Between the Waters (Symphony of Light) (24 page)

“Say it, say it now!”

My salvia was thick from my rapid breaths. I tried to lick my lips but ended up biting it as my climax gripped me. Somehow, I managed a guttural, “Yes! Yours, only yours!”

With his next thrust ecstasy consumed me. My body jerked, and my back arched as he relentlessly pounded into me with his cock and fingers.

My body released a gush that coated his fingers, allowing them to slide even faster in and out. A few more pumps and he withdrew his fingers and stuck them in his mouth, sucking my juices from them.

He growled as orgasm hit and his cock jerked and jolted, releasing deep within me.

He paused for a moment, withdrew, and dropped to his knees.

The emptiness I felt surprised me. When we made love it was a completion, the only time I felt truly whole.

He grabbed my head and brought my mouth to his for a crushing kiss. My essence still lingered, creating a sweet and musky concoction of lust.

Several deep breaths and he placed his forehead against mine. “I fucking love you so much.” Another quick kiss. “When I first met you I would have never taken your virginity. It wasn’t fair to damn you to a life with me, but I wanted to. I wanted you to feel me inside you that first time, but you were far too important. I couldn’t take your human life away from you. There was a large part of me that never wanted you to know another man, but I’m practical about sex. Do you know what the greatest of all the gifts you gave me tonight is?” He held my face in his hands.

“I don’t know. Was it when you came in my vagina, my mouth, or my ass?”

He furrowed his brow.

Perhaps I should have stuck to yes or no answers.

“Those are certainly memorable highlights, but I was talking about how you trusted me.”

“Cyril, I always trust you. But you overwhelm me. You’re so beyond human that it’s hard to reconcile sometimes. And your bossy edicts drive me crazy.”

He laughed. “You’re one to talk.”

I raised an eyebrow and stared at him.

“Make sure you tell Overton my ground rules. I could tell him, but something selfish in me wants to hear you say it.” He smiled.

I didn’t return it. Instead the heartache returned.

“You love him. Did you honestly think I would make you give him up?”

I looked at him with confusion. He was so possessive, so unreasonable. His words made no sense.

“Why would you allow that? I thought I belonged to you.”

“You do. Don’t forget it.”

“Then why? I don’t understand.” Tears formed in my eyes. This was a solution I never imagined.

“He’s an extension of me. He’s dreamed of you as long as I have. The real reason I died in that cemetery on your nineteenth birthday was because I never told him about you. I was far too selfish. I didn’t want to share, and because he didn’t know of your existence, I almost lost you forever. But I couldn’t hide you the second time. He was the one who found you first. I had no memory of our prior time together and labeled you a spy because you had my blood and I had no recollection of giving it to you.”

Now I was pissed. “Whoever heard of a man sharing his woman, especially a man like you?”

He scoffed. “A man like me? You forget I’m not a man. I’ve been alive for damn near forever. I’ve done things sexually that I’ll probably never tell you about.”

I mumbled, “I’ve heard some it.”

“Light, look at me. For the first time in my very long existence, sex is an expression of love, not just a necessary evil. Allowing you to fuck Overton doesn’t make me less of a man. It makes me the man in control. I gave him permission. I gave you permission. And I can deny it at anytime. He’s my friend, my family. I won’t deny him love.”

“Why him and not the others?”

“You don’t love them.”

Anger grew from deep within. I had to keep focused on remembering that I did the right thing. I freed him. The fact that Cyril would have allowed me to keep them both shouldn’t factor into it. It was not only for Overton, but also for the others.

“Well none of it matters. I broke the bond.”

“You what?”

“I broke the bond. He’s free. So are the rest of them.”

He ran his hands through his hair. “Did it ever occur to you that they might not want to be free?”

I crossed my arms. “Overton argued with me.”

“But you did it anyway? You told him you were breaking the bond?”

I nodded.

“So you didn’t trust him?”

“What? Of course I did.”

“Linden, did you ever think for a moment what you might be making him eligible for?”

“What do you mean?”

“The way you channel magic I’m hopeful that I have at least made you somewhat long-lived. The incident in the stream had me scared, but you pulled through. How many other immortal women do you know?”

