Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3) (51 page)

Aleco kissed her neck. “It’s my duty to please my q
ueen.”

“Which you do very w
ell,” she said. Accacia felt him rub against her and knew what he was thinking. He gave her that look that he always gave her. “When did you build this?” she asked.

“When I was
doing scouting patrols in the other realms, I came here and began to construct the house. I want to make sure none of the dukes get hungry for power. I wouldn’t want that horseshit to happen again.” Accacia smiled at him. “It took me a long time but I finally finished it—I wanted it to be a surprise. I’m sorry I was gone for so long. I could never be away from you that long again—ever.”

Accacia dropped her smile. “I know.”

Aleco caught her look. “What is it?”

Accacia stopped the thought
s swirling in her mind. “Nothing,” she said as she pulled him to her. “Are we going to go inside?”

“No, we can only look at it,” he said sarcastically.
“I spent weeks building this castle just so we can stare at it.”

“What happened to not being an asshole?”

“I’m not a Nature Priest anymore—I can lie.”

Accacia pul
led away from and walked toward the house without looking back. Aleco followed behind her and scooped her up in her arms, carrying her up the stairs to the porch. He set her down before the front door.

“I hope you like it,” he said.

“I know I will, Aleco.”

She opened the doorway and walked into the house. It was organized in
a similar way to Asylinth Cottage, the place they began their relationship as lovers. She walked through the kitchen and looked at all the cupboards then looked at the sitting room, which contained furniture and a hearth. Aleco leaned against the wall and watched his wife explore the house. “Would you like to see the bedroom?”

Accacia smiled. She knew he didn’t care about showing it to her. She walked up the stairs and reached the hallway. There were three doors. “Why are there so many bedrooms?”

“For the kids, obviously,” he said with a laugh. “Are you going to make them sleep outside?”
              Accacia felt her face fall. “I’m probably barren, Aleco.”

Aleco grabbed her in his arms and looked at her. “We’ll keep trying
, and if it doesn’t come to pass, that’s fine. As long as I have you, it doesn’t matter. And besides, we have Sadie and Vance. They need somewhere to stay while they’re here.”

“You need an heir, Aleco.”

“Horseshit—I need an heir. I don’t care about that. And they’re as good as my own children. Vance can have the throne when he’s ready.” Aleco opened the door to their bedroom and pulled her inside. “Come see it.”

“I’m sure it look
s like any other bedroom, Aleco,” she teased.

Aleco turned around
and grabbed her in his arms then laid her on the bed, kissing her as he ran his hands over her body. She immediately responded to his touch and slid her hands under his shirt. She acted like she didn’t want it as much as he did but she knew she wanted it more. Accacia pulled his shirt from his body and kissed his chest, trailing her kisses down to his stomach. Aleco groaned as he watched her. He grabbed her shirt and tore it off her body, practically ripping it off, and squeezed her ample breasts. “I’ve missed this,” she whispered.

“Since this morning?” he asked as he sucked her nipples. “I can’t seem to satisfy you.”
He knew what she meant but he didn’t comment on it. He hated discussing Zyle, her soul mate. It irritated him that the Nature God destined her for someone else; she was his.

“I guess we’
re going to have to do this more often then.” She moaned.

“Cons
ider it done.” Aleco pulled down her trousers and removed her underwear then stared at her naked body. She pulled down his pants and grabbed his manhood, rubbing him the way he liked. “I love you, Accacia,” he said between his gasps. He pulled her hips to him and inserted himself slowly within her, feeling her body with this own.

Accacia moaned. “Aleco,” she whispered as she grabbed his hips and pulled him deeper into her. “Gods,” she said as she felt him entirely within her. Aleco smiled at her enthusiasm and began to rock her body with hips. “I love you, Aleco.”

“Tell me again.”

“I love you.”

Aleco increased his pace and Accacia ran her hands down his back while he thrust inside her, feeling her body reach a climax already. “It doesn’t take much, does it?” he asked between breaths. Her husband knew her body better than she did and he knew how he made her feel. “Come on, Accacia. You’re almost there.”

Accacia scratched his back as she felt her body explode in euphoria. She whispered his name into his ear as he made love to her, feeling him plunge deep inside of her. Accacia felt the beads of sweat drip between her breasts and Aleco licked the moisture away, making her feel aroused again even though she was
spent.  He stared into her eyes as he pounded himself into her “I’m not done with you yet, Accacia.”

“Good,” she said as she rocked her hips from below. “Neither am I.”
She rolled on top of him and rode him vigorously, moving the way she knew he enjoyed. Aleco grabbed her hips and thrust from under her and enjoyed the arousing view of her making love to him from above. “Now it’s your turn,” she said.

Aleco felt his body explode into
her and he grabbed her hips as he forced himself further into his wife, letting him release his contents. Accacia kissed the sweat from his chest and brought her lips to his mouth, kissing him gently. Aleco wrapped his strong arms around her and held her to his chest. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too. And forever I will.”

Aleco rolled on his side and stared at her. “That’s a long time.”

“I know it is.”

Aleco closed his eyes and let the exhaustion take over his body. Accacia watched him for a long time before she rose from the bed and threw his shirt over her head. She walked down the stairs and left out the front door, walking to the edge of the water. The sun was setting over the horizon and it reminded her of the last ship she saw disappear over the water. Accacia felt the tears bubble under her eyes as she thought about Zyle on Suaden.

She knew how much she hurt
him when she chose Aleco over him, but she also knew he understood her decision. It had been clear since the day she arrived to the island that she loved Aleco, couldn’t live happily without him, and she still loved him even when she and Zyle were committed to one another. She loved Zyle very much and knew she was meant for him, but she loved Aleco—she always had.

