The Sacrifice (15 page)

Riana
burned with desire so intense she could no longer think. She only knew if Cy
didn
’
t make love to her soon, she
’
d
explode. Every place he touched, tiny sparks erupted beneath her skin and
molten lava pooled in her abdomen. She couldn
’
t stop the plea that
slipped from her lips. “Cy, please.”

He scooped her off the couch and her
arms circled his neck. The hard planes of his muscles flexed beneath her
fingers as he headed down the hall. She buried her face in his throat, reveling
in the spicy aroma of his need.

Once inside his bedroom he laid her on
a satin-covered bed, as gently as if she were a delicate rose. She reminded
herself that Cy was a dangerous Sivadian male who killed for a living. But in
his arms she felt safe, cherished.

Riana
couldn
’
t help the gasp that escaped her lips as he pulled
his sweater over his head. The hills and valleys of rock hard abs glistened in
the pale moonlight coming through the window. He was perfection, and
very
male.
The impression of his erection pushed against the dark material of his
trousers. She wanted nothing more than to feel that expanse of fine, male skin
against her, inside her. He kicked off his shoes and lay on the bed, then
pulled her into his arms. She wrapped herself around his warm, hard body.

As
his mouth covered hers, electrified desire snapped and sizzled. This was what
they
’
d both wanted since first laying eyes on each
other.

Now
I
’
m hoping we live through it
.

After a moment, her clothes became
heavy and confining. As if Cy knew her thoughts, he broke their kiss and
removed her sweater. He slowly removed her pants, devouring her with his eyes.
A slow smile of satisfaction crossed his face. “How attached are you to those
remaining strips of lace?” His voice was low…pure sex.

Riana
could barely force a sound past her lips as she watched him hover above her. “I
’
m
not.”

“Just wanted to know before I tear
them off with my teeth.” He stood and stepped out of his pants.

Riana
’
s
eyes widened as Cy removed his pants and his erection sprang free of its
confines.
Jaack Pottt,
she sang out mentally, channeling her inward glee
club. She
’
d heard Sivadian males were well endowed, but
dang,
Cy must have gotten his and someone else
’
s helping in that
department.

The muscles in his body flexed as he
crawled onto the bed like a huge jungle cat. Starting at her ankles, Cy ran his
hands up her legs, his fingers leaving a trail of fire. Reaching the sides of
her panties, he hooked the thin straps and slowly removed the delicate piece of
lace.

A
sharp inhalation broke through the silence. “The scent of your arousal is so
sweet…intoxicating.” His hand moved up her body, brushing the juncture of her
thighs, across her flat stomach and ended its journey at her lace bra. He
unhooked the front latch freeing her breasts. He moaned deep in his throat as
his eyes feasted on what he
’
d revealed. “You are the most beautiful thing I
have
ever
seen,” he whispered.

 Riana
couldn
’
t take it any longer. He was taking entirely too
much time removing her clothes. Next time they could go slow, this time she
wanted him inside her, like, ten minutes ago. She sat up and wrapped her arms
around his broad shoulders, took control of his mouth, and pulled him down on
top of her. The corners of his mouth turn up in a slight, momentary, smile. But
her actions got his attention.

His
kiss deepened and his tongue swept into her mouth as if he couldn
’
t
get enough. She wanted to crawl inside his skin with him. The sensations
increased, bounced between them, and intensified with each arc. They weren
’
t
only feeling their own pleasure, but each other
’
s pleasure, also. The
cycle of passion and need increased until she thought she
’
d
burst into flames.

Cy left her mouth and moved down her
neck to her breast. Her back arched, a silent plea for his attention. He pulled
her nipple into his warm, moist mouth. Riana writhed as his tongue laved and
suckled the erect nub. Her hips rose up needing to have him between her thighs.

Riana
’
s
hands twisted in the satin sheets as Cy moved lower, kissing, nipping her skin
with his teeth, the pain replaced by the wet heat of his tongue. Moist heat
pooled between her thighs. His mouth alone had her on the edge of release. And
he had yet to reach where she craved him most.

As
he reached the juncture between her thighs and his tongue met her core, Riana
cried out, her hips thrusting upward of their own accord. Cy moaned, causing
vibrations to echo throughout her body. He reached up and rolled her nipples
between his thumb and finger. A fast and furious orgasm tore through her. Riana
’
s
hips thrust wildly as the intensity seemed to grow and consume her body. She
wanted him inside her with an almost frightening desperation. Her fingers
tangled in his hair and she tugged, urging him upward.

Cy looked up the length of her arched
body, concern on his face. “What is it, baby?”

“I need you,
now
,” she moaned.

Cy moved quickly, and settled between
her open thighs. It amazed her how perfectly their bodies fit. He was her
life-mate, and they were made for each other.

