Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers) (32 page)

I
can’t believe she was here.
She was right here.
She smiled.
I
miss her...spirit.
He looked at me with a pained smile. His chest heaved, like he needed to take a swift breath, and I couldn’t stop myself. I moved into his open arms while more tears welled from my eyes. He squeezed me tightly, his arms sliding around my back, his face pressed into my neck, breathing deeply of my scent. I felt like I was a source of comfort, but my doubt prompted me to question.

Are you mad?

At you?
He pulled back and shook his head.
No.
I’m...overwhelmed.
I’m not sure how I feel.
Part of my brain is already questioning if this really happened.
Will I remember this?
Tomorrow?

Probably not
, I sighed.
Any dreams that involve the Gods’ plane or the Great Spirits become a mist that dissipates before I wake up.

Then I want to make sure I tell you
—his eyes were steady, clear and content—
thank you.

Oh
,
Ryder
... I pressed my face into his chest, and he held me there, tightly, cupping the back of my head, running a hand along my spine. The bond of connectedness thickened, and I squeezed his waist harder, overcome with emotion. To care about someone was so wonderful and so frightening, all at the same time. To feel so close to someone was amazing and powerful. I didn’t want it to go away, this feeling of warmth and intimacy, but it probably would.

Was this going to be okay? Was this going to come back to bite me?

Even if I’d known it would, I wouldn’t have changed anything. I’d have wanted to have experienced that beautiful time with Ryder. I would have chosen this.

What is it
,
lin’de?
He looked down into my eyes with concern.
I
can feel your upset.

I
thought you would be mad.

I’m not mad.
He smiled warmly down at me.
I’m grateful.

My chin quivered, but I didn’t want to cry anymore. I looked off to the side, taking in the landscape, trying to take hold of my crazy emotions. Sheesh, you’d think I was on my period or something.
Do you want to go see the apple trees?

I
hate to tell you this
,
but we don’t grow apple trees in this province.
There was humor in his tone.

What?
You’re kidding me!
No apple trees?
My eyes widened as I realized what had just happened.
What a funny girl.
And just like that, I was grinning cheek to cheek.

She always had a great sense of humor.
Ryder smiled fondly. I was so glad to see the dark shadow of self-contempt had drifted off. It made him appear...contented. Relaxed. Carefree. I wanted to see more of this side of him and wondered what would get him feeling playful.

Will you take me to your lake?
I
think it would be fun to go swimming
...

His lips stretched into a slow, calculated smile. His pale eyes gleamed. He whispered,
Close your eyes.

I did.

Now open them.

And just like that, the crystalline water glimmered in the sunlight. The grasslands drifted off into the mist. I felt the episode with Asily leaving my consciousness and gave it permission to do so. I didn’t need that now, not when faced with the beauty before me. Besides, it had served its purpose.

This is it.
Ryder grinned down at me, and for a moment I was struck by how beautiful he was and how it gave me a sense of joy to see him so lighthearted. I’d never seen him look this way.

I noted he was already in swim trunks, and when I looked down at myself, I gasped to see that I was already in a totally skimpy bikini. I looked up at him archly, only to find his eyes were moving slowly over my body, growing heated. An answering need fluttered deep in my belly. I loved this new facet of myself. It was like Ryder had opened a new door to my own sexuality.

Feeling the devil come over me, I cast him a calculating look from under my lashes and ran toward the water. I was pleasantly surprised to note that it was warm, and I struck out about five yards. Facing the shore, Ryder was standing there watching me, looking happy and...mischievous. Deliberately, I untied my bikini top and held it up above the water. Then I threw it and began swimming out toward the middle of the lake.

I heard the splash from shore. He was coming after me, and my excitement built. I swam for all I was worth, but Ryder wasn’t going to let me get away. I could feel his predatory intent.

