Frost Fire

by Michelle Howard

  Faris rubbed her from shoulders to elbows. More of the tension she held drained away. “I know it will take time to forgive me, but—” He gripped her hands tight and threaded their fingers. “I am very sorry for the pain I caused. So sorry.”

  A lump formed in her throat and Rena could only nod. Wet drops hit her forehead, breaking the moment. They both looked up, blinking. More plops hit her nose as snow fell in fluffy balls faster and faster until they were in a sea of white. Full winter had officially arrived.

  “Do you remember—”

  Before he could finish asking the question, a broad grin broke across Rena’s face. “I didn’t expect the frost to come so soon.”

  Faris dropped his hands from her waist and stepped back. “It makes me think of how...playful you can be.”

  Rena shivered. Playful wasn’t exactly the word she’d used to describe the many times she’d attacked Faris during the cold season or when they had rare snowfall during the warmer season. More like arousing. Their mock battles in the snow inevitably led to them racing to the bedroom to devour one another.

  Faris’ amber eyes darkened and his expression took on a sinister cast. “Run!”

  Without missing a beat, Rena took off like a flash. Thumps hit her back and Rena screamed as she ducked behind a tree. The sight of Faris stalking toward her with single minded purpose sent shivers down her spine. This she remembered. The focus, the intensity, even when they were playing.

  Slow and steady, he kept coming, his hands cupping together. Rena frowned, contemplating backing up with each step when he lobbed the next attack. Snow splattered her right in the middle of her face. Shrieking, she ducked down. Ice cold flakes melted into the collar of her shirt.

  Damn! Rena peeked around the trunk of her hiding space and Faris continued to pelt her with snowballs without having to scoop any of the frozen substance from the ground. He was cheating by pulling on the power of the mantle to create frozen objects in his hands.

  “Unfair,” Rena yelled as she took off again and made her own frosty weapons on the run.

  She launched them over her shoulder with no effort at aim or style then put on a burst of speed. Faris’ chuckle came to her as she dodged a barrage of snow and darted around to double back behind him.

  “Give in, Rena.”

  Calm and cool, the warning caused her to flinch. The icy threat reminded her too much of the past.

  “Amans, I am with you,” he soothed.

  Rena jerked as she reached a tiny grove off to the side and started climbing the tallest tree. Had he sensed her momentary fear? Not responding less she give away her position, Rena straddled a wide branch and began packing snow to create an arsenal for her last stand.

  Calming her heartbeat took care, but Rena treated this as if it were a hunt. She centered her thoughts and eyed her pile of missiles placed in a neat row between her thighs. A wayward grin broke out across her face. Thumping steps far below signaled Faris’ approach. Rena waited until he was directly beneath the curved branches of her hiding spot.

  She gripped a cold ball in each hand then hurled them down on the top of the silver braid glistening in the glow of the moon.

  “Fuck!”

  The curse was drowned out as Rena followed her advantage by sending a rain of snow bombs upon his head. Faris spun around but didn’t run. He tipped his head back, catching sight of her up far above. The corners of his lips twitched.

  “Sneaky, Rena. Sneaky.” Then he flung an arm in her direction.

  Rena didn’t have time to duck as a spray of white flew from his hand in her direction. Screaming, she huddled behind her meager protection, legs straddling the limb beneath her. When the barrage stopped, she took the chance to peer around and took a ball of snow to the face.

  Heart light, Rena swiped at each frigid trail seeping down her cheeks. Rich laughter burst from below. Pulse pounding out a determined beat, Rena glanced down. Dancing gold eyes met her stare, his amusement clear. Not the stilted barely there grin of recent years, but a full robust laugh that made Rena want to wrap herself around him and never let go.

  In fact...

  Rena swung both legs over to the same side of the branch and pushed with her hips. Instinct or the widening of his eyes reassured her because Faris stepped forward and caught her easily. Rena’s legs went around his waist, her arms about his neck. Faris caught her butt close, holding her in a tight grip.

  With a bemused smile, he nudged her face up with his chin and said, “I’m assuming you had a reason for risking a broken limb.”

