Warrior's Dawn (Fire and Tears) (23 page)

When the wave ebbed, she folded forward, collapsing over him because her legs couldn’t keep her upright any longer. He eased her down to the rug, stretching out beside her while she heaved in air. She glanced over and realized for the first time he was still fully dressed. The fact that she hadn’t even noticed made her chuckle.

“This won’t do,” she said, tugging at his tunic. “Off.”

He kissed her on the mouth for a slow, drugging moment, then rolled away and stripped out of his clothes quickly. The sight of his pale, naked skin in the darkness awed her once again. So much muscle and strength, such masculine beauty. She doubted she’d ever seen a man so perfect.

He stretched out alongside her again, and she curved into his warmth, touching, caressing, tasting every part of him she could reach. His cock jumped in her hand when she closed her fingers around him. Ah, that reaction…to control him as thoroughly as he could control her was as satisfying as any orgasm. She stroked him, long, firm pulls, as she continued to taste the skin over his chest and arms.

His muscles tightened against her, around her, circling her with heat and power. He raked his mouth along her neck, before capturing her lips. The tension in his touch, his kiss, only softened her further against him, filling her with an awareness of her own femininity in a way she’d never experienced before. Rubbing her nipples against the light hair on his chest shot bolts of sensation through her body. As if in answer, he scooted lower and took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking hard enough to make her moan.

When he rolled onto his back so that she splayed over the top of him, she followed eagerly. Straddling him, she sat up, pulling her nipple from his reluctant mouth. The movement of air against the wetness on her breast made her shiver. His hands closed over both her breasts then, squeezing and fondling, and she closed her eyes to savor the feel of him.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

When she looked down, he was staring at her face, his gray eyes dark with more emotion than she could read. She didn’t need to know or understand just then, though. She just needed him. She dipped down long enough to kiss him, then sat up and reached between their bodies, taking hold of his cock, positioning him against her entrance and then easing down. He stretched her, filled her and left her breathless.

Her rhythm started slow, slower than she would have thought herself capable of at that point, but she needed to feel each stroke, each hard inch of him sliding against her, into her. She watched him watching where their bodies joined, and the look in his eyes drove her movements. The tension in her core built again, tightening with each thrust and roll of her hips. Unexpected and yet somehow right with Althir.

He pulled gently at her breasts, and she leaned forward, low enough that he could lick and tongue her nipples. So much sensation ravaged her nerves, she wanted to scream. Instead, she threw her head back and groaned between clenched teeth, increasing the speed of her thrusts.

The burst of another orgasm tore through her in a hard jerk and shiver that left her boneless, helpless to him for the second time that night. When he lifted her up and repositioned her on her hands and knees, she went without thought, so caught up in her sensual daze, he could have done anything to her and she would have complied eagerly.

He closed one hand on her hip and used his other to guide his cock into her heat. She was so wet he slid in fast and easy, but the position made him feel even larger and the friction of his entrance made her gasp.

As he moved, his fingers dug into her hips, telling her more than anything what little control he had left. She looked over her shoulder at him. He was watching their joining, watching his cock pump in and out of her. Again she was swamped by a dizzying eroticism that overwhelmed her. Then he looked up into her eyes, and the look of possession, the heat and ferocity of his gaze pierced her heart.

In that moment, as he thrust faster, his skin slapping hot and hard against hers, his gaze holding her captive, she belonged to him completely. She was his. In every way. Caged by her emotions as surely as he would be caged by the prison he was returning to.

The knowledge would hurt later, she knew. But then, in that heated instant of perfection, she knew she loved him. He was hers as much as she was his—even if it couldn’t last, even if they never saw each other again after tonight. She gave herself to his keeping and took him into hers.

He finally broke eye contact, closing his eyes and throwing his head back, the muscles across his neck, shoulders and chest tightening, his jaw clenched, his hips thrusting so hard against her she could barely keep her balance. She watched his orgasm take him, his cock pulsing inside her as he shook and groaned in release.
Hers.
In that heady instant, he was all hers. And it was a possession she would keep close in the years to come, a reminder, a memory of something too precious to let go—even if it broke her heart into tiny, aching pieces.

Shuddering with the last of his release, pumping a few more times into her because he didn’t want to lose her heat, Althir met Mina’s gaze again. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. And the thought of never seeing her again made him so angry, his body trembled with it.

Wordlessly, he slid out of her, wrapped his arms around her waist and chest and pulled her upright so that her back was pressed against his chest. He hugged her close like that for a long moment, nuzzling his face against the bend between her shoulder and neck. He could smell himself on her, mixing with her faint vanilla scent and the musk of sex, like he’d branded her as his. The thought made his arms flex and he tightened his hold. He wanted her to be his, to belong to him. She
was
his.

He might be able to see her one more time after this, to make love to her once more. But beyond that, he risked her sanity. The elf-fire, addictive and dangerous, would drive her mad. He didn’t want her obsessed with him just so she could get a hit of the pheromone. He wanted…more. Deeper. He wanted things he hadn’t ever wanted before in his long life.

He couldn’t have those things. Not with a human woman. Not with Mina. The knowledge was infuriating. And more painful than any battle wound he’d ever received.

Because he could feel her trembling, he settled back onto the rug, lying down with her curled against him, his hand stroking long lines up and down her back. He stared into her eyes, wondering what she wanted from the future. What she wanted from him. Did she want more? Or had she accepted their necessary separation in a way he couldn’t seem to manage?

