by Missy Jane
She nodded and reluctantly dropped her hands from his bare chest. To her surprise, he kept her hand in his when he stepped farther into the room.
The room itself was bare, with the exception of a stone pillar at its center. A light shone from the pillar almost too bright to look at directly. But when she did glance that way she realized there was a polished stone on top. The light actually emanated from what had to be the Wizard’s Stone. It was a nondescript color, possibly a pale yellow or off-white. Every time she blinked, it seemed to change.
“Don’t look directly at it, Phaidra,” Nel said. “It’s very powerful.”
She nodded and looked at her feet instead. Other Masters filed into the room until all six who had been left to guard the castle stood around the stone with Nel and Phaidra. At first, no one spoke, then one Phaidra didn’t recognize broke the silence.
“The Twenty feel the presence of the Stone. However, one of them once told me it is muted by our stone walls. Perhaps it should be moved since they each know its place at the moment.”
“That is true, Craig,” Nel said. “Any ideas on where to move it? With its power it isn’t the easiest to hide.”
Another unfamiliar Master spoke up. “At the moment we have it at the lowest point in the castle. What if we move it instead to the highest?”
“Adalstan. Surely you don’t mean the tower?” Kephas asked.
“Why not? We can put protections in place easily there.”
Soon all of them seemed to be speaking at once.
“It would be harder to protect.”
“It would be easier to get to.”
“Wizards have ways of flying just like we do.”
“Perhaps we should bury it instead.”
Phaidra was soon overcome with exhaustion. The excitement of her journey had waned and a soothing glow bounced off the walls around her from the Wizard’s Stone. It pulsed like a heartbeat with a rhythm that had her eyes drifting shut.
“Nel, your woman.”
Sakhr’s words and pointing finger had Nel glancing down at Phaidra, then doing a double take when she swayed on her feet. He caught her as she began to fall and cradled her to his chest. It was a sign of her fatigue when she simply cuddled against him and snored softly.
“Are we really so boring?” Petros asked with amusement.
The others chuckled quietly along with him, Nel included.
He shook his head though his gaze was on the woman in his arms. “No. She has done much in the past few hours. She needs her rest.”
“As do you, brother,” Craig said with a light slap on Nel’s shoulder. “We’re seeing to the protections for now and there isn’t much else to do. Take your rest. One of us will wake you if you’re needed.”
Without Phaidra in his arms, Nel would have argued, but he knew Craig was right. Though he’d been tied to a bed for days, his body wasn’t at its best yet. Being home and in the presence of the Stone would fix that, but he should rest while he could. With a short nod to his brothers, he left the dungeons and headed for his room.
He set Phaidra on his large fur-covered bed and left the room to find fresh water and a clean towel. He hadn’t been home for a couple of weeks but nothing had changed in the bathing room. He gathered all he needed and returned to Phaidra’s side. She hadn’t moved an inch. With great care, he removed her clothes and bathed her supple skin. She was a bit thin and petite for a Kevan, making him wonder if she had been properly fed. Her dark hair also made her stand out among her people and told him her Kevan side wasn’t dominant.
She moaned in her sleep when he smoothed the wet cloth over her most sensitive parts, but she didn’t wake. The urge to run his lips over her clean skin was strong but he fought it. No way would he touch her so intimately without her consent. As it was, keeping his touch light and impersonal was damn near impossible. He tried to be quick about it but her beauty arrested him. Finally the self-torture was finished and he pulled a thick quilt over her sleeping form. She smiled for him but still didn’t wake.
He left the fireplace in his room lit for warmth and light while he returned to the bathing room. Usually he chose to lounge in the soothing water and swim a lap or two. But knowing Phaidra was sleeping in his bed was too much temptation. He bathed and dried quickly to return to her. Nothing had changed when he entered his room and he slipped in beside the small woman. He watched her sleep before falling into the most peaceful slumber he had ever enjoyed.
Phaidra woke with a start, immediately noting a warm weight pinned her in place. The soft surface beneath her was pleasant but foreign and for a moment panic tried to take hold. Her eyes shot open and her pulse raced. The sight before her stopped her panic as if it had never been. Nel slept beside her, his thick arm over her waist, his hand resting on the swell of her bottom. He was so handsome all she could do for a moment was stare at him in wonder. Then her stomach growled and she knew what had woken her.
She tried to pull away from Nel slowly, trying not to wake him, but she soon discovered it was nearly impossible. His grip on her was loose but strong. She would have to wake him to get away. Another look at his face revealed his even breathing and closed eyes. Unsure of what else to do, she moved up and kissed his lips. It took a few tries before he responded. Then he growled low in his throat and rolled her beneath him.
“Oh! Nel…I’m hungry.”
He didn’t seem to hear her at first and continued to rain kisses on her lips, chin, cheeks and forehead. She laughed and ran her hands over his glorious chest before her stomach growled again. Nel finally pulled back.
“Is there a bear in my room?”
She slapped him lightly on the arm and shook her head. “Of course not. But I might turn into one if we don’t have food soon. How are you not starved?”
