"As if I could forget you." I reached down to rub my hand over his hard cock which was straining to be free of his pants. "You're way too much of a brat to forget that easily."
He laughed, his breath hot on my neck. "That's funny, I thought the same about you."
"I'm sure you did." I unbuttoned his pants and slipped my hand inside. "In your case, it's true though." I wrapped my fingers around his erection.
"You can say anything you like when you have my cock in your hand." He moved against me.
"Oh really?" I asked. I pushed his pants down and moved to kneel in the soft earth beside the rock. "What about now?" I licked the tip of his cock and tasted a drop of his warm cum on the tip.
"You can not only say anything, but I'll agree with it." He panted.
I slipped my mouth over his tip and sucked gently.
He ran a hand over my hair, then curled his fingers into it, holding me there lightly.
I sucked him in a little deeper. One hand curled around his base, the other stroked his balls.
He groaned. "Your mouth lives up to your name."
I smiled around his cock and sucked harder.
Slowly, he eased himself out a little, then thrust into my mouth. His cock reached the back of my throat before he pulled out and thrust in again. Over and over he slid in and out with ever increasing urgency, but always gentle.
I watched his face as I sucked. His eyes were closed and his mouth drawn back in concentration. His eyelids fluttered as they always did when he was about to come.
"Summer," he moaned.
I massaged his balls harder, my hand moving back and forth as they followed his cock between my lips.
"I'm going to—" His eyes shot open and fixed on mine as he fucked my mouth harder. With a grunt, he came. His salty cum squirted into my throat like a wave of warm honey.
Without breaking eye contact, I swallowed it down, then pulled my face back from him.
He sagged and panted for a few moments, then grinned. "You're amazing. But…"
I raised both eyebrows at him. "But— But what?" I gave him a menacing smile, which he responded to with a chuckle.
"But now it's time to return the favour." He rose, pulled up his pants and helped me to my feet. He pressed me back against a tree—one which still looked healthy, and ran his hands over my breasts. When his rough palms grazed my nipples, they went hard, almost enough to hurt.
I locked my eyes on his and kissed him, fierce and hungry. My tongue drove into his mouth like I wanted him to drive into me. I thrusted a few times, then he slipped away.
He started to kiss and lick his way down my body, starting with my neck, my collar bones, my chest. He paused to savour each nipple, licking and sucking while I moaned softly. My body was begging for him, but he took his time.
He worked down, tickling my navel with the tip of his tongue, then helped me out of my pants and panties. He looked up at me and smiled, a boyish, carefree look that almost made me forget what was at stake if we failed.
I smiled back, although I wanted to beg him to get on with it.
He crouched down lower and squeezed my ass, then pushed my thighs apart. I raised one foot and pressed it to the trunk behind me, opening myself up to him.
He ran a finger from my navel down over my mound, to the lips of my sex. He rubbed lightly, barely more than a feather-like touch.
I pushed myself forward, silently pleading for more.
He gave it, rubbing two fingers over my mound and massaging my clit.
I bit my lip to hold back a moan.
He slid a finger inside me, then another and bent to taste me with the tip of his tongue.
"So sweet," he murmured.
"I try," I said with a husky laugh.
He smiled up at me and keep my gaze as he licked me again, more slowly and deeply this time. His fingers stroked me inside, speaking and finding the place inside where he could drive me even more wild.
I whimpered. My hips bucked with each lap of his tongue, each stroke of his fingers. Pleasure rose, hard and fast.
He worked me more firmly with his mouth, teasing my folds and lightly running his tip over my clit.
My whole body ached so hard with desire I thought I might explode. I drew in my lower lip and chewed to keep from screaming out his name. My breath came out in ragged pants.
Gods. Gods gods!
Every touch felt so good. I never wanted it to end. I tried to slow my rising desire, but nothing would suppress it.
