Magical Seclusion

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  We didn’t stop for another ten minutes, and when we did, I had to wonder if we’d walked through a portal at some point.

  The slope finally flattened out before we walked through some brush, then came out into a small clearing with grass going up to my knees.

  “Come on,” Lombardi said and led the way. The grass was silky as it brushed against my skin.

  “Are you sure nothing is going to eat me?” I asked, eyeing the tall grass, looking for signs of its inhabitants. “Davies was going on about a movie about humans fawning over dinosaurs. There was one scene he talked about where they walked through tall grass and the little raptors picked them off, one by one. I’m walking behind you. I’d be the first to go.”

  Lombardi chuckled. “I promise, nothing is going to eat you.” He pulled me forward until I was beside him. “And now you aren’t behind me. They’ll have to get through me to get to you, and I’m not easy pickings.”

  The moonlight barely exposed Lombardi. His dark skin blended in with the surrounding blackness. Add to the fact that he felt powerful and dangerous, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think I was standing next to a true predator in his natural habitat.

  “Here is good,” he said when we got to the middle of the clearing. His energy tightened around him briefly before expanding out in a gush of intense wind. I blinked and wiped my hair out my face and then gaped.

  “How’d you do that?” I asked, turning in a circle. He made the area flat around us, just big enough for the both of us to lie down.

  “Energy is more than what allows me to change forms. Those with enough can do other little tricks. Nothing as showy as you with your magic, but enough. This is just one of them.”

  I considered his words as he sat down, tugging me along with him until I was sitting in front of him. His chest pressed against my back, his heat seeping into my skin and wrapping around my bones.

  “So, you drew the energy to you and then shoved it outward, forcing the grass down,” I mumbled.

  He chuckled. “I’m not a science experiment. Don’t get any ideas.” His arms wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me closer to him.

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “Now we wait.” His lips were right by my ears, and I shuddered at the feel of his warm breath. I opened my mouth to reply when he said, “Quietly. You’ll scare them off.”

  That piqued my interest and I stilled, my focus on our surroundings. I could just see over the grass. Something in the distance yowled, and I stiffened. It sounded way too close.

  Lombardi ran his hand down my arm, causing my skin to prickle and hair to stand on end as I became even more aware of his body against mine. All my nerve endings woke when he did it again, and I nearly melted into him. Lombardi stiffened when he felt the change within me, but he didn’t say anything or do anything as he continued to rub my arms.

  A rustling caught my attention and something the color of azure blue lit the night sky. About the size of my head, it rose from the tall grass into the air, glowing. Another azure blue light rose and went toward it. The two orbs circled each other and slowly, more came out of the tall grass to join in on the fun the first two seemed to be having.

  My breath hitched. I had no idea what they were, but they were gorgeous and I was transfixed as they danced around, bobbing up and down. The minutes ticked by as more and more joined in, filling the sky until the small clearing was completely lit up. They kept interacting with each other, playful. When one came near, I reached out to touch it.

  Lombardi’s hand snatched my wrist back down before I realized what happened. “They bite,” he whispered into my ear, his words barely a breath. The one nearest me floated for a moment before zooming off to bump into another light. That seemed to set off a chain reaction, and they all began bumping into each other.

  I giggled, unable to hold it back, and they all stilled. I bit my lip and held my breath, hoping I hadn’t scared them off. When they started moving again, I sighed. I wasn’t ready for them to go.

  That continued for the better part of an hour until finally, they whirled together, creating an image of a tornado before dispersing off into the night and disappearing from sight. Once in a while, I saw a flicker of blue between all the trees, but then even that disappeared when they were far enough away.

  “What were those?” I asked. “They were like will-o’-wisps, but not quite.”

  “Shades. They’re souls of the dead. They aren’t strong enough here to take on their full shape.”

  “Ghosts. Those are a type of ghosts?”

