Forged in Dreams and Magick (Highland Legends, Book 1) (13 page)

Dark eyes searched my own. His face hovered inches from mine, his long hair feathering across my cheeks. I swept the strands back with my hands, holding his face, gently pulling him down. He kissed me .
 . . a sweet, sensual, teasing kiss. I matched his erotic movements, dragging my lips across his, opening my mouth to taste his tongue, nipping and biting playfully. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he pressed his hard length into my hip.

Hot breath tracked across my skin as his mouth moved lower, tasting his way down my neck. My eyes drifted shut as he cupped a hand under my breast and gently lifted while skimming his fingers up. Without warning, he pinched my nipple.
Hard.
I gasped from the shock and heard his low chuckle. Moist heat surrounded my other nipple. He suckled . . . and
bit me
?
I moaned as the sharp pain ebbed into warmed honey, dripping pleasure down . . . so far down.

So damn intoxicating.

As his mouth drugged my senses, I threaded my fingers into his silken hair, needing to touch him in any way possible. Long licks sprinkled with playful kisses trailed a path down my abdomen. My belly quivered, unfurling an even deeper ache inside. Floating on heady desire, I grew hyperaware as he shifted his weight between my legs, pressing my thighs wide apart.

Wide open. Vulnerable.

My pulse skyrocketed with the force of nature between my legs. Steam heated the skin of my inner thigh, flowing toward an aching center, and I grew frantic for his touch.

Iain stalled. I opened my eyes, lifting my head to watch.

He’d been staring up at me, waiting. A wicked grin broadcasted his intentions. He locked his gaze onto mine and dipped his chin, swiping a flat tongue through already-throbbing folds. A low whimper escaped my throat until an aching pulse snapped out, and I gasped.

“Mmm .
 . . sweetest sugar,” he drawled.

He drew his head back, licked his lips, and blew cool air across my heated flesh. I bucked my hips, wanting his teasing mouth to return, but his forearms rested on my thighs, holding me captive. When I settled down, the sensual instruction resumed at his unhurried pace .
 . . as if ensuring I’d pay close attention. Torturous slow licks. Merciless hard sucks. Soft cries broke free from my mouth with every shallow breath. I threw my head back, eyes closed, gripping the blanket in my fists with crazed need.

Something slid inside in a smooth stroke. A second, thicker pressure made me realize his fingers were pressed into me. While sidetracked in thought about the exact details, a hard flick across my clitoris scattered the scientific analyzing, and I surrendered to every single pleasure. He stroked his fingers over sensitive nerves, fanning what began as a kindled ache into a blazing inferno. Every muscle in my body tensed, desperate for release.

“Shhh . . . Isa. Just relax, lass.” His words purred against my skin seconds before his mouth covered my clit, sucking hard. He moaned, the vibrations traveling deep, and I gasped loudly, hanging on the precipice of a cliff.

One unhurried lick. Another. I groaned, arching up into his mouth, panting for air. Iain masterfully orchestrated every note of my unfolding sonata, building the tension toward a crescendo.

Without warning, he increased the tempo. My body tensed. A piercing scream tore from my throat and resonated off the rock walls as waves of pleasure resonated into me. Relentless. Consuming.

In the midst of my orgasm, I struggled for breath while Iain climbed my body.
A split second of awareness hit as his predatory gaze captured mine in silent warning. I slid trembling hands along his damp skin, resting them on his hips. The muscles flexed beneath my fingertips, and he pierced me straight through in a single powerful stroke.

The shock of his hard body all over me, stretching me wide, possessing me completely, took my breath away. He silenced my gasp with a demanding kiss. The full sensation of his erection seated deep inside, but not yet moving, was disconcerting.

However, the mild discomfort ended when I wriggled beneath him, fresh waves of pleasure rippling through me. He withdrew gradually, charging every nerve ending along the way. With a nip of my lips and a slow smile, he watched my face as he slid back inside, inching deep into slickened walls, sparking a whole array of new sensations.

“So tight, Isa,” he purred out. “
Heaven.
” He closed his eyes, bliss written across his features.

More forceful thrusts followed. I arched my hips, meeting his with every hard, urgent pump. The pace increased, and I lifted my legs, curving them around his ass, holding his powerful body tight. I lost myself, spiraling ever higher in unimagined ecstasy.

Suddenly, I cried out, a single, delicious spasm surprising me. He paused, and my ache intensified. Fierce need for him to move whipped a sizzling-hot current through me. I froze, and the moment I stopped breathing, Iain drove deep, setting off an internal explosion so hard, I shattered into a million fragments. My nails dug into his back as I mindlessly shouted his name.