His gaze roamed over her face and then dropped to her breasts. Until that moment, she hadn’t even realized she was naked.
“What happened to my clothes?”
She tried to move one arm over her breasts but he gently grasped her wrists and pinned them above her head with one large palm.
“I removed them so I could bathe you. We were both covered in sweat and dust from running through the streets. I wanted you to feel refreshed.”
She didn’t struggle. In truth, having him hold her in such a way was exciting and enticing. No man had ever done so before and her blood pumped faster at the appreciative look in his eyes.
“Oh. Uh…thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Are you really so hungry food can’t wait a bit?”
“How long?”
He grinned and warmth flooded her entire body.
“Until I have dessert first.”
“Dessert?”
“Mmhmm.”
He released her wrists and placed a soft kiss against her lips. Then he nipped her chin lightly before running his tongue down her neck.
“Oh…” She moaned and let her head fall back to give him room to taste her.
He continued to lick, kiss and nibble on her skin while he moved to her breasts. She had never been touched in such a way and briefly wondered if she should confess her innocence. But then he pulled one of her small breasts into his mouth and all thought fled.
“Oh goddess!”
He hummed against her skin before suckling first one breast then the other. Pleasure rippled through her body and she dug her fingers into his hair as an anchor. Had anything in her life ever been so good? Definitely not.
He pleasured her breasts for long minutes until she was sure to die from it. When she was ready to beg him to stop, he finally moved down her body. Her legs fell open for him and he moved between them. She knew what he was going to do—had seen others enjoy such pleasures before. Iva and Kalypso were not shy and often called for wine or refreshments in the midst of such acts with each other. Phaidra had seen many things and wondered about them. Now it seemed Master Nel was going to show her all she’d been missing.
Her skin was soft as silk and hairles
s like most other Kevan. Nel pushed thoughts of all other women from his mind while he tasted Phaidra’s sweetness. Her innocent beauty arrested him and the pleasure of touching her had his cock hard and ready. She was smaller than most Kevan women, and for a moment he worried about hurting her. But one look at the ecstasy on her face told him there would be no stopping now.
She squirmed as he kissed a path down her belly and to the slick skin of her sex. He gently pressed his palms against her thighs to open her fully to his view and he groaned at the sight. Moisture dripped from her smooth opening, calling to him like the most treasured delicacy. He had never been one to deny himself. The first swipe of his tongue had her arching off the bed even while his eyes rolled back in pleasure. She was succulent. He had another taste, and another, until he was lapping at her and growling in hunger for more.
The slight sting of her pulling his hair distracted him for a fraction of a second before her taste called him back. He had to have more. But this wasn’t for his enjoyment alone. He latched on to her clit and hummed against the sensitive bud, causing Phaidra to scream his name. Evidence of her pleasure seeped from between her thighs and he slid one finger through it to feel the warmth within her body. She stilled and he froze, looking up at her with a questioning gaze.
“Phaidra?”
“Yes?”
“You’ve never been with a man?”
She shook her head and tears shone in her eyes. “No…no, I’m sorry.”
For a second he considered stopping so he could pull her into his arms and comfort her. But then he thought better of it. Stopping now might seem like a rejection after that confession and he would never reject her.
“There’s no reason to apologize, my pretty one. I had to ask so I’ll know to be more gentle.”
He smoothed his finger out slowly before gliding it back in. She gasped and her eyes closed but no pain showed in her expression. He did it again. Soon he was fucking her with his finger while she pumped her hips in time. He added a second finger and her body squeezed them. She was so tight and warm. Her wet heat ensured he didn’t hurt her, even when he added a third finger. Soon she was panting and writhing on his hand. He decided to kiss her clit again and she cried out in climax.
“Oh, Nel!”
He took a final taste before his own needs clamored too loudly to ignore. She remained pliant, panting and spread out on his bed like a feast. He ran his hands up her quivering thighs and trembling belly to her perfect breasts. Her eyes opened slowly and focused on him with pleasure still glowing from them.
“Nel?”
“Yes?”
“I…I never…imagined…”
He grinned and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “That’s only the beginning. I have so much more to show you.”
Her eyes widened. “More?”
He nodded and took his hard cock in hand.
She looked down and watched him stroke himself from root to tip. “Oh.”
She was as ready as she ever would be but he still took his time, stroking the head of his erection over her slick skin. She moaned and spread her thighs even wider in open invitation.
“I’m going to be inside you soon, my pretty one. I’ll go slowly but if it hurts or you want me to stop, simply say so.”
“Yes.”
She sounded as if she spoke more to herself but her body welcomed him when he pressed forward into her opening. There was the expected resistance and he took his time with the initial penetration. Sweat beaded on his brow while he fought to go slowly and not fall on her like an animal. He kept his gaze on her face. At the first hint of discomfort, he would stop…somehow. She was so small and tight. He inched his cock deeper into her body until he felt her barrier. Then he leaned forward and kissed her hard as he pushed through.
She clutched his shoulders, short nails biting into his flesh while she squealed. He froze and waited for her to relax again beneath him. It only took seconds for her to moan and thrust her hips against his.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes…very all right.”
