Authors: Rachel Carrington
“I can’t think.”
She managed
to whisper before she turned her face to his, her lips colliding with his.
The kiss was raw, hungry, and like a starving
woman reaching for a piece of bread, Skye fell into it, her hands cupping his
face.
In the far reaches of her mind,
where common sense still resided, she knew she should put a stop to this wild,
desperate longing, but common sense had been cast aside, walked on by emotions
much more powerful, stronger, controlling.
Her blood turned to a rich, thick liquid, moving languorously
through her veins, humming in her ears.
Rane’s hands moved against her bare skin, drifting over the tops of her
breasts and her pulse thrummed, jumping against her neck.
He smiled a little as he shifted with her
atop the mattress.
With gentle strokes,
he eased his hands up her legs, over quivering skin before his fingertips came
to rest against the thin piece of silk, her only remaining piece of clothing.
He watched her and Skye shivered a little as
he brushed kisses over her cheeks, her eyes while his hands carried the
material down her legs.
Skye resisted the urge to turn away as his eyes made the return
journey, lingering between her thighs.
She felt the moisture coat her skin and wanted to turn away or at the
very least, cover herself.
How long had
it been since a man had looked at her this way, as if he were exactly where he
wanted to be?
Rane slid his hands back up the insides of her thighs until he
reached her waist.
Then, drawing himself
even with her, he laid on his side facing her.
One arm draped around her, closing the distance that separated their
bodies.
“I’ve wanted to hold you like
this since I found you climbing in the window.
I knew you’d feel this soft.”
Skye’s hands grew restless while Rane’s voice flowed over her.
She pushed against his chest, feeling the
hard strength of his skin before she moved her hands over his shoulders, down
his side until the barrier of his silky boxers stopped her journey.
Eager to feel his flesh against hers, she
lowered the elastic, pressing small, moist kisses against his chest.
She didn’t speak, just concentrated on
breathing as the scent of him surrounded her, the spicy aftershave, his
distinct scent.
Rane caught her before she could travel any lower.
His breath warmed her cheek, his lips were
hot along her jaw line, lingering near her lips.
His tongue traced her mouth and Skye tasted
the mint.
Rane kept his eyes on her face while he whispered to her, cupping
her breasts, pushing them up closer to his lips.
Skye’s hands bunched against his bare
chest.
He targeted one nipple and
surrounded it with his warm, moist lips and Skye exhaled on a short, staccato
breath.
She felt the pull all the way
down to her womanhood.
A flash of hot,
stark heat lanced through her and she held him, her nails creating crescents in
his shoulders.
Rane dipped his head and pressed a kiss against her bare abdomen;
her breath hissed out from between her teeth.
His hands lifted her hips, drawing her lithe body closer to the devastating
scrape of his teeth on her exposed skin.
Rane kept the pace slow, wanting to stamp the feel of her in his
memory, but Skye wanted fast, furious, out of control.
She moved restlessly against him, demanding
speed, but Rane slowed her down, running his hands up and down her silken skin
until her blood crawled through her veins.
She squeezed his flesh; he nibbled hers.
She raised her hips; he concentrated on the
delicate place just behind her ear.
And
just when Skye thought his lips were going to drive her mad, Rane lifted his
hips to enable her hands to rid his body of his boxers.
And then he touched her everywhere.
Skye shuddered on a moan as her hands curved around hard muscles,
the feel of his skin as intoxicating as the taste of his lips.
She boldly cupped him and Rane rolled again,
tucking her beneath him.
Skye hooked one
leg behind his thigh and pulled him even closer, sliding her hands through his
thick, dark hair.
Her fingers traced his
lips, his face, the strong column of his throat.
Rane’s fingertips bit into her waist as her hands became bolder,
kneading him.
He forgot to breathe until
his lungs screamed for air and when she placed her palm against the warm length
of him, he forgot why he even needed to breathe.
Skye held him, relishing the strong feel of him.
She touched him softly, barely gliding her
hand over his rib cage, up the wall of his chest before cupping his cheek.
Her eyes met his and she knew then that this
was the man that she loved.
Rane’s hand slid up her thigh until he touched her at the center of
her being.
His fingers curled against
her and he whispered to heated words in her ear as his palm opened to touch
her, heat against heat.
Skye whispered his name and arched toward him.
And then they were pressed body to body, skin
to skin, her breasts flattened against his chest, the heaviness of his sex
resting against her thigh and still he simply held her, his hands ghosting up
and down her spine.
Skye pressed her lips against the side of his neck and lifted her
hips in invitation.
Rane cupped her
buttocks and held her close to him.
He
tipped his head back, met her gaze and smiled.
She closed her eyes as his head descended.
His lips touched hers, caressed, then pulled
away.
It was at that exact moment when
Rane slipped his body inside hers.
He
caught the gasp on her lips with another kiss and slowly began to move, guiding
her gently toward the edge.
Her arms tightened around his shoulders, her hands flexing against
his muscles.
The kiss intensified,
perfectly in tune with their bodies.
Rane held her hips, but he held her body just as easily with his
own.
