The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘I want to be inside you,’ he breathed against her lips as he tugged her shirt loose and stroked the bare flesh of her sides and her back.

  ‘Bed,’ she panted, ‘it’s too cold down here.’

  He picked her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms round his neck. He stumbled up the stairs and into their room, dropping her down on the bed before stripped off his shirt. She watched him as the rest of his clothes followed, until he stood at the foot of the bed unabashedly naked. She sat up and let him unbutton her shirt and slip it from her shoulders. Her pants were next which he unhooked and peeled slowly down her legs leaving her in nothing but her silvery grey lace bra and panties.

  ‘God, Livy,’ his eyes roamed over her appreciatively, his fingertips tracing the curve of her breast through the see-through lace. ‘I love what goes on under your clothes.’

  He took her mouth, tasting her with long slow luxurious sweeps of his tongue. She involuntarily arched her hips curving against the hard press of his naked body, instinctively reaching out to find some relief from the low throbbing ache in her core. Theo knew he was lost; through the haze of alcohol he was drowning in the scent and feel of her, her soft skin beneath his hands, her body curving sweetly into his, seeking him out, seeking the pleasure only he could provide.

  His lips trailed fire down her throat and across her collar bone and he slid his hands under her back and unclipped her bra. Peeling it from her body he tossed it to the ground as he filled his hands with her soft warm breasts.

  ‘Theo,’ she breathed heavily as she arched her back pressing herself more firmly into his hands. He continued to trail hot open mouthed kisses down her torso towards her belly.

  There was only one thought in his mind, something he’d seen in one of the books hidden at the back of a shelf down in the library. A scandalous book filled with erotic and salacious images, something so sinful and foreign looking he’d been shocked when he stumbled across it. He’d turned from it, embarrassed to have seen such illustrations, but found he could not forget it. It was a book no decent God fearing person would ever have had in their possession. He’d reminded himself that things were not the same as they had been in his time and that such things were more accepted now. Even so, it still went against everything he believed in. But there was one particular image in it that thrilled him, filling him with a dark longing and fuelling his arousal. Something he wanted to do to her desperately.

  His tongue toyed at the edge of the lace of her panties as she arched helplessly into his hands impatient and flushed. Unable to resist any longer he buried his face between her thighs breathing in the scent of her. His tongue pressed through the lace, slowly and tentatively at first until he heard her moan and reach down to grasp his hair. He licked and suckled her through the flimsy fabric as she writhed beneath him and he felt powerful.

  The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as he stripped her panties from her body. She cried out in her need as he pressed back between her thighs with nothing separating him from her naked flesh. He had now crossed a line and inhibitions were gone as he licked the length of her before suckling the tight little bundle of nerves into his mouth. Sliding his hands under her buttocks he pulled her hips closer to his face. She was like a drug, one taste and he was hopelessly addicted to her.

  She bucked beneath him at the sheer intensity of feelings he was creating with his mouth and as the pressure began to build towards her climax he acted on instinct, slipping a finger inside her, followed by another and stroked deep. Curling his fingers, he hit that place inside her that made her go blind. She gripped his hair tightly in her fist, trying to push him away yet at the same time trying to pull him closer. It was too much, too intense, not just for her but for him too. He ground his hips into the bed trying to find some relief from the intense arousal of doing something so forbidden.

  She tried to pull away from the intensity but he pinned her hips keeping her in place, forcing her to take the pleasure he gave. A scream tore from her throat as she let go and crested wave after wave of acute pleasure. When she finally came down her body was trembling with the sheer force of her orgasm and Theo almost lost control. To give Olivia so much pleasure, to arouse her to such a pitch that he felt it as intensely as if it were his own, was like nothing he’d ever known.

