The crowd suddenly flew backward, all the way across the street where they were tumbled into the grass. As soon as they were clear, Dendri hurried them into a waiting coach.
“Home, Frand,” he said to the driver before ducking into the coach and settling in the seat across from the women.
Yasra had never seen such a display of power before. And considering the family she came from and the friends her parents kept, that was saying a lot. She clutched her hands together in her lap anxiously and wondered exactly what she was getting herself into.
Chapter Four
Dendri’s villa was more like a castle just based on its sheer size alone. It was clear he was the wealthiest majji in the world. Or, well, at least their continent. There may very well be more powerful and wealthier majji elsewhere, but in their world, Dendri had to be the top of the food chain. Maybe the only exception would be the triumvirate, the leaders of their government.
The villa had whitewashed stone walls and a red roof made of ceramic tiles. Cathedral style windows were everywhere, allowing an extraordinary amount of sunlight in. The curved tops of the windows had stained glass pictures, so some of that sunlight was dappled with brilliant colors. The pictures were of things in nature, like trees and animals, or fruit hanging from a vine. But at the front of the house in a large all-stained glass window was the depiction of a naked couple, arms wrapped around one another.
She felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.
Was Dendri married? Was he already committed to another woman? If so, what would happen between them now? She didn’t want to be the cause of rending a loving couple apart…and she wasn't interested in becoming a third person in his bed. As she pictured them in bed together, she pictured them alone in their own little world…like the white room. And she wasn't like Bess. She didn’t like women in that way.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Dendri whispered into her ear as they moved into the villa further.
“Of course you do. You’re an Aspano majji. You can read my mind.”
“I try not to without invitation, but it’s going to be nearly impossible to do with you because we are Gestalt. There is no one else in my life,” he said. “There has not been for quite a while. It is difficult when you are Aspano to have a relationship. You can feel every lie, every moment of resentment, every fading passion as it happens. There is no such thing as burying your head in the sand and pretending you don’t know the truth of what your partner is feeling or thinking.”
“I never thought of it like that.” She frowned. “That’s a little sad actually.”
“I know, isn’t it? You’ll have to console me,” he said, a twinkle in his eye.
Yasra laughed and gave him a nudge. She was surprised to find him so easygoing. She had seen him at a distance before and he had always seemed so serious and intimidating. But he wasn’t like that at all. Not to her in any event. Perhaps he was altering his behavior as a means of luring her in. Perhaps he would change once she got comfortable with him.
Only time would tell.
Dendri looked at Yasra as she stood in his house, her dark hair covered in dancing colored light and took a deep, relieved breath. For a while there he had thought she wouldn’t come with him, that she would have thrown him out on his ear and he would have to work ten times harder to get to her, but she had surprised him when she had acquiesced so easily. It was clear she was beginning to understand what was happening between them.
Dendri had not understood what had driven him to go to the school that morning. While he mentored many up and coming majji from Aspano house, he wasn’t particularly interested in the fledglings that barely knew what house they belonged to they were so green. He now knew fate had driven him there so he could find Yasra. Dendri had never thought in a million years that he would ever become half of a Gestalt couple. He knew he was powerful, that he made a great deal of money being one of the most skilled majji around, but he had never suspected he was destined for the kind of power that came with being part of a Gestalt couple. A Gestalt couple would be treated like messiahs. The crowd by Yasra’s door was only the beginning. The only reason they hadn’t gathered at Dendri’s door was because of his fearsome reputation. People knew he was not a majji to be trifled with.
But that reputation was working against him as far as Yasra was concerned. She was half afraid of him still, completely intimidated by their attraction for one another and utterly overwhelmed as a whole. She had one foot out the door before they had even arrived…telling Bess they would only be staying for a little while. The truth was, she would be living with him from that moment on. He didn’t know all that much about her yet…but thanks to his Aspano abilities he knew enough. Enough to tell him that he would enjoy her as a person. That she was good at heart. That she had many glowing qualities.
He also knew her self-esteem had taken quite a beating over the years. He frowned when he thought of her parents. How could someone do that to their own child? Treat them so poorly? Be such complete and utter snobs that they would excommunicate their daughter from their lives just because she showed no potential as a majji? And then to have the utter gall to come to her and brag about themselves and how it was their doing she was so powerful?
Well, they had been lucky when they had left willingly. As an Aspano he could do quite a lot of damage to a healthy mind. He could literally drive someone crazy. Or all it would take was a single burst blood vessel in the brain and a person could be a vegetable for the rest of their life. Yes. He could do quite a lot of damage if he wanted to.
But most majji lived by a code. Their ethics kept them from doing certain damage otherwise they would have to face summary judgment by the rest of their house. True, it would take a great deal of effort on the Aspano house’s part to try and punish him for any wrongdoing, seeing as how he was the most powerful of his kind on their continent, but it could be done. Especially if they joined with other houses in a conjoined effort.
But he was one of the punishers, not the one in need of punishment, and he had no desire to change that at present. But if he was pushed…if he felt the need to protect Yasra…he would do so. She was his, and he would do everything he could to protect her from everyone else…including her own kin.
