Licked by the Flame

by Serena Gilley

  “So far I’m not changing my mind,” she said softly.

  “Good.” He liked her mind the way it was, focused on him.

  He needed to be a little bit more careful of his own mind, however. He kept forgetting to keep his dragon senses checked. This was a simple coupling, just another night of physical pleasure that his human body needed to engage in, but his very essence would not be a part of it. He could not let Lianne touch more than just his human body. She could never know about the parts of him that had gone untouched so long…no matter how much he might wish her to. He could not allow her into his soul. Slaking his desire with Lianne tonight would give him back some of the energy he used to maintain this human form, but he could not let it change who he truly was.

  He was not a man, no matter how long he had lived in this form. He was from the Forbidden Realm; Lianne would never even have known he existed if he’d not chosen to appear as a human, to step through the Veil and reveal himself to her. His soul was not a part of her mundane world, despite his being ruled by the carnal desires this frail human form needed so often. He was a being of magic. He lived behind the Veil that separated humans from magic and kept him and all of his kind carefully hidden. And safe.

  He couldn’t allow himself to become involved here on any other level but the physical. He’d used his dragon senses to reach into Lianne’s mind simply because it served his purpose. But now that he knew she was willing and eager for their joining, he could withdraw that part of him, give over to the physical and enjoy the purely human sensations they’d share together tonight. Human passions served a useful purpose. He took pleasure in them and drew energy from them, but he wouldn’t involve his soul, despite how tempting it would be. That part of him must remain safely hidden, shuttered up behind the Veil.

  Lianne’s alluring little body, however, did not need to remain safely behind anything. He gritted his teeth as she stroked his cock and he went to unfasten the rest of the buttons on her delicate blouse. He was desperate for them to be skin-to-skin. Thankfully her cardigan had been left in the computer room when he’d seduced her out of that building. It was a simple matter of undoing her blouse and pulling her close as he reached around to unfasten her bra.

  He had those perky breasts in his hands almost as quickly as she’d gotten into his pants. By the Fires, she was firm and full. Her nipples peaked for him as he brushed his thumbs over them. He toyed with them, loving the feel of her silky skin and the bounce of her tender flesh.

  She liked it, too, cooing from his touch, and matching his vigor with her own as she played at pleasuring him. Her fist clenched around him, gliding up the full length of his cock while she watched him. He shifted uncomfortably. Damn, his body was eager to give in, but his sheer willpower would not yet allow it. He needed to benefit from her pleasure, not merely his own.

  It seemed that would not be a problem, however. She was more than enjoying the moment. Pleasure came easily for Lianne, it would seem. Excellent. He could feel the passion radiating off her already. She was giving in and opening herself to the heat of their encounter. He was feeding from that energy already.

  It would take hardly any effort at all to bring her to further climax. She sure as hell had thawed once she put her mind to it. He’d been prepared to use much more of his persuasive powers, but she’d not needed that. Having decided to pursue pleasure, her cast-iron persona had faded away to reveal a deeply passionate woman. The transition was captivating.

  Nic was glad for the moonlight pouring in through the window—he was entranced by the pleasure and passion displayed in her features, her actions, the way she let her long auburn curls fall every which way around her. She was all about the physical right now and responding with full force to every caress, every brush of skin against skin. He cupped one of her velvety breasts and took the tantalizing nipple into his mouth.

  Her eyes drooped shut and she let out a contented sigh. Yes, she would come so very easily for him. He would fill her, glide into her and share some of his heat. She’d climax in his arms and he’d watch her, experience the pleasure with her. He’d draw from her the energy he needed to continue in this human form. Then, if he’d done the thing well, she’d welcome him into her body again. And again. They had a very long night ahead and he was looking forward to every minute of it.

  As he ran his hands over her flesh, pushing the light fabric of her blouse off her shoulders and breathing kisses on the delightful spatter of freckles he found there, he felt her body slightly tense. Was she beginning to regret her decision to invite him into her room? He hadn’t pegged Lianne to be one of those women who let misplaced common sense creep in and douse the flames that wanted to burn inside them. No, she seemed far more sure of herself, confident and decisive. When she opened that door to let him inside, he’d known she meant it. He could feel that she needed this release nearly as much as he did.

  “Just relax,” he murmured into her ear. “I’ll take care of you.”

  But her eyes were wide open now, and dark with an intensity he hadn’t expected to find. Under his fingers, her muscles grew taut and she suddenly sat up. There was nothing he could do but fall back onto the bed and wait for some sort of explanation.

  “No,” she said defiantly. “You’re not going to take care of me. I’m going to take care of you.”

  And she very nearly did. Her sudden shift in position, as well as demeanor, surprised him and he was caught off guard. She moved like a cat, practically pouncing so that she ended up straddling him, her blouse hanging off her and her luscious breasts taunting him. He had no choice but to lie back and let her do as she would.

  His engorged cock rose valiantly before her and she smiled as she studied it. Her movements were fluid, but calculated as she positioned herself just right. He watched, eager for what she might choose to do to him. He wasn’t disappointed.

