Lucky's Charm (10 page)

Pieces of wood slapping against one another pulled him out of his musings. Landis dropped an armful then wiped her brow with her arm. He rose to his feet and stood to get his bearings. When he was sure he wouldn’t fall flat on his face with the first step he took, he moved. He grasped Landis’ elbow and spun her around to face him.

“I’m happy to see you,” he whispered.

“I was worried about you.” Landis looked down.

“It would take more than a band of banshees to kill me, luv. I told you I heal quickly.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “Come and take a rest. I imagine you’ve been toiling all morning.”

“We need a fire. They won’t come into the circle of light without permission.” A sense of urgency colored her tone.

“I know,
Mo Shearc
.” He glanced toward the outside. “We have more than enough time.”

“No, you need to eat. I brought some food with me. I couldn’t carry it all.” Landis rushed through the words.

“The hunger chipping away at me has nothing to do with food.” Lucky cradled her face with his hands and stared into her deep, dark irises. “Right now, I need you more.”

He dipped his head to trace her lips with his tongue. The faint flavor of basil drifted over his taste buds. Tangling his fingers around her locks, he tugged her head back. Her lips parted, and he sought out the deeper recesses of her mouth, swallowing the moans that erupted from her throat. Carefully he walked her backward until they hit the smooth rock wall behind her.

He angled his head and watched her eyes drift shut as he slid his hands down the front of her body. He unbuckled the holster holding the mace and it dropped to the dirt floor. The metal thing that kept her pants up was something he was still getting use to. Lucky fumbled with it until he heard the
snap
and low
rasp
of iron grating. Now that the fabric was loose, he rammed his hands down her britches, momentarily struck dumb by the softer feel of more material. Then he remembered she wore several layers. He moved beyond the tight hem of her underwear and slid his palms over her skin to cup her generous ass. His throbbing member pushed at the crotch of his pants. Only leather and the thin material of her clothing prevented him from thrusting deep into her. He broke the kiss and dragged his mouth along her jawline and down her throat.

Her rapid pulse beat against his tongue and he sucked on her skin. A gentle thumping caught his attention. She was bumping her head on the stone behind her and he smiled against her neck. Seemed he could drive her as crazy as she drove him. He pulled back and walked his fingers across her hips in search of her mound, where he dipped his finger into her slit. Liquid warmth coated his digit. He drove a second finger between her sensitive tissues, caressing the soft folds of her pussy.

Her mouth slightly open, Landis thrashed her head across the rock. Her moans echoed through the cavern. Shrieks rent the air as bats rushed out over head in a mass exodus.

Lucky pressed his lips to her ear. “You must remain quiet,
Mo Shearc
, or you’ll draw the banshee back to us.”

Her throat worked as she swallowed, but no words were spoken. She nodded in understanding. He flicked his wrist and entered her channel. The walls of her sheath pulsated around his digits, her muscles tightening. He thrust his fingers to the knuckles. Landis pressed her face to his shoulder. His leather overcoat muffled her wails of pleasure. He spread his legs and planted his feet to give his dick more room in his pants. She bunched the material of his tunic in tight fists at his side, pulling the clothing taut across his stomach.

“I need to see you come.” He rotated his wrist, crooked his fingers, and thrust deeper into her passage. His control was slipping. He’d fill his britches with his seed soon if he wasn’t careful. “
Is tú mo ghrá.”
It hit him like a thunderbolt sent from the Gods. She was his love, and he’d known it the moment he first saw her, even if he couldn’t admit it to himself.

Lucky increased his pace, scissoring his fingers as he drove in and out of her channel. She rocked against him, the warm huffs from her stifled cries floating across his chest. His balls drew up. She trembled in his arms and slid down. He leaned forward, pinning her in place. Her sheath pulsated around his digits as he thrust up. She yelled out and her cream flowed into his palm. He pulled his hand free, brought it up to his mouth, and lapped at her juices. She slumped against him and rolled her head to the side to gaze up at him. A hint of a smile ghosted across her lips.

