Or could it? The man did hold a powerful position in Ardenia.
Omar tightened his hands into fists.
To succeed, the man would need to make it past every member of the royal family, and that wouldn’t be an easy feat.
****
A teasing caress ran the length of Danella’s shoulder.
She wiggled and settled into a more comfortable position against the soft downy mattress. The bed dipped as someone joined her, but she fought the soothing attempts to wake her.
Scenes of her beloved homeland filled her dreams. A light summer’s breeze brushed her face. The rich scent of Ardenia enthralled her senses.
“Danella, it’s time to wake.” The husky voice sent sparks of awareness along her nerve endings, but she didn’t want to open her eyes. He’s not really there. It’s just another erotic dream.
The comforting weight on her chest slid downward, and a warm wet tongue circled her right nipple. She groaned. “Go away. I’m too tired to move.”
In answer to her statement, the sucking action over her breast increased. Naughty fingers pinched and plucked at the end of her other nipple, and desire tingled down the center of her body.
She moaned at the alluring torture and worked her legs farther apart. A thick thigh fell into the opened space, and Danella marveled at the hard cock digging into her leg.
A fantasy?
The thought drew her away from sleep, and she cracked her eyelids open to stare into the unfamiliar room. She blinked and her fingers curled into blonde silk.
Blue eyes met her gaze, and she judged the passage of time by the falling light in the room. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Too long. I’ve been up here several times, and seeing you stretched out naked on this bed finally got the better of me.” He ducked his head again and sent a wet tongue around the aching peak, then sucked the tip greedily into his mouth.
A ravenous hunger raced through her blood, and she rocked her hips to drag the wet lips of her pussy against the crisp hairs sprinkled across his muscular thigh. Her hands fell from his head and ventured down his back. “Omar, please, I need...”
He lifted his head, and the loving glint in his eyes jolted her heart into a fast sprint. How had she lived without his touch?
She shoved at his shoulders. She couldn’t love this man. Yet her heart hammered with the excitement of having him again in her arms.
Sex and love aren’t the same thing.
The weight on top of her eased, and he shifted his body at a right angle to hers on the bed. He glanced at his cock and gathered the engorged staff in his hand. “Feel free to amuse yourself while I’m licking your cunt and fingerfucking your ass.”
“No wait...” She fought the desire his word invoked and tried to come to terms with the emotions racing through her head. If he learned the truth about her feelings, he’d never let her go. He’d demand she return to Ardenia.
He turned his head and placed it on her thigh before directing her other leg over his shoulders. The awkward position forced her onto her side, and then onto her knees. She rose onto her hands and straddled his torso. His cock danced against her mouth.
“Omar.” Tears welling in her eyes, she fought the over-powering need to cry. Loving him had gotten her into trouble all those years ago, and she couldn’t afford to take the same risk again.
“Oh, yes.” He groaned and cupped both hands around her ass then lapped at her intimate flesh. One stroke, two, then he prodded her clit with the tip of his tongue.
Energy spiraled through her, and she moaned at his seductive touch. She gazed at the large purple bulb of his cock.
How much more time did they have together? A few hours? A day? Two at the most?
Unwilling to face the inevitability of losing him, she wrapped her hands around his thick cock and licked the tip. The taste of him reminded her of home, family, and the buried dreams of being his soul mate.
He dug his fingers into her flesh then slid them along the seam in her ass.
A tentative link nudged her thoughts into laving his eager cock. She stared at the mushroom head and worked her hands slowly along the length, fighting the desire to rush.
One taste, a lick. Come on, Danella. You know you want to.
Unable to stop his gentle probing, she circled the ridge at the base of the head with her tongue and drank in the rich flavor of his skin.
A soft bite closed over her sensitive bud, and he sucked hard on her clit. A scream erupted from her throat, and a finger slid deep into her cunt then out to dip inside her anus.
She gulped down a quick breath and covered his cock with her mouth. If he could play, so could she.
A competition started between them. He fluttered his tongue along her pussy while she bobbed up and down on his cock. Each caress he initiated, she matched with one of her own until pleasure spiraled out of control.
His tongue lapped at her convulsing muscles, heightening the delirium already quaking through her mind. She sucked in a breath around his cock and held her mouth above the end while she labored for air.
“Please.” He plunged his hips upward, and the smooth tip of his cock hit the back of her throat.
Her mouth closed around him, and she squeezed her lips into the hard length. She captured the full sacs between his legs and rolled them against the palm of her hand.
“Danella!”
Hot liquid shot into her mouth. She swallowed and swirled her tongue around the base of his cock to capture any of the juices that might have escaped. After the last drop was gone, she released him slowly, forcing herself to acknowledge the pain she’d endure when he left. She toyed with different options of how to save him from the same misery.
A forget spell.
“Danella,” Omar groaned from between her legs.