Within moments, he was with me, grabbing my ankle and pulling me to a stop. With a jerk, he pulled me back in his arms, my breasts mashed to his chest. His lips crushed mine, hot, carnal. He swept my mouth with his tongue, tasting me as our tongues stroked velvet on velvet, stealing my breath away powerfully.

But I was in charge of this foray. I bit his delicious lower lip, and he grunted, his hands fisting in my hair. Then I sucked on it to soothe it, and I pushed away. He was breathing heavily as he watched me, and I gave him a siren’s smile.
We have all night.

His breathing slowed, and his sexy smile came easily.
All night
, he promised, keeping his distance, but not for long.

I kicked away, and to my delight, much horseplay ensued, a first for me in the water. Splashing, diving, floating, stolen kisses. Other things were stolen too, like my bikini bottoms, while Ryder was pretending to show me how to properly do the crawl, so I looked at him (this was a dream where I could make anything happen) and imagined his shorts in my hand. I looked down and, with a giggle, noted they were there.

His eyes widened with surprise, and I tried to get away with them—not very rigorously, I should add—and wasn’t unhappy to be caught. Our warm, naked bodies slipped against each other in the water. We stared into each other’s eyes. It was like we were seeing each other in a whole new way.

I’m glad you’re here.

So am I.

The longer we floated in the warm water, wrapped in each other’s arms, the more our energies intertwined and strengthened. It was perceptible. There was something more at work here, an invisible tether that was bonding us and creating a sense of belonging. It gave me peace.

You feel it?
There was a look of wonder on his face.

What’s happening?

I’m not sure.
I’ve never felt this.

It feels so good.

Like you’re a gift to me.
He looked intently into my eyes.
Like you’re mine.

I felt the same, but I was afraid to voice it. I’d never felt such a powerful feeling before, had never imagined I could feel this sure of the truth of what he was saying. I was his and he was mine. I’d never belonged to anyone but myself before. It was such a precious feeling. My eyes welled, and my throat closed up. I couldn’t tell him how I felt, but I could show him.

My lips found his, softly, gently, trying to let him know that I felt the same beautiful connection. He was my gift. Mine.

I woke to the decadent feel of skin on skin, the weight of a strong, masculine leg entwined with mine, and whiskery prickles moving languidly over my sensitized neck. It was rough and sexy. It was hot and tingly. I had to catch my breath, hold it, feel the sensations whispering over and through me. Ryder’s mouth was tracing the line of my throat, the heat of his moist kisses sending warm flutterings through all parts of my body.

He pulled back and looked down at me, his eyes dark with intent. “Before the night is through, I want to feel every inch of your skin.”

“Yes...”

Our lips met lazily at first, teasing touches, light nips, smiles, nibbles and quick forages that were stoking a deep fire in my belly. The heat was building as we added fuel to the fire, and before long my fingers were fisted in his hair, and we were feasting on each other, straining for more, mastering taste and texture.

My heart was pounding crazily. I couldn’t breathe properly, each breath I gasped coming tremulously.

His hand was curved around my ass cheek, holding me against him, his thick erection already hot and pulsing against my belly. Bending my knee, I luxuriated in the contrast between my softness and his hardness, my hips rubbing against his cock in slow, deliberate circles. With a deep moan, he braced his elbows on either side of my head, and I watched him sink into the pleasure as he gritted his teeth, staring down at me with his beautifully male visage. We were both breathing heavily.

I craved his strength, loving the weight of it, the feel of it surrounding me. Holding his beautiful pale eyes with my will, I lightly dragged my nails from his muscular shoulder down his broad back and curved them over his ass. Simultaneously, we rocked into each other, rubbing exquisitely, grinding perfectly, point on point, over and over again, and I cried out with the flash of heat, which joined his rumbling growl.

“Ah...Ryder, you’re driving me crazy,” I whispered shakily.

“I want to make you crazy. I want you going nuts until you lose control.”

His rough voice made promises that I wanted him to keep, but I wasn’t going to be the only one.