He chuckled and pushed in a bit more. Though he didn’t consider his manhood overly large, he’d never taken a woman’s virginity before. The act both humbled and frightened him. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
“A little more?” he asked.
“Yessssss…oh yes, please.”
He pushed in again until he was fully seated within her. They moaned in unison and he took a deep breath.
“I’m going to move now. Tell me if I hurt you.”
She nodded, eyes tightly shut but no look of pain on her face. He pulled out slowly before easing his cock back into her warmth.
“Oh, it feels so good, Nel.”
That was all the encouragement he needed. He thrust again slowly twice more before picking up the pace. Soon he was fucking her in earnest and growling low in his throat with pleasure.
Her nails continued to scratch the skin of his shoulders and chest but he barely noticed. All his attention centered between her thighs and the paradise he had found there. He sped up then slowed back down. He used short strokes then longer ones as he ran a hand over her body. A light sheen of sweat coated her skin, making it glisten in the firelight. She fairly glowed and he had never seen a more beautiful sight.
She slipped one small hand over the back of his neck and tugged him down in an uncharacteristic show of aggression. He eagerly went with it and allowed her to claim his mouth in a searing kiss. As if that was all he needed, the pleasure tore through him until he was pounding his hips into hers and gasping with his release.
He remained over her, leaning on his elbows so he didn’t crush her smaller frame. They both fought for breath but he recovered first. “That…was amazing.”
She nodded and slowly opened her eyes to stare at him in wonder. “Yes…yes…it was.”
He grinned and rolled onto his side, pulling her to his chest. “As soon as you feel up to it we’ll do it again.”
She smiled and then her stomach rumbled again. “All right. But you have to feed me first.”
He was still laughing after they’d dressed and made their way to the kitchen.
Chapter Twelve
Albain watched the human woman writhe on the cold stone floor and scowled. He had no idea what was wrong with her. The sleeping potion had worn off the other humans with no ill side effects. However, this one was obviously in great pain.
Or was she? It had crossed his mind she could be faking it in order to escape. Though he didn’t see how. The room he was using to hold the human captives was heavily warded on all sides, top and bottom. They were in the dungeon of his lavish castle, deep in the Ilstred Forest.
He was watching through his scrying bowl, keeping an eye on them lest they hurt themselves or each other. But so far there had been no commotion other than that woman. Astra? No. Astrid. He knew she meant something to Master Orestes and that was incentive enough to take her. However, her beauty had also been an enticement. He had hoped to woo her over wine, but the moment she woke, she began crying out. He hadn’t known what to do with her so had dumped her in a cell with the others.
Now the other women were around her, wiping her face with the hems of their dresses and speaking in soothing tones. It didn’t seem to help. She was still crying and holding her belly in great pain. He turned away from the sight and paced across the room. He was a floor above them in his library. It wasn’t nearly as opulent as the one the Masters boasted, but for one of the Twenty it was more than sufficient. He pulled a book from a nearby shelf and set it on his desk. It fell open to the page he needed on its own and he read the spell once again.
Once he had unlimited access to the Wizard’s Stone, he would be able to take full control of Halstrid. King Kadmos was an aging fool, one ripe for a revolution. His only heir was a woman few knew anything about. Her mother had run off with her shortly after becoming pregnant. The Twenty had been trying to track her down for nearly eighteen years. B
astien seemed to believe she had been found, but he kept his secrets well. Bastien’s only confidante, Corbin, was no better. So now Albain had to move swiftly if he wanted the throne for himself. Who better to rule over the greatest kingdom in the land than a wizard?
He chuckled over the thought and closed his spell book. With the blood of one innocent human, he would be able to cloak himself so not even another wizard could detect his presence. Slipping past the walking stone blocks who called themselves Master should be no problem. Leaving his captives unattended wasn’t ideal but he had no choice. No one knew his plans. He trusted none of the other wizards to share in his vision for Halstrid. So he walked alone and would therefore reap all the benefits.
A piercing cry broke into his thoughts and he ran back to his scrying bowl. It was the woman again, but the others were so tight around her he couldn’t see a thing. With a huff of impatience, he strode from the library to descend the stone steps leading him to the dungeon. If she planned to get the others riled up then he’d best remove her and quiet her himself.
Another pain tore through Orestes’s abdomen but he was getting better at ignoring them. Aside from the pain was the unmistakable pull centered in his chest and leading him toward Ilstred Forest. The four wizards had warned him about going into the land Albain called home, but Orestes couldn’t stop himself. Astrid was there and in pain. He would pull up every tree in the vast forest from its ancient roots to find her if need be.
Soon, in the darkness, he spotted the outline of trees. They were monstrous, great behemoths of oak, fir, pine and elm. Here were some of the oldest living things in the kingdom and they garnered respect. Orestes landed at the foot of a massive oak and waited for Bastien to slide from his back. The others landed silently around him.
The wizards immediately went to the oak and set their hands upon its ancient bark. They spoke to each other in lowered voices in a language the Masters had not been taught. Orestes waited impatiently, biting his tongue to keep from yelling his need to move on. Finally Corbin turned toward him.
