I rolled my eyes. “And maybe Han Solo will magically appear and take me for a spin in the Millennium Falcon.”
He inclined his head in agreement. “Stranger things have happened, but then I’d have to kill him for attempting to steal my mate and that would just suck.”
He was trying so hard to be serious but his lips twitched and we both lost it. When we settled down, I told him, “I’m sure Claire would see that coming and stop you before it came to that.”
“I’m sure she would.” There was laughter in his eyes, but it was slowly fading to be replaced with something darker, warmer, something that threatened to consume me with its heat. “I’ve missed this Renee. There’s no one else who can make me laugh the way you do. Hell, there’s no one else who can make me feel any of the things you make me feel.”
We were still treading water but I suddenly felt the need to have my feet on solid ground. “Maybe we should get going now. I don’t know what time it is but we shouldn’t be late for the start of the tournament.”
I started swimming for shore and when I was close enough that I could stand with my head barely above the water he called my name. Looking over my shoulder, I met his caramel colored eyes, so warm, so captivating. My knees weakened and it was a good thing the water was there to support me.
He moved towards me slowly, holding my gaze, making it impossible for me to look away. “I’m not going to rush you Renee, I know I lost control the other night, but it won’t happen again. However long it takes I’m willing to wait until you’re ready to take the next step.”
I licked my lips. “What if I’m not strong enough to fight the mating frenzy?”
He reached for me and I turned into his arms wrapping my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck. His lips were so close they almost bushed mine when he whispered, “I’ll be strong enough for both of us. I give you my word.”
Closing the gap between our lips, I kissed him. His lips were soft and warm moving against mine with a gentleness that belied the primal need rising between us. With every second that passed the kiss grew, intensified as our tongues rubbed together with long, languid strokes that had my toes curling and my thighs clenching around his waist. It was the kind of kiss you got lost in, the kind that made you forget everything else until the need for oxygen was so imperative that you might pass out if you didn’t stop for air. Even then, I couldn’t seem to tear my lips away from his.
When his velvety lips finally left mine, I rested my forehead against his shoulder and tried to remember how to breathe.
“I’ve waited thirty years to kiss you like that,” Solomon whispered in my ear, tracing its shell with his tongue.
I shivered in his arms, the foamy water lapping at my breasts. “Maybe you should do it again,” I murmured, breathless as I leaned back to meet his heated gaze. “After all, we have a lot of lost time to make up for.”
His lips curled and that sexy grin of his had my heart tripping in a wild rhythm. “Your wish is my command, My Lady.”
Keeping one arm around my back, he held me in place with my legs wrapped around him. His other hand slid up my back and neck, his fingers tangling in my hair as his lips found mine once again. Moments later, I realized kissing Solomon was quickly becoming my favorite thing to do. It was the way he lingered, taking his time as if he had nowhere else to be and it wouldn’t matter even if he did. I’d never had a man kiss me so thoroughly before, like he couldn’t quite get enough of me no matter how many times his tongue twined with mine.
I pulled him closer and his sculpted chest was a fiery heat against my breasts after the chilly water and cool morning breeze. I moaned into the kiss, the exquisite heat spiraling through my body straight to my core. My hips rolled forward and I ground myself against his washboard abs eliciting another moan and then another after that.
Solomon growled and tore his lips from mine. “I could spend all day kissing you, but if we keep this up I won’t be able to keep my promise.”
I took in a deep, shuddering breath then blew it out trying to convince my body that he was right. I wanted to take things slow and he was only trying to help me do that, even though the erection I felt nudging me clearly said he was burning inside just as much as I was. The fact that he was actually stopping us before things went any further really meant a lot to me and I told him so.
“Thank you Solomon, it means a lot to me that you’re not trying to use the mating frenzy to your advantage.”
“We have our whole lives ahead of us. He leaned forward to kiss me one more time, just a brief caress of his lips then he moved back again and grinned. “For now, I’m willing to go one base at a time.”
“Base?”
He raised his eyebrows and it hit me.
“Oh... What do you think we are a couple of teenagers?” I laughed.
He shrugged his shoulder making the muscles there ripple in a most enticing way. “There’s something to be said for denying ourselves instant gratification, after all, a slow build-up usually provides for a big finish.”
The look that went with that comment was pure anticipation and it tightened things low in my body. Maybe he had a point.
I smiled. “Okay, so how will we know when it’s time to move on to the next base?”
“I’ll let you set the pace. When you say it’s okay to move on to the next base we will, but we can only go one base at a time. I’ll make sure there’s at least twenty-four hours between bases. That way you won’t be overwhelmed by the mating frenzy and do something that you’re not ready for.”
“That sounds like a good plan, although I think we both may regret coming up with it before long.”
“It might be hard to fight the mating frenzy, but I will never regret taking things slow if that’s what you need from me.”
I kissed his lips gently, thanking him for his understanding. “I need to get home now, but it’s broad daylight in the human world, not to mention I’m naked.”
Just like that, I was no longer comfortable with my state of undress. It hadn’t bothered me before because the foamy water hid most of my assets, small as they were, but now that I’d brought attention to my nakedness it seemed to be all I could think about.
