“I would do it again.” Benti’s voice wavered.
“I believe you. Marin would have been very proud of you.”
She shook her head. “No, Majesty. I betrayed my King. I told Fend you’d returned to Dragoran!”
“Is that all you told him?”
“Yes! He had my daughter. He killed my Kindred. I had to.”
“Listen to me,” Alana cooed, lifting Benti’s chin. “Fend already knew I’d returned to Dragoran. The moment I stepped through Marin’s doorway, he knew. Magic was strong in him, but not strong enough to overtake the throne. He needed me in order to do that.”
Tears spilled onto Benti’s cheeks as she tried her hardest to hold Alana’s eye contact.
“The way I see it,” Alana said, wiping her tears away, “I have a sister.”
Benti’s sobs wracked her and she fell into Alana’s arms, clutching onto her fine tunic.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, my Queen!”
“Shh.” Alana gazed at Rion over Benti’s shoulder. His look of astonishment said it all. He hadn’t been expecting her heartwarming response to Benti’s loyalty.
Don’t send her out into the cold, Alana said mentally. Please. She’s…she’s my family.
He closed his eyes and cocked his head as if mulling it over. But Alana knew the moment he caved to her wishes. “I can deny you nothing,” he said aloud.
“Majesty?” Benti asked, sitting back up. Her daughter still clung to her, glancing warily between Alana and Rion.
“My Kindred has petitioned for your full pardon, Bentielrah. You may stay on, here at the palace.”
Her mouth fell open. “I’m not worthy of your… I’m not…”
Rion held up his hand. “It is decided, Benti.”
She held onto her daughter with a vengeance, her entire body quaking. “Thank you,” she breathed.
“Don’t thank me. Thank Alana,” Rion told her. “If she calls you ‘sister’, then you are mine as well.”
“Oh, bless you,” Benti cried through tears of joy. “Bless you both!”
She leaned forward and kissed Alana on the cheek. “Marin would have been proud of you too, my Queen.”
The two women embraced each other. Alana was home.
Fifteen
The celebration of Fend’s death, their victory over the House of Fire, and Rion’s recent binding to his Kindred lasted long into the night. Alana had met with several important advisors to the throne, dignitaries to various districts, and many different servants and normal folk alike.
Their curiosity about their new queen was endless. What was the Earth realm like? Did she regret coming through the mirror? Was it easy now for her to cast her magic?
Alana had to give them credit; no one dared ask about her binding with Fend. The subject was almost taboo, the elephant in the room. Either Rion had forbidden it, or his subjects would never dream of being so disrespectful. Regardless of the fact that Fendarylonn had bound her as his Kindred first, she now belonged to King Rion of Dragoran. Disgracing his queen was out of the question.
The sky lightened with the dawn when they finally climbed the stairs toward Rion’s chambers. The thought of sleeping in his arms made her shiver from head to toe. The chaos of recent events had her longing for quiet, peaceful times, and she was looking forward to it desperately.
When Rion quietly opened the door for her to walk through, she did so dragging her feet.
“Sleepy?” he asked, yawning himself.
“You have no idea.”
“Don’t I?”
His arms curled around her from behind and he placed his chin on her shoulder. “I could fall asleep right here.”
“Please don’t,” Alana said with a grin. “I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep too and we’ll both fall over.”
“Mmm, I don’t mind.” He turned his head and began kissing her neck. “As long as you’re on top.”
She leaned her head back, allowing him to continue his gentle assault, placing open-mouthed kisses on her skin. “You want me to be on top?” she asked.
Rion’s hands cupped her breasts underneath her tunic. His thumbs and forefingers found her nipples and rolled them gently.
“Sounds divine,” he murmured. “But I’m half asleep already.”
Alana smiled as she glanced at the window. “Nonsense, big guy. I’m from the House of the Sun, right?”
“Right…” he said, sounding unsure of her line of thought.
“All we need is a little recharge and we’re good to go.”
She left his embrace and walked to the curtains, pulling them back and allowing the first light of dawn to shine upon her. With a deep breath, she felt her strength returning.
“Come here, Rion,” she said, crooking her finger at him. He obeyed, but crossed the room like an exhausted puppy.
“You’re so cute.” She pinched his nose.