Iain lost control. He clutched my shoulders, slamming into me as my body-rocking orgasm continued. His muscles went rigid, and a growl tore from his chest as his release engulfed him. As his distinctive pulses mixed into mine, his movements lessened, his body collapsing in slow motion around me. He gently tightened the grip on my shoulders, nestling his lips against my ear.

I felt cherished. Treasured. Loved completely from the inside out.

Heaven indeed.

Long moments of heavy breathing followed as we stayed connected, our bodies calming. There no longer existed a beginning and an end—we’d become one, eternal.

Iain pulled up onto his elbows and gazed into my eyes. I saw so much reflected there: appreciation, reverence, and love.

He bent down, bringing his lips to mine, giving me a tender kiss tasting of salt and my own flavor, something I’d never tasted before. The musky smell of our sex permeated the crisp night air which cooled my dampened body. I gripped him with my arms and legs, running my lips up his neck, inhaling the scent of pure male.

“Iain, that was .
 . . you were . . .
amazing
. So amazing.” My mind struggled to process everything my sated body relished.

He tugged at my earlobe with his teeth. “Every night will be filled with your cries. You’ve fiery passion in you. I intend to make good use of it.”

I grinned at the thought of him
making good use
of my body. Self-pleasuring only scratched the surface of the ecstasy I’d just experienced. The unexpected loss of control and vulnerability under his dominance aroused me like I’d not thought possible. I laughed softly, trying to imagine enjoying other delightful things . . . in other erotic positions . . . as we explored this newly discovered side of me.

He laughed. “What’s happenin’ in that head of yours?”

I almost answered when he twitched inside of me, hardening. I groaned. He eased his hips back, sliding out, then advanced, filling me again. He knelt upright, gripping my ass, angling my hips. I rested my feet on the tops of his thighs, gazing up at his incredible form.

“Ready for a second round?” he asked.

I had no chance to respond. Iain slowly rocked his hips, caressing parts of me deep inside I hadn’t known existed. Strong hands ran up my thighs in long, soothing strokes. His dark, possessive gaze penetrated my soul, and I surrendered.
To this life. To this man.

In that moment, under his command, in the new world I’d been ensconced in, I realized I’d been dropped exactly where I was supposed to be.

Home.

CHAPTER Eleven

The endless night sky swirled above, millions of stars glittering in a lazy circle as we floated. Weightless, an incredible euphoria drifted through me. Iain’s strong arms dragged slowly through the water, rotating us. The warmth of his body helped my thin SoCal blood handle the numbing water. I’d begged for a dip, but we’d extended the swim, indulging in the time we had in our special place.

I rested my head against his shoulder, wondering if each pinhole dot in the black velvet sky represented another possible world. Life on other planets, space travel, and the space–time continuum were subjects I’d only seen in movies and on The Science Channel. But after being tossed through a bend in the laws of the Universe, I’d been given fresh perspective; even the most far-fetched of notions had become possible.

Iain’s fluid movement interrupted my philosophical reverie. He dropped his lower body deeper under the water, towing us back to shore.

We picked our way over moss-covered rocks so our feet wouldn’t sink into the mud. My teeth chattered uncontrollably until, seconds later, a fire-heated blanket cocooned me in warmth. Iain draped another plaid around his waist and sat on a nearby stump, tugging me onto his lap. We sat in companionable silence, watching the fire’s dry wood snap glowing cinders into the air. The breeze extinguished the faux fireflies into wisps of ash, floating them away.

“What’re you thinkin’, Isa?”

“Hmmm . . .” My mind had drifted a thousand places, bouncing from one tiny fragment to another. I tilted my head up, resting it in the crook of his shoulder, gazing at the vast heavens. The illuminated inky canvas reminded me of the pinpoints of light on his study wall. Uncertain how to phrase a lingering question, or whether he’d answer, I broached the topic as a statement. “The other day, I wandered into a map-filled room. One of the walls resembled tonight’s sky.”

Iain merely listened. Or, perhaps in his silence, he reflected on matters he didn’t want to share. I turned, finding a solemn expression on his face. He searched my eyes, and I saw that truth and secrets were buried deep behind his dark expanded pupils. We waited long enough for the unasked question to drift up in the smoke. I didn’t want things left unsaid, nor did I want anything hidden, but I was confident there would be a time and place for everything.

