Carnal Magic: The Wraith Accords, Book 1 (4 page)

Even if he did enter the chamber, it was not wise to do what she was thinking of.

Aed stepped inside, closed the door behind him and touched the wall. It started to glow as if lit from within, filling the room with more gentle, pale light.

Then again, she may not survive tomorrow. Best to take her pleasure while she could. Their conversation had been the best kind of foreplay and her blood was up. Aed’s sweet ignorance of his own appeal stirred her in a way she’d never felt before. It was too much to resist. She’d wanted Aed since she first saw him, and with dawn approaching this was her chance to have him. Perhaps the only chance she’d have.

Reaching up, she undid the hidden buttons at the throat of her cloak, letting it fall to the floor.

Ch
apter Four

Is
abel stepped away from the puddled fabric of her cloak. “I would like to rest during the day, but as you can see I would not be comfortable in my dress.” She gestured to herself, licking her lips as his hungry gaze raked over her.

She wore a dress from a contemporary designer and friend to the Vampire. The top was molded like a corset, midnight silk overlaid with silver and black lace. It was fitted over the hips, flaring out into a full, ball-gown skirt below that. The silhouette was unusual enough that she would be memorable, but harkened back to the formalwear of years past. She’d asked for a garment that was both elegant and powerful, and the dress fit the bill.

Now that she was here she knew a gown in a Grecian style might have been more appropriate, or perhaps something in leather, but she was not really trying to fit in.

She was Vampire.

“Lady Isabel…”

“Isabel.”

“Isabel.” His gaze raked her. “I can call a servant or one of the queen’s ladies. They can help you.”

“What if I want you to help me?” She could see the hunger in his eyes.

“You know I desire you.”

“I wasn’t sure. I hoped you desired me the way I desire you.”

Aed stripped off his gloves, throwing them to the floor. Isabel sashayed toward him, her arousal growing with each step.

She took his armored forearms, brought his hands to her waist. “I think this should be our little secret, don’t you?” She guided his hand up to her breasts, smiling in satisfaction when his gaze dropped to her chest and he shuddered slightly.

He seemed to relax. “A secret, yes.”

Isabel brushed the back of her hand across his cheek. In the next breath he was kissing her. He’d moved fast, taking her by surprise as his lips captured hers.

The kiss was better than she could have imagined. His lips were firm and warm against hers, his hands strong and sure on her body. She breathed deep. This close, his scent was intoxicating and she could hear the blood pumping in his carotid artery.

Had she been younger or less powerful, she might have lost control, forcing his head to the side and biting into his neck. As it was, when he went to deepen the kiss she had to pull back. Her canine teeth were sharper and longer than a human’s even when retracted. When she was this aroused, by both blood and man, they elongated to lethal points.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” She opened her mouth so he could see why she’d stopped the kiss.

He touched her fang. “You want my blood.”

“No. I want
you
.” She ran her hands over his armored chest, frustrated he was so hidden from her. “But your blood calls to me.” Isabel stepped away and turned her back to him. Reaching around, she took hold of the hidden zipper and slid it down a few inches. “Luckily for you I have good self-control.” She smiled at her own lie. “Well, somewhat good self-control.”

He touched the bare skin of her back. She felt that touch along every inch of her body. After a long pause he took hold of the zipper, fumbling with it a bit before drawing it down the rest of the way.

When her dress was undone, Isabel crossed her arms over her breasts and faced him. “It seems rather unknightly for you to be wearing all that when I’m—” Isabel slid the dress down and off, leaving her naked except for black lace panties and high heels, “—wearing only this.”

Aed’s hand slashed through the air and in the next moment his armor was gone, vanished. He now wore a tight-fitting leather top, pants and boots. He’d gone from knight to biker in a matter of seconds. He looked just as good like this. Maybe better.

Through the tight pants she could clearly see the bulge of his erection. The armor hadn’t taken away as much of the bulk as she’d thought. His chest and arms were still thick with muscle.

Isabel ran her hands over her bare breasts. “It’s been a long time since I had a man like you.”

He reached for her, taking her hips in his hands, rubbing his palms against the lace there. His gaze raked her naked body. “What kind of man is that?”

A good man.

The thought surprised her, but it had the ring of truth. Aed
was
a good man—or the most skilled liar she’d ever met.

