The hard meeting of his hand to her butt hastened her steps. She knew it had been no accident that it had left a stinging throb in its wake when he replied, “Just as it is unseemly to disrespect your leader and your mate.” As they approached, Lorcan waved Broderick away, “You’re done, she delivered your butt on a platter and you know it.”
Rather than take offense, the five warriors seemed appreciative of her show tonight and were grinning at her with brotherly affection. Of course, each could also take some credit for her performance given their intensive hours spent training her. That fact also helped soothe any bruised egos.
Lorcan’s face had taken on an eager look of anticipation when he scooped up the bands and tossed them into the box. Keeping his eyes trained on her, he spoke to his men, “Only Broderick and Sayer have seen the power of a Queen. That was barely a taste of what one can do; Kaitriana did not raise the full power of her light magic against you. If you ever encounter a Queen, you will need to be prepared for their strength is unmatched.”
He paused for a second, his gaze sweeping over his female before returning steady to his group, “As you train Kat, I am going to allow her to begin training you as well, allowing her to raise various powers against you. She has powers from each Caste, some are stronger than others, but her ability with the Fire and Light is extraordinary. I have not seen the equivalent since those Queens walked the Realm over a millennium ago. Her Warrior skill is the same. I will work on focusing her to draw out the others and you will unfortunately be the ones that will train with her as I do.”
His eyes touched on each of his Elite, the seriousness in the exchange underlied his next words, “Although the Castes have not produced any with the power of a Queen in a very long time, with the rise of the Chosen it would not surprise me if the cosmic forces have been awakened in the Witch breed. If true, we will see more power growing in them and you may encounter a Queen in league with the Darks. A battle against one will be more treacherous than any you have faced. You will need be better prepared because as you are now, I would have to wager on a Queen’s victory.”
Kaitriana heard Lorcan’s explanation and saw Broderick nodding in agreement. There was a murmur of conversation amongst the warriors and the group that had gathered to watch that night’s activities. The Queens had all been gone long before her birth; she had no experience with their legendary power either. She knew that some held the belief that all the Queen power from each Caste was amassed within her own abilities and that gave explanation why no new Witch had been born of such supremacy. She preferred to believe that Queens would rise again, strong in their magic and leadership, to front their individual Castes and assist in the renewed campaign against the Dark.
Lorcan’s mother had been Queen of the Warriors and another had not been born since her slaying. Kaitriana knew that Brisen’s friend, Alia, had been a Queen but all assumed her dead as well. Alaric and his men had proclaimed her an accomplice to Brisen in the treachery against the Vampire and she had disappeared when Brisen had been killed. The desertion of that strength of power from her breed caused Kaitriana to worry that the faction was somehow on the wrong path, their abilities being diminished as punishment by their Creator.
She was nudged from her reverie, literally, by Lorcan’s hand pushing to her back. He held out her daggers. When she accepted them, he cupped her cheek with a tender smile, “Why the gloomy face, little one? You are supposed to be lauding your superior prowess over my men.”
Her smile was half-hearted, her concerns heavy on her now that Lorcan had raised the issue. Her voice was overflowing with woe when she whispered, “Where are the Queens, Lorcan?”
He tugged her into the fold of his arms, tucking her head under his chin, “I do not know lass, but since your return there has been a palpable shift in the energy within the Realm. You may not feel it, as you have not been here for so long, but the Realm is abuzz with it. There is much on the horizon, Kaitriana. I expect there will be happenings that will continue to shift the power and reshape the landscape of the Realm. All we can do now is prepare for anything that may come.”
She pulled back a bit and tilted her head up to gaze at him, “I am happy that I am here with you…now.”
Lorcan could see that she was still plagued with worry so he dropped a kiss to the crease in her brow and whispered, “You will not be happy that I am here with you now…in about five minutes.” At her puzzled look, he tilted his head to indicate the field, “Take your place, Witch. No bands. Your next fight is with me.” Despite the threat, he was charmingly handsome when he winked at her, “I intend to make you yield and declare my supremacy in all things before I let you drag yourself back inside.”
