Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (21 page)

In her repose she made a delectable offering
and Lorcan could not contain his instinctive reaction. He growled
possessively, “Mine.” The words were not a tender promise this time
but his claim of her. Baring his fangs, he lowered his mouth.

The first sting of the sharpened points
breaching her skin elicited her cry of pleasure, accompanied by a
shiver of delight, “Please Lorcan…do not stop.”

With instinct driving him now, he was beyond
thought or any ability to stop. Lorcan buried the length of his
fangs fully in her throat. He barely registered her responsive
groan he was so lost in her taste and the claiming. Laving the
wound with his tongue, he fervently drew the blood into his mouth.
His fierce growl was muffled against her skin and he withdrew his
bite. Lorcan hesitated only a moment, finding a spot a bit higher
on her flesh, before sinking the sharp points deep a second
time.

Her hands grabbed at his chest in response to
each bite and her hips found home against his. She began a slow
innate rotation against him there. When he repeated the marking
bite a third time, Kat rocked harder against him, a needful sound
wrenched from her. Lorcan settled into drinking with the last,
letting his mouth fully absorb the sweetness of her taste.

Freeing a hand to roam, he dragged it roughly
down over her hip to the curve of her backside. He encircled her
torso tighter to lock her against his chest while the fingertips of
his other hand cupped her bottom and held her hips tightly to his.
Lorcan ground downward, pressing intimately to the cradle of her
hips.

Trailing her hands up over his chest and
shoulders, her movements were frantic as she pulled hard at his
hair. Her rapid breathing caused her demand to be delivered in
broken little pleas, “More Lorcan…more…please.” Kaitriana delivered
another tug to his hair when he did not move quickly enough. Making
mental note that he needed to work on the girl’s patience, Lorcan
relented and rubbed himself against her again with deliberate
slowness.

Kat pulled and gasped, “You must not
stop…Lorcan, please.”

Her pleas were as enticing as the feel of her
soft curves. Lorcan reluctantly lifted his head from her neck, his
eyes glazed with a need that matched hers, “Oh yes, little Kat, I
must.”

She whined with frustration as his fingertips
withdrew from her hip. Her obvious disappointment caused him to
rock softly into her one more time. Sweeping a fingertip down the
length of her pert nose, he reminded her, regretfully, “Vows first,
Kat… vows.” Through gritted teeth he explained, eyes finding hers,
“I cannot continue and not claim you fully.” Lorcan ran his
fingertips teasingly from breast to hip and then up, pausing to cup
her fullness a final time before easing her down to the bed. He
dropped down too and rolled a good distance away from her with a
quiet curse.

When he felt her sliding closer, he pushed a
hand roughly through his hair and closed his eyes. His words were
clipped with frustration, “Give me a moment, Witch.” The muscles of
his abdomen contracted in response to the teasing nail she dragged
over his skin. He quickly captured her hand in his and tugged her
against him, “Shhh Kat…. be good, else I’ll rip that lace from you
and be done with it…and you can face Myrrdyn’s wrath.”

Kat scrunched her face up in response to that
unwelcome thought and then dropped her chin to his chest, her
expression thoughtful, “You could have my vows…tonight.” Lorcan
issued an agonized groan and remained unmoving, eyes shut.

When she began tapping her fingers on his
chest, impatient for his answer, Lorcan chuckled. His arm stretched
back behind where he lay and snagged a pillow. He brought it down
to smack the top of her head. “Persistent little minx…no. I will be
having your vows in the presence of Myrrdyn
and
your witch family, as well as the Coven. Behave
yourself.”

Sitting up, Kat snatched the pillow and
frowned down at his still closed lids, “Have it your way…”

He knew better than to trust her easy
acquiescence. Suspicious, he lifted his head off the bed to look at
her. She gave him a sickeningly sweet smile right before the lace
that had wrapped her upper torso landed on his face. Lorcan rolled
up quickly, taking in the pillow she now had clutched to her chest.
His expression was full of warning though it was belied by the
amusement in his tone, “I am going to beat you, Witch.”

With a sassy laugh, Kat scrambled off the bed
and out of his immediate reach. She took note of the lightening of
the sky with the very early dawn; the automatic shutters that
Lorcan had installed throughout the keep had already begun their
slow close against the breaking light.

