Davin's Quest (10 page)

“We did that?” She sounded amazed by the idea.

Davin nodded, reaching down to lick her lips before rejoining their kiss. When he finally came up for air, the chamber was brighter, the various forms of quartz lit from within and beginning to resonate with the Hum they created. He stepped back and took note of the amazing reaction. Never before had he seen
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such an immediate reaction from raw crystal. It was as if it wanted to attune itself to them—to their Hum.

Could this be the secret long lost to their people? Could mated pairs work crystal more efficiently together, as was hinted in the ancient texts?

“What causes the glow?” Callie clutched his arm as she stood beside him, taking in the wide expanse of glowing crystal.

“Our energies together cause the glow when we Kiss. The mingling of our energy causes our souls to resonate. The crystal reacts by shining from within, refracting our energy into visible and audible waves.”

“I can’t hear anything.”

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm gently. “I can. Every time I touch you, we Hum.

Mick said it’s outside the range of human hearing, but it is quite beautiful to my ear. It’s a sound I’ve waited all my life to hear. The most beautiful sound in my universe—the sound of my resonance mate, touching me.”

“Resonance mate? Truly?”

Davin pulled her further into the chamber since it appeared she was as safe as he was in the crystal cavern.

“You’re my mate, Callie. I knew it from the first moment I saw you. You were just fifteen then, and your family forbade me to even talk to you alone, but I knew. My soul recognized you. Especially on that last day, when I touched your hand and we Hummed. That gave me hope.”

“So that’s why they let you test me, even then.”

Davin nodded. “They took pity on me. Mick knew what it was like to have the woman you need be out of your reach. He recorded that first Hum so he could show the evidence to your mother and his brothers.”

“They knew.” She thought about that for a moment. “What other tests are there?”

“The Kiss is the second test.” He leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips once more, as if unable to resist. “I Kissed you that day by the barn, the second time I visited the ranch, remember? I knew you were the one, but I put a crystal on the fencepost and Mick and your mother saw it glow when we Kissed. I needed them to see the proof with their own eyes.”

“They saw that?” She blushed becomingly and he kissed her reddened cheeks tenderly.

“Yes, and it’s been torture waiting for you to get older so I could perform the final test and finally claim you as my own.”

“What’s the final test?” Her words were a nearly breathless sigh as she watched him.

“The Embrace. Callie, I’ve wanted to Embrace you—to take you in my arms, fit my body to yours and kiss you so deeply we wouldn’t know where you began and I ended. I’ve wanted it for so long.”

“So why didn’t you do it before? Why did you wait until now?”

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“Your parents wanted me to wait, but with the threat to you, time has run out. They probably think you’re still too young, but I can’t wait any longer, Callie. The madness is creeping closer each day and I need you to be mine completely, to drive it away with your sweet Embrace.” He pulled her in closer.

“I’m here now, Davin, and I won’t leave you.”

He kissed her again, forcefully, sealing her promise with his kiss. He shrugged out of his shirt, pushing her jacket off her shoulders and down onto the ground a moment later. All the while, he kissed her, baring as much skin as he could so they might Embrace properly. When he was bare from the waist up and she wore only a tank top, he pulled her into his arms and fit her body to his.

She was made for him. He’d known it all along, but the feel of her lithe form against his hardness was enough to make him cry. Or drive him mad. Or save him from madness.

Yes, that’s what Callie was—his sanity in the chaos of this world. He blended their lips in the deepest Kiss they’d ever shared, allowing her to feel his rigid arousal against her softness. She squirmed and moaned in his embrace, music to his ears. As was the Hum that grew to surround them, reflecting off the untuned crystals all around and sheltering them in a cocoon of sound that soothed and protected.

Davin knew the crystals accepted them, though with any two other beings the results could have been alarmingly more dangerous. But it seemed the raw crystals merged with the resonances created by true mates, amplified it and sent it back to them, almost becoming part of them. It was a wondrous experience. Almost as wondrous as having Callie answer his Embrace with all the enthusiasm he could have wished for, and an eagerness that was extremely flattering.