“A warrior,” she replied, knowing that was a safer answer. Standing on her toes, Isabel pulled the tie from his hair. It swung forward to frame his face. She placed her other hand over the bulge of his cock, tracing the length with her palm.

He kissed her again, sucking her lower lip into his mouth. “I don’t want to hurt you either.”

“I’m tougher than I look.”

“The things I want to do to you…” His voice was ragged. “I have not felt this way, let myself feel this way, about a woman in a century.”

Isabel knew the feeling. Usually it took much more than a few kisses to have her this aroused, and lately it took all manner of toys, games and usually a touch of sadism to elicit any response from her at all.

He lifted her hips and Isabel wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to his shoulders.

Aed groaned as he kissed her neck.

“More,” she demanded.

He lifted her higher until his lips settled on her breasts. He laid hot, open-mouthed kisses over them. Isabel tangled her fingers in his hair and twisted, trying to press her nipples into his mouth. He skillfully evaded her machinations, teasing her until she wanted to scream with need.

Finally his tongue found the tips of her breasts, first flicking each nipple before taking the left into his mouth.

Isabel threw her head back as he suckled her. His teeth closed over her, tugging, and she hummed her approval at the little stab of pleasure-pain.

“Do you like that?” he growled, carrying her toward the bed.

“Yes.”

“Will you tell me if I hurt you?’

“Only if I don’t like the pain.”

He let out a bark of laughter as they tumbled down onto the mattress. Isabel reached for his clothes, but they were molded to him and she couldn’t figure out how to get them off.

“Take off your clothes.”

“No. Not yet.”

He parted her knees, running his fingers over her panties. She reached for him, but he grabbed both of her hands, capturing them in his and pressing them down above her head.

She strained against his hold. There was a moment of shock when she couldn’t get free. Isabel was one of the strongest of the Vampire, her slim frame more powerful than many male vampires who were larger than her. But Aed was something else. He was stronger, larger and more formidable.

She tried one last time to free herself, using all her strength. His arm tensed to counter her strength, but his hold never lessened. A fresh wave of arousal spiked through her at the bondage.

“You’re strong.” Isabel was panting from effort and desire.

“Do I frighten you?”

“You should.”

“But do I?”

“No. I like it.”

His fingers continued to dance up and down her sex, pressing the lace of her panties into the folds and flicking her clit.

She arched her hips into his hand and succeeded in rubbing her clit against his knuckles. She growled in frustration when he pulled away. “I thought you didn’t play games.”

The hungry look faded from his eyes. “Normally, I don’t. I do not enjoy submitting, and I do not want to unintentionally hurt my partner.”

Isabel knew that there was something there—his past sexual experiences were causing him to fight his natural desires. But that was an issue for another time. “You’re not hurting me, but you
are
frustrating me. The game I don’t like is the one where you’re toying with me instead of fucking me.”

His brow cleared and a devilish smile transformed his face. “Perhaps I want you frustrated.” He cupped her sex, the heat of his hand warming her, but not stimulating her. He blew across her nipples.

Isabel went limp, then in a burst of speed pulled her hands free and pushed him over onto his back. He was stronger than her, but she was fast and had surprised him.

Straddling him, she raised an eyebrow. “I see no reason to delay pleasure.”

Taking his wrists, she guided his hands to her breasts as she ground herself down on his still-hidden cock. Aed’s whole body arched under her, his fingers squeezing her breasts.

“Aed,” she moaned.

In the next breath she was on her back, and he was beside the bed, unlacing his clothes. She saw what he was doing and rolled onto her knees to help, pulling the laces free with quick fingers. Finally his chest was bare and she kissed and licked it, biting at his nipples as he shucked his pants.

When he was naked, she sat back on her heels to look at him. His body was perfect—all hard muscles and smooth, creamy skin. A few white lines of scars marked one shoulder. His cock was deliciously big, the head thick and wet with his desire. His pubic hair was more blond than brown and trimmed short, hiding nothing from view.

She traced the underside of his erection with a single finger and watched him shiver. Cupping his balls with one hand, she squeezed the base of his cock with the other. When his hips jerked forward, she lowered her head and licked the crown of his cock.

Hands fisted in her hair, pulled her toward him. She wanted to take his cock in her mouth, suck him down, feel him come, but could not. Her fangs were extended and she was too aroused to call them back. Maybe next time she’d have more control, would be able to retract them and then take him in her mouth, but right now she couldn’t.