  She leaned in to press a hot, wet kiss right on the very tip of his throbbing cock. Then she arched her back as she slid up until she was sitting right atop him. He groaned from the pleasure of it as she ground herself against him, smiling as his length pressed against her sensitive area, even though the slacks she still wore prevented anything more dramatic from happening. She leaned toward him and must have known he would instinctively nip at her nipple. She rewarded him with a purr.

  He grabbed her curvy little butt and pulled her more tightly against him. By the Fires, she was even more than he’d bargained for. Her hair fell over her shoulders, and the moonlight made her skin fairly glow. He rocked under her, watching her smile. The light abrasion from the fabric of her slacks was very likely making him smile, too.

  “See, now isn’t this better?” she asked.

  * * *

  She wanted him so badly her body practically ached. But she’d hold off just a bit longer. It wasn’t as if the man was going anywhere. He was into this just as much as she was.

  Lianne tossed her hair back and shifted position, bearing down on him so that he groaned under her. She’d purposely not taken her slacks off yet, even though she’d had him hard and ready and out in the open for some time now. God, but he was big. And solid like a rock.

  It had seemed he’d been interested in some foreplay, too, but that was out of the question for her. None of that mushy, emotional snuggling. If she was going to do this—and she sure as hell intended to—she was going to be extra careful to leave her heart and any of her more vulnerable parts out of it. This was just about her body, nothing more.

  Things would be better that way. For both of them. This would just be sex—really hot, spur-of-the-moment sex. That’s what she wanted right now. The thought of giving in to such uninhibited passion was a little bit intoxicating, really. She’d never been the one-night-stand type in the past but now…well, this seemed to be just what the doctor ordered.

  Of course, it was probably exactly the opposite of what her doctor really would order for her, given the circumstances, but she was going with a second opinion: her own. And her opi
nion was to prescribe a whole night of sweaty, steamy sex with the hottest man she’d met in a long time. Okay, the hottest man she’d ever met, actually. And she didn’t have to care if he called her back or even liked her in the morning.

  All he had to do was give her what she needed now, then show up to work tomorrow, which would be kind of hard for him not to do since they were pretty much stranded between a glacier and a big, barren mountain in Iceland. The helicopter that brought her out here had dropped off a week’s worth of supplies and wasn’t due back for another week. Until then, Nic was more or less stuck working with her. And making her nights a little more entertaining, if he lived up to expectations. Which it seemed like he would.

  But she was for damn sure not going to let him get the stupid idea that she was looking for a relationship. She’d be in charge of this from start to finish. And by all indications, the finish would be well worth her effort. Even through her clothing she could feel her body growing closer to a climax.

  Not that she wanted him to think he’d done anything special for her. The man was full of himself enough. She needed to keep him in his place, especially since they still had plenty of work to do. She figured she knew just how to do that.

  She slid slowly against him. He was cupping her breasts so he could get a good, long look at them in the light that came through the window overlooking the vast emptiness of the huge, forbidden mountain and the sprawling glacier at its foot. He was clearly a man who’d had his share of women, and she was just vain enough to feel a little bit giddy at the blatant appreciation she read in his expression now. He was drinking in his fill of her and he liked what he saw.

  An involuntary sigh escaped as she filled her lungs. It would be so easy to just linger here, to let him bask in full view of her finest assets and wait for him to call the shots. The feel of his fingers over her nipples sent rivers of heat and desire surging through her extremities. Oh yes, he knew what he was doing, and he’d make sure she didn’t have to fake anything tonight. It was tempting to take advantage of that and just enjoy the waves of pleasure.

  But then it would be over. He’d leave—as she would want him to, of course—and she’d be left alone to come back to reality. She hated that part. Damn reality might get shoved under the rug for a while, but once this was over she’d have to face it again. If she was smart, she’d drag this wonderfully distracting event out as long as she could.

  She ran her hands over Nic’s chest, tracing his muscular contours and rubbing herself up against him. There was no use hiding how hot and ready for him she was, but as long as she kept her damn pants on she was the one running the show. She might prolong this fantasy.

  He didn’t seem overly concerned about who was in charge, though. He let her explore his body and merely smiled with approval when she shifted against him, the barrier of her clothing becoming more and more obvious as their need for each other increased. He put his large hands at her waist, holding her steady as he pressed up against her, adding to the fire inside her. He shifted position and managed to find just the right spot to make her see stars.

  Damn it, but he was going to make her come already and he still hadn’t even actually touched her there! If she wanted to remain the one in control of this activity, she’d better let things move just a little faster.

  “I’ll take off my pants if you’re ready to put on a condom,” she said.

  “I’m afraid you caught me off guard,” he said. “I didn’t bring any.”

  “Is that your way of saying you expect me to let you go on without one?”

  “No, it’s my way of saying you’re welcome to keep your pants on while we do this. I don’t need you naked to make your toes curl.”

  There was a little bit of a challenge behind his words. She was half tempted to let him prove what he said, but the other half of her didn’t need proof. She knew he could do exactly what he said.

  “That’s okay,” she said. “I plan to be the one making your toes curl, and I’ve got condoms in my bag.”

