by Isobael Liu
“Not necessarily,” Talis replied. “I used it as a test. The Summer Court will need a ruler. I have chosen you.”
Lilian gasped. “Oh, no. Not me.”
Talis smiled. “Why not you? You did well during the Inquiry. You showed strength of character and honor. You did what was right even as you disliked it. You were fair but made your point.”
Lilian looked at Matthias. Matthias shook his head. “It is your decision, wife. If you choose to be Queen, we’ll have to work out something with the pack.”
Lilian looked amongst the Lupine. Many were showing signs of worry, unsure of what was going to happen.
Would she be willing to live here, she wondered. What about Matthias? He was Alpha. He couldn’t give it up just for her. Would his family be willing to move here?
She looked at Calawe. He’d been training for years to take over for Amras. Her presence here had disrupted something he had known for most of his life. Could she rip that away from him? He was not looking at her and his expression carefully blank with only a polite smile on his lips.
Lilian smiled and looked back at Talis.
“I must politely decline the honor. As you said, I am newly awakened to this life. I cannot disrupt my mate’s family and friends by uprooting them from their home to move here. I cannot nor would I expect my mate to give up his position. I cannot disrupt my new friends here by trying to take over my father’s years of rule. However, by refusing, I know that I am leaving a hole and would like to recommend Calawe as the new Summer King.” She looked at Calawe.
Calawe had turned toward her as he listened to her refusal, so she was able to catch his surprised expression when he heard her recommend him as king.
“Don’t think I didn’t know my being here was a slap in the face for you. I told you I did not intend to do anything other than learn about my father’s people.”
Calawe smiled at her.
Lilian blinked back tears and looked back at Talis.
Talis’s smile was bright with respect and approval.
“Wise words, Princess. I still have an opening for the Winter Court if you’re interested. It seems they need someone who might be able to straighten them out.”
Lilian shook her head. “No, thank you,” she replied, her tone quite emphatic, and he laughed.
“I will have to see what they have to offer.”
“Actually, there is someone…” she said and smiled.
Talis lifted a brow and she sent him the image of the one Northlander who had tried to hide his smile during the Inquiry. He nodded.
Lilian had a feeling the Winter Court was going to get some changes, which were going to shake them up a bit. She grinned.
* * * *
Matthias was not going to be put off much longer, she noticed. They had been escorted to her room by the people of the Summer Court, all those who could fit in the hall and up the stairs. By the time they arrived at her room, everyone had stopped and congratulated them, gave advice, and reminisced about their weddings and first nights, Matthias was about ready to throw her over his shoulder and make a mad dash for the nearest window. She laughed and teased him.
Once the doors were closed, in the faces of her father and Talis, Matthias turned to her and let out a sigh of relief, exaggerated though it was. She grinned, but gave a shriek when he yanked her toward him and took her into his arms.
“I have waited for this for far too long,” he growled.
Lilian sighed with pleasure as their bodies pressed against one another.
“Me too,” she whispered.
Their lips pressed together, their kisses hungry and demanding.
Matthias growled under his breath, the vibrations reverberating through his chest and into her. She moaned as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him as he turned to the nearest wall. He pressed her back against it, his body pinning her firmly.
Lilian whimpered with need, feeling his arousal against her, causing oh so familiar feelings to course through her body, her veins. His tongue delved into her mouth, hot and demanding, and she opened for him, gave in.
“Lilian, Lilia mea, mine.”
She shivered at the seductive, possessive tone he used as she heard his words in her mind.
“Matthias, I need…”
“Yes, baby. I do too,” came his response.
His lips left hers and trailed down her jaw, pausing to suckle at various sensitive spots, causing her to shiver and gasp with delight.
When one of his hands slid up along her waist, she wanted the beautiful gown she wore off her body.
“Tear it off if you have to,” she demanded.
He chuckled, but when her free hand started pulling at the sash he wore, the chuckle ended in a growl.
“Damn it! Damn cord! We’ve already consummated before. Untie us so I can touch you!” She was only a little horrified at her demanding. The rest of her was very much in agreement with her words.
Matthias must have agreed too because the cord which bound their hands together fell to the floor and their hands were all over each other.
“That’s it, baby. Touch me. I need you to touch me,” he pleaded.
She needed it too she discovered, and when her hands were able to slide under his shirt and find skin, She purred with satisfaction. His skin was hot, muscular, and felt wonderful beneath her fingertips. She traced his chest, reacquainting herself with the feel of his body, and every muscle and bone, every dip and valley, every muscular bulge, and she committed them to memory.
