Good morning’s greeted them as Bain pulled Izzy’s chair out for her, seating her between him and Kale.
Kale, of course, greeted her with a wide smile, if not a little rueful in nature.
She shook her head. “What is it, Kale?” She was coming to understand his facial expressions. He had something on his mind.
“Sorry,” he said simply as he took a sip of coffee.
Izzy arched her brows at him. “For what?”
“Yes Kale, why are you sorry? What did you do?” Bain broke in, leaning forward to see Kale past Izzy.
Kale smirked at Bain. Possessive ass. It was completely out of character for Bain.
Kale directed his gaze back to Izzy. “I’m sorry I left you alone last night,” he whispered.
“She wasn’t alone last night,” Bain said, a deep set to his voice.
Izzy turned to look at Bain, an exasperated look on her face.
“He’s talking about the dinner you stood me up for.”
Bain grunted and sat back to eat his food.
“It’s fine, Kale. I was escorted to my room, mere minutes after you had to leave.”
Kale’s eyes drifted to Rowan, whose eyes narrowed on him. It was weird, but Izzy wasn’t willing to waste her time contemplating it.
Breakfast went by with a small amount of tension rising every time last night’s events crept into the conversation. Rowan made a point of changing the subject every time and scowling at whoever brought the conversation to the night’s activity.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Izzy and Bain headed away from the castle as soon as breakfast was over. Cree told him to take the day off, and if they needed him, they would call.
They headed out past the houses that Izzy’s room looked out upon. The village inside the fortress really did remind her of something out of the Knights of the Round Table. It was very fanciful in nature, but unlike twelfth century Europe, it lacked the economic and social issues. These people looked happy and healthy as they moved around the fortress grounds.
An excited shriek pulled both their attention to a small, maybe five-year-old little girl, running as fast as her little legs would carry her. Once within striking distance, she threw herself into Bain’s arms.
Bain lifted the little girl with the ease one uses to lift a piece of paper, hugging her tight to his chest for a minute.
“Kyra, what are you up to, little one?” Bain smiled as he continued to walk with Izzy at his side and the beautiful little blonde girl in his arms.
“Just playin’.” She giggled. “Who is that?” she asked, eyeing Izzy.
Izzy smiled at the little girl and stuck her hand out towards her. “I’m Izzy.”
The little girl looked at her hand suspiciously, while Izzy continued to hold it out to her.
Bain chuckled. “She doesn’t know to shake it, Izzy.”
“Why not? You and the others shook my hand.” Izzy smiled questioningly.
Bain smiled back at her. “We spend time in the Human World. We’ve taken on some of your traditions.”
Izzy’s brows lifted in understanding. “Oh, okay. Then how do you introduce yourselves?” she asked the little girl.
The little girl giggled. “With our names, silly. I’m Kyra.”
Izzy laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Kyra.”
Bain set the little girl down near the front entrance to a small, wood-sided home. The front door opened, and a beautiful brunette woman stepped into the sun, a brilliant smile stretching her face.
“Hello, Bain.”
Bain dipped his chin. “How are you, Kathleen?”
“We’re good, haven’t seen you in a while. Who’s your friend?” she asked, eyeing Izzy.
Bain smiled, placing his hand on the small of Izzy’s back. “This is Isabelle. Isabelle, this is Kathleen.”
Izzy didn’t make the mistake of sticking her hand out this time, but she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Kathleen smiled, with a twist of her lips that said she didn’t believe it was nice to meet her.
Izzy was looking at one of Bain’s former lovers, that much she was sure of. Being a normal red-blooded woman, she couldn’t help but scrutinize her. She was lean, to the point of almost being too skinny, her pale eyes were almond shaped with large lids, and her cheekbones were high and prominent. She had at least three inches on Izzy, and she looked runway ready. She was prettier then Izzy had originally noticed, but she smiled nonetheless. She would get the story later.
