Embrace the Power: A Paranormal Romance (The Blood Rose Series Book 9) (8 page)

Her coos turned to a series of moans.

He drew back and searched her eyes. “One last chance.”

Her lips curved. “What are you waiting for, Mastyr. I’ve already said yes.”

In a sudden whirl of motion, Stone levitated, picked her up with both arms then laid her out on her back on the slab of marble. At about the same time, he pulled her beneath him.

She was a very physical woman, this shifter part of her, and she loved that he was strong enough to make the aerial move. This was all Stone, his ability, his muscles, his strong warrior physique.

She felt him, the size of him, what she’d seen him hold in his fist. He settled his palms beside her shoulders and kept himself suspended above her. He held her gaze with the ferocity of his green eyes, his mossy irises with shards of gold.

This was her time with Mastyr Stone, no matter what happened in the future.

His gaze fell to her neck and the moment it did, she once more tilted her head in response, exposing the long line of her waiting throat.

~ ~ ~

Stone’s fangs throbbed in his gums all over again and he let them descend once more. His nostrils worked like bellows now because her scent was really getting to him.

The wound in his abdomen was completely healed and the blood he’d taken from her wrist had eradicated Margetta’s poison. But he still needed more blood to return to his usual Guardsman self.

Within his chest, he felt his mating frequency light up.

What the hell? His mating frequency had been dormant for a long time. So long, in fact, he’d thought it dead. But here was a fae-shifter, with red hair, and blood that smelled like the woods around the castle of Ferrenden Peace and his heart was on fire.

Her eyes popped wide. “What is that? What am I feeling?”

His gaze fell to her lips. “My mating frequency just came alive. Maybe you’re feeling yours as well?” He leaned down and settled his lips on hers.

He felt an electrical current that had him moaning. What was it about this woman?

When he drew back, she put her fingers on his lips. “Can you feel that, Mastyr?”

“The soft vibrations? Yes, and call me Stone.”

Her gaze slipped back to his eyes. “Stone. I’ve known who you were for a long time, I know your reputation, I’ve read every blog written about you. And here you are on top of me.”

“So, you really do want me.” His lips curved.

She slid her hands down to his waist and pulled him against her. She rocked her hips into his, then rubbed to feel him. “I want this, Stone. I want you. Buried between my legs. I can’t explain it, but I need this. You almost died out there tonight and getting you back here where you could be healed, well it’s done something to me. Take from my vein, and use my body. Now.”

Something about the force of her voice, put him in motion. He stopped questioning whether or not this was the right thing to do. For now, he would slake his thirst on Aralynn’s blood.

When she drew her knees up, he reached low, took his cock in hand, and pushed inside. The fae-wolf was wet and so ready that despite his girth he slid straight in. He groaned heavily and kissed her first on the mouth, then all down her throat.

Her hands were wild on him, grabbing at his arms, his shoulders, his back. She cooed, cried out then gripped his ass hard.

He drove into her a few times, letting her get used to him, while he licked a solid line up her throat.
I’m going to bite you again.

Do it.
How easily she pathed with him. The woman had power.

He paused the movement of his hips, then angled as she tilted her neck.

He heard her sharp intake of breath.
Stone, this is going to feel so good. Sweet Goddess!

When his fangs descended, he bit quickly to the right depth. Blood, tasting woodsy and full of herbs, once more flowed into his mouth. His cock twitched and bucked inside her then he began to drive once more.

He formed a careful seal around the punctures as his fangs retreated. He began to suck and with such a bountiful flow within his mouth, his whole body went haywire.

As fire flooded his chest and his heart, his mating frequency spun so fast, he got dizzy. Though he’d only stroked her sex a few times, he was ready to come.

Aralynn, I won’t last long. Your blood has wound me up like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

I won’t last either. Go for it. Give me all you’ve got.

~ ~ ~

Rosamunde was already rising toward a strong wave of ecstasy, only a lot more was involved than just the sweet spot between her legs. Pleasure flowed hard and fast around her chest and her mating frequency sparked and sizzled as though summoning Stone’s.

