Rise of the Shadow Warriors (11 page)

Chapter 16

Argan couldn’t have stopped himself from yanking her close if he wanted to. The marking on her neck, the desire in her eyes all pushed him to his breaking point. He needed to touch her. Feel her lips on his. “Kiss me.”

Thank the Blessed One she didn’t question or hesitate. Her mouth pressed to his, tongue licking his lips until he opened for her. Her tongue. Her lips. The caress felt better than good and no one could have warned him. Desperate hands tugged at his hair as she walked him backward. Unfamiliar with the space, Argan stumbled but she never stopped.

They crossed the threshold of another room. He tried to pull away to search for the bed when Shaina gave a little hop and was in his arms. Pleasure shot down his spine at the full weight of her body against his.

Argan turned and slammed her back against the nearest wall.

She gasped and opened her eyes. Dazed passion stared back. Had he hurt her? “I am…”

She cut off his apology before he could speak by sliding her tongue down the column of his throat. Argan shuddered. Tiny pricks marked where she bit a path across his neck and over his shoulder only to reverse her path licking along the way.

The hungry noises she made had his toqa close to bursting. If he could get her to the bed, he could take his release of her. “Let me get us to the bed.”

“Touch me, husband.”

Her words enflamed. Argan groaned and shoved his hands up her sides. He tore at the lacings of her vest and her plump breasts bounced free.

“Shaina,” he managed, closing his eyes in bliss.

She nipped at his ear and Argan’s head arched back as shivers of longing danced down his legs making him weak at the knees.

“Argan,” she mimicked and the teasing notes had his eyes popping open.

Her smile was pure mischief. Her legs slid from his hips to the floor as her hands reached for him and pushed his leathers down to his thighs.

His eyes widened. What madness was she seeking? Her shoulders shrugged and the vest parted leaving her completely bare to his sight. She grabbed his hands and placed them on her breasts. “Squeeze me. Rub my nipples.”

The rose colored nubs pressed into his palms and Argan squeezed reflexively. Never had a woman spoken so openly to him during bed play.

“Yes, Argan. Just like that.” Her hands found their way to his buttocks where she rubbed and gripped him.

Argan thrust against her, his toqa pulsing almost in pain. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lose his seed on her. “I need to be in you.”

She shifted her hold, reaching to grasp his length. Her nimble fingers stroked and tightened until his eyes rolled back. Good. No, it felt better than good. Her touch roused already sparking nerves.

“In you,” he stressed and bowed over her. His hands left her tempting flesh and braced on the wall behind her.

“Mmmm.” She released him, toed off her boots and shimmied out of her pants all without increasing the space between them.

“Shaina!” Argan pushed away from the wall but she grabbed his waist and pulled.

“Here. Now.” Her hands moved back between his legs. Her thumb brushed over the head of his hardness. He was leaking and so close to coming he banged his fist on the wall.

Shaina laughed. “Impatient.” One leg stretched up to curve around his hip. Her lower half aligned with his. The dampness of her toque touched him.

She used her hold and rubbed him in her moist entrance. Argan steadied his weight. “The bed. The bed,” he gasped. If he could get her to the bed, he could bury himself in her heat.

“Now.” With a shimmy motion, Shaina took him deep. The hot clasp of her wrapped around his toqa as if she was made to fit only him. Her inner muscles clamped firmly and pulsed.

Argan thrust forward. He moved his hands to hold her under her arms and lift her higher. It changed the angle of his strokes and Argan knew he would not last long.

“Oh, yes. Harder, Argan. Harder.”

He growled and pumped faster. Their combined weight hit the wall time and time again with loud thumping noises. Her mouth was back on him, sucking and biting his chest. Argan choked off a plea. She was going to have him spill.

“Cease!”

Shaina actually paused. His breath came in harsh bellows. Sweat dampened his chest. Vaan claimed a woman liked a warrior to wait. Argan needed to wait. “I will spill,” he admitted, his cheeks flushing in shame.

The curve of her lips should have warned him. Her body rolled slowly up and down in his arms. “Please do.”

More undulations followed, causing him to grit his teeth. She leaned forward and kissed him with her tongue gliding in his mouth so smoothly he found himself kissing her back. He used his tongue to meet hers and suck as she’d sucked his earlier. Pressure built up in his sac. Argan could hold back no longer and came. His release left him weak for but a moment. His toqa stirred, thickening within her moist center. Again. He had to have her again.

Soft hands drifted over his head. Fingers ran through his shortened hair. Argan stopped his frantic efforts to rid her of her vest and lifted his head to meet her eyes. Silver swirled and stared back. Such unusual eyes.

“Tell me what you would have me do,” he muttered. Desire lent an air of roughness to his tone.

Shaina smiled slowly in return. “My turn.”

Argan didn’t have long to puzzle her words. Shaina pushed her hand against his chest until he let his weight stagger backward and onto the bed. They had been so close. Wasting no time, she straddled his middle and propped her weight atop him.

The vest parted and her new position presented Argan with the sight of her round breasts, topped with pale nipples, the curve of alluring hips and a brief glimpse of the red hair on her toque.

His heart stuttered before resuming its frantic beat. “What is this?” While he enjoyed the view, how was he to take his pleasure of her? But then he had not thought they could succeed standing either.

“This is how you make sex in the bedroom fun.”

Fun?
Bed play was for a warrior’s pleasure. Never had Argan considered it…fun.

“It is not supposed to be fun.” He spoke without thinking and watched in amazement as she laughed.

Laughed hard enough to have the tanned globes bouncing. Argan reached up and palmed one, its fullness fitting in his hand. She’d liked it when he squeezed them earlier.