  He crawled up her body and thrust inside her as she wrapped her legs tightly around his hips pulling him deeper. She wrapped her arms around his neck pressing him against her, and he covered her mouth with his, swallowing every sound she made as he owned her body. Now driven by some deep seated instinct he pulled away and flipped her over onto her stomach. Spreading her legs, he grasped her hands interlocking her fingers with his as he slipped inside her again. Moaning in delight she curved her spine, lifting her hips so he could plunge deeper. When he bit down gently on the back of her neck a shiver shot straight to her nipples making them harden painfully. Disentangling her hands from his she reached back over her shoulder and grasped his hair tugging almost painfully.

  ‘Harder,’ she demanded.

  He obliged her, grasping her hips to raise her to her knees, pounding into her as she moaned in pleasure, pressing her face into the covers of the bed. Another climax hit her hard and she reared up pressing her back to his chest reaching behind her to wrap her arms around his neck. He pressed his face into her neck, breathing in the scent of his beloved woman, licking the salty moisture from her soft skin. His hands skimmed her breasts, down her torso past her flat stomach stroking through the wetness between her thighs where they were still joined.

  Breathing hard, with her heart pounding in her chest, she turned her head to look at him and his lips found hers in a soft slow deeply intimate kiss.

  ‘Theo,’ she breathed against his mouth.

  His movements slowed with her change in mood and he thrust slower, deeper until they dropped back down to the bed. She pulled away and pushed him gently down onto his back. He watched her with dark intense eyes as she stretched out over him, then he slipped back inside her slowly as she rocked against him, savoring each sound he made. She sat back on her heels taking him deep. He threw his head back and thrust up into her body, helplessly enslaved by her. He could feel her long dark hair brush against his thighs as she arched her back, her breasts thrusting upwards, and he knew he’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

  She was so close, and with one final deep rock of her hips her orgasm exploded as she clamped down on Theo so hard he had no choice but to follow. He growled as he reared up wrapping his arms around her tightly and thrusting up into her body as he too crested the peak until they both collapsed back down onto the bed breathing heavily.

  ‘God,’ Theo covered his eyes with one hand as he tried to steady his pounding heart. ‘Dizzy.’

  ‘I’ll bet,’ Olivia smiled against his skin. ‘I’ve taken terrible advantage of you in your delicate condition.’

  He grabbed her and rolled her under him, tickling her ribs.

  ‘Delicate?’

  ‘Stop it,’ she giggled trying to squirm away from him.

  ‘Delicate,’ he continued to tickle her mercilessly.

  ‘Stop stop,’ she laughed loudly, ‘I take it back.’

  He rolled onto his back, pulling her into his side and tucking her safely in his arms.

  They lay in silence for a moment until Olivia finally scooted up his body and propped her face on her hand so she could look down at him.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, ‘you’ve gone quiet.’

  The truth was, now the alcohol induced fog of lust had passed, he was feeling slightly ashamed of the way he’d lost control and the things he’d done to her. He hadn’t made love to her the way she deserved, he’d been rough and demanding.

  ‘I’m sorry if I was too rough with you,’ he murmured watching her with dark eyes.

  ‘Did it look like I was complaining?’

  ‘No, but…’

  She could s
ee he was struggling with something, a faint blush spread across his cheekbones and he looked up at the ceiling as if he couldn’t quite find the right words. If she had to guess, she would imagine he was probably feeling a little raw and exposed. He’d stepped outside of his comfort zone when he made love to her tonight. The alcohol had masked his inhibitions and he’d taken her hard and furiously and she had loved every second of it. But it was also the first time he’d pleasured her with his mouth and he was probably feeling pretty conflicted about that.

  She knew that where he came from marriage and sex existed for one reason and one reason alone, for the procreation of children. Then he was suddenly thrust into a world where sexual liberation and sex outside of marriage were not only accepted but pretty common. Now, for the first time in his life, he was having to balance his own sexuality with the strict and moral religion he was raised with.

  ‘Are you ashamed of what we did tonight?’ she asked softly.

  ‘No,’ he shook his head.

