Richard: Blood Brotherhood – Erotic Paranormal Dark Fantasy Romance (13 page)

“They’re yours as well, the faeries.” He told her that he was aware of that. “So you could lead them into war.”

“I would. We’d do it together. Not to mention, they already look to you for answers.” She didn’t say anything. “Ryiah, you are their leader, we both are. Hiring someone else to do it, they’re still going to come to you. But right now, they need you to come and be with them. They lost her as well.”

“She was all I had for so long, Rick. She came to me when I was ready to just let the earth take me. She stayed with me, kept me going when there was no one else to even care about whether or not I died.” He held her tighter, and she leaned into his neck. Just his scent could make her feel so much better. “What will I do now?”

“Whatever you wish, love. And know that you aren’t alone any longer. You have me as well as the rest of the Brotherhood. And if this thing with Benton is finally over, I’d like to start a life. One that means we have to get up in the morning and deal with things like the cable company and bad weather. I’d also, if you would too, like to have children. As many as we can.”

She looked up at him and thought of children. “You’d like to have a baby? With me? I don’t think I’ve ever thought.... No, I can honestly say that I’ve never thought of children. Not with anyone.”

He kissed her on the mouth quickly and pushed her to her feet. When she was standing, he did as well and pulled her into his arms. It was a wonderful feeling, having someone to lean on, even during the good times.

“Children sound wonderful.” He held her for a few more minutes. Then she heard someone clear their throat. It wasn’t one of the Brotherhood but one of the faeries. Turning, she wanted to tell her to go away, but knew that Whey was worried about something.

“My lady, my lord, we would like for you to come and see us. There are some matters that need your attention.” Ryiah turned and looked at him, and Rick still held her in his arms. “We have many that should like to take mates. And a few more that wish to start petitioning for the queen to allow them to help with the newborns.”

“You need me to approve you taking a mate?” She nodded and said that most of them, because of the times, had been living as mates, but she needed to approve their unions so that they could go to the queen. “I don’t understand why you need me to say it’s okay for you to fall in love. Isn’t that something that you just do?”

“Yes, my lady, we fall in love. A great many of us have. But without your…I guess you could call it blessing on the union, we aren’t a couple. Then when the time comes for the queen to pick more workers for the flowers, she only takes on mated couples. It makes the children stronger when they are born.”

She could see that. It was the blessing part that bothered her just a little. Who was she to say to them that they could be in love? But nodding to Whey, she leaned back on Rick when they were alone.

“You should know that when they approached me about this a bit ago, I said they’d have to ask you as well. I’m not sure that it would be the same coming from me, but I thought it would mean more to them if we both gave our approval.” Nodding, she pulled away from his body. “We’re going to have to find some time to go home. I’m so hard now that I can barely move without aching to find a place to take you.”

“You have to be at home to do that?” He smiled at her, and she felt her body heat up. “You look very good standing there, hard as stone, and your teeth all showing. Like a big bad wolf that might eat me.”

“Oh, you can bet on that. I’m going to eat you until you’re exhausted. Then I’m going to fuck you until you’re unconscious.” His words, spoken softly and full of need, made her wet. And when she shifted on her feet, trying to give herself a little relief, he growled low. “Let’s get this taken care of so that I can take you.”

“Yes, all right.” She didn’t move. Ryiah wasn’t even sure that she could have without coming. Her body was on fire and primed for him. “I don’t think we’re going to make it to the blessings.”

“No, we’re not.”

He took her into his arms and they were in the deepest part of the woods in seconds. Almost as soon as he put her back onto the ground, he was tearing her clothing off and kissing her. As he lifted her up so that she could wrap her legs around him, all she could think about was that he was going to fuck her. Now.

His hands seemed to scorch her skin. Every place that he touched her, even with his mouth, she knew that she’d bear the mark for days, if not longer. And when he bit down on her breast she came hard, screaming out for more from him even as he suckled.