He broke off, only peripherally aware of the brightness in the chamber. He opened his eyes to look and noted the bright sunny glow of the crystal. Here was proof beyond doubt, though he’d held little doubt in his heart after that Embrace. Callie was truly his—as he was hers. They were without question, resonance mates.

“I can never part from you again, Callie. We’ve passed all the tests. We are mates. All that’s left now is the Joining.”

“It’s so bright in here.” Her voice held awe as she looked at the shimmering show of crystal all around.

“As bright as our hearts, Callie. We were meant to be together. To be friends and lovers for the rest of our lives. If I can find a way for us to be together.” Doubt crept into his mind as he realized they were in quite a bit of danger, resonance mates or not.

“Aside from Harry, you’re my best friend in the whole world, Davin.” She stroked his hair back from his face. “I trust you.”

Davin laughed at that. “I’ll try not to be jealous of your illustrious brother, but sweet, I can give you something your brother can never give you.”

She knew what he was talking about and it made her blush, but she couldn’t hide the eager smile in her eyes as she thought of what he was promising. She’d waited so long to discover the truth about making love. Harry had discussed the mechanics with her, but she wanted what her mother had. She wanted a man to love her and make love to her with his body, his mind and his heart.

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And she felt all of that from Davin. She felt the emotions he wasn’t all that great at expressing verbally.

She even felt the emotions he tried to hide. She knew he loved her and she loved him too. The years of long talks in the darkness and gentle words of sharing had bonded them together and now she was ready for the next step.

“I want everything you can give me, Davin. I love you with all my heart.”

He pulled her close and hugged her. “As I love you, my heart. I’ll try to be gentle, but I must have you now, or go completely insane.”

She could feel that too, from him. He was close to the edge of madness. The threat to her had shaken him badly, as had her very nearness. He needed her on a cellular level that went beyond emotion and physical need to something almost spiritual. He needed her in a way no other being had ever needed her and it touched her heart deeply.

“I don’t care what this first time is like. I know it’s going to hurt,” she said bravely, “but I don’t care. I want this. I want you, Davin. I
need
you. As much as you need me.” She shucked her clothes quickly as he watched, distracted, only half-sane. “I love you, Davin. Take me. Take me now.”

He pulled her into his arms and made for the far side of the chamber where he’d secreted a bed and some camping necessities. He’d thought to use this cave as a refuge for himself—a place to get away from it all. He’d never counted on bringing his mate here.

But the time for recriminations was past. There was only one thing on his mind now. Only one thing that mattered.

Callie.

He had to have her. The need was primal and stronger than anything he’d ever experienced. Still, she was a virgin. He had to give her time to accept him. He was a big man, even among Alvians, and he didn’t want to hurt her. He’d rather die than hurt her!

His emotions weren’t too stable, his senses devolving into moments of madness, but still he knew he had to treat her carefully. He removed the rest of her clothing and then tore his own in his rush. He left the shreds on the floor next to the bed and came down on one knee next to her.

“I’ll do my best to make this good for you, Callie, but I’m afraid I waited too long.” His voice shook as he took her shoulders in his big, hot hands. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me.” She spoke softly, but with the firm conviction of love. “Nothing you could do when we make love could ever hurt me, but I’m prepared for some discomfort, Davin. From what I’ve heard, it’s unavoidable the first time.” Her crooked smile touched him deeply and gave him the strength to hold back.

He leaned down and kissed her, noting the glow of the crystal all around them. This was going to be an explosive joining in more ways than one, he realized absently. Maybe making love to her for the first time in the middle of a huge deposit of raw crystal wasn’t his best plan ever, but he had no choice now. He had to have her. He could delay no longer.