“Hope you had breakfast, lass.” He shoved her pants down to her ankles and crouched to tug them off. Rising, he yanked the tie from the strings that kept his britches up. They fell to his feet and his rod bobbed free.

Relief and desire charged through him. He slipped his hands under her thighs and hauled her legs up. His dick fit perfectly between the lush lips of her labia. She locked her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

“No noise, luv.” He nipped her lobe.

“It’s a little late for that, leprechaun.” She moaned against his throat.

“It is…” Lucky flexed his pelvis and sheathed his rod. He shuddered as the walls of her channel pulsed, massaging his member.

She opened her eyes and rolled her hips. “I won’t be the only noisy one.” Landis loosened her arms and dropped down, grinding on his cock.

Lucky snapped his jaws shut to cut off the pleasure-driven groans escaping through his lips. The locks of her hair dangled up and down as she bounced on his cock. He pinned her to the wall to control her movements. Slipping his arms under hers to curl his hands around her shoulders, he pistoned into her passage. She bit into the leather covering his upper body and scraped her nails across his back. Keeping her stationary, he drove into her, inching her up the wall. Heaviness formed in the pit of his belly. His balls grew tighter.

Landis stared into his eyes, her gaze dreamy, unfocused. He dipped his head and took her mouth with his. The weight coalescing in his gut spread through his lower body, slowing his movements. He grunted and pulled her down as he thrust up. She cried out against his lips, trembling as warmth flowed over his cock and sent him over the edge with her. He lunged, going up on his toes and ramming his dick into her core. Lightness filled him as he emptied his seed in her sheath. She held the back of his head, keeping her mouth against his and consumed his roar. Involuntarily, his muscles spasmed and he thrust upward several more times. Landis was his; he was both excited and apprehensive. He was responsible for her happiness and well-being. Their connection would no longer be denied.

His hopes waned. He was going after his friend, but he couldn’t…wouldn’t risk her safety. He tapped down the sadness that welled up within him. He’d found his soul mate but he would have to let her go.

Landis broke their kiss. “Oh, shit.” She quivered and ground down against him, milking his cock.

They stood still, the only discernible sound their heavy breathing. He pushed the hair from her face. “This may not be the best time to tell you, luv, but at first light I’m going after Tolley.”

“I already knew that.” She unlocked her legs and let them dangle over his hips.

He eased out of her body. “I won’t do anything until I know you’re safe.”

“You’re not going anywhere without me.” She grimaced before dropping her feet.

“What’s that look for?” He pulled up his pants and tied the cord.

“I need to wash.” She peered over at him as she pulled up her jeans.

“It’s not my normal bathing day, but I had a skin filled with water in the saddlebag.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that.” She marched over and crouched low to dig through his bags.

He shrugged. “There is only one place I can send you where I believe you will be safe, and that is beyond the veil. If you continue to travel with me, I can’t promise your safety, and I don’t the idea of your being hurt because of me. ” He stalked up behind her.

“To hell with that. You left me alone last night and one of those damn banshees found me. Which reminds me, we need a fire.”

“It pains me to say this, but it may be best if we separate. No one will follow you from Tuatha De Danann. There are only a few who have the ability to open a portal. Those who can’t have to wait for one to open naturally. You’ll be long gone by then, lass.” He picked up a lock of her hair and twisted it between his fingers.

“You want to get rid of me, Lucky?” She leaned back against his legs and stared up at him, pulling her hair from his grasp.

“I want to ensure your safety.” He refused to show emotion at her shocked expression. He kissed away the frown that pulled the corner of her lips down. It was for the best, even if he felt as if he was tearing himself in two, and the part that made him a better person was going with her.

NINE

The ride was hard. Landis wasn’t use to constant vibrations between her thighs. They’d survived the night and Lucky whistled for Dubh that morning. The uneventful evening left her with too much time to think. A fight with the banshees would have been a welcome distraction. Instead, it felt like an anticlimactic ending to an emotional day.

