IK2 (26 page)

“Did he find Sigurd? I only saw the panthers.”

Michael shook his head. “Sigurd must have flown over, but not landed. His scent

is probably what provoked the panthers.”

“The cypress grove grew totally silent just before I got to the clearing,” Sophie

said. “I thought I‟d heard a whirring noise, but I didn‟t see anything.”

“Sigurd is playing with us,” Michael said, his face growing serious. “I called

Smith. He‟s going to send a helicopter to pick us up tomorrow and take us to the next

destination. Maybe the dragon will lose our scent that way.”

“Good idea,” Sophie replied, “and what is our next destination?”

“New Orleans. There have been so many battles fought there in various wars that

I‟m thinking a member of the Priory would be drawn to it. Maybe we should have started

there in the first place.”

“Even if we don‟t find the sword, I‟d like to see what impact the oil spill has had

on the bayou habitat,” Sophie said.

“Ever the veterinarian, aren‟t you?” Michael teased. “Maybe I should have kept

the panther form so you‟d try to heal me?”

SWORD OF FIRE Cynthia Breeding 110

The image of the powerful panther flitted through her mind. How soft and silky

would that beautiful black fur feel over the hard, lithe muscles of the animal? Or, more specifically, how would the smooth skin Michael‟s own muscular form feel? His chest

was still bared where he had pulled back his shirt to show her the fading scar, exposing finely chiseled pecs and sculpted biceps. She reached out to place her hand lightly on the almost invisible scar.

“Maybe I‟m the one that needs healing,” she said.

Michael stilled, his eyes growing darker. He didn‟t move as she trailed her

fingertips along the contours of his broad chest. She hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage, and then she slid his shirt off his other shoulder.

Michael raised a brow. “Where are you going with this?”

Sophie felt her face heat, but she managed to hold his gaze. “I want to find out

what you are.” She placed her hands against his flat, brown nipples, feeling the sensation of the hard nubs in the center of her palms, compared to the smoothness of his skin.

Spreading her fingers, she let her hands wander down, exploring the ridges of his tight

belly, then resting her hand on the belt of his jeans.

His eyes began to smolder and a corner of his full, sensual mouth quirked up as he

slipped his shirt off and then laid his hand over hers. “Allow me.”

Sophie shook her head. “I want to do this.” She felt her hand quiver as she

looked down to unzip his pants. „I need to be in control of this so that I will ne ver accuse you of coercing me…or spelling me.”

His hand stayed hers once more and he took her chin with his other, forcing her to

look directly into his eyes. “You can gladly have your way with me, my sweet Sophie,

but know—
know
—that I will
never, ever
spell you. In anything. Do you believe me?”

She searched his face. Unlike Robert, who wouldn‟t look her in the eye when he

was fabricating some half- truth, Michael looked back at her calmly, waiting for her

answer. “I—I believe you.”

“Good.” He gave her a slow, sultry grin as he kicked off his boots. Scooting her

over, he lay down beside her and put his hands behind his head. “Do what you will.”

She ran her hand over his groin, feeling the hardness of his manhood beneath the

denim of his jeans. Maybe she wasn‟t quite ready for that, just yet. She felt a little silly since she‟d never seduced a man before. What did they like? Hesitantly, she stretched

alongside him, lying half- way across his chest. Tentatively, she nibbled his ear, placing small butterfly kisses along his neck and heard him make a small growl, but he didn‟t

move. Emboldened, she kissed his lips. They were incredible warm and soft. She kissed him again and he returned the kiss in kind, letting her set the pace.

It was intoxicating, kissing in this slow, leisurely way. Sophie crawled closer,

Her breasts pressed against him as she tugged on his lower lip. He caught hers,

sucking on it gently, then giving her another lazy kiss, but not touching her in any other way.

