Soul Catcher

by E. L. Todd

  “I mean it.”

  “This is a one-time thing?”

  She rubbed her body up against his, her breasts pressed against his chest, and nodded.

  “Accacia, if you keep touching me like this—”

  Her kiss interrupted his words.

  “I’m going to lose control and—”

  She kissed him again.

  He pulled away. “And I won’t be able to stop, Accacia, even if you beg me to.” She smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair. He grabbed her wandering hand, and looked her directly in the eye. “So I am going to ask you again,” he said. “Are you sure you want this?”

  He prayed her answer was yes.

  She leaned into him and whispered directly into his ear. “I want you inside me.”

  Every restraint was snapped like thin twig under a heavy boot. Any reservations he had about this situation were gone, and all he felt was his arousal for the woman he desired. The dam of the ocean had been broken and his feelings flooded out to every shore. His lips were on hers again and he kissed her the way he wanted, with intense passion and loving caresses. His hands ran wild over her body. They felt her muscled calves then glided to her hips, circling her petite waistline with both hands. He clutched the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Her bottom rubbed against his arousal as she moved. She knew Aleco wasn’t ashamed of the indicator of his feelings.

  His touch moved to her chest where he fondled her rounded breasts, exploring their firmness and shape, which he had dreamt about often, and moaned with pleasure as he appraised her shapely curves. He squeezed her breasts, rubbing the nipples with his thumb, and she began to pant at his touch. She grabbed his neck and pulled him closer into her kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she moaned. The sound alone almost brought their interaction to an end, right then and there.

  He lifted her into the air and she circled her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. He carried her up the stairs as he continued to kiss her, occasionally leaning her body against the walls when the unstoppable need to explore her body overcame him. They knocked over a dresser during their heat and a few vases shattered on the floor, which neither of them noticed.

  Aleco laid her down on the mattress and leaned his body over her, loving the feel of her slender legs wrapped around his waist, begging him to enter her. His body shook at that thought alone. Everything he wanted to do with her was finally happening.

  He broke their kiss and gazed at her breathtaking features, mesmerized by the glow of her green eyes and the curve of her wet lips as they remained slightly open, missing his absent kiss. He wanted to remember that moment for as long as he lived, even if nothing ever happened between them again.

  With steady hands, she grabbed his shirt and pulled it from his muscled torso, rubbing her hands across his prominent chest and flat stomach. Her fingers unclasped his trousers and she yanked them free of his legs as he kicked them from his ankles. Then she grabbed the rim of his underwear and pulled him free of his concealment, then saw the intensity of his arousal. She reached her hand out and grabbed it for a moment, gently massaging the skin, even though he needed no further stimulation. He groaned with pleasure at her touch; she was better in the bedroom than any courtesan he ever had.

  He grabbed her hand and pulled it away, not wanting their rendezvous to come to such a quick end. He removed her boots and pulled down her trousers as his eyes marveled at the sight of her exquisite legs. He kissed her inner thighs and her knees, and felt her shiver at his touch. He moved closer to the apex of her thighs, the source of her arousal. Foreplay was always the time he used to find his partner’s pleasure zones, and he was quickly finding hers. He removed her shirt and tossed the thin fabric to the floor, and then removed her camisole underneath, leaving it at the edge of the bed. He caressed the hollow of her throat with kisses, ignoring the necklace she wore, then moved to her breasts where he gently sucked on her nipples. He could feel her heart flutter wildly in her chest. Finally, he removed her panties and dropped them to the floor. He stared at her naked body, hoarding the memory for future lonely nights, and admired how gorgeous she was. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered as he kissed her stomach and trailed his lips downward until he stopped at the middle of her thighs.

  He kissed her most intimate places. She gripped his forearms and glided her fingers through his hair as she sighed with pleasure. Her moans grew louder as he savored her tender region with his tongue, and her pants grew heavy and labored as he continued to please her. She squeezed his arms with smashing force as she lost control, and he brought her into an intense climax that exploded through her body, like a flickering candle exploding into an inferno, something she hadn’t thought possible. “Aleco,” she moaned through the euphoria. “Gods,” she cried.