She turned and stared at him across the broad expand of his chest. The sated smile on his face revealed the satisfaction he’d gained from making love. A slight ache twisted in her chest and she forced out a playful question. “Are you done? Or can I play some more?”
He tugged her around so her body aligned with his. “I’ll let you play with me for a lifetime. But are you willing to let me do the same?”
Without waiting for her answer, Omar’s lips danced over hers and demanded entrance to her mouth. The salty taste of his cum tightened his taste buds, and he figured she could detect the arousing flavor of her cum on his tongue, too.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his chest. She might believe they didn’t have a future together, but he’d show her the truth.
The crown of his cock knocked at her entrance. He thrust forward. The head bolted inside, and velvety warmth surrounded the length as intimate muscles squeezed him tight.
He drove deep then eased back to thrust again.
Her mouth broke from his. “Harder.”
Following her direction, he rocked back and forward in an ever-increasing pace that accelerated her breathing and had her gasping with need. “Oh, fuck, I’m so close.”
He sped to the edge and plunged into the mind-blowing euphoria of finding his perfect mate. Her mind skirted around with the idea of commitment, and a dance of wills drove the insatiable heat between them higher. Fire blazed through his body and mind.
Consumed in the inferno with him, Danella’s moans grew louder until the ravaging howls of rapture consumed them both and their bodies convulsed with the same pulsating rhythm of completion.
Totally spent, she collapsed against his chest.
The link between them surged.
Omar groaned and felt the thick wall around her heart crumble. A shot of extreme pleasure bordering on torture hit his senses, and he trembled. Loving emotions flooded his mind, and he realized she finally understood the depth of his devotion. Every cell sang with joy, and peace settled over the years of unrest in his soul.
He drew her deeper into his arms and dropped a kiss on her damp forehead. “I promise we’ll never be separated a
gain.”
****
Waving his final farewell to Havyn and Kesia, Omar turned back to the castle and glanced at Danella. All morning she had remained silent, never voicing in words what her heart had promised him last night. Was that normal or had she changed her mind about taking him as her permanent mate? Or had she concocted some other scheme?
“So what do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon?” He walked a few steps forward, and then paused when she didn’t move.
“I...” She hedged and scanned the area. “I feel like a caged animal. I know Kesia will deliver my message, but everything is spiraling out of my control.”
Omar gathered her against his chest. She wiggled and squirmed, unwilling to meet his gaze or settle comfortably into his arms. “You’re not use to relying on others. It’s been years since you’ve allowed anyone close, and now, you’re forced to trust them with something you’d prefer to handle yourself.”
“But she’s my sister.”
“And you’ve always felt the responsibility of taking care of her. I bet you’ve been spying on her since the day Maris refreshed your memory.” He slid his hands down her back and drew her closer. “Did you also arrange for her to meet Havyn?”
She turned away and stared out at the open meadow that led to the lake they’d rested beside the day before. “I just want to escape, soar through the heavens and allow my mind a chance to clear.”
He turned and slipped his arm around her waist. “Then I guess we should head for the barn.”
“What? Why?” She balked and didn’t step forward.
“Because we’ll need to stash our clothes somewhere. We can retrieve them after we return.” He pressed his hand in the small of her back and nudged her forward. “You are planning to stay here until Havyn and Kesia come back. Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but how will we make our way out of the barn once we transform?”
Omar pointed to the open hayloft door. “If we’re flying, that won’t be a problem.”
She smiled, the first one he’d seen today, and bolted ahead. “I’ll race you.”
The gentle sway of her hips captured his attention, and he didn’t budge. She glanced back and stuck out her tongue. “Giving me a head start?”
Fire raced through his blood, and a different alternative to flying flashed through his head. He took after her, but the expanding girth of his cock inhibited his quick stride. When she reached the barn door, he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. Her face was flushed. The bright red color revealed her excitement, and he gazed at her moist lips. “Why don’t we try making love in a different form?”
She giggled and slid her hands around his neck. “That’s a wonderful idea. Why don’t we shift into hawks and fly to a more secluded area where we won’t be disturbed? Then we can transform into any form you want.”
He imprisoned her against the door and captured her lips. One touch and she allowed him in, her tongue dancing with his in the hot cavity of her mouth. Once past her defenses, he plunged deeper and claimed her as his.
Need inflamed his blood, and his cock throbbed with arousal. The material between them restricted his ability to thrust deep into her willing pussy. He shuffled backward, and she followed him enough so he could wedge the barn door open.
Her lips broke from his. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to get you inside the barn so I can strip off your clothes.” He tugged the string at her waist free.
She grinned, then turned and stepped inside the barn. He followed and secured the door. A familiar sound sang through his senses. He turned as her dress fell. Her voluptuous body shrank. Snaps and pops broke the silence as she transformed.
After a moment, a hawk stood on the ground by his feet. A screech echoed off the rafters and she spread her wings. Her flight path led her to the highest crossbeam.