Her laughter stopped but humor still glittered when she looked down at him. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

More than he had words to express. Argan settled for a simple. “Yes.”

“Then you will enjoy this as well.” She shrugged off the vest and leaned forward, her hands on his chest. “Trust me.”

“I do.” Argan spoke truth. She’d done nothing to have him doubt her word.

“Good. If I do something you don’t like, tell me.”

It was all the warning he got before her body eased down his, pulling his leathers and boots as she went. Waves of red flowed across his chest. Argan suffered confusion for a moment until the first lick. By the second, he shouted and arched up from the bed.

Shaina’s hand pushed down on his middle and when his butt hit the sheet covered bed, her mouth swallowed his toqa. Argan’s eyes closed on a groan, his head thrown back on the pillow. His hands landed in her hair and he wasn’t sure if he meant to pull her away or closer.

“Shaina!” She unmanned him with her actions.

Shaina sucked him while her tongue danced around the rim. He tried to wrap his mind around the fact that she had his toqa in her mouth.

“Do you like it?” She whispered when her head lifted.

Like it? What was there not to like…but it was wrong. A man and woman did not do such things for bed play.

“Argan?” Her hands pumped him in slow motion.

His eyes glazed but he lifted his head to look down his torso to see her face. “Yes?”

“Is this something you don’t like?”

Hettel! Never. “No.”

“Good because I
really
like doing it.”

She could not mean what he thought. Her head lowered and Argan tensed. Even knowing what she was about to do, he was unable to stop the shout that escaped when her mouth touched him again. His head dropped back on the bed and Argan gave himself up to her ministrations.

***

Shaina didn’t think she’d ever enjoyed herself more. Argan’s pleasure fueled her own. All she wanted was to watch him find release again. The first spark of surprise in his eyes then the dark smoldering look as he exploded made her efforts worth it. She pressed her damp thighs together and continued mouthing his erection. The velvet soft skin was smooth beneath her fingers.

Argan’s legs began to quiver and he started grunting. She wavered, wanting to taste him but also needing him deep in her core. It would not take her long to come. Shaina sat up, making her choice and released him with a final lick. Argan wheezed, his hands fisted in her hair.

Shaina loosened his hold with gentle fingers and moved until she was astride his hips. Holding his thickness, she lowered herself, biting her lip to keep from crying out from the pleasure as his hardness filled her swollen depths.

Once seated, she rocked up and down, seeking the perfect rhythm. Argan watched her with half-lowered lids. His lips clenched tight and she knew he would loose his seed within her soon. The thought spurred her on. Shaina lifted her hips up slowly and came down hard. He inhaled sharply so she did it again. And again. She was soaked and moaning uncontrollably.

“Argan. Argan.” She cried his name as the waves crashed over her when she found her release.

“Shaina!” He roared her name and she felt him spurt inside.

Shaina collapsed on his chest. His heart pumped in loud thuds against her ear. Her hands slid lovingly over the muscled form beneath her. Gradually, her breathing leveled.

Shaina was drifting in a haze of pleasure when Argan’s arms came up and closed around her. “You are a gift, Shaina C’Err.”

Her eyes closed even as her mouth stretched in a smile. He was the true gift. Shaina rested, enjoying the fullness of the moment. “Don’t fall asleep,” she cautioned.

Though tired from all that had happened today, Shaina knew it was important for her and Argan to show for the mate bond celebration. By now word would have reached Ivak and she expected him to be furious.

“Our bonding is new but I would ask of you one thing,” he said in a serious tone, tipping her head up to face him.

Shaina froze, heart pounding. “Yes?”

“Do not ever use your shadows on me like that again.”

Nothing of his earlier desire remained. Heat stained her cheeks in guilt. She should have explained instead of forcing him to stand and watch something she’d known he would not like.

“Agreed.”

The subtle tension in the body beneath her relaxed. “Also, I would know the truth of how your shadows came to bring me here.”

Easy to answer. “It means the shadows have accepted you although usually it takes longer. I’m not sure what would have compelled them to bring you here now.”

He grunted and let the subject drop. “What will your people do now?”

Her Warlord was too smart by far. Shaina shifted and dragged herself up. Argan sat up as well. The shortened ends of his hair curled along his nape and she had to turn away in order to resist snuggling back against him.

“Most will be happy,” Shaina answered, slipping from the bed. “I think it worried them that I hadn’t settled on someone and with our numbers as small as they are, having an heir is important.”

“And those not happy?”

Her thoughts strayed to Ivak. “Will have to deal with it.”

His fierce gaze stared a moment longer before he rose to his feet. “What should I expect from this celebration?”

Shaina relaxed and straightened, not missing the way his gaze roved over her body. “We’re not used to outsiders. Try not to be offended if they’re…” She tried to think of how best to put it but Argan gathered his clothes and interrupted.

“I am here for you. It will not concern me if they are displeased with my presence.”

Shaina couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. “Right.”

He was here for her. Heart pounding, she hurried to clean herself and came back into the room, pulling on a ceremonial black chest plate with multiple straps in the back. Gold thread lined the symbol on the front outlining a shield carried by the first Shadow Queen. After lacing the top, she tugged on a black, thigh-length, leather skirt while Argan took advantage of the cleanse room. He came out smelling of her soap and dressed in his leathers, sword at his back.

He paused as soon as he caught sight of her. “What do you wear?”

Shaina couldn’t tell by his tone if he was pleased or appalled. “It’s tradition for the Queen to wear the maiden shield on the night of her bonding.”

The chest plate had belonged to her mother, her father’s mother before her and a long line of warrior women. She smoothed her hand down the front of the soft leather.