Destroyed by Onyx (A Dance with Destiny Book 4) (42 page)

Jenevier only answered his questions with deadly might and lethal precision. Both her blades were bloodied when her bonded Dragon made it to her side.

“This isn’t over, Angel,” he hissed. “You haven’t seen the last of me, little one. I will not give up so easily. That’s just not how this little game will
ever
be played out between the two of us. You have no choice but to dance with the devil, my love. And one day, one day very soon, I will take the lead… and you will melt in my arms. This I vow.” The silver-eyed soul-eater disappeared with those words.

Chest heaving, nerves heightened, Jenevier spun toward the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, blades readied… just in time to catch a glimpse of her dear husband, before she was locked tightly within his relieved embrace.

Finnean kissed her face a dozen times before he gripped her shoulders, pushing her back so he could examine her for injuries. His gaze locked on the dripping ethereal blades in her hands. His searching eyes were full of questions, but he only released a heavy sigh and pulled her back to him.

“Oh, my love.” He squeezed her ever tighter. “I thought I’d lost you again. My heart ceased beating until I caught sight of those gorgeous curls.” He kissed her ear as he whispered there. “I would end my life if anything were to happen to you. I swear it.”

His lips fell hard upon hers, his now unbridled passion evident in his hungry touch. Finnean pulled her tight against him, locking her trembling body to his.

As her fear was erased by his deepening kisses, her adrenaline was replaced with desire. She melted into him, surrendered completely to her loving warrior.

I see there is much you need to tell me, Naga.
Nilakanta chuckled inside her head.
Come to me at sunset, little Guardian. Too long have you kept your secrets.

Finnean’s fervent touch consumed her, causing a coherent response to her Dragon to be almost impossible.

I… I… will… I… prom-promise
, she thought.

Jenevier felt Nilakanta’s laughter resonate through her, before Finnean’s next touch removed even that.

*****

She gazed up at him admiringly, longingly, twirling his silky snow hair around her finger. Silently thanking all that was holy he had finally forsaken his ridiculous vow.

Finnean stared down at her, a radiant smile spread across his beautiful face. He positively glowed.

“That was beyond imagining, Gealach,” he said with a sigh. “I can now die happy.”

She yanked on the lock of hair she’d been playing with. “You had better not
die
at all.”

He laughed softly and ran the backs of his fingers down her colorless cheek. “Aye now, and just how is that even possible, lovely lass?”

“I know not,” she said. “Not yet. I’ll begin working on that today.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I do not wish to grow old and ugly and feeble.”

She smiled. “Lord Finnean, no matter how
old
you grow, you could never be ugly.”

“I have prayed every night since first I laid eyes upon you, for this day to come. I longed for the day you would finally accept me as your husband. For the glorious day you would accept my love.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. She closed them, forcing the burning drops to slide back into her hair. He wiped them away.

“Forgive me,” she whispered.

He tenderly kissed each closed eyelid. “For what?”

“For always being so selfish.” She sniffed. “It’s only because of the careless words I spoke to my father on our wedding night that forced your hand in claiming a celibate vow on my behalf. It should be marked as a sin against me for making a valiant heart such as yours unhappy.”

“Not so, wee Gealach. Never have I been this happy. Nay, I knew not happiness until I knew you. I regret nothing and would fight a thousand demons if they tried to change even one day I have been blessed to spend with you. Things happened as they should, wee moon.
Now
was always marked as
our time
.” He chuckled. “And as phenomenal as the build-up was, the experience surpassed it by a million miles.”

She sniffed again. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Of course you don’t, Lass.” He yanked one of her curls. “Yet you have me, all the same.”

She opened her eyes then, smiling mischievously. “There’s not a woman within the whole of this universe who deserves the gift of your splendid awesomeness, Milord.”

“Aye, you tell it true, wee moon. You tell it true.”

She giggled and pushed his shoulders, rolling over on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, locking her there.

“You can’t even begin to imagine the times I have fantasized about this very thing,” he said. “You looking down at me, a smile upon your angelic face, silver curls hanging all about me, the weight of your lovely body pressed atop mine, your bare breasts against my chest.”

Jenevier kissed him then as she had never kissed him before, lightly biting his lower lip as she rocked her hips. He moaned.

“Ooh, Gealach, how is it you’re real?” He tightened his grip around her waist and sat up, locking her upon his lap, holding her in place. “Tell me you love me. Let me hear those precious words as I gaze into your magical eyes.” His breathing was heavy, weighted with fresh desire. “As I move deep within you,” he rasped.

“I love you,” she whispered against his mouth.

“Again.”

She ran her fingers into his hair, tilting his head back, looking deep into his mesmerizing blue eyes. “Finnean, I love you. You own me.”

His movements increased. “Again, Gealach. Say it again.”

The pressure building within her made it hard to speak.

“Say it once more, Princess. Tell me you love me one more time.”

Her breath hitched. “Finnean… I… love you.” She released the words along with her building passion. Her body shivered and tingled, glorious relief melting over her.

He collapsed back onto the ground and she buried her face against his heaving chest.

“Gealach…” The word was a sigh, a plea, a prayer.

He flinched when her teeth lightly grazed his nipple. Then he closed his eyes and smiled.

“Tell me of your fantasies, Lord Finnean.” She spoke between the nibbling kisses she spread across his chest. “Share with me your hidden desires. Let your loving wife know the truth of your heart.”

He grabbed her hips, forcing an increase in her little circular movements. “Gealach… you will be the death of me.” He smiled. “I can’t wait.”

