Obsessed (72 page)

The goddess knew he’d had no choice but to take Natalie to safety through the Deep to Fae. It had been entirely too clear to Evvan that the Sorcerer was determined to murder Natalie.

At the thought, Evvan bit back a snarl of rage. When he reached Astral, he would leave Natalie in the Fae’s safekeeping, and then track down the Fae killer and slice the bastard into so many pieces, and then feed him to the qinok in the toxic Xardu Moors.

As they neared the exit that would lead them to Wilding Wood and Astral, Evvan’s cock rubbed against Natalie’s backside while they rode L’th’amir. By the goddess, he could never get enough of the delicious nectar of his heartmate, or of the feel of his cock thrusting in and out of her. Often he wished to allow his seed to join his fluid when he came, so that his babe might grow in her belly. But nay, that would have to wait for when she was ready.

Natalie continued to prattle on, almost incessantly. To Evvan’s surprise, he enjoyed listening to her. The more he learned about his heartmate, the more he realized that indeed, he had loved this woman for time on end, long before he had discovered her existence in this lifetime.

For he was certain he had loved her in many lifetimes before.

She asked him question after question about his world and people, and insisted he speak to her in the language of the Devline so that she could learn it as well. It pleased him that she mastered his tongue and that she spoke to him fluently within a short period of time.

Each day when they stopped for sustenance, or for rest, Natalie also demanded that Evvan teach her how to master her powers—those that she was now aware of. She learned her powers amazingly fast for one who did not know she had magic ’til now. Soon she was able to freeze a boulder in midair when he tossed it for her, and with just a thought she could rip a stalagmite from a cavern floor and fling it across the chamber’s expanse.

An uneasy feeling haunted Evvan as they progressed along their journey. Would the Fae Killer be waiting in Wilding Wood, knowing that Evvan would take her there?

The Sorcerer had failed to murder Natalie in Merth Darkling—no doubt she would never be safe ’til the bastard was dead. Could she possibly be free from danger in Astral if Evvan left her there in Anistana’s safekeeping?

Aye, she would be.

Anistana was many things, but negligent with her charges, she was not. With a pang, Evvan remembered the Fae Queen’s face as she held her dead friend. The Faerie Simoone, who Evvan failed to protect. Both he and Anistana felt incredible responsibility for each life entrusted to their care.

Evvan intended to find the Fae killer and slay him before the murdering bastard had opportunity to come near any Fae—much less Evvan’s l’tiani—ever again.

* * * * *

Natalie had begun to think they would never see daylight again when they neared a rock wall and Evvan announced, “The land of Fae is beyond that barrier.”

L’th’amir continued his pace as they neared the wall, and Nat squeezed her eyes shut. No matter how many times they had done this—gone through what looked to be solid walls—she couldn’t get used to it. She’d learned that they couldn’t just go through any walls, only special spelled entrances and exits. Not that having that information made it any easier on her stomach.

Her eyes still closed, her body tingled with the now familiar sensation, telling her they were passing through the barrier. A cool breeze then brushed her cheeks and a plethora of smells almost overwhelmed her senses.

Evvan made a soft murmur in her ear that was almost a chuckle. He never laughed and she had only seen the vague hint of a smile upon occasion. But when she was sure he was close to smiling, funny things happened in the vicinity of her heart. A sort of twisty, melty, squishy feeling that made her want to swoon like a heroine in a romance novel. The ones with the big, gorgeous, muscle-bound guys, and the women who fell in love with the studs after knowing them for what, days, hours, minutes even?

Natalie gulped.

Not her. Uh-uh. No way.

“We are through the barrier, l’tiani,” Evvan murmured, amusement in his voice. “You no longer need keep your eyes closed.”

She shivered from the feel of his warm breath on her neck as she opened her eyes. They were in a dense forest that had a strange blue mist hovering above the ground and curling around L’th’amir’s hooves. Gold sap spilled from nearby trees, giving off a soft, golden glow.

Natalie turned to look at Evvan over her shoulder and her heart flip-flopped at the way his dark eyes were looking at her. Damn. Definitely squishy feelings inside.

He cupped her face and brushed his lips across hers. “Be prepared,” he said as he pulled away.

Natalie blinked at him. “For what?”