Suddenly, she wanted to taste him, feel his tongue inside her mouth. She touched

the tip of her tongue to his lips. He licked hers slowly, sensually, in return, his hands still behind his head. With a small mewl, she parted her lips, drawing him inside. His body

stiffened momentarily and then he was exploring her mouth, his tongue playing with

hers, alternating with deep, soulful kisses.

Her breasts swelled and the cotton material of her gown chafed at her pebbled

SWORD OF FIRE Cynthia Breeding 111

nipples. She wanted to feel them against his skin—with a small cry she suddenly sat up, slipping the gown over her head and then pressed down on him, rubbing against him in

delicious friction. Michael growled again, moving in harmonious discord with her,

helping her feel the sensation o f naked flesh on naked flesh.

Sophie slipped down the length of him, her breasts grazing his washboard belly.

Her hand found his zipper and undid his pants. Michael lifted his hips, allowing her to slide them off. His manhood immediately sprang free, erect as a trained soldier. He was cleanly shaven there, and the sight of his big, thick shaft and heavy sac made her think of the statue of some Roman god. For a moment, she merely gazed at it, wondering if all

that would actually fit into her. It had been so long….

Sophie reached out a tentative hand to touch him and watched in fascination as his

erection jerked and grew even bigger. She began to stroke him. Lord, he felt like satin-covered steel. She gave him a shy glance and heat washed over her at the hungry look of desire in his dark eyes. Wantoness overcame her and she knelt down to run her tongue

around his sensitive crown. Muscles in his belly clenched and he groaned. Wickedly,

she licked off the small drop that had formed on his tip.

“By the Goddess, Sophie! I can‟t take much more of this,” Michael grunted, his

hands now clenched in fists over his head. “Ask me to take you.”

She gave him another lick. “I am asking…”

He didn‟t let her finish. Sophie found herself suddenly on her back, Michael

draped partly across her as he lavished attention on her breasts, kneading one as he took the other in his mouth, laving the nipple, suckling softly, then drawing deep before

turning his attention to the other. Sophie arched her back and he pressed her breasts

together, his tongue moving from one tip to the other, making her moan with desire. One hand slid down, caressing her body, finding its way between her slick, wet folds to tease her pulsating little bud, moving away just before she ca me, then returning to torture her some more. She writhed under his skillful fingers, pushing against him, wanting more.

Michael spread her legs and mounted her, pressing the smooth, round tip of his

cock against her core. “Ask me once more to do this, Sophie.”

God, she could hardly think straight, let alone talk. “I want you inside me,” she

gasped. “Now. Please, Michael. Take me.”

Michael slid into her slowly, giving her time to accommodate his size, filling her

completely. He began to thrust, slowly at first, withdrawing almost completely, making

her wrap her legs around his thighs to keep him anchored. He chuckled and teased her

some more, alternating between easy thrusts and long, hard, deep ones. She thrashed

under him, her body weeping, the juice flowing freely.

He leaned down, taking her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue inside,

mimicking the motions his shaft was making. Pinned to the bed by his body, all Sophie

could do was enjoy the feel of his penis driving hard into her now. Her every nerve fiber was attuned to him, humming like a finely-tuned harp. The crescendo was building…her

body began to shudder as her thighs clenched and her toes curled. With one final deep

thrust, she shattered and felt his hot seed spurt into her.

They lay panting, silent, their sweat-soaked bodies slippery against each other.

Michael began to withdraw, but Sophie held him tight.

“I like feeling you inside of me,” she whispered, “but let‟s leave
this
sword in its sheath a little while longer.”

SWORD OF FIRE Cynthia Breeding 112

Michael grinned and began to kiss her again and there was nothing slow or easy

about it.

SWORD OF FIRE Cynthia Breeding 113

The helicopter set down on the roof pad of a luxury hotel not far from the
Vieux

Carré
. The valet that met them to show them to their suite didn‟t even look askance at the large animal carrier that the pilot unloaded. Thankfully, Pendragon had decided to

cooperate and remained quiet. Probably due to that extra gallon of ice cream Michael

had bought him.