“Where are you two off to?” Kathleen asked. Kyra hadn’t left Bain’s side, even though he had put her down. Her little hand was firmly placed in his free one, drowning in the size of his calloused hand.
“I was planning to show Izzy a bit of the surrounding area.”
Kathleen smiled. “It’s beautiful here. You should ask him to take you to the lake. It’s breathtaking.”
“I want to go to the lake.” Kyra looked up at Bain, big, indigo eyes begging him to take her.
Before Bain had a chance to even consider, Kathleen told her daughter, “No, Kyra, not today.” She watched stone faced as the devastation washed over the little girl’s features.
Izzy saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes, and while she felt bad for the tears, they seemed to magnify the intense color of her eyes. They were indigo, but they had small flecks of violet. She was a beautiful little girl, soft features and full little lips, with big, bright eyes and very wavy, thick blond hair.
“Kyra, you know better. We don’t cry just because we don’t get our way,” Kathleen chided.
Bain removed his hand from Izzy’s back and knelt down to pick Kyra up.
“I’m sorry, baby girl, but your momma’s right.” He whispered in her ear, “I’ll take you next time. I promise.”
He squeezed her tight for a second, then held her back a little and winked at her.
“Okay?” he asked.
Kyra nodded and squeezed his neck tight again, whispering something in his ear Izzy didn’t pick up. She hadn’t really picked up any of the conversation and, somehow, it felt like it really wasn’t meant for her ears. She had a pretty good idea why.
Izzy smiled down at Kyra and said goodbye. Kyra waved from the porch, disappointment ripe in her features, but the tears were gone.
Izzy followed a rather quiet Bain for a few minutes, before she broke the silence.
“She’s a beautiful little girl,” Izzy noted.
Bain lifted his gaze from the road to Izzy’s profile.
“She seems very sweet too,” she added.
“She is both those things,” Bain agreed.
“So, how long were you and Kathleen together, before Kyra was born?”
Bain’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Kyra’s your daughter, right?” Izzy said, meeting Bain’s surprised gaze.
“Why… I mean, how—”
Izzy laughed. “Seriously? Come on, Bain. I’ve spent the last few days staring into your eyes, drinking in your features. She looks like you… same hair, her eyes are darker, but they have flecks of violet, the same color as yours. She even has your cheekbones. Why didn’t you tell me you had a daughter?”
Bain studied Izzy’s face. She was curious, but there was no anger. His daughter was something he kept close to him and someone he always kept protected from the new people in his life. Izzy was different—he knew that. Hell, he knew he’d fallen in love with her, but Kyra was too important to him to let anyone get close to her too soon. Most women he knew would use Kyra to keep him. Hell, her own mother had done just that. They had moved past it and were in a good place in their relationship now, but she had thought Kyra was her ticket to keeping him tied to her.
“What would you have said if I had told you right away?” Bain posed his own question to her.
“I would have asked to see pictures, for you tell me about her. What did you think I would do?”
Bain shook his head. “I don’t know, Izzy. It’s always been
my policy to protect Kyra from…” He cut himself off before he said something he’d regret.
Izzy picked up where he left off though, forcing him to face what he was about to say. “From the women you’ve slept with?”
Bain groaned with frustration. “Can we drop this for now? So I can show you around? I figured you would be anxious to leave the castle by now.”
Izzy smiled and acquiesced. “Sure… but don’t think we’re done talking about that beautiful little girl.”
Bain smiled and pulled her to him. He cupped her bottom and lifted her up, forcing her legs around his waist. Izzy let out a small burst of laughter. Bain kissed her gently as his wings spread out wide behind him, and he lifted them into the air.
Chapter Thirty
Izzy felt free at the weightless feel while in flight with Bain. She had her legs wrapped firmly around his waist. He kept a tight grip on her back, needing her muscles as they flew over the castle’s curtain wall.
