The Seduced

by Cheyenne McCray

  “You know we’ll have to set the bones in your ankle,” Cassia said, her blue eyes meeting Copper’s. “It’s not going to be easy. Some are shattered.”

  Copper flinched. “I can’t do it awake. There’s no freaking way I can take it.”

  Rhiannon came up to Copper, who opened her mouth as Rhiannon tilted a brown bottle so that bitter drops landed on Copper’s tongue. She swallowed the fluid more than willingly.

  Her body relaxed and she felt Tiernan pick her up and settle her on his lap so that he could hold her as her bones were set.

  She gave a sleepy smile as her eyelids fluttered closed. She felt as if she were floating on a breeze, flying in the darkness. Everything slipped away and she fell into the deepest of sleeps.

  31

  When Copper woke and opened her eyes, she found herself snug in Tiernan’s embrace, in his bed. She smiled at the feeling of rightness, the feeling that their hearts and souls were as one.

  The room was fairly dark, the only light pouring into the room from the bathroom. What light there was made the furniture in the room less ghostly-looking. She didn’t know why the light was on, but she was glad for it. She’d had too much deep darkness to last her a while.

  Her ankle throbbed and when she adjusted her leg she felt a cast on her foot, with only her toes free and the cast covering her leg up to her shin. Oh, joy, wasn’t this going to be fun. At least she was a witch, and part Elvin, and would heal faster than a human would.

  Copper felt clean and refreshed, and figured she’d been given some kind of bath as she slept. Even her hair was clean and silky. She gave a long, catlike stretch and sighed. The feel of satin surrounded her skin and she knew she’d been wrapped in a robe before being put to bed. How long had they been sleeping?

  Tiernan stirred behind her, but she wasn’t sure he was awake despite the fact he had a huge erection pressed up against her backside. But then he nuzzled her hair and she heard his deep inhale.

  “My little fire,” he murmured against her nape and she shivered.

  An idea came to her and she grinned at the thought. She slipped out of his embrace and swung her legs over the bed and stood with a clunk of her cast. Oh, good. Cassia had given her a walking cast so that she could at least try to get around without crutches.

  He propped himself up on one elbow and his black robe fell open to reveal his muscled chest. “Come back to bed.”

  She curled her finger in a come-and-get-me motion. “I have a better idea.”

  She whirled and hobbled to the front door of the apartment. Her ankle throbbed and her body ached, but she was ready for a little fun.

  When she reached the front door, Tiernan came up behind her and grasped her by her shoulders. He slowly rotated her to face him and she looked up into his incredible blue eyes. Goddess, he looked so sexy with his tousled hair and stubbled cheeks.

  “What are you up to?” he said in his deep Irish brogue. “I am of a mind to take you straight back to bed.”

  She playfully pushed at his bare chest, and almost melted against him at the contact of his warm skin against her palm. But no, she wanted to have her fun.

  “Come on. This’ll be great.”

  He shook his head in a sign of exasperation and she moved back to the door. The knob squeaked when she turned it, and the door hinges gave a rusty sound as she and Tiernan slipped into the corridor.

  After they shut the door behind them, Copper grabbed Tiernan by the hand and tried to tug him down the hallway to the stairwell.

  Before she could take a step, he swooped her into his arms and she gave a little squeal. “Whatever it is you have planned,” he rumbled, “I will not have you walking on a broken ankle.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against his chest. “Take us all the way to the rooftop.”

  His muscles flexed as he carried her up to the flagstone floor of the roof garden. Only streetlights illuminated the greenery, along with the chairs and lounges in the small garden area near the stairwell.

  Tiernan set her down carefully, her earth-brown satin robe sliding against his in a sensual motion. His length pressed against her belly as he brought her into the circle of his arms. “You desire me to take you here and now?”

  Copper grinned up at him. “You’re getting closer.”

  He studied her as she took a couple of steps from him. His palms slid down her satin-covered arms until he reached her hands and released her.