  Toying with the tail end of his braid, Rena grinned. “I wanted you to hold me.”

  He shook his head and squeezed her bottom. “You only had to ask, Rena. It’s all you ever have to do from this day on.”

  The thread of promise in his words had Rena quivering. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it, Faris.”

  He lowered his head, giving her time to pull away if she wished. Rena didn’t. She held still as he brushed his nose across her cheek. Her flesh tickled, the fine hairs on her arms standing up. He trailed his nose over the bump of her own and paused, their eyes inches apart. Breath wisped against her lips, moist puffs that caused Rena to swallow.

  “Faris.” His name was part question, part moan.

  “I’m here,” he whispered right before pressing his mouth to hers.

  Rena buried her fingers into the hair at his nape and tightened her ankles about his hips. Faris growled, clenching and squeezing the cheeks of her butt as he stumbled forward until Rena’s back came in contact with the rough bark of the tree. She gasped and gripped his head to pull away slightly.

  “Faris, we need to get back.”

  His tongue teased at her mouth. “Here, Rena. Under the snow lit sky.”

  How did such huskily spoken words threaten to weaken her resolve? Then the wind picked up and the snowfall became heavier until they were standing in a swirling cloud of white. Discomfort in the form of a wet shirt and damp hair convinced her to stay firm. “Not here.”

  Faris ceased nibbling on her lips and studied her expression. Whatever he read there must have assured him that she wasn’t going to change her mind. “But later...yes?”

  His look was one of an endearing child, hope mixed with a hint of nerves. “Yes.”

  After a final pat to her butt, Faris lowered her to the ground. He backed up far enough to allow for the shift, leaving a large silver Dracol in his place. Magnificent.

  Scales of shimmering silver and light violet intermixed to create a vivid glowing effect. Rena had always loved Faris in this form. Sharp claws tipped the long bony extensions from his folded wings, a match to the deadly points on his foreclaws and hind legs. He lowered his long neck in her direction and Rena petted his huge triangular shaped head.

  When he raised his arm, she braced her weight and hopped up. A sudden lift and he deposited her at the base of his neck. Rena straddled him and leaned forward to whisper, “I’m glad you found your way back to me.”

  His big body shuddered beneath her and though he couldn’t speak in this form, she took the action for what it was—a sign of his positive emotional response to her statement.

  Chapter 10

  A cloud of snow exploded in the air as Faris landed with a thump in front of his place. Rena covered her face until the cold spray cleared. Shaking wet strands of hair from her cheeks, she patted his shoulder joint on the right. The move rubbed her breasts against Faris’ neck nodules and she barely bit back a moan.

  The thrill of flying had been replaced with an erotic burn between her legs. When he stretched out on his belly, Rena gingerly climbed down from her riding spot and went to wait on Faris’ porch. The desire she’d halted had grown to a full on blaze.

  Faris shifted and strode toward her, determination glinting in his gaze. He was completely naked from the shift and not ashamed. The jut of his cock stood up proudly and his thighs bulged with each step.

  Rena shivered and controlled the impulse to ru
n. His hands latched on to her hips as soon as she was in reach. He yanked her forward, their positioning on the stairs minimizing the height difference so she only had to look up a little.

  “I can barely contain myself for the need I feel for you, amans.”

  The tender endearment brought back a wealth of feelings. She chose to focus on the love instead of anything bad from their past. “Isn’t it great you don’t have to?”

  On a rough growl, he swooped her up into his arms and charged inside his home, almost jogging down the hall toward his bedroom. Rena threw back her head and laughed. Faris glanced down, not slowing his pace, but a curious light entered his gaze.

  Simeon peered from behind one of the closed doors and observed them before nodding to Faris and shutting his door once more.

  Rena played with Faris’ braid as they approached the end of the hall and the door she now knew belonged to his bedroom. “Sorry?”

  Fair shouldered open the door and kicked it shut behind him. “Why? Simeon knows how I feel about you.”

  Before Rena could question that, Faris set her gently on his bed and stepped back, hands on his waist. The smile curling his lips sent another swirl of warmth through her middle.