With a rush, it roared though me like the tide: strong, hard, unstoppable. Hot blood pounded through my ears, blocking out all sound but my own moan which slipped from between my lips. That was followed by a sigh and my whole body sagged a little.
Huon caught me before I could fall, and lowered me onto his lap. I nestled into him while my heart slowed back to its normal rate. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my brow.
"I've been thinking," he said softly.
"That's always dangerous," I teased.
"It often is," he agreed cheerfully. "But this time it might prevent danger. To you."
I pulled back and frowned at him. "What are you saying?"
"I was just thinking you should go back to the capital. Mother could show you where the secret library is—"
"I'm not going back there to hide," I said, angry he'd even suggest something like that.
"I didn't mean for you to hide. If you could look through whatever is in there, you might find something Birch missed."
"He wouldn't have missed anything," I replied. "He was meticulous."
"Maybe, but he didn't know about the keys. If there's one hidden there—"
"Then we'll find it after we find the key in troll territory," I said firmly. "We'll find them all together." Deep down, I knew he was right. If we had a head start on that key, we could find two at once. Waiting might waste time, but my pride wouldn't allow me to back down now.
"The more of us there are, the easier it should be to deal with screamspinners," I pointed out, more weakly that I'd intended.
"I suppose that's true." He drew me back to him. "Although I suspect there will be more to this than just screamspinners."
"Like what?" I asked.
He hesitated. "I don't know," he said finally. "I just think we should watch ourselves. Are you sure you won't reconsider going home?" He sounded hopeful, but with an undertone which suggested he knew what my answer would be.
"I'm sure," I said firmly. "But we should both try to go back to sleep." I didn't try to suppress a yawn. I was sleepy after our activities.
"That sounds like a good idea. Have you got room under that blanket?"
"I think I can share." I rose and started pulling my clothes back on.
"I like sharing," he said. He handed me my panties and watched as I pulled them on without falling over.
"That's fortunate." I found the blanket and swung it around us both for the walk back to camp. "There's plenty of warmth for everyone."
He laughed, soft and low. "The perfect arrangement."
I smiled and pulled him down into the spot where I had been sleeping beside the fire. Saff and Fletcher were both snoring now and Ash seemed to be dreaming.
Huon was right, it was the perfect arrangement.
17
"Are you sure this is the way?" Huon asked.
Tavar turned and gave him a dark look.
"Maybe you should stop asking that every five minutes?" Saff suggested.
"That was not five minutes," Huon protested.
"More like three," I said teasingly.
Huon spluttered in protest, but his eyes shone with humour. "It was at least ten."
"It was eight and a half." Fletcher held up his wrist. He wore a watch with a black band and silver arms ticking around the white face. "I was timing it."
"You too hmmm?" Huon nodded toward Fletcher. "As king of the fae, I could have you executed." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Not if you l
ike your balls intact," I said. I stepped past him and followed Tavar, who had resumed walking.
"I do rather," he admitted. "But you like them too much to damage them."
"Interesting theory," I said over my shoulder.
"Summer isn't lacking in balls," Saff pointed out. "Hers or ours."
I chuckled. "He's right you know."
"Of course I am," Saff replied.
"Are they always like this?" Fletcher asked Ash.
Ash cocked his head and looked from one to the other of us. "As far as I can tell, yes they are. I think it's their way of relieving the tension."
"Ahhh, I see." Fletcher nodded. "That makes sense." To me he said, "At least Huon isn't asking if we're there yet."
"That was going to be my next question," Huon said. "And that's King Huon to you."
Fletcher flushed and opened his mouth, but I socked him lightly on the chest. "No one calls him that."
"That's because no one has any respect for me." Huon mock pouted.
I laughed. "Poor baby."
"See?" he said to no one in particular.
Fletcher smiled, then fell into step beside me. "Wouldn't it have been easier to fly?"
I shrugged. "Tavar refused to let us fly her."
"I also object to flying, if anyone cares," Khat remarked.
