Heart of the Forest (Arwn's Gift Book 1)
Page 31
“I…lo…lost a… Oh fuck.” My words were taken from me as Yorwrath thrust his hips against me again, bottoming out inside of me completely. He rocked his hips from side to side, cackling darkly as my eyes rolled in the back of my head and nonsensical babble left my lips. “I love you, you little sheepfucking shit,” I groaned as he wagged his hips again and my toes curled against the floor.
“I love you too,” he purred as he eased off me long enough to flip me onto my back and pull off my trousers. “And you know damn well there’s nothing small about me, Dy’ne,” he whispered, before finding my lips again with his. The sun rose behind him, making his eyes glow and that dark brown hair of his seem almost bloodred. He rode me hard, thumping the table against the floor.
His eyes seemed to swim with an inner light as the fire at the hearth waxed and waned with every breath he took. My legs locked behind his torso as he pulled me further down the table so my bottom was hanging off it. I swiped my hand out across the table, knocking over everything Caoilfionn had set out for the day. My hands desperately needed something to hold on to as he dug his hand into the flesh of my plump backside. He leaned over me with one hand beside my head keeping him at the perfect angle, so that with every hard thrust he caressed that achingly sensitive kernel of flesh.
It didn’t take long for him to bring me to the height of pleasure. I dug my fingers into his back until I felt my nails sink into the taut flesh.
“That’s it, Dy’ne. Come for me,” he practically roared, as my body fought against his to arch against the table. I cried out, loud enough for it to echo in the small room. With a chuckle, he kissed me again, eating away at every pleasurable noise that escaped my throat. Once I finished twitching, he pushed me up further on the table and slammed into me hard. It had clearly stopped being about me the moment he felt my body stop clenching down hard on him. He rested on his elbows with his hands in my hair as he slammed into me, staring down at my face as I half cried out with every brutal thrust. The table thudded as it hit the stones in front of the hearth. We had moved it a good six feet.
A bead of sweat dripped onto my lips from the tip of my nose when his body finally jerked, and he buried his face in my neck as he spilled his seed within me with a small gasp, as the hearth and the candles around the room all instantly snuffed out. He purred groggily for a moment before placing the softest of kisses on my collarbone and then working his way to my throat.
“I love you,” I offered unprompted, as my bloodied fingertips threaded through his dark hair.
“You better, Dy’ne.” He snickered as he peeled himself from me. Without warning, he picked me up by the waist and tossed me over his shoulder. I squealed and heard footsteps as I dangled haplessly over his shoulder. We woke up Caoilfionn.
“Morning, Caoilfionn,” I said, twisting my neck to look at him. He wasn’t glamoured for a change and stood shirtless, with his hair falling like a white waterfall over his shoulder. He beamed at me for a moment and then glared daggers at Yorwrath, who sucked his teeth before he turned and carried me back into the bedroom.
Yorwrath placed me on the bed and closed the door before kicking his trousers off. In the distance, a cock crowed, and I groaned with the throb and ache of my well-used sex as he lay in the bed beside me. He pulled that expensive fur-lined blanket over us before drawing me back against his body.
“Did you get them all?”
“Every last one, and then we set the camp ablaze. They’ll find nothing if they send anyone looking.”
“I got you a Yule gift.”
“Really? Is it here, Dy’ne?” He slid his hand to my stomach.
“You wish,” I snorted, and he grew deadly silent. I guess he does. I smirked slightly and turned around to place a gentle kiss on his chin. “I got you a dagger that has a handle of dragon bone and a blade forged in dragon’s fire… They call it fool’s folly, the spreader of bullshit.” I could barely keep a straight face.
“So very funny, Dy’ne.”
“I figured since I cast my first spell on you, I should go all-out witch. I made you a talisman for good luck.” I reached behind me blindly for the box on the small table beside the bed. Yorwrath’s hand guided me to it while he smiled at me.
“How thoughtful, is this so I don’t stray?” He quirked a brow.