She laid her head on Lucky’s back between his shoulder blades. Landis wrinkled her nose; they both needed a bath. That quick wash off she’d managed the day before had worn off quickly. The unicorn was running flat out to catch up with the troll hunting party, and he was making good time. Every time he stopped, she wondered if this was the place Lucky would have him create the portal to get rid of her.

All night, she’d jumped at the slightest sound. A mere whisper of the wind whistling through the cavern, and she grabbed her mace. Anything was better than sitting alone quietly with a being that shouldn’t exist and yet, she was unexplainably happy that Lucky was with her.

After his declaration that he wanted to return her to her own world, he’d become withdrawn. When her head kept dropping forward and she could no longer keep her eyes open, he urged her to sleep. When she woke, she was cradled in his lap with a blanket covering her body as he held her. For a long time, she’d watched him from beneath her lashes. His dour expression never changed. A firm line bisected his mouth as he stared at the entrance to the cave. The whip and blade were easily within reach next to his thigh.

She’d thought long and hard about returning to her life in Florida. That is, if she still had a place to go. She’d been gone for days. Her job would have easily terminated her for abandonment. Her mortgage payment and most bills were on automatic withdrawal from her bank account. They would continue to be paid until there was no money left in the accounts. The bigger question was did she want to go back? And after much soul-searching, the answer was a resounding no.

A few days ago she would have jumped at the chance to go back, spun on her heels and walked right up that damn rainbow. She rubbed her cheek against Lucky’s coat. The pendant nestled between her breasts swung forward, and she wondered when staying in this strange land had become more important than returning to a place she’d called home all her life.

Only it didn’t feel like home anymore. She wanted to stay in Tuatha De Danann. She just had to get Lucky to see her point of view. Here, she felt like she was living, not just existing and always waiting for some calamity to befall her. She sighed. Lucky had a lot to do with her wanting to stay. Just listening to him speak had a soothing effect on her. With him she was sure they could conquer anything. His sudden desire to see her gone was confusing.

“Care to talk about it, lass?” Lucky’s voice was still rough, but it was smooth, too, the words blending into each other with his Irish lilt. He looked over his shoulder.

“Where do you plan on creating this rainbow?” She lifted her face to watch his profile.

He glanced up at the sun. “As close to where I found you as I can get. That will give you the best chance of returning to the spot from where you came from.”

“What if I told you I don’t want to go back?”

Lucky was silent. He turned away and urged the unicorn a little faster. Great, now he was angry. She tightened her hold on his waist.

Landis tried again. “I truly don’t have a place to go back to, and I’m much safer here. The trolls in my world look exactly like men, and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between them.” So what if he didn’t know what “troll” meant where she came from. She was fighting to stay, dammit.

“We should be there before the sun reaches its zenith,” he said quietly.

“Who will keep you out of trouble if you decide to take on banshees? They knew I was there last night. That’s why they didn’t bother us.” She hoped a little levity in the situation might make his mood better.

“It was more like they’d gotten more than enough men the night before and since we didn’t make much noise, they had no reason to come and investigate.” He chuckled.

He kept shooting down her arguments. Desperation gnawed at her psyche. “Do you have a woman, Lochlan?” She blurted out the question that had taken root in her mind. It would explain why he was so anxious to be rid of her suddenly. He’d had an attack of conscience.

“I do.”

Sadness blotted out all other emotions. Tears welled in her eyes. Was she just a convenient side item? Someone to keep him entertained until he could get back to his woman? She wouldn’t cry. Landis wiped at her eyes and touched the spiked sphere at her hip. She might bash in his head a few times, though.

“She is a beautiful woman, but she isn’t safe with me any longer. I am going after Dicklaus, the Troll King, and I may not survive that fight. My lady means too much to me to leave her in Tuatha De Danann alone.”

Hitting him on the head was too good: what he deserved was to be gutted. Anger bubbled up within her. She was nobody’s other woman. She wrapped her fingers around the handle of the mace and pulled it free of the holster. Landis reared back and lifted the mace with both hands. Killing him would be the appropriate justice for being a lying, cheating, all-around bastard. She swung. The orb wobbled awkwardly on its chain and the links whistled as the metal ball cut through the air.