"Too scary?" I asked. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
"Certainly not!" He sounded affronted. "I simply like my feet on the ground. Also, I get sick from the motion."
"Ah." Well, no one wanted to get covered in mimicat vomit.
"Maybe Tavar could draw a map and she and the cat could catch up later." Fletcher looked nervous every time Khat spoke. Given the lack of talking cats in the human realm, it wasn't surprising, but surely it wasn't the strangest thing he'd seen in the fae realm?
I eyed him for a moment. "You must be eager to get home?"
He nodded and stepped over a fallen log before he said, "In a way I am. I should check on my houseplants." He averted his gaze.
"There must be someone there who misses you," I said gently. "You mentioned a brother?"
"He probably hasn't noticed I've gone," he replied.
"Well, that's true." I ducked under a particularly brown set of leaves.
Fletcher looked at me in surprise. "Um, thanks." He flushed.
I blinked. "Oh! I just meant because time passes more slowly there than here. You've more than likely only been gone for a day or two."
His mouth formed an O. "Really? I didn't know that."
"Really," I said firmly.
"People might wonder about the beard." He rubbed his chin. "I kind of like it."
"Me too," I replied. "Fae men don't usually grow them. Well, maybe those over the age of two hundred."
"How old are you?" he blurted, then flushed again. "I'm sorry, I know it's rude to ask."
"It is?" I cocked my head at him. "That must be a human thing. We don't care too much here. And I'm a hundred and twenty-three."
His draw dropped. "Wow. You must have seen a lot."
I shrugged. "I suppose so, but I'm barely an adult in fae terms. Saff and Huon too, that's why they act like children." I grinned as Saff turned and poked his tongue out at me.
"See what I mean?" I poked my tongue out in return.
Fletcher chuckled. "You do all seem about the same age as me. I suppose age is just a number."
"Right." A shiver passed through me and I stopped. "What was that?"
"What was—" Fletcher shuddered. "Oh." He looked disturbed. "I felt like an icy breeze went through my blood."
"How could a breeze—" Huon had also stopped and looked at us in confusion. Then he too shuddered. "All right, I get it now. What the fuck?"
All eyes turned to Tavar. I hoped to see her unconcerned, but she seemed troubled. She swallowed visibly.
"They say the souls of the trullen guard the key," she said.
"It would have been nice to know that in advance," Huon pointed out.
"Indeed," Ash agreed. "Will they let fae pass through unharmed?
"They'll have to," I said and resumed walking. "We have to get the key."
Tavar nodded. "They may allow it. They may not. It will depend on the task they've been given."
"Task?" I asked.
She nodded, but didn't elaborate. "The cave is close."
Her words were punctuated by a scream which shattered the peace of the forest. Every winged insect and bird in the area took flight and fled, clicking and squawking in protest.
I jumped, my hand pressed to my racing heart.
"Screamspinners," Ash remarked.
I nodded. Of course it was. We had expected them, but hearing them was another thing, especially so suddenly.
Another scream rent the air, this time from another direction. Another sounded a moment later, from close behind us.
My heart hammered, eyes swivelled back and forth, trying to find the creatures amongst the lower hanging branches.
Yet another scream came from near the last one.
"They're herding us," Fletcher said. His face was pale.
My mouth went dry. "You're right."
"Just a wild guess here," Saff said, "but we shouldn't go in the direction they want us to go. Right?"
Tavar rubbed her earlobe thoughtfully. "It is the direction of the cave."
"Maybe it's not the cave we're supposed to go to?" Ash suggested. Even he looked rattled by the screamspinners.
"What do you mean?" Huon asked.
"The key might be near the cave, rather than in it," Ash said evenly.
"The legend says—" Tavar started.
"Legends have been wrong before," Ash said. "There may not even be a key. Or a cave."
"There has to be a cave. The mimicat council has passed the information down for generations." Khat's tail whipped back and forth in agitation.