I rolled over, pushing him down on his back, which took him by surprise. I found the hollow of his throat with my tongue. I nibbled and licked a line up over his jaw, and by the time I reached his lips, his hands were on my ass, squeezing roughly. With my teeth nibbling and sucking his delectable lips, my nails scraped down his chest, traced the cords of muscle in his stomach, which jumped under my touch, and reached my goal.

My fingers closed over his hot length, and I was rewarded with a deep, sexy groan.

His lips were parted, his breathing was rough, and I felt a surge of power that was heady. His cock was silky and hard at the same time, and I gently ran my fingers over it, loving how it felt. With tentative strokes, I pumped my hand a couple of times.

“Fuck, Taylor—” He hissed.

“Does that feel good?” I whispered, and I pumped my hand a few more times, loving the tortured ecstasy on his face. I wanted to learn his body. I wanted to know what made him wild.

“Shit, Taylor!” His lips were parted, his breathing harsh, and his hips moved in rhythm with my hand. I took a moment to dip my tongue in his mouth, and just that quickly, he became a wild man, sucking my tongue, squeezing my ass, and pulling my legs apart so I was straddling him.

“I need to be inside you,” he growled, and he slipped his fingers into me. With satisfaction he said, “You’re so fucking wet,” while his thumb rubbed at my clit.

“Oh!” I arched my back, feeling so close. “Now, Ryder. Now. Please!”

He slid a condom on and settled me over his hips so his cock slid into me easily on a deep, guttural moan. Flexing his hips sharply, he hit the top of my sex in one hard stroke, and I cried out with the pleasure of it.

We both stilled, feeling the perfect fullness of the union, staring into each other’s eyes, seeing the pleasure, heat and joy reflected there. But it wasn’t enough, and we both needed to move.

Putting my hands on his chest, I moved slowly up and down. Ryder reached to fill his hands with my breasts, plucking at my nipples as I drove us toward the inferno. Heat unfurled in sizzling waves between my thighs when his hands changed position. Bracketing my hips, he worked his thumbs against my clit as I moved on him, building friction and heat.

As the demand grew, I rode him harder, feeling him pound clear up in my womb, spasms gripping me as I got closer and closer. My climax hit hard, and harshly, I cried out.

“Ryder!”

My sex closed around his cock, squeezing him with hot, delicious convulsions. He stilled as I collapsed on his chest, but only long enough to roll me over to my stomach and lift my hips, driving into me from behind.

With the new position, head down and ass up, new nerve endings were exposed, and in a short time I was back to gasping in need, meeting him thrust for thrust. One of his hands reached around to my clit and worked it, making me crazy with white-hot pleasure radiating out through my core. I was on fire, needing to come again. I was getting wound tighter and tighter, my pleasure almost painful, when lightning heat broke over me, causing me to come like I’d never come before, crying out as sensation after sensation rolled over my body.

Ryder was with me, shouting his own release before lying over me, careful to hold the majority of his weight on one arm. Rolling us both to our sides, he remained deeply embedded in me, running a hand up to cup one of my breasts, simply holding me against him gently.

“Christ, Taylor. I can’t fucking get enough of you,” he murmured sleepily in my ear.

And it was with a sense of contentment that we fell into a deep sleep, still connected.

Chapter Fourteen

“
Lin’de
, you need to wake up.” The deep, rumbling voice vibrated warmly against my ear, and my lips curled sleepily, knowing exactly who it was.

“Let’s go back to the lake,” I protested, enjoying the feel of Ryder’s warm body pressed up to me, skin to skin, snuggling up to me from behind. I wiggled my ass a bit and enjoyed feeling the answering heat of his arousal and hearing his quick intake of air.

