Guardian (12 page)

I reached down and cupped them, one in each hand. “Nice buns.”

The buns twitched as if they were trying to shrug off my hands. “Hey, take it easy on the buns.”

I started rubbing them with the palms of my hands in a circular motion. “Sissy girl. I just wanted a touch.”

Suddenly the shoulder holding me dipped and I was flying backwards. When I hit the bed I sank into it a good five inches. I laughed happily, clapping my hands. “Soft. Like a cloud. I half sat up, narrowing my eyes at Ian so that he’d stop wavering. He was a very wavery sort of guy. “You ever been in a cloud, Elfaery?”

He shook his head. “No, drunkin’ spirit. I’ve never been in a cloud.”

I flopped backward again, nestling myself more deeply into the bed. “Ver…purty. Clouds.”

“Mmm hmm. Let’s get you turned around now so I can cover you…”

I reached up and grabbed his shoulders, yanking him down on top of me. He landed on my stomach with a grunt. “You’re a cloud. Purty man.”

Ian’s face was inches from mine. His lips turned up at the ends. “I’m no damn cloud, drunkin’ spirit.”

I wrapped my legs around his butt and lifted my hips, grinding myself into him. “No, you have hard parts.” I giggled at this.

Ian moaned. “And you have very soft parts, Monad. If you know what’s good for you you’ll stop that right now.”

I opened my eyes wide. “Right now? What if I don’t?”

“I’ll do this…” he growled out before lowering his lips to mine.

His essence swamped me. The feel of his hard, demanding body warmed and invigorated me. The musky taste of him filled my nose, my mouth, my soul. I moaned as his tongue slipped into my mouth and tangled with my own. I shivered in anticipation as his hands slipped up under the overlarge shirt and skimmed smooth delicious heat across my belly.

He swore as his fingers were halted by the makeshift string belt and he grabbed it with his other hand, breaking it effortlessly.

I threw back my head, suddenly overcome with an overwhelming need to get naked with the man whose body was bringing mine to heel so easily, so well. His hot hands were both under the shirt now, gliding toward heaven.

As they closed over my breasts I cried out, my lower body arching upward into sudden release. Ian’s mouth lowered over the rigid peaks of my nipples and he suckled gently there, bringing me quickly into another hard, bone shattering orgasm.

I reached for him, desperately trying to get to the single button at the waist of his tight, faery breeches. But he swore and grabbed my hand.

He levered himself off me and I cried out, trying to grab him back.

“Nuh uh. Not this way. When I take you it will be because we’re both willing…”

“I’m willing!”

“…and sober.”

I tried to sit up, “I’m…” I flopped back down. “I’m thirsty.”

A wisp of impossibly soft cloth slid over the sensitized skin of my stomach and chest as Ian pulled the bed covers over me, but my eyes had closed and I couldn’t seem to pry them open again.

“Get some rest, drunkin’ spirit. You and I have much to do when you wake.”

I thought of a response to this. And I think my lips moved. But nothing came out. I felt sleep pulling at me like a dark wave.

The last thing I remembered were a pair of soft lips on mine. “You’re pretty too, drunkin’ spirit.”

I think I smiled, as my body slid into oblivion.

~ ~
*
~ ~

Something was tickling my nose and there was a lead weight on my chest. I opened my eyes to find a warm, muscular arm thrown over my chest and a very hot leg pinning my thighs to the bed.

I blinked, trying to remember if I’d done anything to embarrass myself, groaning as I remembered. In sudden panic I felt under the covers to make sure I was fully clothed and sighed in relief as I discovered that I was.

I tried to pry the hairy arm and thick leg off of me but only succeeded in having Ian burrow more deeply into my side.

I was all too aware of something hard and long bouncing happily against my hip.

Shit!
I shoved harder at the arm.

Ian murmured something and suddenly he was lying on top of me, and the happy hard object was pressed into my stomach. His pretty brown eyes were open, his lips curved in a smile. “Good morning.”

I frowned at him. “What’s so good about it?”

His head lowered and a heated tongue came out to slide along the seam of my lips. He tucked his hips to press the long, hard thing more thoroughly against me.

I gasped, seeing stars as all the blood ran from my brain to other parts of my body. He arched away from me, pulling a strand of white-gold hair off my cheek with his finger. “You and I are in bed together, and you are no longer under the influence of ambrosia. I’m free to fulfill your every desire, expressed so eloquently last night. I’d say that makes it a nearly perfect day.”

I grimaced, feeling the blood rushing back to my face in embarrassment. “You can’t hold last night against me.”

His eyebrows lifted, “I can’t?”

I tried to shove him off again but he felt as if he were made of lead. “Get off me!”

He grinned. “I don’t think so.” His lips lowered to claim mine and my hands stilled on his chest. I whimpered against his lips as feeling swamped me, bringing me to my emotional knees. I’d never had such a strong reaction to a man. And I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with it. Fortunately for me Ian seemed more than willing to take the lead on that decision. He pressed heated kisses across my face and down my neck, sliding down my body to press kisses deep into the neckline of the overlarge shirt I still wore. As he moved, his fingers made short work of the tiny buttons down the front of the shirt.

Suddenly unable to breathe through the heat we were creating, I shoved at the covers, pushing them down as far as I could. Ian tugged the soft breeches I wore over my hips and down to my knees. I kicked them the rest of the way off.

Ian was already naked. My hands found the smooth milk chocolate skin of his back and slid upward, spanning the impressive vee created by his narrow waist widening to broad shoulders.

He shivered slightly under my touch.

Cool air slid across my overheated skin, followed by the smooth heat of his hands. I looked down and saw that my shirt was wide open and my naked breasts were mounding out from under his talented fingers. When he dipped his head and pulled a rigid peak into his mouth I cried out, arching my hips up to grind into hard, heated flesh.

