Dream of Me (15 page)

“Kieran…” she began, searching for the right words. “I can’t do this!” Shooting into an upright position she tried to rise to her feet. His hands were on her in an instant, stilling her urge to flee from her position on the floor. Reaching forward, his hands gripped her forearms in a firm, yet gentle hold.

“Elena, look at me.” With tears of shame, she did. “This isn’t about me taking anything from you,” he whispered. “This about your trust in your mate with everything you are, even your body. Your trust means more to me than the possible pleasure of your body. Your trust is the most valuable gift you could ever give me beyond your heart. I need your trust if I am to prove myself a worthy mate to you. Ask yourself this: do you trust me with everything you are?”

Biting her lip, she struggled to look away, but his mesmerizing eyes wouldn’t let her. Did she trust Kieran totally and completely? She thought back to the first moment that she’d met him in her dreams. She couldn’t explain it but even in that moment, she’d trusted him. Yes, she had been scared and confused out of her mind. But she’d trusted him not to harm her. Could she do the same here? Trusting him with the most private and intimate part of her?

Squaring her shoulders, she nodded causing her damp hair to fall forward. Smiling softly at her response, one of his hands reached up to brush her hair back behind her ear. “Say it aloud,” he encouraged.

“I trust you.”

“Good,” he nodded, pleased. Smoothing his hands down her arms, he whispered, “Lay back and open for your mate.”

Nodding she did as he asked. Closing her eyes, she hesitantly spread her legs a few inches apart. His hands startled her as he gently helped her spread wider until he was kneeling between them. Gooseflesh swept over her skin as the cool air hit her most private area. She wasn’t waxed or shaven like many women her age, acknowledging this caused her to feel even more embarrassed.

Her breath rushed out of her lungs as his warm hands massaged her inner thighs. As one of his hands slid closer to her womanhood, she could feel her heart beating out of her chest. Whether it was out of fear or anticipation, she didn’t know.

He stopped inches from her swollen petals as he looked down at her tense face. “Remember your words,” he reminded.

Watching her slowly relaxing expression, he moved to touch her. His rough fingers slid between her slick petals and over her clit slowly, drawing a gasp from her lips. He trailed a single finger toward her opening; still he kept watching his mate as she tensed further.

Bending his body forward, he brushed his lips against her stiff ones. His lips moved against hers until he felt her body relax beneath his. Slowly he entered her. The warm softness that clutched around his lucky finger made him instantly jealous. Slowly withdrawing only to push back in, his pride grew as he pulled a soft gasp from her as well.

Keeping a slow pace, his finger moved in and out of her silken depths while his thumb caressed her clit at the same time. It wasn’t too long before he felt her desire mounting higher. Her hips thrust against his moving hand, silently demanding more. Her hands moved as her fingers twisted and pulled at the fabric beneath her anxiously.

Breaking away from his kiss, Elena panted out, “Kieran… please… please.” She begged as the pressure in her body continued to build until it was becoming too much.

He covered her lips again as his working hand doubled its efforts. She cried against his mouth as her pleasure finally reached it shattering point. He held his thrusting finger still as her inner walls clenched tightly around him, but he still continued to caress her pleasure spot at her clit. His quick caressing touch prolonged her pleasure for as long as he needed it too.

Beneath him, his mate twisted and gasped as her body was no longer under her control. As her pleasure settled, she became slack beneath him as her energy drained from her. Trailing his lips down her neck, he smiled at what had just happened. Gently pulling his hand away, he couldn’t resist the urge to lick her essence from the lucky digit that had pleasured her.

Smiling down at her, as her breathing slowly leveled out, he settled his body along beside hers as his hand smoothed across her collar bone and the tempting swell of her breasts. “How do you feel,
Rai Yan
?”

Weakly cracking her eyes open, she lazily turned onto her side until she was facing him. “You’ve turned me to mush. I don’t think I can move now, if I even want to.”

Sliding a hand down her back, he smiled warmly at her. “Good. I will have to remember to keep you like this. You argue far less when you cannot move,” He teased.

Her eyes suddenly lost their lazily appearance at his words. “Hardy har-har,” she stated sarcastically while slapping at his chest in response. “But seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before.”

