Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (24 page)

“I will, but not yet.”
She sent a small burst of energy into him where her hands rested just above his pelvis.

His long moan had her nipples pebbling against his back, but she wasn’t done yet.

“I want to taste every inch of your body.”
Creating a vivid image of her sliding her tongue up his hard shaft, she poured the sensation into his mind, sharing her fantasy with him.

His body jerked against her again.
“I need you, Brienne.”

Her fingers slid over him, teasing him with an energy trail sure to drive the beast within crazy before settling on the waistband of the black sleep pants he wore.
“First we get rid of these.”

Before she could slip them down his hips, he covered her hands with his and brought them down to stroke him through the thin material. His body shuddered against her again, and then in a quick motion, he pulled her hands back to his waist before hooking his thumbs beneath the material and sliding them past his hips to pool at his ankles.

When he turned, she didn’t resist or try to stop him. Her body throbbed and pulsed with a need so intense, she would do anything he asked.

One hand fisted in her hair, while the other pulled her up against his hard cock as he took her mouth in a searing kiss, leaving her breathless. She was so lost in sensation, she wasn’t even aware he had taken her off the floor until the cool sheets of his bed pressed against her back. The heat of his hard body against her had her arching into him, needing more. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she surged forward, seeking relief.

She expected wild passion, needed it even, but when his gaze sought and held hers, she could not catch her breath. He positioned himself and entered her in one long, smooth, erotic glide, and it was all she could do to keep her eyes from fluttering shut. She couldn’t draw enough air into her lungs to stop them from burning. Deep, pulsing heat blossomed in her core, reaching out to encompass her.

She couldn’t tear her gaze away, didn’t want to, as he started moving within her, his slow, sure thrusts stoking the fires higher and higher. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he braced himself on his forearms on either side of her head. His chest rose above hers until only the hard tips of her nipples touched, grazing them against his chest with each thrust of his hips. Her body trembled, ready to explode beneath his, but he showed no mercy.

“You drive me insane, little spitfire.”
He pulled all the way out to the head before sliding back in to nudge at her base, making her muscles clench around him. “I can’t get enough of you.” Bringing his head down to her mark, he grazed his teeth against it as he retreated, and then nipped at it as he plunged back in again. White-hot electricity jolted through her.

The hint of promise blazed in his eyes just before he closed them. She should have been ready for what came next, but when he opened his eyes again, the sensation of his tongue circling first her right nipple and then the left slid into her mind, her body convulsed against his.

“Evan…”
She fought for control. Her body wanted to splinter apart with the pleasure he gave her, but she held on.

“Don’t fight it, sweetheart.”
The gleam in his eyes told her he wasn’t done. “I want to feel you shattering all around me.”

He flooded her mind with sensation, so much so, that only his eyes locked onto hers kept her glued to reality. In her mind, his tongue travelled down her belly to find the sweet spot between her legs. With his cock filling her, and the feel of his tongue flicking at her clit, Brienne was lost. Her whole body tensed around him as waves of pure heat beat over her, throwing her over the edge. Brilliant light, a mixture of both his and hers, blinded her as she exploded around him, through him. Screaming his name, she splintered into so many pieces only he would ever be able to put her together again, but she didn’t care.

Aware of Evan like she’d never been, she closed her eyes and breathed him into her soul. Even as she recovered, he moved within her. His deliberate strokes fanned the embers until her fire blazed hot again.

When she reached for him and wrapped her arms around his neck, he didn’t resist. The weight of his body on hers made the dragon purr. With her legs still wrapped around his waist, when he retreated to plunge into her again, this time, she thrust up to meet him, taking him as much as he was taking her.

Kissing along his jaw, she brought her lips to his neck, and lower to her mark. With the next thrust, she met him halfway again, only to lick at her mark at the same time. His muffled moan rumbled through him and into her.

Nipping at the sensitive spot at the base of his neck, she waited until he retreated almost the entire way before biting down while simultaneously sending the energy from her core into him.

His entire body tensed, and he didn’t move, not a muscle, for several heartbeats. A rumble started deep in his chest, to expand and encompass them as he clamped down on her matching mark. When he moved again, the frenzy he had built, the passion and need, set free. He brought her legs up and over his shoulders before giving in to the savage mating his phoenix demanded. He pounded into her, thrusting and retreating in wild abandon.

His eyes glossed over. Brienne heard his soft words, but had no clue what he was saying. The ancient language of their people, beautiful and compelling, whispered past his lips. The glow of their joined energies undulated and expanded to fill the room.

Pale blue flames erupted over his skin and trespassed onto hers, yet she didn’t burn. Their velvety touch licked at every sensitive spot until she couldn’t see past the haze of shared need. Just when she thought she couldn’t take another second, the flames brightened, concentrating on her already throbbing clit, sending her careening to the edge once more. This time, when she crested her climax, the pulsing and clenching of her inner muscles thrust Evan over the edge right along with her.

Sweat glistened on his skin, sparkling in the sunlight. Brienne couldn’t help but smile. She had never been inside the palace before. In fact, she had never formally met anyone in the Mayfield family other than Evan, yet deep in her soul, she knew she was home.

The deep relaxation of her muscles pulled at her. She was exhausted, but she didn’t want to sleep. Evan’s chest rose and fell with slow, even breaths where her head lay. Every now and then, she heard a soft snore, and she didn’t want to miss even a second of it.

The scymin was back in the hands of the Avalorian people. Her pack and the Coalition were safe, and for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t alone. Even in sleep, Evan’s strong, masculine energy encompassed her, and his arms held her close as though he would never let her go.

