Twin Flames (9 page)

Chapter Twelve

Warm hands traveled the length of Raven’s body. She arched beneath them as they caressed her swollen breasts, squeezing each pert nipple until the pleasure was so intense it bordered on pain.

Devlin.

His warm body slid into the bed, the length of him pressed against her. Muscles rippled against her skin as he pulled her closer. She had so much to ask him, so much to tell, but in this moment all she wanted was to feel his body, feel the strength of his cock as it slid into her to take possession.

She arched against him until she could feel him pressed firmly against her ass. It wasn’t enough. She wanted him inside her, wanted to feel the power of him plunging into her woman’s core. The sensitive flesh between her thighs swelled at the thought, weeping with her juices.

Devlin’s hand smoothed between her damp thighs, making Raven whimper with need. “You missed me,” he murmured, his breath hot. She groaned with pleasure as he took control of her body, his fingers working their magic. When he finally entered her, filling her with his cock, she screamed with the joy of it.

He was back, and he was hers.

The next morning Raven woke alone. Fear lanced her heart. Had it all been a dream? But then Devlin appeared around the side of the bed and her heart stopped pounding.

“I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered.

He settled on the bed beside her and pulled her close. His strong hand stroked her bare back. “Me too. But you won’t lose me again.” He moved to face her. “I promise.”

“What do you mean?”

He only shrugged, a mysterious smile on his lips. “I have no intention of losing you. Not again.”

His words troubled her as the day progressed. What had he meant? There was much to do. She spent the main part of her day tending to the wounded. It was nearly dusk when she received the summons.

She was wanted by the Council.

Fear threatened to choke her. What did they imagine she had done this time? Was she to be punished because the enemy attacked?

Returning to her rooms, she dressed carefully, not wanting to offend. By the time her escort arrived, she was trembling, her hands shaking so badly she stuffed them in her pockets so no one could see.

She followed the guard down the narrow corridor that led to the Council room. Her fate waited behind the stone door in front of her. It was all she could do not to turn and run. But she was no fool, they’d find her anyhow.

Her heart pounded as she stepped into the blazing circle. This was a different Council, she reminded herself. They were fair, just. Well, to their own people anyway. They had yet to apply that same standard to her.

At the guard’s insistence, she knelt before the new leader of the Council. A position called the Flame.

“Stand, my child,” the old man ordered. His white beard nearly brushed the floor.

As she stood, she noticed Devlin standing to the side of the circle, at his brother’s side. He gave her a reassuring nod, so quick she would have missed it had she blinked.

The Flame rose and beckoned her towards him. She stopped only when she could go no farther.

“It appears we were wrong about you.” He reached forward to place his hand on her head. “You sacrificed yourself to save our people, despite our poor treatment of you.”

Had he just said what she thought he said?

Raven stared at him, shocked.

“Our prince has assured us you are to be trusted. We wish to reward you both for your valor in such a dark time.” He glanced to the man beside him who then rose. In his hand were the two amethyst teardrops that had brought them through the portal. They had conjoined. “Take this and keep it with you. It will keep your thoughts pure.”

He beckoned for Devlin to join them. When he stopped beside Raven, Devlin dropped to his knees.

“Fathers, I do not understand.”

“Ah, my prince, you have a choice to make. If you’re truly two halves of the same soul, it will be a difficult one.”

Devlin rose to his feet and wrapped his arm around Raven’s waist. “Tell me what I must do.”

“You have both proven yourself. In light of this, the Council has agreed to bend the rules, allow you to mate.”

Raven’s heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest. This couldn’t be happening.

“Or,” the Flame continued, “Raven may return to the world from which she came. The choice lies with you and only you. We will not stand in the way of your decision, but you only have until sunrise to decide.” His speech concluded, he nodded to the other members and they rose as one, disappearing into the shimmering air.

Raven turned to Devlin, grabbing his arm. “Did you know this was going to happen?”

He shook his head and she wondered if he was in as much shock as she. “We haven’t much time. Let’s go back to our rooms.”

She nodded, following him along the corridor. When they were safely inside, the door locked behind them, she turned to him once again. “They would let me go home,” she whispered. “I could see my sister, my world.”

“Or you could stay here with me.”

The very thought terrified her. To stay here in this strange land, with its strange customs? “Would you have to return with me?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” he whispered, “that is why I am being given the decision. To let you go I must give up everything.”

“What are you going to do?” She had too much love for him to plead her case. No matter the decision, both options required a tremendous amount of sacrifice.