Izzy had her arms wrapped around Bain’s neck with her head tucked in the crook between his shoulder and his neck. She felt free, wild, and maybe even a little reckless in Bain’s arms as they traveled over the Light Fae lands. Forests, meadows, mountain, and rivers laid out beneath them. Izzy couldn’t keep her lips from exploring the taut skin of Bain’s neck. She figured distracting him could be a little dangerous, but the sky was eerily clear of everything but the two of them.
One of Bain’s hands slid down her back and between her legs. When he had picked her up earlier, he had held the skirt of her calf-length dress down to keep her covered. Now he pulled it up to her waist, leaving only the lace of her panties to cover her.
“What are you doing?” she whispered in his ear, before taking the lobe between her teeth and raking them over the sensitive flesh.
Bain growled and pressed his hip towards her, rubbing the strained fabric where his erection pulsed to get free against her.
“What do you think, sweet Izzy?” He kissed her neck.
“Up here?” she breathed, excited by the prospect. Yep, free, reckless, and not feeling an ounce of remorse for it.
She didn’t care how or where, all she cared about was now… she wanted him now. Her nerves were aching, her panties were wet, and she was primed and ready to take in every hard, long, delicious inch of him. She wanted him inside of her, stretching her in ways no one else ever had. It was more than physical though… her heart wanted him.
She was in love.
The thought that she had actually fallen in love had her muscles pulsing to feel him slide in and out of her, slowly taking his time while she explored his body in return.
Izzy’s breath caught when Bain reached between them, sliding his zipper down, freeing his hard flesh to press against her.
Bain teased Izzy’s wet, sensitive folds, rocking his erection between them with only the lace of her panties separating their flesh. She was wet, and the little moans she let out in the ear of the lobe she held between her perfect little lips had Bain struggling not to rip the lace away and bury himself inside of her. Izzy squeezed her legs tighter around him, while trying to push her panties down.
Bain raked his teeth down her neck and whispered, “You can’t have it both ways, sweetheart. Either you hold on tighter or you let go, and I rip those panties out of my way.”
The heat in Bain’s voice called to something primal in Izzy. She swallowed hard against the tightening in her throat, words becoming hard to get out
“Rip them,” she was finally able to demand.
She didn’t have to make that request twice, but Bain was going to enjoy the job. He slid his hand down her stomach and ran his knuckles over the wet lace. A low, guttural growl rumbled from somewhere deep inside of him. He was done playing.
Bain grabbed the lace and tore it free of her body. He pushed one finger deep inside of her, pressing and raking her walls, circling and pushing deeper inside of her. He found that small spot that he knew would have her trembling in his arms and pressed a little harder. Bain kissed her softly, capturing her moans, before pulling his finger back out and bringing its slickened form to his lips.
Izzy’s eyes fluttered as she watched Bain’s finger slip past the sinful curve of his lips. His eyes closed as he suckled the finger, taking in the sweet silk that was Izzy. When his eyes opened and met hers, they glowed brighter than she’d ever seen.
Bain felt drugged as he tasted Izzy on his finger. “You are so delectable, my sweet Izzy.”
“Oh God, Bain.” She was already breathless, and she needed him… needed him deep inside of her.
He needed her too. It wasn’t just what his body wanted… it was what it needed. He wanted to taste more of her, he wanted to drop his mouth to her slick lips and push his tongue past their folds. She was so sweet. But as much as he wanted to stroke his tongue over her bundle of nerves, his cock wanted to sink deep inside of her even more.
Bain’s feet hit the soft earth of the forest floor that had been laid out beneath them. Izzy hadn’t even felt the decent to the moss-covered ground. Bain’s wings wrapped around her, protecting her, as he propped her up against a tree. He pulled her dress over her head and pushed his pants to the ground, kicking off his shoes and stepping free of the pesky clothing. Izzy ripped at the buttons of his shirt, revealing his broad shoulders and muscular chest to her hungry gaze.
Bain lifted Izzy, adjusting himself so when he brought her back down, he glided inside her, inch by inch, until he filled her to the hilt. Izzy’s lips parted on a sweet moan, Bain struggled to stay still, allowing Izzy to adjust to the pressure of taking all of him in. He was big, but Izzy had already known that. Her mouth had been intimately introduced to his hardened flesh. Her head fell back, the soft caress of feathers capturing her hair and softly tickling her bare flesh.