His hands weren’t still either. He tore at the fragile material of her gown, and the lacings of her corset, until he pulled away the offending material and exposed her skin beneath. His hands touched her, caressing. She whimpered and shifted against him; the rough calluses on his fingers causing goose bumps to rise, and a shiver to run down her spine.
“You’re like silk, baby. Your skin is so hot and smooth.”
“As smooth as a baby’s butt?” Amusement colored her tone.
Matthias growled and lifted his head to capture her lips once more in a deep kiss and there was no more amusement in her mind.
“I’m going to lift you, wrap your legs around me.”
Lilian’s brow furrowed in bemusement. When Matthias lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, causing both of them to moan as her nether region pressed against his arousal. The barrier of their clothing did nothing to suppress what both of them experienced; fire, pure, unadulterated fire, raced through their veins, leaving behind a driving need for more.
Matthias carried her further into the room, toward the bed. Every movement made their bodies rub together, keeping both of them high on the sensations of passion.
Lilian was drowning in it all, unable to think, only feel. Each step caused a deeper need within her, a driving need, bordering on pain. She gasped as they fell together onto the bed, his weight pressing into her, causing even more interesting and familiar sensations. She squirmed beneath him. He growled, adjusted his body, and sat up until he straddled her hips.
He looked down on her, hunger blazing in his golden eyes, and his nostrils flared as he scented the air.
He was gorgeous. Those eyes, his hair, the way he looked at her, combined to take her breath away, and she knew she’d never be able to forget this, or forget him. Every time she looked at him, she’d feel this way. His hands settled on her waist and finished tearing off her gown and the petticoats until she was nude beneath him.
Matthias whispered in his language to her, leaning down so his mouth could trace kisses over the skin of her abdomen. She didn’t understand the words, but guessed the sentiment from his tone.
Lilian gasped and shivered. He moved down her body, his hands caressed and stroked, and made her squirm. His lips tickled her sensitive skin.
His breath caressed the insides of her thighs and her eyes clenched closed. Anticipation and embarrassment battled for supremacy. She knew what he was going to do, and she wanted him to do it.
“Reach up and hold onto the headboard,” he murmured, his lips brushing over her nether lips, teasing her.
Lilian’s hips jumped beneath his mouth even as she did as he instructed. She reached over her head to grasp onto the bars of the headboard. It stretched her out and made her breasts lift, her nipples hardened and jutted upward. He massaged first one, then the other, causing her back to arch and push her breasts into his hands.
She cried out when his tongue delved between her nether lips and brush against her clit, causing her hips to lift off the bed. He subdued her, pressing her back onto the bed with one arm across her hips, his tongue not letting up. He teased her clit with light touches, before he used his free hand to open her up to him, exposing her most private parts to his eyes, and licked her again, using long, slow strokes.
Lilian whimpered and writhed beneath his mouth, her hands clenching into fists on the headboard’s frame. His tongue was like fire on her clit, and yet the burning wasn’t a painful burn, but a yearning one. When he captured her clit with his lips and suckled in a slow, gentle manner, she nearly bucked him off.
He took his time, suckling and using his tongue to tease, pushing her to the edge of her control. With occasional forays of his tongue, he would lap at her opening, tasting her sexual fluids, and return to her clit. She could feel the tightness coiling within her, like a spring about to explode, coiled too tightly, kept too tense.
Still, Matthias would not let her go. He would back off as she neared orgasm, and when her body had eased its torturous pleasure, he would resume his attack. She cried and pleaded with him, to no avail.
There was a brief moment where it seemed he gave her a respite, yet she wanted more, needed him. She sobbed his name and he returned, this time renewing his attack on her clit, driving her to the edge and then over. She screamed out her pleasure as she arched from the bed, shaking with the intensity of it. He continued to lick at her, lap her fluids up, tasting her pleasure, driving her to another orgasm even before she could come down from the first.
Matthias moved up her body. She could feel his arousal, hard and hot against her inner thigh. She opened her eyes to look at him, his skin brushing against hers just before he settled atop of her. She wanted him inside of her…needed him inside of her.
His eyes were narrowed on hers, the golden color burning like the sun. He reached down between them and took a hold of his manhood, guiding it to her opening. He stroked himself against her slickness, brushing against her over-sensitive clit, causing her to gasp and whimper. He smiled.
