Authors: Donna Grant
Yet, there was no denying she would miss the dragons.
“We need to talk,” Aimery argued.
“Not now. Later.”
“There might not be a later.”
She kissed him, hoping it would stop his words. Instead, he gripped her shoulders.
Kyndra, I’m serious.”
She sat back, leaning against his leg he had propped up. “I know you are. What do you want to say? That you regret it?”
“Nay.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t think you’ve realized what you’ve done.”
But she did. “I do.”
He shook his head. “You can’t possibly, not now. Once we return to our realm—”
“If we return.”
“Kyndra…” He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed. When he looked at her again, she saw his anguish, his determination. “I’m responsible for your life.”
“I’m not one of your men. I’m the one responsible for my life, Aimery. We are in this together.”
He cupped her face and opened his mouth as if he would say more.
“The magic of the dragons might have been taken from us, but you gave me a different kind of magic, a magic I hadn’t known existed.” She ran a finger down his chest to his flaccid rod and wrapped her hand around him.
She watched, amazed, as he grew hard before her eyes. Her gaze jerked to his.
“This is what you do to me,” he said.
It was a power she had never experienced before, and she wasn’t about to let it go without exploring more of it. She leaned down to lick and kiss across his chest while her hand explored his length. He grew even longer, harder with each stroke of her hand. Touching wasn’t just enough. She wanted to see him, taste him.
Kyndra moved between his legs. She glanced up to find him watching her, the hunger in his eyes spurring her desire. He jerked in her hand, and she looked down to find his head swollen and purple. He was hot and smooth, deliciously hard. Her sex throbbed, eager to have him fill her again, to feel him thrusting hard and fast into her.
She swallowed past a wave of desire and squeezed her legs together. A jolt of pleasure spasmed through her. She leaned down and licked the head of his rod, tasting herself on him. He moaned and clenched the covers.
Kyndra parted her lips and took him in her mouth. He breathed her name, his gaze locked with hers as she ran her lips up and down his length, taking him deeper each time. His gaze darkened with desire, urging her on. She cupped his sacs, rolling them in her hand.
His arms strained as he pulled the blankets, as if he were doing everything he could not to move. Kyndra liked the taste of him, the feel of him in her hands. His hips began to move in time with her. He was fast approaching his climax, and she gloried in the fact she could bring him to it.
The next thing she knew, Aimery had a hold of her and lifted her away from him. He planted her on her hands and knees. Kyndra tried to turn around, but he stopped her with a hand on her back.
“You’ve brought me to the peak. It’s my turn.”
Kyndra gasped as he slid into her from behind. Her body stretched to accommodate his length as his arms wrapped around her waist, and he pumped inside her. She looked over her shoulder at him, wanting to tell him how wonderful he felt. Instead, his lips met hers.
She returned his kiss, moaning into his mouth when his hand cupped her breast and rolled her nipple between two fingers. The incredible throbbing began to grow, consuming her. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she peaked again. Aimery knew just where to touch her, just how to touch her to make her body come alive.
“Kyndra,” he whispered, the sound a loving caress.
His hand moved to her sex and stroked her pearl. She bit her lip as pleasure surrounded her. He plunged faster, harder into her as he stroked.
He nuzzled her ear. “Come for me.”
His words sent a shiver of delight through her. With his next thrust, she screamed his name, her body convulsing as waves upon waves of pleasure engulfed her, pulling her down into an abyss of ecstasy.
She held herself up on shaky arms as Aimery gripped her hips and thrust deep inside her.
He gave a strangled moan, and then his cock jerked as his seed spilled into her. Tears gathered in her eyes as emotion welled within her.
Aimery fell to his side and pulled her back against him, his body molding around hers.
He moved her hair and kissed her neck beneath her ear. “We’ve got some talking to do in the morn.”
This time when her eyes drifted shut, she didn’t fight it. She was in Aimery’s arms, safe, sheltered. Nothing could hurt her now.
Aimery’s eyes flew open. He shook his head to clear it from sleep and reached for Kyndra. Only to find the bed empty. He jerked upright and looked at the foot of the bed to find Isran smiling at him.
“Looking for her?” Isran pointed over his shoulder.
Aimery’s blood ran cold when she saw Kyndra bound and gagged, the men ogling her nude body as they held her. Rage erupted in him. He leapt from the bed, ready to kill Isran with his bare hands if need be.
