Obsessed (50 page)

Ranelle winked.
In most ways, sister.

Both Liana and Ranelle giggled and Tierra smiled.

The women continued speaking in thought as Liana led them through Sky Castle, down past the dungeons, toward an underground cavern. When Tierra recognized the passageway to the cell Anistana had locked her and Renn in, she could not help but smile. His hard muscled body as he was stretched out on the stone floor, his rigid cock, the way he felt deep inside her…

Tierra quickly turned her thoughts away from images of fucking Renn, praying that her heart-sisters had not heard or seen what was in her mind. She was not ready to share any of that with them. Yet.

When they reached the cavern, Tierra was amazed at the beauty of the colorful glittering world beneath the castle. The pools of water under the sparkling ceiling were crystal green, the air as moist and warm as the steam rising from the water.

“This is one of my favorite places in the castle,” Liana said as she approached one pool. She slid her gown from her shoulders, letting it drop to the smooth stone floor, baring her flawless pale skin. Her breasts were pert, her nipples pebble-hard and the patch of hair between her thighs the same moonbeam color as the hair flowing around her body.

As unselfconsciously as Liana had shed her gown, Ranelle removed her riding outfit. She had large breasts with dark nipples, a slender waist and rounded curves. And the patch of hair between her thighs—a symbol glittered there, a symbol that matched the one upon her forehead—just as Renn had said.

Tierra undressed, ridding herself of the breeches and tunic she was so tired of wearing, and then joining her halias in the pool. The deliciously warm water soothed Tierra’s aching muscles as she settled onto one of the carved stone benches. “This is heaven,” she murmured. “The water is the perfect temperature.”

Liana reached for a cake of soap beside the pool. “I am told this cavern is much like the caves of the world into which I was born.”

“I always pictured Tanzinite caves as dark, dismal places,” Tierra said as she caught the sweet jensai scent of Liana’s soap. “But if their underground world is anything like this, then I can understand why they would make it their home.”

While they bathed, the three women continued catching up on what had happened to each of them over the past several days. The time amounted to just over two weeks, but it was as though a lifetime had passed in the blink of an eye for each of them.

Tierra was still amazed at all that her halias had been through while she herself had been lost in that damned forest. It was unbelievable that Ranelle and Liana were each married and each pregnant.

After meeting both the handsome Nordain King and Elvin Prince, Tierra had determined that Ranelle and Liana had found men that were worthy of her heart-sisters. But she had made it just as clear to Jalen as she had Aric, that she would not tolerate any unhappiness in Ranelle’s life. A spellbinding would do the trick nicely if need be.

The symbol upon Ranelle’s forehead glittered silver and Tierra moved closer on the stone bench. “May I touch it?” she asked, indicating the symbol.

“Of course.” Ranelle smiled and leaned forward as Tierra reached up her hand. “It is called enrli, a sacred design of the Seraphine Elves. Mine is one of the goddess’s symbols for strength, honor, and love.”

“It tingles.” Tierra traced the silver design with her damp fingertip. “Renn told me that you now bear the mark of the Seraphine Elves here.” Her glance dropped to the water where Ranelle’s symbol glittered from beneath the water. Tierra drew her fingers away from Ranelle’s forehead, warmth moving to her cheeks. “And upon your mound, too.”

“Yes.” Ranelle winked. “It is a most enjoyable part of the Elvin world.”

Liana placed her hand upon Tierra’s knee, her sea green eyes glinting with mischief. “We have told you about our husbands. Now tell us how you have enjoyed the fine warrior stud who brought you to us.”

Tierra bit the inside of her lip as she looked from one expectant face to the other. “Ohmylords,” she said in a rush. “Renn is the most amazing lover.”

Ranelle and Liana squealed with laughter, and Tierra could not help but remember the days in their youth when they had shared moments of happiness, despite their caretaker’s cruel treatment. Uba had never squelched their spirits, no matter how hard the witch had tried.

“I knew my brother would be your heartmate,” Ranelle said, her eyes sparkling. “I just knew it.”

“No.” Tierra’s smile died and she shook her head. “I will be bound to no man. In all my life I have never been free ’til now.”

Liana clasped her hand over Tierra’s.
Love frees your heart and soul, sister,
she said in thought.

