Fervor (The Fervor Chronicles Book 1) (20 page)

Supporting her with his arm across her back, he lowered her to the floor. He spread her legs and grabbed her thighs with his large hands.

“Gods, yes. Please…” She needed him inside of her.

“I’ll go as slow as I can.”

When his hand brushed her lips it ignited a mini-spasm, the effects still lingering from her last orgasm. She bathed him in liquid heat. Panting, she said, “I’m ready.”

His forehead touched hers, and she watched, fascinated at his expression. At him! She just noticed the sparks flying around them, on her, through her. Her pleasure had been so all-consuming that she hadn’t noticed the power of the current coating her body and his. Yet she felt a mild shock that heightened her senses. Then she felt him, and her musing were lost. Her focus now was his long length entering her one slow inch at a time. She wanted to shout with joy. Another slow inch, another retreat.

“Please, Arun,
please.”

He growled and then launched forward, almost to the hilt. The action knocked the wind from her, the small barrier in her breached. Her inner muscles burned, her hips stilled, trying to adjust to his size. “W-wait.”

“You all right? I’m so sorry, but gods! You are… so tight… so—I’ll go slow.
I swear it.”

Slowly, he worked her. Her body bathed him in silky liquid, and finally she felt her muscles relax. Wrapping her legs around him, she squeezed, undulating against him, ready for the perfect friction. She felt full, unused to the sensation, but she needed something, anything that would make the pleasure rise again.

He kept a steady pace, pumping once, then again. She reared up, scraping her hands against his back, and he roared. He went into a frenzy, the humming increased, and bolts of lightning lit the air. Even with her eyes closed, she saw the flashes of light.

The mini-spasms grew, and her muscles clamped down. Smaller spirals turned into longer ones, and she was lost, the movement of him inside her bringing her to orgasm. Her body started to shake at the force of the pleasure.

“I love the feel of you. You are gripping so tight.” He cocooned her in his arms, roaring his release. Silky bursts of liquid heat filled her. The room was bathed in light, a sonic boom shook the walls, and all his energy expanded, floating around them, blanketing them in heat.

His light was a bathing warmth, smelling, tasting,
feeling
like the essence of him. She couldn’t get enough. But with all things, good or bad, the universe sought balance. His light and heat seared her, bringing intense pleasure, but it also melted the last of the cold within her. The
freeze
was gone.

With one last surge, the glow from his skin was gone, and all was silent. Chunks of rock fell from the stone walls, but they remained intact. The room was now pitch black. No longer able to see even the hand in front of her face, she reveled in his large, warm body above her.

“I finally get my sight back, and I can’t see a thing.” His deep voice tickled her cheek.

Something bubbled inside of her; a strange sensation tickled her throat. Noise flew from her lips, and she couldn’t stop. Something fluttered in her stomach, and she rolled back and forth with the sensation. It felt amazing.

Dear gods, I’m laughing!

When she settled, he rolled to his back and pulled her atop him, kissing her forehead. “You are a gift. Caprice.
My
Princess.”

Exhausted, she allowed herself to float away, for once warm, and… loved.

‡

P
illowed on a
silky mound made of muscle, Caprice awoke. They lay entwined, wrapped in each others’ arms. Completely naked. She’d never touched anyone so intimately, so completely. Breathing him in, she stilled, realizing she may never again have this chance to languor in a man’s arms. No, not just any arms.
Arun’s
arms.

The room was bathed in black. She had no idea when the sun would rise. At home, it had always been her custom to wake early, while the castle was still quiet, at peace. Her heart ached because it reminded her of all the times she’d had to prod Addy out of bed. She was never an early riser, yet another secret the two kept from the world.

Sitting up, she was careful not to disturb the giant—No, he was Arun now. She knew him too intimately to relegate him to mere “Giant”. Feeling her way across the room, she felt around for the washcloth, hoping it was still wet enough that she could clean up. As she moved, every muscle in her body clenched. She was sore. She had the warrior women to thank for that, but the muscles lower, down her stomach and between her thighs, were all Arun. She shivered at the delicious memory of him riding between her legs.

Finding the cloth, she was surprised again at its lukewarm temperature. Would she never feel the cold again? A shuffling sounded from the back of the cell. In a flash, a glow permeated the room, and she caught her breath in response.

In comparison to last night, this light was softer, gently skating over his skin. Somehow, she could feel it,
him
, the energy and the man irrevocably intertwined. How was any of this possible? And why didn’t it hurt her? The glow suffused every inch of exposed flesh, turning his bronze skin into a golden pulse of light. Everything was the same, except his eyes.

For the first time his eyes were whiskey brown instead of white.

“I’ve waited so long to see you like this, Princess. You make my heart hurt, you’re so beautiful.” His soft words were countered by the rough growl of his voice.

She flushed, uncomfortable with his romantic words, but she didn’t cover herself. “You can see me, but you glow?”

“The energy ratchets up whenever I want you.” He scratched his chest, looking like a contented snow cat.

“Does that mean you can control it now?”

He sighed. “I don’t know. It’s all so new. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.” Glancing about, they noted the crumbling stone and melted metal. “Looks like I ruined their little cell, though. Too bad.”

She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but his intense scrutiny started to make her feel self-conscious. This was all so new to her. Reluctantly, she searched for her gown, almost groaning at the idea of putting the dirty rag back on. She was finally clean and free of glass. She found it in a heap on the floor, the once pristine wedding dress now a muddy mess.