Isran smiled, his hands clasped behind his back. His white robes billowed behind him as he walked around Aimery. “The mighty Fae Commander has a weakness. I would never have guessed but, with just one look at the lovely priestess, I can see why.” Aimery held himself in check. He kept himself from looking at Kyndra to control his fury. He couldn’t believe he had been so wrapped up in tasting her luscious body that he had forgotten Eldar and their mission. His lack of control could very well end it all.
He faced Isran, uncaring about his own lack of clothing. “Leave Kyndra alone. It’s me you want.”
“Oh, that’s for sure.” Isran stopped in front of him and lifted his brows. “It was so easy to fool you. I worried, you know. Everyone spoke about the amazing Aimery, the Fae who battled ancient evil not only on our realm, but Earth as well. The Fae who had ended the reign of the evil, killing off realms one by one.”
“I never took credit for any of that. It wasn’t just me, but the Fae army and magnificent warriors from Earth and other realms.”
“I know. I did enough research on you to know everything, except your weakness. Up until a few hours ago, I didn’t think you had a weakness. It was a battle I was looking forward to.”
Aimery clenched his fists. “If it’s a battle you want, I’ll give you one.”
“Without your powers?” Isran rolled his eyes and tisked. “I think not.”
“Then give me back my powers.”
“I’m not a fool, Aimery.”
“You’re the one using black magic. What have you got to lose?” Isran smile slowly, his gaze calculating. “You actually want to test your magic against my black magic? You know you could never win. Black magic is many times more powerful than Fae magic.”
“Then fight me.”
Isran’s gaze slid from him to Kyndra then back to Aimery. “I’m surprised you hadn’t spoken to Eldar. You were in his castle, eating his food, making use of his…bed.” The frustration that sliced through Aimery cut deep. He alone would carry the burden of his failure. There was no doubt in his mind he would never leave Thav alive, but he would avenge his mistake. He would kill Isran if it was the last thing he did.
“Did you think you had more time?” Isran walked to Kyndra and ran a finger between her breasts. “Did you think I wouldn’t move as quickly as I could because I knew Theron would send you? I just hadn’t counted on the priestess.”
Kyndra fought against her captors, her eyes narrowed on Isran as if she could strike him dead by a look alone. Aimery’s heart swelled with pride. Isran had no idea she was a warrior, and if Kyndra could get them off guard she could gain control of the situation.
Out of the corner of his eye Aimery saw the flash of sapphires from the Kyndra’s arm cuff. He hadn’t remembered her taking it off, but it had been the last thing on his mind last eve.
He took a step toward Isran, kicking the cuff beneath the bed. “Where’s the egg?”
“You needn’t worry about the egg,” Isran said and smelled a lock of Kyndra’s hair. He released the strand and took in a deep breath. “The egg is safe, somewhere you can never get it.”
“Are you sure of that?”
“I’d stake my life on it.”
Aimery grinned. “Just what I wanted to hear.”
“Take her.”
The men holding Kyndra started out the door. Aimery lunged for them but was stopped by four men. No matter how he fought, he couldn’t get free. Without his power, he was useless.
Despair threatened to swallow him. He longed for his magic, yearned for it as he yearned for breath.
“Kyndra!”
* * * * *
Kyndra blinked back her tears as Aimery bellowed her name. They had been such fools giving in to their passion instead of seeking Eldar, but then that was exactly what Isran had wanted. She had been so drunk with desire, she hadn’t realized someone had come into their chamber until she had been yanked out of Aimery’s arms.
No matter how much she had fought, she hadn’t been able to get free. The gag had gone into her mouth before she’d had a chance to scream Aimery’s name, and then they had bound her hands. She had watched, horrified, as Aimery had woken and found her gone. The wild, fierce look in his eyes had sent chills down her spine.
But worse than that was him being adamant at fighting Isran. There was no way Aimery could survive, even with his magic. Black magic was much more powerful, and now that Isran had the dragon’s egg…
“Maybe we should have a go at her, aye, Milar,” the guard said over her head.
Her ire rose. Bound or not, she wasn’t going to allow them to touch her.
