Wicked Wind (Solsti Prophecy #1) (29 page)

Her scent was a drug to him. It was her “tell” that she was ready for him.
No way she can fake that.
The need to claim her grew to a crescendo. Claim not just her body but her very soul. He didn’t want any other man to touch her, to caress her silky skin, ever again. She was
his
.

Holding her body in his hands, he paused. Let her feel his warm breath on her mound. “You’re mine,” he murmured. She squirmed in anticipation.

He licked her slowly, running his tongue up and down her slick folds. She tasted earthy and wild, and she moaned as he kept up his teasingly slow pace. Tonight, he wanted to pleasure her thoroughly, even though his cock was aching to plunge deep inside her. He slid two fingers into her tight entrance and pulled them back out, dripping with her sweet juices. He licked them slowly, eyes meeting hers in the dark as she wriggled beneath him.

“I want you,” she whispered.

“Mine.” He dipped his head once again to taste her. Resuming his slow teasing licks, he built her need to the brink and then backed off again and again. His hands wandered up her smooth belly to her breasts, teasing her nipples with his fingertips. Finally, knowing she was close to her limits, he sat up and let his eyes rove over her. A light sheen of sweat had broken out over her pale skin, and she tossed her head back and forth on the pillow. Her gloriously long body shifted restlessly around on the bed, her hands fisting the sheets.

“Gunnar, please.”

“Please, what?”

“Stop torturing me. I need your cock. Now.”

With a low rumble of approval, he moved up her slender body, stopping at the valley between her breasts where her scent concentrated. He drew a breath and made a satisfied sound deep in his chest as her essence washed over him. Moving to one breast, he nuzzled the stiff, pink tip before taking it deep in to his mouth. He repeated the process on her other side and a soft cry of frustration escaped her lips. His eyes never left her face, watching her desire build as her hips sought his. Bracing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned down and nipped her ear. “You’re mine.”

She mumbled something and tried to reach for him. He took both her hands in one of his and pinned them above her head.

“Mine,” he repeated, gently holding the delicate lobe of her ear in his teeth.

“Yes, Gunnar,” she finally gasped. “Yours. I’m yours.”

Growling in satisfaction, he positioned himself and nudged his blunt head inside her. Frantic with need, she grabbed for him, pulling him down as she locked her ankles around his hips.

“God, you’re perfect.” He sank into her fragrant heat. Leaning down to kiss her, he thrust his tongue into her mouth as he thrust his cock into her eager, willowy body. She came almost instantly, shuddering and arching off the bed. He kept going, pounding into her, feeling her shatter again beneath him. His orgasm built like a monstrous wave, driving him to push deeper inside her, to possess her completely.

Sitting back on his knees, he jerked her hips up roughly, deepening his angle until he was buried hilt-deep in her tight sheath. He looked down into the luminous green pools of her eyes, which gazed up at him with a mixture of wonder and sated bliss.
Mine.

He had brought that look into her eyes. He had made her breath ragged and her skin flushed. His woman. The building wave suddenly crashed over him and he exploded, a primal roar ripping from his throat. His body pumping wildly, his seed shot deep into her warm channel as she clutched his legs. When her body had finally wrung the last drop from him, he collapsed on top of her. “I think this time
you
fucked
me
to death,” he groaned.

“You’re immortal, remember?” She nipped his ear.

He shifted his weight so that he lay at her side with one leg draped over hers and one hand on her ribs.

“And anyway, turnabout is fair play.”

He gave her a questioning grunt.

“You were the one teasing me into a frenzy.” She propped herself on one elbow and ran her fingers through his hair. “And now you’re the one who’s too sated to move.”

He eyed her beautiful, perky breasts, which hovered mere inches from his mouth.
Damn. She’s right.
That had been the most intense orgasm of his long life. And, for the moment, his limbs felt weighted down. “Just give me a minute,” he mumbled.

“Take your time, baby. We’ve got lots of it.” She lay back down on her side, facing him and snuggled one arm under her pillow. Her face lit with a dazzling smile, and then her eyes slowly drifted shut. In minutes, she was sound asleep.