“I need you.” She nodded, incapable of speech at the moment. And when he dropped before her, his body as naked as hers, Ryiah held onto the branch above her head and spread her legs for him. As soon as he took her clit into his mouth, she cried out again, her body so needy that she was sure she would come several times in the next few seconds.

Chapter 12

Rick wanted all of her. He was sure that she’d give herself to him, in any way that he wanted. It was the deciding what part of her he wanted first that he was having trouble with.

Her breasts were full and tight, her nipples just the right size for him to take into his mouth and suckle on. Even if he wanted to bite them, which he did often, he knew that she’d hold him to her and let him have his fill.

He loved the way that her breasts filled his hands and curved just right to give way to her slim waist. The flare of her hips was full, and her ass so firm that he could hold onto her while he took her from behind. The curve of her body from her hips to her thighs made his mouth water, and he loved the way her calves seemed to be just strong enough to wrap around him, and yet not so overly muscled that she looked off balance. Ryiah had, to him, the most perfect body he’d ever seen. Even the way her neck gave way to her beautiful face was something of beauty to him.

Her scent, her taste, could bring him to his knees. Quite literally. When she moaned deep in her throat, making his cock burn with need, Rick could see stars, and oftentimes did where she was concerned.

Taking her clit into his mouth now, he savored the flavor that was unique to her, and slid his finger deep inside of her to bring her over and over for him. Rick fisted his cock with his free hand. It was either that or he was going to hurt himself. When she came for him, filling his mouth with all her juices, he felt his cock jerk in his hand and knew he was as close as he’d ever been without being deep inside of her. Standing up, he held his cock while she watched him.

“Come on me, Rick.” He shook his head, pulling her to him so that he could fill her. “No, I want to feel you come on me. Spray your come all over me. Then I want you to fuck me.”

When she was down on her knees in front of him, her mouth opened wide, he held onto the tree and thought about watching his cum touch her flesh. And when she licked her lips, as if readying herself for him, Rick felt like his balls exploded as streams of his cum shot from his cock.

It landed on her face, her breasts. Long streams of it touched her nipples and she rubbed it all over herself. His cock filled again as he watched her, his balls curled up to his body watching her slide her fingers into her pussy. When she came again, screaming loudly, he nearly fell forward, his body spent as he continued to fist himself.

She stood up and reached for him. He wanted to tell her that he was finished, that she’d drained him as completely as he’d ever been. But the moment that her body touched his, her cum covered breasts touching his chest, her leg running up and down his, he felt his cock harden again.

Picking her up, his mouth fused to hers, he pressed her against the tree as he slammed into her heat. As he fucked her, hard and quick, she tilted her head for him, offering up her throat for his beast. For in that moment, Rick felt him, the monster that sometimes came to him when he was hungry or afraid.

Biting into her throat, he felt her blood rush over him, through him. He drank, swallowing her life-giving blood as if it were manna for him, which he supposed in a way it was. And when he lifted his head, the blood still moving down his throat, he looked into her eyes and could see her need now, her thirst. Giving her his wrist, he put his mouth over her wound again and came as soon as she bit into him. Rick had to hold onto her or fall on his ass when his body simply gave out on him.

He held onto her for as long as he could. Rick wanted to take them to their room, lay on their bed and let his body rest. But he wasn’t sure he had the energy to do that. Not so much as getting them there, but to even lift her up enough so that he could move. When she giggled, he looked down at her and rested his forehead on hers.

“You’re wonderful.” He grinned and even then felt the exhaustion. “You do know that I think every animal in this forest heard us. And that it’ll be hours before they want to come back here again.”

“Good. We have time for me to try and get my strength back. Christ, woman, you’re going to kill me one of these days.” Setting her down on her feet, he leaned against the tree, not letting her go. “I love you so very much. More than I ever thought possible.”

