The Journal Keeper (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (20 page)

“I was expecting it to be someone else,” Rianne admitted, nervous as the woman peered down at her notes.

“Oh, I’m sure you were, my dear.” Morna nodded with a wide smile.

“Can I help you with something?” Rianne asked slowly.

“No, no. I just came to see how the journal was progressing. I would have checked in sooner, of course, but I was called away to the High Witches’ Council to induct a new member. A very powerful young witch. She’ll be a great asset to us,” Morna informed Rianne.

“Good,” Rianne said, unable to think of anything else to say.

The old witch gave her the creeps with her vacant-looking eyes and odd smile. She suddenly wished Silal hadn’t gone with Dorin to speak to the villagers about seeing anyone new in the area. Their worry about the shooter was growing by the hour until Rianne found it easier to simply stay inside the castle, either in the library, her room, or the study unless Dorin or Nikolas was with her. Since Nikolas was training his men this morning, she was stuck inside with four guards posted outside the study door. She wondered how Morna had convinced the men to let her pass. They were only supposed to allow Silal, Visess, Dorin, Nikolas, or Carme through.

“Hmm. These are quite detailed notes,” Morna commented, shuffling through the pile of papers beside Rianne.

“Yes, well, the king requested them,” Rianne said, taking the pile from her.

“Of course he did, dear. The powers hidden within that journal have been lost to this world for thousands of years. When Merlin disappeared to the human realm, he took all his knowledge of magic with him. We have been floundering since,” Morna told her.

Rianne chose not to say anything in response to that, having yet to come across any sort of message that might indicate the power she was speaking of. Morna’s eyes went wide, and she leaned over the desk, her face inches from Rianne’s.

“Silal must not learn the secrets of this journal, Rianne. It is not what the Fates have planned. You must not tell him what you discover,” Morna warned, sounding half-crazed.

“I can’t promise that,” Rianne whispered, slightly afraid of the old woman.

“The Order of Warlocks would not look fondly upon the information being shared with the shifter community. If you want to keep a war from occurring, you must not tell Silal of what you learn,” Morna persisted.

“Why would they care? You said they couldn’t have the journal,” Rianne said, remembering what Silal had told her about his conversation with the witch.

“You are the Keeper, Rianne. It is your duty to keep the journal safe. You must keep the knowledge safe,” Morna insisted, sounding more and more crazed.

Rianne could think of nothing more to say to the witch. Morna’s eyes had gone dark, and the way she was looking at Rianne made the young woman nervous. She suddenly wanted Nikolas with her. He would know how to handle the old woman.

The witch suddenly stood up straight, blinked once, and smiled down at Rianne.

“My dear, you will make a fine queen,” Morna commented before turning around and leaving the study.

As soon as she was gone, Rianne hurriedly cleaned off her table, storing the journal and her notes in the vault before practically running out of the room. One of the guards caught her when she stumbled through the door.

“Easy, there,” he grunted, setting her on her feet.

“I need Nikolas,” Rianne insisted frantically, struggling against the man’s hold.

“He’s in training,” one of the others told her.

“I need him,” Rianne repeated, still trying to get free.

“Calm yourself, my lady. We’ll take you to him,” the one holding her promised.

Rianne couldn’t force her body to relax. The strange visit from the witch had her too nervous, and her body trembled as the guards took her outside to where Nikolas was fighting in the lists. As soon as he spotted her straining against the Guard’s hold, he ordering training to stop and jogged over to her.

Before he could so much as speak a word, Rianne had flung herself into his arms, clutching him desperately as the tremors finally began to fade.

“What happened?” Nikolas demanded of the men surrounding them.

“We don’t know. She came barreling out of the study like the hounds of Hades were after her,” one of them told him.

His fingers ran through her hair, a gesture meant to soothe and calm her. She gave a violent shudder as the fear she’d felt while with Morna vanished under the knowledge that Nikolas would protect her.

“Rianne,” Nikolas murmured, her name coming out as a question.

“Morna…she came into the study…I was so scared,” Rianne explained brokenly.

A low growl rumbled through his chest and though she could hear the wolves shuffling behind her nervously, the sound only worked to calm her further.

