by Donna Grant
Mates didn't abandon each other.
Lucian pulled away and looked down at his mate. Her lips were swollen, her lids heavy, and her eyes filled with such longing that in that moment, had she asked, he would have sworn to stay with her forever, forsaking everything.
“Lucian,” she whispered and leaned forward to rain kisses on his neck and chest.
He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. She was a temptress, a siren that lured him with her enticing face and alluring body.
“I need you,” she said and rubbed her hips against him.
Lucian hissed at the contact of her soft body against his cock. It was enough to nearly make him spill his seed.
She looked deep into his eyes. “Take me now.”
It was a request he couldn't refuse.
He picked her up and carried her to the bed. As soon as she was on it, he rolled her to her stomach and began to kiss down her back to her round buttocks. His hands followed his mouth, touching every part of her.
With the slightest movement, he pulled her to her knees. He leaned over her, pressing his aching arousal against her as his hands found her breasts. As he teased her nipples, Isabelle began to move her against him.
He shifted his hips and entered her hot, wet sex. He couldn't stop the moan of satisfaction at filling her, of having her tight walls surround him. With his hands on her hips to keep her still, he plunged inside her with long, slow thrusts.
Her breathing hitched, and little cries of pleasure poured from her mouth. And each time he filled her, he was coming closer and closer to the edge of his own climax.
He reached around and found her sex and the swollen nub of her clit. With the slightest touch, he ran his thumb across it and was rewarded with a tremor that shook her. He repeated the movement and felt her clench around him.
Isabelle was under a haze of pleasure so profound that she could barely remember her own name. Each time Lucian's hands or mouth touched her, she melted. He was an expert at lovemaking and knew just where to touch her to send her spiraling into bliss.
Even now as he pumped his thick arousal in and out of her, she ached for more. She was mindless to where his hands roamed. His hips pumped faster, his thrusts began to drive into her harder, deeper. She was so close to peaking, her body flushed, her breathing ragged.
A cry tore from her throat at the pleasure that splintered through her. With just the slightest wiggle of his finger, an orgasm so intense, so incredible consumed her. Even as her tremors began to fade, Lucian still drove within her.
He leaned over her, his breathing harsh and ragged. His hips pumped faster just before she heard him roar, and he gripped her and buried himself deep, giving his seed to her womb. Isabelle instinctively tightened around him to prolong his climax.
“Isabelle,” he whispered and collapsed on top of her before he rolled to his side, bringing her against him.
For long moments they lay silently in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Her mind was filled with Lucian. Ever since he’d come into her life, he’d turned it upside down. She’d had more excitement, more enjoyment in the past few hours than she’d had most of her life. All that was due to Lucian.
Yes, his story frightened her. She wanted to discount it, but she knew that as odd as it sounded, that it was the truth. She couldn’t explain how she knew, only that she did. That’s what scared her the most.
She shouldn’t be so sure of him. But she was.
Isabelle could still feel him inside her. Each time they came together was more pleasurable, more intense. She had never thought of herself as wicked, but when she was near Lucian all she could think about was their bodies joining again.
The rest of the world faded away, leaving only the two of them. It made her think of possibilities, of happiness…of a future.
When he pulled out of her, she turned and looked at him. “That was…incredible.”
A satisfied smile pulled at his lips. “Liked that, did you?”
“Very much,” she admitted and pulled him down next to her. “Is there more?”
He nuzzled her neck. “So very much more it would take me a lifetime to show you.”
She didn't respond to his words, but they stayed with her, even as she dozed in his arms.
A lifetime.
Wasn't that what she wanted?
Yes!
* * * *
Lucian held Isabelle tightly to him as her breathing evened into sleep. It was only the second time they had made love, yet it was more intense than the first. And still he hungered for her. He wanted her again, right now, but wouldn't wake her so soon.
He thought making love to her again would show her that she needed him, but all it had done was show him he couldn't live without her. He was going to have to face the truth, that if she decided against returning with him, he would have to choose whether to stay with her or return to certain death.
His family and kingdom, or his mate?
The mark on his arm, that even now glowed nearly blue, dictated that his life was in the hands of his mate. He couldn't ignore that. He was bound to his mate through each lifetime. To forsake her now would have dire consequences, but so would forsaking his family and Drahcir.