Riana
pulled his face down and took possession of his mouth as her legs wrapped
around his waist, attempting to pull him closer. A low, primal growl escaped Cy
’
s
throat as the velvet skin of his erection made contact with her core. She
reached between their bodies and found him hot and hard, and ran her hand over
his length. Cy
’
s kiss deepened as he thrust into her hold.

Riana guided him to her entrance. She
reached around him, dug her nails into the firm muscles of his hips, and pulled
him deeper into her body. The air around them electrified, and a current leapt
between them as fierce as a summer storm.

The
moment Cy began to move inside her, Riana
’
s mouth dried, and a
hot ache filled her throat. An overwhelming need consumed her to bury her teeth
in his neck and take his essence inside her. She
’
d
never taken blood from anyone. Cy had said this might happen, but she never
dreamed the temptation would be so strong. Her head thrashed from side to side
as she tried to resist the urge. Once again, as if Cy knew what she needed, he
urged her face into his neck. Pressure built as his thrusts grew stronger,
along with the compulsion to take his blood.

Riana
’
s
lips hovered over the artery in his neck, the pulsing heat impossible to
resist. Her teeth extended of their own accord and sank into his skin. The
sweet taste of Cy
’
s blood rushed into her mouth and down her throat
like warm molasses. It coursed through her veins like an awakened river. She shook
as the most intense orgasm she
’
d ever had hit hard.

Seconds
later, lights exploded behind her eyes in beautiful shades of teals and blues,
reminding her of the pictures she’d seen of the Sivadian forest. The colors
began changing, each representing different parts of Cy
’
s
life. Every cell in her body filled with his presence, and images throughout
his life flashed in her mind. She was seeing inside of him, inside his soul. It
was beautiful, kind, and good. And she had no doubt it belonged to her. Parts
of his life lay out before her, like flipping through the pages of a book that
opened only for her.

She
saw the only time he had ever been truly happy was as a child living on
Sivadia. She saw the love he had for his parents, and the pain he felt when he
lost his father. She saw the betrayal he felt by his brother, and his
determination to stop him and his army. She saw he had never loved another
female, and he had already accepted her as his life-mate. She saw different
aspects of his life, some good, some bad. It all happened in the blink of an
eye, except she wasn
’
t just a spectator on the outside looking in.
Every part affected her deeply, as if it had happened to her. This was their
souls weaving together for all eternity.

As
the colors ran their course and slowly faded, Riana wiped tears from her face.
She opened her eyes to meet Cy
’
s tormented gaze, and knew he
’
d
taken her blood. He
’
d witnessed her life the same as she had his.

He
pulled her to him and held her tight in his arms. “I
’
m
sorry you had such a lonely childhood,” he whispered, his voice full of
emotion.

“Is that what you experienced when you
took my blood?”

“Yes. You looked around four or five,
and went to your mother wanting her to stop what she was doing and play dolls.
She made you go to your room and leave her alone. You sat on a large pink bed
hugging a doll and cried. I felt your loneliness.”

“It
wasn
’
t all bad,” Riana said. “Later in life I learned
to live with the fact that she never had time for me. At times her guilt would
get the best of her, and she
’
d attempt to interact with me more. But, I knew
she forced herself. I preferred isolation to feeling like a burden, and finally
stopped asking.”

“What did you experience?” Cy asked.

“Your
brother
’
s betrayal,” she said, choking back tears. He was
about to decapitate you when Miles came in and fought him off. Then Vind
escaped.”

“That
day, I was accepting my position as king. Later we discovered Vind and his army
had raided human villages. They had fed from and destroyed entire human populations.
He intended to take my life so he could rule. He
’
s
tried to destroy me ever since. I can
’
t become king until I
fulfill the last promise I made my father. As he lay dying, I promised to never
allow anyone to prey on the innocent the way Haagons did on our people. And
that
’
s what my brother does.”

Riana
wasn
’
t sure how she felt about becoming life-mate to
the future king. She liked privacy, and solitude…definitely not attributes of a
queen.

Cy
pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I
’
m sorry I didn
’
t
tell you about my true identity. After I realized you might be my life-mate, I
wanted to. But, I couldn
’
t until I knew you would accept me as yours. Only
the people closest to me know. Miles, Kam, Oz, and a few who
’
ve
known me since we fled Sivadia. It
’
s safer that way.”

Riana cringed at the mention of Oz.

Cy
held her face in his hands. “Baby, I understand you feel betrayed by your
mother and Oz, but there are a few things you should know about your father.
Although he
’
s a stranger to you, I
’
ve
known him my entire life. Oz and my father were childhood friends, and they
were as close as two brothers should be.

“When
Vind and I were boys, Oz and my father would take us into the great Sewol
Mountains of Sivadia. They taught us to hunt and survive off the land in case
of an invasion. I
’
ve never met anyone stronger, or more
knowledgeable than the two of them.”