She cupped his cheek and he rubbed his face against her palm, savoring the soft feel of her skin. Words escaped him. All his charm, all the witty or clever things he might normally say, were lost to him in the face of losing her. The only thing he wanted to say, the one thing he
needed
to say, stuck in his throat and refused to come out. To speak those three words out loud would only hurt them both. But keeping them to himself caused an ache that robbed him of all other speech.

She leaned forward, placing her lips oh so gently against his, and then she started to pull away. He couldn’t let her go. Not yet. Not so soon. His arms tightened and he held her close, her head tucked under his chin. A few more minutes, he thought. Then they’d get dressed and finish what they’d started, handing the war-ending List over to the Sinnale council. But for now, he just needed a few more minutes with her all to himself. Maybe then he could say goodbye and actually mean it.

For once in his life, his wants and needs took a backseat to someone else’s. For Mina, and Mina alone, he’d walk away. For her own good, he’d give her up.

What happened to him after that… He no longer cared.

Chapter Nineteen

Althir and Mina were almost to the council’s meeting hall when they were met by a handful of the council’s assistants, people too old to fight who helped run things behind the lines. The sun had risen, but the day was cloudy and dark, the scent of rain hanging in the air. Althir loved that smell. It covered a multitude of sins.

One older woman stepped ahead of the others, wringing her hands as she hurried up to them. “We’ve been watching for you,” she said. “The council asked that you be brought to them immediately if…
when
you arrived.” She cut a strange look at Althir then focused on Mina as she led them back into the midst of the other assistants.

“Thank you,” Mina said quietly.

She walked close enough he could feel her heat even though she wasn’t touching him, and Althir’s pulse jumped. He studied the side of her face for a beat, then focused on those around them. Despite her nearness, he sensed her pulling away, putting distance between them. He wanted to shake her and make her stop. Yet he understood. He hated that distance, the necessity of it, but he understood.

As soon as they entered the meeting hall, a small group of armed soldiers surrounded them. Althir raised his brows.

The woman who’d greeted them cringed a little, but said, “The elf must be returned to his cage. On order of the council.”

The fact that she didn’t sound entirely comfortable with this order surprised Althir. He didn’t have any friends here, outside of Mina, and he was certain he was still considered a traitor.

Mina scowled at the armed guards. “He has information for the council. We both need to see them.”

“I’m sure the council will call for him when they’re ready,” the woman said. “In the meantime…” She gestured to the guard, and they moved in closer to Althir.

He gave them a cursory glance but most of his attention was on Mina. She looked like she wanted to argue. “We knew this would happen,” he said, dipping his head to catch her gaze. “It’s fine.”

She swallowed visibly. “It’s not right,” she muttered.

He was so tempted to reach out to her, to touch her chin and rub his fingers across her cheeks. “Everything will be fine,” he assured her again. He frowned a little at their company, then as vaguely as he could, “Tell them
not
to try anything without talking to me first.”

“Of course,” she said, quiet understanding in her tone.

Now the harder request. “When the time comes, I don’t want you there.”

She jolted her head up, her eyes narrowed.

“I mean it, Mina. Stay away. Promise me.”

She stared at him with a stubborn expression, her lips a flat line and little creases at the corners of her eyes. When she nodded in agreement, without actually speaking, he knew she was trying not to give herself away. Did she really think silence would prevent him from seeing the lie?

He shook his head. “Mina… Promise me.”

She grunted something that sounded like, “Damned lie detector.” Then she straightened her shoulders. “Fine. Just… Just be careful, okay?”

Ah, how could he resist this woman? He gave in to his need to touch her, just a little, and set his fingertips gently against her cheek. “Thank you.”

So much more he wanted to say. But not now. Not in front of this avid audience.

Maybe not ever.

He stepped away, and without waiting for his guard, started back toward the basement and his little cage. The soldiers hurried to catch up. The sounds of clanking swords made him smirk. They were lucky he was cooperative. They hadn’t even taken his bow yet, though since the quiver was empty maybe they assumed the weapon wasn’t dangerous. Little did they know.

He wanted to turn and see Mina one more time, in case it was the last time, but he resisted the impulse. He had to focus now, to clear his mind and prepare for what was to come.

For Mina’s sake.

He was only left in his cage for an hour before Samuel Brightarrow joined him. Althir turned away from the high window to face the older man.

“She told you what needs to be done?” he asked without waiting for the councilman to speak.

“She did. She said you were willing to do it too. I didn’t believe her.”

Althir expected as much. “I don’t need your belief. I need you to set up a safe place for me to work. I need a clean knife. An elf dagger would be best, and as old a one as you can find. I need dark and quiet. Some clean water and salt. Purple salt from the Arei-atun…” He paused and corrected himself, using the Sinnale name for the nearby mountains so there was no confusion. “The Burrows Range, preferably.”

“Wait.” Samuel held up a hand. “Mina said this might kill you.”

“It will kill a human. I have a chance at surviving.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m an elf.” Althir frowned at the older man. Mina must have explained that.

“No, not why might you survive. Why are you willing to do this? You’ve fulfilled your part of the bargain and brought us the List—even if we can’t access it yet. We’ll send a runner to Glengowyn as soon as the sun sets. You’ll be a free man by tomorrow, day after at the latest. Why risk your life further?”

Samuel studied him with that damned intelligent gaze. Althir wanted to say something flippant just to get the man moving. But he already knew that wouldn’t work with this particular human.

So he decided to go with absolute honesty. “I have to finish what I started.”

Samuel’s eyes narrowed. “You delivered the List. That was the only thing you were supposed to do.”