He ripped off his shirt. “You’ll pay for this. My cock is so hard I’ll be lucky if I can concentrate enough to transform.” His shirt landed on her dress, and he unbuckled his pants. “But you’ve helped me decide exactly what form I want us in when we make love.” He dropped his pants and kicked off the over-sized shoes. “Have you ever experienced the barbed cock of a tiger?”
A low coo answered his question, He was focused on transforming, but the answer did register.
The desire to change into a tiger tickled his thoughts, but he pushed them aside. Instead, he concentrated on flying—the euphoric rush of wind riding against his feathers, the ability to see the smallest flutter on the ground, and the fun of soaring into the heavens with Danella.
I’m off, blasted through his head and she flew through the hayloft door.
Not without me. He flapped his wings and darted after her.
Upon clearing the barn, he searched the heavens and found her heading toward the mountain range they’d travel through the day before. Was she heading for her cabin? Or did she know of another place to have some fun. He climbed higher and rode the air currents to accelerate his speed.
The scenery below changed. Rolling green hills gave way to a rocky terrain with deep cracks marking the ground like wrinkles on an old man’s face. A movement near a sheer cliff ruffled his hawk senses. A group of men stood on the edge.
He lowered his right wing and circled around to get a better view. What are those men doing?
Danella altered her flight path and followed his lead. Why does it matter?
Havyn said he’d seen strangers prowling his property. Maybe this is the group. Three men stood on a cliff with their bows drawn. One held a faint resemblance to Councilman Rodman’s assistant, Tate.
An arrow whistled through the air toward him. Flapping his wings and rising as quickly as possible, he raced for the heavens.
Omar!
He swiveled his head toward the sound.
Like a leaf falling, Danella’s body wavered and teetered in a wild unpredictable pattern. Fear tightened his chest as he altered his course and sped after her. A black hole opened up below her, and she disappeared into the deep cavern.
Chapter Nine
Hidden in the crevice of a boulder, Omar glared down at the men camped on the cliff overlooking the cavern where Danella fell, where they’d fired at him as he continued to circle the area in search of her.
For hours he’d searched, flying in and out of the cavern, calling her name. With no response and with darkness falling, he had taken to the ground to continue his search. But to no avail.
Grief tightened his chest, and he covered his face with his hands. How could the fates be so cruel?
He’d finally found Danella only to have her torn from his grasp. His heart ached with the thought of never seeing her again, and anger burned in his gut.
Those men had shot her. Why? So they could carry out Rodman’s orders?
Judging their strength, he assessed their ability to fight. Tate, a scrawny man at best, didn’t offer any threat. While the other two appeared stronger, Omar had no doubt of his skill, his ability to best them.
Resentment swelled. Who were they to kill Danella? They didn’t even know her.
Fury expanded in his chest with the air he sucked into his lungs. Energy pumped through his muscles, and his body transformed into the white tiger he’d envisioned earlier. Now though, his hunter’s strength filled his senses and his roar of rage echoed through the canyons.
“What the...” Tate yelled and bolted.
The other two men jumped to their feet and drew out their knives.
Omar jumped off the boulder. Now you’ll die.
****
Blackness surrounded Danni. Pain resonated in every part of her body, and a voice screamed “retribution.”
Where am I?
The sweet smell of blood sang through her senses. She turned her head. A light hit her and she gasped for breath. Pain gurgled from her throat, and a low coo escaped.
Her form registered, and the sharp point of an arrow whizzing past her wing sped through her memor
y.
She struggled to stand. Omar?
She’d seen him escape. But why didn’t he come back for me?
She peered again at her surroundings and judged the length of the cavern as well as the distance to the top. He’d find it an impossible task to locate her.
He believes I’m dead.
She lowered her head. Just as well. No forget spell would be needed. He could return home and ignore the human world altogether. And with her out of the picture, he could find someone else and start a new life in Ardenia.
Her family would be free of her, too.
Everything had worked out perfectly. They knew about Rodman, and they no longer needed to worry about her. They could get on with their lives.
Energy seeped from her body. But could she live without them? For one brief moment, she’d held the man of her dreams and her sister’s forgiveness had lightened her burden. Now the fates had ripped it all away.
Mind numb, she closed her eyes. Pain and heartache mingled within her, and she drifted into a dark vortex where no joy existed.
Maybe she should simply disappear.
****
Omar studied the carnage at his feet and felt no remorse. He ached from the pain of losing his soul mate. The task ahead was much harder than the one he’d just performed. He needed to tell Danella’s family about her death.
The stench of disembodied flesh hit his stomach. He gagged, and his lunch landed at his feet. How had he survived all those years without her?
Tears streaming down his checks, he leaned against a huge boulder. How would he ever forget the time they’d shared?
Misery descended. The bright colors around him blurred to gray. The weight in his chest increased. Nothing mattered anymore.
Banished Page 26
