by Missy Jane
“Zee? Où allez-vous?”
“Ne pas être troublé,” Zephara replied.
Wynn frowned, not understanding their language, but neither King Kadmos nor Corbin seemed bothered. He wondered if they were following the conversation. “Is all well?”
Zephara smiled up at him. “Yes. Shall we?”
She moved past him before he could reply and he followed behind helplessly. Zephyr’s gaze burned into his back as they left the hall, but Zephara didn’t seem concerned about her brother’s questioning look.
As soon as they reached the hallway Wynn held out his arm. “Was your brother angry?”
“No. Just curious.”
“Oh.”
They made their way out of the castle in silence. When they reached the gardens she halted and turned to him. “Zephyr simply asked where I was going. I didn’t say, but told him not to worry. He trusts I can take care of myself.”
Wynn looked into her lovely face and almost confessed her brother should worry, though not about her safety. Her virtue was another matter. “Good to know. I’m not certain I’d ever let a sister as beautiful as you out of my sight.”
He’d hoped for another smile or even a blush, but she did neither. She merely studied him a moment. “Do you compliment all females so? The men of Pastel do not speak in such a way.”
He frowned and dared to raise his hands to her hood. She made no move to stop him as he slowly pushed it off her head. They stood in the light of a nearby torch and it illuminated her pale pink hair. His mouth fell open but no words emerged as he simply stared at her stunning beauty.
“I know it’s quite different from human or Kevan hair.”
Her defensive tone startled him. “It’s lovelier than any I’ve ever seen.”
As if in agreement, a light breeze played with the loose strands and he gently brushed them back. “And so soft.”
“And thin. And unruly,” she replied.
He grinned at the petulant response, realizing she had something in common with females of other species after all. “Still lovely.”
This time she did smile before looking away from him to the surrounding gardens. “The flowers are lovely. Pastel is quite different from Halstrid in this regard.”
He held his arm out to her again and led her through the King’s gardens.
Zephara floated on a cloud of bliss. She had dreamt of this moment, and far more intimate moments, with this man. Her eternal-mate. Now all she had to do was convince him of their connection so he could vow his life to her. Then she would vow her life to him and their souls would intertwine. Her brother feared sharing such an intimate connection with another, but she craved it. It would be a blessing if Wynn too shared that craving.
Chapter Two
Wynn ignored Zephara’s discreet yawns, and slowed his pace to match when hers lagged. But once she swayed on her feet he could no longer fight the inevitable.
“Forgive me, Zephara. You need rest after your journey. I shouldn’t have kept you out so long.”
The moon hung high above them and night owls hooted in the distance. Hours had passed since they’d abandoned the great hall to walk the vast gardens. Now that they’d circled back to the castle entrance Wynn could no longer ignore her fatigue.
She simply smiled. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’d much rather spend time with you than alone in a bed.”
His body hardened at the image those words provoked. “I feel the same, but it’s obvious you need rest.”
She seemed to think that over. “As do you. Can we not rest together? I know our customs differ in this regard.”
His brain fizzled out a moment and he was at a complete loss for words. What would be the right response?
“Um…”
“My people take pleasure where we will and as we can. There are very few taboos in Pastel.”
“I see.”
“Will you join me in bed this night?”
“Yes?” Both of her finely sculpted brows rose and he laughed. “I mean, yes. I would love to.”
He might not be used to Pastelle customs but he was no fool. When a beautiful woman asked to share a bed, the correct answer was always yes.
They made their way leisurely into the castle, though he had the insane urge to throw her over his shoulder and run. Never before had a woman had him so hard and ready to share a night of pleasure. The thought made him stumble as they ascended the stairs. She had mentioned pleasure and bed sharing, but did she mean both with him? Tonight?
She glanced at him as he found his footing and they continued on. They passed the door to his chambers and she stopped at the next one.
“You’ve been given the room next to mine,” he said.
“I requested it.”
Luckily she didn’t wait for a response before stepping inside. He had no idea what to think of her confession. How had she even known of his presence when it hadn’t been planned? The king would’ve had no reason to mention it. Did Corbin?
“I’m glad you did,” he finally said. “I’m happy I stayed in the castle. I was supposed to leave three days ago.”
She removed her cloak and laid it over a chair. “Oh? Are you supposed to be somewhere else?”
“Not really. My brothers and I take turns protecting the King for one month, then we return to our castle for a week or so before patrolling an area of the kingdom. I haven’t been given my next assignment yet as I haven’t returned home. My brothers know I’m here and haven’t questioned me on it…yet.”
She smiled as she slipped off her gloves. “You’re close to your brothers.”
“Yes. You?”
“To Zephyr, yes. I have so many other siblings that it’s impossible to be close to all of them. Some I see often. Some I barely recognize when I see them after a year’s time. My father amazes me by remembering all our names.”
He chuckled as he closed the distance. “I’ve been known to call my brothers by the wrong name a time or two.”