Zyle would expect
her to return to Suaden in a century, after Aleco was dead and she had allowed herself to mourn for him. She dreaded that day with every fiber of her being. Now she understood Zyle’s meaning when they first met; immortality was a curse. She would have to spend the rest of her life without Aleco, who would die in a blink of an eye in Accacia’s time. The thought made her nauseous and she pushed it away, wanting to save that agony until she had to deal with it. But she was where she belonged now, with the man she chose to be with.

Accacia felt Aleco
’s hands circle her waist and hold her to his bare chest. He stood behind her naked on the beach and she could feel his arousal against her backside. No matter how many times they made love he always wanted more. “You shouldn’t be outside naked, Aleco.”

“Are you jealous that someone might see me?” he asked with a teasing voice. “I really don’t think
the fish will mind, Accacia.”

She turned a
round and smiled at her husband, her king. “I just don’t want you to get sick, dear.”

Aleco laughed. “I don’t get sick—you’re the one that
’s always gets ill.” Aleco scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the house and back into their bedroom, crawling on top of her to make love to her again.

The act of their lovemaking sent Accacia to the brink of pleasure immediatel
y and she scratched his back as he made love to her gently, kissing her body as she moved inside her slowly. Even when their sexual transactions were tender and loving, she still climaxed with him at an amazing speed, feeling aroused beyond containment. “Aleco, I love you,” she whispered into his ear as he moved within her. “I love you.” She never got tired of saying it.

The explosion of his body shook his entire frame as he emptied himself into her. He squeezed her body tightly as he found his release and he whispered her name as he melted into her. “I love hearing you say that,” he said through heavy breaths.

“I love you,” she repeated.

“Don’t ever stop.”

She ran her fingers through his hair as she looked at him. “I won’t.” Aleco stared at her for a moment, capturing her face in his mind. He knew he didn’t need to do it anymore. He would never be apart from her again, but he couldn’t break the habit. “I am yours, Aleco. I’m not going anywhere,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he said. Aleco understood how possessive he was. His past aggression for her time and attention was nothing compared to his current obsession. The man was hardly apart from her, and if he had to be, he took her with him everywhere. The only exception was if she would be in danger, which hardly ever happened. She was a fearsome warrior, one of
the greatest he had ever known. He wasn’t as worried for her safety.

“If the past could be changed, rewritten, would you want it to happen?” Accacia asked.

Aleco stared at her for a moment. The color of his eyes faded to gray.

“What if I could erase the past? Turn it back to the time before I left you. I never would have met Zyle and you wouldn’t have a recollection of it—and no pain.”

“And how would you accomplish this?”

With the Time Stone.”

He stared at her with his menacing gaze. The muscles underneath his skin bulged with imminent threat, his usual response when he felt provoked. Accacia didn’t flinch under the stare. “You haven’t destroyed them?”

“No,” she said. “And we could use it.”

Aleco thought silently to himself for a moment. Yes, he would be free of the pain, but he didn’t necessarily want to be. “When I think about you and Zyle, it makes me want to die. I admit that. But I would never change what happened.”

“Why?” she asked. “I hate how much I hurt you. I hate it.”

Aleco looked away. “I know you do, Accacia, but the pain is manageable. Zyle is your soul mate. Your
soul mate
, Accacia. And you still chose me. What could be more meaningful than that? Stronger than that?” Aleco grabbed her face and kissed her tenderly. “All your sins have been vindicated, Accacia.”

She grabbed his face and smiled at him for a moment. The softness of his cheeks under her skin made her heart flutter. “You really mean it?”

“Completely,” he said. “Besides, who knows what else will change if you never left. Drake may never have been killed. I wouldn’t watch you become the fearless warrior you are now. I would never have met your aunt. I may have never met Penelope and my two children. A lot of good things happened as well.” He paused for a moment. “And you wouldn’t have met your soul mate.” Aleco held her fingers within his own. “It’s difficult to know that I’m not the man who is destined for you, but I’m glad you have someone who will always care for you—always love you.”

“I have you for that.”

“Yes, but not for always.” He took a deep breath before he continued. “I only want to speak of this once and I never want to mention it again—ever. I want you to return to Zyle after I—after I—leave this world. Mourn for me but then be happy again. You have my full permission to love him and—be with him.” Accacia opened her mouth to speak but Aleco continued to talk. “Please don’t respond to my words, Accacia. And never mention it again—I mean it.”

She fell silent and didn’t protest. There were no words to dissipate the heavy tension in the air, so she ran her hands up and down his chest, comforting him.

Aleco watched the light of the sunlight reflect in her emerald eyes and light up the beauty of her exquisite features. Even when she was sad, she was happy when she was with him, happier than he had ever seen her. “Accacia, I want to know something.”

“I will tell you anything, dear husband.”

He smiled at her. “I like it when you call me that. I prefer it much more than king.” Her fingertips moved to his shoulders and she massaged the tension from his frame. He watched her for a moment before he continued on. “Have you ever used the Time Stone?”

The ministrations to his body ceased immediately. Aleco knew she had by the action alone. “What did you change?”

Accacia sighed. “You and Zyle locked me up so I couldn’t arrive at the battle like everyone else. And because of this a lot of people died—including Laura and the Chief.”

“Did anything else change?”

“Nothing of significance.”

“And you’re considering using it a second time? I think the stones need to be destroyed, Accacia. You have waited long enough. It wouldn’t be right to change time just so I could be happy—I would never want that.”

Accacia nodded. “You’re right.”