What Liana says is true.
Ranelle’s voice chimed in.

Perhaps for you.
Tierra frowned.
But I have no desire for such shackles.

* * * * *

Later, after Tierra and her heart-sisters had bathed, they hurried to Liana’s bedchamber and changed into fine silken gowns. A private dinner had been prepared in honor of the guests, with only the halias, Aric, Jalen and Renn to be in attendance.

Without hesitation, Tierra dressed in a translucent gown in a rich shade of emerald green that Liana had brought to her. When Tierra saw her reflection in the looking glass in Liana’s bedroom, she delighted in the absolute certainty that it would drive Renn out of his mind with lust. The gown hugged her body, clearly showing her breasts and dark nipples, and hinting at the fiery curls on her mound.

Liana and Ranelle both dressed in similar gowns; Liana in pale pink and Ranelle in royal blue.

The moment Tierra walked into the dining room, Renn went still, his gaze riveted upon her. She could tell by the way his eyes turned a dark pewter that he could barely control his desires for her. He had dressed in a clean black tunic and breeches, his dark hair shining in the candlelight and his face clean-shaven.

Lords, just looking at the man made her clit tingle.

When she slid into the chair beside him, he leaned close and murmured in her ear, “Would you enjoy it if I bent you over the dinner table and fucked you in front of everyone?”

Warmth crept to Tierra’s cheeks. Her nipples hardened and her core ached so badly for his cock that she squirmed in her seat. “You would not dare.”

“Do not tempt me, wench,” he all but growled.

Throughout the dinner, Renn would casually brush his hand against her breast or caress her leg beneath the table. Slowly he would ease his hand up to her mound, usually when she had just taken a bite of her dinner.

In retaliation, Tierra made sure to rub her breast against his bicep and rest her hand upon the bulge in his breeches whenever he turned to speak with Aric or Jalen.

She would delight in even more revenge once they were alone.

After dinner, Tierra and her heart-sisters retired to the drawing room. The men had escaped to Aric’s study as soon as they had finished their dessert of sugar seed cakes and downed their ale. Tierra had to smile—she’d had the impression the men had no idea what to do with three excited women who could not seem to stop talking.

In the drawing room, Tierra, Liana, and Ranelle huddled close to a fire blazing in the hearth.

“Zanden.” The name popped out of Tierra’s mouth unexpectedly and both her heart-sisters frowned. “I hate to even speak of him but we must.” Tierra reached up to rub the starmark on the back of her lobe as she spoke. “The bastard is coming for us. Soon. If we can speak to one another in thought, then that could give us an advantage over him.”

“He could hear my thoughts.” Liana shivered. “I wish I had done more than wound his thigh with Aric’s dagger.”

“That wound helped me to escape him.” Ranelle offered Liana a smile. “If not for that, I might not have gotten away so easily.” Her expression grew serious again. “I was able to block the bastard from my mind, so I know it can be done. All of us should learn how.”

Liana’s tresses moved as though in tune with her thoughts. “Why does he want all three of us?”

“The Seraphine Chronicles.” Ranelle picked at a thread on her gown. “They predict that one soul who serves darkness might reign over all of Dair, should he impregnate a wingless Tanzinite, a stolen Nordain, and a child of Fae.”

“I thought as much.” Liana leaned back against the blue velvet cushions of her chair. “But how could we make him invincible?”

“I’ve been thinking about this, especially since I learned I have more magic than I realized.” Tierra stood and began pacing the room. “What if the three of us are meant to wield a power together? What if that power is so great that if he found some means of controlling us…something that would make us do whatever he wanted…he could force us to use that power to aid him in ruling over Dair?”

“There is no possible way he could force us to do that. Even for Aric, I would commit no atrocities.” Liana sounded horrified, but definite.

“Children.” Ranelle gave them a stricken expression. “If Zanden impregnated each of us, he could threaten to harm our children if we refused him.”

Liana pressed her hand to her belly, her wan features impossibly paler. “The bastard could use those threats against our unborn children as well.”

Tierra’s horrid nightmare from when she woke in the dungeon came rushing back to her like an icy blast. “Even though I am not a seer and cannot sense and vision as you two can, I believe I had a vision this morning…” She stopped pacing and swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as every word he spoke came back to her.