“And yet my father has centuries on you. Tsk, tsk.”
He loved her teasing and how it contrasted with her serious demeanor. She sat in the chair and removed her boots, prompting him to join her in disrobing. The short jacket he wore hid his weapons and he opened it warily. She glanced up but said nothing about the arsenal held in his vest. He removed it and set it with his jacket on a nearby desk.
There was only one chair, so he sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots. By the time he looked at Zephara again she had removed her breeches and unbuttoned her blouse. It gaped open to reveal a line of porcelain skin unbroken by a single hair or imperfection. He froze and stared as she crossed the room and stood between his legs.
“We are similar in form to the Kevan, so this should be pleasurable for you.”
“I have no doubt.”
He cupped her face in both hands and gently pulled her against him. She came willingly and he inhaled her next breath. The taste of her soft lips and sweet tongue intoxicated him. Never before had a woman filled every need and craving so completely at the first touch. A growl rumbled from his chest as her fingers slipped into his hair and loosened it from the leather tie. She fisted the strands, almost painfully, but he never thought to complain.
The pleasure running through his body was unmatched by any that came before it. And all from a single meeting of their lips. He wrapped his arms around her and held on tight as he suckled her tongue against his. When she pulled back he growled again and tightened his hold.
“Wynn…Wynn…remove your clothes.”
Releasing her was almost painful but he did so to yank his shirt over his head. She slipped hers from her shoulders and revealed the perfection of her body. His breath caught and he raised his hands, only to realize he didn’t know what part of her he wanted to touch first.
Like the finest statue, her skin w
as a solid smooth surface. Her breasts didn’t peak into nipples. Instead a small circle of pinkish skin marked the tips and appeared to dimple in. He cupped the soft mounds and she sighed in pleasure. When he ran his thumbs over the dimpled tips she cried out.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked as fear seized him.
“No…please…again.”
He repeated the action slowly and watched as her eyes rolled back and small bumps crested across her skin. She held his shoulders in a punishing grip and he wondered at the strength in her fragile looking body.
“Ohhhh. Again…please again.”
Once again he moved his thumbs over her and reveled in the obvious pleasure it gave her. Then he leaned forward and used his tongue instead and she screamed as her body convulsed. The scent of feminine arousal reached his sensitive nostrils and he growled again, hungry for her most intimate taste. He only prayed it wasn’t an act her kind found repulsive.
Zephara trembled from head to toe as the climax worked through her body. Never before had a partner pleasured her so quickly, but she had been primed for Wynn’s touch from the moment they had met. Luckily he held her tight to his chest, otherwise she most certainly would have fallen at his feet. He rolled onto the bed and effortlessly slipped her beneath him. Having all his masculine strength above her was one of her favorite fantasies. She loved watching the muscles in his arms tighten as he held himself over her.
“I want to taste every part of you,” he said.
A shiver coursed through her at his rough declaration. He didn’t wait for an answer, simply leaned down and covered one tender breast with his lips. When he sucked as much of the sensitive flesh into his mouth as would fit, another climax tore through her. She cried out his name and speared her fingers through his hair. He suckled it like a babe before moving the action to her other breast. She nearly wept at the pleasure.
Her feet found the backs of his legs and she realized he still wore his pants. Pulling her hands from his hair took a strength of will, as the thick strands between her fingers were a unique pleasure all their own. But she forced her fingers over his shoulders and down his broad back. Once at his waist she didn’t hesitate to slip her palms beneath his trousers and over the warm skin they hid. He growled again and suckled harder, nearly sending her into another climax. She gasped and held onto his firm behind with both hands, holding him to her tightly.
“Zephara, you’re so sweet and beautiful,” he whispered.
“And you’re so strong and glorious. I’m ready to feel you inside me, Wynn. Please.”
He rose to his knees as she untied and pulled his trousers down to reveal his magnificent cock standing at full attention. It was exactly as she’d dreamt, wide and hard with a thick vein running its long length. A lesser woman might have been intimidated at its girth, but she knew he’d been created for her and her for him. They would fit together perfectly.
He ran his large hands over her slender hips and hesitated. She looked up into his worried expression and smiled. “I’m more than ready for you, Wynn.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You can’t. Trust me.”
His expression cleared and he gave a slight nod before grasping the base of his cock. She wanted to reach for him but decided to let him dictate their movements for now. Some males in the past had found her too aggressive in bed. She wanted only to please Wynn.
He rubbed the head over her most sensitive spots and she gasped in pleasure. Her eyes threatened to close but she fought it in order to watch the erotic display below. Moisture leaked from her body to coat his shaft and his breathing sped up. He was obviously as enraptured as she.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes. Please.”
After one more teasing swipe he allowed his cock to breach her passage. He parted her flesh and she gripped him with avid hunger. They groaned in unison as he sank in to the hilt. Once fully seated inside her, he locked gazes and froze. “I don’t want this to be the only night between us.”
“Neither…do I.”
