by A. W. Exley
Heat spread through Dawn’s arm even as her stomach roiled. As much as she wanted this, a nervous energy took hold of her. She was rather lacking in experience and hoped enthusiasm would suffice.
“Take me to the cottage, please,” she whispered.
Jasper picked her up and jumped toward the sky. It only took a few massive wing strokes and he landed outside the cottage door. He lowered her to the ground and then took a step backward. Mouse sat on the doorstep, and his tail wagged back and forth as he waited.
Jasper shook like a dog that had climbed out of water. Chips and pebbles cracked and crumbled off his form and were tossed about but they never touched her or the ground. They vanished into the air like the Cor-vitis when they broke apart.
Within the span of two heartbeats, he stood before her as the man. A ruggedly handsome man who made blood thrum in her veins. He wore trousers tucked into tall boots and a linen shirt that was half unbuttoned. Where had he hidden his clothes – under his stone form? These were more questions she wanted answered, later. Much, much later.
“Come in,” she whispered and pushed the door open.
Mouse trotted in first and threw himself down by the cold hearth with a heavy sigh. Then Jasper followed her into the darkened cottage, closed the door, and drew the bolt across.
Dawn stood in the small parlour as her nerves rose to the surface. To calm herself, she walked to the map painted on the kitchen wall. She traced a line with a fingertip, marvelling at the unseen hand that transposed events outside the door onto the drawing. “The path we cut through the maze has been cleared.”
“I imagine the unseen artist will be busy over the next few months as the estate is cleared,” his voice said from behind her.
She turned to find him an arm’s reach away, as though he waited for her to go to him.
Jasper stretched out a hand and stroked a short curl of hair over his finger. “I like short hair on you.”
Dawn managed a small nervous smile. Now that he was here in the cottage, the riot inside her body and mind threatened to overwhelm her. “Marjory said I might spark a new trend, but I doubt short hair on women will ever become popular.”
His hand dropped away. “Nothing has to happen tonight, Dawn. We could make cocoa and play chess if you prefer. It is enough that you do not hold events against me.”
The ache in her chest had dissipated, and now she felt more foolish that she had so wrongly interpreted what she saw. The way Ava bound him with her vines should have been evidence enough that he was unwilling. She had allowed a tiny voice of uncertainly to convince her it was some game they played. “I was angry because I didn’t understand, and that hurt.”
Her heart swelled as she contemplated her gentleman gargoyle. What activity did her heart desire – chess, or an entirely different game? Dawn took a step to close the distance between them and placed her arms around his neck.
He stroked the side of her face and then moved his hand to rest on her nape. “Let us work together to ensure there are no more misunderstandings between us.”
She reached up on her toes to kiss his lips and he returned the kiss gently, teasing her until she forgot her concerns and worries and leaned into him, seeking more.
As the kiss deepened, Dawn sighed, not wanting it to end. She could kiss him forever. His lips against hers made blood pound through her body, and a clean heat fought the burn from Ava’s scratches. Like a seedling that had been deprived of sun, new feelings unfurled inside her at his touch. Her hands pulled at his shirt and found a way under so her fingertips could glide over his flesh.
He nipped at her bottom lip and then released her. Dawn’s disappointment bloomed into a hotter excitement as he grabbed the back of his collar and pulled the shirt up and over his head. Jasper tossed the shirt over a kitchen chair and then opened his arms to her.
Her hungry gaze roamed over his torso. His human form was finely sculpted compared to his gargoyle shape, but they were both works of art in different ways. One was a piece by a master sculptor, the other a rougher work of nature, and she longed to be familiar with the contours of both.
Dawn returned to his embrace, her hands exploring his body as he claimed her lips again. She parted her lips to stroke his tongue with hers as the fire flared inside her. If he stoked her hot enough, would cleansing fire burn away all trace of Ava’s vine?
“I don’t want to play chess,” she murmured. She reached down and undid the knot in her robe.