Suddenly, his frequency broke through her chest, covering her own, swirling over hers and intensifying the pleasure as it crested. She shouted as he suckled her neck and drove in hard thrusts into her sex. He lifted off her neck shortly after then shouted as he came as well, his hips moving fast.

Her own ecstasy tore through her once more, taking her sharply to the peak again. Her back arched and her hips rose to meet his as he released into her. She screamed, the pleasure was so intense.

“Aralynn.” His deep vampire voice called to her. “Open your eyes.”

She hadn’t even known they were closed as she blinked then met his fiery green gaze. His mating frequency was still swirling around and over her own, stroking her in a way she would never have believed possible.

She moaned. “Sweet Goddess, that feels good. But you’d better stop. We really don’t know each other well enough, right? I mean, a bond would follow.” Bonds like this one would be permanent.

He stared at her, then peered into her eyes as though he didn’t understand. “Aralynn, I would swear for a moment your eyes were violet, like the queen’s. Is there a chance you’re related?”

Rosamunde had to think fast. “I don’t know. Maybe.” Great, now she was telling lies.

Her heart pounded all over again, but for a different reason. She needed to own the truth. But how in the world was she supposed to tell him she was Rosamunde?

He stroked her cheek, then her throat where he’d fed from her. “Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was surprised, that’s all. And I know you have immense power and I also know that you’re fae. It sort of makes sense that your eyes might change color. They definitely do when you shift into your wolf form.”

“That’s true.”

He relaxed against her while still holding most of his weight off her body. “A beautiful amber brown when you’re a wolf.” He caressed her hair. “Damn, I feel better. Healed. Your blood is amazing, just like the rest of you.”

Rosamunde finally took a decent breath. She slid her fingers into his long black hair. “This was wonderful, Stone. I mean not Margetta attacking us. But being with you. I can’t explain it, but it feels so right.”

He kissed her. “Very right. And I love your mating frequency.”

Rosamunde focused inwardly for a moment, on how their frequencies flowed over each other, back and forth almost with affection but certainly with a sense of belonging. She’d meant it when she’d said this felt right. It felt perfect.

She blinked and focused again on Stone. “I think we’d better disengage our frequencies, don’t you?”

“Probably a good idea because I’m having all sorts of visions about keeping this going.” He rocked his hips so that she could feel him. He was firming up again.

Her whole body did a rolling arch and she squeezed her eyes shut once more. “You feel too damn good.”

He chuckled.

She smiled up at him. “All right. We’ve got to be sensible and I’m going to do this.” She gripped his arms suddenly and lowered her chin. “I’m going to send your frequency packing, but you’d best hold on.”

His lips quirked once more. She was pretty sure he thought she was offering a challenge. “I’m ready. Show me what you’ve got.”

She revved up her internal skills and with a sudden jolt that passed through her chest, she pushed his mating frequency out of her body.”

His brows rose. “That was something.”

She caught his face in both hands. “I’m missing you already. But I think we might have work yet to do tonight and I promised Rosamunde I’d check in with her.” How easily the lies rolled off her tongue now.

“You’re right.” He sounded reluctant as he eased out of her and made his way off the table using levitation. Even so, he took care not to jam either of his knees into her thighs or any other part of her body. She took it as a sign of his general consideration as well as his agility. There was so much to like about Stone.

He picked up the towel from the end of the table and handed it to her. She slid it between her legs, yet didn’t mind at all that she lay so exposed and vulnerable on the marble. She trusted Stone that much and of course the wolf part of her felt very natural without anything on.

Keeping the towel in place, she sat up and let her legs dangle over the edge of the slab. He’d turned away from her and was checking the room out, so she took the opportunity to do the same to him.

Somewhere in Margetta’s attack, his hair had come loose from the woven clap and was wild around his face and shoulders. He looked like the warrior vampire he was and desire for him spilled over her entire body once more. His tattoos called to her as well. If ever there was an invitation for exploration.

He was phenomenally well-muscled, a stallion in every respect. She wanted more and her mating frequency still hadn’t settled down even though she’d kicked him out.

When he’d made a full circuit of the table, he finally said, “Aralynn, I remember getting hit then falling. I was sure I was a dead man. How did you get me here?”