For me,
a feminine voice said in Nat’s mind.

She yelped, turning from Evvan to see where the voice had come from. “Who said that?”

Evvan sighed and said, “’Tis Anistana,” as he dismounted.

“Ani-who?” Nat frowned at Evvan as he helped her down from the horse. “Who the hell is she?”

Anistana giggled in Nat’s head, the sound kind of like a small win in Vegas on the dime slots—when they used to have dime slots, anyway.

Would you truly like to know, lost one?
the woman’s voice inquired.
Are you ready to understand?

Natalie propped her hands on her hips and glared into the forest. She was exhausted, in desperate need of a bath and a clean change of clothing, not to mention in dire need of her toothpaste and deodorant. And God knew she would kill for a cup of Starbucks dark roast right about now.

“Cut the crap,” Nat all but growled. “Stop talking in my head and don’t mess with me. I’m not in the mood for it.”

L’th’amir pawed at the ground, and Evvan groaned.

“What?” Nat turned her scowl on him. “She was rude first.”

Rude, am I?
Anistana’s laugh had a wicked ring to it, as though she delighted in the description.
You truly have no idea…but soon, you most certainly will, little sister.

“Do not worry.” Evvan raked his hand through his black hair. “The Queen will not harm you. Submit you to pleasures of the flesh, mayhap, but you shall be fine.”

Natalie’s jaw dropped and she looked at him as though he’d grown another cock. “What in the hell are you…” she started, but her words died as everything around her turned blue. As though someone had taken one of those blue Dwarf bastards and swirled them up in a blender, and she was dead center.

Even as she opened her mouth to scream for Evvan, her senses filled with the scents of roses and lilies. Her voice failed her, her arms were pinned to her sides, and her eyelids grew heavy. So heavy she could hardly hold them up.

“You shall be fine,” Evvan’s voice came to her—kind of tinny, like a bad phone connection. “Just try not to raise her ire further.”

Fuck off,
she thought the second before she dropped into a deep sleep.

“Miz.” Natalie’s head throbbed like she’d been trampled on by at least half of New York’s pedestrians during rush hour. She rolled onto her side and snuggled under the blanket.

“No more club-hopping with you,” she murmured, her voice coming out slurred. Every time she and Miz got together for a night on the town, she’d wake up on her apartment floor, or Miz’s—depending on what city they’d been in at the time.

Nat never could hold her alcohol. One Cosmopolitan martini, and the next thing she knew she’d be making out with some muscle-bound guy on the dance floor—never mind that he could have been a former convict or a fast food restaurant reject. Of course Nat did have Miz with her. A one woman security force, she could intimidate the biggest man. With one look, and a twist of her four-inch heels into the man’s foot, she’d send ‘em packing.

What a freakin’ bizarre dream. Natalie groaned as memories of the dream returned to her, one after another. The dragon…a golden horse…the incredible blue Hulk…a bitchy woman…a bunch of mist that looked like blue cotton candy…

And the sexiest man she’d ever had the pleasure of fantasizing about. Odd that she’d fantasize about a man with pointed ears and a ridged cock.

Mmmmmm.

She sighed as she burrowed further under her covers, the throb of her head gradually easing. A part of her, a very large part of her, wished it had all been real—well, that he had been real.

Evvan.
Her dream man’s name had been Evvan.

Damn. Why did it feel so intense, as though it had really happened?

And in her dream, she’d—wow. She’d actually fallen in love with—with an Elf?

But what a sexy Elf he’d been. Her heart clenched and she squeezed her eyes tighter, wanting to bring him back. Wanting him to be real.

If she tried hard enough, she could almost smell his musk of pine and forest breezes. Could almost feel his hand caressing her hip beneath the blanket, could almost hear him as he murmured, “Wake l’tiani.”

Natalie’s eyes popped open. First thing she noticed—judging by the gold furniture, crystal walls, and the silver trees growing in the room, whose leaves made a soft tinkling sound by the way—she wasn’t in her own bedroom. Second—she was naked. Third—there was a man lying behind her, stroking her hip beneath the covers with his callused palm while nuzzling her neck. Oh my, here was the biggie, literally… Fourth—he’d just pressed his very large, very hard, very ridged cock tight against her ass.

