Obsessed (18 page)

She tried to sit up, her breast straining against the thin strips of cloth covering her nipples, but he held her so that she was partially reclining. “Aric! I cannot spend the entire ceremony like this.”

He brushed his lips across hers as he settled one hand high on the inside of her exposed thigh. “This is part of the joining. If we do not carry out the tradition, my people will not allow us to leave the room.”

Before she could protest further, Damianne and Kerriel approached, each with a black silk cloth in their hands.

Liana’s jaw dropped as she looked from the Elvin women to Aric. “You’re not going to tie me up, are you?”

With a grin, Aric replied, “Not exactly.”

Kerriel secured a cloth around Aric’s eyes, and then Damianne tied a matching black band around Liana’s. The Elvin woman whispered, “Enjoy the joining feast, Milady.”

With the heady feeling from the elixir still running through Liana, she almost moaned out loud.

She could not believe she was sitting in front of a roomful of people and was expected to eat her joining feast blindfolded. But the experience heightened her senses more than she could have imagined. Her tresses vibrated and slid over Aric’s arms, and she felt his hard arousal against her buttocks. His hand was hot on the inside of her thigh, mere inches from the center that ached for him.

Her essence soaked in the feel of the air, drinking in the smells and sounds in the hall. Laughter and comments floated up to her from the guests as they enjoyed their meals, along with the sounds of silverware clattering against plates and glasses clinking as toasts were made. The smells of roasted vegetables, pastries and desserts filled her nose and made her mouth water.

Aric’s lips met her forehead, and as he rained kisses all over her face, he murmured, “In a darkened room filled with a thousand people, I would find you, zjenni.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he slipped something hard and sweet between her lips—and then it began melting upon her tongue. It was nothing like she had ever tasted before. She savored the sensation and all but moaned, “Mmmmm.”

“Chocolatyl, a treat made of a rare plant from a country to the south,” Aric said as he slipped another piece into her mouth. “It is known to be an aphrodisiac.” He pressed his lips against hers and he dipped his tongue inside, sharing the chocolatyl with her.

Liana shivered, and she almost whimpered when he drew away. He placed a piece of fruit in her mouth and as she bit into it, juices from the raspberry squirted upon her tongue. Aric again tasted the food from her mouth. The feeling of sharing her food with Aric in such a manner was completely erotic and intoxicating.

Aric fed her a tangy piece of cheese next, and as he savored it with her, he slid his hand further up the inside of her thigh, close to her center.

Gods, how she wanted him to touch her there.

But Aric, we are in front of hundreds of people,
she said to him in thought.

“Do not worry,” he murmured as he removed his mouth from hers. “We are alone behind the table, and no one can see what I might do with my hands.”

Liana opened her mouth to protest, but Aric pushed another piece of fruit between her lips, and she bit into it. Strawberry.

Again he tasted the fruit from her mouth, but at the same time he began lightly running his fingers through her woman’s curls.

He swallowed her gasp as he deepened the touch, slipping his fingers between her folds, and his other hand upon her near-naked breast. The elixir still ran rampant throughout, and the combination of it and what Aric was doing to her body was too much. She became so lost in the feel of his hands that she was barely aware of the sounds of people enjoying the celebration. Being blindfolded, it was almost as though they were alone in the room.

Aric’s motions intensified as he slid his fingers deep into her quim, and then rubbed her oversensitive clit, his kiss deep and passionate. Tighter and tighter the feelings wound inside Liana until her orgasm exploded through her body. If not for Aric’s mouth against hers, she would have screamed with the force of her climax.

Aric held her close as her body shuddered and trembled. “I love you, zjenni,” he whispered.

In the next instant he stood and she grasped him around the neck, hanging on as her world spun behind her blindfold. As he held Liana cradled in his arms, Aric shouted, “Consider us joined.”

Amid thunderous applause, Aric strode out the Great Hall, carrying Liana to their bedchamber.

Holding his zjenni close, Aric strode down the length of the Great Hall. Angelei followed, carrying the end of the train to Liana’s gown. He could barely rein in his urge to rush from the hall to reach their bedchamber as quickly as possible.

