The Dark

by Cheyenne McCray

  There was something so innately a part of Cassia that it was almost like she was a fine scotch that made him dizzy with longing and need.

  Jake slid his hands from her face, down her slender throat to her shoulders. Her robe felt like silk beneath his fingertips and he hardened even more as he realized she was naked beneath all of that material. Soft, satiny skin he wanted to explore with his hands, his lips, his tongue.

  Cassia’s moan reverberated through him as they kissed and her hands moved over his body. Fire burned through him wherever she touched, and he knew it wasn’t just her magic that sparked around them.

  God, he needed to feel her, taste her. Everywhere. His hard length strained and ached against the snug fabric of the Elvin clothing, even though it had more give than his jeans. He grasped her ass and brought her tightly to him so that he could press himself against her belly.

  At the same time he trailed his lips down her neck, flicking his tongue out and tasting the light sweetness of her skin as he inhaled her vanilla-and-spice scent. Cassia gasped and moaned as she tilted her head back and sank against him.

  Jake groaned. From the moment he’d known he wanted her, he’d planned to take it slow. She deserved to experience all the pleasure he could give her the first time they made love.

  Now that she was in his arms, such intense, primal need gripped him that he shook from it.

  Slow down, Macgregor.

  Jake drew in a harsh breath as he reached for her robe and pushed it off her shoulders. A burst of magic slammed into him as she let the robe slide down her arms. Sparks flew like fireworks all over the beach.

  He reeled from the power of her arousal, but then his body absorbed it. Held it.

  The potion was working.

  But damn, if her magic pummeled him whenever he touched her, he might be dead before he had a chance to sink inside her.

  The robe fell to the sand and Jake stared at her body, which glowed in the light of her magic.

  Jake slid his hands over her shoulders. “You truly are a goddess, Cassia.”

  He cupped her breasts and her peaks grew hard as he stroked his thumbs over them. The moment he did, more magic flowed into him, heating his body through and cutting off the rest of what he was going to say.

  “I want to do this now. To feel you inside me.” Cassia moaned as she leaned into his touch. “I don’t want to wait.”

  “We’re taking it slow, honey.” Jake met her lips with his as he pinched her taut nubs.

  She was throwing off so much magic that raw power began to swirl inside him. He slid one hand down her flat belly to her mound. Her star birthmark tingled beneath his palm as he skimmed over it.

  When he slipped his fingers into her heat, her next wave of energy made his legs tremble. Then he realized it wasn’t him trembling—the ground was shaking.

  He stroked her and she cried out, while rocks slid down the embankment, tumbling over one another until they made soft thuds in the sand.

  If this kept up, neither one of them would live much longer.

  “Let’s take our time, honey.” Jake’s brain was about to melt. He wasn’t going to be able to think much longer.

  She clenched his shoulders with her hands, her grip so tight she’d probably leave imprints where her fingers were. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

  From the rumbling of the earth around them, Jake didn’t know how much more San Francisco might be able to take. As for himself, he was on course for exploding on the spot.

  Something inside his mind told him she wasn’t giving off as much magic as she should be—despite the whole earthquake thing. He needed to draw more from her to be able to feed it back when it was time.

  Jake released her and took a step out of her grip, and she gasped. Her chest rose and fell in the glow of her magic. “Please don’t stop.”

  “Hold on.” He pulled his shirt over his head and shoved down his pants, glad he didn’t have to mess with briefs, or socks and shoes. He was naked and had her in his arms before she could say another word.

  The gale of magic whirling through Cassia made it difficult for her to breathe. She tried to tamp her powers so she wouldn’t hurt Jake, but the more she wanted him the harder it became.

  “Don’t hold back,” he murmured in her ear as he pressed his warm body against hers. “Let go. Just don’t flatten the city or there won’t be anything left to save.”

  Cassia would have laughed if there wasn’t so much desire and need flaming through her that she was afraid she would burn them both to ash.

  Jake kissed the line of her neck as his warm, callused palms cupped her breasts and he circled her areola with his rough fingers. Her body trembled and the ground trembled along with her.

  Even his incredible male scent caused more desire to rush through her. She thought she heard a tree above the embankment crackle and smelled smoke twining with the scent of brine on the air.

  She barely had the presence of mind to snuff it out with her magic before she did set fire to everything around them.

  “Jake, please.” Moisture stung at her eyes and she felt like she really was going to explode. “I can’t take this much longer. It’s too much.”

  “You haven’t let go of enough of your magic,” he murmured as his mouth neared her breast.

  She wondered how he could know that, but no longer cared when his warm mouth possessed her nipple and he sucked.

  It felt like he was sucking some of her magic through her as he moved from one to the other.

  His skin now let off a golden glow that slowly intensified with every draw on her magic, with everything he did to her. His Marine tattoo seemed to glow even brighter than the rest of him.

  He moved his mouth between her breasts and began to kiss his way to her belly over her star birthmark, nearing her mound.

  The lower he went, the more she shook, as did the ground. Just the memory of his mouth on her, when he gave her the first orgasm she’d ever had, sent more energy from her into him.

