Mage Magic (7 page)

She reached up to touch his cheek. “Are you going to love me this morning?” she asked with a smile.

“Every moment of every day for the rest of my life,” he said and bent down to take her lips with his kiss.

He tasted of the berry juice. She grasped his shoulders as he used his tongue to plunder her mouth, rubbing it erotically against hers. He eased his tongue back and she followed him with hers, exploring. He pursed his lips around her tongue and sucked gently at it. She moaned low and long, undulating up into him, just brushing his chest with her nipples.

“I want you,” he moaned, breaking the kiss to trail his lips up her jawline to her ear and then back. He nipped the column of her neck before soothing the skin with his tongue and lips.

She panted as he moved, nudging her thighs wide to make room for him between them.

He didn’t take her immediately, though. Instead, he slid lower so that he was in line with her breasts. Then with a groan he bent down and took one nipple into the warm recesses of his mouth. He sucked greedily at it, nipped it, flicked it with his tongue, then sucked it hard again.

She was so ready for him. She could feel the slick moisture coating her pussy as it prepared to take his cock. “Thedan,” she whispered, pleading for more.

Groaning, he rose up, his cock bumping her slit and rubbing along the folds of her cunt.

Her juices lubricated him with every stroke until finally he used his hand to tuck the head at her opening. She looked into his eyes and he held her gaze captive while he pressed inside until she could feel every inch of his cock filling her. She wiggled her hips and he began a slow retreat-and-thrust rhythm.

“You feel so good,” he groaned.

“Yes,” she agreed, arching upwards into every thrust then clenching her muscles in a vain attempt to prevent his cock from retreating.

His arms were braced wide beside her head and she slipped hers up under his to curl her hands over his shoulders, bringing her body up flush to his. She buried her face in the side of his neck and used her tongue to lick the salty taste from his skin. His strokes came slightly faster and she licked and sucked at the base of his throat.

She inched her hands back down his sides as far as she could, letting her upper body drop back down atop the bedding. This time she lifted her hips, forcing her pelvis tight to his, deepening the penetration of every thrust. They both cried out in pleasure. She began a slight up-and-down movement that had her clit brushing against him in counterpoint to his plunges.

Her breath was coming in pants and Thedan’s were too. Her orgasm was building with every lunge and rub. She was so close, but this time she really wanted him to join her at the same moment. She gritted her teeth, trying to hold the explosion of pleasure at bay just long enough for him to reach it with her.

She ceased the rubbing, allowing her hips to relax once more. She slipped her hands to the front of him, reaching down to brush the base of his cock as he pulled it back from the greedy clasp of her pussy. She could feel her juices on the tip of her finger and, holding his gaze, brought it to her mouth. She licked the finger, moaning at the taste of her desire before sucking it inside, her cheeks hollowing.

With a harsh groan he dropped down to rest against her, wrapping his arms around her. His mouth to possessed hers, his tongue fucking her mouth just as his cock was her pussy. His thrusts were harder and faster now, and when he sucked her tongue her control broke. She reached up to clench tightly in his hair, tugging at the strands while she fought for air.

His mouth left hers and the first splash of seed filled her even as orgasm ripped through her womb, spreading like heat to all her limbs. She could feel the tense clenching of muscles in his body, a reflection of hers as they both gripped tightly to that incredible moment of pure pleasure they shared. Too soon his body seemed to be relaxing and she knew that her body was softening in contentment as well.

He flexed his left arm beside her head again and eased his weight up off her. She turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist and stopped.

“Thedan,” she cried. “Your mark has changed.”

He glanced down at his wrist and swore. He moved from between her thighs to sit beside her, holding his wrist in front of him. The mark that branded him a royal guard was no longer there. Instead there was a white three-sided shape marked by three golden dots where each side connected to another. In the middle was the golden eye of the goddess, the symbol of her temples.

Serenity reached out to touch it and he grabbed her left arm and turned it over. There, on the inside of her wrist, was the same symbol, save one difference. The three-sided shape was grey on her.