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Their kiss built into an inferno as he moved over her, his skin sliding along hers. He felt hot, burning from within, the only ease he could find was her touch. Davin moved, twined his fingers with hers and coaxed her hands onto his shoulders, encouraging her with little tugs of her hands to stroke him. She caught on and he released her fingers to let her touch him at will. It felt so good to have her hands on his bare skin, her touch igniting the thrilling, pulsing Hum.

The sound bathed him in warmth, a low rumble of delight underpinning all the energy as it began to swirl between them and around the vast crystal chamber. The very Earth sang the song of their love as Davin pressed Callie’s soft body into the mattress. She went willingly, her touch encouraging him as she spread her legs for him to settle between. He broke the kiss, hanging on to sanity by a bare thread.

“It’s got to be fast this first time, my love. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Davin. I don’t think I can wait either.”

Shards! This woman was perfect for him in every way. She’d been his friend for the past few years—a voice in the darkness when no one else could understand him at all—and now she would be his lover.

His. Forevermore.

“I love you, Callie.” His voice broke as he began the slow entry into her tight body. She was wet and slippery, eager for him, but still, there was resistance. Davin eased out and then pushed back in, just a little farther than he’d been before. Callie squirmed, making little sounds of distress at the back of her throat, but Davin was lost. He only had enough presence of mind to ease his way inside. Other than that small concession to her virginity, her protests were lost on him.

The beast was in control now.

Davin rocked inward, easing his way, but pushing relentlessly forward. He had to claim her, to take her, to make her his own. It was the driving force behind his near-blind need, the thing creeping in to cloud his thoughts, the beast that might well drive him mad. The beast wanted only one thing—its mate.

Callie pushed at his shoulders as he slid past the barrier, tearing her maidenhead. She cried out and her eyes closed tight in a wince of pain, but he was beyond the ability to stop or slow down. Davin shoved home with one last mighty push until he was fully embedded within her tight sheath.

“You’re mine now, my love. Mine.”

Her hands gripped his shoulders as she opened her eyes and stared up at him. Pain glazed her expression, but beyond the pain was…love. Davin recognized it and it calmed him enough so he could give her the time to get used to his presence within her untried body. He lay over her, soaking in her love, reveling in the feel of her hot core around him as he waited for her discomfort to subside.

Davin wanted her to enjoy her first time. So far, he’d only been able to give her pain, but her love steadied him. It gave him the strength—the sanity—to wait for her to catch her breath.

“Better now, kitten?” He licked her throat as her shivers eased. The beast calmed momentarily, now that he was in full possession of his mate. “Can you feel how much I desire you?”

The pain in her eyes receded, to be replaced with wonder. “I feel it.” Her breath came in short pants.

“Davin, I love you so much!”

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He growled as the beast reared up, thrilling at the words of love from his mate. This would bind them.

All he had to do was come inside her and bathe her in his possession.

“Hang on, Callie, my love.”

Davin truly lost control after that, pistoning into her with little finesse. She whimpered, but luckily they were sounds of enjoyment, not distress. He couldn’t have stopped for anything, but he didn’t have to.

Callie was with him. For all he knew, she was feeding off his unrestrained emotions, his own mindless desire reflecting back at him from her soul.

She watched him as he rutted, his body claiming hers, their eyes locked and holding. That connection meant more to him than anything. That connection calmed him when he would have gone mad. That connection blinded him to all else while at the same time making him aware of every last-minute detail.

The drip of water on wild crystal, the harmonies reaching out to mesh with theirs, the way their two beings bonded and became one. No longer separate. Never again to part. This was resonance on the most profound scale. There was no Davin. No Callie. Only the two of them, together, as they joined fully for the first time.

Davin stiffened above her, crying out in a tone that could have deafened him, resonating against the crystal chamber, taunting the dormant energy of each shard and bending it to his will. Callie cried out as well, her human voice echoing in the cavern, blending with his and complimenting his tones as they, together, retuned an entire chamber of wild crystal. All without even trying.