Embrace of the Damned

by Bast, Anya

  Working his way down, he sucked one nipple into his mouth, then the other, laving each one until she squirmed on the bed, her sex growing hot and achy.

  “Do you like that?” he murmured against her taut nipple. “Do you like it when I touch you, Jessa?”

  “Yes,” she answered shakily.

  With confident hands, Broder turned her over onto her stomach, kissing and licking his way across her skin as he went, sending quivers of need through her body. She was lost in a haze of sexual bliss with his big body poised above her, his strength making her feel safe and cherished, and his lips and tongue tasting her skin.

  Broder gathered her hair up and draped it over the mattress on one side, then leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck. The action tightened her body in places that were much farther down. His tongue flicked out and tasted her skin, then the tip of it dragged down along her spine, slowly, to the base.

  “This was always my favorite part of a woman,” Broder murmured, and she was reminded again at just how long it had been since he’d been this intimate with another person. The amount of control he displayed was incredible—and amazingly sexy.

  She writhed a little and moaned as his tongue explored the base of her spine. She’d never known how sensitive that area of her body was, or maybe it was just Broder—maybe he made every area of her body an erogenous zone. She felt breathless, boneless, and more cherished than she ever had in her life, but she needed …

  “Broder,” she whispered. “More.”

  “Let me take my time, skatten min.” He dropped another kiss to the base of her spine, then murmured against her skin, “I may not have had a thousand years of sexual conquests, but I have thought about how I would love you over and over since the first day we met.”

  Oh … guh.

  “At least let me touch you.” She pushed up and turned over, her hands going to his chest, where she traced her fingers over the definition of muscles and the ripple of his stomach. She touched him like she’d never touched a man before, almost innocently. That was because she’d never touched a man like him before. “God, you’re incredible,” she breathed.

  He shuddered in pleasure at her touch and kissed her hard, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. She returned the kiss greedily, pressing her body against his in order to feel every inch of him that she possibly could.

  He broke the kiss, his face hovering above hers. “You’re the woman I dreamed of having for the last ten centuries, Jessamine.”

  Jessa’s tongue went dry. She never would have expected this level of tenderness from a man who could snap off a demon’s head with his bare hands. She never would have thought that hands that could bring death so indisputably could also bring this kind of pleasure. Her lips pressed close to his, she told him as much.

  He eased his hand between her thighs, parting them, and stroked his index finger over her clit. Shivers of ecstasy radiated through her. “These hands are dedicated to protecting you and bringing you pleasure. Nothing else.” He caressed her clit over and over, every masterful stroke sending her closer to the razor’s edge of a climax. She shuddered against him, her teeth raking her lower lip. “I’m going to make you feel good, Jessa.”

  “More,” she pleaded breathlessly. She closed her eyes.

  His thumb rotated on her clit, easing the pressure to control when she climaxed. It made her crazy. “Do you like that? Do you want to come?”

  “Please,” she whispered.

  “Open your eyes and look at me. I want to watch your face while you come.”

  She opened her eyes and locked her gaze with his.

  He moved down an inch from her clit and eased a finger deep inside her, then another, thrusting them in and out. The sensation of it bloomed through her body, rose like heat up her spine. It was just a tease, just a taste of how his long, wide cock would feel inside her. The thought of that—the image of his shaft buried deep inside her, made the brittle crystal edge of a climax taunt her, sending waves of ecstasy through her body.

  Knowing just how to push her over that edge, he deepened and lengthened his strokes.

  Jessa cried out, her head snapping back. Racking spasms of pleasure shook her, over and over again. He lengthened it with his fingers, stroking over her clit, so the tail end of her climax bloomed into another, making her moan his name and thrash on the mattress.

  He guided her hand to her sex, covering her clit with her fingers and pressing down until pleasure flared, then guided her fingers into her sex. She gasped at the hot, velvet sensation of all those gripping muscles.

  “Heaven,” Broder murmured hoarsely. “That’s what I’m going to feel when I sink into you.”

  “Please,” she whispered. “I want you inside of me, Broder.”

  He eased her hand away and pressed her wrists above her head on the pillow, forcing her spine to arch and push her breasts up in offering to him. Then he eased her thighs apart and looked his fill of her, exposed and ready on the bed for him, her sex waiting and wanting. Her nipples were as hard as tiny diamonds.

  Broder grasped his cock and stroked the full, long length of it. Her heart rate did a little dance as he positioned himself over her and slid the smooth crown inside her.

  Jessa gasped at the way only the head of his cock stretched her. She thought for a moment she might come again. Pressing her heels into the mattress, she arched, pushing her hips at him, wanting more, wanting to feel completely possessed and impaled by him.