“We don’t have time for this,” he said huskily, though his breathing got heavy and he didn’t stop my movements. Rather, his scruffy whiskers tickled my ear as a soft kiss was placed on my neck, which gave me wonderful tingles and sent almost instant gentle heat waves of pleasure to the apex of my thighs. Such a wonderful way to wake up, my body already eager and wanting Ryder. I couldn’t help grinding against his arousal, wanting to feel it pumping inside me again. I also loved the growl of approval that told me this little interlude might be a go.

“You feel so good.” He nipped my ear just hard enough for me to yelp, but his lips soothed the spot. I had another ache that needed soothing too.

“Are you sure there’s no time?” My smoky, languid sex voice was making a comeback.

“Maybe just a little,” he muttered, letting his hand run down my back and curve over my ass until he reached my sex from behind. Pushing his knee between my thighs, he opened my legs.

I could feel I was already wet with anticipation, which just made me feel wonderfully wanton, and when his fingers found me so, he groaned deep and low. He moved his fingers gently around my folds. Then one slipped inside me, and he rubbed softly in a place that made me gasp.

“You’re so wet.”

I panted and moaned softly, feeling the urge to move my hips for more friction. His fingers continued their gentle torture.

“You’re soft everywhere,
lin’de
,” his voice whispered against my ear. His finger slid out and rubbed around my clit, spreading moisture and making me tremble with need.

“I want to feel you.”

“Where?” he asked innocently.

“Inside me. I want to feel you there.” I felt like I was pleading.

After taking a moment to slide a condom in place, he ran the head of his erection over my swollen sex lips, spreading the creamy moisture, and shoved into me, overcoming my soreness from the previous night with the delicious feeling of fullness.

“Ah, damn, Taylor,” he said through gritted teeth. “You feel so good. Open your mind to me.”

Tearing down my mental barrier, I let him feel my spiraling heat, the slow burn that was sweeping over me. With a slow pump of his hips, he made me moan with the sharp pleasure of it. Caressing my shoulder and neck with his lips, he pumped his hips again, building a steady, slow rhythm that was sweet and hot and beautiful. His fingers curled around mine, palm down on the sheet, and we held on to each other, riding the crest of the wave.

“Ryder...”

“I know...” He pumped harder, and I could feel the buildup, the tightening. We were riding the edge, and it was so close and so hot and so good.

My muscles bunched, my toes curled, and I spun a beautiful free fall. I cried out as the ripples of pleasure swept through me. Ryder growled his own release, but he continued to pump into me softly a couple more times, breathing in deep, primitive grunts. Then he was covering me, pulling me powerfully into the curve of his body, still attached, so he could press a lingering kiss to my neck.

“You are...precious to me.”

Blossoming joy unfurled in my heart at his tentative admission. I sensed they were words he hadn’t said to many, if any. Tears pricked my eyes, and I couldn’t help but say, “I care so much about you too, Ryder. This is all new to me.”

He pressed a fervent kiss to my neck, leaving his lips there like he was trying to soak me in. “I’m glad I got to show you the lake last night. It’s meaningful to me.”

“Does that mean I can come back to it with you?”

“I would love to take you there in person.”

“Can we go skinny-dipping?”

I felt his grin against my neck. “I’ll hold you to that.”

I wiggled my ass against him again and said, “You can hold me to that any time.”

Ryder chuckled, a sound that was like beautiful music to my ears, making my heart melt. “That can be arranged. But right now, you need to get dressed. I need to take you to the high court.”

It took only a second for my reaction.

“I have to do what?” I couldn’t help the slightly screechy tone that came out of me as I sat up, clutching the sheet again. The bloom was off the rose as panic set in. “Wasn’t that where you were going to take me for, like...torture?”

The sheet pooled at his hips as he sat up and languidly leaned against the blue stone wall behind him. The sight of his washboard stomach distracted me. I still hadn’t traced the ridges with my lips and tongue. Definitely a pleasure I wanted to indulge in at some point.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he warned with a sharp look. “We need to get moving or we’ll be late. And just so you know, I wasn’t going to take you to the high court yesterday.”

