Destiny of the Heart (Viking Destiny)
Page 38
She was nearly undone. Each time she made love with Derrick, she learned something new about herself, and just now she learned that she really liked what Derrick was doing to her. Her brain couldn't focus on which sensation to pay attention to. His fingers were creating a series of waves in her abdomen while his tongue was sending whispers of flame across her breasts. She thought for sure she would explode right there on the bed.
Derrick watched her happily as her body responded to him perfectly. He kissed her deeply, and when his fingers sent her over the edge, he replaced them with his shaft and continued to ride her until her body shuddered with pleasure as she came there with him inside her. But he didn't stop. He pushed her body to new heights. He lifted her leg and rested it against his shoulder, rocking his hips into hers. Kristen gasped, feeling him even deeper inside her, not knowing that such a thing was possible. Just when she thought her world might shatter again, Derrick pulled out and kissed her.
Kristen was about to question what had happened, but he turned her over on the bed and lifted her legs until her she was on her knees. He pressed his hands gently on her back and then entered her from behind. Kristen nearly shot right out of her skin. He picked up his tempo, and the waves of pleasure were back, his body slapping into hers. His breath came out in short, concentrated bursts. Her moans were punctuated by the sound of their bodies slapping each other. His movements became faster as he pounded into her.
She yelled out his name and he went faster still. Kristen grabbed at the blankets, holding on for dear life. She could feel the climax coming and knew that it would be different from any other she had felt before now. The heat between them was like an inferno, and Kristen's mouth went dry as she panted. She focused on the feeling of Derrick inside of her, moving with her, and for a moment it was as if they had become one. For a moment, the whole world was gone and it was just them, making love and becoming a single being.
Before Kristen could grasp the concept fully, her body exploded in a pinnacle of light and stars. A rush of heat flooded between her legs, and she fell over the invisible cliff that was always present when she made love with Derrick. As she fell, her body tingled from every nerve and she shook with the pure ecstasy of it all. His body spasmed and he went rigid for several moments before relaxing and falling into the haze with her. He fell onto the bed and dragged Kristen to his side, holding her to him.
They stayed like that for several moments, both trying to catch their breath. Derrick had never felt anything like that before, and it certainly wasn't from a lack of trying. Each time he made love to Kristen, it was like a perfect melding of light and sound. But this time, they had shared the exact same space for just a moment, as if everything was perfect and pure, and then they were thrown over the edge at the same time, exploding in a whirl of lights and colors. He wondered if she had seen and felt that, or if perhaps he was going crazy.
"Is it always like that?" She asked.
"Like what?"
"I felt like we were one for a moment, and then we fell
and there were all of these colors and lights."
Derrick looked at her in awe. He'd never felt anything remotely close to that in his vast experience, and he was pretty sure it wasn't something meant to be shared with everyone. He was pretty sure that such an experience was reserved for two people so in love, so in tuned with one another that they were almost one soul sharing two bodies.
"No, at least not in my experience." He kissed her throat.
"Interesting."
Derrick moved to the side of her and pulled her toward him. She rested her head on his chest, and her eyes started to drift close. Derrick took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through his nose.
"Kristen?"
"Mmm?" She was falling asleep.
"I love you."
Kristen's eyes snapped open and she propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. She searched his eyes, looking for any sign of the haze from their lovemaking, thinking that perhaps he was still caught up in the moment. But, his eyes were clear and he looked quite serious. She blinked, not sure what to say.
"I love you, Kristen." He repeated.
Kristen's eyes watered and she blinked rapidly to keep from crying, but she couldn't help it. Tears welled up and spilled over her cheeks. She laughed with joy. Derrick wiped the tears away.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because, I convinced myself that I would be alright not hearing those words from you, and I realized when you said them that I would not have been alright without them. I wanted you to love me as I love you."
Derrick smiled. "I believe I figured that out on the island."
"You did not."
"Yes, I did. But, I was already in love with you by that point."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't think you would believe me. You had already refused to marry me."
"Because I was protecting you, and I thought you only wanted me as a mistress."
"My little Viking, so brilliant yet so daft." He kissed her nose.
Kristen swatted at him playfully. "That's not fair, you have quite the reputation, you know. And, you did make a wager for me to be your mistress if you will recall."
Derrick laughed. "Well, you needn't fear my reputation, m'dear. I'm all yours, and yours alone."
"Good, because after that bit of fun, I don't think I could share you."
Derrick kissed her, his tongue sliding in her mouth as a gentle caress. He pulled back and she had quite forgotten what she had been saying.
"You will never have to share me, Kristen."
Kristen smiled brightly. Things were definitely working out in her favor. Sure, they had a big fight ahead of them, but somehow, Kristen knew that as long as Derrick stood beside her, anything was possible.
The End Epilogue
Sander paced his royal chamber in agitation at the news he had received. The girl had escaped, and the captain of the Royal Guard had gone with her, taking his son with them. Not that he gave a damn about Nikolas. The boy was soft and weak. But, Finn would pay. And so would the girl. He smashed his fist into an ugly vase. His wife tsked from across the room.
"You must remain calm, Sander. Everything will work out."
He looked at her crossly. "Madam, you vapid words are meaningless. Kindly keep them to yourself."
The queen bristled at the set down but held her tongue. She knew her husband well, and in the mood he was in, it could just as easily be her head that he chose to punch rather than the furnishings in the room. Still, it seemed the prophecies were true. A girl with the courage of one thousand men had arrived to challenge her husband, and in one meeting she had managed to unsettle him. He hadn't been the same since meeting her.
"What will you do?" She asked.
"I'm going to find her and rip out her spine. Then I shall dance on her grave."
"And how do you propose to do that?"
Sander stopped his pacing and glared at his wife. Before he could speak, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Sander barked.
The door opened, and a large Viking entered the room and knelt to the ground.
"Rise." Sander said impatiently.
"Sir, Master Adrian is missing, and the assassin girl is gone, as well. The assassin's guild reports they boarded the ship with the traitors."
Sander growled low and then roared with such ferocity the Viking before him trembled in fear. Sander advanced on him and drew the man's sword from his scabbard, then plunged it deep into the man's stomach. The Viking exhaled in surprise and fell to the ground, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.
"Guards!" Sander yelled.
Two other Viking's filed into the room and knelt before the king. They briefly glanced at their fallen comrade but said nothing.
"Clean up this mess." He waved his hand and turned his back on them as they dragged the body from the royal chamber, and shut the door behind them.
Sander walked to his chair near the fireplace and
sat down.
"If it's war she wants, it's a war she will have." He said quietly, clenching his fists and slamming them on the arm of the chair he sat in.