“You may remove the blindfold now,” he murmured to Liana as he walked through the crowded Hall.

She bit her lip. “I am far too embarrassed after what we just did. I’m not sure I want to see anyone’s face just yet.”

Aric laughed and kissed each of her eyes through the silken blindfold and he left it on.

The applause continued as he passed visiting royalty from other kingdoms. Liana’s Tanzinite birth parents smiled proudly, and he saw Salana’s eyes glittering with tears.

When he finally reached the double doors, Troyas, his second in command, slapped Aric on the back. “Enjoy the rest of the ceremony with your lovely bride,” he said with a wink. Troyas ogled the near-naked Elvin woman carrying Liana’s train and gave a lusty sigh.

Renn stood at the entrance with his arms folded across his chest, and shook his head. “You shall never see me behave like a sotted fool over a pretty little wench.”

“The wench you speak of is my Queen and yours,” Aric returned with a grin. “And one day you will choke on those words, my brother.”

Renn merely grunted as Aric left the Hall with Liana, Angelei in their wake.

They reached the bedchamber and Aric strode through the double doors and stopped in the middle of the floor. Angelei unfastened the train from the back of Liana’s dress and took it into the wardrobe.

When Aric lowered the still blindfolded Liana to her feet, the movement caused her breasts to spring free of the thin straps.

Raw need slammed into him when he saw her bare nipples and he swooped down to capture the hard bud between his teeth.

Liana moaned as she arched her back and pressed herself into his mouth.

“Pardon?” Angelei’s clear voice broke into Aric’s fierce claiming of his woman.

Liana gasped and pulled off the blindfold, and Aric lifted his head to see Angelei mere inches from them.

“I have a joining gift for you both from Yanea.” Angelei curtsied and held out her hand. A small crystal bottle, no bigger than a strawberry, sat in the middle of her palm. “’Tis for Queen Liana, so that she might experience a true Nordain mating on this eve.”

Still holding onto Liana with one arm, Aric took the vial from Angelei, his puzzled gaze focused on her crystal blue eyes. As it dawned on him exactly what the Elvin woman meant, he smiled and inclined his head. “It is a rare gift she bestows upon us. Please give Yanea our deepest gratitude.”

“Aye, my Lord.” Angelei bowed and exited the room, closing the doors behind her as she went.

“What is it?” Liana quirked her brow as she glanced from the crystal bottle to Aric. “I cannot say I completely trust those Elves.”

“Do you trust me?” Aric withdrew the stopper from the bottle and raised it to Liana’s lips.

“With my life,” she whispered and drank the potion.

It tasted like the chocolatyl—sweet and thick and rich. Liana closed her eyes as she savored the taste. “I feel wonderfully light. As though I am naught more than air.”

“Open your eyes and imagine you are a raven,” Aric whispered, his voice as smooth and intoxicating as the potion. “Feel your body find its new form as you take flight as a nordai.”

Liana lifted her lids, and when she glanced down she saw sparkles—small flashes of light—all around her. Her heart pounded as she realized she was actually transforming into a nordai.

Queen Yanea had truly given her an incredible gift. A Tanzinite born without wings, destined never to fly—until this very moment.

“Take flight!” Aric said as she transformed—her gown becoming feathers as her body became fully nordai.

In the next instant, Liana spread her wings. Her raven’s feet lifted from the floor, and she was flying.

She laughed out loud, the sound coming out like a raven’s cry as she soared around the bedchamber and toward the window. Aric stood there grinning, and then he shifted to his nordai form and followed her out the arched window and into the twilight.

Gods but the feeling of the wind in her wings and Aric at her side was incredible. They flew over the castle, glided above the gardens and then over the Everlasting River as the sunset cast rainbows through its churning waters. Screeching and calling as nordai, Aric and Liana floated on the wind and soared through the clouds.

When Liana was ready for a rest, she swooped down to the garden and settled on the statue of the mating Nordain male and female. Aric landed beside her and nuzzled her feathers with his beak.

I love you so, Liana told him in thought.

And I love you, zjenni, he responded, and Liana realized the Queen had given them yet another gift for their joining eve, allowing them to communicate in thought. I want to mate with you as nordai, Aric continued, his desire clearly spilling into her thoughts.

