before. He began easing the
zipper of her gown down which caused her to still. His breath
touched her ear, “You do need my help with this, don’t you?” He
knew she did not, since she had managed the closure fine without
him when she had dressed.

Kaitriana issued no response and remained
unmoving. Her toes were curling again and her breath caught in her
throat when he delivered a light kiss to her ear. She could not
pretend that she was immune to him and the ease with which he could
make her forget herself should send her to a panic. She knew
instinctively though that he would not take advantage and not let
their play go too far without the vows between them. She trusted
Lorcan implicitly and with that realization, she released a long,
shaky breath.

Lorcan knew he would be taking his time here
whether or not it tested his willpower. He was near overcome with
the temptation to toss the beauty on his bed and slake his needs.
Her velvety soft skin, being revealed inch by inch, was firm across
the muscles of her back. It was like unwrapping a present. He took
a finger and began tracing lazy patterns as it was bared.

Once he had the zipper undone to her hips, he
released it and used both hands to spread the material apart
further. Trailing a finger over the divots of her spine, he then
touched each of the two little indentions interior to either
hipbone. Leaning into her back, he pushed the material downward,
into a pool of satin around her calves. Simultaneously he swept her
curls aside and placed his lips at the nape of her neck.

Conscious of her shiver, he believed it was
from his disrobing of her rather than the cold, Lorcan lifted her
feet free of the confines of the dress and pulled her back against
him. He needed to cover her quickly. The dark blue satin that clung
to her backside and curve of her hips was causing his fangs to ache
painfully with his desire to claim her. Even so, tempting himself
beyond reason, he turned her and guided her back an arm’s length
from him. He would not forego the opportunity to see the perfection
of his little witch.

He shook his head in appreciation. She was
beautifully formed, all lithe muscle under pale skin. Kat had
sweetly feminine curves that were threatening to spill from that
strapless creation wrapped around her upper torso. Lorcan skimmed a
fingertip to the center of her abdomen and then traced a path up to
the hollow of her neck.

Her expression was one of shyness even as her
gaze was turning hazy with reignited arousal. Kaitriana trembled
under the graze of his fingers and lifted both arms to reach for
him.

Lorcan adored the way she trustingly sought
him and pulled her forward, guiding each outstretched hand to a
shoulder. He took a while longer to allow himself the pleasure of
studying her. Driving himself to the brink, he grazed a fingertip
slowly from the curve where her neck intersected with her shoulder
and on down the side of her breast. Journeying further, Lorcan
traced inward at the curve of her waist and then stopped at the
thin strip of material stretching over her hip. He toyed with it
for scant seconds before pulling his hands back to tug his own
shirt free.

Her desire was communicated in the slow sweep
of her tongue over her lips as she watched him remove the garment
and Lorcan nearly groaned aloud. His honor told him to give the
girl time to adjust to her new life before claiming her but his
instincts were riding him hard. Her lack of inhibitions with him
did nothing to help him temper that need.

The massive expanse of his hard chest, marred
only by the scratches she had actually left on his skin, and his
disheveled dark looks made her mouth go dry. Lorcan peered down at
her while casually tossing the ruined shirt aside, watching her
eyes shimmer darkly. Kaitriana was restless on her feet and biting
hard at her lips. She was about to shriek with her need and beg him
to put that wicked mouth and those magical hands back on her as he
picked her up. She was gloating in triumph until he gave her an
admonishing look coupled with an order, “Behave.”

Lorcan tossed her into the center of the bed.
Toeing off his shoes, he was beneath the covers before he met her
incredulous gaze. With her curls tousled, wide-eyed and barely
covered by the blue satin, she was innocent and sexy wrapped
together in an irresistible package. By strength of will though, he
would resist. Lorcan patted the spot next to him and grudgingly
offered, “I
suppose
you can sleep here,
if
you can keep your hands to yourself
Witch.” He grinned at her grumpy growl.

Petulantly, she took her time sliding over
the offered spot and even more time slipping beneath the coverlet.
Nestled quite nicely in the crook of his arm, she delivered a hard
elbow to his ribs. Smiling innocently, her eyes were anything but
when she answered his grunt simply, “You said
hands
.”

His laughter shook the bed and he held up his
wrist in a peace offering. When she eventually accepted, he leaned
over her, studying the beauty of her eyes until she was sated and
her lids grew heavy. Lorcan locked her firmly against his side and
stroked her hair until she found sleep. His thoughts returned to
her words from earlier in the night regarding the events around her
transition. He pondered each fact she had revealed and the
potential ramifications associated with every one. The night
stretched into late dawn before he joined her in slumber.

CHAPTER 16

The following three evenings passed in much
the same way. While Lorcan was not reluctant to introduce his
female to Vampire society, he was loath to relinquish the quiet
peace he found each night in her company. He justified the selfish
desire to keep her to himself as recompense for the hundreds of
years he had been plagued with war and unrest during her
absence.