  ‘But you are embarrassed?’

  He sighed as she stroked his cheek gently, turning his face so he was forced to look at her.

  ‘Don’t ever be embarrassed of what we do. If your God hadn’t wanted you to enjoy sex he wouldn’t have made it so pleasurable. It’s not wrong and it’s not a sin. It’s how we are able to show each other how we feel.’

  He stared at her silently as he struggled with the concept.

  ‘Do you know how I felt with your mouth on me?’

  He shook his head.

  ‘Desired, powerful, pleasured,’ her lips brushed his slowly. ‘I felt close to you. I could feel how much you wanted me, how desperate you were for me and it made me want you even more. Now tell me is that wrong?’

  ‘No,’ he whispered as he toyed with a lock of her hair.

  She smiled as she dropped a kiss on his lips.

  ‘I need to use the bathroom, I’ll be right back.’

  She climbed out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. As she glanced at the fireplace it burst back into flames, filling the room with its warmth and soft light. By the time she’d finished and climbed back into bed, Theo’s eyes were closed and his breathing was regular and even.

  Smiling to herself she pulled the covers up over him and tucked them around him to keep him warm. She studied his face in the dim light; he was so sweet and loving and hot as hell in bed. But more than that there was something so uniquely appealing about him, it was as if he had been created just for her. He’d crossed time for her, he’d fought a demon for her, he was breaking every rule he’d ever been raised with and all for her.

  God damn it, she sighed. She’d done the one thing she promised herself she wouldn’t, she’d gone and fallen in love with him.

  She dropped a ghost of a kiss on his parted lips, barely even brushing them with her own.

  ‘Olivia,’ he turned to her even in his sleep.

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered, but the words were lost as the sound of his soft snore filled the room.

  Chapter 20

  Theo stared up at the building which was shrouded by thick snow covered branches. It was high up on a small cliff overhanging the water’s edge. Concealed at the base of the rock were steep narrow steps leading upward. He shivered and turned back towards the lake which was now completed frozen over, some of its surface thick with fresh snowfall and the rest flat sheet ice which reflected back the bright moon. Heavy white clouds streaked across the sky and the air was so cold it was like breathing in thousands of tiny needles.

  Suddenly a great cracking sound split the icy air. Theo watched, taking an involuntary step back, as the lake burst open ominously at the center and massive shards of jagged ice began to rise through the breached surface, clawing their way towards the sky. A sense of urgency gripped him by the throat and he spun around to face the path, laying one foot on the first step. His hand grasped the rusted metal guardrail and he began to climb quickly, the steps creaking and groaning ominously beneath his feet. Branches blocked his path, scratching at his exposed skin with vicious needle-like claws.

  He could see glimpses of a building at the pinnacle as he scrambled up the steps, feeling the guardrail sway dangerously. Pushing the branches out of his way he reached the top and the building came into view. It was huge, much bigger than he’d expected and once upon a time it would have been a grand sight to behold, with its curved corners and sharp arches. Parts of it were now shrouded with moss but in the moonlight he could still make out the ghostly creamy coloured walls and the cracked peeling blue grey of the columns and arches.

  A sign hung above the entrance in huge elegant letters but several were missing and he could not make out the name in the dim light. He stepped forward and felt the ground tremble and shake violently beneath his feet. Turning back towards the churning icy mass of the lake he saw a great archway of ice and from it spilled masses of writhing smoky creatures. At this distance he couldn’t make them out but as they scuttled across the broken uneven ice like a horde of giant insects his breath caught in his throat as he saw them swarm towards the shore in all directions.

  His heart jolted in his chest as he felt the ground heave once again. He stumbled back and for a moment it seemed as though he was frozen in time, and everything around him had paused. He felt weightless, but as the ground beneath him broke away with a violent grinding sound it crashed down towards the lake edge, smashing through the ice, and suddenly he was falling.