  The amount of her power that he was absorbing—could he survive if she released too much magic?

  He swiped his tongue along her folds and she cried out. As he tasted her and sucked on her hard nub, she tilted her head and shouted to the goddess.

  She didn’t know when she’d slid her hands into his hair, but she gripped it in her fists and held on as she let out countless cries and whimpers from the incredible pleasure searing her body.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks, the wet trails quickly drying in the cool wind. The pleasure in her body became so intense that she gave off more and more of her magic. Her legs barely had the strength to remain standing.

  She was climbing and climbing. Blind now to anything but the pleasure of Jake’s mouth and tongue.

  And then it was too much.

  A nearly blinding flash cut across the sky, and she realized it was her.

  Cassia screamed as she hit a climax so powerful that her knees gave out and all of her magic left her in a rush she couldn’t control.

  Vaguely she was aware of Jake taking her down to the sand, then the feel of her silk robe beneath her back. Pulse after pulse of pleasure continued, and her body jerked with every throb.

  She struggled to breathe and focus as she looked up at him. He glowed so brightly it was like staring at a god. Maybe the sun god, Lugh, himself.

  “Are you with me, honey?” His voice sounded hoarse, strained as he held himself above her. His hardness pressed against her as he settled between her thighs. “Are you all right?”

  She found the strength to nod, the silk robe sliding under her head with the movement. The haziness in her mind cleared a little.

  Jake glowed so much that he radiated strength and power. His body shook with it.

  Then Cassia realized her magic was gone.

  Completely gone.

  When she had climaxed she had given Jake everything she had.

  Fear crawled up her throat. She had never been without magic,
without power infusing every cell of her body.

  For a moment she thought she would never get it back and she couldn’t keep tears from rolling down the sides of her face from the fear.

  No magic? How could she live without it?

  She was helpless now. Completely vulnerable.

  Jake kissed her tears away, flicking out his tongue and taking her tears inside him like he had taken her magic.

  A flash of what it would feel like to never have magic again made her heart pound low in her throat.

  “Are you ready?” Jake nudged the entrance to her core.

  Desire spiraled through her again and just having him there, ready to enter her and be completely with her, brought her back to reality and chased every bit of fear away.

  She didn’t care about anything but Jake, and being with him completely, fully.

  Cassia nodded and widened her thighs so that he was seated more firmly between them.

  He moved in an inch and she gasped. The thickness of him sent more waves of need through her. No longer enhanced by magic, just the power of the pure desire of a woman for a man.

  Jake slid himself further inside her and she cried out at the brief burst of pain that followed his entry.

  “Am I hurting you?” he said, immediately halting, concern in his voice.

  “No.” She shook her head and managed to speak. “It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful.”

  He smiled, his skin glowing with so much magic she felt it radiating from him.

  Moans of pleasure rose up within her as he sank inside her inch by inch.

  The moment he was buried fully inside her core she felt her own power radiating from him. He began moving in and out of her. With every slow thrust he released small waves of magic that she absorbed.

  It was so perfect having him there. Having him inside. Having him be the one to take her magic and return it to her. Letting her harness it so that it no longer escaped in wild bursts of power. She could already feel the control she was gaining over her magic.

  The glow of his skin lessened with every thrust as he released her magic back into her body.

  She moved her hands down to his muscled ass and dug her fingers into his skin as she fought to bring him tighter against her, deeper inside her. Every time he drove himself so that his groin met hers, she moaned and squirmed beneath him.

  His biceps bulged and trembled as he held his weight off of her, his hands braced on the robe on either side of her body. Despite the cool air, sweat rolled down the sides of his face, and his hair was soaked with it. Whenever he thrust, she felt him so deep, as if he reached her navel.

  “God, it’s so hard to keep it slow.” Jake’s voice came out even lower and hoarser than before.

  “I want it faster.” Cassia brought her hips up to meet his, trying to encourage him. “My body is burning with magic and heat, and need for you. Please, Jake.”

  “Can’t.” It sounded like he said the word through clenched teeth. “Not yet.”

  She wanted to ask why not, but more magic surged through her, and she whimpered and moaned. Burning, tightening sensations coiled in her belly. She began to feel light-headed, and sounds faded until all she heard was his voice.

  “It’s time, honey.” His voice shook. “Time to take the rest of it, but take it slow.”

  Cassia nodded. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of him sliding in and out of her, her magic heating her through as it came back into her body.

  Sparks began snapping again in the air around them. Not out of control like before, but still a part of the climax she was heading for.

  “I can’t wait any longer.” Cassia’s entire body shook and she whimpered. “I’ve got to come.”

  “Hold.” Jake sounded like he could barely speak. “Just a few seconds.”

  She fought to keep her climax from ripping her apart. She gritted her teeth, her whole body continuing to shake uncontrollably.

  Just as the last ribbon of control began to slide through her fingers, Jake shouted, “Now, Cassia. Come now!”

  Her scream carried out over the pounding of the surf against the shore. Heat and power pulsated through her as Jake’s seed spurted inside her, giving her the rest of the magic he’d been holding.