Instead she swirled her tongue around him, and when his hips pumped toward her she ran her fist up and down the length.

“Enough, I need you.”

With those words, he lifted her off the bed. Turning them both, he slammed her back against the wall. Isabel gasped as her naked body was pressed between cold stone and warm man. She dug her heels into his back and raked his shoulders with her nails.

He reached between her legs and tore her panties off. The lace dug into her a second before the fabric gave. Then his cock was at her entrance, the head pressing into her.

Isabel clutched at him, and he grunted in surprise at her strength. She wouldn’t apologize for it—she was sure Aed, unlike many men she’d been with, could handle her full power.

He slammed into her, his cock filling her, opening her body, touching her deep inside. A little orgasm rippled through her. That first moment of penetration was always her favorite—to feel possessed, taken and at the same time powerful and feminine.

Aed held her under the ass as he fucked her against the wall, their grunts and moans of pleasure a counterpoint to the slapping of flesh. Dimly, Isabel realized dawn was coming. She felt it as she always did, with a shiver of fear.

Aed lifted her off his cock. Before she could ask why, he dropped her to her feet and spun her to face the wall. A hand on the back of her head pressed her forward until her upper body was bowed, her head and forearms braced on the stone as he bent his knees and slid into her once more.

He held her breasts, his fingers rolling and plucking her nipples. Isabel shifted to grip his wrist, rocking in time with him as he fucked her. The muscles low in her belly tightened. She was ready to come again, but she wanted to see him when she did.

Throwing him off, she turned, trying to force him back to the bed where she could ride him.

He was too large, too strong. They grappled for a moment, her nipples brushing his chest, his cock rubbing against her belly. She lost the battle. He took control, lifting her and forcing her onto her hands and knees on the side of bed.

His cock slammed into her willing body. Catching a fistful of her hair, he pulled, tipping her head back as he fucked her. It had been too long since Isabel had been fucked this roughly, this masterfully, and she’d forgotten the simple pleasure of being taken.

Her fingers curled into the silk covers. “Aed. Aed. More.”

“Isabel.” Her name was a prayer, a plea at odds with his demanding possession of her body.

He grabbed her arm, forcing it up along her back. Her fingers curled over her own ass. His hand covered hers, his thumb forcing two of her fingers against her anus.

“Touch yourself,” he demanded roughly.

Isabel rubbed her index and middle fingers over her rear entrance, knowing he was watching. She pressed the tip of one finger in. Dark pleasure shuddered through her at the second penetration. She pulled her finger out.

“Again,” Aed demanded in a rough voice.

She did as he ordered, then added a second finger, pressing just the tips in before withdrawing.

“Will you fuck me here, Aed?” Isabel wanted his cock in her there, where the girth would be sweet pain.

His groan was the only warning before he pulled out, rolling her onto her back. Isabel pushed up onto her elbows and, grabbing Aed’s hips with her heels, pulled. He lost his balance and fell forward over her, catching himself on his hands.

His face was only inches from hers, his blue eyes bright. Lifting herself another inch, Isabel kissed him, deep as her fangs would allow. Aed shuddered above her, his arms shaking. When the kiss was done, he dropped his head to her chest.

Pressing her advantage, Isabel pushed him over onto his back and straddled him, his lower legs dangling over the side of the bed.

This time there were no clothes in the way and she sank down on his cock. The smooth glide of her body over his, the power and strength of him between her legs, pushed Isabel closer to the peak of the orgasm that was winding tight within her.

Aed braced one hand at her lower back. Placing the other between her breasts, he bent her back over his arm. She braced her palms against his knees. Bent as she was, she could not use her body weight as leverage and had to depend on the quick upward thrusts of his hips to keep her spiraling toward the peak of ultimate pleasure. His free hand slid to her breasts, cupping and squeezing them, then pinching the nipples, twisting the sensitive flesh.

“Isabel.”

Her name, an aching plea, was the final stimulus. The orgasm tore through her, sudden and overwhelming.

Her lips pulled back from her fangs and she lunged at Aed’s neck. At the last second she regained control enough to press her teeth against him but not break the skin. Aed rose, holding her around the waist with his cock still inside her. Standing beside the bed, he let her fall back so her shoulders were on the mattress, her back and ass suspended in the air, held up by his hands on her hips and her legs wrapped around him.