Izzy threaded her fingers through Bain’s hair as he dropped his head and captured one of her nipples in his deliciously talented mouth. He pleasured her while his teeth seared her heated flesh. Izzy wanted closer. Wanted more. She rocked against him, her fingers in his hair tugging at him, then pulling him closer. His lips moved from one breast to the other before climbing up her collarbone to her neck. He bit her softly, careful not to break her skin with his fangs.
Izzy had a delicious and unfamiliar yearning for him to bite her harder. Was she finding a kinky side to making love to Bain? Maybe, but she wanted it nonetheless. This perfect man, this man that filled her, loved her, protected her, was different. He was different in the most delectable way, but he wasn’t human, and she loved that about him. He was almost ethereal in her eyes, and he was sexy and maybe a little dangerous. She wanted that dangerous side to love. With it came passion, something she hadn’t felt in so long. She wanted him to use his fangs, to slip them past her skin, to mark her, to claim her.
“Harder,” she whispered, bracing his head tight to her neck.
Bain knew what she was asking for; he felt Izzy shiver with anticipation. He’d bitten others before, and he hated the part of him that enjoyed it, but he couldn’t tell her no. He would never be able to tell her no. With soft pressure, he let his fangs break her smooth, silky skin.
Izzy cried out, but not in pain. It was a deep pleasure she wasn’t used to.
Bain didn’t drink blood, not like the vamps he hated so much did, but it was a form of life force that could sustain him if he needed it. However, this wasn’t about life force, it was about Izzy. He ran his tongue over the small wounds before blowing softly on them to heal the tiny punctures.
Izzy rocked harder against him, a new sense of need pushing her to take every bit of Bain deeper and harder into her.
Bain ran his hand down her stomach to the slick sweetness between her legs. His fingers found her pink ball of swollen flesh and teased it, slow, agonizingly perfect swirls, and little pinches to her hardened bud.
“Mmm… that’s my sweet Izzy,” he murmured against her breast as he took her nipple back in his mouth.
Hearing him moan and say
her name had Izzy ready to fall over the edge, to succumb to the heat and pleasure that was wracking her body. She felt her muscles beginning to clench, starting low in her belly.
“Bain… oh… God,” she cried out as her walls began to contract on his hardened flesh. Bain didn’t want to stop, didn’t want to pull out of Izzy, but he was too close to losing it. When he tried to pull out, she held on tighter, locking her ankles under his ass as her muscles started to milk him. Her head fell back and she pushed hard against him, burying his flesh deep inside of her, impaling herself on him.
Izzy’s heels dug into the muscles of Bain’s ass. “I have to pull out, Izzy,” he groaned.
“No, you don’t,” she screamed as her orgasm continued to rock her to her very soul. Every nerve in her body was on fire. Every sense she had was on overdrive. She could smell him, taste him, and oh God, she could feel him.
“Sweetheart, I’m going to spill myself inside of you.”
Her head fell forward, her forehead pressed against his, her hips still rocking against him a little jerkily. “It’s okay; I’m on the pill, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
That was all Bain needed to hear. He could impregnate her, but he didn’t carry human diseases. Bain roared as he gave into his orgasm, letting Izzy’s perfect and talented body take him over the edge as her walls continued to squeeze out every drop he had to spill.
Chapter Thirty-One
“You’ve gone and done it, haven’t you, son?”
Bain stopped as he passed his mother’s study. He had only left Izzy because she had to get some work done and had told him he was too big of a distraction, shooing him from the library.
They’d come back from the flight, never making it to the lake. The thought brought a satisfied smile to his face. He’d made love to her twice in the forest and once in the shower when they returned to his room.
Bain entered his mother’s study, dropping gracefully into the chair opposite her. “Done what, Mother?”
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