  With her eyes focused on his, she untied the robe and the belt fluttered to the flagstone. His gaze darkened as she let the robe slide down her shoulders to her feet, leaving her completely naked.

  The light breeze caressed her skin and caused her hair to lift from her shoulders.

  Tiernan’s hungry gaze took her in. “You are beyond beautiful,” he said, his voice deep and husky.

  When he tried to reach for her, she took a step back. “Your turn.”

  He ripped his belt from his waist, shrugged out of his robe, and flung both aside. For a moment she studied his muscular form. She’d always thought of him as masculine perfection, but tonight he looked even more incredible.

  His hair stirring about his broad shoulders, his well-cut chest tapering to lean hips, powerful thighs and calves, and even handsome feet. She’d never really thought of feet as handsome before.

  Tiernan looked like such a fierce warrior as he restrained himself from taking her down to the floor of the rooftop.

  Copper stepped forward, holding her hands out to him, and he took them within his larger grip. She was close enough now that her body pressed to his. Everywhere they touched was like a furnace against her body.

  “I cannot wait much longer to have you, little fire.” His grip on her hands tightened. “I can see by that look in your eyes you are up to something.”

  She laughed, slid her arms around his neck and reached up for his kiss. He crushed her body to him as he took her mouth as hard with his kiss as he certainly wanted to take her.

  His lips were firm against hers, and she groaned with every nip of his teeth on her bottom lip and every plunge of his tongue into her mouth. Her body was on fire now as they pressed hard against one another.

  Tiernan cupped the back of her head with one hand and he clenched her hair tight in his fist. His stubble was rough against her jawline as he moved his moist lips from hers and kissed her soft skin along her cheek to her ear.

  “What do you want?” he asked in a voice rough with passion. “I will give it to you.”

  Copper’s lips found his mouth again and she murmured against them, “Make love to me while we fly.”

  Tiernan groaned. “By the gods, you are incredible.”

  Before he could shift and spread his wings, she said, “Wait. I want to watch.”

  “But I don’t want to let you go.” His grip on her tightened.

  She kissed him hard again then traced the line of his mouth with her fingertip. “Just let me watch.”

  With an air of reluctance, Tiernan released her, took a few steps back, and then turned away.

  It was the most incredible sight. His large brown wings slowly unfurled from his body. The muscles across his back rippled as the wings grew through his skin, from his shoulder blades down to his waist, and she heard the sound of bone popping.

  When he finished, he flapped his wings and caused a strong breeze to caress her naked body.

  Tiernan faced her again and she was in his arms in a fraction of a moment. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”

  His jaw tightened with hunger as he cupped her buttocks and raised her.

  Copper obeyed, doing her best to clamp her thighs around his hips and cross her broken ankle with her good one. If she wasn’t so hot for Tiernan, so ready for him, she would have laughed at her awkwardness in a time of such passion.

  She wrapped her arms tight around his neck and his eyes took her in while he used one hand to place his length at the entrance to her core. He grabbed her hips with his palms and
propelled the two of them into the air at the same time he drove deep inside her.

  Copper let loose a cry of fulfillment and exhilaration as Tiernan made love to her at the same time they flew. It was incredible. Beyond incredible. Beyond description.

  City lights swirled around them as Tiernan dipped and rolled and even held her on top of him. Wind that should have chilled her skin felt warm as her body flushed with heat and passion.

  The smell of the ocean mixed with Tiernan’s pure male scent and she could still taste him upon her tongue. She pressed her lips to his, needing to taste him again. His mouth was so very hot.

  Their lips parted when he twisted so that he was flying with her directly beneath him, their arms tight around one another. Goddess, every movement of his hips drove him deeper inside her, bringing her so close to climax that she cried out with every thrust.

  Golden bubbles sparkled in the night sky around them, and Copper felt them bind him closer to her, bind her closer to him. The magic slipping from her surrounded them as if they were a comet sailing through the atmosphere.

