Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (42 page)

Leaping to his feet, Lorcan pulled her easily
to hers and ignored the enthusiastic noise from the crowd. His
grasp remained tight on one wrist and he did not even pause in his
stride when he bent to grip the hilts of both their weapons in his
other hand. Leaving the field of battle, he tugged her along in his
wake. Lorcan was nodding absently in greeting to the calls that
were made to him as he made his way to the back entrance of the
keep, nearly dragging her in his haste. Kaitriana was able to do
nothing more than smile and nod quickly to the shouts of praise
being cast her way.

When they gained the steps, he gave a short
order for the remainder of the night’s training exercises to Colm,
who was standing nearby with a group of younger warriors. Lorcan
pulled her into a tight embrace. His gaze was still dark but the
arrogance that had filled it in victory had been replaced by a
burning heat when he looked down at her. His breath was warmly
teasing against her ear, “You fought so well tonight Witch, I have
determined to give you the remainder of this night as well as
tomorrow.” Her laughing delight echoed as Lorcan shadowed them both
back to their chambers.

Kaitriana had no time to steady herself from
their quick arrival before Lorcan had her back pressed against the
cool stone wall. He made fast work of capturing her wrists in his
hand and pressing them high over her head while he used the lower
half of his body to trap hers between the warmth of him and the
coolness behind. Kaitriana could already feel his hard heat
nestling into the juncture of her thighs before he gave a slow
press into her. Her reaction was a sharp intake of air while her
eyes viewed the promise of wicked things to come in his. His
fingertips brushed the expanse of skin that she had bared for their
battle and had her pulse quickening.

Lorcan nibbled at her lobe while his fingers
came to rest on the top closure of the corset. His voice was
menacingly soft, “If you are going to tease me Witch, you must
always be prepared for the consequences.” No sooner had he given
the instruction than his grip tightened at the top of the remaining
closures and he tore the garment open with a quick jerk. Turned on
beyond reason, Kaitriana arched towards him in offering. He gave
her another hard press with his hips while his fingers roamed down
her bared torso.

Kaitriana tilted her head to the side; she
was anxious for his bite and to take one of her own. She could feel
her fangs lengthening with her desire and her need to taste him.
His hands left her momentarily to tug the ruined garment from each
shoulder before tossing it to her feet. Recapturing her wrists, he
pressed them back against the wall again before lowering his lips
to her neck. He disappointed her by only kissing up the length.

Lorcan tugged her hands higher so that she
was up on her toes while he wound his other arm around her hips to
give her additional support. The forced bend in her back presented
the creamy display of her chest more fully to him. Leaning in to
take one hard peak into his mouth, he teased the flesh with
stinging little nips followed by soothing slow flicks of tongue.
She was writhing from his attentions before he moved his mouth to
the other side. Lorcan did not cease in his onslaught until she was
panting and shoving her hips up wildly against his in demand.

He released his hold to make short work of
the fastening of her breeches and his. Her gaze was riveted on his
jerky movements and she shifted restlessly with anticipation until
he finally had both released. His look was blazing. Lorcan had been
studying the sensuous movements of her tongue over her lips and he
ground out roughly, “You cause me to lose control, little one.”

The look she gave him then was edged with
triumph and he chuckled before he grasped her shoulders. Turning
her, he experienced his own moment of triumph with the startled
look she shot him over her shoulder. He kept his eyes trained on
hers as he used the flat of his palm against the small of her back
to press her forward against the smooth stone. Her front was flush
against it, the cool a stark contrast to her heated flesh. Lorcan
licked at the sensitive spot behind her ear while he took a wrist
in each hand and placed her palms flat against the surface on
either side of her head. He gave a sharp nip at her nape and
growled softly, “Stay, Witch…” Kaitriana whimpered in protest, she
was already fighting the urge to push her hips back to find
his.