Her enthusiasm had excited laughter bubbling up. Stepping back, she smacked the flat of her palm full against his chest, “And when I take you down and you must declare me Supreme Warrior and Most Exalted Witch, what boon should I demand of you Vampire?”
Amused over her impudence, he smiled indulgently, “What boon do you want?” He found her adorable as she nibbled at her lower lip while she contemplated the matter. Finally she stepped in closer until her form was tight against his and whispered, “I want tomorrow.” At his obvious confusion, she explained, “No training, no Coven matters to be dealt with, no Realm issues to be managed. Tomorrow night, you spend the entirety of it with me…alone.”
He quickly concurred. Lorcan knew that with her training and all other matters requiring his attention the past week he had not been giving her the time that their new relationship required. He was unsheathing his sword when she interrupted, “Will you ask no boon of me, on the off chance that you manage to best me?”
Her proud statement drew a smile. Lorcan realized that he must request a reward else she would assume he did not give credence to her abilities. Stepping closer, he caught her chin with his fingertips while he considered the options, “I could ask for your complete obedience for a week but we both know you could not deliver on that. I could ask for you to behave yourself, but again…not possible. Perhaps I should require that you wear shoes for the next month?”
At her peevish scowl he relented, “You shall use your magic to make all necessary improvements to Breslein and reinforce our defenses.”
Kaitriana immediately countered, “What you ask for will take any number of days while I ask only for one night.”
He shrugged, “I suppose you should have been more thoughtful in determining your prize, Witch. Since you are so confident in your abilities, why do you bicker with me over my terms?”
She noted that his Elite had moved away to mingle with the increasing crowd around the practice area. Waving him off, her tone was haughty, “I do not dispute your terms, Lorcan. I merely wanted to point out what a greedy Vampire you are. That is most certainly a flaw.”
Lorcan rolled his eyes and pointed her towards the middle of the field. Kaitriana stuck her tongue out before she pivoted and headed that direction, pulling her own weapon on the way. Unfortunately she had not taken the time to fully consider his abilities and analyze them for weakness as she had his men’s. Her victory would not come as easily as it had against the others.
With her back to him still, sudden inspiration struck and her eyes sparkled with pure mischief when she unhooked the top two closures of her corset. When Lorcan called to her to ask if she were ready to begin he was but a few feet away. Knowing she risked his ire with the stunt, she schooled her features to hide all emotion and acknowledged his query by turning face him.
Lorcan’s eyes immediately narrowed on the display of flesh, the tight leather pushed her curves high against the area she had laid open. Stalking forward, his face mirrored his chagrin while he hissed out, “Kaitriana, fix your top!”
She laughed at the same time that she raised her sword and brought it down in a sweeping arc towards his shoulder. Lorcan dove to the side, barely avoiding the blade. At his loud curse, Kaitriana regretted that she had not put the full force of her strength behind th
e swing. She doubted he would allow her to surprise him like that again but in fairness she could not give him a full attack when he was obviously off kilter due to her trick. Kaitriana assumed that he had now had plenty of time to recover and was aware of her game, so she pursued his rolling form relentlessly. Intending to deliver a decisive blow before he could gain his feet, her sword was glowing with blue light when she brought it down.
She had misjudged, not considering he would shadow in the midst of a roll. Her strike impacted only on hardened earth and the force with which she had swung caused her to stumble forward. Kaitriana was aided in her journey to the ground with a forceful kick to her butt. The impact of that combined with the hard fall had the air forcefully expelling from her lungs. Rather than pause to ascertain his whereabouts and intention, she borrowed a play from her mate and shadowed to the far end of the field.