  Broder groaned at her impatience, as though his immense control might be slipping, and pressed his hips toward her, sliding in another few inches. Her muscles stretched even more and she whimpered at the pleasure of it.

  She twisted against him and he grabbed her hips, holding her in place. “You’re killing me, moving like that. More?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  “Yes,” she barely managed to respond.

  He pushed in another couple inches. “You feel so fucking good,” he said drunkenly.

  “More,” she whispered. “I want every inch of you inside me.”

  He pushed in until the base of his cock was buried within her. She moaned, her hips moving, needing to feel him thrust. He gave her what she wanted, pulling out slowly and thrusting in again so leisurely she felt every vein and bump of his cock as it glided inside her. He held her hips, keeping her from bucking as he shafted her slowly, then even more slowly.

  “Broder,” she breathed, her fingernails scraping down his back, “now you’re killing me. Faster.”

  He withdrew and then thrust fast and hard, impaling her to the base of him over and over. Their bodies rocked together on the mattress, finding an erotic rhythm as they came together and parted again and again. She was hot and slick, easing the way of his cock in and out of her.

  “That’s it,” she breathed. “Ah, God, you’re going to make me come again.”

  And she did, pleasure pouring through her body in a powerful wave that stole her breath for a moment. She arched her back and cried his name, her muscles pulsing around his fast-pistoning cock.

  Broder came down over her, thrusting into her hard and fast, pressing her hips down on the bed with every thrust. He suckled and licked her neck, groaning out her name. His big body tensed and she sensed he was about to come. He thrust to the base and bit her throat possessively as he came, his cock jumping deep in her body.

  After it was over, they lay tangled together in a satisfied heap until Broder rolled to the side and pulled her against him in a spooning position. She noticed with a little smile that she fit perfectly into the curve of his body.

  “I hope that was good enough,” she whispered.

  “What do you mean?” His voice rumbled through her back.

  “You waited a thousand years for that. I hope—”

  “It was incredible,” he growled, kissing her temple. “I want more.”

  So did she.

  Nestling her head against him and the pillow, she twined her hand with his as he laid his arm protecti
vely around her. She sighed, thinking she could easily stay exactly this way for the rest of her life and be perfectly happy.

  She was falling in love with Broder.

  She’d known it for a while, of course. After all, this was Broder Calderson—how could she not fall in love with him? She also knew that meant she was headed for a hell of a heartbreak down the road.

  Her smile faded a little as she imagined the hollow place she would have in her heart when Loki finally decided their time was up. It could be tonight. It could be tomorrow. Maybe, if they were lucky, it would be a couple of weeks from now.

  She’d take two weeks with Broder.

  Comforted by the thought, she pushed aside her worries about the future and closed her eyes. Tonight she was safe in Broder’s arms. Tomorrow would take care of itself.

  Jessa woke to warmth beside her and the events of the previous night flooded her memory, making her even warmer. Opening her eyes, she smiled and stretched, enjoying the sensation of the sleeping body beside her. It wasn’t just anyone’s body, it was Broder’s, the man who cherished her and who kept her safe against all threats.

  How lucky she was to have a man like him in her life, even if it would only be for a short time.

  The man in question groaned and rolled over onto his back. Jessa shifted onto her side and rested on her elbow, staring down at him. His lashes were a shade darker than his hair and shadowed his cheek. His lips were full and expressive, the mark of an emotional person.

  Broder was emotional; one could see it teeming beneath the surface. His emotion was tightly leashed, controlled, but it was there in his eyes and in his body language, even though it might be absent from his facial expressions and his tone of voice most of the time.

  And, wow, it was there when he made love.

  She shivered at the memory. Reaching out, she moved a tendril of hair off his forehead. He moved a little, waking slowly. Not able to resist his warmth, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his. Beneath her, she felt him become aware.

  He stiffened for a split second, then relaxed. His arms came around her and he flipped her onto her back, dragging her under his body. She was happy to be there; it was a lovely place with a lovely view.

  His warm brown eyes held hers. Deep emotion she couldn’t quite read roiled in their depths. This meant something to him, something profound and poignant. “Good morning,” he murmured.

  “Mmm, yes, it is.” She smiled up into his face. She couldn’t remember having such a light, happy feeling in her chest. “Best morning I’ve ever had, maybe.”

  He returned her smile and she nearly died. The man was handsome all the time, but when he grinned or, God help her, smiled he totally rocked her socks. “There are your dimples again.”

  His smile faded and his thoughts clearly went far away for a moment. “Once, a long time ago, my wife loved my dimples.”

  She blinked. “Wife?”

  He nodded and smiled again. “She’s long gone now, no worries.”

  “No, I know that. It’s just … I didn’t know you’d been married.”