  “Yes. Aes sidhe who died on this side instead of in the Otherworld. There is a sidhe nearby, so they’re attracted to this area in hopes of being able to get back home.”

  “That’s depressing.”

  “Not really. Many of them are having fun. As you saw, they’re playful. And every few weeks, someone comes over to help them cross over. Not all of them leave.”

  “Why not?”

  “Still having fun as they are now and just aren’t ready. They usually are after a while and then move on.”

  I shifted and turned my head so I could look up at him. “What happens to those who are never ready?”

  Lombardi hesitated for a moment before squeezing me closer to him. “Their spirit becomes corrupt and they need to be taken care of.”

  “Are you the one who takes care of them?”

  “Yes.”

  I turned my body so I was facing him completely. “You’re a good man, Dwight Lombardi.”

  Lombardi shivered. “Say it again,” he said, voice gruff.

  “Say what again?”

  “My name.”

  “Lombardi?” I teased.

  “Laila,” he said with frustration.

  “Dwight.”

  He shivered and his hands went back to my waist, fingers digging into my skin, but not painfully, more like he was using me as a lifeline. He leaned forward and ran his nose along my cheek, up to just behind my ear before taking in a deep breath, scenting me.

  “You guys aren’t fair,” I breathed out, my body responding to his touch, needing more. “You get me worked up. Over and over. But you won’t do anything about it.” My lips brushed against his cheek.

  “We talked about this. We’re waiting until you’re ready.”

  “I am ready.”

  He released my waist and ran his hands up and down my back, nearly turning me into goo.

  “You’re not. None of us are willing to be a notch in your bedpost.”

  I snorted.

  He ignored me and continued. “What we want with you is more than fleeting. We won’t be a one night stand. We won’t disappear on you, and we won’t let you disappear on us in the morning. When you finally understand that, then you’re ready.

  I groaned and closed my eyes, resting my forehead on his shoulder. “You make me sound like a slut.”

  “Laila!”

  I jerked up and away from him. The moonlight was just enough to see the fierceness of his expression, mouth thinned out, eyes narrowed, Black Dog prowling behind his eyes. “Don’t ever say that. None of us think that and you know damn well we aren’t virgins either. You like sex. There is nothing wrong with that. Fuck, I like sex too, and I’ve had my fair share of women in my bed. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  I drew further away. “Then why all this fucking determination? You guys are giving me a blue bean.”

  “A what?”

  “You guys get blue balls. Well, I get a blue bean. My clit hurts!” I banged my head against his shoulder and he stilled. I banged my head a couple more times, all my frustrations boiling out now. “You guys will kiss me, press me against a wall, and let me feel your rock hard bodies against mine. You set my blood on fire, make my skin burn, and yet you guys keep leaving me hanging because of your fucking notion that I need to feel more than just lust before we can do anything. I’ve been patient. I’ve been good. But damn, a girl can only take so much. This is torture, painful torture
. I need attention. I need a man’s hand on me, giving me a damn release, because my vibrator is not working. Neither are cold showers. And neither is my logical side. I’m about to just tie one of you up to my bed and take what I need. If I thought I could get away with it, I would. But the last place I want to be is in a cell. I just want someone to relieve the tension.”

  I finally drew in a breath, my lungs hurting from the long rant. Lombardi didn’t say anything. His hands weren’t even touching me. With my eyes closed, I felt like I was just straddling a wall made of rock. Only the energy coming off of him reminded me that I was leaning against a person.

  “Lombardi?” I pulled away and looked up at him. His expression was completely closed off, eyes hooded. “Dwi—”

  I was moving. The cool ground met my back, and I gasped at the sudden displacement. I tried to sit up but hands pushed me down. Lombardi came into view.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Do you really want release?” he asked.

  It took me a moment to process what he’d said.

  “Do you really want me to get rid of your… blue bean?” His lip twitched and my body relaxed. He was still Lombardi.