  “You find something humorous?” Rena slid back until she reached the top of his bed, her back to the thickly padded headboard and the profusion of silver pillows.

  Faris set one knee then the other on the bottom of the bed and crawled forward across the covers, crinkling them in his progress until he kneeled between her parted legs. “This is where I always imagined you. In this bed. With me.”

  Happiness practically danced in Rena’s chest. The ease, the comfort and familiarity of being with Faris was once more attempting to pull her under. Was it worth the risk? Yes! The answer resounded in her head. Faris would always be worth it. Knowing what he had faced and was about to face wouldn’t change that.

  Taking a deep breath, Rena decided to go all in. She curled her fingers in his direction. “Why don’t you join me and tell me all about it. Or better yet, show me what you imagined.”

  His eyes smoldered, going from bright gold to dark amber. Rumbling growls rolled from his chest as he slid higher between her thighs, his broad shoulders spreading her wide. Rena twitched, her skin sensitive to the slightest brush of fabric.

  Faris reached for the bottom of her pants and tugged them free. Rena lifted her hips and they went flying over his shoulder.

  “In a hurry?” She taunted though the desire to plant herself all over him with the same urgency was a battle.

  “Take off the shirt,” he commanded.

  Still in the mood to tease, Rena played with the closures to her top, giving him peeks of her breasts with each shimmy of her shoulder. He lunged forward and Rena scream-laughed as she tried to roll away to the side. Faris caught her arm and shoved her to her back where he hovered above her with a menacing grin. He took the edges of the shirt in his hands and ripped it. The material gave easily and fluttered to the bed in separate pieces.

  The look in his eyes was no longer playful. His arched brow dared her to protest. Rena licked her lips and relaxed, her hands stroking his chest. “Well...now what?”

  “Now,” he rumbled, “I remind myself of how much I used to enjoy the taste of you.”

  Then Faris gripped her calves and pushed her legs back while sliding down her torso. He didn’t break eye contact and Rena knew she’d tempted him to the edge. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from remembering.”

  Where she found the strength to joke, Rena didn’t know. The tail of Faris’ braid trailed along her lower belly, creating its own sensuous glide. He released one of her legs to finger her parted folds. Dew gathered, earning an encouraging hum. His finger teased back and forth, dipping in between to rub the growing nub.

  “This is mine.”

  Arrogant. Rena bit back a smile. “Yes. I’m yours, Faris.”

  In response, Faris plunged two fingers in her opening and Rena went rigid with shock and pleasure. Arousal leaked in response to the driving motion of his hand. Using his remaining hold on her other leg, he spread her wide.

  Panting, Rena tipped her head to look down her front, but all she saw was the top of his silver head as he lowered his mouth to seal over her opening. His tongue glided over the outside of her, laving the bundled knot at the center.

  Sensations rocketed through her. Moisture slickened her inner thighs, running between the cracks of her butt cheeks. Faris moaned aloud, his mouth destroying her sanity.

  Every lick, suck and vibration had Rena rocking up and down, grinding herself on his face. The chase for satisfaction was a compulsion leaving her unable to withdraw or back away. She’d expected him to build her orgasm slowly, but he’d sent her to the edge so fast, Rena’s vision grew hazy. The ceiling swam above as she tossed her head on his pillow.

  Unable to hold back, her cries were nonsensical. A mix of pleas she’d be embarrassed to remember in the light of day. “Faster. More. Right there. Don’t stop.”

  The more she begged, the more Faris gave. Her release slammed into Rena with the force of a sledgehammer from her workshop, rippling up her spine and shooting straight through her head.

  “Fariissss!” Rena reached down to grab the sides of his face and press him to her core. Pleasure rolled down her back, her butt cheeks clenching as she arched up to feel each stroke of his tongue in that one spot.

  It was indescribable. Colors blurred behind her closed eyelids. A thin layer of sweat coated her body as she strained to absorb the dwindling sensations.