  That was just a happy accident. She still had a stash in her bag from the last trip she’d taken with the previous tattooed asshole who had occupied her time. The one who made her think he cared about her but then took off as soon as she needed something other than sex from him. It was a valuable lesson learned and she wasn’t going to be making those same stupid mistakes ever again.

  Even if she wanted to.

  She shifted off him, enjoying the view as he lay there sprawled on her bed with his eyes dark and smoky and his cock rising up into the moonlight like a bronze pillar. She couldn’t help but reach out and touch it again, stroking her fingers over the velvety sheath. He murmured in some unrecognized language and she gave in to the temptation to lean over and taste him. Not just a teasing kiss; she put her lips fully over him, letting her teeth graze him lightly as she sucked him deeper inside. Exotic. Tantalizing.

  She wanted more. As her tongue flicked around him, tasting and tormenting, the heat coursing through her was almost too much. Was it possible she might climax this way, simply from pulling him into her mouth? As the familiar wave of electricity threatened to sweep over her, she knew it was entirely possible.

  What kind of man was this? She didn’t care. She wrapped her fingers around the base of his cock, marveling at the size of the thing as she continued to suck and glide her mouth over him, first slowly and then progressively faster. It was as if she could feel every spasm of pleasure that was building up inside him. It was building up inside her, too.

  It was just a matter of who would succumb first. Damn, but she wanted to give in and focus on his hands that stroked over her body, toying with her breasts and leaving her marked by his heat. She wouldn’t, though. She would prove to him she could handle whatever he had to give her. Even if he’d hardly given anything and she was the one doing the work.

  Not that she minded. He tasted like fire, like raw, unfettered passion. She drew this passion from him, letting it swell inside her body as tangibly as if he had penetrated her and thrust over and over within her. Hell, just the thought of it made her quiver and go weak.

  Not weak enough to stop her ministrations, of course. With just a bit more pressure, she dragged his cock through her lips. She could feel the pulsing begin as he moaned. Yes, she’d done what she wanted. He was helpless under his climax now. She drove her lips over him again, taking him into her mouth and holding him there until he could hold his control no longer.

  He growled aloud, a deep, animal sound that made her thrill with excitement. Then he came. The waves rolled over him and she clung to him for dear life. She held him there, keeping him under her command until she knew he was finished.

  She’d done it. She’d won. She’d dragged a raging climax from him despite the way he made her go weak with the slightest of actions. She’d proven that she was in charge. She’d wrangled her own body into submission even as she’d done the same to his.

  That, in itself, was pretty damn orgasmic.

  Chapter Six

  Raea buzzed her wings and glanced over at Kyne. They’d been gathered around the rough-hewn dining table in the cabin’s small kitchen area, listening to Baylor for some time now, and she could feel the tension building in the air around them. The taut muscles in Kyne’s still-human-sized body were tight with his barely pent-up apprehension. She had long since shrunk back down to her natural size, but Kyne remained every bit as large as his father. His body held the effects of the Sizing Dust much longer than hers.

  She watched him, studied his wary interaction with Baylor. Despite Kyne’s obvious fairy features, the resemblance between the two men was uncanny. How had she not known right from the start how very human he was?

  It seemed that his human characteristics were more pronounced the more he was around humans. His aura was just a bit dimmer and his body more angular, more rugged. She doubted that Kyne would appreciate if she pointed it out to him. She wished he could appreciate his more human attributes. Certainly she d
id.

  Perhaps it was, in fact, his blatant humanity that had attracted her to him in the first place. He was wild, exotic, and absolutely irresistible to her. Of course forbidden passions and longings had come bursting to life inside her as she had been around him. Kyne was everything her deepest, most secret nature craved. Her initial battle against that had been futile from the start.

  Now, however, it appeared they were being asked to help battle something else, something unknown. Whatever these forces were, they were actively compiling an arsenal to cause irreparable damage within the Forbidden Realm. The Veil itself seemed to be their target. Baylor had no idea whom he could trust and whom he could not, so he’d come here.

  He needed Kyne to do what he couldn’t, to travel swiftly and undetected to find out what he could about these strange happenings. And Kyne would go, she had no doubt of that. Despite his animosity toward his father, he would go. He loved the Forbidden Realm more than he hated the man who sired and then abandoned him.

  And whether Kyne liked it or not, Raea would be going with him. She loved him more than she feared whatever they might find at the end of their journey. In the wild, uncivilized West Fjords of Iceland, of all places. There was no telling what sort of magic was running unchecked in a land such as that.

  “It’s here,” Baylor said, pointing to a crude map he had drawn on a discarded paper. “I’d download more-specific coordinates for you, but I’m afraid none of my electronic technology works up here in this cabin.”

  “We don’t work like that, anyway,” Kyne said. “I’ll be navigating by magic, so your human drawings are worthless to me.”

  “There’s an awful lot of magic over there, I’m told. Really ancient things have been left undisturbed for centuries. You sure you can find the way?”

  Kyne sneered his response, clearly insulted by Baylor’s question.

  Raea decided it was a good time for a question of her own. “You said your information indicated the equipment was being delivered to a remote location at a volcano. Is this the same sort of equipment we found here in the woods?”