“Hey, now. I thought I was handsome. Suave. Debonair.”
“Mmm.” Alana took him in. “You forgot ‘downright sexy.’”
“Sorry.”
She grinned and laid her palms on his bare chest. It only took mere seconds before her magic flowed into him, erasing the fatigue and replacing it with vitality. He sighed and grinned dreamily.
“How often can you do that?”
“As many times as I want, as far as I know. As long as the sun is shining.”
“By the Spirit, we’ll never get any sleep!”
She giggled at his tone and led him toward the bed. “Oh I’ll sleep with you, cowboy,” she said, pushing him down. “When I’m finished with ya.”
With a snap of her fingers, their clothing was gone, and Rion lay at her mercy, staring up at her.
She tsked her tongue and shook her head. “Will you look at that?” she said, grinning. “It appears I have a king sprawled before me.”
Alana straddled his hips and crawled forward on all fours, licking his skin as she went. With each lick, she pulsed her magic into him until he trembled with it.
“We’d better hurry,” she whispered, making sure her hot breath heated his wet skin. “My Kindred could return at any moment and he’s not the sharing type.”
“Then get up here and ride me, woman,” Rion said with a wink. “Before he comes back.”
Holding both his hands in hers, she slid over his erection and sat back, ever-so-slowly, until he was deep inside her. They both groaned in unison. A few more lingering thrusts and Alana came, riding the peak of her desire on and on and on. Rion’s magic was sustaining her, she knew it.
When he finally let her come down from the clouds, she heightened his arousal until he found his pleasure, prolonging it and grinding her hips into his.
Suddenly, she found herself sprawled on her belly, facedown on the sheets. Rion had flash-traveled directly behind her. Before she knew his intent, he opened her legs and entered her from behind, plunging into her depths until she raised her backside to him in total surrender.
With one large hand, he reached around her thigh and stroked her, teasing her by holding back her orgasm until he was good and ready for her to come. When he finally allowed her to release, Alana screamed, and she had no doubt they’d just moved Heaven and Dragoran.
But Rion wasn’t through. He continued on until he burst within her, pouring his magic through her very bones. Once more, she rocked with him and came, demanding a fiery kiss over her shoulder as she climaxed around his erection.
He sat up and held her to him, continuing to kiss her, continuing his shallow thrusts. Her back was against his chest and she curled against him, holding him close with her hands above her head. He took advantage by stroking her sensitive breasts.
“Sex with magic,” she panted, mussing his hair. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Wow.”
“Want to come again?” he asked against her throat.
Her hesitation must have been a yes to him. He didn’t touch her, didn’t kiss her, didn’t thrust, he merely pushed another wave of magic w
ithin her and just like that, she was coming, clutching onto him for dear life.
“Oh God, oh my God!” Undulating her hips, she sought his lips when his hand between her legs brought her to new heights.
As soon as the storm of her orgasm passed, she gazed at Rion in wonder. “Holy crap, you can just do that?”
He grinned. “When the mood strikes. But half the fun is the journey, wouldn’t you agree?”
Rion’s arms drew her close and he hugged her, still buried between her thighs.
“I think I’ve got the best damn lover this side of…the universe.”
“Funny,” he said, “I was just thinking the very same thing.”
She kissed him and pulled him down with her into the bed sheets.
“Now it’s time to sleep, my love,” she whispered, stroking his face. “Royalty’s work is never done.”
As soon as her head hit the pillow, exhaustion once more took over. Her eyelids felt like lead weights and she curled into Rion’s body, content in his warm embrace.
“Alana?” he asked, moments before she drifted off.
“Hmm?” she answered.
“Want to dream?”
With a wide grin, she gave her Kindred a loving squeeze. “Absolutely.”
About Rebecca
Rebecca Goings’s first love is historical romance. But she’s also been known to write a few contemporaries as well. Becoming a writer has been her life’s goal, and she’s finally living her dream. Rebecca resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband Jim, and five rugrats (which she homeschools). She fell in love with Oregon at the age of sixteen, and was able to convince her husband to move there after six LONG years in Los Angeles. She doesn’t anticipate ever leaving. Rebecca is never at a loss for book plots, and hopes to be around for a very long time.
Visit our website for our growing catalogue of quality books.
www.champagnebooks.com
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