“In my dream,” Tierra continued as she sat beside Ranelle again, “the Sorcerer said, ‘The babes you carry I will rip from your wombs. I will plant my seed in you and you will produce my spawn. You will have no choice but to do everything I instruct and aid me in my rise to power. All as foretold by the Seraphine Chronicles.’”

Ranelle shuddered and Liana closed her eyes for a moment, still holding her hands tight to her belly.

“Yes.” Liana’s voice was but a whisper when she opened her eyes again. “I sense that your dream was truly a vision.”

Ranelle nodded her agreement. “I sense this as well.”

“Then we must prepare.” Tierra clenched her fists in determination. “Zanden will make his move, and soon.”

The child of Fae is correct,
a voice entered Tierra’s thoughts and she and her heart-sisters gasped, their gazes riveting on the man who suddenly appeared beside them.

Tierra’s jaw dropped as she recognized the man who had appeared before them.

To’en.

Tierra bolted to her feet, fury churning up inside her. She walked up to the pale muscle-bound god of a man and poked her finger at his chest. “What in the name of the gods’ hells do you think you are doing scaring the qinokshit out of the three of us like that?”

“Qinokshit?” Liana murmured and Ranelle shrugged.

One corner of To’en’s mouth curved. “You have my apologies, Tierra.”

“That’s not good enough.” She folded her arms across her chest. “What about all the time I just spent wandering around in the forest, almost becoming dinner for a foul-smelling dragon after being chased by a wild man, and then ending up with the sister from hell?”

To’en did smile then, and he looked so incredibly handsome that Tierra was speechless for a moment—and her heart-sisters sighed.

“Do you not remember my instructions?” To’en’s deep gaze remained focused on her. “To remain out of sight and speak to no one along your journey. To trust none but the one who holds your heart.”

“I did what you said.” Tierra waved her hands as she spoke. “I stayed out of sight, spoke to not a gods’ blessed soul ’til the barbarian caught sight of me and chased me down. And I trusted no one—”

Tierra went rigid as To’en’s words rang through her mind.
Trust none but the one who holds your heart.

Even as she shook her head in denial, Liana and Ranelle laughed and To’en quirked one eyebrow.

With a smile, he reached up and captured Tierra’s chin in his hand, halting her movements. “Listen to your heart, Tierra. It will aid you when the time comes to choose.”

“Remove your hand from my woman,” Renn bellowed from the doorway, “or I will slay you where you stand.”

Tierra’s gaze snapped to Renn’s to see naked fury in his eyes. His fists were clenched, his bare biceps bulging, his veins popping beneath his skin. He looked as though he could easily rip a man’s head from his body.

Gods how it made Tierra wet and her nipples hard to see Renn looking as though he would best a hoard of dragons to save her.

“Renn.” To’en released Tierra’s chin and gave a slight bow. “Aric. Jalen,” he added to the men who had appeared behind Renn.

“’Tis good to see you, my friend,” Jalen said as he pushed past a still furious Renn. Jalen walked to To’en and clasped his hand in a two-fisted grip. “Long has it been since I have seen you in this form.”

To’en smiled. “Long has it been since I was needed as such.”

Renn narrowed his eyes and Aric raked his hand through his hair. “Toen,” Aric said, recognition lighting his black eyes. “I often wondered…it is a pleasure to meet you as such.”

“I am known as To’en when I take this form, rather than as Toen when I am in wolf shape.” He clasped Aric’s hand in a two-fisted grip. “A half century it has been, at least, since I have appeared as a human.”

Jalen nodded. “The battle against Voral.”

“Aye.” To’en smiled. “That it was.”

“Overseer.” Renn planted himself in front of To’en and extended his hand. “My apologies. I did not realize it was you touching my woman.”

Tierra stood up straighter. “I am not your woman.”

Renn continued as though Tierra had not spoken, “But if you touch her again, I will have to kill you.”

To’en grinned and everyone in the room laughed, except for Tierra. She opened her mouth to tell Renn exactly what she thought about him and his possessive attitude, but the words turned into a scream as he grabbed her by the waist and flung her over his shoulder.

“Put me down,” she shouted and pounded with her fists on his hard muscled ass as she hung upside down, her hair covering her face.