He cupped her chin in his hands. “I will make the right decision for us. I promise.”

She nodded. “There is only one thing I want you to know before you decide.”

He cocked his brow in question.

“I love you. And I will love you no matter what you decide because I know you will do what you believe to be right.”

“Damn it, Raven. You’re making this more difficult.”

She smiled slightly. “I don’t believe they said it would be easy.”

Chapter Thirteen

Devlin had known it would come to this, but he was unsure if he could go through with it. Raven sat beside him, silent. In her eyes was an unspoken plea. She wanted him, more so than he had ever imagined, but she also wanted her freedom, her world. And since he loved her he had to give her up, forever.

Twelve men in flowing silk robes marched through the entrance of the chapel, and he knew the time for his decision had come.

He took Raven’s cold hand to lead her to the dais, but she pulled him back. “Please, don’t make this decision for me. I know it’s the custom—”

“Shh…” he murmured, secure in the knowledge he was doing the right thing. “Everything will be fine.”

As they moved forward, the head elder rose to his feet, his white robe flowing behind him. “You have reached a decision, my child?”

“Yes, Father.” Devlin stood before the Council, Raven tightly pressed to his side. He had no regrets. “Give Raven her freedom.”

She gave a startled gasp. “Devlin, no!” Ignoring the councilor’s stern gaze, she grabbed his arm and jerked him to face her. “I want to stay here, with you. You would never be happy in my time. You already spent centuries suffering there. Your heritage is here and I’m not going to take that from you again.”

How was it possible this beautiful woman was willing to sacrifice so much for him? Gently, he touched his finger to her soft cheek. “I can’t ask you to do this.”

A slight smile played on her lips. “You didn’t. I offered.” She lightly kissed his mouth. “This is what I want.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he murmured, “Are you sure? This is forever.”

“Positive.”

Devlin released her, turning once again to the Council. “I will abide by her wishes. We stay here.” His heart pounded in his chest as he said the words. Despite all his doubts, despite the forbidden nature of their union, she was his mate. His savior.

The two conjoined teardrops that hung from her neck spoke more eloquently than he. Their blazing fire was a constant reminder of the eternal bond.

Devlin bowed before the Council. “With the Council’s permission we will perform the bonding ceremony tonight.”

“It shall be so.” The new Flame smiled broadly. “You have our blessing and the blessing of the king.

Devlin stared at his older brother. He took Chalice’s outstretched hand, murmuring a quiet. “Thank you.”

Chalice gave a slight nod. “Go prepare before I change my mind.”

Grinning, Devlin handed Raven off to the women. They would prepare her in the ways of his people, ready her for him, as he would ready himself for her.

Raven followed the twelve elder women for several minutes before she realized they were leading her to the sacred hot spring beneath the city.

She did not understand the ritual required to take place before the ceremony could be performed. No one spoke of it. Raven was relieved at the decision Devlin had made, but still felt uneasy at the impending bonding. She had assumed it was similar to marriage, but now she wasn’t so sure.

“Where are we going?” she asked the women as a whole. No response was given. They continued to walk, heads bowed, with her in the middle.

She trembled as they led her into a dark antechamber. The stone room was lit by a thin white candle that provided more shadow than light.

The women circled around her, hovering in the darkness, chanting in a language unlike the dialect of their people.

The eldest of the women stepped forward. “You mate with our prince. He is a man of great power. You must be ready to bond with him physically, emotionally and psychically. His power will flow through you and yours through him. This cleansing ceremony is necessary for that to happen. You must trust us to prepare you.”

Raven stepped back only to brush against the circle of women. “What are you going to do to me?” Her breath stuck in her throat. She had to trust them. There was no other choice.

Her eyes shut as the women stepped forward to undress her. Their hands were surprisingly gentle as they stripped her of her clothing. She was nude as they led her through the darkness to hot spring where they helped her into the water.

Six thick vanilla candles had been placed around the pool in the shape of a pentagram. The power flowing between them brushed against her as she slid into the steaming water. The scents of sage and sandalwood soothed her frayed nerves.

She leaned back into the water, laying her head on a soft cloth pillow. The water lapped at her naked body, embracing her smooth curves like a lover.

Allowing her eyes to drift shut, she lost herself in the moment. The soft chanting of the women echoed through cavern as they circled around the bubbling spring. In time, her heart began to beat in sync with the rhythm of their song, lulling her deeper and deeper into a dreamlike state.