“Attentive, aren’t we?” He sighed.

She laughed. “I think we had other things on our minds this morning.”

“I’m sure Theron noticed.” Thedan shook his head and she knew he was disgusted at himself.

“Well, he is the seer,” she replied, and Thedan laughed as she’d intended him to.

“As much as I love looking at your gorgeous body,” Thedan said, coming to his feet beside her and holding his hand down to her to help her rise as well. “I think maybe we should get dressed. More changed last night than we realised and we still have a way to travel before we reach the castle.”

She nodded and reached for her robes. Her mother had told her that everything would change, but nothing about a mark. What exactly did the mark mean? Theron was a seer blessed by the hand of the goddess. She was the daughter of the goddess’ chosen priestess.

Theron and Thedan were royal guards, or at least had been before mating with her. What did the different colours mean? And how did it play into everything that was going on right now?

She and Thedan were dressed and ready to go when Theron appeared in front of them.

They were both more attentive this time.

“Where’s your cape?” Thedan asked. “How did you do that?”

“Apparently I don’t need the cloak anymore to blend in shadows,” Theron said. “I can just will it.”

Thedan shut his eyes and then opened them, shaking his head. “Doesn’t work for me.”

“Did your mark change?” Theron asked.

Thedan held up his arm to show the new symbol.

“White,” Theron commented then held his up. He too had the same mark, only his three-sided shape was etched in black.

“Serenity has the same mark in grey,” Thedan said.

Theron reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers before lifting her arm to see the mark she wore. “I’m not sure what the colours represent.”

“But you recognise the symbol?” Serenity asked.

“It is an ancient symbol, one of incredible power,” Theron said. “I was shown it in a vision last night. It has been used throughout time to invoke the powers of the goddess. But in my vision the three colours are braided together. I don’t know what they represent individually.”

“When the time is right we will know,” Serenity said and smiled up at him. She stepped closer, reaching her hand out to touch his cheek and tilt his head down more towards her.

“Your eyes are grey,” she said softly. “The black is entirely gone.”

He nodded. “My visions are different. More focused than ever before. It is as if there is a more definitive link now. Our triad has strengthened them.”

“My mother told me that our magic would merge and strengthen,” Serenity replied.

Theron nodded and pulled her closer to him. He dropped his forehead to rest against hers and lightly brushed his lips along hers several times before slipping his tongue inside her mouth. His kiss was silky, slow and deep, thoroughly pulling her under his spell. She had to blink several times when it ended as if she were awakening again.

“Every morning should be greeted with such sweet nectar,” Theron said.

“Yes,” she agreed.

“Are we ready to head out?” Thedan interrupted the spell and Serenity wondered at his tone. Surely he wasn’t jealous of Theron?

“I need a few moments of privacy, please,” Serenity stated. Her mind was spinning, her emotions wild, but she had physical needs that could not be denied.

“There is a place just beyond the trees there that can be used,” Theron pointed the way out to her. “Take the time you need.”

“Thank you,” she said and could have almost laughed at how she was shy about letting them know she needed to relieve her bladder and clean up a bit when they had both seen her naked, been inside her.

Theron watched until Serenity disappeared. Although out of sight, she wasn’t that far away and they could reach her quickly if the need arose. But her absence was required at the moment as he could feel the tension radiating off Thedan.

“Spit it out,” he told his best friend, the man he’d always thought of as a brother.

“What?” Thedan asked.

“What is it exactly that has you twisted in knots?” Theron wanted to know. “And don’t even pretend that you don’t know what I am talking about,” he warned.

“It is nothing but my petty selfishness at play,” Thedan said.

“So tell me,” Theron said.

Thedan walked away, turning his back to Theron before he spoke. “I’ve always known you were special, always accepted that you were more that I could ever be. Your visions, your ability to react with calm while I rush in with weapon drawn. I’ve always envied you a little.”