Milar laughed. “Oh, aye, Joby. I can’t wait to feast on those tits.” The urge to ram her elbow in Joby’s nose was strong, but she held herself still. It was no use escaping now, not when she had no idea where she was or what was happening to Aimery.
At least Isran hadn’t used the egg. She wasn’t sure what was stopping him, but it gave her and Aimery time to get free and think of something.
But what? With no magic what do you think you can do?
The anguish at the loss of her magic threatened to pull her under, to take her to a place where she would no longer worry about it.
She jerked her head to clear her mind. She refused to go insane. She had to stay focused for the Fae realm, for Aimery. She would not abandon him to do their mission alone.
Aimery.
She hadn’t gotten to tell him how much she loved their night together, how it would stay in her memories for the rest of her life. She hadn’t been able to talk to him about their future, if they even had one. There had been so much she wanted to say. She had gone to sleep imagining how she would wake in the morning and make love to him again.
How had Isran conquered Eldar? How had they not known?
And then she realized—the music. The magical music had ensured they were occupied, leaving Eldar to Isran to do as he pleased.
Kyndra couldn’t believe they hadn’t realized it at the time, but there was no use crying about it now. Too much was at stake to lie down and wallow in her own self
‐
pity. Now she just had to find out what Isran planned to do with Aimery.
Her feet were numb from the cold stones by the time they reached the chamber. It was three stories down and on the opposite side of Aimery. The guards shoved her inside. Kyndra landed on her hands and knees, scraping them on the stones. She looked over her shoulder at the men advancing on her.
“We’ll show ye what a real man can do,” Joby sneered, showing blackened teeth and foul breath.
Milar jerked Kyndra onto her back. She kicked out with her foot and connected with Joby’s stomach. He bellowed and backhanded her with a meaty fist. The room spun as Kyndra fought to stay conscious.
Joby slapped her again before he jerked open her legs and palmed her breasts. “Aye, yer mine now.”
A wave of dizziness washed over Kyndra. She tried to kick out, but Joby only hit her again. The left side of her face was on fire, throbbing with pain. She was powerless to do anything as Joby unlaced his breeches.
“Hurry,” Milar said. “I want my turn.”
“What is going on here?”
Kyndra didn’t think she would ever be so happy to hear Isran’s voice. She cracked open her eyes to see him scowling down at her.
“Answer me, Joby. What do you think you’re doing?”
Joby licked his lips and shrugged. “Just havin’ some fun.”
“I told you she wasn’t to be harmed. You hit her. Several times. And you were about to rape her.”
Joby opened his mouth to argue when he grasped his throat and started choking. Blood bubbled from his mouth and ran down his chin. A heartbeat later he fell to his side, his lifeless eyes staring at the wall.
“Milar,” Isran said.
Milar jumped to his feet. “Don’t kill me.”
Kyndra rolled to her side and curled into a ball. She didn’t feel sorry for Joby. The bastard had gotten what he deserved. As far as she was concerned, the same fate could befall Milar as well.
Isran grunted. “Get Joby out of this castle. Let it be a lesson to you. You’ll do as ordered, or suffer the consequences.”
“Thank you,” Millar murmured and stumbled in his effort to get away. He took Joby’s arm and dragged him from the chamber.
Kyndra tried to turn away when Isran squatted beside her, but he held her still. He tore off her gag and tossed it aside. “How bad are you hurt?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Without your magic, you will feel more pain and take longer to heal. You think you’re all right, but you’re not. You’re body isn’t use to this type of pain.” To her surprise, he took off his white cloak and draped it over her.
“Why are you being so nice?”
He shrugged. “I have a feeling I’m going to have need of you to help me control Aimery.
I don’t want to kill him.”
“Why?”
“I might want power, Kyndra, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see a magnificent warrior when I meet one. There hasn’t been a Fae like Aimery ever, and we might never see another again. To kill him would be…wrong.”
Kyndra wasn’t sure if she believed him. However, he had kept her from being raped, and she would do whatever was needed to keep Aimery alive. “He won’t rest until he fights you.” Isran sighed and briefly closed his eyes. “I know. He won’t stand a chance of winning, either. You’re his weakness, Kyndra, the one thing I have he will do anything for.” She bit her tongue as a wave of bittersweet remorse washed over her. She had never wanted to be Aimery’s weakness. She had just wanted to be his lover. Surely Isran was wrong.