“You were trying to scare me,” I deduced with a scowl. It had worked. I’m not big on pain.

“Look, Taylor. I think you have a better sense of the history of our survival now. It wouldn’t be unheard of for someone to do anything to infiltrate our ranks and breach security, including enlisting Earth humans. We’re always at risk.”

“Okay, okay.” I did know. I had actually experienced one of those breaches in security at the marketplace. “Can I assume they just want to know what happened yesterday?”

“Yes. I also insisted they keep it informal. Instead of using the high-court chambers, we’re going to meet in my father’s office.”

“That’s right. Your father is going to be there. Did I understand correctly that he’s in charge of the high court or something?”

“Probably both of my parents are going to be there.”

“No problem,” I muttered. No stress here. I just had sex like three times with their son, was contemplating another quickie in the shower, and still had to look them in the eyes.

“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.” He gave me a crooked, heartwarming grin. “I’ll take you up on the shower idea later.”

I answered his grin with one of my own. I hoped he would.

The cool thing was that I actually had clothes and shoes that fit. Cynthia had left them for me from our purchases of the day before. My confidence was boosted in that I was dressed appropriately, and attractively. The drape of the cottony pants was actually elegant, and the blue blouse was soft and fitted. Cynthia was right that it made my eyes pop.

After a quick, solo shower, I dressed, fluffed my hair and nervously took note of my overall appearance to see if there was anything missing. I didn’t have any makeup, but I didn’t usually wear that much of it anyway.

“You look beautiful,” Ryder said from the doorway. He was wearing his usual: jeans, T-shirt and boots. He was also back to wearing his closed, inviolable look, which made me nervous. It was like he was somewhere else. I had a sense that he wasn’t entirely comfortable with going to the high court, and I wondered if it had to do with me.

“Thank you.” I walked toward him hesitantly. “Everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Answering a question with a question. Was he stressed? I didn’t have time to ask, because a beeping sound prompted him to snag a device from his pocket that fit into the palm of his hand. In a clipped voice, he said, “Ryder.”

“We’re coming,” Nick responded just as shortly.

“We’re ready. Out.”

“Out.”

A few seconds later, Cynthia and Nick pushed through the narrow passageway from the private transfer room. It was that quick. We met them in the main rec room. Cynthia was wearing a floral tunic in a light material, while Nick wore a uniform of black pants, long-sleeved shirt, boots and armed utility belt.

I no longer sensed anger between them, but kind of a delayed anticipation. Cynthia was being closemouthed about it, and I had too much to think about, what with facing some very official-sounding people, so I just gave her a hug and was glad to see her.

“You look fantastic.” She smiled. “I knew that was a good color for you.”

“I trust your fashion sense, Cyn,” I offered, trying to find the behavioral rhythm I usually had with her. “You always manage to look superchic.”

“Why, thank you.” She bowed her head in teasing acceptance of my praise.

“We ready to go?” Nick broke in impatiently.

What was his deal? I stole a quick look at Cynthia, but she was rolling her eyes with exasperation.

I was about to affirm I was ready when I realized something was missing, and it sent me into a panic. My mother’s bracelet. I hadn’t seen it since work a few days before.

“I’ve got it,” Ryder offered, reading my thoughts. With an indulgent smile he added, “The latch got caught in the blanket two nights ago. You were drunk, so I took it off to keep it safe.”

“I was not drunk,” I replied teasingly, “and if I was, it was entirely your fault.”

“Yes, you were drunk, and yes it was my fault.”

“I’d love to wear it now. Is that okay?” I didn’t want to break any cultural codes or rules of conduct in public or whatever.

Nodding, he answered, “It’s fine. I’ll get it.”

Again, I know my mother was a drunk and a drug addict, but for some reason, her bracelet helps me feel strong and confident. Maybe it’s because it represents evidence that at some point she’d been healthy and in love. The fact that she gave me this bracelet that was so important to her is also the proof I need that shows me she used to love me. Any way I look at it, it just makes me feel good.