Solomon must have sensed my distress because he said, “Hey, don’t worry. If you want me to, I’ll open a portal on the shore then turn around so you can go through it.”
I thought about it for a minute but decided it was time to put on my big girl panties. “No, it’s like you said last night; I’m a shapeshifter now so I may as well start getting used to casual nudity.”
Releasing my hold on him, I turned and swam the short distance until it was easier to walk than swim. Then I took a deep steadying breath and stood with my back to Solomon. I felt his eyes on me but resisted the urge to cover myself as I moved away from him and onto the thin strip of sand at the water’s edge.
Without warning, he was right behind me with his fingers tracing the tattoo on my back. Everywhere he touched there was a tingling sensation, not painful exactly but almost like I’d been zapped with electricity.
“Why does it feel like you’re shocking me?”
“I’m testing the spell to see if I can break it,” he murmured, obviously concentrating on his task.
“Um... Solomon?”
“Yes?”
“Would you mind if I got dressed before you did that?”
He didn’t stop what he was doing but I heard him whispering and then we were standing in my bedroom. Thankfully, I’d closed the shutters before I left last night so we weren’t hit by any life threatening ultraviolet rays, but with our excellent night vision not even darkness this thick could hide the fact that I was still naked. I reached over and grabbed the sheet off the bed then wrapped it around myself toga style without covering the part of my back with the tattoo.
The minutes ticked by until he abruptly stopped his exploration of my back and flicked on a lamp. “Tell me what happened when the spell was cast. I want to know every
detail no matter how insignificant you might think it is,” Solomon commanded, the growl in his voice letting me know he was furious. Whether he was angry with me or with the sorcerer, or just because there was a spell on my back instead of his mark, I had no way of knowing.
My shoulders tensed, my natural reaction to tell him where to shove his demands, but I knew he was likely fighting his fox for control and didn’t mean anything by his overbearing attitude. It had to be hard for him to see the evidence of what I was slowing coming to see as the worst kind of betrayal. I was supposed to be his mate, the one person in all the worlds who should be there for him no matter what. Yet instead of claiming him as mine, I turned my back on him and used magic to make sure he never learned the truth of our mating.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and began my explanation, “When I met with the sorcerer I told him that I knew who my mate was, but I also knew he wasn’t aware of the mating yet and I wanted to keep it that way. He asked who my mate was and when I told him it was you, he said the spell would have to be stronger than usual or you would see right through it. He said to make it strong enough it would require blood, mine and his.”
Solomon had been pacing in front of the window but stopped now with alarm written all over his face. “He used his blood in the spell?”
I nodded hesitantly, not sure why that detail was so significant.
“Who was this sorcerer?”
“I... I don’t know his name.”
If I’d thought he was alarmed before, now he was downright panicking. “Where did you meet him?”
“Um...” I started to explain but knowing my explanation was only going to make things worse, I couldn’t quite make the words come out.
“Renee, this is very important.” His eyes pierced mine.
Looking away from his penetrating gaze I told him, “The sorcerer was a friend of Dimitri’s. I’m not sure where we met him because we went through a portal and I didn’t recognize anything on the other side. It was a dark world with a dead forest and a medieval castle.”
“How did you wind up with the tattoo on your back?” he asked after a moment and took up pacing again.
I curled my legs beside me and pulled the sheet over them. “Well, it’s not really a tattoo. He just kind of put his hand there on my back and chanted for a while. About ten minutes later, he made a quick slash down my back, cut his hand and then slapped his open wound over mine. Then he recited an incantation that I didn’t understand. There was a sharp pain, then my back felt like it was on fire and I passed out. When I came to I was here in my bed and I had that nice piece of artwork on my back.”
Solomon stopped pacing again and rubbed his hands over his face. “Did you recognize any of the words he said when he was chanting?”
I thought back to that night and replayed the scene in my head. “I wouldn’t say I recognized anything he said, but the rhythm was familiar. Honestly he sounded a lot like you do when you’re chanting.”
All the blood drained from his face and he fell to his knees in front of me. “What did he look like Renee? Picture him in your mind so I can see him.”
I did as he asked and the image of the sorcerer slowly formed in my mind. He was about Solomon’s height, maybe an inch shorter, with short spiky brown hair and nondescript facial features - the kind of guy you’d forget right after you walked past him. I felt pressure on my mind and knew Solomon was looking at the sorcerer through my memories.
His hands fisted in the sheet and he swore.
“What’s wrong Solomon? Do you know him?” I was actually starting to get really worried now.
He met my eyes and his were dark with anger. “I’ve seen that design before, in the dreams we’ve been sharing. Only in the dreams, it was an amulet hung above your front door, not a tattoo on your body. I’ve been researching the amulet trying to find a way to counter the spell. I haven’t had much luck though and now I understand why. I’ve been looking in the wrong books because I never imagined anyone could be using my own magic against me.”