Shit.

“By giving him the freedom to love, you may have denied his only chance.”

“He told you that?”

“Of course not. He was celibate for six hundred years, waiting for you, long before the bond.”

The nightgowns. Since the moment of his creation. Damn.

“I came to the conclusion long ago, my options were to share you, if you allowed it, or destroy him. He’s my closest friend. Next to you, he means the most to me, so killing him is not an option.”

“Have you ever talked to him about it?”

“Not in so many words. I asked him to protect you, should anything happen to me. But I never expressly said that it was OK to fuck you.”

Tears flowed down my face. “So it never was the bond?”

“Not with him. But it’s doubtful that you broke the bond. I forged that when my will was powered by my impending death and the thought of losing you. I don’t think your will was selfless enough to contend with that.”

“But Overton left me a note. It was cold and impersonal.”

“He’s probably pissed. You did exactly what he asked you not to. You didn’t trust him. Instead you did what you felt was best for him. Take it from someone who loves you more than anything in the universe, you can be quite infuriating.”

“Look who’s talking. But Sinclair will be free. I won’t have to dodge his shifty stare. Maybe I’ll stop dreaming their dreams.”

“I only theorized it was the bond that bound us all, but it could simply be my blood. It’s possible you broke it, but not probable. So Sinclair might be dry humping the couch for a little longer.”

“I could have lived without that visual.”

He laughed and then placed a quick kiss on my lips. “Light, if you broke the bond, it had absolutely no effect on me. I still love you. I still want you, and if I slept I would be dreaming about all the places around the world that I’m going to fuck you. In fact tonight, I’m picturing the kitchen counter downstairs. My cooking skills might not measure up to my lovemaking ability, but if you remember, I am an excellent multitasker.”

I shivered thinking about the morning in his cabin when he feasted on me before feeding me the most delicious pancakes.

“Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed so you can get some rest and I’ll make us breakfast in the morning.”

“Isn’t that how I got worn out in the first place?”

“I’ll behave. What do you say to that?”

“I take my eggs over easy.”

He picked me up and whispered in my ear. “I take my pussy juicy.”

I smacked him. “Don’t start. I need to get some sleep.”

He grinned. “Sweet dreams.”

Chapter Seventeen

Between the Worlds

In the middle of the night, I snuck down to the kitchen for a glass of water. The closer I got the louder the static got. Clarence in full human form sat at the breakfast nook, snacking on some type of pudding.

“So you finally changed back?”

He shoved a spoonful in his mouth. “It was easier this time but still hurt like a bitch.”

“Didn’t your mom ever teach you any manners? Since when do you talk with your mouth full?”

He pointed his spoon at me and laid on a thick Southern accent, “Now don’t you go talkin’ bad ’bout my momma.” He smiled. “I’m fucking starving. Shifting makes me so hungry.”

“I know. I have the same problem.”

“I’m really surprised to see you up and around, I thought for sure hotness would have fucked you into a coma by now.”

I grabbed a glass from the cupboard, turned on the faucet, and filled it. “I think he tried.”

“Lucky slut.”

“Hey, now. I thought we already established that you are the bigger ho of the two of us.”

He laughed. “Once upon a time maybe, but I ain’t the one banging two prime choice cuts in this delicious cabal of man meat.”

“You’ve been hanging around Rhys too much.”

“No such thing!”

“I’m glad you think so. But the next time he dreams about doing me on a pinball machine, he might want to stop playing the game during the deed and think twice about screaming, ‘High score,’ during his grand finale.”

Clarence choked on his pudding. “That’s why I love that dude.”

“What. Ever. Night, Clarence.”

He stood up. “Wait. How’s Overton?”

“He’s healed. He’s going to be working on trying to find out how Vidius created the Marys.”

“What did he have to say about Cyril?”

“I don’t know. He left me a note thanking me for my help.”

“Ouch.” He got up and wrapped his arms around me in a big bear hug. “I’m sorry. It’s got to be hard.”

“It was my choice. I broke the bond.”

“You did what?” He backed away from me and crossed his arms.

I put my one hand on my hip. “You heard me.”