She barely noticed as they helped her from the pool. Long rivulets of water trickled down her bare skin as they led her toward a small white platform.

As a whole, they smoothed her skin with lavender and rose oil, the scents enhancing her already relaxed state. The silk gown they dressed her in was slit to the highest point of each thigh, dipping down in the front to reveal her breasts. Her arms were left bare from the cloth, the right dressed in a silver band around her biceps. As they led her from the platform, she regained a shard of control over her senses. Thankful they had left her hair to flow down her nearly bare back, she ran a hand through it, glad for the touch of something tangible.

Never had she been so carefully prepared, her every sense tingling with awareness. The dress flowed around her as she walked, smooth against her soft skin.

One of the women stepped forward, a white silk handkerchief in her outstretched hand. “It is time,” she murmured. Gently, she moved behind Raven to drape the cloth around her eyes.

The darkness made her senses even more acute. The smells of lavender and rose danced around her in the slight breeze. The fall of her hair was smooth against her bare back.

The women led her through an unknown corridor. Anticipation made her limbs anxious to move. By power of will alone, she kept them still, determined to play the part of passive captive.

Eyes closed against the soft cloth, thoughts of Devlin filled her mind. The feel of his powerful body against her fingertips, the softness of his hair beneath her hands, his golden gaze that read her soul and understood what it had found.

He was her love. Her only love. She would be lost without him.

The air changed as they passed through the final doorway. A strong scent of vanilla carried on the breeze, filling her senses with the aromatic fragrance. The room was warm as they stepped inside, and she could feel the fire of the candles burning along the walls.

She itched to tear the blindfold from her eyes. Thankfully, at that moment, it was taken away and her vision cleared.

Devlin stood before her, robed in a pair of white silk pants, barefoot and bare-chested. A silver band lay strapped to his right biceps. There was a faint insignia, but he was too far away for her to make it out. The candlelight rippled along the muscles of his well-defined abdomen, and his pale skin gleamed in the darkness.

He was magnificent.

He belonged to her.

Completely entranced, she allowed the women to lead her towards him and into the circle of light. Waves of power flowed around and through her as they progressed.

As she reached the crystal altar, Devlin handed her a silver goblet filled with clear liquid. She tipped it to her lips and let the drink flow down her throat. It burned its way into her stomach. A pleasant burn, one that made her senses all the more acute, her desire all the more potent.

She was still floating in awareness when one of the elders stepped forward, a long silver strand in his hand. He wrapped the rope around Devlin’s wrist first, then crossed and wrapped it around Raven’s. Either hand on their foreheads, he began to recite the incantation.

Raven closed her eyes, blocking out the sound. She couldn’t understand the words, instead she focused on the sensations racing through her body. She had never felt desire such as this. The urge to touch Devlin was near overpowering. She wanted to trace the muscles of his strong, flat stomach, wrap her hands around his neck and pull him down to her lips, strip him of his clothing and wrap her fingers around his cock. She was slick with moisture and she was near orgasm. Her cunt clenched with want.

The room fell quiet. Silent, her eyes barely open, she watched the women file from the room until it was only her and her lover. A cry of need sprang from her lips and she turned to him, her hands resting against the smooth hardness of his chest.

“I need you,” she whimpered. “Now.”

He didn’t say a word, didn’t have to. The rough onslaught of his mouth told her he felt the same. She shivered as he brushed the silk straps from her shoulders, allowing the dress to fall away into a white pool on the ground.

She stood before him nude, her body aching. Her thighs were damp with her arousal, her pussy swollen and aching for his cock.

She cried as he cupped her breasts in his strong hands, nipping at one hardened nipple until she screamed. She wanted him to plunge inside her, to fill her until she was overflowing. Stripping him, she grabbed at his cock, but he evaded her movements.

Gathering her in his arms, he slowly placed her on the wolf-skin rug that lay in front of the altar. Her body clenched as he slowly licked at her belly, his hands pressing her thighs wide so he could taste her.

When his mouth found her cunt, she screamed. Thousands of inexpressible feelings coursed through her mind, while her body, awash in sensation, lost control. As she came, he lapped up every last drop, growling deep in his throat, his breath warm.

Unable to stand it a moment longer, she grabbed his head and pulled him forward, wrapping her legs around his hips. His mouth met hers in a fierce embrace as his cock penetrated her core.

It was as if his soul dove inside her body. Suddenly, she felt everything—his power, his strength, his emotions. They all coursed through her blood. Now she understood what the elders had meant. They were now one.