He smiled at her breathless reply and leaned in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around him and held on as he began to move. He speared his thick fingers through her hair and held her head still as he took over her mouth. His unique taste intoxicated her and she knew she would never get enough of this man.
Wynn balanced his weight on elbows and knees as he fought to retain control of his senses. The pleasure coursing through him was so intense he feared he might lose consciousness. And yet he hadn’t even climaxed. Zephara panted beneath him, sighing her pleasure in a low voice that made his heart race. Everything about her was…more. And he wanted more of her. No way would he allow this night to be their last.
He moved slowly in and out of her tight, slick sheath. Her slender body was strong and her arms held him in a firm grip. Their tongues dueled until he gave the upper hand over to her. She firmed strong inner muscles in reply and he growled in ecstasy. The best orgasm of his life was inevitable. But first he wanted to watch her come one more time.
He pulled away from her kiss and found her breasts again. She screamed as he suckled and she tightened around him. That was all the prompting he needed to thrust faster and reach for his own pleasure. Within heartbeats he hollered her name and spent his seed deep within her.
He called on his inhuman strength to keep his muscles from relaxing and dropping him on top of her. Her arms and legs had fallen to the bed and a sated smile covered her face. With her eyes closed he thought she must have fallen asleep. But then she opened the breathtaking silver-ringed orbs and looked at him. “Wonderful.”
All he could do was nod in agreement. Her ethereal beauty stole his breath and his wits. She ran her palms over his chest and he finally moved to lie beside her. She rolled to face him and once again caressed his chest. “I love the warmth of your skin.”
“I love the taste of yours.”
She smiled. “I’ll have to taste yours in the morning. For now, I must sleep.”
“Yes. Forgive me for keeping you up so late.”
She laughed and the sound was like a gentle caress in the most intimate places. “Nothing to forgive, my strong one. The pleasure was well worth any loss of sleep. But I’m meeting with wizards in the morning and must retain some senses. Good night.”
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, then rested again on her pillow and closed her eyes. In the next heartbeat she appeared to be fast asleep. Wynn stared in wonder. The differences between her and a human woman or Kevan female were obvious in their physical traits. But she appeared just as feminine and lovely as any he’d ever known. He’d learned quite a bit from their time in the gardens. She hadn’t been shy about answering his questions and volunteering the history of the Pastelle. Yet she still seemed so mysterious to him. He had no idea what this night meant to her, or for them.
One thing was for certain. The restlessness that plagued him had disappeared the moment he stepped foot into the great hall and saw her. An irrational anger had filled him at how close she’d been standing to Corbin and he was hard pressed not to shove the old wizard away from her. Even his own brother speaking to her had made him uncomfortable and opened his eyes to the ridiculous direction his emotions were running. He hadn’t even known her at the time. Now that he did, he feared the unexpected possessiveness would grow worse. But he couldn’t find a reason to care of such things. All he wanted was to bask in her presence and pray she allowed him to remain in it.
* * * * *
Before dawn the next morning, Zephara slipped from her room to find Zephyr waiting outside the door. He glanced past her to the darkened room where Wynn still slept, and smirked. “A gargoyle?”
“Yes,” she replied as she shut the door. “A problem?”
He blanked his face and shook his head. “Of course not. You know I’d never judge you.”
“Yes, I do
know. Which is why I’m surprised to find you lurking in this hallway.”
“As opposed to another hallway?”
She grinned and started down the hall with him at her side. “Perhaps. Did you find a warm bed last night?”
“Oh yes. And another one this morning.”
She tsked in mock disapproval. With another brother she might warn him to be wary of local customs and take care, but there was no need to with Zephyr. He always learned customs first, then dallied second.
“A gargoyle for you as well?” she asked.
He sighed dramatically. “Sadly no, though I did ask Steinn. It seems the Masters are all enamored with only the fairer sex. His words not mine. I tried to convince him I could be as fair but he politely declined my attentions.”
Zephara patted her brother’s arm in sympathy. Steinn was very handsome and would have been a fine catch for a night of pleasure. “Perhaps he doesn’t know his brothers so well. We still have many others to meet.”
That seemed to perk him up. “True. When will we have the chance?”
She laughed at his sudden enthusiasm. “I’m not certain. Maybe Corbin will arrange it.”
“You go to meet with the wizards now?”
“Yes.”
“What an ungodly hour for such things.”
“Yes. And it’s reputed to take the whole of the day… Oh.”
“Hmm?”
“I didn’t mention that part to Wynn. He may look for me before we’re done.”
“He knows of the meeting?”
“Yes, but not its purpose.”
“I’ll be vague but helpful.”
They reached the door to the king’s private chambers and Zephara turned to face her brother. “Thank you. Be careful not to anger him.”
“I have more intelligence than to do that, Zee. He could crush me with his little finger.”
She laughed. All Pastelle shared strength far surpassing most other species. Even the Gargoyle Masters would be hard pressed to harm her brother. “I’m sure you would hold your own in that fight.”