  His mouth took hers in a fierce kiss that cut off the rest of her cry.

  The magic inside her wanted to escape again, wanted to spin around them and burn everything to the ground. But she now had the strength to rein it in, even as she was falling apart from her orgasm.

  He continued to throb as more of his essence spilled into her. She met his gaze as she realized he was staring at her. His eyes seemed unfocused and he looked like he was going to lose consciousness.

  “Cassia,” he said in a rough whisper, just as he slumped on top of her.

  “And whatever happens,” Daire’s voice rang through Jake’s mind, “do not lose consciousness.”

  Easy for him to say.

  Jake did his best to keep his full weight off of Cassia while struggling not to black out. His entire world shrank to Cassia and a pinpoint of light. The crash of waves against the shore sounded muffled, like his ears had been crammed with the sand they were lying on.

  Stay here, Macgregor, he told himself, even as he fought to breathe.

  Distantly, as if dozens of blankets had been piled on his head, he heard, “Jake!” over and over. Something was shaking him. Hard.

  No, someone.

  Cassia.

  It was like he was swimming from the bottom of the ocean floor as he struggled to come up. He couldn’t breathe. Could barely see. An image wavered above him, as if he was seeing something through dark water, but surrounded by light.

  His chest hurt from the pressure of the ocean against his chest as he pushed himself upward toward the figure and the light. He had to get, had to get—

  Jake broke the surface of the water, sucking in a deep breath and his vision returning. He hadn’t been underwater. No, he was lying on his back now, still inside Cassia, only she was on top. He hadn’t stopped pulsing in her core.

  The cold ocean air blasted his body. Her magic no longer circled them, buffering them from the chill wind.

  Her voice sounded strained and filled with fear as she spoke. “Are you back? You’re shivering. You must be freezing.”

  Cassia rose up so that she straddled his hips. She ran her hand just above his skin and warmth entered his chest.

  At the same time, her magic wove a cocoon around both of them, and it gave off enough light that he could see her features. Soft heat radiated inside and out of his body and he felt nothing but the satisfaction of an orgasm that had just about blown his mind.

  So there was such a thing as a mind-blowing orgasm.

  Energy returned to Jake in a rush, and he felt like he could swim out into the icy Pacific and take on a great white shark single-handedly.

  No better aphrodisiac than surviving deadly sex.

  He grinned at Cassia, and she laughed as he rolled them both over so that she was on her back again and he was between her thighs. She was so ready as she wrapped her legs around his hips.

  The same energy surged back into his length, making it so rigid he thought he’d explode. Magic had nothing to do with the way he felt at this moment.

  “You’re mine, Cassia.” Jake drove inside her, hard and fierce, and she cried out in surprise at his sudden thrust. “I think I’ve known that forever.”

  Her lips parted but he didn’t give her a chance to say anything as he took her mouth with his. This time he took her fast and hard.

  They’d made love slow the first time. Now it felt like he needed to brand her as his own. To show her and whatever god, goddess, Guardian—any being who thought he or she had a say in the matter—that Cassia was his forever, no matter what anyone else thought.

  Cassia held on to him as she thrashed and moaned beneath him. “More, Jake. More.”

  He drove his tongue into her mouth and she tigh
tened her legs around his waist as he took her, almost mercilessly. When she climaxed he raised his head, parting from her so that he could hear her scream.

  The sound of Cassia’s voice and the way she cried out his name was almost more than he could take without coming himself.

  Maintain, Macgregor.

  Her body trembled and the inside walls of her core clamped down on him with spasm after spasm. He ground his teeth, holding back his own orgasm, not ready to end her pleasure as he dragged out her climax by not slowing his thrusts.

  She cried out again as her core continued to pulse and grip him. “It feels almost too good to take anymore.”

  Jake gave a grunt of satisfaction before he let out a shout when his own orgasm slammed into him. He pumped his hips a few more times, and he thought he might be close to blacking out with no hope of return.

  He finally stopped and stared down into Cassia’s turquoise blue eyes and at her brilliant smile. They both breathed harder than the first time they’d climaxed, and he realized she’d dug her nails deep into his biceps again.

  Sweat covered him in the warmth of the magical cocoon around them. He smelled the scent of their sex and the salt in the sand, and Cassia’s skin. God, how he loved her scent. Pure. Sweet. Womanly.

  She parted her lips, but again he didn’t give her a chance to say anything. He kissed her hard and long, and he stiffened inside her a third time.

  Damn, maybe it was magic.

  No. The only magic now was the love that wove them both together.

  This time he took her slowly, and they held each other’s gazes, unable to look away.

  34

  A sudden shift in the energy of the Otherworlds told Daire it had happened.

  Jake had taken Cassia through the transition.

  Daire had thought he would feel pain and sorrow at the loss of the one who had been promised to him centuries ago. He had enjoyed many women through the years as he waited for her, always knowing one day she would be his.

  But as he sat alone in the front room of what Kat had called her apartment, he found that an even stranger emotion touched his consciousness.