Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (20 page)

At his continued silent regard and
unrelenting stare, she tugged at his shirt, imploring, “You are not
taking an ordinary female as your mate. You should understand this
well as the Warrior of Light. Your opinions have always been held
in higher regard than any other vampire in the Realm. As my male, I
value them even more but I
am
the Chosen,
Lorcan. I cannot simply give you my vow to be a mouthless puppet at
your side. I would be doing a disservice to everything that is of
the Light.”

His eyes narrowed in challenge, “Does the
Prophecy really have bearing any longer Kaitriana? You are no
longer a Witch, can you still be the foretold female?”

Kaitriana’s faith was steadfast and her
expression conveyed it, “My magic remains Lorcan. I have an
obligation to accept the role for which I was destined.”

Leaning in, his fingertip brushed her lip and
then tapped pointedly against a fang, “The Chosen
witch
was to be joined with a
vampire
to bring about the fulfillment of the
Prophecy. I am not a pureborn Vampire, just as you are no longer
purely Witch.”

Pushing his hand away irritably from her
mouth, Kaitriana countered, “My magic is stronger than any other in
the Realm
despite
the transition. I am a
Witch first and foremost, Lorcan. I have been schooled in the
Prophecy since my birth and I do
not
recall any words dictating a pure bloodline in either Witch or
Vampire.”

Her annoyance was coming on full and hard
again, his stubbornness had her near shouting, “I would not have
asked for your mark if I thought a bond with you would jeopardize
the Prophecy. I personally believe that there is no other better
suited to help me fulfill it; however, if you would like me to
begin looking…”

Her sentence fell short at his answering
growl. Although Lorcan was reluctant to give any ongoing credence
to Myrrdyn’s blasted Prophecy, much less be viewed as the other
half of it, he was not willing to let the witch go. The thought of
her with another vampire put him in a murderous mood. He would
compromise…slightly.

His hand found her chin and held her firm,
“When it comes to this Coven, you abide by me in
all
things, unconditionally.” Kat just stared up at
him, so he snapped out, “Anything of consequence within the Realm
beyond that we determine together,
always
.” When he added the last, his tone sharpened,
indicating there would be no compromise on this final dictate, “And
I have the absolute authority to forbid anything, Realm or
otherwise, that I believe jeopardizes your safety.”

Waiting a long few minutes as though
considering, Kat thought it might do her arrogant vampire well to
experience some uncertainty. She finally gave him a saucy wink,
followed by a dazzling smile, “I can agree to all of that as your
mate, Vampire.”

CHAPTER 19

As soon as the words were voiced, Lorcan
pulled her head back to drive his hungry mouth hard against hers.
He was deliberately wild as the tension poured from him. Uncaring
when his fangs nicked the tender flesh of her lips, he continued
his unyielding demand. Thrusting his tongue deeply in rhythm, his
passion was fueled by the hot little growls coming from her. His
need to taste her was insatiable and shortly he returned to lap at
the traces of blood left by the tiny injuries his fangs had
caused.

Kaitriana responded without hesitation,
pushing her tongue to his. The pleasure he delivered was turning
her into a wanton little witch. Her nails marred the fine cloth at
his shoulders, and then rose to jerk insistently at his sable
locks. She was quickly losing all sense of anything but him and the
sensations he was creating. He had roused her to the point that she
could not think beyond the throbbing ache that had spread from deep
inside and wound itself around her entire being.

Lorcan eased back and cast his eyes to her
throat hungrily. Lowering his head, he traced his tongue along the
path from her ear and down her neck before nibbling at her
collarbone. As he was licking further down to the neckline of her
gown, Kat arched up to meet the mouth circling over her skin.
Gooseflesh raised on her arms in response to the occasional graze
of fang to flesh. His leisurely attentions had little whimpering
pleas forming on her lips.

Standing suddenly, he held her in his arms
and strode across the room. Lorcan dropped her onto the bed with
the one command, “Stay.” He shadowed into the adjoining chamber and
returned the next instant. Leaving behind his jacket and shirt, he
held a small brown jar. He was having little success reining in his
Vampire instincts with this his beauty, but given her agreement to
his conditions it was no longer necessarily that his needs be fully
contained.