When she reappeared and regained her feet, he was only a yard to her left. His blade was already coming down fast and she had barely a second to raise her own in defense. She could hear the rumbling approval through the crowd at their sparring and as their weapons locked she raised a hand. Fire engulfed her fingertips and she wrapped them around his hand on the hilt of his weapon.
Lorcan merely grunted in response to the searing pain and used her own hold to yank her towards him. Kaitriana released too late and the momentum from his pull had her careening towards his chest. Her focus on regaining her balance, she did not see the blow from his elbow aimed at her temple until too late.
She shadowed immediately after impact, the moan of pain was still on her lips when she reappeared. This time she had moved only a few feet from her prior location. The move had not been expected and Lorcan had shadowed to the center of the ring. His back was to her watching the other side of the area, anticipating her reappearance.
Kaitriana sent a fiery bolt into his back. The strength was not enough to burn him seriously but the force of impact drove him to his knees. Knowing the magical blow would disorient him briefly, she appeared instantly next to him to deliver a hard kick to his jaw. She stood gloating over her success a second longer than she should have and Lorcan’s hand snaked out to lock around her ankle.
His jaw was throbbing from the force of her kick and the skin between his shoulder blades felt scorched from her magical assault but Lorcan was grinning nonetheless. His little witch was becoming creative in her attacks and he appreciated her ingenuity. He jerked on her ankle to cause her to lose her footing and she tumbled down atop him. In the next instant, he flipped and had her beneath him. His tight grip was now on her upper arms to keep her from shadowing.
Kaitriana looked at him wide-eyed. His speed was so amazingly quick; she now realized that any lapse in her attention would allow him to best her. She was certain that many enemies had lost their heads due to the same miscalculation. Offering him a flirtatious smile, she released the hold on her weapon. Her hands began filling with orbs of blue light, “Want to show me your sword, Vamp?” She puckered her lips and raised her brow at him with the suggestion.
Her innuendo was not lost on him and he allowed her to witness a grin but was unerring in his purpose. As he used the weight of his body to keep hers from moving, Lorcan slid his hands down to her wrists. Her eyes narrowed apprehensively on him when she felt a pull against her magic; the intense blue in her palms flickered. His easy grin remained as the light faded entirely. Lorcan whispered, “Do you yield, Witch?”
Kaitriana knew full well that he was using his own magic to diminish hers. It was no small feat given the magnitude of her power. The pull felt like a physical sensation, draining her energy. Given that their audience was Vampire and not Witch, she doubted any but the two of them were aware of what was going on. To the observers it would appear that her magic was faltering under the strain of the combat. She hissed at him, “You are cheating.”
Lorcan nodded, his grin widening. His voice dropped to a level only audible to her, “Aye, I am Witch. Do you yield?”
Her eyes studied his a moment longer before she gave her answer in an equally quiet tone, “Since you use magic against me, I should still get my night.” Lorcan agreed with the slightest inclination of his head. His eyes were dancing with wicked amusement as raised his voice, more forceful in his demand, “Do you yield, Witch?”
Kaitriana understood his game and she ceased fighting his hold on her arms, giving him his due, “Aye, Warrior of Light, I yield.”
No sooner were the words out than he released his hold on a wrist to push her head to the side, exposing her neck. Even as he eased the weight of his body on hers, he took her throat in a forceful bite. It was an Ancient tradition, his right as victor in a Vampire conflict. The bite given to the vanquished after a battle was supposed to inflict punishment, symbolizing submission and defeat.
Lorcan had not given her that painful tearing bite at her throat. Rather, he purposefully made it a sensual assault. Kaitriana had to pull her lower lip in between her teeth to keep from moaning in pleasure before their audience. Lorcan appreciated the shiver that ran through her and when he raised his mouth the eyes that found hers were dark and filled with arrogant satisfaction.