Only a soft, thin barrier of cloth separated his body from mine. He wore nothing. I wore only the tiny panties I favored, which did little to cover me up. Ian was reaching for the narrow side band of the panties when all hell broke loose.

A horrendous clanging noise disrupted the near silence of the room, which, up to that point, had been pleasantly punctuated only by steamy sighs and urgent moans.

We jumped apart with a startled cry. Ian fell off the side of the bed, hitting the floor hard.

I was barely aware of him swearing colorfully as I grabbed the sides of my shirt and dragged them together frantically. I clutched the shirt together in a fist as I pushed at my tangled hair with the other hand. The air before me started to shimmer and I motioned for Ian to stay down on the ground, out of sight.

The Watcher’s ugly monkey face swam into view, hovering on the air in front of me.

I glared at him. “Was that necessary?”

He shrugged, grinning meanly. “I wanted to warn you in case you were doing something embarrassing.” His wide, black eyes narrowed on me, no doubt taking in my disheveled state. “You weren’t doing something embarrassing were you?”

I clutched the shirt tighter and frowned at him. “None of your damn business. What do you want?”

The assessing gaze hung there a moment longer, filling me with the need to squirm guiltily, and then swung away. “I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. Something’s been blocking me.”

I nodded. “I’m on Faerydae’s lands, she probably has protections woven around them.”

“Ahh. Yes, that would explain it.” Then his face took on a newly suspicious look. “What are you doing there?”

I blew out a frustrated breath. I was feeling guilty that Ian was listening in on the Watcher’s conversation without the powerful Gnome knowing about it. I also knew it was dangerous. My libido hadn’t taken me over so completely that I could overlook the risk. “I’m following the damnable human you told me I had to follow. This is where he is, so this is where
I
am.”

I could almost feel Ian’s hostile gaze.

The Watcher scrunched up his monkey face. “What in Hades’ favorite circle is he doing on Faerydae’s lands?”

I couldn’t stop myself from squirming just a little. Umm, plotting against the gods? Seducing yours truly? “I don’t know that yet. He has some relationship with Faerydae. It could be purely innocent. As soon as I figure that out I’ll report back to you.” I heard a whisper of movement on the floor beside the bed and prayed Ian would stay put. Then I said a prayer that the Watcher didn’t press me on the issue.

The Watcher sighed, looking worried. “I haven’t been able to find Etta yet either. Is she with you?”

My eyes widened before I could stop them. I bit my lip and shook my head.

He of course noticed. He cocked his head at me, a hostile glint in his beady eyes. “Nuria…did you ditch the guardian again?”

I frowned. “She’s very annoying.”

He sighed. “That may be but the gods gave her to you. Think of her as a helpless puppy that you have to care for. Without you she could get into serious trouble. She’s not equipped to deal with the type of creature you usually deal with.”

“Helpless puppy my ass. More like a drooling gargoyle.”

The Watcher shrugged, starting to fade away. “Whatever works for you. But you need to keep her with you.”

“Wait!” I reached for him, palm outward to stay him. His fading features sharpened. “Why? Why do I need her at all? What’s going on that you’re not telling me?”

He frowned at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And besides, if I’m not telling you something there’s probably a good reason and you’ll just have to live with it won’t you?” He started to fade again. But before he disappeared completely, he fixed me with a hostile gaze. “You can tell Mr. Lavelle to get up now. And I’ll be talking to
you
later…without a witness.”

“Damn it!”

Ian sat up and chuckled. “There’s a reason they call him the Watcher.”

I turned to him, my face filled with anger. “I’ll pay hell for this and it’s all your damn fault!”

He stood up and sauntered toward the bathing room, naked as the day he was born. “Get dressed. We need to return to the human lands today. I fear what’s been happening since I left.”

I barely heard what he was saying. I sat there mesmerized, enjoying the view of hard, well rounded buns and long, muscular legs retreating through an ornate archway into the adjoining room. Then I caught myself. Shaking my head, I forced my gaze away.

I looked down at myself and grimaced. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

He poked his head around the archway. “I’ll ask Faerydae for something.”

“No girly clothes!”

He laughed and disappeared back into the bathing room.

Antsy and a little bit frustrated after our unfinished interlude, I climbed out of the bed and headed into the sitting area. I cast a malevolent gaze toward the half empty crystal flask of ambrosia. “Evil stuff!” I murmured.

I grabbed a couple of pieces of fruit from the bowl and headed over to the window. Although the sun was just peeking over the mountains in the distance, the grounds below were already teaming with activity. Horse drawn carts clipped smartly along, carrying goods for the town’s merchants and peasants from outlying areas.

I looked up and saw that the crenellated roofline of the castle was peppered with archers. A quick scan told me the towers held them too. The number of armed watchers on the castle seemed excessive. I wondered what they were afraid of.

A quiet knock on the door brought my head around. Hoping it was someone with my clothing, I went to answer it.

The girl standing there with a cloth bundle looked timid. Her dark eyes swam with something that looked like fear. I barely had time to wonder why before a large hand snaked out and snapped over my mouth.

I was yanked out the door and up against a hard chest. An arm, like a steel band, wrapped around my hips, holding me off the ground. Something was slapped around my wrist and I looked down to find a plain bracelet of some kind of orange metal.

I tried to pull the bracelet off but it simply tightened on my wrist. The more I tugged the tighter it became. I didn’t know what the thing did but I knew it wasn’t good news for me, whatever it was.

Several elves surrounded me and whoever was holding me and we jogged down the hallway. I struggled, wishing I’d taken the time to don my leather pants and my weapon. It’s difficult to be a hard ass wearing an oversized man’s shirt and not much else.