When she turned back, he was studying her.
The loving smile she gifted him with about did him in. She was a
gorgeous picture of tousled hair, bathed in the glow of light with
only that bit of lace covering the curve of her backside and the
pillow hugged tightly to her front. Her neck bore the signs of his
rough marking. There would be no doubt to any that saw that she had
been passionately marked. Maintaining a tenuous restraint on his
desire, he stood, “I need to get you to sleep, little one.”

Kat realized only then that the long night
had taken its toll and gave him a tired nod of agreement.

He crooked a finger, beckoning from where he
stood, “Did you make yourself a full wardrobe yet?” At her confused
look, he prompted, “Something to sleep in Kat?” She indicated the
negative. Before tonight, the scant clothing that she climbed into
his bed wearing had been tempting but he had resisted his urges.
Now that he had claimed the lass with his mark he did not trust his
own resolve.

Lorcan gave her the once over, “The pillow
and that little scrap you are wearing on your butt will not work if
you are going to be in my bed.” He should be sending her away to a
guest room, but the marking had amplified his possessiveness and
would not allow for it tonight. He would get her properly settled,
in her own chambers…tomorrow.

Kat clutched the pillow tighter and continued
walking in a steady pace towards him. A twinkle sparked in her
eyes, “Guess you should have had a paddle before you jumped in the
river, Lorcan.”

Crossing to rummage through one of the tall
chests against the far wall, he tossed over his shoulder, “It is –
up a creek without a paddle – brat.” He should have thought of it
himself and brought her the items she would need. Kat could not
conjure anything now with her magic bound. Lorcan returned with a
soft cotton shirt and threw it to her. Her eyes narrowed on him as
it dropped to the floor at her feet.

He followed the path of the shirt and stopped
in front of her. Lorcan looked pointedly down at the shirt on the
floor and then at her pillow. Giving it a pat, he grinned smugly,
“Who needs a paddle now, Witch?” She made a face and he responded
with a laugh and a light kissed dropped on her lips. “I’ll be in
there,” the jerk of his head indicated the bath. “I suggest you get
yourself dressed in the interim.”

When he returned she had slipped on his
shirt. It draped down to her knees, effectively covering all of her
temptations. Kat was already in the bed, on her side and tucked
into a ball. He scooped her up. Settling back against the pillows,
he positioned her atop him and smiled when she snuggled into his
chest. Lorcan, his countenance full of contentment, was still
stroking his fingers over the evidence of his bites when he finally
let the weariness from the long night drag him under.

CHAPTER 20

Though Kat woke instantly, she was not of the
mind to roll out of bed quickly. Snuggled under the warm comfort of
the blankets, she had the thought that she might remain
indefinitely in this spot. Shifting, she put her hand down and
encountered warm skin. A twist of her head brought her to the
realization that she had slept atop her protector. She smiled with
pleasure over the thought that Lorcan had kept her there through
the night and because he remained with her now. His breathing was
slow and even. She moved ever so slightly in an effort not to rouse
him and was rewarded upon checking to find his eyes still
closed.

The shutters remained locked tight, so Kat
assumed she must have woken shortly before dusk. Lorcan was
apparently in need of his sleep after their long evening the night
before. She was able to openly admire the rugged handsomeness of
his face. Females of Witch lineage were known for their
supernatural beauty, and Lorcan had apparently inherited his
mother’s appealing looks. His sable hair had fallen haphazardly
across his brow and his features were completely relaxed.

She checked the temptation to trace her
fingertip across the strong form of his jaw and turned her study
instead to the chiseled sculpt of his chest that had been her
pillow. The muscles were defined clearly, as she had ascertained
the night before when he had removed his clothing. Being of the
Warrior Caste she had a keen appreciation for the display of
strength.

The light dusting of hair down the plane of
his abdomen drew her attention. She grinned, thinking that if he
were not such a bossy vamp Lorcan would be very well near perfect.
Sighing with longing, she was now disappointed that he still slept.
Her fingers were itching to explore those muscles. Kat returned her
gaze to study his face, only to freeze at finding his steely gray
eyes fixed on her. After a moment she smiled warmly and his was
returned in full measure. She whispered, “Good morning, sleepy
brain.”