  Their hair whipped around their shoulders and into their faces. In the golden illumination she could clearly see Tiernan’s blue gaze. He focused on her eyes with such intensity it brought her even closer to the peak.

  His hands gripped her hips tight, driving into her as he brought her to him in the same motion as he flew higher above the city. He reached that perfect spot inside her and she knew she couldn’t hold back any longer.

  “Tiernan!” Copper shouted as her orgasm whooshed through her, like the air past her body. Her magic brightened, making everything around them light up. Her climax was an explosion in her mind, city lights swirling with gold.

  She could barely get the words out. “Come inside me, Tiernan.”

  He gave a shout as he climaxed and she felt the throb of his orgasm inside her. He held her tight and groaned loud and long.

  They clung to one another as he flew, their breathing hard and their bodies pressed tightly together.

  Too soon his feet touched down on the apartment building’s rooftop.

  Copper’s mind spun from their wild flight and lovemaking. Tiernan smiled down at her as he lowered her to stand on her feet.

  She still had her arms wrapped around his neck and she didn’t want to let go. She reached up and kissed him again, refusing to break the contact between them.

  When they finally parted, the warmth that flowed through her at the look of love in Tiernan’s eyes amazed her.

  She sighed and pressed her head to his chest, his skin warm against her cheek. “I love you so much, Tiernan.”

  Copper tilted her head back to see his arrogant grin as he said, “I know.” She gave him a playful slap on the arm and he laughed. “I love you, little fire. Now if you will only learn to do what you are told.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

  Excerpt: The Wicked

  Dark Sorcery series

  Cheyenne McCray

  1

  SAN FRANCISCO

  * * *

  “Take that, you damned troll.”

  Rhiannon Castle changed her grip on her game controller as she repeatedly pressed the green button that swung her tiny hobbit sword at the big troll.

  Rhiannon’s familiar, a cocoa-colored cat, sat on his haunches next to her. Spirit’s eyes darted back and forth and his tail twitched as he watched the creatures on the flat screen as if he planned to pounce on the troll himself.

  She shifted to get more comfortable on the carpet in front of the TV. She could almost hear Spirit laughing at her gaming abilities. His sarcasm knew no bounds. He couldn’t speak, but she could sense his emotions, which he frequently made clear to her.

  The troll swung its club and slammed it into the hobbit. “Damn,” Rhiannon said, as her hobbit’s life-force dropped to fifty-one percent.

  She narrowed her eyes, determined to take out the troll.

  The Shadows stirred inside her.

  Her scalp prickled.

  They wanted to come out and play.

  She sucked in her breath as she forced the Shadows back. “No.” She barely kept her focus on the game and dodged the troll. “Stay inside where you belong.”

  The Shadows didn’t want to stay. They pressed her harder than normal. They struggled to break free of the chains she had wrapped around them.

  Air felt trapped in her lungs and her heart pounded harder as they threatened to break free.

  Go back, she shouted in her mind. Go back and stay there.

  Hidden away, never to be set free, never to be known by anyone, not even her Coven sisters.

  Instead of leaving her alone, the Shadows egged her on, this time pushing her to win the game.

  She scowled, letting the Shadows hover close but not setting them free as she battled the troll with her little hobbit.

  Swing, strike, stab.

  The Shadows cheered. As if they were guiding her fingers, she made the killing blow in one fast motion.

  The troll collapsed and vanished. She sat and stared at the hobbit on the screen, and the place where the troll had been standing.

  A buzzing grew in her ears. The Shadows had taken control. They had helped her win the battle with the troll much faster than she would have normally.

  She breathed in deeply then let the air out slowly. “Go away,” she said, this time aloud. “I don’t need you. Go away.”

  The next level of the game started. This time huge spiders rushed toward her hobbit, like demons swarming the witches in her Coven.

  Fear crowded her belly and she flipped the switch on the console to off.