  The sound of his name almost made him lose control. He continued his ministrations until her breathing decreased, and he knew her moment had passed. He moved his lips to her mouth to kiss her then moved to her ear. “I’m not done with you yet,” he whispered.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to her own, kissing him with relish, moaning between the breaks of their embrace. He separated her thighs with this hand, and explored the source of her desire with his fingers, feeling the indication of female arousal.

  She began to pant again as he felt her intimately, and she spread her legs further apart in welcome. She grabbed his hand to steady it, but he continued his momentum despite her moans of protest. She was on the verge of crying out in pleasure. “Aleco, I want you,” she panted.

  “This is me, dear.”

  “Please,” she begged.

  The intense arousal in her striking green eyes stopped his movements, and he moved his hands behind her back. He grasped her by the waist and elevated her off the bed, inserting himself within her slowly. She gasped at his entrance until he was completely within her. He watched her face glow in the heat of her desire, and she ran her hands down his chest, feeling his powerful body dominate her. He moved her to the head of the bed, and laid her head upon the pillow before he began to move within her. He plunged inside her slowly as he caressed her body gently, while moving his hands through her hair and kissing her lips. She opened her legs wider as she beckoned him to move faster and thrust harder, silently assuring him that he wasn’t hurting her. His rhythm quickened and sweat fell down his chest in beads, splashing on her skin in the midst of their lovemaking. She gripped his back as she moaned loudly at the feel of him within her. He could feel her body tighten around him as she climaxed into another state of euphoria, and she cried his name loudly as she was overcome with pleasure.

  The sound of his name being screamed from her lips again snapped his control. He released himself to the all-consuming pleasure of the moment and thrust himself deeply inside her, reaching his own climax. “Accacia,” he moaned between his final thrusts. “Accacia,” he cried again as he grabbed her hips and pulled himself fully into her. It was the most intense moment of pleasure he ever had.

  His lips sought hers and he kissed her tenderly, attempting to express all his love for her in his embrace alone. She ran her hands through his hair and trickled her fingertips down his back, trying to make up for the savage way she grabbed him earlier.

  “Are you alright?” he asked through his heavy breathing.

  “Yes.” She smiled.

  He lay down beside her and cradled her lithe form in his arms. “You were right.” He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “That was exactly what I wanted.”

  “I can tell.” She laughed.

  “How was it for you?” He wasn’t sure why he asked. It was obvious how it was for her, and he knew her body couldn’t deceive him.

  Her face reddened at his question. “I enjoyed it.” She smiled.

  “Good.” He kissed her, staring at her for moment. She returned his gaze. He wanted to remember this feeling above all things, the feeling of pure joy. “You were my first, Accacia.”
/>   She raised an eyebrow. “How do you mean?”

  “I’ve been with other women, but I’ve never made love to someone,” he said. “Until now.” He smiled.

  “Me either,” she replied. “Well, not with women though.” She laughed.

  He laughed in return.

  “In many ways, you are my first, Aleco. You are the first man I voluntarily slept with.”

  The gesture touched his heart. He knew she loved him. Any doubt he had evaporated with her words. “I’m honored, Accacia,” he said as he held her hand to his heart. He hugged her to his chest and enjoyed the feel of her naked skin against his own. Just the thought of her unconcealed form underneath the sheets was enough to awaken his arousal again.

  She turned away from his embrace. “I should go,” she said.

  Aleco’s heart fell from his chest. He didn’t want this to end. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back to bed. “You said I had the whole evening,” he lied. She never actually said those words, but he thought he might persuade her to believe she had.

  She smiled at his attempt. “I want to return before Father Giloth wonders where I am and comes searching for me. Can you imagine how awkward that would be?”