“How did she get in?” Nikolas practically snarled.

“No one went into the study. We were all standing guard outside the door. No one entered,” one of the wolves defended.

Nikolas took a step away from Rianne, his large hands settling on her shoulders as he looked down at her.

“Tell me what happened,” Nikolas requested.

Rianne told him about how she had come in and started talking about the journal. She told him about the witch’s crazed stare as she insisted Rianne keep the information safe. With every word Rianne spoke, Nikolas’s face darkened and a continuous growl began emanating from his chest.

“Find the witch,” Nikolas ordered the four guards.

“Yes, sir,” the wolves replied in unison before turning to begin their search.

“As for you, we’re going to have a little talk,” Nikolas said, lifting her easily.

“Are you angry with me?” Rianne asked, frowning in confusion.

“Try furious,” Nikolas growled, taking her back into the castle.

“Why?” Rianne asked, even more confused.

“Because you’ve been reading that damned journal and nobody told me about it. Do you realize what could have happened to you? That thing is saturated in magic. The slightest mistake on your part, and you could’ve been blasted through a wall or turned into some creature or transported to another world or—” Nikolas ranted until she cut him off.

“Okay, okay. I get it. Reading it can be dangerous, but I haven’t been alone until today. Usually Silal is with me,” Rianne told him.

By then they had arrived at her bedroom door, and Nikolas shouldered his way inside, her still in his arms.

“And what the hell will he do if that damned book decides to hurt you? What could any of us do? You could be dead before anyone could reach you,” Nikolas snarled, practically tossing her onto the bed.

She bounced into a seated position, giving him a frustrated glare as he began pacing in front of her.

“Damn it, Rianne. You’ll not read that book again, do you hear me?” Nikolas demanded, still pacing.

“Sure thing, Mr. He-Man. Anything else I can do for you, or would you prefer me to just lay at your feet until you need a sandwich?” Rianne glared.

Nikolas stopped pacing long enough to give her a bewildered look.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Nikolas asked.

“I’m talking about the fact that you think you can tell me what I can and cannot do. You may be my mate, but you are
not
my father,” Rianne snapped, poking him repeatedly in the chest.

He grabbed onto her wrist, preventing her from poking him and leaned over her, forcing her body to fall back onto the bed. He followed her until he was stretched out on top of her, his arms on either side of her head.

“Being your mate means protecting you, from any and all dangers. That book…Rianne, that book is dangerous. I know you might not be able to feel it, but the magic around it is powerful. Too powerful for you to be getting mixed up in it,” Nikolas insisted with a quiet intensity.

“I can feel it, but it doesn’t feel dangerous to me. Morna said I’m the Keeper. I don’t know what exactly she meant by that, but I think she means I’m supposed to have the journal. I’m the only one who can read it, after all,” Rianne said, reaching up to comb her fingers through his hair.

He leaned down until his face was pressed into the crook of her neck. Inhaling deeply, he struggled against his instincts that demanded he keep her as far away from the journal as possible.

“All right. I’ll make a deal with you. If you only read it with me or Dorin in the room, I promise not to try and stop you, but one of us has to be with you. Agreed?” Nikolas offered, lifting his head until they were eye to eye.

“Agreed.” Rianne smiled, rising up to seal the deal with a swift kiss.

Nikolas gave a short grunt, instantly deepening the kiss. His hands tangled in her hair, tilting her head to give him better leverage as his tongue stroked across hers. Her hands moved down his body, slipping under his shirt to dance across his chest, around his back. She gasped when his hips began thrusting against hers, his erection pressed high between her legs. She spread them farther, giving him more room as she arched against him.

“You’re so damn beautiful.” Nikolas groaned, tearing his lips from hers to nibble down her neck.

“Oh,” Rianne breathed, throwing her head back as he suckled the sensitive spot just behind her ear.

“Tomorrow night, we’ll get to do this for real. You, me, and Dorin. We’re going to show you so much pleasure,” Nikolas promised, their movements fluid and perfect as the now-familiar tension built in her pussy.