He nodded, “This is how it should be between mates. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Slowly her hand trailed down to the noticeable bulge in front of his trousers. “Is there some way I can return the favor?” she asked innocently.

His hand covered her seeking hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. “As I said before, this was about you. I will wait.”

Reluctantly he released her hand. Rolling away from her side, he leapt to his feet before turning to offer her an assisting hand. Placing her hand in his, Elena allowed herself to be pulled up onto her feet.

Without waiting she plucked up the shiny ivory fabric that Kieran had put aside. Unfolding it she saw it was a gown of sorts. Pulling it over her head and slipping her arms through the wide transparent straps, the rest flowed down her hips and legs to her ankles without any help.

The dress left her back bared while the front had a swooping neckline that showed the soft swell of her breasts. It was rare that she wore dresses, being more of a tom-boy than anything else. With her curves it was hard to find a dress that didn’t either hug her chest or hips too tightly, but this gown was a dream.

Turning back to Kieran, she ran her fingers through her hair in an effort to tame its wild appearance. She could feel Kieran’s heated gaze on her as he watched her every move like a predator watching his prey. Somehow he’d slipped back under her defenses and made any notions of going home seem less welcoming.

Today he’d done something for her that no one had ever done for her before; he forced her to face her demons and conquer them. Things that had once held her in a cage of her own making had turned out to be the key to her freedom. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid of who she was.

How could she not fall for someone that saw the truth within her and embraced it fully without question? Could she accept him the same way?

“This is entirely your fault!” Snarling, Rurik slammed his closed fist against the iron bars of the prison cell he paced in front of.

“And why do you think that?” Erian — the Kelithian captive asked — lying back on his meager cot with his arms folded behind his head.

“If you had done your job right the first time, none of this would have happened and I would have what I was promised. However, you let a slip of a woman — a human at that — get the best of you!” he seethed with rage.

Staring up at the ceiling, Erian simply shrugged his shoulders with uncaring movement. “Apparently we underestimated the human female. She turned out to be much less docile as the females of this world.”

“I want what I was promised!” Rurik hissed out under his breath. “I was promised riches and a place to rule beside Zyaid. I did my part by making it easier for you to slip in and take the human twice now. You could have even killed the
Gu’an
, but somehow that was too difficult for you to accomplish. I would have been better off to slit his throat myself!”

Turning to look over his shoulder, his hard gaze swept around the empty dungeon. He was smart enough to sneak past the guards, but he wouldn’t risk discovery when he was so close to getting everything he deserved. Turning back to the uninterested captive, Rurik’s hands encircled the bars with a clenching grip. Slowly, Erian stood from his cot with a quick and fluid motion. Rubbing at the white bandage wrapped around his hand, he grimaced at his damaged and now useless hand

“Someone needs to remind you that you do not command me and until my
true
king says otherwise, you will receive nothing until we get what we need,
traitor
,” he said as he spit the last word out like a foul taste.

“I am the one taking the risks! I sent all the other warriors away while you attack the
Gu’an
,” Rurik argued, baring his teeth. “But instead you choose to run after one simple girl.”

“That
simple girl
, as you call her, is more valuable to our king than the death of yours.”

A suspicious glint came across Rurik’s eyes. “How valuable is she?”

Erian narrowed his golden eyes at him, “That isn’t your concern.” Striding forward, he stopped just inches in front of the bars of his cell. “All you need to know is that I must deliver her to King Zyaid. Get me out of here and I will make sure Zyaid knows the depths of your loyalty to the
true
king of this world.”

The words tempted him beyond measure. He was deserving of more than a simple existence as a member of the royal guard or even as a governing lord below the
Gu’an
. He deserved to have people bow to his every command. Freedom from laws that sought to keep him caged. No more. Now was the time for him to take what was his and this time, he’d do it his way.

“Zyaid would truly reward anyone that brought him this great prize?” he asked with a cold grin.

Nodding, the Kelithian planted his hands on his hips. “Indeed. Free me and you will be rewarded. I give you my word.”

Chuckling, Rurik turned his back to them as he paced away. “Your word? Is there anyone in this world that would willing trust the word of a Kelithian? I know your word holds no more weight than your king’s promises would.”