  “Her name was Agata. We’d only been together for a couple of years. She died before I was cursed by Loki, died in childbirth.”

  “You had children?”

  He shook his head. “No, unfortunately, my infant son died with her.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It was a long time ago. I wouldn’t say I don’t still feel grief when I think of it, but time has salved the wounds. It was a life-changing experience for me back then, though. If my wife and son had lived, I never would have gone raiding. If I had never gone raiding …” He trailed off.

  “You never would have been cursed by Loki,” she guessed.

  “I would have made different decisions.” He stared down hungrily at her. “The last thousand years have been hell, but right now I’m glad I endured them because they led to you.”

  Sorrow threatened her happiness because she knew there was an addendum to that sentence…. Too bad I can’t keep you.

  He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her thoroughly, while his hands drifted down to explore her body. Jessa’s thought process went sluggish, the memory of his body on hers still very, very fresh in her mind. When he eased his hand between her thighs, she moaned and parted her legs for him.

  With her hands and her mouth, she told him silently how much she wanted him inside her again.

  Slipping over her body, he pushed her thighs apart, positioned himself, and slid deep within her. Their mouths fused, hands roaming, he rocked in and out of her, taking her slowly in the early light of the morning. Before he was done, she came twice beneath him.

  When they were finished, they took a shower together that was entirely too long. They stood under the hot spray of the jets, soaping and rinsing each other clean. Jessa was endlessly fascinated with his body, so hard with muscle and with such soft skin all at the same time. She could spend hours just touching him, exploring every last ridge and valley of his magnificent physique, tracing her fingers over his battle scars. Eventually, however, the water went cold and they got out of the shower and dressed.

  Broder hesitated at the door, watching her pull on a sweater.

  She smiled, resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and waved him off. “Go get some food. I’ll be fine alone for ten minutes.” She could tell he was starving. It took a lot of calories to fuel a body as big as his.

  Broder went for the door, then stopped, came back, and kissed her. “I’ll bring up strawberries.” It was her favorite thing to eat in the morning.

  She gave him a final kiss, watched him leave the room, then finished getting dressed. The phone rang and she stilled just as she was buttoning her jeans. It wasn’t so odd that the phone was ringing, really … but it was odd that the phone in question was an unplugged antique.

  Taking a few steps closer to it, she studied it. This was beyond creepy, like a scene from a horror movie. The ringing stopped. She relaxed and turned away. A moment later, the phone began ringing again.

  When Broder returned, the phone was still ringing. She had drawn her hands into the sleeves of her sweater and remained standing, still staring at the possessed phone. “Broder, that is not a working telephone, right?”

  “No.” Glancing at her, he set the tray down, went to the phone, and picked up the receiver. “Hello?” he growled. After a moment he set it back down in its cradle. “Apparently they only want to talk to you.”

  “Oh, how lovely. Who do you think it is?”

  Broder said nothing for a moment, then finally said, “It’s probably not the Blight. To my knowledge, they don’t possess magick of a nature to do that.”

  And, of course, that left only one other option.

  “Do you think … it could be my great-grandfather calling?”

  Broder’s jaw locked. “It could be.”

  She sat down on the bed, staring at the phone. “If it’s not the Blight and whoever doing it is using magick, it has to be him, right?”

  Broder’s face tightened for a moment in anger. “Yes.”

  She chewed her lower lip. “What does he want from me?”

  “I don’t know.” His voice was a low growl. “But I’m going to find out.”

  NINETEEN

  Broder entered the fitness room at the back of the keep and found Erik lifting weights. The Brotherhood had all been big men before they’d been damned by Loki. Back then if a man, or a woman, for that matter, wasn’t strong and healthy, survival was in question.

  The survival of the brothers wasn’t at issue, but it was in their best interests to stay in shape in order to battle the Blight. Being in shape meant fewer injuries. Just because they were immortal and had incredible healing ability didn’t mean that injuries didn’t hurt.

  He came to stand in front of Erik. The head of the Brotherhood lowered the weights with a softly ringing clang and sat up, grabbing a nearby towel to wipe off his face. “What is it?”

  “I think the seidhr
are trying to contact Jessa through magickal means. They can’t directly enter my lands unless I allow them inside, but they might attempt to draw her out by another method.”

  Erik nodded and rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I’ve tried to contact Thorgest to ask about Jessa, but they’re stonewalling me. They want her, but they’re not saying why, and they’re really pissed that she’s under our protection.” Erik regarded him for a moment, his blue eyes glittering. “They’re especially pissed that it’s you who is guarding her. Why is that, Broder?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Erik pressed his lips together in a suspicious, dismissive gesture, clearly sensing that Broder had no interest in sharing. “You are aware of the tension between the seidhr and the Brotherhood. They are not cooperative at the best of times.”