It didn’t take her long before the tension broke, and she came apart, crying out as her entire body shook. Her body ached deliciously, but as her pussy clenched, she found herself almost desperate to feel his own body climaxing inside her.

Nikolas kissed her sweetly on her forehead, moving down to kiss both cheeks before pressing his lips to hers again. She could still feel the heavy weight of his erect cock between her legs, surprised that he hadn’t found his own release. An idea began forming, and she pushed on his shoulders, turning them until he lay on his back with her straddling him.

“Rianne?” Nikolas croaked, blue eyes desperate as they met hers.

“Will you help me?” Rianne requested, already moving down his body.

“Gods above,” Nikolas groaned, watching as she unlaced his trousers.

Rianne had seen naked men before. After all, Lynda was a firm believer in sexual education, but she had never seen anything as perfect as Nikolas. His cock thrust straight up from a tuft of white-blond hair, the tip already leaking pre-cum. Her hand wrapped hesitantly around the base of the hot shaft, pumping slowly. Nikolas let out a tortured groan, and Rianne’s gaze snapped up to meet his.

“Is this right?” Rianne asked quietly.

“Gods, yes,” Nikolas gasped, thrusting into her hand.

“I didn’t think it would be so hot,” Rianne commented, looking back down and squeezing his cock gently.

“Rianne, please,” Nikolas pleaded desperately.

“What should I do?” Rianne asked, still stroking slowly.

“Tighter and faster,” Nikolas gritted out, arching his hips.

Rianne tightened her hold and began increasing her speed, paying close attention to the way his breathing increased and his body flushed with each pass of her palm over the sensitive head. More pre-cum began to seep from the head, making Rianne’s hand slide easier across his skin. She could tell from the way his legs tensed that he was getting close. Leaning down, she licked the head, moaning at the taste of him.

“Gods!” Nikolas shouted, his fingers tangling in her hair to hold her down.

Her hand held him tight as his entire body seemed to spasm and long streams of cum jutted into her mouth. She was initially surprised at the salty taste, but the way Nikolas’s hands tightened in her hair as his cock jerked in her hand quickly dispelled any disgust she may have felt.

When he released her hair, she looked up at him with a coy smile and licked her lips in what she hoped was a sexy way. His normally pale-blue eyes were dark as they watched her climb up his body until they were face to face once more.

“Did I do good?” Rianne asked, surprised at the husky sound of her voice.

Nikolas didn’t answer right away. He brought a hand up to brush some of her hair behind her ear before leaning up to kiss her briefly.

“I have never felt anything like it. Thank you,” Nikolas whispered emotionally.

She didn’t even try to curb the smile that broke across her face or stop from kissing him once again. His fingers tangled in her hair to hold her still as his tongue slipped inside, no doubt tasting himself in the process. He didn’t seem to mind, though, so Rianne pushed the nervous thought from her head and gave herself over to kissing one of her mates.

“You did well today,” Silal told his son as they walked through the castle portcullis.

“Thank you, but I feel as though I still have much to learn,” Dorin sighed wearily.

“And that is why I know you will make a great king,” Silal murmured, clapping a hand on Dorin’s shoulder.

They had just returned from discussing the shootings with the villagers, and Silal had insisted Dorin run the meeting. Dorin knew his father was preparing him for life as king, something that would be happening much sooner than Dorin would like. Silal was insistent that the young prince take the throne within a month of his mating ceremony, which would take place the following day.

If he wanted to keep Rianne safe, he had to find the shooter before then.

With a wave of his hand, Silal dismissed their entourage of guards at the entrance to the castle. Dorin watched as they went to join another group of guards milling about in the lists, recognizing them as the ones ordered to keep watch over Rianne.

“Excuse me, Father. I need to find Nikolas and Rianne,” Dorin said, a little worried about their mate.

“Of course,” Silal agreed, already heading toward the rear of the castle, no doubt to find his wife in her hothouse.

Dorin wasted no time in running up the stairs, down the hallway, and to Rianne’s door. Not bothering to knock, he shoved the door open and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Shit!” Rianne cried from her spot in front of the fire, a hand flying to her chest.