His thoughts took him to his family. He missed his family, his brothers and all their fighting, his mother and her calming effect on the family, and his father and his incredible way of knowing just what to do.
How he wished he could talk to them, to share his troubles and hear their advice. Yet he knew that was impossible. His father warned him that he might have a difficult decision to make. Lucian had been fool enough to never consider that possibility.
It was a lesson well learned, but had it come too late?
Chapter Six
It was time.
Isabelle could no longer wait to give Lucian an answer. He deserved at least that from her. But even now as he brushed Elad, she still didn't know what her decision would be. She had hoped that after a full day of getting to know Lucian better she would be able to make her decision, but all it had done was confuse her even more.
There was no doubt she couldn't get enough of his body and the pleasure he gave her, but was it enough to give up her life and travel with him to a kingdom made up with the same magic that put the mark on her arm?
She stood back a moment and watched as Lucian used steady, smooth movements to brush his mount. It was obvious the time he spent with her had taken a toll on him. He hid it well, but there was no denying he was meant to be in his kingdom. He didn't belong with her, but could she let him go?
She knew the moment he realized she was there. Their eyes met over Elad's back. His black eyes were warm, welcoming. There was a small smile pulling up the corners of his sexy mouth. Her fingers longed to delve into his black locks and pull his head down for a kiss.
But the time for pleasure was over. He’d been honest with her. She could do no less for him.
“I promised you a decision,” she said, her tongue thick in her mouth. How she longed to return to the night before and their exquisite lovemaking with the decision hours away.
Lucian set down the brush and walked around the horse. “You did.”
Hope – and doubt – filled his beautiful black eyes, making her heart clench. He was a warrior, a prince. He was strong, confident, and amazing. She had put that worry in his gaze. She’s the one who had put the lines of strain that bracketed his mouth.
He had done so much for her. What had she done for him? She might have welcomed his touch, but she hadn’t believed his story, had pushed him away when he spoke of magic. And still he remained by her side.
That's when she realized she needed to stop asking herself what she could do and ask what she couldn't do.
Could she allow Lucian and his kingdom to die? Could she allow him to walk out of her life with the knowledge that she would never see him again? Could she live without him?
The answer was a resounding nay.
A huge weight lifted off
her shoulders as she acknowledged her answer. What a fool she’d been. Yes, he asked the impossible, but in return she would be his. She wanted to dance around and shout her answer to the world.
Instead, she smiled, her heart trembling with elation and happiness. “Will you take me with you?”
His lips parted as he simply stared at her. Lucian took a step toward her. “Really?” he asked, his voice breathless, as if he expected her to change her mind again.
She nodded and found herself enveloped in his arms as he swung her around and around. He stopped and buried his head in her neck.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
She smiled up at the sky at his words, and she could have sworn the mark on her arm sizzled.
* * * *
Lucian secured a horse for Isabelle, one that was surefooted and steady. He wanted to leave immediately, fearing she might change her mind once more. But every time he asked, she just laughed and kissed him.
His heart was lighter than it had been in years. He was going home. With his mate. Isabelle had made the impossible, possible. He couldn’t imagine the anxiety within her, but he was going to be beside her forever. He would help her through it all.
He smiled at his mate, his Isabelle, as she stood with Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald. That morning he’d combed her hair, hearing her sighs of pleasure. The long strands of her hair were soft as down and cool to the touch. Never had he imagined himself combing a woman’s hair, but he’d found he quite enjoyed it. It was definitely something he planned to do often.
One of many things he looked forward to once they were settled in Drahcir.
He finished tying off the bag holding Isabelle’s possessions to her horse. It took everything he had to stop himself from dragging her away from the MacDonalds. They were the only family she knew, and she needed to say her farewells.
“I'm going to miss you, dearling,” Mrs. MacDonald said as she hugged Isabelle for the third time.
Lucian saw the moisture in Isabelle's eyes as she kissed Mrs. MacDonald's weathered cheek before turning to Mr. MacDonald.
“You were the daughter we never had, lass. I hate to see you leave, but know 'tis something you need to do,” Mr. MacDonald said. “We'll be here if you ever need us. Take care of yourself.”
“I will,” she said.