He gently untangled his limbs from hers and lay facing her. He could gaze at her physical perfection for hours, but tonight a deeper feeling wouldn’t allow his eyes to look away. Something in his world had shifted tonight. She mattered to him on a profound level, one that he hadn’t experienced before. Sure, she was beautiful and her body was a carnal playground he never wanted to leave, but this was something else.

He admired her bravery and her determination to help others.
Even though she can be so stubborn.
He smiled and caressed a wayward lock of her hair. Accepting both his past as well as the rage-filled demon it provoked, she hadn’t been afraid of him when he shifted, and the beast that took over his mind had in turn accepted
her
. She was so much more than a beautiful creature who needed his protection. He knew her power would continue to grow and would one day become stronger than his, but she was still vulnerable in many ways. He burned with a fierce need to do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant laying down his life.

He would die for her.

His heart stuttered as he gazed at her in the inky darkness, recognizing her as his mate. Possession and peace sung through his veins in harmony, as the depth of his love for her bathed his battered soul.

Raniero drifted to consciousness, letting his hearing and nose alert him to his surroundings. He tensed, realizing he was pinned down. Then he opened his eyes.

A lazy smile spread across his face as he took in the sprawled limbs and full breasts of two of Rivkin’s most talented and energetic females. He closed his eyes again, feeling their soft warmth on either side of him, remembering their boundless enthusiasm from the night before. Yes, he would enjoy every minute of his time protecting the nymphs.

Though sorely tempted to rouse them for another round of delectable sex, he knew from the angle of the sun that he had already lingered in bed too long. He could find them later on. He disengaged himself from their silky skin, eliciting sleepy feminine protests, and rose to wash his face and get dressed.

The colony bustled with morning activities as he made his way along the paths. The kitchen clanked with sounds of dishes being cleaned from the morning meal. Soldiers carried weapons as they walked toward the main entrance and the open field beyond. Taszim had ordered extra practice sessions for all able-bodied nymphs.

Finding one of his men, he learned that the night had passed without incident. He had expected as much. It was doubtful that the Vipers would attack again so soon, but one could never tell with those creatures. He decided that a wide perimeter search was in order, but he wanted to find Taszim first.

He turned when he heard a soft voice at his elbow.

“Would you like some water, my lord?” purred a curvy female. Like most of the females, she wore a simple short brown tunic that was tight enough to show that she wore nothing under it. Her hair was thick and long, a pretty mahogany shade. He took the glass she held out to him and gulped it down, his eyes never leaving her figure.

“Thank you, love. What’s your name?”

“Jaina, my lord. Can I get you anything else?”

“Yes, Jaina, I might need something later on.” He ran a finger down her bare arm. “But right now, I need to speak with Taszim. Do you know where I can find him?”

“I saw him in the armory a few minutes ago, my lord.”

“Thank you kindly, my love.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear exactly what he was going to need from her later, and left her giggling in the middle of the path.

Striding toward the armory, he ran into Taszim. The nymphs’ leader clapped him on the back in a warm greeting. “I trust you slept well, my good man?”

Raniero chuckled. His unfailingly polite host knew exactly what went on in his colony. “I had a wonderful night, my friend.”

Taszim’s eyes twinkled with mirth, then his expression sobered. “Last night passed uneventfully, if you haven’t yet heard.”

“Yes. There’s something else I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Of course. Let’s go to my study. It’s much quieter there.”

Raniero nodded and fell into step with his host. “Rivkin seems to be prospering,” he said as he noted the activity around them.

“Yes, things have worked out well,” Taszim agreed as they stepped inside his study. “The tree harvesting, of course, makes up the bulk of our income. But the nut breads and pastries are doing surprisingly well.”

“Pastries?” Raniero raised his eyebrows.

“My wife is quite creative in the kitchen. She came up with a few recipes and brought some of the bakery items to the market at Bearen, and they were a runaway success.”

“I’ll have to try some of those later.” Raniero rubbed a hand along his jaw. “And speaking of business, I’d like you to think back on your recent transactions. I’ve been speculating on who would retaliate against you. Perhaps the Vipers were simply hired muscle. We’ve already talked about potential enemies who may have instigated the attack. But what if there are others we have not considered? What if it’s business related?”