Ryder put it on me, his expression softening as he clasped it. Lifting my delicately boned wrist to his lips, he pressed a kiss to my inner skin that sent small tingles up my arm. I met his eyes with an open mind and heart. Whatever he saw there made him still. We were in our own world, trapped in each other’s eyes, feeling our energies reaching out to twine and braid together, surrounding us with warmth and a humming energy that vibrated with life. It felt so intimate.

“We need to go.” Nick scowled, looking down at his boots. Cynthia was looking at us slack jawed.

“Remember to guard your thoughts,” Ryder warned me as he drew me into a tight clasp. “Let’s go.”

I threw up my trusty-dusty brick wall, wanting to make sure I didn’t commit a faux pas that was likely the equivalent of showing up without pants.

It was no sooner suggested than we were all emerging from a bright blue light, standing in a cavern chamber underground where no ambient light filtered through. Lit by large trinium wall sconces, it was probably the size of my apartment, and it had a common worktable in the center and a number of built-in nooks where private office spaces were set up. Three-dimensional computer projections had me gawking in several of the offices. Earth had nothing over these folks in technology. Fingers moved quickly and furiously over completely smooth keyboards on the desk, kind of like touchpads, only the workers were manipulating the images and words in the projection three-dimensionally, directly in front of them.

“You haven’t seen these before, have you? Cool, isn’t it?” Cynthia whispered in my ear as Ryder stepped off to speak with one of the soldier guys.

“How can you guys have better technology?” I whispered back.

“We’ve managed to snag the best scientists from different parts of Earth. We actually have a committee that researches the latest innovations.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“And by the way, you owe me deets. You’re holding out on me.”

“You’re a fine one to talk.” I smirked.

“Definitely need some girl time. Soon.” She muttered the last word and gave Nick a dark look. His eyes were watching her coolly, assessing. He definitely had some plans in the works for Cyn.

“Senior officer.” A young man stepped out from one of the office compartments and gave Ryder a formal bow. He was dressed in a uniform similar to Nick’s.

“First officer.” Ryder acknowledged him. “Are they ready for us to enter?”

“Yes, sir. They’ve been waiting for you in your father’s office.”

Ryder took my hand and led us down a lit pathway deeper into the cavern. I was glad not to be claustrophobic, or I would have really been in serious trouble, because I was already feeling fingers of trepidation clinging to my mind over just the meeting. We got to a heavy wooden door that was built to custom-fit the large archway, and my butterflies set to fluttering in my stomach with a vengeance. I slowed to a stop and took a deep breath, trying to calm them. Ryder paused and looked down at me questioningly.

“You okay?”

“I—I think so,” I said.

“I’ll never let anything happen to you.” His green eyes burned into mine, and I nodded as though appeased, but that deep sense of dread was only growing worse. There was a feeling of inevitability, and I didn’t know if that was good or bad, but I felt like I was heading down an invisible road, and all I could do was hang on and trust that I would be able to handle whatever was coming.

Ryder pushed open the door, and we entered a beautifully warm room. It was carpeted in a deep moss. Trinium lamps in vibrantly designed glass shades warmly lit the chamber, along with an overhead light that was too brilliant to stare at. Being that we seemed to be deep underground, a lot of light was needed.

A few small desks were housed in natural nooks and corners of the room but were currently empty. Most impressive was the large, imposing desk with family pictures framed and displayed proudly at the front, facing outward. I felt energy pulling me in that direction, which was weird because no one was there, but I ignored it, not knowing what the hell was about to happen. All this energy stuff was still new to me. I didn’t know where it was actually coming from, and I didn’t know what to do with it.

Just in front of the desk was a large, round conference table. Both pieces of furniture were built in beautifully gleaming dark wood. It was the kind of room that, if it were aboveground, would be in a setting like Oxford University.