“No. But if you bring me the pox from some whore I’ll make you impotent.” I beamed at him, earning a kiss on my nose and a chuckle. He opened the box and took out the small flat carved stone that dangled from a thin cord of leather.
“Yours is in the corner.” He tied the talisman around his neck and glanced at the corner. Leaning beside his sword and bow was another sword. It was shorter than his, and the scabbard was more ornate. “I figured if Arwn’s Gift is going to wield a blade it shouldn’t be something scavenged. I told the smith to make it for an elven woman or pixie instead of Dy’ne. Your muscles are finer than a human’s. I can tell just by the way you hold your posture. Fuck, I’m tired…” He collapsed back against the pillow hard with a sigh. “It’ll serve you well, it’s a good blade…something to keep you safe when I can’t.”
“Look at us concerned about each other’s safety.”
“We’ve reason to be concerned, Dy’ne. Both of us. War is coming, and old forgotten things are stirring.”
“Speaking of that…your connection with fire…”
“There’s nothing to speak of. It is what it is. A side effect of…what you did. Trust me, I’m not oblivious to the changes occurring, Dy’ne. I’m dealing with them—Caoilfionn helped me. Now let us sleep, Dy’ne.” He kissed my shoulder and I rolled over, smirking. His hand was on my waist in a flash, pulling me back against him hard, trapping me. We fell asleep like that, with him clutching me to him protectively. We slept like that for many nights after, until the blanket of winter snow melted into mud, and he left with the retreating frost and then I slept alone.
Epilogue
1357
Nos Galen Mai
May Day
The days seemed to last forever. As May Day approached, everyone’s husbands and wives had been trickling back into the town for the last week. I didn’t even hope. Oh at first I did, but then Grwn came back early. He had been with his family for two weeks before May Day came around. He brought me a drawing from Morwenna. It wasn’t anything creepy or prophetic; it was merely a drawing of me smiling. Apparently she drew it to thank me for saving her brother. She was in the elven capital now and hating her lessons and her new family. Hedda wasn’t happy, and in spite of being fat with child she still managed to throw Grwn out the first night he was back. He slept on one of the empty cots in my shop. She was quick to welcome him back after that night, though, but I couldn’t stand to be around her. She kept smiling at me, and with every smirk, I could hear the ‘I-told-you-so.’ So I let my hope die and decided to focus on more important things—like the garden at the back of the shop.
A horse’s quick canter half earned my attention as I focused on planting sage. The carrots and tomatoes were done, but the honeysuckle I planted in the corner looked sad. The bush looked half dead even though it had been in the ground a month and I was watering it like I knew I should. The horse stopped.
“We’re closed today,” I groused without turning around. Caoilfionn had gone off in search of that book a few days after Yorwrath left. It was easy enough to tend things without him. I slipped back into my old habits nicely—I was a solitary creature. My mind would wander from time to time. I spent many nights awake thinking about Yorwrath and Aneurin. The war was distant, but we did get news. The king of Ersland had proved himself to be inept, and the glorious Swynwr had been victorious at every turn. Even in victorious battles there were casualties—I wasn’t stupid enough to think only the vanquished were wounded on a battlefield.
I heard the visitor dismount, and I pulled my dagger from its sheath.
“Look here sheepfucker, I said we’re—” I paused when I turned around and found Yorwrath standing there loo
king like he did when he left in those worn dark green leathers. I dropped the dagger and jumped on him. He grunted with the impact.
“Don’t look so fucking shocked, Dy’ne. I said I’d come back. I even brought those plowing strawberries,” he grumbled as I covered his neck with kisses.
“Shut up and kiss me,” I growled back, coaxing a chuckle from his lips.
Loose Id Titles by Christina Quinn
The ARWN’S GIFT Series
Heart of the Forest
Christina Quinn
An avid reader and lover of literature, Christina Quinn, has always wanted to be an author for as long as she can remember. She spends most of her days with a coffee cup or wine glass within arm’s reach as she labors at her laptop weaving incredible stories.
Visit https://christinaquinn.org/ for more information about the author.