Snuggling deeper, Brienne sighed. It wouldn’t be easy, but she would have to convince Evan that her pack still needed her. Once she had the scymin and retrieved the scroll, she could break the curse and be free from her obligations. Then they could truly begin their lives together. She only hoped he would listen to reason and not try to stop her.

How could someone who had devoted his entire life to protecting their people be so stubborn? Brienne took a calming breath. If it was a fight Evan wanted, she was ready. The plush, grey carpet absorbed the sound of her brisk pacing as she walked away from him again. His suite was neat, and ordered… impersonal. Other than the deep blue and silver color scheme, nothing in the sitting room suited Evan.

“I know your intention is to protect me, and I appreciate that you’d want to, but I can’t give up on my mission. Not now.” She turned again, knowing he would still be leaning against the window’s ledge, arms crossed, glaring at her when she faced him. As intimidating as he looked, her heart did a little flip at the sight of him. His brows were furrowed and that infuriating muscle ticked in his jaw, but he was still the sexiest thing she had ever seen. “Once the curse is broken, we’ll all be safer.”

“All I ask is that you rest and heal. I will deal with the Erritrols and their blasted curse.” He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stick up on one side.

If it wasn’t for the fact that she needed to stand her ground and get through to him, she would go over and fix it for him. Better yet, she would help him tousle the other side.

“Evan, we’ve been through this.” Her tone was that of a teacher reaching the end of her patience. “They won’t trust you enough to help them. It has taken me three years to earn their respect. Besides, if you could help them, don’t you think they would have approached you? What they need, you cannot provide. I’m not asking to go alone. You can join me, and once it’s done, I am happy to return to Avalore for good. But for now, I need to go back.”

Evan’s hands balled up into fists at his sides. “I don’t need their trust. I’ll help them find their damned scroll and let them figure it out from there.” He sighed. “It doesn’t have to be complicated.” For the first time, Evan couldn’t keep her gaze. “What if something goes wrong again? What if you get hurt? I can’t take that chance.” His whispered words drew her closer.

“That’s what this is about? Evan, I’m not careless out there. I’ve been on hundreds of missions with the pack and that was the first time I’d sustained an injury worse than a scratch.”

His shoulders tensed, and the muscle twitched again.

The raw pain in his eyes was her undoing. Closing the distance between them, Brienne wrapped her arms around him and rested her head just above his heart. She didn’t need his approval, but deep down she wished he’d trust her enough to give it.

When she pulled back, he looked like he would try to convince her to stay, but he simply shook his head, hugged her tight, and then walked to the door. “I’ll have the men ready to leave in the morning.” With that, he turned and left.

She waited until she heard the door click shut before heading back into the bedroom. So much had changed in Avalore since Rhiannon’s return. When Brienne left three years ago, pain and misery had taken residence in even the cheeriest person. The landscape had deteriorated into brown, rotting vegetation, much like what she’d seen in the Dark Lands. Only in Avalore, the sun still shone, and it was harder to ignore. Now… now the countryside burst with color. The trees boasted bright green leaves, and birds chirped happily from their nests. The people smiled and laughed, and the joy vibrating in the air was almost palpable. Looking back at the near three decades without their queen’s light, Brienne was amazed they’d survived at all. The madness that came with the darkness had stolen far too many lives, but many had made it, proving just how resilient their people really were.

She hadn’t realised just how much she’d missed being home until she’d woken with sunlight warming her face. Evan’s scent lingered everywhere, and her heart contracted. Somehow, they’d have to find a way to make things work.
This
was home, the sunshine, the waterfall, and most importantly, Evan. All of it was home. No matter what, when this was done, she was coming back to stay.

Evan’s bedroom window overlooked the gardens. Down below, people enjoyed the beautiful weather. Some chatted in clusters while others rested in the shade. On the grass, sitting cross-legged in the center was their queen. A small boy, his bright red hair shining in the sun, sat with her, reading a story, and even from above, Brienne could see the boy’s animated expression.

Brienne watched as he finished the story and bounced up, his little arms flapping about like a bird in flight. A soft caw sound drifted to her ears, followed by adult laughter, making her smile at the sight.

A buzz, soft and tentative, rang in her mind. She didn’t have to guess to see who was trying to speak with her. The mental pathway, forged months before, led to only one person, yet the communication had her heart racing and her palms going damp.

“May I come up?”
As expected, their queen’s melodic tone entered her mind.

Her gaze swept back to the woman she’d assisted in the Dark Lands.
“Of course, my queen.”

Brienne caught the fleeting impression of an eye roll and had to stifle a laugh, that was until she realised with whom she was about to come face to face. Glancing down at the oversized silk pants and the T-shirt Evan had lent her, she groaned. She had seen their queen in the Dark Lands when she’d performed the healing ceremony, but Queen Rhiannon had been unconscious then. As far as first impressions went, this would be the worst. She had never been self-conscious, but this was their queen, not some random Avalorian on the city streets. Rushing into the bathroom, she grabbed Evan’s comb and did her best to tame her hair. It took all of two minutes to take out the tangles and plait it, but finding a tie for it was another matter altogether. Dashing around his bathroom, she found nothing of use. In fact, other than a toothbrush, which she shamelessly borrowed, and the comb she’d used, the room held few personal articles. Her heart stuttered. Had he taken her to his personal suite, or guest rooms? For some reason, the idea of him taking her anywhere but his own dwelling stabbed at her heart.

By the time she heard the knock at the door, she had given up on the binding for her hair. The braid wouldn’t last, but it was neat for the time being. There was little more she could do for her appearance at this point, but at least her breath wouldn’t knock the woman out.

Dashing through the sitting room, she tried to quell the butterflies taking flight in her stomach. Who knew meeting the Queen of Avalore would be so nerve wracking. Wiping her clammy palms on her thighs, she opened the door.