“Iain, it’s okay. We’re building trust between us. You can tell me when you’re ready, but I do need to understand. I’ve a right to know, since whatever power that box holds brought me here.” I paused. “The wall . . . it reacted to me, Iain.”

His brows arched over widened eyes.
Well, at least he didn’t hide his surprise about that revelation.

Iain relaxed his face and tightened his hold around my blanket-wrapped body, resting his forehead on mine. On a contented sigh, I closed my eyes. The peace of his solid protection provided comfort in the middle of an uncomfortable subject.

“Isa, the box and the wall . . . both have power. The two are connected in ways I doona fully understand. It’s always been this way. I’m a guardian. Responsibility to protect it—and the people under its shelter—has fallen to me, passed from my father, passed from his father.”

I pulled away, taking a deep breath. “Does it react to you?”

He nodded, his brows furrowing slightly.

“Other people have seen the wall, haven’t they?” I asked. With the room unlocked, I was certain that I hadn’t been the only person to walk in there.

“Aye,” he replied, “but the castle’s been home to us our entire lives. Those things are no stranger to them than a bird takin’ to flight.”

“Does it react to anyone else? Your sister?”

“Nay.” Iain’s tone had turned severe. He tilted his face, staring at the ground, preoccupied. I waited, but I knew I’d lost him. Never having had a serious relationship, unless one counted a love affair with all-things-old-and-buried, I had trouble gauging his demeanor. If he spent the silence determining how to reveal something, it had dragged on long enough. I’d push no further. With our new, fragile relationship, I refused to allow my curiosity to interfere with the happiness of our wedding night.

My eager need to time travel back to modern-day
California had been nullified by a desire to stay with Iain in my new home. It dampened the urgency of my fact-finding investigation. The moment for sharing would wait until both sides wanted to increase the bond of trust. I sensed he wanted to, but couldn’t.

Perhaps more than the secrets themselves bound his tongue.

* * *

The days following the wedding evolved into one time-consuming activity after another. As the official Lady of Castle Brodie, from sunrise to sunset, I’d inherited the responsibilities of running the operation. Regardless of my knowledge of history, I still hadn’t imagined a
lady
would need to work her ass off to fulfill her duties.

I puffed out my cheeks, blowing an errant lock of hair from my face, and wiped a damp brow on my sleeve. A last pull of the heavy oak front door marked the end of a productive day and the beginning of another night of quality time with my new husband.

Iain spent his days training, hunting, and resolving disputes. Nearly every night, he’d come into our bedchamber after I’d already eaten, sparing just enough time for us to make love once or twice before our bodies surrendered to the deep slumber of exhaustion.

Not a word of complaint left my lips, however, as I absorbed the details of a lost era. I’d become a bloodhound locked onto a scent, even if the opportunities to follow my favorite trail were only stolen moments. My priority in my new role, once I’d mastered the daily routine, had been not only to learn my duties, but also to analyze those of everyone else. I sought to streamline the drag on the ship in every way possible.

“Goodnight, Agnes.” I smiled, turning away from the delightful young woman extinguishing candles in the great hall. She’d come into the fold at Brigid’s suggestion. One by one, I’d made new friends, and Agnes had become a welcome ray of sunshine in an ordinarily mundane day.

“G’night, Lady Isobel. May the nights be filled with echoes of your passion and your belly filled with bairns,” she replied.

I laughed, caught off guard with another of her uncensored proverbs.

My foot touched the first step leading up to our bedchamber when I heard a rustle of papers. I turned, stalking down the dark hall to investigate.

The door to Iain’s map room was ajar. Light streamed out through the crack, guiding my way. I paused, almost doubling back, wanting to respect Iain’s privacy. We’d had an amazing week of wedded bliss, and I wasn’t sure we were ready to talk about the biggest mystery plaguing my thoughts. However, fear of the unknown—of how Iain would react when pressed—would not rule my actions; I refused to establish a habit of avoiding confrontation.

Despite my determination, my pulse accelerated, and bile threatened to rise into my throat. Through sheer will, I banished the anxiety and pushed the heavy door open.

Iain stood with his back toward the door. He pulled out a scroll from the organized shelves, pushed it back in, and retrieved another, sliding it from the cubby where it had been stacked. He turned, his chestnut hair flowing like a silken waterfall over one shoulder.

“Isa.” A warm smile softened features that had been hardened in concentration. He rested the tied parchment behind an obsidian weight on the worktable and closed the distance, embracing me. I purred with contentment. Wrapped in his arms had become my new addiction—one I craved throughout the day .
 . . where I enveloped myself at night.