He led Yasra into his home and watched her reactions with a careful eye. He wanted her to be pleased with the place. He wanted her to be delighted with what would become her future home. He had designed the place with his future life-partner in mind, making certain it had everything that could possibly please a woman within its walls.
Pleasure washed over her features as she took in the open airy rooms filled with streaming sunlight. Her beautiful blue eyes with their fringe of black lashes widened every time she saw something new that fascinated her. There were murals painted on the stone of the walls in almost every room. He had paid a heavy price for the artisans to make them just right. The frescos were almost as beautiful as she was.
He couldn’t believe his fortune. He could have ended up tied to a woman with bad breath, bad skin, and bad temperament, but instead he found himself attached to a young and lovely creature with a sweet tasting mouth, delicious curves, and a sweet nature. Just thinking of the flavor and heat of her kisses had him hard and wanting her.
“Bess, this is Arya,” he said, introducing a young, barefoot girl who had just entered the room. “She is one of my servants. She will show you to the guest quarters.”
“That isn’t necessary,” Bess said, looking shy and awkward. “If there is a servant’s room connected to the room that Yasra is staying in, that will be sufficient enough. Plus, it will allow me to be close to her.”
“I can give you adjoining guest rooms,” Dendri said. “You will be right next door to one another. Arya, take these bags to the south side guest rooms. Bess, you can accompany her so you know where they are. I have some things I need to discuss with your friend.”
“Of course. If that’s all right with Yasra,” Bess said pointedly. It did h
er credit that she wasn't willing to let her friend face her unusual and unsure future on her own.
“I’ll be fine,” Yasra said, color tingeing her cheekbones. She was afraid to be alone with him, afraid of what it might mean. She need not be afraid of him, but she was right if she thought he was going to press every advantage he got with her.
“Come, let me show you the rest of the villa,” he said.
They walked slowly through the rest of the house. He showed her every room, gauging her reaction to each. The kitchens were large and full of a flurry of activity as they prepared for the evening meal. The salon was full of sunlight and was prepared for a woman’s pastimes, be they sewing, knitting or, in Yasra’s case he was sure, reading. He took her to the library then, showing her a room full of soaring shelves, much of which could only be accessed by ladders. She exclaimed in delight, running from shelf to shelf to examine the titles on the bindings of the books.
“Murdo’s Practicum! I have been looking for this! They say there’s only two copies.”
“They are right.” He smiled. “You will find I have many hard to find volumes.”
“I don’t doubt it. Look at them all!”
Eventually he pulled her away from the library, though not without her arms being full of books she had found to read. He showed her the pool in the center of the solarium. It was protected from the elements and was a good four feet deep. The water was clean and clear, and he had it cleaned once a week by a Vendii majii who could manipulate the water and make it fresh again in concert with his servants who scrubbed the walls and floors of the pool thoroughly.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she said, looking down at the colorful tile that made up the design of the floor of the pool.
“You can try it any time you like,” he said.
“But…what would I wear?”
“Whatever you like,” he said with a smile, “Or nothing at all.”
She blushed furiously at that and he laughed.
“But there is a private bath for that,” he said, taking her upstairs to show her the private bath. It was a smaller pool, only six feet by seven feet and two feet deep.
“I don’t know what I would do with so much room to bathe in.”
“You and I are able to heat the water now,” he said in a whisper against her ear. “So long as we are touching.”
To emphasize the point, he reached out and stroked a finger down the side of her neck. As he did so he concentrated on heating the water. Soon steam began to rise off the water. He found it to be very reflective of the heat he was feeling just by touching her in that small way.
“Would you like a bath?” he asked her. He led her into the room that was becoming moist with damp heat. He showed her a stoppered bottle and taking the stopper out he held it under her nose.
“Henno flowers!” she said. “It smells wonderful.”
He dumped a healthy dollop of the mixture into the water and using his Aspano ability to move things with his mind, he made the water bubble and roll until a froth of bubbles appeared on the surface.
“I didn’t know you could do that,” she said softly.
“Moving water is a very tricky skill. Only the highest level Aspanos can manage it.”
“And you are very much a high level Aspano,” she said.
She sounded uncomfortable, so he moved them away from the topic.
“Come. Let us put these books down somewhere safe and dry and then you can take a bath and wash the cares of the day away.”
“It does sound lovely,” she said with longing. “But I shouldn’t really.”
“Why shouldn’t you? You are a guest in my house. You should avail yourself of its every pleasure.”
Before she could argue he took her to her room. He barely gave her time to register the sunny room with its large bed before he was taking the books out of her arms and resting them on the bedside table near the kerosene lamp.
“A bit of reading before bedtime,” he said with a smile. Then he led her back into the bathing room and shut the door behind them. He came up behind her and picked up her hair, sweeping it forward over her shoulder, and began to unbutton her dress. She gasped and turned around, her hand on her chest as she met his eyes.
“With you here?” she asked.
He smiled again and reached for her hand. He pulled her closer and sought out her ear. With his lips brushing over the shell of it he whispered, “I’ve already seen you naked and wet.”