Jasper pushed the dressing gown from her shoulders and she stood before him in just the light nightgown. He gathered her to him and kissed his way down her neck.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered, arching her neck to give him better access to her throat.
Once more he swung her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, where he placed her on the bed. He lit the bedside lamp, which cast a yellow glow over the room and enveloped them in a welcoming light.
Dawn slid under the blankets and waited, wondering if he could hear the pounding in her chest as he toed off his boots. Clad in just his trousers, Jasper sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes seemed the silver of mercury as he looked at her.
“What do I do?” she asked. What they were about to do must surely be like a dance, with steps she needed to learn and practice until she became proficient.
He caged her body with his arms and leaned forward, resting his weight on his knuckles. He kissed her neck and left a trail of fiery kisses as he progressed down to her collarbone. “You don’t do anything but relax and enjoy. We have all night, and I intend to take my time finding out what you like and what makes you gasp.”
“That seems rather passive.” Dawn tried to recollect the advice in The Handbook for Ladies, but despite its three hundred pages, only one sentence was devoted to marital relations. It advised the newlywed young lady to close her eyes and use the time to plan the next night’s dinner menu. The only dinner item Dawn could conjure in her mind was pudding, as Jasper’s attention turned her insides to jelly.
“There is as much pleasure in giving as receiving,” he said as he stroked her body through the thin cotton of her night attire.
A shiver ran through Dawn as Jasper touched her gently. She sighed and pressed her head back to the pillow. While she soaked up his touch like parched earth blessed with warm rain, she decided to embark on her own exploration. With hesitant touches, she traced lines along Jasper’s torso as far as she could reach. She revelled in the shape of muscles under skin and ran her nails along a bicep.
Jasper sucked in a breath and captured her hand.
“Did I hurt you?” she whispered. Had she done it terribly wrong? Perhaps she should try to plan dinner menus after all, or if she stuck to her strengths, planting arrangements.
He smiled and pressed her hand to his chest. “Quite the opposite, but I prefer it to be harder. Remember what I am made of. You cannot hurt me.”
“Oh.” Being brave and taking him at his word, Dawn scraped harder with her nails as she ran her hand up his pectoral.
Jasper closed his eyes as he let out a ragged gasp of “Yes.”
He enjoys my touch. Heat shot through Dawn at bringing him even a small portion of the pleasure he gave her. Jasper’s head dropped as he returned to kiss and stroke her through the flimsy layer of fabric. As pleasure unfurled in her body, Dawn no longer tried to hold in her soft cries and gasps. Her nervousness evaporated, and she found the nightgown an obstacle that needed removing so there was no barrier between them. Likewise her seeking hands were frustrated by Jasper’s trousers, as there were other parts of him she wanted to explore.
“Take it off, please,” she whispered, pulling the fabric up her body.
Jasper slid his hands along her sides as he removed the delicate garment and tossed it to the floor. Then he removed his trousers before sliding back into bed beside her.
Dawn thought she would be embarrassed to be naked before a man, but all she wanted was his hot s
kin pressed to hers. She bloomed under his touch and sought his heat like a sun-loving plant. Dawn moaned and pressed herself closer as the weight of him against her increased her need. Her fingers dug into his back, but he wouldn’t be hurried. Liquid heat rolled through her torso and pooled low in her centre.
Her arm tickled as the Cor-vitis sprang into life and began twisting between them. With naked flesh sliding against naked flesh, the bonding plant exploded in a frenzy of growth. The main trunk that ran from Dawn’s palm sprouted numerous offshoots that raced over their bodies. Leaves appeared and shimmied as it covered them in a green blanket. Dawn thought the plant would be an annoying impediment, but it seemed visible yet intangible. Its tendrils split apart and reformed each time they moved. Even its touch was a whisper against her skin as though Jasper dragged the finest silk over her and it made her gasp.