Erian lunged at the bars, his eyes blazed with fiery rage. “Watch what you say! Your deal with king Zyaid depends on my good favor. Without that, you are nothing but the traitor that would rather see his own people murdered for a few coins in his pocket.”

Arrogantly folding his arms over his chest, Rurik turned to smirk back at the enraged face that stared at him. “If the human is of such use to Zyaid, I’m sure he will pay her and my weight in riches that I deserve. Do not fear, for I
will
be rewarded, but you will not.” The captive’s face darkened as Rurik came closer to the bars that separated them.

“You would betray us? If it weren’t for me, the king wouldn’t even know you exist,” Erian said, jabbing an angry finger into his chest.

Pushing away from the bars, Rurik smiled darkly at him, “True, but then now I have no need of you. Zyaid will get his prize and I will get the glory for it.”

As his anger erupted, Erian thrusted his hands through the bars in effort to grab Rurik as his temper rose. “You will not see a single coin if I have my say! I will tell your people of you and your plans. Then, once you are in the cell next to me — I’ll kill you myself!”

“I already considered that you wouldn’t go quietly,” Rurik replied haughtily with a shrug of his shoulders. “After what I tell of the guards of what I’ve
learned
of you, you will not last the night. No words you could ever utter will be able to save you.”

Slowly, the captive took a step from the bars. His hands tightened into tight fists as his muscles bunched in preparation to fight for his life if needed. Even if the stone walls surrounding him weren’t blocking his powers, his hand was damaged and without it he couldn’t call upon his magic to do his will. In this moment he knew that this made him weaker than the Garmorian before him. His life now held by a thread as he was at this traitor’s mercy if he wished them to be.

“They will not be able to ignore the rumor that there is a spy within your fortress,” Erian warned. “You will not get a single ounce of the wealth you desire before you’re caught.”

“We’ll see about that. But for now, I believe our partnership has served its purpose.” Still wearing his dark smile, Rurik turned and strode away from the cell. The dark threats that were thrown at his back grew dimmer as he continued down the dark hall of the dungeon until they disappeared all together.

Pausing, he snarled at the darkness. He knew the Kelithian was right. If he was discovered, everything he had worked hard to achieve would count for nothing. He couldn’t risk Erian telling others that he’d led the Kelithian monster to Elena. It would mean his death and if Kieran found out, it would be a painful one. He needed to accelerate his plans. But before that, he needed to silence the Kelithian. Turning back, he pulled free his sword with a silent motion. Moving back toward the prisoner’s cell, he smirked. Everything he ever wanted was finally within reach; he just needed the human to complete his plans.

* ~ * ~ *

Turning over for the third time in the last hour, Elena found that she couldn’t find the will to sleep any longer. Sitting up, she shoved at the dark fur blankets that Kieran had draped over her. Turning to look beside her she saw that the bed beside her was empty. Jerking her head around the room she found no sight of him.

Before returning to his chamber the previous night, Kieran had taken her on a short tour of the fortress and had even offered to take her flying again — an offer she was too willing to turn down. Once they had returned to his chamber she had found her eyes drooping with exhaustion.

No sooner than the door had closed behind her, she found herself swept up in Kieran’s arms and carried straight to the bed. Gently lowering her onto her back, he’d hovered over her for a moment. Her heart had pounded with anticipation as her body’s urges came alive at the brush of his hard body above her. For a moment, a simple, breath catching moment, she had thought that he would finally unleash the passion she saw swimming in his dark eyes. But she was left feeling disappointed and cold as his brows furrowed in pain before he moved away. As he’d crawled into the bed behind her, tenderly he’d pulled her into his embrace and held her as she unwillingly drifted off to sleep.

His actions confused her to no end. If she were truly his soul mate or whatever, why hadn’t he made any move on her other than a kiss or their encounter in the bathing chamber? In her world she would have expected a guy to instantly push for sex and at this point she would have to. She was turning into a freaking nymphomaniac around him. Whether it was this strange bond that he claimed bound them together or just her crazy hormones, she didn’t care. She knew she wanted him and she knew he wanted her. So what was the problem?