Lorcan ran his hands from her wrists over her
arms and shoulders. Continuing down he leisurely massaged her back
and whispered, “Are you still sore, lass?” When she shook her head
in answer, he shifted his roving hands to the front of her torso.
Sliding his hands on upwards, he maneuvered them between the flesh
of her breasts and the cool stone. Pausing there, he cupped her
warm skin in his palms and caught the straining bud of each with
his fingertips, delivering rough little pinches. He teased
mercilessly until she was whimpering with need.

Moving his hands away, he pushed her firmly
against the wall once more. His palm pressed insistently against
her upper back, and her moan of pleasure echoed in the chamber as
his movements deliberately caused the highly sensitized flesh to
rub repeatedly against the rough wall. Trekking on downward his
hands came to rest on her hips. He rocked his against the curve of
her backside, giving her a preview of his intent. While he did his
mouth was hot and open, roaming over the curve of her neck and
shoulder.

His hands closed over the leather at her
waist and roughly shoved it down until her flesh was bared. Lorcan
used his foot to nudge against the spiky heels of her boots,
widening her stance. Leaning in to rest his forearm against the
wall above her, his chest was warm against her back. His other hand
began intimate exploration of her newly exposed skin.

Kaitriana had turned her face so that her
cheek pressed against the wall and she could keep her sidelong gaze
directed back towards him. Demanding, incoherent sounds parted her
lips. She knew he had no doubt what she needed. She was thrilled to
feel his hand finally slide down further and prod her thighs wider.
Lorcan toyed with her slick center for a moment before he cupped
her from behind and drove his fingers deep. That brought forth a
lusty cry and she pressed hard into the wall. The cold roughened
stone was sensual torture against her front. She eagerly pushed
into the palm of his hand. Growling in response, he set his fingers
to a leisurely pace in and out.

Lorcan was building her slowly, changing it
often so that she could not find release. Each hard thrust was
grinding her against the hard stone and the combined sensations at
front and back were making her crazed. She started begging soon
after. He leaned in to whisper encouraging hot praises against her
ear, but he kept going. Bracing his other palm against the wall, he
allowed the full weight of his upper torso to fall on her back,
effectively stilling her movements. His tone was riddled with
conceit over his ability to stoke her need to this level, “Do you
still think it wise to tease me with your sexy display tonight,
Witch?”

He was not even certain she had heard, her
nails were curved and scratching at the hard surface beneath them.
He thrust his fingers hard into her once more and whispered, “I am
waiting for your answer Kat.”

She cried out in pleasure...and misery. Her
overwhelming need was obvious but she clung to enough sanity to
realize she would not be appeased until he was. She found his gaze,
her solemn whisper full of her plea for release, “No,
Lorcan…please…I will not again….”

His amusement was obvious when he spoke and
he pulled his hand free, “Liar…I do not believe you know how to be
good.”

She was ready to scream at him in torment,
certain he meant to leave her unfulfilled, only to feel the silky
press of his tip at her entrance a second later. His mouth opened
over her neck, murmuring, “It is impossible for you to behave,
Kat.” Lorcan positioned himself against her, teasing laughter
enriching his tone, “I do enjoy meting out the punishment for your
bad deeds though..." With that he circled his free arm around her
waist, pressed the other more firmly against the wall to maintain
his balance and drove hard into her. He waited, stilling.

No sooner had her lusty cry subsided than she
became aware of his stillness and the unspoken demand in it.
Closing her eyes, she dropped her head to the side in offering.
Lorcan wrapped his hand in the length of her silky pony and used it
to tilt her head even further before he delivered the unrelenting
bite they both craved.

The combination of the two invasions was
enough to topple her into a shattering release. Her body was
shaking hard with the strength of it even as he began a steady
plunge in and out while consuming his fill. The intensity of the
white heat rippling through her was draining and she wanted nothing
more than for him to lay her on the bed and let her lavish in a
calm aftermath. Instead he was insistent with the force of his
taking that she respond the same for him again.