Time lost all meaning as Jasper created a secret world for Dawn. In the cosy bedroom, he showed her pleasure she had never experienced before, teaching her about her body’s responses to him. Each time she crested a peak, she thought that was the ultimate and she couldn’t climb any higher. Then Jasper would give her a scant moment to catch her breath before he lavished more kisses, touches, and strokes over her body, urging her higher and higher.
Drunk on love. Dawn’s mind spun in a blissful state as she let go and trusted in Jasper. The Cor-vitis tickled the inside of her legs as Jasper’s rough cheek brushed her skin. She clenched her thighs together and squirmed as pressure built inside her. Her body craved something that was yet out of reach. All she knew was that she wanted more and didn’t want it to end.
She sighed, rubbing her skin against his as she dragged her nails over his muscles. Her hunger for him was a yawning void inside her that demanded more. She couldn’t get enough of him, and each stroke and caress fed the hunger and made it voracious.
“More,” she whispered. “I want more.”
He pushed off his arms to put a margin of distance between them. Dawn arched her back to follow him. The ache in her breasts needed the pressure of his hand or touch of his chest to alleviate them. She was a fire that needed to be fed before it would be sated.
A chuckle rumbled through him. “Are you sure you want more?”
“Yes.” Her cry turned into a gasp as he lowered himself and slowly joined their bodies.
Dawn closed her eyes in wonder, marvelling at the feel of him. Her gardening mind formed a pun about the earth Elemental ploughing deep furrows, then the thought spiralled out of her head, chased away by a spreading ripple of pleasure. At last her ache would be satisfied, and by instinct she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer, deeper.
Jasper refused to be hurried even as Dawn raked him with her nails and bit at his shoulder. He laughed and maintained a slow, gentle rhythm that she was sure would drive her mad. His slow thrusts stoked her internal fire to the exploding point.
Just when she thought she could take no more, pleasure erupted through her body. She cried out, and Jasper groaned as he followed her over the precipice. Several heartbeats later, he rolled to one side and pulled her close.
Her heart galloped so fast she hoped she didn’t expire in a cruel twist by the Grim Reaper. Dawn lay in Jasper’s arms and marvelled at what had occurred. Not just the physical aspect, although she was heartened by his promises to do it again and often. It was the change wrought by the tiny Cor-vitis.
The plant appeared to have exhausted itself and disappeared, but it had turned her body into a canvas, painted in a palette of greens and browns that obscured the black lines from Ava’s poison. Intricate patterns covered every inch of her skin. Even the palms of her hands and, when she waved a foot in the air, her soles, sprouted Celtic knots in never-ending spirals. Jasper was the same, and it fascinated Dawn that when she compared their arms and chests, he wore the exact same pattern but slightly larger to encompass a bigger area.
Jasper chuckled and stroked his hand along her arm. “It won’t always be like this. Think of it like a bonfire. This is the first explosion of tall flames, but over time it will reduce to the quiet embers that contain the true heat. Each time will be different, but the permanent mark will be smaller and more discreet.”
She traced a line on his chest with a fingertip, following the swoops and whirls. Another pattern was more geometric, and it reminded her of something else. Her finger went around and around before the similarity of the design to something else clicked in her mind.
“It’s the maze,” she whispered and then looked down. On both their torsos, the intricate puzzle of turns and dead ends was re-created by the clever Cor-vitis.
“Is it? I wonder what’s on the other side.” He rolled her over onto her stomach and dropped his head, using his tongue to trace a pattern along her spine.
Dawn laughed and tried, none too hard, to evade his tongue. “We need to talk. Or rather you can talk while I catch my breath. It’s time you told me the full story of Ava and Julian so I understand what we face.”
25
Jasper sat up and tugged a pillow behind his back. Dawn nestled against him with her head on his shoulder and one hand flat on his chest. His words rumbled through her fingertips as he spoke.
“It was summer 1839, and Julian and I were riding to the mill, which had only recently been completed. On the way, we encountered a young woman leading a lame horse. She had fiery auburn hair, laughing green eyes, and the sort of curvaceous figure that makes sensible men do very foolish things. One glance and Julian was lost.”