Liana ruffled her feathers. Gods, yes.

Aric fluttered his massive wings until he was above her—and then he rode her from behind, loving her as only he could.

* * * * *

Their desires raging even more after their nordai joining, Aric and Liana rushed back to the castle. They soared through their bedroom window, wingtip to wingtip. At least a dozen candles of plum and spices had been lit in their absence, filling the room with their warm scent and a celestial glow.

The moment Aric transformed into his human male form, his cock went rigid with lust for his zjenni. His blood raged as he watched his Queen return to her woman’s form, wearing the revealing ceremonial gown.

They stood before the window seat. Liana was a hairsbreadth from him, her cheeks flushed, her breasts free of their bonds. The front of her gown was slightly skewed, almost revealing her soft mound.

He knew he should go slowly on their joining night, but he could not wait another moment to enter her.

Aric pulled her roughly against him and rubbed his hard cock against her belly. “I need you, Liana,” he rumbled as he lowered his head and suckled one of her nipples.

“Now, Aric,” she commanded, her voice hoarse with passion. “Take me now!”

He moved Liana to the window seat, waiting only long enough to unfasten his breeches and free his cock. She braced her arms on the window seat and spread her thighs wide. In one powerful thrust, Aric entered Liana’s slick channel.

Liana cried out as she looked down and watched his long, hard cock plunge in and out of her. Aric hooked his arms under her knees as he slammed into Liana, harder and deeper. Fast and furious he ground into her soft mound.

“More,” Liana begged. “Give me all of your cock!”

Aric felt Liana tense as she reached the brink of her orgasm. She bucked her hips and screamed as she climaxed, sending Aric spiraling over the pinnacle with her. His cock pulsed and throbbed within her core, shooting his semen into her womb.

Sated for the moment, Liana sprawled on the window seat with her gown around her waist and Aric between her thighs. His muscled body was heavy but comfortable as he relaxed against her, their breathing in sync with one another. Their bodies were slick with sweat, the smell of their sex warm and erotic.

That feeling niggled at her again, that there was something she needed to know, yet she couldn’t quite place her senses on it.

Aric stirred, his cock still embedded deep within her, and Liana tipped her head back and moaned. His hands braced to either side of her, he murmured, “You are an incredible woman, my Queen.”

Almost of its own accord, Liana felt her hand drawn to Aric’s temple. “I—I…”

The moment her palm touched his forehead, everything around her vanished and blurred as she fell into a vision.

Liana blinked, trying to discern her surroundings. She was in a dark room with only the light of the moon spilling through the window to see by.

A movement caught her eye. Her heart pounded as she watched a man slither from the shadows like a wraith. Something about him was familiar, as though she had seen him before.

He reached into a cradle and picked up a sleeping child. Silently he stole from the room, and as he carried the tiny girl, Liana realized they were in a castle.

Sky Castle.

The room dissolved and Liana found herself in Fiorn, standing before the cottage where she spent her childhood. The same man from the castle appeared from the darkness, carrying the toddler to the cottage. An old woman came to the door and took the child from his arms.

The blanket fell away to reveal the dark haired girl who opened her eyes.

Silver eyes.

Oh my gods.

Liana’s glazed vision slowly came back into focus and she realized she was back in the bedchamber with Aric. He was on his knees between her thighs, holding her hands in his and murmuring her name, calling her from her trance.

“Do you have a sister?” she asked, her voice hoarse as her gaze met his.

Aric stilled and then nodded. “Carilee. The night our parents were murdered, Carilee vanished. She was but a toddler, and my brothers and I were young men. We spent months doing all we could in our attempt to find her, but feared her long dead.”

Taking a deep breath, Liana swallowed the lump in her throat. “Your sister is alive. She is—my halia, my friend Ranelle.”

For a moment Aric could not process what Liana had said. Ranelle. Her friend.

The gishla?

Suddenly everything made sense. His wanting to cover the gishla’s naked body whenever he saw her, and his desire to help her during the fire when he had forced himself to focus only on Liana’s rescue.