  Her breathing had gone shallow and she gulped in a lungful of air. She had been playing the game to escape her reality.

  Slowly, she got to her feet and tried to calm her breathing, and her heart.

  Demons now roamed San Francisco, killing humans in their path. And a flame-haired goddess was in control.

  The vision came quick and strong.

  Rhiannon dropped to her knees on her apartment floor and tried to breathe.

  Ceithlenn. The evil goddess from Underworld.

  The being’s hair literally flamed and her eyes glowed a deep red. Her fangs seemed to lengthen even as Rhiannon watched. Her claws extending, her huge leather wings expanding.

  The goddess was terrifying and fascinating all at once.

  The force of Ceithlenn’s hunger gripped Rhiannon, as if it were her own belly that rumbled painfully. The knowledge that Ceithlenn hadn’t fed in the three days since she’d left Underworld flowed into Rhiannon through the being’s thoughts.

  Darkness was Ceithlenn’s friend as she swooped through the San Francisco skyline searching for a victim or two.

  The goddess dropped silently in a crouch behind a man with a pink Mohawk. She watched him for a moment, perching on the cracked sidewalk with her clawed hands resting between her thighs. In Underworld there had been no humans to dine on, and they looked delicious.

  Rhiannon’s stomach churned.

  Ceithlenn extended her sharp claws as she moved her hand to the side. She slowly scraped her nails across the cement, a deep, ominous sound.

  It came to Rhiannon, then. Ceithlenn was waiting for her victim to acknowledge her. She wanted to experience the delight of the man seeing death staring him in the face.

  She studied her prey intently and swiped her tongue between her lips before giving a low roar like a tiger.

  The moment Ceithlenn growled, the guy came to a stop. From out of his jacket sleeve he flipped open a switchblade and whirled to see what or who was behind him.

  His eyes widened at the sight of the goddess. “What the hell?”

  With one flap of her great wings Ceithlenn leapt onto the man, slamming him to the concrete.

  His knife skittered across the sidewalk. He started to shout but she sank her fangs into his throat before a sound could leave him.

  Rhiannon nearly screamed as blood
spurted. Ceithlenn’s thrill roared through her as she dined on the human’s flesh.

  And then power. Ceithlenn sucked up the dying man’s soul, drawing it into her until his final death rattle. The potency of absorbing the human’s soul was electrifying. The burst Ceithlenn felt in her magical strength was unreal.

  As realization dawned so did her delight—she could absorb a human’s soul and magnify her own powers. That was something she had never been able to do with any other living creature or being.

  Rhiannon trembled and almost threw up as the vision held her captive and Ceithlenn dined until filled.

  Rhiannon felt the goddess’s satisfaction and triumph—and the thrill of her discovery.

  Souls. She needed more human souls.

  For a moment Ceithlenn scowled. Looked around. Sniffed the air.

  Rhiannon recoiled.

  Was the goddess feeling Rhiannon’s presence?

  Ceithlenn scowled again then took to the air, flapping her great leather wings. Rhiannon felt Ceithlenn’s rush of ecstasy as she circled the city. Sated for now and satisfied with her discovery, the goddess headed to her lair.

  Ceithlenn glanced over her shoulder, as if she were looking directly at Rhiannon, and growled.

  Rhiannon felt the darkness then, the recognition of the Shadows inside her—and knew the goddess recognized it, too.

  Rhiannon cried out as she jerked back to reality. Her eyelids popped open to see that she was in her own apartment.

  Her sight blurred and she could hardly breathe. Bile rose in her throat as she tried to ignore the memory of Ceithlenn and the man, but she couldn’t handle it any longer.

  Rhiannon scrambled from the floor of her living room and fled for the bathroom. She fell to the linoleum, hit her knees, and puked into the toilet until nothing was left. It felt as though her stomach would come up her throat.

  She spit the acidic taste from her mouth. Another thought of the goddess eating the human caused her to dry heave so that her sides ached from it.