“Someone who wants Rivkin’s assets?”

“No, someone who resents that Rivkin conducted business with another. An enemy, perhaps.”

“An enemy of my allies,” mused Taszim. “Most of our partners are creatures we have dealt with for decades. The water nymphs, sprites, sorcerers, and many of the fae. Then there are some of the predatory demons, like the Lash and Deserati.” He met Raniero’s gaze. “I did sell some rare wood to a new Lash acquaintance recently. His name was Cale.”

Holy shit
. Raniero’s heart leapt into his throat, but years of practice allowed him to remain expressionless at the mention of his employer. That demon had scores of enemies. Raniero knew for certain that the Vipers were among them. Because a month ago Cale had ordered him to carry out a hit on one of the Viper’s high-ranking leaders. And Raniero had successfully completed his assignment.

Because Cale was wealthy, powerful, and capable of quashing anyone who dared to cross him, the Vipers would be understandably hesitant to strike him directly. Attacking the wood nymphs would be a cowardly choice, but one that could prevent Cale from getting something he wanted.

“Rare wood? What kind?” Raniero asked, bringing his thoughts back to the business aspect of the deal.

“Silver birch. We have so few of them that we only cut down a handful each year. It’s our most expensive wood.” Taszim paused and smiled slightly. “The demon was complaining that he had been requested to find that particular wood for his porter.”

“He has a porter?” Extremely rare, only a handful of porters existed. They could be found in any species, their ability to travel anywhere being the common thread between them. They could go to any realm at any time, with no need for spells, amulets, or assistance from Elders. And they could bring others with them. They were often wealthy, being able to charge any fee for their uncommon services. He hadn’t realized that Cale had a porter on his staff; then again, he shouldn’t have been surprised. The demon had everything, and he obtained it using any means necessary. Raniero wondered if this porter had been unwillingly conscripted, as he had.

“Yes,” Taszim said. “Of course, Cale didn’t come here himself. He sent an associate to negotiate the deal. And after several rounds of our copper beech ale, the man became quite chatty.”

Raniero raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide his curiosity. Any details he learned here may lead to the reason behind the attack. Anything that was of personal use to him would be a lucky coincidence. “Go on.”

“It seems this birch wood was part of his porter’s fee. She planned to bring it to her family on Evena.”

Raniero blew out a breath. “This story gets better and better, my friend.” Evena was a wasteland of a realm. Hardly anyone could go there, and he had never known anyone who wanted to. Amulets and spells wouldn’t allow for travel to its decimated lands, and none but the very oldest of Elders could find it. And, of course, porters.

Evena didn’t have much to offer anyone. Centuries ago it contained bustling villages that harvested a rare black lily. The lily contained an essence that, when properly extracted, mended any wound. Its restorative powers stayed active in the body for months, giving the receiver a boost of strength. It had been a highly coveted and expensive export.

Four centuries ago, two predatory demon species fought over control of Evena and its lily extract. One of the species, the Serus demons, was capable of releasing clouds of toxic fog from their mouths. The battle raged for weeks because their opponent, the Kentini demons, only needed to breathe a miniscule amount of oxygen to survive.

Eventually the Serus demons won. But their victory was short lived. Extended use of their fog had irreparably harmed some of the native flora and fauna. The lilies remained intact, so the Serus initially gloated over their coup. But they soon realized that Evena’s humble brown bee had been completely eradicated in the battle. And this particular bee was the only insect capable of pollinating the black lily.

Because of the fog, Evena’s once fertile landscape had been altered from lush green to dingy, barren gray. Some plants still grew, but without the bees, the lilies eventually died out. The Serus demons, along with many other species, tried unsuccessfully to grow the black lily on Torth and other realms. No one had been able to do it. The Serus left, and the rest of Evena’s population dwindled.

Even today, no one wanted or needed to go to Evena. Full of empty buildings, many of which had fallen into disrepair, just a few hardy souls had stayed on to call it their home.