The strokes were long, deliciously
teasing and maddeningly powerful, driving her toward the peak and then
retreating, allowing her to catch her breath.
And when she was close to pleading, to begging for the end, he drove
into her repeatedly pushing, pounding and carrying her with him toward release.
***
Night fell and Rane sent a mental message to the healer to delay his
arrival until the morning.
Skye needed
this night as much as he wanted it.
He
wanted to hold her, to feel her velvety skin nestled against his until day
broke.
Her hair splayed over his arm, a tangle of tawny curls.
Her eyes were drifting sleepily and in
another minute, she’d be asleep, falling into a world of dreams and
nightmares.
He didn’t doubt even with
the time they’d spent in his bed, she’d endure the horrific nightmares brought
on by fear for her Emily.
Rane stroked her hair and waited until her breathing fell into an
even rhythm.
Then he slipped from
beneath the sheets and left the room, closing the door behind him without a
sound.
He met Jaxon in the Assembly Room.
“What do we know?”
“The healers have done what they can without examining her, but so
far, they all concede that Skye’s problems are not caused by any outside
forces.”
Rane frowned and hitched one hip on the edge of the table.
“Which leaves us where?”
“Thinking this is psychosomatic.”
Rane blinked at him.
“You
think Skye is doing this to herself?”
Jaxon lifted one shoulder almost apologetically.
“You know as well as I do that nothing can
get past our protective shields, Rane.
No spell is strong enough, no witch powerful enough.
What other answer could there be?”
“While you were thinking, did you come up with a reason why Skye
would do this to herself?”
“Fear, I would imagine.”
“Of what?
Of using her
magic?”
“More like of failing her sister, but I do not adhere to the same
beliefs that others do when it comes to brain anomalies.
Perhaps you would be wise to ask Skye.
That is, if you find the time outside of your
other activities.”
Rane stood up straight and stretched his arms overhead.
“Is there nothing sacred inside these walls?”
Jaxon grinned.
“We did not
watch, brother, but even you know we are aware of everything that takes place
inside these walls.”
“Great.”
Rane sauntered
toward the door.
“So did you pick up any
pointers?”
He winked at his brother and
slipped out into the corridor, Jaxon’s laughter trailing behind him.
***
Skye came awake with a start.
Her hand immediately went to the side of the bed where Rane was supposed
to be.
Her palm recognized the cold
sheet and she pushed back the comforter.
“Rane?”
He answered her immediately.
“I am here.”
She saw him come out of the darkness and wondered if he’d been
standing there or if he’d just materialized.
“Where have you been?”
“Talking with Jaxon,” he responded simply.
“What did you talk about?”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up.
“Or do I need to ask?”
Rane walked toward her.
“You,
of course.”
Skye watched him advancing toward her, each movement
controlled.
She saw the way the muscles
in his thighs bunched with each step and the dark look on his face.
Rane Hansen was an extraordinarily attractive
man and knowing that a few hours ago they’d been together intimately unnerved
her in the glare of the overhead light.
She dipped her head and tried to restore proper breathing.
“What did your brother have to say about me?”
“He spoke with the healers.”
Rane sat beside her on the bed.
“They all agree that the loss of your magic is not attributable to any
outside sources.”
He took one of her
hands in his.
Skye studied his face, sure she wasn’t going to like where this
topic of conversation was going.
“So
where do they think it is coming from then?”
Rane held her gaze for the longest moment before he finally answered
her.
“Your fear.”
She slowly tugged her hand free.
“I see.
They think I’m doing this
to myself.”
“It happens, Skye.”
She got to her feet, keeping her back to him.
“Yes, I imagine it does.
Ordinary humans allow their fears to overtake
them on a daily basis, but you and I both know that I am neither ordinary nor
human.”
She spun around and Rane saw the
sheen of tears in her eyes.
“I’m a
witch, Rane.
I’ve never lost my magic
before and surprisingly, I’ve been scared before.
So how about asking your healers to come up
with a plausible answer to my problem?”
“Skye, listen --”
”No, I’m not listening anymore.
Your healers think I’m crazy and you bought into it.
Perfect.
How does it feel to know you just slept with a crazy woman?”
She snagged the shirt Rane had discarded
earlier and wrapped it around herself.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, this crazy woman would like to take a
shower.”
The finality of the door closing
behind her told Rane he’d gotten all the attention from her he was going to get
for the time being.
He sighed and pushed himself to his feet.
“I guess I should not be surprised that did
not go well.”
***
Unger rubbed his hands together with glee.
Soon.
The time was drawing near.
As the
deadline approached, he could practically taste Emily’s fear.
He glanced at the sky and smiled as the clouds slid into place over
the moon.
Soon, darkness would descend
and the night would resound with the cries of the fallen, the ones he would
destroy before he assumed his rightful place as High Priest of the Covens.
***
Emily rolled over on the cot and covered her eyes with her
forearm.
She kept hearing voices,
raised, angry voices preventing her from sleep.
Well, that and the terror coating her insides.
“Emily.”
Her name bounced off the wooden walls and Emily sat straight in bed,
drawing the thin, wool blanket up to her chin.
“Wh-who’s there?”