She was nearly dislodged from his chest as it
rumbled with laughter, “It is sleepy
head
Kat and the morning is long over.” Kat rolled her eyes and waggled
her tongue at him before rolling off to his side. Lorcan merely
reached over and scooped her back onto his chest.

Kat determined that if he was going to force
her back there, she would take full advantage of the opportunity to
check him out. She placed her palm in the middle of his chest,
smiling with obvious delight as she explored the ridges of muscle.
Gliding her fingers down, she felt the tickle of light hair against
them as she reached the lower stretch of his abdomen. She felt the
muscles quiver as she teased at the hair, venturing lower.

With a groan Lorcan kissed the top of her
head. Capturing her hand, he dragged it up to kiss her palm before
grasping it firmly in his own. “You look magnificent wearing my
mark, Witch.” He eyed the lingering scar with satisfaction and she
was positively glowing when he gazed back into her face, “I should
like to take you down to spend more time with the Coven this eve,
and then show you more of my home. Did you have anything pressing
to accomplish, little one?”

Nodding, she eyed the band around her arm
meaningfully with a small frown, “Clothing. I need a wardrobe.” She
added, eyes twinkling as she waved her hand dramatically to
encompass his room, “I do hope you have extra space. I really
adore
clothes.” She lifted her toes to
peek out from the edge of the cover and wiggled them to him in
greeting, “But I do
not
require a shoe
closet.”

Lorcan gave her an exasperated look, easing
her to his side before climbing from the bed, “Kat, your feet must
be the dirtiest things this side of the ocean.” In response she
delivered a pillow, perfectly aimed, to the back of his head.
Sweeping it up, he turned back to her.

Kat was a tad distracted by the sight of him,
wearing those things….shorts, she remembered the name then. Seeing
him mostly undressed and sexily disheveled from sleep made her warm
and tingly and most definitely sidetracked as her thoughts went on
a merry adventure of naughty. It resulted in her being unprepared
for the pillow that landed square in her face. Laughing playfully,
she wrapped her arms around it and beamed at him as she rolled to
her stomach, taunting, “Want to kiss me some more, Vampire?”

His answer was a wolfish grin. He was
unreasonably pleased over the desire he had seen in her eyes.
Leaning down and running his fingers over her hair, he tucked a few
strands behind her ear, murmuring, “No, I am not going to kiss you
more, Vixen.” His expression was stern but his voice was not when
he went on, “You
must
wear shoes outside
the keep, Kaitriana. But, being the
reasonable
male that I am I have decided that you may
keep your filthy little toes free, if that is your desire, within
the confines of our home.”

Her eyes told him that she thought his claim
as ‘reasonable’ was a stretch but she was smiling regardless. The
words ‘our home’ were fabulous. Rolling onto her back, Kat tossed
the pillow over her head. She ignored the insult to her toes and
lifted them into the air, rambling excitedly, “Oh…I desperately
want some of that nail polish stuff…
painted
toes
...how magnificent!”

Amazed, Lorcan considered all that she may be
aware of but had not experienced, and her exuberance almost had
laughter bursting from him again. He would enjoy introducing her to
so many things, experiencing them through her unspoiled
perspective. He nodded his head in answer, her genuine enthusiasm
over a thing so simple was endearing to him. “Kat, I will request
that Jortha create what you will need for this eve and I will make
certain that arrangements are made for anything else you may want.
Make a list for me?” He had retrieved the means for just that from
the desk and dropped them to the bed with his question.

Raising one slender arm in the air, she
deliberately drew his gaze to the band that restricted her powers.
Her voice was wistful after she gave an exaggerated sigh, “Yes
Lorcan, if you truly wish Jortha to spend his time thinking about
my body,
in detail
, so that he can create
my dress…” Kat trailed off as her other hand pushed the shirt
midway up her torso before caressing down very low across the
center of her abdomen. Her fingertips plucked at the edge of the
lace that covered her below, riveting his attention, “If you want
him to be thinking about me
intimately
so
that he can conjure these little garments…”