“What are you working on?” I peered around his shoulder. Several large maps were layered over the tall surface. Iain glanced back, shrugging.

He kissed the top of my head. “Doona be concerned with my dabblin’. ’Tis late. I want my bed warmed with you, woman.”

Beyond him, the wall came alive. The surface rippled in gentle vibration, beckoning my touch. Its compelling magnetism pulled at me, even with Iain between us. The sparkling gray stone shimmered, its celestial spider web of lights pulsing brighter and brighter the longer I watched. Iain glanced back to see what held me transfixed.

I opened my mouth, the question hanging on my lips. He turned back to me, placed his hands on my shoulders, and spun me right out the door.

“Bed. Now.”

His dominant command left no room for negotiation. My thumping heart and hungry body overrode brain function with the most basic Pavlovian response, and I obeyed the order without hesitation.

We raced up the stairs, bursting into a darkened room where all my erotic fantasies had become a phenomenal reality. From the beginning of our marriage, we’d shared his well-appointed bedchamber and sumptuous bed. Every little thing he’d done from the instant we united proved how much he wanted me to be a part of his life and belong in his world.

The door slammed shut. I loosened the bindings of my bodice, and Iain stripped the clothes from his body. His gaze torched pure lust my way as my dress and chemise fell to the floor. The few feet between us vanished as our bodies crushed together, arms wrapping around each other, his lips consuming every inch of my heated flesh. Iain’s touch became my body’s every command as slick moisture pooled between my thighs, readying for his invasion.

Iain broke contact, pulling away. Wild-eyed with a devilish smirk, he backed onto the bed, slowly lying back, the proud display of his manhood saluting the ceiling in tribute to me.

“Come to me, my beauty. Wrap those devastatin’ lips around me.”

I grinned. Iain loved the way I took him in my mouth. The intimate act had become my favorite foreplay. Lack of experience had been quickly overcome by my eagerness to learn, his enthusiasm to teach, and my innate desire to excel at everything—especially pleasing him.

In slow seduction, I crawled onto the bed, my breasts gently swaying between my arms, hips rolling from side to side. Iain propped his head up on folded arms, watching me intently. Dropping my body low, I kissed from the inside of his ankle up to his knee, brushing my hands along the outside of his legs in long strokes as I slinked forward. A drag of my lips high on his inner thigh pulled a low moan from him. I licked my lips, pressed them to his tip, and sucked past the tight pressure I’d created, pulling him partially into my mouth. A growl shredded from his throat, resounding off the walls.

I smiled, proud of the sound I’d caused. The tip of my tongue swirled around his ridge while I gripped my hand hard around the shaft. I teased lovingly, licking him in calculated torture.

A battle ensued between how long I could pleasure him and how long I could resist having more. My motions mimicked what I wanted my body to be doing—taking him deep inside me.

I marveled over how soft and supple skin could be stretched so tight over rigid muscle. His thick length twitched in my hand. My body clenched in response, the instrument obeying her maestro. Iain moaned low, grasping the sheets in his fists. On a slow descent, I sucked him completely inside and swallowed hard around him.

His hands gripped my forearms, signaling an end to the appetizer and motioning for the main course to come at once. He jerked me roughly up his body, spreading my legs with his knees. I tumbled astride him, crushed down by his arms to accept his hungry kiss. Iain arched his hips up, and I pressed mine down. A perfect connection was made as he impaled me. My heart stuttered in sublime pleasure, Iain filling me in every possible way.

Awash in amber glow from our hearth’s fire, Iain’s features grew fierce as they pulled tight in passion. His brows were drawn down, his pupils blown wide, and his hair fanned over the pillow as if a strong headwind had thrown it back. He bucked his hips as I pushed myself up, bracing my hands on his chest.

A hot ache tightened within me as I raised and dropped in time with his erotic rhythm. I groaned, tossing my head back, the pressure building to near unbearable. Suddenly, a live wire snapped through my body, and I gasped as it sparked and twisted, setting me ablaze. I distantly heard myself scream Iain’s name. His incredible stamina continued, carrying us farther, drawing out every delicious spasm.

Iain’s strong hands clutched my hips harder as his face creased with exertion. Desire spiraled higher with every stroke. Nerves sizzled with every touch. The force of our impacts echoed into the room, our sweet, musky scent permeating the air. Every sense sharpened as I floated—a sparkle of dust aloft in a moonbeam. Weightless. Suspended.