Kaitriana had yet to move from where she had
landed. The sight of his bare torso when he came back had her mouth
opening with a silent moan of want. Her eyes were flickering with
shadowy darkness as she braced herself up on elbows against the
mattress and raked her gaze over him. His body was sculpted
magnificently; there was not a muscle on the expanse of chest and
shoulder that was not clearly defined. The texture of his skin was
flawlessly smooth with the exception of the dusting of dark hair
that began just at the midline below his navel. Her fangs were
actually beginning to throb in desperation to taste him by the time
she returned her vision to his face.

Lorcan drew a sharp breath at her gaze; he
was completely seduced by her heated stare. The yearning reflected
in the pools of black must certainly mirror of what she was seeing
in his. Dropping a knee to the edge of the bed, he pulled her over
as he slid on down to recline next to her prone form. Kat gazed up
at him with no small amount of curiosity.

His breathing was uneven as he dipped two
fingers into the little jar; a clear liquid covered his fingertips.
Lorcan used the other hand to expose her neck, shoving her curls
back. Her entire body trembled when he pressed his lips to her ear.
He explained as he smoothed the cool mixture on the spot directly
over her pulse, “As an immortal, you heal completely from my
bites.”

Nibbling at the lobe, he continued rubbing
the liquid at her pulse point. His eyes focused on the swirl of
moisture around the spot. “This lotion will cause your skin to not
heal completely. You will be left with scars here,” his fingers
pressed down firmly. “With our acute vision the marks will always
be visible to those of the Vampire breed, a symbol that I have
claimed you. I want you as my own Kat. Always.” Lorcan gazed
steadily down at her and presented her with a single word, a
forever promise from ages ago, “Mine.” He reveled in the complete
trust in her eyes as she nodded and silently mouthed the word back
to him. The little witch warmed his heart.

“Tonight, I am going to leave my mark on you,
Kat…” His tongue played at the edge of her ear as he added, “…after
I drive you crazy.” A wicked smile touched his lips as he heard her
breath expel slowly, followed by her needy growl.

Kat tilted her head to give him greater
access to her throat, “Please Lorcan.”

He shook his head and winked at her,
“Impatient lass.” Shifting, Lorcan grasped her shoulders and rolled
her to access her back. His lips brushed against her hair when he
began drawing the zipper down. Murmuring, his other hand grazed her
bare shoulder, “We should not risk spoiling your gown.”

Her stomach clenched tight and she felt a
stabbing heat all the way down to her curling toes as he eased his
hands inside the opened material and slid them around her front.
Lorcan stayed behind her and she shuddered as he pushed his hands
over the planes of her abdomen to move the material downward. The
feel of the warm skin of his chest against her bare back as he
leaned in to drag the dress over her hips was tantalizing. Kat had
never been in such an intimate position with a male, much less felt
one’s flesh heating hers in such a manner. A blush colored her skin
and she sucked hard at the lower lip captured between her
teeth.

Lorcan slowed, leisurely exploring the warmth
of her beneath the material. Finally he shoved the dress free of
her feet and kicked it from the end of the bed. He took his time
arranging her crossways on the large expanse before returning his
fingers to the jar to dip more of the concoction. Kneeling over
her, he massaged the liquid into the skin higher up on her throat
while his eyes swept over the dainty wisps of lace cloth that kept
her from being bare. He was near undone by the perfection of her,
mumbling hoarsely, “You tempt me, Witch.”

Under the intensity of his long perusal Kat
was shifting restlessly over the silk bedding. Reaching upwards,
her hands rested on his shoulders only a moment before she
attempted to tug him down to her. She desperately wanted more of
his kissing. Lorcan smirked and resisted her pull. Kaitriana
frowned.

Finished with his ministrations at her neck,
Lorcan brushed his fingers down her center. Ignoring her current
need, he continued with his study, intently watching his fingertips
as they moved over her pale skin. Stopping only when he encountered
the edge of lace low on her abdomen, he directed a molten gaze back
to her face and gave the material a hard tug.

