Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (36 page)

His eyes blackened. Lorcan was already
jerking buttons loose on his clothing as he took long strides
across the room. The shirt was tossed unceremoniously to the floor
before he even reached her. Pulling Kaitriana up into his arms, he
flattened her tiny form against his and took her mouth hard.

Her color was high and she was breathless
when he finally raised his lips. Lorcan could not help himself and
brushed his to hers once more, observing, “Your lips are bruised,
love. You are certain you want this now?" He was concerned that she
might still be suffering other lingering effects from their
mating.

Leaning up on her toes, she nibbled at the
corner of his mouth and tossed his words back at him, “Good thing I
heal quickly, isn’t it?" His gaze turned smoldering.

Lorcan steadied her back on her feet and ran
a hand in a rough caress down her front. His manner reeked
confidence, assured of the immediate effect his touch would evoke.
Cupping his hand firmly over her below, he was not surprised to
find his passionate minx ready for him. Leaning in he took her in
another hot kiss as his fingers began to play. After he was
satisfied with the level of her response, he hushed solemnly
against her mouth, “You distracted me last night; I forgot to show
you what my kiss feels like here.” Lorcan rubbed a single finger
deep so she would know exactly where and was rewarded with the
flood of warmth against his hand.

After he stoked her fire until she was moving
against him restlessly, Lorcan then pulled back with a
self-satisfied whisper, “I think you like the idea, Witch." A few
more strokes against her and he added meaningfully, “
You
are something that strikes my fancy,
Kaitriana.”

Laughing when her blush told him that she
caught on to the innuendo, he delivered a playful push that sent
her toppling back onto their bed. Capturing her arms, he was on her
and stretching them over her head before she could right herself.
Lorcan rocked his body into her. His voice had gone all steely
authoritative when he ordered, “Do not move...not a single inch.”
It had her sighing with longing and Kaitriana just nodded
dutifully.

Lorcan licked his way down her front.
Brushing his mouth lightly across the peaks of her breasts, he gave
each a few hard sweeps with the point of his tongue. He ventured on
down her torso, lingering over the circle of her navel with a
swirling tongue. His hands found home against her heated core while
he continued to explore her skin with slow flicks of his
tongue.

When Kaitriana arched in welcome to the touch
of his fingers, Lorcan quickly withdrew his hands to her hips and
pressed downward. Giving a nip to the skin of her belly just above
her mound, he grated out softly, “No Witch…be still.”

Kat let out a groan of protest but obligingly
lowered her hips. Lorcan waited a minute to see if she would remain
compliant and then returned his hands to their earlier place. He
followed by covering the spot he had nipped with an open mouthed
kiss, purposely grazing the flesh with his fangs. No sooner had he
put his mouth there than he slowly delved his fingertips into her.
He could feel the muscles clench in her abdomen as she fought to
remain unmoving and another groan escaped from her tightly pressed
lips. At the same time that he thrust his fingers forward, Lorcan
dropped his open mouth to the little button of flesh hidden just
above. He delivered a velvety lick.

The movement roused a cry of pleasure from
his little witch and her hands came to his shoulders, leaving
scratches. The enjoyment he was gaining from forcing his unruly
mate to his will was obvious. He lifted his mouth and waited for
her to look to him.

It took a second to rouse herself from the
depths of pleasure and realize that the absence of his touch was
purposeful. When she raised her head, he captured her gaze and then
pointedly removed his hands to her hips. The message was clear in
his eyes.

Kaitriana made a face that mirrored her
frustration and suddenly snarled at him with a snap of her fangs.
The brow he quirked was a rebuke. She bared her fangs a single time
more, absent the growling and lowered back to the bed, obediently
returning her arms over her head. Nodding his approval, he nipped
the inside of her thigh, “Good little witch.”

Her churlish retort was interrupted by the
return of his hands and mouth. Kaitriana clenched her hands tight
around the pillow above her outstretched arms. Closing her eyes,
her body went rigid as she fought to remain still beneath the
agonizing play of his mouth.

