Scorched by Darkness (25 page)

“Help me.”

Rya didn’t need a second invitation. Rising up to her knees, she reached for the hem of his sweater and pulled it up and over his head. She paused long enough to run her hands over his bare chest as he kicked off his shoes.

His skin was silky smooth and as her fingers trailed over his hard muscles, tiny flames sparked to life. He sucked in a breath as she traced his washboard abs before awkwardly unsnapping his jeans and pulling down the zipper.

Instantly the hard length of his cock sprang free and with a small smile she circled the thickness with her fingers.

“So beautiful,” she murmured, stroking down to the soft sack at the base.

“Not me,” he rasped, stepping away from her touch to shove his jeans down his legs and kick them aside. “You’re the beautiful one,” he insisted, his gaze sweeping over her flushed face. “Lush lips that beg for my kisses. A neck that was created for this.”

He reached out to draw a pattern along her upper chest. Rya felt a whisper of magic, and glancing down in surprise she watched in astonishment at the sight of the delicate gold necklace that now hung around her neck.

It was exquisite.

But more importantly, it was created out of pure dragon-magic.

“I didn’t know you could create a dragon marque,” she breathed, her fingers stroking over the rare gift with pleasure.

His eyes danced with wicked anticipation. “I have several hidden talents that I intend to reveal now that I finally have you naked.”

Yum.
Rya had already had a taste of a few of his talents. She was ready and eager for more.

“Promises, promises,” she teased, the words barely leaving her lips before she found herself tumbled back onto the satin cover with Torque perched on top of her.

Her eyes widened in surprise as he braced his hands on either side of her head and wiggled his lower body until he was firmly cradled between her spread legs.

“Now,” he murmured, “where was I?” Holding her wide gaze, he lowered his head, slowly licking his tongue over her sensitive nipple. “Here?” He watched her eyes dilate and the flames return to her skin. “Yes, definitely here,” he said with a chuckle.

“Oh.” Her head tilted backward, her heels digging into the mattress as he tugged the tip of her breast between his lips. Scalding bliss seared through her, wrenching a groan from her lips. “This is…”

Her words trailed away. Even after endless nights of dreaming about having Torque make love to her, nothing she imagined could come close to the reality.

The heat. The excitement.

The raw intimacy of naked flesh pressed together.

“Paradise,” he finished for her.

She released a shaky sigh, drowning in the sapphire beauty of his eyes. “Yes, paradise.”

Swirling his tongue around the tip of her nipple, Torque moved his head to kiss the underside of her breast. Then, as she moaned in pleasure, he continued downward. Licking and nibbling, he paused to explore the tense muscles of her stomach even as his hands slid beneath her thighs to tug her legs farther apart.

“Torque?” she murmured, glancing down the length of her body to watch as he kissed over the curve of her hip.

At the sound of his name, Torque lifted his head, revealing eyes that had gone fully dragon.

“I want to taste you,” he said, his voice a deep growl. Before she could respond, he settled on the edge of the mattress, still holding her gaze as he dipped down his head and licked through her damp cleft.

Rya jerked, feeling like she’d been struck by lightning.

Yow.

Her hands clutched at the cover beneath her as he feasted on her, his tongue teasing over her clit before sinking into the slick heat of her body.

Absently she was aware that her skin was coated in golden flame, but she didn’t have the ability to marvel at her intense response. Not when a sensual pressure was building with every lick.

Over and over, he stroked his tongue over her tender bud, grasping her hips as she arched upward. The force of her looming climax wrenched soft groans from her throat.

It was too much. Too much.

Her eyes squeezed shut as she hovered on the edge of bliss…and then it happened.

The orgasm blasted through her, shattering her with the sheer intensity of the sensations.

Damn.

She briefly floated in the melting pleasure before she reached down to thread her fingers through Torque’s hair.

“That was amazing,” she breathed.

“Mmm,” Torque murmured, seeming to enjoy the taste of her climax on his tongue. “Sweet.” Another slow lick. “And spicy.”

“It’s my turn,” she commanded in husky tones.

“Later.”

“I—” Her words broke off with a small squeak as Torque suddenly tightened his hold on her hips and with one smooth motion rolled her onto her stomach. Puzzled by her new position, she glanced over her shoulder to see Torque straddling her legs, the proud thrust of his cock brushing her lower back. “What are you doing?”

In answer, he reached to brush his fingers over the elaborate tattoo that shimmered across her skin.

“I love this,” he said, smug satisfaction laced through his voice. “It proves that you belong to me.”

She shivered, her inner beast delighting in the feel of his fingers against the betrothal marking.

“That’s a little…” Her words faltered as his lips replaced his fingers. With blazing kisses he traced the wings that spread from shoulder blade to shoulder blade. “Territorial,” she at last managed to choke out, shocked to discover her body responding to his erotic caresses.

A thunderous heat pulsed through the air.

“Not a little territorial,” he assured her in dark tones. “A lot territorial. Any other man comes near you and I’ll destroy him.”

She chuckled. It was the response of a predatory male.

“How did I ever think you didn’t have emotions?” she murmured.

Once again Rya found herself being spun around, this time landing flat on her back with Torque looming over her.

“They’re all for you,” he rasped, his eyes burning with need. “Every one.”

She released a soft sigh, love for this male spreading like wildfire through her. He might not be flashy or overly romantic. But he was loyal and kind and utterly faithful. Precisely what she desired in her mate.

Reaching up, she wrapped her fingers around his thick cock, sliding them down and back up with a slow, ruthless motion.

“Rya,” he choked out, his skin heating as his flames sparked at her touch.

Squirming until she was in a seated position, she bent forward.