  “I thought sex wasn’t on the table at this point in our relationship,” I challenged.

  He leaned forward and rubbed his cheek against mine. “Oh it still isn’t. But we both know there is more than just intercourse. I’ll give you release, if you still want it.”

  I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  His lips crashed into mine, and I groaned, my body arching against his. His knee slipped between my legs until it pressed against the most intimate part of me. Not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind, I hooked one leg around him and buried my hands in his hair, pulling him closer as I opened up and allowed his tongue to tangle with mine.

  Energy and magic crackled around us, making my skin impossibly sensitive to every brush of contact. Lombardi withdrew, and I groaned, not wanting him to stop, fearing that he’d pull completely away and not give me what he’d just promised.

  He chuckled, the sound deep and dark, stirring up all my wildest fantasies. Out of all the guys, Lombardi was one of the ones I knew could make my wildest fantasies into a reality.

  “Don’t worry, I’m going to finish what I started.” He shifted until he was between my legs, forcing me to spread them further to give him room. I could feel his hard dick against my core, and if I were in the right position, I’d grind against him. He sat up and lifted my shirt, exposing my stomach to the cool air. I shifted so I could pull my shirt off and it disappeared into the darkness.

  Before Lombardi could change his mind, I took off my bra and threw it in the general direction of my shirt. He froze before running his hands along my stomach, stopping just shy of my breasts.

  My nipples hardened at the thought of him touching them and giving them the attention they deserved. I had good breasts. I knew that and so did Lombardi. They were big enough to fit in a man’s large hands, but not so big that they popped out of bras.

  I couldn’t see him well in the darkness, but my body felt Lombardi’s perusal as he took his time taking me in. I really needed to take some time to come up with a spell to allow me to see in the dark. My body grew impatient the longer he stared at me. I needed him. Now.

  “Lombardi,” I moaned, needing his fingers pinching my nipples, or better yet, his teeth biting into the sensitive flesh.

  “Laila,” he said, a slight warning in his voice.

  “Dwight,” I tried again and loved the effect it had on him. He shuddered, his hard length pressing even harder against me when his hips jerked. Then he leaned forward and gave me exactly what I wanted—his hot mouth on my needy nipples. His hands massaged both mounds as he nipped and licked at one of them, until the nipples hardened and lengthened, demanding more attention. My girls were always needy and Lombardi seemed more than happy to comply.

  When he nipped at the sensitive flesh, my body jerked upward as warmth and energy shot straight to my pussy and my panties grew wet. If he kept this up, it wasn’t going to take me long to orgasm. With all the teasing without release I’d been getting, I really didn’t need much. My body knew what was coming and was more than prepared for it.

  He switched his focus to the other nipple before shifting so he went down my body. His lips skimmed my skin, creating goosebumps along the trail of fire he built as he went lower and lower, exactly where I needed him most. When he got to my stomach, he kissed along my belly button. I didn’t even realize how sensitive the area was until his lips touched my overheated skin.

  I gasped, enjoying the scrape of the bristles along his jaw. No doubt, come morning he was going to shave it off. He liked to stay clean shaven, but for tonight, I lucked out on the feel of his scruff.

  While he gave my belly attention, my pants disappeared. Somehow, even my sneakers were gone. His fingers trailed along the seam of my underwear before hooking through the band, and as he went lower, my panties were torn off.

  I gasped as the air caressed me intimately. Damn, this was so freaking hot. I propped up on my elbows, determined to watch every second. I wanted to enjoy everything he did. Our eyes met as he got himself situated and he lifted my leg up. Anticipation crawled through me as he rubbed his cheek against my inner thigh, his breath so close to my pussy.

  “Are you a cat?” I asked, breathless. “I was under the impression you were more of a dog.”

  He grinned, his white teeth flashing through the darkness.

  “Oh, I’m most definitely a dog,” he said, his voice deep and husky, the hunger making his words lilt together.