“Let me make your dreams come true, Milord. Speak to me now… and this day will see its end only when your hidden fantasies have been wholly fulfilled.”

“Aye, Lass. I swear to you now. You have already surpassed them.”

“You won’t share even one?”

She licked the tender spot where his neck and shoulder meet. A visible tremor ran down his body.

Nuzzling her nose against his ear, she whispered, “Not even a teeny tiny one?”

Jenevier slid her hand down to cup his firm buttocks. He growled as he rolled over, pinning her under him, his sharp hipbones boring deliciously into her thighs. She moaned.

Sensing his piercing gaze, she opened her eyes.

“There is
one
thing I will confess to you, Lass.”

She smiled then. “You wish to make confession
now
?”

“Aye.”

“Are you certain you’re in such a position?” She locked her ankles behind his back, pressing him to her, restricting his movements.

He chuckled. The gentle vibrations of his chest against hers was maddeningly arousing.

“Very well, white warrior. I will hear your confession now,” she teased.

“Aye, a confession of desire,” he said. “I nearly lose control every time you hang that sparkly thing about your hips.”

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

“Aye, Lass. You know the one. That thing you always wear to council.”

“My crios?”

“Aye, that be the thing. I don’t even have to cast eyes upon it. The sound it makes when you move… Aye, Lass, it’s all I can do to keep from pressing you up against the wall, claiming you right there.”

She snickered. “But Father gave me that. He said the Princess of Val Hal must always wear it to council. Have you not seen it worn before?”

“Nay, there hasn’t been a Princess on Val Hal the whole of my days. Alas, it would not matter. Only draped around
your
hips is it a thing of glory.”

“Tell me, Lord Finnean. How do you even know what I look like at council? You have failed to attend even once since my arrival. Everyone has taken notice of your peculiar absences.”

“Aye, have they now?” He smiled and she melted, again. “I know what you wear to council, Lass. I’m your husband. I watch you dress.” He winked down at her. “And the reason I cannot attend my council seat is the very same.”

“The very same what? Reason?” She half chuckled. “Because you watch me dress?”

“Aye, because I watch you don that enchanting crios and listen to the lovely sound it makes with the movement of your delicious hips. If I followed you into that great hall, my excitement would be obvious to all, even your father.”

She giggled. “So, my crios turns you on, does it?”

“Nay, wee moon. I’m turned on by you, always. Your crios just gives sound to your womanly sway.”

“Then I will have to wear it one night, just for you.” She giggled. “If you fulfill that hidden desire, perhaps you can return to your rightful place at my father’s side.”

Her mere suggestion had ceased his movements. His eyes were closed, imagining that very thing. When he looked back down at her, Jenevier saw a new fire burning within that breath-taking icy blue.

“The thought alone maddens me,” he whispered. “I don’t know if I should live through the actual act.”

“Oh, but you must.” She ran her nails gently up and down his sculpted back. “For it is now my greatest desire as well. Being pressed against the cold wall… your hot tongue upon my neck, sliding up to part my waiting lips… being ravaged by the mightiest warrior upon this realm… as my crios softly chimes with each delicious thrust.”

*****

Jenevier smiled as she remembered his bestial growls and deepening movements caused by her exquisitely tantalizing description. Never had she reached her pinnacle quite so quickly, and never had her release been so mind-numbingly epic as it was with her snow-crowned husband that day.

Her eyes drifted down to the jewels hanging from her waist. She absently ran her fingers over the cold metal as she thought about the valiant man she would always love.

Their marriage was nothing short of perfect. They didn’t have a single argument nor did one angry word pass between them. Truer friends and deeper lovers there had never been.

“Why do you continue do this to yourself, little Naga? Why do you bind your fragile heart to mortals?”

The gentle, warming voice sent shivers down her spine.

He watched in awe as the dying flames danced marvelously within the ebony abyss that was her cold eyes.

“You lied to me, Gabriel.” She spoke without meeting his admiring gaze. “I thought Angels couldn’t lie.”

“Who told you such nonsense?” He reached a hand toward her shimmering hair, but thought better of it. “I
can
lie, Kagi Naga, as can you. Yet, I do not. How have I wronged you, little sister?”

A single tear trickled down from her unblinking eyes. “You promised to speak me awake with the dawn.” Her voice was flat, lifeless.

“Ahh,
that
. Yes, I made that vow. Yet you never answered if you wished to hold me to it. My sincerest apologies, Naga. I assumed you never wanted to look upon my face again… not in this life.”

“You assumed correctly,” she said coolly. “So then… why are you here?”

“He was curious.” Raphael’s deep voice was so close she could feel his breath gently warm her hair.

Her gaze remained hard upon the pyre. “Curiosity can be a deadly thing.”

“Yes, that it can,” Gabriel said. “Alas, it has become my weakness where you are concerned. It seems I have adopted the poor habits of my good brother, here.”

Raphael chuckled softly. “Oh, what a glorious mess we are. Right, little Naga?”

“What do you want?” Her voice was hard, icy.

Gabriel cleared his throat. “The same thing I wanted the day I woke you in your bedchamber,
your
answer.”

“You never asked me
the
question,” she said.

Raphael tried to muffle a laugh.

Gabriel sighed. “Kagi Naga, do you plan on fulfilling your role as the Angel of Death? Will your existence continue to be stained with the blood of others? Tell me now. Will you take up your mantle and kill those who deserve to be killed?”