“Ava. Did she wait for you or was it an entirely accidental meeting?” Dawn asked.
He stroked her back. “It was no accident. I believe she came here specifically to ensnare Julian.”
The machinations of women. How long had Ava plotted to find an Elemental who could feed her hunger for power? Or was she driven by something else?
Jasper’s fingers stilled against her skin as he continued. “Julian jumped off his horse, placed Ava on his saddle, and took up both sets of reins. He told me to ride on and that he would take her horse to the blacksmith. One meeting and a few hours was all it took for Ava to convince Julian to move her into the estate. When I returned home later that evening, she was already settled into a guest room.”
Dawn’s thoughts turned to Mouse, who settled on her as his person in an instant. Did the same spontaneous knowing happen for Julian? “Do you think she fooled him, or did he fall in love on first sight?”
“Julian said she was his heart and he wasn’t going to let her slip through his grasp. Lettie and I both thought they moved too fast, but he was deaf to us. Over a period of weeks, his delight in Ava turned into obsession.” Jasper’s hand moved upward to caress Dawn’s shoulder, where a pattern darkened under her skin.
The old saying marry in haste repent in leisure sprang to her mind, and then Dawn considered her own odd courtship. She had been at the estate less than a month and here she was lying naked in Jasper’s arms. Best keep thoughts of regretting hasty actions to herself.
“Did you know she was an Elemental?” Dawn had grown up with no idea that she was the fifth element nor that her mother had also been one. Even Jasper didn’t realise until they touched hands. How did Elementals identify each other? Where had she left the notebook full of her questions waiting to be answered?
He made a noise in the back of his throat as he considered her question. “Usually we simply know. Elementals who have reached maturity give off a type of resonance and they feel different to be around. Gargoyles and undines are often more comfortable around each other but uncomfortable around sylphs or salamanders. Then there are others who can live their lives without anyone ever realising their true nature, like your mother. At other times the reaction is stronger when we touch, like what happened between us.”
Elementals mingled with everyday citizens going about their lives, and no one ever realised a whole different world simmered beneath the surface. “Did you have a reaction to Ava?”
He hu
ffed a quiet laugh. “Oh yes. Lettie and I both disliked her on our first meeting. We thought she reeked like a Soarer. She told us she was a neutral Meidh on the way to family down south.”
Dawn didn’t like the woman either. She had only caught glimpses of Ava’s physical presence but had seen the destruction she left in her wake. Lives and the estate had been ruined, and for what? Did she seek to climb higher in some sort of elemental hierarchy?
She tipped her head and kissed Jasper’s jaw before he became lost in maudlin thoughts. “What happened next?” she asked.
He smiled down at her and kissed the tip of her nose. “After just a few short weeks, Julian announced over dinner that Ava was his mate and had agreed to replace my mother as heart of our sanctuary.”
“What did your parents think of Ava? Did they also think she was not what she seemed?” Uxbridge family dinners were quiet affairs. Her father used to raise the occasional business issue to seek her mother’s opinion, but overall they were free of dramatic declarations. If only her mother had pushed back her chair, stood tall, and announced she was a type of mythical being and so was their daughter. Would events have unfolded differently?
“After living for dozens of centuries, my parents were weary of the world and wished to retreat back to Gaia’s embrace. Our father carried an old battle wound that had flared up and was slowly taking him from us. They had asked Julian to find an Elemental to replace my mother. I think they were delighted he had found someone so quickly, and I believe concerns over father’s deterioration overrode their reservations about her.”
They were approaching the part of the story that intrigued Dawn. How did an Elemental transfer responsibility for the estate? In a normal property sale, a key was passed over. Perhaps they had invisible keys, which wasn’t such a big assumption since they had invisible plants.
She rolled back in his embrace to more easily look at him. “How did your mother pass the sanctuary to Ava? Is it something that I can do in reverse to seize control from her?”