  “I think the news would please him,” he said.

  She shook her head. “He definitely wouldn’t be pleased with you.”

  “Not if I truly cared for you, respected you, and loved you, which I do—all the above,” he said. “The idea of the two people he loves most finding happiness in each other after the hell they’ve been through would make him happy, Accacia.”

  Accacia was mute to his words.

  “Besides, he is going to find out anyway,” he said.

  She flashed him a look of anger. “You wouldn’t dare,” she snapped.

  Aleco laughed at her venom. Even in her anger, she was adorable. “I wouldn’t tell him anything, Accacia, but you are forgetting an important aspect of Father Giloth. As a Nature Priest, he knows everything that happens in his grounds—everything.” Accacia covered her blushing face with her hands, and Aleco laughed at the attempt to hide her shame. “The forest will tell him of the lovemaking and where it came from. He can piece it together,” he said.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” she asked.

  “I thought you knew.” He laughed. “Accacia, you are a grown woman, and a stunning one at that. He isn’t going to judge you for fulfilling your biological needs. You are no different than the creatures of this forest.”

  “This can’t be happening,” she said into the pillow. “That means he’s going to know—about— stuff.” Her face turned a deeper shade of red.

  “Such as?” he teased her.

  “The way you made me—feel,” she whispered.

  “That I made you orgasm—twice?”

  She hit him in the face with a pillow, and he laughed at the childish gesture. They were having an amateur pillow fight while discussing an adult euphoria. It made him smile. “There isn’t a thing you can do about it now, so just let it go,” he said. “You may as well stay.”

  “Well, it can’t happen again, anyway.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t want him to know about that as well,” she said.

  “Accacia, he isn’t going to know how many times we did it,” he said. “Just that it happened. How can doing it again make you feel any more shame?”

  “You just want to make love again,” she accused him.

  He dropped his smile, and his eyes turned serious. “Yes, I do.”

  He rolled on top of her and began kissing her. Initially her body was stiff and uncooperative, her mind focused on Father Giloth, he knew. So he changed the subject of her thoughts, by touching her in all the places he knew she loved. Eventually, she was panting for him. She rolled her body astride his and straddled his hips, riding him until she reached her climax. Aleco followed her immediately afterwards, gripping her hips for the entire ride.

  Aleco woke the moment she moved from his arms. She got up and searched for the clothes that had been flung all over the room the night before. Aleco watched in misery as she dressed, wishing she wouldn’t go. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. “Stay for breakfast,” he encouraged. “I’ll cook.”

  She made a disgusted look at his offer.

  “I’m not that bad.” He laughed.

  She giggled and it was the most beautiful sound he ever heard. He rose from the bed and kissed her passionately, enjoying the last moment he could claim her as his own. She returned his embrace with equal intensity then pulled away. Aleco sighed and got dressed, then walked her to the door.

  He opened the door for her and silently begged her not to walk through it. As soon as she did, his fantasy would be over. She saw the hurt on his face and she hugged him, kissing his lips and cheeks. He wanted to confess the depth of his feelings, but decided against it. It would only make her uncomfortable. “I’ll go with you,” he offered. “I haven’t been to the house in so long.”

  She stopped him. “Perhaps that isn’t the best idea,” she said. “After last night, I don’t know how he’ll react.”

  “Damn, Accacia, we aren’t children,” he said. “I think it’s better to get it over with together.”

  She sighed. “Okay.”

  Asylinth House

  29

  They strolled across the grass until they approached the secret doorway for Aleco’s personal use. He opened the door for her, allowing her to walk through first. They entered the study and found Father Giloth sipping his morning tea. Topography graphs of the forest covered his desk along with farming reports from the Naturalists. They detailed the life expectancy of the various plants and the elemental composition of the soil in certain areas, allowing Father Giloth to determine which soil patches were more fertile for plant life. He looked up from his tea. “Good morning to both of you, and a good morning it is,” he said. “Can I get you some tea?”