I reached out to caress the side of his face. “What do you mean Solomon, I don’t understand”
“There are very few people alive who know how to wield the same kind of magic that I use. Most of those people I know and trust. One however, is the sorcerer who cursed Dragon during The Great War. His name is Sergio and he is the sorcerer I just saw in your mind.”
I sucked in a breath hoping I’d heard him wrong, but as I watched the black and gold bleed into his eyes, I knew I hadn’t misunderstood. “What did he do to me Solomon?” My voice was a little too high but I was struggling against a wave of panic that wanted to engulf me.
“Shh...” Solomon soothed, pulling me down onto his lap. I rested my head against his chest while he ran his fingers through my hair and rocked me gently back and forth. “I want to go into your mind and watch your memories of the spell being cast. I won’t make you relive them I just need you to be as calm as possible and don’t fight me so I can concentrate on the details of the spell.”
I nodded then immediately felt the pressure of Solomon entering my mind. I didn’t fight him; in fact, I opened myself up to him completely and soon found myself relaxing in the hot tub downstairs. I knew it was only a fantasy created by Solomon but I was thankful for the distraction. The warm bubbling water felt amazing on my tired muscles and I promised myself to have a soak for real before the day was over.
A while later, Solomon kissed the top of my head and the fantasy dissolved. “Can you undo whatever he did to me?” I asked looking up at him.
He shook his head and my heart sank. “I can’t, but you can.”
“Huh...” I started to climb off his lap but he held me in place and put his finger over my lips.
“It’s a very complex spell,” he explained quietly. “And it’s very strong. I got past it a few times because I was either unconscious or out of my mind with fury, but the only reason I can be near you now without a struggle is the mating bond. Magic treats mates as one and the same; it simply doesn’t differentiate between mates. Therefore, once the bond was initiated the spell could no longer keep me away from you because as far as it’s concerned I am you.”
“If that’s true; shouldn’t the spell be broken?”
He brushed my hair back and kissed my forehead. “Yes, but he used your blood to bind this spell to your will and you don’t want it to be broken.”
“Of course I do,” I insisted, shaking my head. “That’s why I went to Supernova last night. I was going to ask if you knew how to break it.”
He cupped the side of my head with his hand and looked deep into my eyes. “Almost every aspect of mating comes from the animal’s magic - the mating frenzy, the mark, the binding of souls which allows humans to be immortal as long as their mates are alive. Only the emotions come from the human side. No matter how strong the animal magic is the real connection between mates comes from the emotional ties they form during the mating frenzy. The bond is complete when they give themselves to each other completely without holding anything back.
We’ve loved each other for so long that a few moments of unbridled passion were almost enough to complete our bond. If it weren’t for the spell, we’d be living in mated bliss, but as soon as the passion cooled, you threw all your walls back up allowing the spell to block our emotions. There’s a fox eye on my back because I’m sending and willing to receive your emotions. The eye is closed however, and I believe that is because you aren’t sending any emotions. You’ve spent so long hiding your feelings from me, and from yourself, that you’re still hiding them. You don’t want me to feel your emotions so I can’t. The eye that should be on your back is missing because you’re afraid to open yourself up to me. You’re afraid I’m going to hurt you, and until you let go of that fear the spell will continue to interfere with our mating bond.”
I licked my lips. “I’m not sure how to do that Solomon.”
His thumb rubbed along my jaw as he spoke, his voice vibrating
with emotion. “I love you Renee, and whether it takes a day or a decade, I will find a way to prove that to you. In the meantime I will deal with the sorcerer responsible for the spell so that he never again has the opportunity to prey on vulnerable or emotionally compromised women.”
“I already have to worry about you challenging Dimitri. I don’t want you going after the sorcerer too.”
“He knew what he was doing when he cursed my mate, and he knew what the consequences would be.”
“That’s what I’m worried about, what if he’s set some kind of a trap? What if him and Dimitri...”
He leaned in and kissed me then, softly, sweetly, and whatever argument I could have made was forgotten.
When he pulled back and stood with me in his arms I said, “If that’s all it takes for you to win an argument then I’m in real trouble.”
He chuckled as he laid me down on the bed then climbed up beside me. He stretched out on his side with his elbow bent and his head propped up on his hand. It was a little distracting to have him lying there so magnificently nude but somehow I managed to keep my eyes from straying too often.
Still smiling he replied, “I’m sure you’ll have more to say on the subject no matter how long or thoroughly I kiss you.”
I smiled back at him knowing he was probably right, but let it go for the moment. Some battles required a more subtle approach than a full on frontal attack. Besides, there was something else I needed to ask him about.
“You said the sorcerer used my blood to bind the spell to my will. What did he need his blood for?”
Solomon frowned. “At this point I’m honestly not sure. I’d have to take a closer look at the spell and perhaps do some research to understand how his blood made the spell stronger, but I won’t have time to do either until the tournament is over. If it had been my blood I’d say it was used so that the spell would target me specifically, but since it was his, I’m at a complete loss.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say that,” I said, inching closer to him so I could rest my hand against his chest. I needed to have some kind of physical connection to him. “You always seem to know everything when it comes to magic.”
M&L03 - SS Page 12