“Oh, damn.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Night, Linden.” He walked back to his seat.

I stood there and concentrated. If he wouldn’t give it to me I’d read his mind.

“Oh, no fucking way are you going to read my mind. You’re getting nothing out of me. Rhys told me how to block you. Bombard you with bullshit until you go away. He said it only works with Cyril some of the time but for me to try it with you since you’re a virgin mind reader, you probably suck. Yep, he said that. Keep rambling until she goes away. ‘Sing Black Sabbath,’ he said. Fuck that. I’m gonna start calling him that eighties freak, Cameros, U-HAULs, pinball, AC/DC. Uh oh, she’s staring at me. He said describe how she looks. Pissed, she looks real fucking pissed.”

“Fuck you, Clarence!” I stormed out of the kitchen.

A resounding, “Yes,” escaped from the kitchen, follow by more ranting.

“Just because she left the room doesn’t mean she isn’t listening, keep singing. Na na na na, hey, hey, hey, good-bye.”

“Ass!”

* * *

“It’s OK, moan all you want. Just instead of calling me Rhys when you come, call me cardigan or cargo pants. They’ll just think you love the clothes.”

Sitting on a bench in a dressing room at Sears, Rhys drilled me hard. “You’re such a freak.”

“You don’t know the half of it, sweetness.”

“Linden, wake up.”

“I’m not asleep. I’m just trying to be quiet.”

“Linden, wake up.”

“What is wrong with you?”

Cold water hit my forehead, and I jolted up in bed. Confusion abounded.

Cyril stood beside the bed with a tray balanced on his forearm and water dripping from his fingers.

“Oh, son of a bitch.”

“You’ve called me worse, but I’m not usually carrying breakfast.”

I shook my head. “Not you. The dreams. They’re not gone. Has Rhys always been so bizarre?”

Cyril laughed. “He was a fish out of water for several hundred years, and then the eighties hit and I don’t think he ever left. Not sure why you’re surprised the dreams didn’t start until recently. They had nothing to do with the bond. But rather Michael’s demise.”

“I guess I thought they might be about someone else.”

He set the tray on the nightstand, leaned in, and kissed me. “You’re a beautiful, powerful woman. I’ve never dreamed of anyone else.” His lips lingered just out of reach of mine. “They’d be fools to envision anyone else.”

“I think you’re biased.”

“Nonsense. The kitchen was a little crowded this morning, so I decided to make you breakfast in bed.”

I scooted back against the headboard. “I’ll never figure you out, Cyril.”

“Good. Then you’ll never tire of me.”

He moved the tray from the nightstand to straddle my thighs. “Milady…” He removed the metal lid from the plate. “I seem to recall your love of pancakes.”

I blushed, remembering again how he devoured me on the counter of his cabin.

“Yes. I have very fond memories of pancakes.”

He walked around the bed and lay on the cover beside me. On his side, he propped his head and watched me eat.

“Are you heading to the compound?”

“Later.”

“Can I come along?” I took a bite of the maple-soaked delight.

“No. I want you safe. Besides I don’t plan on being there long.”

A drink of milk cleared my throat. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Anything, Light.” He cupped my leg through the blanket.

“Don’t kill the Marys until you know for sure they will attack you. If your blood is binding, you might have just inherited an army. The beast in the woods—when I…you know…saved Clarence—didn’t attack me. It had your blood.”

His eyes narrowed. “Yes. I know. That’s something we need to talk about. Could you please learn from my mistakes?”

“But it worked out.”

“You hope. It’s still very new. Just think of Moreaux and what I did to him. I hope Clarence is different, but it’s far too great a risk. I killed all those people the other night. Their blood is on my hands because of a decision I made out of foolish desperation hundreds of years ago.” He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “But unlike me, you were strong enough to correct my mistake.”

“Or callous enough.”

“You did the right thing. Moreaux is at peace, and Lafavre cannot hurt anyone else.”

I stared into my glass of milk, contemplating how fast things had become a mess.

He squeezed my hand.

I looked at him as I devoured another sweet morsel.

“There’s something I’d like to ask you.” Apprehension was in his voice.