  Finally, she collapsed on the bed, drained and out of breath. Faris pulled her spasming hands away and slid up her body. Rena moaned from even that stimulus. Faris’ rich chuckled had her mouth twitching in a weak smile. Rena opened her eyes and faced his glowing gaze.

  “Ready?” The head of his shaft prodded her entrance before sliding through with minimum resistance.

  “Ooooh.” Her internal muscles flexed and quivered, tiny flutters renewing as the threads of her climax buzzed back to life.

  Having him inside added another dimension to the lingering aftershocks of her orgasm, the thick intrusion filling a hole she didn’t realize existed. Faris drew back and rammed forward.

  “Yes!” Rena’s body jolted from the force, but it felt oh so good. “Again!”

  He did it again, groaning. Rena stared into Faris’ creased face, the snarl on his half-parted lips. She clenched around him, her arms going about his shoulders. The burn between her legs lashed at a fire that hadn’t quite dimmed.

  Neck arched back, Faris pounded into her, grunting each time their bodies connected. “Rena, Rena, Rena,” he chanted under his breath.

  The tail of his braid fell onto her heaving breasts. The strain on his face as he sought his pleasure was a joy to watch. Rena thrust back against him, wanting to drive him as wild as he’d driven her. “Give it to me, Faris. Let me own your release.”

  His roar shook the room. Giddy with proof of the depth of his emotions, Rena continued to spur him on, her words taking on a mind of their own. “All of it. I want all of you, Faris. Mine. You’re mine.”

  Faris’ motions grew frantic. Their hips smashed together and sweat slicked between them. His head dropped to the pillow beside her. He was gasping and begging. “Never leave me. Never leave me. Never. Never...leave me.”

  There was no way to soothe the mark time had left upon either of them, but Rena did her best to create new pathways for them. She stroked his hair, unraveling the end of his braid to create a silver curtain about their faces. Her hands were desperate as she gripped, squeezed and rubbed his shoulders, back and sides. Anywhere she could reach as his hips worked furiously.

  The pace he set sizzled along her inner channel, the pleasure almost hinging on pain. Rena’s internal muscles geared for a second release. She grew lightheaded, her skin overheated yet Rena refused to let go again until Faris did.

  “Rena!” He came on a heave, back hunched above h
er. Tremors racked his body from strained shoulders to flexing thighs.

  “That’s it, Faris,” Rena whispered as he shuddered and pumped the last of his essence within her. “I’ll fight for you. Never letting you go, amans.”

  Then she let the orgasm sweep her along with him.

  ***

  It took a while before both of them felt the need to move. Rena enjoyed the press of his weight atop her until she couldn’t draw a deep breath. She tapped his lower back, mindful of the glittering scales and Faris rolled to the side, pulling her into his arms as he did so. “There is something else I want to share with you.”

  Exhaustion tugged at her, but Rena sensed the importance of what he was about to impart. Stroking his jaw, she encouraged. “Tell me.”

  He pushed up beside her, propping an elbow on the bed. His hair was a tangled mess. “The madness—it wants me to do things. Terrible things, violent, destructive things.”

  At first, fear leaped to Rena’s throat. She tried to imagine what possible things would have this strong Dracol concerned. Then calm descended. Faris wasn’t the type to hurt anyone in the sect. His temper was almost non-existent unless you threatened someone he loved. “What do you do when that happens?”

  “Thinking of you calms me. Even when we weren’t together, it worked.” His brows crinkled as he pondered the admission. “Sometimes I’d focus on a memory of you or a time of us together and it pushed the dark thoughts back.”

  “That’s a good thing. To our advantage if it helps, Faris.” She tangled her hands in the loose strands of silver falling about his face.

  “Thank you for not pushing me away despite everything and the way I treated you.”

  Rena would stand in front of Faris if she could to combat the evil invading his mind. “I’m here for you, Faris.”

  She meant it. Her love would let her do no less. First the mantle and now the madness. Rena wasn’t losing Faris again.

  ***

  “Stay the night with me?” Faris ran a hand down Rena’s side, loving the way she shivered and cuddled closer to him, her arms about his waist.