And how about a fifth (of Vodka, please)—he smelled of forest breezes.

“Evvan?” Nat rolled over in his arms and found herself face-to-face with her dream man. For a moment she could only stare at him, taking in his strong features, the tattoos along his cheekbones, the careless fall of his mane of long black hair—and those incredibly sexy pointed ears.

He propped himself up on one arm and studied her as he stroked her nipple with his thumb.

“You’re real,” she whispered. “All of this is real.”

A puzzled expression crossed his dangerously handsome face. He brought his hand up and stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I do not understand you when you speak in your own tongue, l’tiani.”

“Oh.” She smiled, her heart swelling with so many feelings—happiness, uncertainty, and definitely lust—that she thought she might just erupt. A regular Mt. Vesuvius of emotions. “Never mind,” she replied in the Devline language.

“You are so beautiful.” Gently he brushed hair from her eyes. “If the goddess had a face, surely she would look like you.”

Warmth spread throughout Natalie, her nipples coming to hard points and her core aching as though she hadn’t had sex in a year. To hear this powerful man say something so sweet, it just about made her melt.

An icky, gooey, I’m-in-love-with-you kind of melt.

Evvan flung aside the blanket, moved over her, and eased between her naked thighs. His body fit perfectly against hers. She wriggled beneath him, arching her hips up. “I want you, Evvan.”

“Forever.” Gently he brought his lips to hers and she sighed into his mouth as their tongues met and mated.

Forever.

She didn’t want to think about that now. Didn’t want to contemplate anything beyond this moment, in the arms of the man she loved.

I love him.

The thought made the moment, the time with him so much more precious. He explored her mouth with his tongue, kissing her so thoroughly that she felt tipsy—like she’d just had a Cosmo, and the alcohol and gone straight to her head.

“I cannot get enough of your scent,” Evvan murmured as he moved down between her thighs. “And your taste—’tis the most powerful of elixirs.”

He lapped at Natalie’s folds, his tongue sending spirals of sensation throughout her. She slid her hands into his hair and grabbed him by the ears as he devoured her.

Just as she reached the pinnacle of her climax, the now familiar burst of warm energy flowed from Evvan’s body, straight to her core and throughout her body. She cried out, her hips like a bucking bronc and his mouth the rider.

She still vibrated as he rose up above her and placed the head of his cock to the opening of her channel. His dark gaze fixed on hers, he slid inside, filling her up, heart and soul.

“I love you, l’tiani,” he murmured as he thrust within her, the ridges driving her quickly toward another climax. “You are more than my heartmate—our souls have been mated through time. We join once again, for all that is eternity.”

“Yes.” Her voice rose as the intensity of his momentum increased. “I—I love you, Evvan.”

His expression turned triumphant, his black eyes flashing. “Come with me,” he demanded as the warm glow began to pulsate within him and through him, straight into her. “Now.”

Natalie shouted as her orgasm exploded throughout her body, and as Evvan yelled her name. Fireworks exploded within her mind—like around the Statue of Liberty on the Fourth of July—brilliant colors and flashing lights filling her sight, taking over all that she knew.

* * * * *

This time when Natalie woke, she knew exactly where she was—well, that she was in Evvan’s arms, on another world called Dair, and she was in a gold and crystal room with silver leaves tinkling overhead.

What she didn’t know, was who the hell the naked redhead was who was sitting at the foot of the bed, watching her and Evvan sleep.

Nat pushed herself up in a hurry, using Evvan for leverage, and he grunted as he woke.

“Who—” Nat started to demand, when she noticed gossamer wings flapping in a slow, lazy motion behind the woman, pushing the scent of roses and lilies over them, just like she’d smelled in the forest earlier.

Wings.

“Are those real?” was the only question that came to Nat’s mind. Forget that the woman was naked, her nipples large and rosy, and her mound shaved of all hair.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Do not tell me you are as daft as my twin, Tierra.”

That voice—Nat recognized it in a heartbeat. “You’re Anistana…and you’re a Faerie.”

“Brilliant.” Anistana rolled her emerald eyes towards Evvan. “I do not suppose you could have found one with a little more intelligence?”

Nat’s face flushed. “Listen, you bi—”