Her body responded with a flush of heat that
swept over her entirely. Kaitriana’s sharp intake of breath echoed
when he dropped his face to her abdomen and then she simply quit
breathing. The graze of his tongue against the heated skin of her
stomach was such a shocking sensation that she stilled completely,
afraid to move for fear he might cease the sinful play of his
tongue over her flesh.

He licked a path upwards. Stopping at the
material that covered her breasts, Lorcan turned his face and
rubbed his cheek against the lace. Turning back, he gave the
stretch of material in the hollow between a sharp tug with his
teeth.

Groaning, Kat arched towards him as he drew a
hand upwards to feel where his face had been a moment before. He
could see the delicate pink peak through the lace as he settled his
full hand over her there. Lorcan tormented her by skimming the flat
of his palm over the material to rub it against the sensitized
flesh. He smiled arrogantly at her answering moan and used his
teeth to pull at the garment once more.

Joining with the teasing play of his hand,
Lorcan licked along the boundary of lace until Kat was squirming
beneath his mouth. He cupped her flesh fully and he replaced the
pressure of his palm with the lap of tongue. Her mewl of delight
encouraged him to give a little nip with his teeth. In response her
fingers curled into his forearms as her back bowed off the bed.
Settling his parted lips on her, Lorcan sucked lace and skin into
the heat of his mouth. Sliding his hand down, he massaged the curve
of her hip as he used teeth and tongue against the wet
material.

Kat was growling at him and rocking her body
up in unspoken demand for more. His exploring hands and wicked
mouth were driving her mad. Unable to capture a thought, her focus
was evershifting from one spot to the next as he evoked each new
sensation. She had been holding her breath in anticipation and when
Lorcan finally released the hold of his mouth she exhaled in a
rush. Her eyes were riveted on him when he bent his head towards
her once more.

He continued her torment with tiny bites on
her shoulder and up to the column of her neck. When Lorcan reached
the base, he brushed his tongue in a single, heavy stroke over the
delicate skin there. Shifting suddenly, he lifted both hands to cup
her face. His tone was reverent as he gazed down at her, “Of
everything I have experienced in my existence, you are the most
exquisite creation I have beheld.” Settling the full length of his
frame over her, he braced himself on bended arms and let the weight
of his body press her into the bed. Continuing to hold her face
gently, his mouth swooped down to claim hers in a long, drugging
kiss.

Clinging tightly, the riotous sensations
coursing through her were heightened even more by the feel of his
half-bare form pressing into her. He continued in his hot
possession of her mouth while her hands learned the feel of his
shoulders and back. Closing her eyes tightly Kat focused on the
erotic slip of his skin over hers where their stomachs pressed
tightly together.

She was panting when he finally broke the
kiss. Her lids fluttered upwards at his stillness to find Lorcan
watching her face, his expression inscrutable. In her inexperience,
she became insecure and withdrew her hands quickly from his back.
Pink swept across her cheeks and Kat shifted her gaze away from his
penetrating stare.

He chuckled in good humor, “Look at me.” As
she did lift her eyes back to his, he continued, “You please me
greatly, Kaitriana…do not stop touching me.” Dropping a reassuring
kiss to her lips, the laughter remained in his eyes, “But if you
keep blushing every time I get you hot, it will be necessary to
feed you three times a day.”

She made a face and moved to punch him, but
he captured her fist and guided it pointedly back to his shoulder
with a smirk. Kat followed suit with the other hand and was
rewarded when he dropped his head back down to pay more attention
to her neck. Concentrating again on the mere sensation of his
touch, she let her lids drift shut once more.

Lorcan eventually eased onto his knees in the
center of the bed. Encircling her torso in both arms, he dragged
her up against his chest. Her hands lifted to caress the hard
muscle there and Kat caught a glimpse of his dark eyes through slit
lids. She allowed herself to recline back limply over the hold of
his arm around her upper back. The move opened her upper torso and
the entire length of her throat to his view. Her long curls spilled
down behind and pooled on the bed.