  With a sharp intake of breath Theo opened his eyes and blinked several times to clear his blurred vision. Slowly he became aware he was no longer in bed beside Olivia. He found he was crouched on the floor of his studio wearing nothing but his jeans, although he had no recollection of getting up and putting them on. They were now streaked with paint and as he glanced down at his bare chest and his hands he realized his skin was also smeared with paint. Shaking his head in confusion he looked up and saw Olivia kneeling on the floor in front of him, wearing his shirt and watching him carefully.

  ‘Theo?’

  ‘What’s happening,’ he asked, his voice rough and uncertain. ‘Why am I down here?’

  ‘You tell me?’ she looked down at the floor beneath him.

  He followed her line of sight and drew in a deep breath. A large part of the floor was covered in paint, not just random drips and splotches but a detailed painting of the building on the cliff. He must have painted it whilst in the grip of his dream.

  ‘What is this place Theo?’ Olivia asked quietly.

  ‘I don’t know’ he frowned, trying to remember, but even now the last vestiges of the dream were fading from his memory.

  ‘Theo?’

  He looked at Olivia and for the first time noticed there was something not right about the way she was looking at him. He couldn’t pinpoint it exactly but it was a mixture of puzzlement and hurt.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Who is she?’ she whispered quietly.

  For a moment Theo didn’t know to whom she was referring until he looked up and his gaze scanned the room. He cursed softly; once again the room was covered in pictures of Mary’s portrait. Not just the canvases which were spaced around the room but all of the pencil sketches which were pinned to the walls so there was barely any space left.

  ‘Olivia,’ he rose to his feet slowly as did she.

  ‘Who is she?’ she repeated more firmly.

  He hesitated, aware of how the words coming from his lips would sound. This was the moment he had been dreading for months and now there was no avoiding it.

  ‘At first I thought it might be your sister Temperance, but I’ve seen your drawings of her. She looks just like you and she died when she was nine years old. But that woman,’ she glanced back at the blonde woman in the portrait, ‘she’s at least in her twenties…so who is she?’

  Theo let out a slow reluctant breath.

  Her name was Mary Alcott…Beckett.’

  ‘Beckett?’ Olivia repea
ted questioningly, a feeling of dread sat like lead in her stomach.

  ‘She was my wife.’

  ‘Your wife,’ the hurt coiled around her chest squeezing hard and when she spoke her voice was barely more than a whisper. ‘You’re married?’

  ‘No,’ he shook his head, ‘not anymore. Look Olivia, I can explain.’

  ‘I think you’d better,’ she locked her arms across her chest like a barrier across her heart.

  ‘We were very young when we married,’ he sighed, ‘I didn’t want to be married but my father insisted. Although my brother Logan loved both me and Temperance, he always hated the farm, hated being at home, hated anything that reminded him of our mother. So he always found excuses to be absent which largely left the running of the farm to me. My father lived at the bottom of a bottle and was next to useless when he wasn’t being violent. Then he insisted it was time for me to take a wife. I was barely more than nineteen years old at the time and I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to him. He said Temperance needed a female in the house to teach her how to run a home and when her time came, how to be a good wife. I had let her run wild, I had given her more freedom than was acceptable for a girl child and it was beginning to show. Whilst I was more than happy to indulge her I did feel she would benefit from having a woman in her life that she could be close to, so in the end I agreed to marriage. My father already had a prospective bride in mind and had spoken with her father. Her name was Mary Alcott. She was only seventeen years old herself and she was a sweet, pretty little thing. Quiet but always smiled shyly when she saw me at church. I didn’t think it would be so bad being married to her and at least it would give me someone else my age to talk to.’

  ‘What happened to her?’ Olivia asked quietly, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. ‘Did you leave her when Sam brought you to Mercy?’

  ‘No,’ Theo sighed, ‘she died. Are you sure you want to know, it’s a long story.’

  ‘I have to know the truth Theo.’