“You have a gorgeous ass, Princess. Anyone ever tell you that?”

The words coasted over her, warming her further. A loud knock interrupted them and before she could brace herself, the door creaked open, and a long rectangular box slid across the floor, skidding to halt by her feet. The door slammed shut, and Caprice blinked, unsure of how to proceed.

“Don’t touch that!”

Ignoring him, drawn to the simple elegance of the item, she leaned down and flipped the lid. “Look, Arun! It’s a dress. Ooh, it’s lovely.” She ran her hands along the fine green silk, trimmed in golden velvet.

“Don’t put that on, Caprice. You don’t know—”

Too late. The gown was already over her head and sliding down her body as he spoke. The silk lining the inside of her dress floated over her skin. Divine. And it fit like a glove. No need for a girdle—not that she’d ever place that torture device against her skin again.

Rushing over to Arun, she asked, “Isn’t it beautiful? Pull the ties in the back, please.”

Sighing, he complied after he pulled on his own pants. “Caprice, you really must think before you…”

At the last tug, she spun around. “How do I look?” The words were out before she had time to think. They made her feel vulnerable, giving weight to his opinion.

“You look… My gods, you’re lovely.” He raised an unsteady hand to her cheek.

A whoosh buzzed past, tickling her ear, and Arun slapped a hand against his neck. Roaring, he looked to the door, the light increasing in the room. A wooden tube, slim and smooth, peeked through the slats in the door.

“What is that? What just happened?”

He took a step, wobbled on his feet, took another, and then landed hard on his knees.

“Arun. Are you all right?” Rushing over, she tried to catch him as he toppled, just saving him from smashing his face into the concrete floor. His weight knocked her down and he ended up face first in her lap.

Rolling onto his back, he gurgled, unable to speak. The hand he held against his neck dropped to the floor. Caprice saw a small dart protruding and then dissolving into his skin. His chest rose and fell sharply, each breath a labored task. His energy pulsed bright, lighting the room, then would fade as if he couldn’t sustain the power.

The door flew open and two female guards entered, flanking the opening. They wore the same scrap of leathery material as Cameo, and both had long swords strapped to their backs. Caprice could make out the shadows of several more women in the hall.

Gently laying his head on the ground, she pulled herself up, standing in front of him, blocking him from their view. Fury wrapped around her, but instead of the freezing spark she was used to, it felt more like a lukewarm buzz. She’d hoped the pain and hatred she felt for these women would bring on the
freeze.
Shutting off her emotions, everything except anger, she faced them.

The warrior advanced. Caprice jumped, trying to get her hands on her, but she evaded easily. Caprice was no match for her speed. A voice came from the shadow of the warrior, saying. “He is fine, Glissante. He only sleeps.”

“So you say. Know this. You have touched what is mine, and you will pay!”

Just as she readied to lunge, Cameo poked her head through the door. “That’s not a smart move, Ice-Pop. Even if you manage to get your hands on her, which I doubt, it’ll only make Gwinny over here put you to sleep, too.”

“Why are you doing this?” Caprice hated the exposed emotion of the question.

Shrugging, Cameo replied, “It’s nothing personal. The First wants to talk to you—alone—and she wasn’t sure how your piggy would react. So she put him to sleep.”

Caprice watched and waited, weighing her options. How was she going to save Arun?

“Aw, come on now. He’s safe and sound, probably getting the best sleep of his life. He looks all cute and cuddly now that he doesn’t want to incinerate us all on the spot.

Caprice glanced at Arun. His chest rose and fell, one arm flung over his face, his eyes shut.
Please, gods. Please, let him be all right
. “I won’t leave him.”

“Fine, but I’m telling you right now, when The First doesn’t get what she wants, she can turn into a jungle bitch the likes of which you have never seen. She
will
kill him. For whatever reason, she wants to talk to you, and she wants you to come willingly.”

Vacillating between panic and anger, Caprice felt helpless. She took a deep breath and centered herself.
Use the brain the gods gave you
. “How do I know you won’t kill him once I leave?”

“You don’t. But isn’t leaving better than watching a group of warriors tunnel through that cell and beat him within an inch of his life? All while he sleeps? Plus, The First told me to tell you he’d be safe as long as you got your icy butt over to the courtyard fast. Let’s go.”

With one last glance at Arun, she flexed her hands, desperately trying to find some cold, anything she could use, because she knew a battle was coming and she felt helpless as a babe.
Please wake up
. “Lead the way.”

‡

T
he women surrounded
her in a tight circle, staying close, but not close enough for her to touch any of them. Cameo had skipped ahead,
skipped,
as if she were a young child rather than a sociopathic warrior. Flouncing through the entrance, she flung open double wooden doors fortified with steel.

Caprice flexed her palms, looking within for the
freeze,
but felt nothing! Something she had always taken for granted was now gone, when she most needed it. A part of her was missing, and as long as she remained in this lukewarm jungle, it would never return.

Fury ate away at her, making her stomach ache, and her mind race with possibilities.
I am a fighter and I-will-win!
Surviving the Vendri and her father’s neglect was proof enough. It had honed a will of steel. She would free them from this place, and she would do it soon. Arun needed to save his kingdom and she needed to find Addy, to make sure the Pre-Dom and the king hadn’t harmed her.