“And I love you as well. While you rest up, I’m going to go and see to the faeries. I don’t want them to think that we’ve both been eaten by some monster. Besides, if they come here and see us like this, I’m sure I’d never be able to show my face to them again.”

When they were both dressed, he took her hand as they made their way to the open field. He could hear them there, all the faeries. Music was being played loudly, and he could also hear some singing going on. Rick came out from behind the trees just in time to see Remy dancing with Skylar. A dance that he was sure that Remy had learned long before anyone had marked him, and even before Skylar’s great-grandparents even thought of a child being born to them.

The waltz was beautifully done by the two of them. Even as Remy held her in his arms, Rick could see how much he loved his mate. As if he were in awe of her, as well as looking like he was unsure how he’d gotten so lucky.

Rick understood that too, the way that love could make you feel like you could hold the most precious thing in the world to you, yet feel so undeserving at the same time. Pulling Ryiah to him, her body feeling as much a part of him as his own flesh and blood, he wondered what they would all do when this was finished. When they were able to go about their own lives, everyday mundane things, and not have to worry about when something or someone was going to try and kill them. He was sure the time was coming, but for him, not soon enough.

Even as he was walking toward them, his new friends, he thought of the children he might have with Ryiah. What they would be like and how they would—

The pain of the earth took him to his knees. He saw the rest of them fall as well, Remy nearly atop Skylar, the faeries taking to the skies to get away from whatever it might have been that had hurt someone so strong. The queen appeared before them, her body as racked with pain as theirs, possibly more so. Rick held his body up with everything he had, trying not to put any more pressure onto the ground beneath him. And when the queen started to sob, Rick knew as surely as he was feeling the pain again, stronger now, that they were no closer to ending this war than they had been before.

~~~

Master felt the water boil around him. Fish, dead and blackened, floated by him as he made his way to the surface. Lifting his head above the line of water, he felt the air around him. It was hot, the steam rolling around him the perfect cover for him to see what was surrounding him.

Nothing. Not a soul around, not even anything living in the waters around him. Lifting his body from the water, he stepped upon the land and felt rejuvenated. Stronger than he had before, mended in ways that he knew made him perfect. Tilting his head back, he took in a great gulp of air, feeling it fill his lungs, igniting a fire in him that he’d not felt in decades. Leaning forward again, he let out his hot breath. Fire came from his belly and blew hot flames out to the trees and land before him.

Trees burst into flames, falling to the burnt ground even as he filled his lungs again. Spraying his heat over the stone mountain, Master felt wonderful, his newfound strength gaining more rather than draining as he walked toward the mountain, burning whatever he wanted on his way.

The stone crumbled under his feet. Sand now, it gave him a little trouble, but he loved the heat of it as he smashed it under him. Walking over the still burning trees, he lifted his wings up, fanning the flames so that they would spread his fire out to more land. Master was making his mark. He had not a clue why it was so important that he do so, but he knew it was important that everyone knew that he was here.

His arm that had been useless before was strong. His wings had been tattered and torn. They were not only whole now, but thicker, stronger than before. Lifting himself up, his wings only moving at half speed, he knew that should he want to he could fly around the world and never tire.

Master moved his tail, knocking the dead trees and stones miles from where he stood. The water behind him, covered still in a heavy mist, was dead of all life. He had no idea how he knew that, but as surely as he was standing here, he was sure he’d killed it. Roaring out his pleasure, his lungs filling again, he burned a path up the mountainside and smiled.

Whatever had happened when he’d landed in the water, whatever magic had been there, had given him life. Not just life, but had repaired him in ways that he’d never thought possible. His arm was back, his tail no longer a stump. Master was whole. Master was perfect.

Going into the cave, he burned the walls, not as much as the stone near the now dead water, but enough to warm him. He was forever cold before, but now he was near freezing. Flame was set to the stone in the middle of the room, and when they were hot, almost liquid hot, he sat down and let his mind work on what had happened.