She told him about the violet wind she’d created similar to Margetta’s. He frowned. “How did you do that?”

She shrugged, but for a moment she had to think exactly what to tell him. Davido wouldn’t want him knowing about the elf-lord power in her kingdom. “Honestly, I’m not sure. But I think it’s the same stream of energy that provides the prescient visions for our missions. All I know is that I couldn’t let you die. As I focused on somehow saving you, I experienced an unusual surge, I created a violet-colored wind which allowed me to outrun Margetta and get you safely to Ferrenden Peace.”

He nodded slowly, his brow furrowed as he digested what she’d told him. He glanced around once more. “So, where are we exactly?”

“I brought you to Joseph’s lair. The forest gremlin I told you about.”

“Oh, right. Given the short height of the usual gremlin, this place is much bigger than I would have expected. I don’t even have to duck.”

“Apparently, Kaden is one of his good friends and he’s very tall.”

He turned to look at her. “Who’s Kaden?”

“The powerful elf who healed you.”

“Right. But
who
is he? Does he live in Ferrenden Peace?”

She slid off the table and grabbed her leathers and vest. “I’m really not sure. I think so, but I’ve only met him a couple of times and we’ve never talked at length. He’s a friend of Davido and Vojalie.”

Dispensing with the towel, she stepped into her pants and pulled them up quickly. Now that she was off the marble slab she suddenly felt self-conscious. It also didn’t help that Stone was still completely naked. Desire for him was always a quick thought away as it was, but all his beautiful flesh kept hounding her.

Stone grew very still. “Now that I think about it, I’ve felt Kaden’s power before. I know I have.” He turned to stare at her. “Actually, it reminds me of yours, what I sense when you teleport to me. It’s very different from anything else in the Nine Realms.”

“I think you’re right. I think the power is very much the same.” He was getting way too close to the truth for comfort. She buttoned up her vest, but avoided meeting his gaze. At some point, she’d have to tell him about her true identity and that the power she made use of was essentially what was called elf-lord power. But she couldn’t, not right now.

“So you don’t know Kaden very well?”

She shook her head. “As I said, not really. But Joseph seems to like him and trust him.”

Stone chuckled. “From what I remember of Kaden’s exchange with Joseph, the latter is a real piece of work.”

Rosamunde laughed. “He actually would have stayed and watched us if Kaden hadn’t called him away.”

Stone called out. “Master Joseph, where are my clothes?”

Rosamunde remembered the scissors. “Kaden had me cut them off because of the poison, though the Guard coat and pants were already ruined because of the direct hit.”

Joseph’s high, somewhat whiney voice called back. “Your duds were bloody ruined, Mastyr, but I have some you can buy. Hey, Ow. Knock it off, Kaden.” More muttering, then Joseph continued with. “I’ve got your boots. They’re fine. And I’ll see if I have some other Guard pieces that might fit.”

“Anything will do.”

“Look sharp!” Joseph called out.

Rosamunde watched as in the next split-second, a large, pink bath towel hit Stone in the face. She chuckled.

He glanced at her, grinning. “Yup, a real piece of work.” He wrapped the towel around his waist.

Rosamunde was relieved that finally at least part of his body was covered up. But those arms. Those shoulders.

She had to look away. Had she really just had sex with the Mastyr of Tannisford, one of the biggest hunks in all the Nine Realms?

She stood up a little straighter. Yes, she had. She’d bagged a big one, maybe the biggest one of all.

And it felt good.

If her conscience prickled, she set aside those concerns. She had no doubt there’d be a reckoning for her lies, but it wouldn’t be this moment.

~ ~ ~

Stone moved to the marble slab and leaned his ass against the edge. He wasn’t even sure what Joseph generally used the marble for. Although that was true of most everything Stone had seen in the lair so far. He’d never been in a forest gremlin’s home before. Or maybe this was a place of business, Stone wasn’t sure.

Though he was underground, and there were no windows to give him a sense of distance, his vampire abilities allowed him to assess that he was at least a hundred feet or more from the front rooms but only fifteen feet below ground.