Theron was surprised, but sensing that Thedan wasn’t done, he didn’t interrupt the disclosure.

“And now this,” Thedan said, turning and holding his arm up. “Our marks are different now, where at least we always had this in common before. And your new ability to blend into shadow without the use of your cloak. I can’t do it and it makes me wonder what is so wrong with me that the goddess grants all her gifts to you.”

There was such anguish on Thedan’s face that Theron felt his pain like a physical blow.

“And I have always envied your ability to live in the moment and not constantly analyse. At times I have hated the visions I am sent, the interruption of them into my life.”

“And yet look at our mate,” Thedan said. “You are here but a moment and she is so under your spell that it was as if I didn’t exist.”

“Yet, I am the one who greeted her with only a kiss,” Theron stated, making Thedan aware that he knew exactly what had taken place while he was gone.

“I have been jealous of you before but I have never begrudged you or wished you weren’t there,” Thedan said.

“And now you do?” Theron asked. “You wish that I wasn’t here, mated to the same woman with you?”

But Thedan didn’t answer. He just lifted the cowl of his cloak and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Theron waiting alone and wondering just how much had changed when they’d mated with Serenity.

Chapter Seven

Serenity could tell that something was different between Theron and Thedan but she didn’t know exactly what it was. She prayed that she wasn’t the cause of what was obviously a conflict between them. They spoke to her, but rarely to each other, and when they were forced to, it was with as few words as possible.

Thedan was surly and his mood was starting to grate on her nerves. Theron just looked sad, as if he knew something was coming, but couldn’t share it with anyone. She wouldn’t be able to handle this tension much longer. She’d known something was amiss when she’d returned to find Theron waiting alone for her. He’d said Thedan had gone ahead to scout but it had been close to noon before Thedan had joined them again. His attitude made her wish maybe he hadn’t.

Finally it was enough. “That’s it,” she said between clenched teeth as she pulled the cloak from her head. “I don’t know exactly what was said or done while I was gone this morning but this tension has to end.”

Thedan removed his hood as well while Theron just appeared. She noticed the tightening of Thedan’s lips as Theron did so.

“Is that what this is all about?” she demanded, walking up to Thedan and glaring at him. “Your dark mood is because Theron can blend without a cloak now?”

Thedan just glared at her while Theron sighed behind her.

“Leave him be,” Theron said.

“I don’t need you speaking for me,” Thedan replied, glaring over her head at Theron.

“So this is what it means to be mated,” Serenity said. “No wonder my mother chose a different path.”

“Well, good for her,” Thedan said, his hard gaze bouncing back to her. “But you are mated.”

“Oh, and what a lucky woman I am,” she sneered. “Barely a day and my mates are already feuding over something.”

“It has nothing to do with you,” Thedan dismissed her.

“Oh, that is where you are wrong,” she said, stabbing her finger into his chest. “We are a triad now, the three of us as one. So anything that affects the two of you affects me as well.”

“It will pass,” Theron said.

“Are you sure about that?” she demanded, turning her ire onto him as well. “Did you see that in one of your visions?”

Thedan barked out a laugh which only brought her anger back to focus on him.

“I thought I mated men, not little boys who let jealousy rule them,” she said. “I knew everything would change when we mated but I never expected this.”

“Deep emotions change everything,” Theron said softly behind them. “None of us can control how we feel, only how we express it.”

“I never want to be a cause of problems between you two,” she said, shaking her head.

“You were together long before I entered the picture.”

“You’re right,” Thedan said. “Which means that what is between Theron and I existed long before you arrived.”

“But I must have been the catalyst that brought it all out,” she said. “I need you both, beside me. Not at odds with one another.”

“How touching,” a voice mocked off to their right. “It looks like we’ve interrupted a lover’s spat.”

Theron and Thedan moved to stand in front of Serenity, weapons flying easily into their hands, and she took a step back, unknowingly forming for the barest of seconds the three-sided triad they all now wore. Then Theron disappeared and Thedan shifted his feet wide, preparing for battle.