Leaping to his feet, Lorcan pulled her easily to hers and ignored the enthusiastic noise from the crowd. His grasp remained tight on one wrist and he did not even pause in his stride when he bent to grip the hilts of both their weapons in his other hand. Leaving the field of battle, he tugged her along in his wake. Lorcan was nodding absently in greeting to the calls that were made to him as he made his way to the back entrance of the keep, nearly dragging her in his haste. Kaitriana was able to do nothing more than smile and nod quickly to the shouts of praise being cast her way.
When they gained the steps, he gave a short order for the remainder of the night’s training exercises to Colm, who was standing nearby with a group of younger warriors. Lorcan pulled her into a tight embrace. His gaze was still dark but the arrogance that had filled it in victory had been replaced by a burning heat when he looked down at her. His breath was warmly teasing against her ear, “You fought so well tonight Witch, I have determined to give you the remainder of this night as well as tomorrow.” Her laughing delight echoed as Lorcan shadowed them both back to their chambers.
Kaitriana had no time to steady herself from their quick arrival before Lorcan had her back pressed against the cool stone wall. He made fast work of capturing her wrists in his hand and pressing them high over her head while he used the lower half of his body to trap hers between the warmth of him and the coolness behind. Kaitriana could already feel his hard heat nestling into the juncture of her thighs before he gave a slow press into her. Her reaction was a sharp intake of air while her eyes viewed the promise of wicked things to come in his. His fingertips brushed the expanse of skin that she had bared for their battle and had her pulse quickening.
Lorcan nibbled at her lobe while his fingers came to rest on the top closure of the corset. His voice was menacingly soft, “If you are going to tease me Witch, you must always be prepared for the consequences.” No sooner had he given the instruction than his grip tightened at the top of the remaining closures and he tore the garment open with a quick jerk. Turned on beyond reason, Kaitriana arched towards him in offering. He gave her another hard press with his hips while his fingers roamed down her bared torso.
Kaitriana tilted her head to the side; she was anxious for his bite and to take one of her own. She could feel her fangs lengthening with her desire and her need to taste him. His hands left her momentarily to tug the ruined garment from each shoulder before tossing it to her feet. Recapturing her wrists, he pressed them back against the wall again before lowering his lips to her neck. He disappointed her by only kissing up the length.
Lorcan tugged her hands higher so that she was up on her toes while he wound his other arm around her hips to give her additional support. The forced bend in her back presented the creamy display of her chest more fully to him. Leaning in to take one hard peak into hi
s mouth, he teased the flesh with stinging little nips followed by soothing slow flicks of tongue. She was writhing from his attentions before he moved his mouth to the other side. Lorcan did not cease in his onslaught until she was panting and shoving her hips up wildly against his in demand.
He released his hold to make short work of the fastening of her breeches and his. Her gaze was riveted on his jerky movements and she shifted restlessly with anticipation until he finally had both released. His look was blazing. Lorcan had been studying the sensuous movements of her tongue over her lips and he ground out roughly, “You cause me to lose control, little one.”
The look she gave him then was edged with triumph and he chuckled before he grasped her shoulders. Turning her, he experienced his own moment of triumph with the startled look she shot him over her shoulder. He kept his eyes trained on hers as he used the flat of his palm against the small of her back to press her forward against the smooth stone. Her front was flush against it, the cool a stark contrast to her heated flesh. Lorcan licked at the sensitive spot behind her ear while he took a wrist in each hand and placed her palms flat against the surface on either side of her head. He gave a sharp nip at her nape and growled softly, “Stay, Witch…” Kaitriana whimpered in protest, she was already fighting the urge to push her hips back to find his.
Lorcan ran his hands from her wrists over her arms and shoulders. Continuing down he leisurely massaged her back and whispered, “Are you still sore, lass?” When she shook her head in answer, he shifted his roving hands to the front of her torso. Sliding his hands on upwards, he maneuvered them between the flesh of her breasts and the cool stone. Pausing there, he cupped her warm skin in his palms and caught the straining bud of each with his fingertips, delivering rough little pinches. He teased mercilessly until she was whimpering with need.
Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series Page 30