“This certainly beats the places we‟ve been staying,” Sophie said after the valet

left. She picked up a polished apple from the fruit bowl on the ornate dining table and bit into it. “I hope this isn‟t another five dollars added to our tab.”

“It probably is,” Michael said as he helped himself to one too, “but Smith made

the arrangements. I say we enjoy it.” He put one arm around Sophie‟s waist and drew

her close, nuzzling her neck. “We can check out the bedroom too.”

Last night had surpassed even his wildest expectations and he‟d had centuries of

wild expectations fulfilled. Making love to Sophie had been surreal, something more

than just a physical joining of their bodies, although he certainly had no room to

complain about
that
aspect—Sophie had been as spontaneous, passionate, and

adventurous as any woman he‟d ever had. But there was something more. Every time

they climaxed he‟d been inside her head too. Not just reading her thoughts. Her thoughts were his and his were hers as though they were one identity. Two parts made whole.

He had found his soul‟s mate and he‟d never believed that such a person existed.

“Did I mention that I love you?” he murmured as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Sophie tilted her head to give him more exposure. “I don‟t think more than

twenty times or so.” She sighed contentedly. “I don‟t think I ever knew what real love felt like.”

“Excuse me,” Pendragon said with a thump of his tail. “It‟s not polite to make me

watch.”

Michael gave the dragon an irritated look as Sophie reluctantly pulled away, but

she just grinned at him. “We‟ve got most of the day to search. Where do we go first?”

“The most logical place would be the Veteran‟s Memorial Hall on Camp Street,”

Michael said. “It boasts the second largest collection of Conferate military artifacts in the country. There is also the World War II museum on Magazine. We could go to Fort Pike

close to Chalmette. The Union forces broke through the Confederate defenses there.”

Michael pulled her close again. “I have a feeling that the sword is here. We‟ll find it.”

He nuzzled her neck again, his hands caressing her back.

Excuse me,” Pendragon said again and stalked over to the bar with its small

refrigerator. “Do you think they have…”

“No, hotels don‟t usually keep ice cream in bar refrigerators,” Michael replied

between kisses, “but I‟m sure Room Service can bring some up.”

“Well, make them do it then. Chocolate for sure.”

With a sigh, Michael released Sophie and reached for the phone. “Tonight,

dragon, you sleep in the living room and leave us alone.”

SWORD OF FIRE Cynthia Breeding 114

“Hmmph,” Pendragon said.

* * * *

“I‟m still not quite sure what we are doing at a Voodoo museum,” Sophie said

two days later as walked down Bourbon toward Dumaine.

“Well, the historical museums didn‟t pan out. Neither did the fort. I guess I was

wrong to think the someone from the Priory would take the chance to put the sword in

full sight. It has to be hidden. And New Orleans is full of all sorts of secret places.

What better place to begin than where Voodoo magic still lingers? Maybe I‟ll pick up a

vibe.” He opened the door for her and grinned. “I am a warlock, remember?”

Like she needed reminding. Sex the past two nights had been beyond her wildest

fantasy. With a capital “F”. Now that she had let her shields down, Michael had shown

her how to tap into his emotions, the result being that she not only experienced body-

shattering orgasms herself, she
lived
them from his perspective as well. It was mind-blowing to have a double and simultaneous climax.

“Are you going to tell me next that Marie Laveau‟s spirit is going to connect with

you?”

Michael gave her an odd glance. “You‟re not using as much sarcasm as you

usually do about the supernatural.”

„Well, gosh. I may have seen a ghost in Charleston and we have two dragons

loose that are hundreds of years old, and a demon chasing us. To say nothing of the fact that my man can make himself look like a really sexy panther.” She shrugged. “I‟m still wanting there to be some sort of logical explanation, but either all of these things are real or I‟m totally delusional. I‟d prefer to think I‟m still sane.”