“It’s my turn to taste,” she told him, wrapping her lips around the blunt tip and drawing his length into her mouth.

“Oh…shit,” he growled, his fingers grasping her hair as she sucked him deeper, her hand gently cupping his soft sack as she scraped her teeth back up his throbbing length.

The taste of raw male power sizzled against her tongue, stirring her passions like an aphrodisiac. They groaned in unison as she pressed down, her tongue teasing at the tip of his cock.

His erection swelled, becoming impossibly large as his body bowed beneath the pleasure.

“Enough,” he at last rasped, turning until he was seated on the mattress and leaning his back against the lacquer headboard. “I need to be inside you.”

Grasping her hand, he tugged her toward him, draping her legs over his waist. Then, holding on to the backs of her thighs, he arranged her above his erection.

Rya grasped his shoulders, quivering as she lowered herself to allow the tip of his cock to slide into her body.

Delicious.
She hissed in pleasure as she pressed down, aroused by the sweet sting as she was stretched to accommodate him.

“Are you okay?” he rasped, his hands skimming up to cup her breasts, his thumbs stroking her nipples into tingling peaks.

“Better than okay,” she assured him, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips.

“Put your arms around me,” he murmured, waiting for her to wrap her arms around his neck. “Now hold on tight.”

Lifting his hips off the bed, he slammed upward, fully impaling her.

Rya’s eyes closed, her head falling backward as their flames surrounded them in a blaze of white-hot passion.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Snuggled in the middle of the bed with Rya wrapped in his arms, Torque was fairly certain he was a complete and total idiot.

How could he have ever have imagined that his mating with Rya would be nothing more than duty?

Not only had he just experienced the most stunningly life-altering sex a male could ever hope to enjoy, but now he had an entire future to share with this rare, courageous, beautiful female.

He’d been offered nirvana, and he’d very nearly allowed his pride to destroy it all.

Shuddering at the mere thought of an existence that didn’t revolve around Rya, he lifted himself on his elbow to gaze down at her.

An odd ache clenched his heart.

Dear goddess.
She was so lovely with her glossy black hair spread over the crimson cover, and her amber eyes still smoldering with the heat that had combusted between them.

He would never, ever grow tired of looking at her.

“So about our mating,” he murmured, suddenly anxious to have their relationship formally recognized. And not only by the dragons. He wanted to make sure that no one and nothing could try and claim it was anything but an eternal bond.

She arched a brow. “What about it?”

“I thought you might prefer to follow the traditions of your mother,” he murmured.

“Oh.” A smile of pleasure curved her lips. “Yes. That would be lovely.”

He released a breath he hadn’t even known he was holding.

“Good.” He blinked in surprise when she suddenly giggled. “What’s so funny?”

“Shouldn’t you ask what the traditions are?” she teased. “You might have to crawl through lava. Or perform circus tricks.”

Did she truly think there was any demand that would be too great for him to claim her as his consort?

“Whatever makes you happy,” he assured her.

Her eyes glowed with an emotion that made his entire body warm with pleasure.

“
You
make me happy,” she murmured, lifting her hand to press it to his cheek.

He covered her hand with his own, turning his head so he could press his lips to the center of her palm.

“Thank the goddess. You’re stuck with me for a very long time.” He paused, his lips twitching. “There aren’t any circus acts, are there?”

Her laughter rang through the air, a sound that resonated deep within him like the striking of a bell.

Yep. Nirvana.

“Not one,” she assured him, her thumb brushing the line of his jaw. “I promise it’s a very simple ceremony where the elders bless our union and my mother offers a vision of our future—”

He abruptly interrupted her soft words. “No.”

She studied him in confusion. “No?”

He shook his head. As happy as he was that Kai’s initial vision had prompted Synge to insist that Rya become his mate, it had also swayed the way he’d approached his life. And not in a good way.

“Visions never turn out like you imagine they will,” he muttered, bending his head down so he could brush his lips over her furrowed brow. “Besides, I don’t need magic to know what our future holds.”

Her fingers trailed down the side of his neck. “What’s that?”

“An eternity of happiness.”

“Mmm.” She stirred against him. “I’ll take that.”

He skimmed his hand down her naked back. He loved feeling the betrothal tattoo that was spread across her skin. Just as he loved the glint of gold from the delicate dragon marque that hung around her neck.

A primitive male need to lay claim to his mate?

Damn straight.

And he wasn’t even a little ashamed.

He cleared his throat, trying to look casual. “And perhaps a hatchling or two.”

Rya froze, as if shocked by his words. “You want children?”

“I never thought about it until now,” he said with blunt honesty. Warriors rarely mated, let alone had families. It was a distraction that could get them killed. Now he was far more interested in an existence that included more than killing things. “But I’m suddenly anxious to hold a tiny daughter with amber eyes in my arms.”

An unexpected yearning rippled over her face. As if she’d suddenly been struck with a maternal urge.

“Or a little boy who is always serious and loyal and as gorgeous as his father,” Rya suggested.

He kissed the tip of her nose. Her words didn’t scare him at all.

Hell, he’d be happy if she wanted a dozen children.

“Maybe one of each to start with,” he murmured.

Her hands smoothed over his shoulders, her foot brushing down his calf.

“First we’ll need a lair of our own.”

Torque shuddered at the light caress. How the hell was he supposed to think when his mind was filled with wicked images of having Rya flat on her back with his cock pressed deep inside her?

“We could use mine,” he at last managed to offer, pressing a kiss to her lips that instantly parted in horror. Okay. He was beginning to understand why everyone thought his rooms were…barren. Certainly they didn’t have the same sort of gracious comfort that Rya’s offered. “Before you say no, I promise you’ll be given full authority to decorate it however you want,” he assured her.