Lorcan shifted the curve of his arm around
her waist so that his hand could dip down to her at the front and
he easily found the hard little nub there. He began squeezing it
gently between his fingers in time with his thrusts. Increasing his
pace against her, he released his bite only to move his mouth
further up her neck and press his fangs deep again. Kaitriana
responded exactly as he desired, calling out his name as he took
her over the brink again. Her pleasure made her feel as though she
were splintering apart.

He struggled to maintain his control and
managed a few more heated pushes against her, but the clench of her
around his flesh had him joining her in climax. With a ferocious
growl he increased the force of his bite against her neck and sank
deeply a final time into her heated core. Both of his arms slid
around her and held her tight against the cradle of his chest while
the hard tremors coursed through her.

Finally when her breathing had eased and only
the occasional shiver remained, Lorcan shifted her in his arms and
carried her to their bed. He placed her gently on the edge and took
his time tugging her boots loose and sliding her legs free of the
leather pants. As Kaitriana watched him, her gaze grew heavy. He
could tell from her listless movements that she would be asleep as
soon as he finished messing with her. Lorcan made quick work of his
clothes and watched with a tender smile when his little female
rolled to the center to make room for him. Righting her position on
the bed, she seemed to barely have the energy to scoot her head
onto the pillows.

Lorcan slid in next to her and lifted her
onto his chest so that he could pull the covers over them both.
Curling into him she nuzzled her face against his chest
affectionately. He had to nudge her lips with his wrist to get her
to open her eyes. When she did he gave her a smug grin which she
answered with a contented smile. Before she took his flesh, she
whispered, “I love you, Warrior.” Kaitriana bit gently into the
offered wrist with a tiny sound of greedy pleasure and let her eyes
slip shut. She fell asleep with the taste of him bathing her tongue
and Lorcan watched her for a long time while she continued to drink
in her sleep. When she finally released, he tucked her firmly
against his chest and joined her.

CHAPTER 33

The following months, Lorcan maintained her
nightly training routine, sometimes with him other times with his
Elite. Rather than keeping with the long hours as he had in the
beginning, he made certain to end each night early. The remaining
time he spent delighting in his little mate by showing her his
favorite places both in and outside the Realm…and giving her the
pleasure she demanded. He might not have eased the pace of her
weapons practice had she not shown such aptitude, but she had
rapidly regained all of the strength and skill of the Warrior magic
that she had learned as a child. Kaitriana easily incorporated his
suggestions for improvement as well as grasped strategies for
battle under his guidance. As a result, he was well satisfied with
her abilities and would have no reservations about bringing her to
battle. That did not mean he would not be staying at her side and
keeping close watch on her at all times.

His thoughts were lingering on Kaitriana as
he pushed through the doors into the private chamber of the Elite.
The space was crowded; the head of each Caste, his Elite and the
three other Coven leaders were all present. His mate was
conspicuously absent and he wondered what she might be about. This
meeting regarding tonight’s attack against the Darkenword holding
was paramount and though she tended to lose track of time,
Kaitriana would not be remiss in her duties this occasion. He noted
too that Myrrdyn was missing but he did not know whether to be
irritated with the pair or concerned.

Colm came to his side, already dressed for
war, and provided detail regarding the readiness of their troops
for the assault. Despite their meticulous preparation for the
excursion the past two weeks, Lorcan could not shake a sense of
unease. Having the warriors from the three other Covens combined
with his own and the contingent of Witch Castes alongside, this
battle was already in their hands. Darkenword would fall more
easily than Shadowmere. Still a feeling was nagging at him and
Lorcan wondered for a moment if it was some Seer magic pressing on
him or just apprehension because his mate would be alongside on the
mission.

Alexandros joined the pair, a smile at the
ready and a firm hand offered though his eyes too were troubled.
His next words provided the reason, “The Council has remained
silent, Lorcan. There has been no word from them in these many
months since your confrontation with Gareth. My sources have no
insight into what the group is planning.”