Last night he had taken her to stroll along
the edge of the lake when the moon was high. Kat had merrily teased
him with outrageous questions regarding the Vampire breed. He had
finally pulled her into his arms, laughter rumbling in his chest,
after she put the question to him as to whether or not he was going
to get on with ‘chomp chomp chomping’ her. Her eyes had been
sparkling beautifully with mischief but there had also been a heat
lurking beneath that he was unable to resist.He had kissed her
breathless before taking his fill at her neck and she had been
imploring him with nonsensical words to do more by the time he had
released his bite.

Tonight Lorcan was pensive. He realized he
would have to remove the little witch to a chamber of her own until
she gave him her vows. He would be unable to resist her sweet
begging another night and he refused to have her until she was
rightfully his according to both Witch and Vampire customs.

This night she was a vision, returning from
her bath in a garnet-colored flowing gown of silk. Her look was
reminiscent of when Lorcan had first seen her at the Festival. The
markings of her Warrior Caste were glaringly absent in the design
though he noted that the dark blue of his colors were present in
the pendant hanging at her neck. The pile of her long curls
haphazardly atop her head left her neck open for him and allowed
him to see the same dark blue in the gems sparkling at her ears.
Kat stopped expectantly in front of him and he gave her a smile and
a wink before he pulled her down to his lap in his seat before the
fire. In the short span of their time together, it had become their
habit to begin their evenings in this manner.

Kat pressed her back into his chest,
entwining her fingers with his as she tucked her bare feet beneath
the length of her dress. Her free hand was idly tracing the tattoo
on his arm; it had become common practice since the Light faction
had become a mixture of Witch and Vampire for the warriors to mark
themselves with the arcane symbol of the Light. His was a few
inches long and decorated the interior of his forearm. It rested
just above the heavy band of silver he word on the wrist of that
same arm. That piece bore the marking of the Elite. Unlike the
marking of the Light, only Lorcan and his chosen guard had bands
inscribed with that symbol.

Resting back against him, she continued to
explore the mark, questioning, “How do you do this? With the
healing ability of your kind, how do you make the symbol stay?”

Lorcan rested his chin atop her head, the
little one had still not assimilated into her consciousness that
she too was Vampire, “
Our
kind uses a bit
of magic provided by the Witch. An elixir that greatly slows the
healing process allows the mark to take hold before healing is
completed. We use the same potion to mark our mates.”

Kaitriana nodded, taking note of his emphasis
and feeling properly censured by the none too subtle reminder. She
could not help that she was Witch and always had been. It was
difficult to associate yourself fully with two entirely separate
species, particularly when one had had such a short time to become
used to the condition. Still, she adopted a demeanor that she hoped
looked properly contrite as she turned to look up at him.

He laughed at her attempt, being remorseful
was not her strong suit. She crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue
out, as she had wanted to do in the first place. That brought
another round of laughter from him, so she granted him a smile
before she resumed her forward facing position. Lorcan’s fingers
trailed over the silk of her gown as he nuzzled at her neck,
murmuring, “Speaking of markings, where are yours, Witch?”

She stiffened and her head dipped low as she
gave acute study to his hand. Finally, she cast a puzzled glance
back at him. His question gave her the opening to discuss the very
issue that had just caused him to deliver a reprimand.

Lorcan could tell by her eyes that she was
not being contrary when she asked, “Am I still of the Warrior
Caste? Am I Witch or Vampire? Does it really matter what breed I
associate myself with or can I merely exist as both and be accepted
by each?”

Shifting to face him more fully, Kat pulled
her hand from his and moved it to cup his cheek, her words a
coaxing whisper, “I think the question is really not about my
breed. It is simple in my mind Lorcan…am I theirs…or do I belong to
you? Should I wear their markings or am I to wear yours? Your mark
is enough, is it not?” The blue of her eyes was inquisitive as she
searched his.

He had not discussed the significance of the
Vampire tradition of marking their intended mates and he had not
intended to raise the subject to her quite yet. He remained utterly
still for a time; the crackle of the blaze and the occasional sound
of merry making drifting up from the great hall below were the only
sounds between them. He finally cupped her cheek in return, his
voice gruff, “You are mine, Kaitriana. Whether you call yourself
Vampire or Witch matters not. I had thought to give you more
time…”

Lorcan trailed off. He had wanted her vows –
soon – but in his estimation ‘soon’ would still have been many
months more. Marking her to publicly proclaim his intention would
have come later as well, after she had reintegrated herself into
the Realm and reacquainted herself with the Witch. His expression
was a mixture of concern, puzzlement and elation. Despite their
connection and the past few evenings together, he was shocked that
she so readily wanted to make his claim to her evident to all of
the Realm by wearing his mark.

Finally, he managed to demand in words tinged
with his disbelief, “You want this…now?” He could not help the dark
flicker that crept over his eyes at the thought of marking her.

Kaitriana’s only response was to quirk a brow
at him, as though he should know the answer without asking.

Searching her eyes a moment more, he nodded
and then dropped a feather light kiss to her lips. He stood and
lifted her with him before setting her to her feet. “First
Kaitriana we will give you a brief introduction to the Vampire
society below,” he had spotted her bare feet as he set her to the
floor. “Go get your shoes.” He was actually now looking forward to
taking her into the gathered Coven tonight.