The sound of flapping wings entered her ears from the balcony, ending the direction of her inner thoughts. Dropping her legs over the side of the bed, she shoved her feet into the small leather slippers that Kieran had given her last night. Smoothing down the bottom of her gown, she walked around to the balcony archway. A light breeze lifted her rumpled hair off her shoulders to fall in a waterfall of red down her back. Her eyes widened as Kieran swooped down from above to land on the balcony railing without mistake. His large wings stretched out behind him before the same flash of light caused them to disappear from sight.

As Kieran’s eyes fell on hers, Elena could see the tension in his expression vanish. Leaping down from the railing he smiled at her. “Good rising, Elena,” he greeted as he approached her.

“Hey,” she responded in a whisper. “Where did you go?”

“Flying,” he said gesturing to the dark sky behind him. “Why don’t you come with me? Let me take you flying over the land.”

Her eyes widened in fear, causing her to take a step back from his offered hand that he held out to her. “No,” she bit out, shaking her head in denial while taking a step back.

His eye brows nearly knitted together with confusion. For the people of his world, flying was freedom. Soaring as high as the mother moon above and as far as your wings could carry you. This was why his mate’s fear made no sense to him. Dropping his offered hand to his side, he allowed his face to relax.

“Where does your fear come from?” he finally asked after a lengthy pause between the both of them.

Jerking her head up at his voice, her hand reached up to nervously brush her hair behind her ear. “You mean fear of heights?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. At his silent nod, she continued, “Nearly everyone is afraid of heights where I come from, it’s a natural fear.” Elena nearly had to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent from laughing at the confused scowl that over took Kieran’s face.

“Your species are a very confusing one,” he shook his head, perplexed.

Scoffing at his remark, Elena took a brave step forward. “Confusing? Let’s talk about confusing. Confusing is where you are kidnapped from your home — hell your own world without anyone caring about how you feel about it. Confusing is being attacked by creatures that I never knew existed. Confusing is feeling your stomach cramp so painfully because you’re hungry but you’re too worried that any food you eat may poison you. Confusing is finding that you are bound to another in a way I could never hope to understand. You don’t know the meaning of ‘Confusing’.”

A single black brown rose as she finished her tirade. “Are all human females like you?”

Narrowing her eyes at his question, she scoffed. “No, they’re much worse,” she replied sarcastically, tilting her head to the side.

Smirking, he took a step closer until he was nearly up against her. Bending down, he brought his face within inches of hers. She hated at how his smirk widened into a smile as she arched away from his hovering face.

“I’m not scared of you, my little human.”

Little? No one had used that word to describe her since she was a toddler.
Boy, is this guy deluded!

Moving closer into his face, hoping to show him she wasn’t intimidated by his size, she whispered, “I haven’t even shown you how scary I can be.”

His smile widened to reveal his white teeth, which surprisingly were slightly pointier than the typical humans. Before she could move back, as she was planning on doing, his hand gripped her thick waist and jerked her against him. Barely having time to utter a gasp of surprise she found her lips claimed by his hard ones with demanding urgency.

Pulling away, out of breath, he cupped her face gently, “I look forward to finding out.” Taking a step back from her, he pulled a small leather pouch from his belt before holding it out for her to take.

“What’s this?” she asked skeptically, refusing to take the simple pouch from his open hand.

“My offering gift to you, open it,” he urged.

“What an
‘offering gift’
?”

“Before I can begin the
Malrai Hin
, it is custom for a male to give his mate an offering gift. It is how he demonstrates his devotion to her and it also warns other males to stay away from her,” he explained, ending with a possessive tone. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head.

Smirking, he titled his head towards her. “Everything has a meaning here.”

Sliding her eyes down to the pouch, she reached out and plucked it from his hand. Untying the strip of leather around the top, she pulled the pouch open. Reaching inside her fingers instantly encountered something hard and cool to the touch. Pulling it out her lips parted in awe at the white jeweled ornament in her hand. Carefully holding it up to the moon light she inspected it closely. About five inches in length it was shaped like a thin dagger-like hair pin. At the top was a sparkling stone carved into a curled blossom. Like the dagger Dajran had offered earlier the base of the ornament seemed to be made out of a carved diamond.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed out in awe.

“It was my mother’s.” Her eyes flashed up at his with surprise. Glancing back down at the sparkling gift she held it back out to him.