"It might be a metaphorical cave." Ash pinched his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger.
"How can a cave be metaphorical?" Khat seemed particularly agitated that anyone would question the integrity of mimicats in general.
"Caves are dark," Fletcher said, as though speaking to himself. "Enclosed. The sides press down on you. You're alone and you feel like you'll never see the sun again…"
I stepped over and put my arms around him. I spoke softly in his ear. "It's all right, you're not in there anymore. We got out, remember?"
He blinked. "Right," he said slowly. "Sorry, I just—"
"It's fine," I assured him. "You went through a lot. No one expects you to get over it straight away."
"I don't suppose you have any shrinks in the fae world?"
I gave him a blank look.
"I guess not." He sighed.
I gave him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back, but kept an arm on his shoulder. "I guess that answers the question. A cave could be a state of mind."
"I once read one of the books in Birch's library," Huon said slowly. "The secret library." He shot me an apologetic look. "Our people used to do mind exercises to relax. Apparently some would go into a kind of spirit world."
"They would meditate and hallucinate?" Fletcher asked.
"What if they weren't hallucinating?" Huon asked. "But actually seeing—something. A glimpse into another world, or…"
"Or a cave," I finished for him. "Tavar, did the legends mention anything about that?"
She shrugged. "The legends are vague at best. They mention this spot and a vault. We have always assumed it was a cave."
Khat paced in front of us, back and forth. "Our stories tell of a place of darkness, fright and endless screams. Only the bravest may enter… Blah, blah blah. And they need magic to do it, but mimicat magic isn't enough. That sounds like a cave full of screamspinners to me."
"Endless screams? What fun," Saff said ironically. He gave a nervous smile.
"Only if you have a twisted idea of fun." I chewed my lip for a moment and thought.
"We can hear the screams fro
m here." I flinched as another one filled the air. "And the souls, or whatever made us shiver, are frightful."
"And we're brave," Huon pointed out.
"Speak for yourself," Saff said. His head jerked around at the sound of another scream.
"I was." Huon patted him on the shoulder and made him jump.
"Gods, what the hells?" Saff turned to glare at him. When Huon only grinned in reply, he made a rude gesture with his finger.
Ash cleared his throat. "We certainly have magic."
"Maybe I'm supposed to blow a hole in the side of the mountain," I said dryly. "But I think we should try this meditation thing first." I tapped my finger against my lip. "Huon, what else did the book say?"
He mimicked my gesture, either accidentally or to be facetious—I suspected the former—and looked thoughtful. "It said something about sitting comfortably and letting the mind wander. I suppose those with the right magic could see into… wherever."
"How are we supposed to get a key from "wherever" though?" Saff asked.
Silence fell amongst us for a few moments, broken only by screams which seemed more distant now.
"I suppose we'll have to try and see what happens," I said.
I lowered myself to the ground and placed my bag beside me.
"All of us?" Fletcher sat, but his eyes were wide.
"No," Huon said firmly. "You, Saff, Tavar and Khat, keep watch. It might be that none of us can do this, but I want you four guarding us if we can."
Fletcher and Saff both looked relieved. Tavar nodded and remained standing. Khat plopped down and started to groom himself.
Ash sat next to me and took my hand. When I looked questioningly at him, he said, "If we do this mind wandering to "wherever" we may be safer if we're not alone."
I nodded and reach out to Huon. Both of their hands were warm and reassuring. Even if we just sat like that for a while, they gave me comfort against the screamspinners and whatever else might be out there.
I closed my eyes, tried to relax. For a long time, all I wanted to do was fidget, to open my eyes and see what the others were doing. I focused on my breathing and shut out the sounds of the forest, and Khat's tongue on his fur.
I exhaled through pursed lips. Just as I began to inhale, icy fingers grabbed me and I was tugged hard into darkness.
Shimmer (Summer's Harem Book 1) Page 10