She sucked in a sharp breath and he pulled back to gauge her expression. She looked a combination of shocked and aroused. Good. At least arousal was in there somewhere. He turned her around again and resumed his work on the buttons of her dress. As he exposed her spine, he could not resist the urge to kiss her on each knobby little bone of her vertebrae as it appeared. He did this until he ran out of buttons at the midpoint of her back. Then he gathered her skirts in his hands and pulled the dress up over her head and off her body. He let it fall to the tiled floor and looked at the treasures he had uncovered.
She was wearing ankle boots and stockings tied at her mid-thigh by garters. She wore a small pair of drawers and was bare breasted without her dress to cover her. She had the most perfect breasts, he thought. Round and full, tipped with rosy red nipples that were puckered tightly. She bashfully crossed her arms over her chest as he stared. He knelt down on one knee and unbuttoned and removed first one boot and then the other from her feet. Then he untied each garter and rolled her hose down her leg. As he went he caressed her thigh, her knee, then her calf, the elegant shape of them attracting his hand like a magnet. Finally, he stroked his fingers along her instep. She giggled and pulled away and he smiled. She was ticklish. He found that to be delightful. In fact, he found everything about her to be delightful.
On his knees before her, kneeling like a supplicant to her beauty, he ringed one hand around her hip and pulled her forward as the other hand went to the tie on her drawers. He pulled it free and then slid the silky material down over her hips. He felt her tense, felt her wanting to resist him, but in the end she let him take off her final bit of clothing. Now he was kneeling in front of a naked goddess. She was pale skinned, flawlessly without so much as a freckle. She had a small mole in the crease of her thigh, but other than that she was perfectly white. She was curvy in the extreme, with well-shaped hips and breasts and a slightly rounded belly. Her bottom, which he could not see at present, promised to be just as full and curvaceous.
Then she stepped away from him and turned, showing him that yes, her bottom was everything he had expected it to be, before she had dropped down into the water, hiding herself beneath the bubbles he had created earlier.
He arose from his knees and unbuttoned the cuffs to his shirt. He untied the cravat at his throat and tossed it down on top of her clothes. Then he unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off, letting it join the pile as well. She had turned to face him, drawing bubbles up to cover herself as she anxiously watched him undress.
“Y-you’re coming in too?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“How else will we keep the water hot?” he asked, unbuttoning the fly to his pants. He toed off his boots.
“You could just hold my hand…outside of the tub.”
She was nervous and he didn’t blame her, but he wasn’t going to let her hide from him. He removed his stockings and then shucked his pants free. He watched the emotions play over her face, but there was only one he was looking for and he found it.
Desire.
He moved forward once he was naked, dropped into the water, and headed straight across to her. She was breathless with anticipation by the time he closed a hand around her ankle and dragged her forward to meet him in the center of the tub by it. He ran his free hand around her waist and pulled her up flush to his body. Dendri had never felt such warm, soft skin in all of his life. Everywhere he touched her she was pillow soft and silky skinned. The wet of her body against the wet of his aroused him as nothing else had before this. Oh, h
e was a man of large carnal appetites, and he had experienced much in his lifetime, but lately it had seemed as though every connection had lacked luster. No true excitement. But here, he thought as she writhed against him innocently, here was true luster. True excitement.
“Hold still a moment,” he whispered tightly into her ear. She immediately did so, going still and holding herself rigidly in his embrace.
“Relax,” he instructed her further.
“I can’t relax. Dendri Adiron is holding my naked body to his,” she whispered.
“I am not merely the fame of my name,” he said with a frown.
“But you cannot escape it,” she said.
“I would be just a man with you.”
“You will never be just a man. You are too powerful in both ability and personality.”
She softened the blows of her words with two gentle kisses down the side of his neck and he relaxed beneath her mouth.
“I do not want you to know me as the untouchable Dendri Adiron.”
“I am touching you,” she said, her hands stroking along the line of his shoulders.
“And I am glad of it,” he whispered heatedly against the side of her neck. “But I think you know what I mean.”
“Perhaps if you make love to me I will see you only as a man. But I fear it will only make you appear more powerful in my eyes.”
“Hmm,” he said on a low growl, “We shall have to experiment with that theory.”
He ran his hand down her back, pausing at the flare of her waist into her backside, but then drifted his touch down to grasp one of her cheeks and pulled her closer. Her legs parted, then wrapped around his waist, her ankles hooking together in the small of his back. He grew ever harder at her boldness, and so was rigid when his cock came to nestle into her warmth and wetness. Her boldness pleased him, more than he could say. It told him that she was welcoming him. That she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It was merely that she was afraid of all the changes in her life. He didn’t blame her. He felt similarly. Not fear necessarily, but intimidation. A Gestalt couple was nothing to brush off and everyone would know that. Practically overnight his fame would triple, would reach well beyond their continent, never mind their city. At least he had some experience dealing with fame. She did not. She had no experience even being deemed worthy of a little majic. For her the experience would be nearly traumatic. And somehow, in the middle of all of this, he had to coax her into his bed and into his heart.
A Kiss of Magic: A Kiss of Magic Book One Page 5