She tried to
remember the comforting words Skye told her to recite in times of fear, but
none came to memory.
“Open your eyes,” the voice was insistent, commanding.
Emily cracked open one eye, but didn’t look up.
“Who are you?”
“Do you not recognize my voice?”
The amusement surprised her and Emily’s eyes flew open.
The wizard’s dark eyes stared back at
her.
“Rane!
What are you doing here?”
He sat down on the edge of her bed.
“I am not really here.
This is
just my image.”
Emily’s shoulders slumped.
“Oh.
I was hoping you could just
poof me out of here.”
Rane’s voice offered reassurances.
“Unger has taken precautions against that, but you will be leaving
soon.”
Emily sniffed.
“Is Skye
okay?”
“She is fine, sweetie.
She is
sleeping now.
I wanted to check on you
so when she wakes up I can tell her you are okay.”
Emily scrubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.
“That monster is going to kill us, isn’t he?”
“No, he is not.
I will not
allow it.
I will take care of you,
Emily.
You have to trust me.”
“I do.
Tell Skye that I am
okay.”
“I will.
I need you to do
something for me while you are waiting for me to come back for you.”
Emily remained silent, but nodded her head in agreement.
“Do not antagonize Unger.”
Emily tried to reach out just to touch him, but her hand sank
through the shimmery mist of his form.
Again, she bit her lower lip and nodded her head.
“I’ll try.”
“Emily, you need to do more than try.
We do not know a lot about Unger, but we do
know that he is extremely dangerous.
We
do not want you to get hurt, so promise me you will do whatever he asks you to
do.”
Emily folded her arms across her chest.
“Within reason.”
Rane smiled back at her.
“You
really do take after your sister.”
He
winked.
“Within reason.
And know that I am always nearby.
You are not alone here.
Understand?”
He held his hand up in mid-air and Emily placed her palm within a hair’s
breadth of his.
“I understand.
Thank you for
coming.”
“We will be back to get you, Emily.
Count on it.”
***
Skye felt Rane’s departure the second he left Mystique.
She didn’t know how she knew he was gone, but
she knew.
Coming wide-awake, she
swiveled her head around the bedroom, not surprised to find it empty.
In
a flash, she was out of the bed and down the corridor, searching every
available room.
“If you are looking for Rane, he is not here,” Tess informed her in
a soft, non-threatening tone of voice.
Skye gripped the doorknob of yet another room.
“Where is he?”
Tess approached her slowly.
“Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot when you first came and I’d
like to make amends.
Would you join me
for some coffee while my son is still sleeping?
I don’t get much time to myself since his birth and as much as I love
him, I do cherish the few moments I can have in peace and quiet.”
Skye angled a look over her shoulder and seeing no guile on the
wizard’s face, she nodded.
“Where’s your
partner in crime?”
Tess laughed aloud.
“Danni
and Falcon returned to Harmony last night.”
“Harmony?”
“Their city.
Falcon leads a
guild of wizards who have fallen out of favor with their own guilds.
He tries to rehabilitate them.”
Skye wrinkled her nose.
“I’d
be surprised if Rane wasn’t one of them.”
Tess led the way into the kitchen, chuckling.
“Rane is a bit of a rebel, but sometimes, his
ways work.”
“So you were about to tell me why Rane left.”
“I was?”
Tess smiled and
indicated a chair opposite her at the small dinette table in the corner of the
sparkling kitchen.
“Otherwise, what would be the purpose of this conversation?”
“To get to know one another.”
Skye shook her head and managed a smile of her own.
“Something tells me you’re not looking for a
friend in me right now.
You want to know
if you can trust me with Rane.”
Tess didn’t deny the words as she rose to retrieve two steaming mugs
of coffee.
“Rane has become my brother
now.”
Skye took a sip.
“My
intentions with Rane are to survive this time with him.
Unfortunately, we both have separate
agendas.
I’m sure he wants to return to
I’m supposed to be some Queen of the Covens unless you know of anyone else who
might be interested in the position.”
Tess sipped her own coffee and studied Skye without apology.
“You’re not?”
“Heavens, no.
I can barely
lead my sister much less a Coven.”
She
lifted her shoulders on a shrug.
“I’m
not even interested in being a witch.”
Tess’ eyes gleamed.
“Then
perhaps there is hope for you.”
Skye shot her a look over the rim of the mug.
“I’ve never considered myself a lost cause,
thanks.”
Tess smiled broadly.
“That’s
not what I meant.
It’s just unusual to
have a witch among us.”
“As unusual as it is for me to be here?”
Skye asked pointedly.
Tess stirred one finger in her coffee cup and Skye watched the
blackness fade to light.
“You should not
be surprised that we would be concerned about Rane.”
“The last time I looked, Rane could take care of himself.”
Tess snickered.
“You have no
idea how right you are.
Even in the
midst of trouble, Rane can hold his own.
He’s always had this, I don’t know how to describe it, recklessness, I
guess, about him and though one might think he has this devil-may-care
attitude, I always knew that when he fell in love, it would be forever.”
Skye’s hands clenched around the cup.
“I think you’re jumping ahead of the gun.”
Tess nodded.
“Could be.
I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”