He went back to circling that little spot
slowly with his tongue, just brushing the sides while he joined a
second finger with the first and increased the pace. He knew she
was rapidly approaching her climax and probably would have already
reached it had she not been required to concentrate on remaining
still. The uncontrollable tiny tremors in her thighs and quick
shallow breaths confirmed it.

Kaitriana was in agony with the need for
release and she knew he realized the same. If he would only give
her one second to press firmly against his mouth she could find
that glorious sensation. She was tearing the fine fabric on the
pillow when she caught his whisper, “Patience, Witch.” A testy
growl was her only response and she continued to destroy the
material of the pillow while harboring a burning hope that it was
his favorite.

Licking downward, his mouth grazed lightly
over her tender, wet flesh. Lorcan moaned against her, the taste
here was nearly as intoxicating as her blood. His thumb took over
stroking the nub nestled above where his mouth lingered.
Withdrawing his fingers he wound his arm under her hips, tilting
her slightly to allow the press of his tongue into her slow and
deep. Her sharp little gasp told her intense liking.

Lorcan felt her begin to pulse ever so gently
against his mouth and he did not have the heart to restrict her
response further. When he had her begging Lorcan switched to
teasing little bites on the silky flesh. The way she was calling
his name was a plea in itself when he finally withdrew his thumb to
return his mouth to the sensitized spot. Placing rhythmic licks
there, his fingers reclaimed her and set an unrelenting pace that
matched the movements of his tongue. Her body went taut as pleasure
claimed her and she cried out softly. He could feel the intensity
of her pulsing climax around his hand.

Lorcan tore away his remaining clothes before
the last wave left her and dragged her hips to where he knelt on
the edge of the bed. Her eyes were misty with passion when they met
his. Nudging his length against her, he watched the tremble that
washed over her. She was already pressing sweetly to him in
anticipation when he whispered, “You were perfect, beauty. Come
here.”

She extended her hands towards his chest to
meet him as he leaned over and pushed in slowly. Her eyes were
glittering with magic when he quickly withdrew and returned with a
hard stroke. She offered him an alluring smile the moment before
she growled and wound her hands tightly in his hair, yanking his
mouth hard to hers. He was seduced by her greedy demand and
deepened the kiss.

The little whimpers in her throat indicated
that she was approaching the edge again. Lorcan did not have the
resolve to spend hours lingering over her as he had the night
before; he was quickly nearing his end. Breaking the kiss, he
nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Put your legs around my hips,
sweetheart.” As soon as she complied, he groaned in ecstasy. The
slight shift gave deeper access and the tight squeeze of her
against him nearly had him spilling. He quickened his pace, driving
harder. He wrapped his arms behind her upper back and lifted her
slightly, opening his mouth over to throat to sink his fangs slowly
into her flesh.

It sent her over again. Her arms fell away
from him limply and she murmured his name adoringly when she closed
her eyes and slipped into bliss. The pulse against him, coupled
with the exquisite taste of her washing over his tongue, drove him
to join her. With another groan, he buried himself and finished
with a shudder.

Long minutes later he gathered himself enough
to raise his weight off the witch. Her smug look was the first
thing he saw. Lorcan did not have the energy at that exact moment
to ponder it or give her anything more than a quick kiss on the
lips before he shoved over onto his back. Kaitriana followed and
arranged herself squarely on his chest. He lifted one lid and found
her grinning saucily, “Maybe the Ancient one should try to sleep
more too.”

His answer was a swat on her bare backside
and she yelped, more startled than in any pain. Laughing merrily,
she gave him a quick kiss, “Only a suggestion, love. When you catch
your breath can you get me that cookie?”

He laid his head back on the cush of the bed,
grumbling, “I will show you a cookie, Witch.”

She reached down and clasped each of his
hands in her own. At her prolonged silence, he opened his eyes
again to find her studying each hand in turn. Raising a brow in
askance, he waited. Lorcan could tell she was hesitating, so he
asked bluntly, “What?”

Kaitriana was loathe to ruin the fun of the
night, but never one to control her curiosity, she could not hold
back. Certainly she needed it satisfied before they journeyed
below. She bit her lip with a little trepidation before she spoke,
“You did use magic…with me yesterday, did you not?”