Clearly the water had been magical. Or perhaps it had been him that was magical, and his being in it had given it and him what had been needed to heal. There was no doubt that he was completely healed. Nothing on or inside of him hurt, nor did he feel weakened by the use of his body. Master thought perhaps he could take on Rembrandt and his Brotherhood right now and come out the victor.

“They think you dead.” He nodded at Ward when he spoke to him, his body dead, he knew, but talk to him he did. “They know not that you are well, and stronger. You will have the advantage this time. You can take them.”

“And I shall.” He thought of his voice and wondered at it. It was rough, strong, but sounding as if he’d been hurt somehow and had not healed properly. “Those little creatures did this to me. They were in my mouth, and I think they hurt me with their magic.”

“I would say that’s about right.” He nodded at the invisible Ward. “Do you suppose that when you kill him, he’ll have any idea that you’ll be king? That you and you alone will rule the realm that he worked so hard to save?”

“I care not what he thinks so long as he is dead. And he will be now.” Master lifted his arms up and flexed them. He’d never been this strong, not even when he’d started out on this mission to rule. Picking up a large stone, he crushed it with his arm that he knew had fallen off when he’d been banging around the waterways. “I should like to see him as this, between my fingers, and watch his face when I squeeze the very life from him.”

“You’ll do it, too. And gather the stones for you to use.” He had no idea why he thought so, but Master doubted that he’d need the stones any longer. “Not for you, Benton, but for your army.”

“I’ve no need for an army. I am an army.” He stood up again, heating the walls to his cave until they began to melt. Sitting down, he knew that he’d have to be careful from now on. He’d not want to have a mountain falling upon his poor head. “I’ve no hunger either. Not for food or for anything else. Magic, I think it’s magic that has brought me from the brink of death, and it has given me all that I need to kill him. It feels as if I have their blessing in this. Perhaps they are just as tired of Rembrandt as I.”

“I like that idea. You have been given a great gift in this, and you are going to win.” He nodded again at Ward. “I have spoken to Dolin and he said that he shall remain quiet for now. He does not want to tax you in talking to us both. I think, and I have thought this through very well, I believe you should rest up. Give your body a chance to grow stronger. You will need to be at your best when you take on Remy and his men.”

“He has women there as well.” Master thought of the women that he’d encountered when he’d been there to kill Rembrandt. “They were strong, but not like me. And I am far smarter than Rembrandt now. My mind is working out a plan even as I speak with you. I have not just become stronger. I am superior to him in all ways.”

Ward agreed with him. Master thought of resting and knew that Ward was right. He wasn’t going to tell him that, of course. The man was hard enough to listen to as it was. If he thought himself right, again, he would be impossible. Lying down on the warmed stones, he thought of the many ways he might kill Rembrandt. First and foremost, he was going to kill that woman.

“I shall tear her in half. Just take her body into my great claws and pull her apart. Then I might toss her away while Rembrandt begs for her life. When he is devastated, which her death will do to him, then I shall tell him that it had been my plan all along. It was to bring him to his knees over a woman. His woman.” Ward told him he was most brilliant. “I am. I have said this to you before.”

“So you have, so you have.” Master closed his eyes, thinking of his plans and how he was going to make them happen. “You will need to get more of the stones. An army, like the one that drove you to the water, will need to be put together.”

“Nay, I have told you, I’ve no need for an army. I will take them on myself and win.” He knew that he could and didn’t like that Ward kept insisting that he was going to need help. “If you do not stop in this army business, I shall not speak to you again. I have more power than I have ever had. And there is no reason for me to think that the earth will not come to my aid should I need it. Rembrandt will be dead soon and I will rule all.”

But he would have an army. Those little creatures that had attacked him, they would be his. He would have to rule them harshly; they did try to kill him after all. But without their help, he might not have ever figured out that the water was what he’d needed and that the earth was his ally in this. She would help him like none other. And if she did not, then he would destroy her as well. Master was going to rule and the earth was going to have to learn who was boss.