  He nipped my inner thigh, and I jerked at the sensation. He kissed the same spot and continued kissing as he trailed up, closer and closer. When he got to the folds of my pussy, he paused, and I nearly growled.

  “If you stop now, I will turn you into a fricken toad.”

  “I’m just enjoying this moment, Laila.” He leaned forward and my breath hitched. He drew in a deep breath, his eyes closing. His tongue came out and split my soaked folds, and a sound similar to a purr came from him as his tongue found my clit. I moaned, and my hips jerked forward as he drew the bundle of nerves into his mouth and sucked hard. He licked it, easing the orgasm that had nearly peaked, and I made a mewling noise of my own, needing more. He sucked again before nipping the little bud. His hand joined in on the fun, and I was lost in the sensations as he worked over my clit until it was swollen, and I was burning in pleasure, ready to explode any second.

  “Yes, please, please, please,” I begged, needing more, needing release, needing to fly through an explosion of ecstasy. His finger slipped inside of me, and I jerked again, nearly screaming as he quickly found that one spot sure to send me over the edge.

  I spread my legs, giving him more room as he created a rhythm. When another finger entered, I thought I was done for. He created a fast tempo, his fingers pumping and in out of me while he made love to my clit with his mouth.

  “That’s it, Laila, I need you to come for me. Let go and give me everything. Let me hear you.”

  I moaned, and when he went back to licking me, he added a third finger, flicked that special spot inside of me, and I exploded. My head tilted up, eyes closed, as white flashed behind my eyelids. The orgasm hit hard and surged through my body and I screamed my release, grabbing onto Dwight’s hair since it was the only part of him I could reach.

  As I fell from the high, I was aware of Dwight kissing his way back up my body. Deciding he wasn’t done, he pumped his fingers inside of me again, grazing that special spot. I clenched around his fingers and moaned as my body shot alive once more while my hips flew off the ground. It didn’t take him long to send me over again, not with my needy body willing to take what he was willing to give. I screamed my release into the night sky, my magic pulsing through every cell of my body as I burned with pleasure he easily evoked inside of me.

  When I could breathe again, my body was languid. I felt like
I could melt through the ground and join Nature. Dwight rested his head on my chest, giving me a satisfied smirk, his eyes still dark and intense. My hands ran through his hair as the last of the tingles faded away, loving the silky strands as they slipped through my fingers. It was going to be a shame when he finally got around to cutting his hair into the short military style he preferred. I liked it long.

  “Then maybe I’ll keep it long, just for you,” Dwight said, and I didn’t even realize I’d said that out loud.

  I moaned, coherent words unable to form on my tongue.

  Dwight kissed me, and I loved how the taste of me had mixed with the taste of him and created a flavor of just us.

  “Do you still have a blue bean?” he asked, burying his face into my neck, nipping at that sensitive curve where my neck met my shoulder.

  “No,” I whispered. “I definitely don’t.”

  He nipped at the skin again.

  “But if you keep that up again, I definitely will.”

  He chuckled and stopped, to my disappointment. I shifted, feeling him against me, how large and hard he was. I wrapped my legs around him, loving how his hard cock felt against my sensitive flesh.

  “I can take care of that,” I said.

  He shifted back and pecked my lips before pulling completely away.

  “I think it’s only fitting that I suffer blue balls to make up for all your suffering. And besides, Laila, if I let you, we won’t stop, and that wasn’t what this was about. This was only to give you a release.”

  I groaned as he stood up and adjusted himself. Not fair. I wanted to taste him. I loved giving a blow job. There was something about it that turned me on, to know that I held a man’s most intimate part in my mouth. And that moment when they fell apart because of my tongue. Damn.

  Some women talked about it being demeaning to give a man a blow job. As a control freak, I thought the exact opposite. It gave me power.

  Dwight groaned. “Please, stop looking at me like that.” He turned and dug around in the grass before finding my discarded clothes.