Much to her relief, his mood did not sour and
his expression remained unchanged when he answered, “Yes.” In the
mood to pay her back for her teasing Lorcan gave her no more,
merely shutting his eyes and lowering his head again.

He was punished by the hard stab of her
finger to his chest, “You cannot reveal that and then take a
nap.”

Lorcan did not even bother to look at her,
“You said I should try to sleep more, Witch. How can I do that with
you yammering on incessantly?” She jabbed him again. At his lack of
response, she leaned down and nipped his chest. When a few more
seconds had clicked by without a reaction from him, she whined
pitifully, “Lorcan…this is important.”

Laughter rumbled in his chest and he shifted
to recline against the pillows, nearly dislodging her from her
position with the unexpected movement. He patiently waited until
she was through scrambling to regain her spot before he offered his
wrist, hoping that a feeding might keep her from plying him with a
thousand questions while he gave explanation.

She scooted in his hold so that she could
view his face and took the offering. Expectantly she peered up at
him. He pushed her crazy fall of curls back from her face with his
free hand before hugging her tight, “You know full well that I have
magic, you sensed it. I had already determined I would share the
secret with you before you came back to me.” Kaitriana increased
the pressure of her bite for just a moment, her silent way of
admonishing him for not being honest with her from the start.

Tapping her on the nose, Lorcan frowned down
with disapproval before he went on, “The magic remained after my
transition but I never revealed that and have always refrained from
using it. Last night was the first time I have intentionally called
it. Consider it my mating gift to you Kaitriana.”

Unable to contain her thrill, she released
her bite, her excitement palpable. Lorcan cut off her attempt to
speak with the press of a single finger to her lips. In turn, she
licked at it wickedly, causing a smile to tug at his lips before
his expression grew serious, “Kaitriana, it was my gift to you and
you only. Your knowledge of it is not to be shared and it is not to
be discussed outside the walls of our rooms. If I ever decide to
make my power known in the Realm, it will be my decision
alone.”

To his shock, Kaitriana only shrugged and
kissed his fingertip, answering solemnly, “Yes, love.”

The look her gave her suggested that he
thought someone had swatched witches with him while he slept. He
mumbled something similar to that under his breath, prompting
Kaitriana to make a face at him. The action readily assured him
that this was, in fact, his bratwitch. Lorcan eased her to the side
and left the bed in a fluid motion, grabbing up his discarded
clothing.

He glanced down at her after he had inspected
it to determine whether or not damage had been rendered in his
hurried undressing. He muttered, “If I had known you would become
such an agreeable wench after a good toss, I would have had you
flat on your back outside the gate in the snow that first
night.”

Her answer was the light kick of her foot to
his backside. He spun on her and with his vampire’s speed caught
her ankle before she had a chance to pull back. Her eyes were wide
until she caught the playful gleam in his, “Get yourself ready,
Witch. I will see if I can satisfy your
other
craving before we join the celebration.” After
securing her agreement he shadowed off in search of baked goods for
his impractical mate.

Lorcan returned silently a short time later.
He watched her from across the room; a bag dangling in one hand and
a steaming mug in the other. She was so intent on fussing with the
length of her dress that she did not take immediate notice of his
arrival. Apparently in her week away, she had taken an interest in
current trends. Instead of a full skirted gown as was her norm, she
had on a fitted sheath of chiffon with a skirt that ended in a
flowing wisp of material around her feet. His female actually wore
shoes, more to his shock, though even with the three inch strappy
heels she was a tiny bit of fluff.

Kaitriana’s connection with him had alerted
her a few moments before then that she had an audience but she
purposefully remained preoccupied with her gown. If she allowed
herself to ponder too much over the quickness within which her
world had changed – the short period from awakening to now having
very intimate knowledge of this incredibly virile Vampire warlord –
she could become overwhelmed with the circumstances. More
staggering was the intensity of the feelings that she had towards
Lorcan. As such, shyness sometimes captured her.