  “Yes, please,” Accacia replied.

  “I will take some as well, thank you,” Aleco said.

  Father Giloth stared at him in astonishment. The only drink he accepted was brandy, unless something better was on hand, and his polite manners were unparalleled. Aleco smiled at his surprised expression.

  Father Giloth gathered two additional cups and filled them with tea. The Nature Priest knew Accacia hadn’t returned all evening. She still wore the same clothes as the night before, and her hair was still in disarray. Even if the Loriuen Tree hadn’t notified Father Giloth of the intimate interaction, he would have suspected it. It was obvious. The Nature Priest was a bit uncomfortable by the revelation, but not surprised. “You both slept well, I can see.”

  Accacia’s face blushed crimson.

  Aleco smiled like a giddy idiot. “Yes, we did,” Aleco answered.

  “I am very happy for both of you,” Father Giloth said.

  “Thank you,” Aleco said with a smile.

  Father Giloth stared at him in shock. He hadn’t seen a genuine smile in years. His nephew was obviously delighted by the experience. The Nature Priest was pleased with Aleco’s good mood. He hadn’t seen him so happy since he was a child. “Since you are both here, I need to address some matters with each of you. First of all, I studied the mineral rock you gave me when you arrived, Aleco, and I found some unusual properties within the stone. It seems to be similar to your Soul Catcher, but its dimensions and material differ slightly. I suspect they have the same origins. Also, it is the same material that comprises the palace walls in Roslyn, but how the material was harvested, I have no clue.”

  Aleco’s mind flashed back to the day he and Accacia traveled within Roslyn, which seemed like a lifetime ago, when they were mere strangers. Devry mentioned the mineral and the Chief’s interest in it, but he refused to elaborate further on its purpose. Aleco recalled the Chief’s offer of immortality when he was in the Vast. Somehow Aleco knew the stones were connected in the two events. “They can stop death, slow it, or prevent it in some way,” Alec
o said. “I don’t know how.”

  Accacia looked at him, surprised. Father Giloth stared too. “How do you know this?” Father Giloth asked.

  Aleco explained the two encounters and their relationship. Accacia listened to the story without comment. Aleco saw the emerald flames extinguish in her eyes, and knew she was offended that he’d withheld the information from her. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust her. He just wanted to avoid additional questions about his conversation with the Chief, which did include information he wanted to withhold from her.

  “Why would the Chief impart such important information to you if he planned to execute you?” Father Giloth asked.

  “The Chief offered to vindicate my crimes and reinstate me into the guild by enticing me with the promise of immortality,” he said. “He dangled it in front of me like I was a hungry dog waiting for a biscuit.”

  “Why didn’t you take it, Aleco?” Accacia asked. “You had no idea if we were going to escape.”

  Aleco was annoyed by her question. He didn’t want to answer it. “I just didn’t want to,” he said. “Let’s drop it.” Accacia stared at him, but Aleco said nothing more. She knew there was more to this story, but respected his request and bottled her curiosity. Aleco sighed at her retreat; he was expecting an argument.

  Father Giloth placed his fingertips against his lips and organized his thoughts in silence. He withdrew one of the stones from his drawer and set it on the desk where they all could see it.

  Accacia grabbed the stone and ran her fingertips across its surface, exploring the texture of the gem along with its cuts and dimensions. The stone felt surprisingly light in her palm, weightless, like a blank sheet of parchment. She threw it to the ground, expecting it to break, but it remained intact. The surface was completely unscathed. Amused, Aleco watched her play with the rock like a child’s block. “Can I have a different stone?” she asked as she extended her hand to Father Giloth.

  He withdrew another stone and dropped it into her palm. This stone was disfigured with serrated edges and jagged surfaces, not smooth and shiny like the other one. Accacia noticed the weight of the gem; it was very heavy. The two stones were identical in size, but this one weighed as much as a pail full of water.