“Lilia mea,” he whispered. “My mate, my wife.”
“Yes,” she replied, her voice shaky with need.
“Say my name,” he growled, as he held himself at her opening and started to push himself in.
“Matthias,” she murmured, moving with restless energy beneath him.
“You belong to me,” he growled. “Say it.”
He pressed further into her and she whimpered as he stretched her. She could feel Matthias filling her and was tempted to let go of the headboard to take a hold of him.
“Matthias,” she thought to him.
He paused, giving her a moment to collect herself.
“Yes…” she moaned.
He plunged inside her, and she released the headboard. She wrapped her arms around his neck, to keep him from moving away, from leaving her body. Matthias growled again and began to move, slow, shallow strokes at first.
“You’re so tight, so hot.”
Lilian moaned with pleasure, the intimate sensation of the slick friction inside of her caused her to lift her legs up and clasp him by the hips. He must have taken it as permission to continue because he lifted up a bit, bracing himself on his hands, staring down at her as he deepened the strokes, until he was almost leaving her body, only to plunge back inside, deep and hard.
She could feel not only the deep strokes of his manhood within her, touching what seemed like a million, billion over-sensitive nerve endings within her sheath, but her clit was stimulated as well, and before she knew it, she was riding along a knife’s edge, ready to plunge over once more.
He wouldn’t let her though, again taking control. When she felt her insides start to tighten and flutter, he slowed until he was just moving within her. She protested with a sharp cry and thrust her hips up, trying to entice more of him, but he only chuckled. He kept her on the edge, on the peak, but refused to let her over.
“Who do you belong to?” he growled at her.
Lilian whimpered, writhing beneath him.
“Lilian! Who do you belong to? Who is your mate?”
“You! Matthias! Please!”
Matthias snarled and thrust himself inside of her, moving hard and fast, and the only noises were their harsh breathing and the slapping of flesh against flesh. She screamed as her orgasm washed over her like a tidal wave, sweeping away reality and her world became nothing but feeling and sensations. Pleasure built, and even the slight pain from his near brutal thrusts became bliss.
He thrust once more, and came, and she felt his manhood swell within her, she thought perhaps he would tear her, split her in half. His arousal twitched and jumped as he exploded deep within. His mouth roamed her neck and collarbone, nipping skin. She could feel the sharp bites, but was too far-gone to care or react to it.
As the two of them lay together, still joined, their hands stayed in motion. Even as they caught their breath, they continued to touch and caress one another. She murmured a protest when he slipped from her body and moved off to keep from crushing her, but he gathered her up and drew her close. Their limbs entwined so neither of them knew where one ended or the other began.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter 14
The room was long and dark and candles were the only light source.
At the center, and taking up much of the space, was a black table made of ebony, finished with a high gloss shine. At the head of the table sat an empty chair. Seated were ten men on each side, with a final man at the opposite end. Before the men sat a document folder marked with the Custodes Secreti insignia.
The man at the far end of the table spoke.
“We are here tonight, my brothers, because we are in need of a new leader. Our former Master’s death has left a hole in our infrastructure and it is up to us to fill this hole.”
The other men murmured amongst one another in response.
“We are at war, gentlemen, with the forces of darkness. They must be destroyed, stamped out, eliminated for the greater glory of man. We must use them for their strength to build our numbers, so that we will win the war against these creatures of darkness. For this, we must have a strong and able leader, a general of generals.”
“But who do we know would fit this bill?” one asked.
“Me.”
A figure stepped out of the shadows and caused the board members to jump. They began to murmur with nervousness.
He smiled, his fangs flashing in the glittering candlelight.
“Welcome to the new vision of Custodes Secreti.”
About Isobael Liu
http://www.lyricalpress.com/isobael_liu
If there’s a few things you can count on about Isobael, it’s the fact that she’s never without a notebook to write in, a book to read, or a library card to various libraries. And ideas. Oh, the ideas…
With two rather interesting heritages, Scottish on her father’s side and Taiwanese on her mother’s, you can guarantee Isobael has a lot of interesting ideas. With both heritages steeped in supernatural lore, Isobael grew up hearing lots of stories and a firm belief in things unseen. It didn’t help living in haunted places, either.
Give it all a good shake and you’re guaranteed a place where magick dances in the moonlight and wild things come to play.
Author’s Website:
http://isobael.webs.com
Reader eMail:
[email protected]
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