Lucian was surprised to find Mr. MacDonald walk to him. “I better no’ hear of you mistreating her.”
“Never. I pledge my soul on it,” Lucian answered solemnly.
Mr. MacDonald seemed satisfied with the answer as he returned to his wife and pulled her into his arms as she cried. Lucian helped Isabelle on her horse before he mounted Elad. At long last, he was finally returning home. He couldn’t wait to see the gates of the kingdom or his family.
But more than that, he couldn’t wait to show Isabelle her new home.
“Ready?” he turned his head and asked.
Her eyes were bright from unshed tears, but her smile was wide. “Ready.”
With one last wave to the MacDonalds, Lucian nudged his horse into a walk.
* * * *
The weeks of travel had been decidedly hard on Isabelle, though she made a point to never complain. Lucian made sure to travel slowly, but it was obvious he was more than eager to reach his home. She was just as anxious about meeting his family.
She heard tales of his childhood and his family, of the antics between him and his brothers. Those stories kept her laughing as she came to learn about his brothers through the stories, as well as more about him.
Isabelle had a growing respect for his parents to put up with such unruly lads. It was apparent by the way his parents disciplined the boys and the wisdom they tried to pass down that they were good people.
Lucian spoke often of how his father would spend time alone with each of the brothers riding through their small kingdom, hunting, fishing, or just walking through the village. All the while imparting some knowledge the boys needed to know about the kingdom, family, or life in general.
The king wasn’t the only one to spend time alone with the boys. The queen did as well. She also had things to impart to her sons, specifically how to properly woo a woman. Isabelle knew she would have to thank the queen for that.
After another hard day of travel in the mountains, she reclined in Lucian's arms as they stared at the fire in the coziness of a cave. Her gaze was drawn to his bare arm and the intricate symbol that graced his skin.
The more time they spent together, the more she realized they had always been meant for each other. It wasn't something she could explain to anyone, more of a feeling deep within, and it was all somehow connected to the symbols. She moved her left arm near his and looked at the marks. The firelight played across their arms, but her eyes only saw the markings.
“Do they bother you?” Lucian's deep voice asked near her ear.
She smiled though he couldn't see her face. “Nay. At first they seemed strange, but now…now it’s as if they have always been there.”
“They have. They just needed to be awakened and brought to life.”
Isabelle leaned her head back to look into his black eyes. “Like me.”
His smile was devastating as he hugged her to his chest. “Just like you, my love.”
“I have to admit, I'm more than a little frightened of when we reach Drahcir.”
“Why is that?” he asked as he smoothed back her hair loosened from the braid and kissed her neck.
“You're royalty, Lucian,” she said as she sat up and turned to face him. “I'm a commoner.”
“There is nothing common about you.” His eyes narrowed and he asked, “Are you afraid my family willna accept you?”
Isabelle eyes fell to the ground. “That thought has crossed my mind.”
She felt his fingers under her chin and allowed him to raise her face until she looked him in the eye. “Doona,” he said softly. “We doona hold to the convictions that have plagued the rest of Scotland. Royalty or commoner, it’s the same in my kingdom. No one will look down upon you. You’re my mate, destined to be a princess of Drahcir.”
“Destiny or not, people still view outsiders as threats, and regardless of what you say, people will look at me differently because I'm not royalty.”
He chuckled and ran a thumb across her cheek. “Ah, Isabelle. None of my words will ease your fears, but I’ll tell you that my kingdom has had to accept outsiders every generation. It’s part of our life. Believe me when I tell you the people of Drahcir will be thrilled to see you because it means they are that much closer to seeing their lives continue.”
As his words sunk in, she realized just how foolish she had been. She turned and resumed her place against his chest and threaded her fingers through his. “Thank you.”
“It’ll be all right,” he said as he nuzzled her ear.
She sighed and closed her eyes as he found a particularly sensitive spot just behind her ear. Her entire body melted against him. His hands moved to hold her breasts and soon his fingers had her nipples hard and aching. While his hands caressed and kneaded her breasts, his mouth left a trail of fire that blazed right to her core. She burned for him as she did every night and as with each time their bodies joined, the need for him grew.
Isabelle pulled out of his embrace and turned to face him as she straddled his hips. Her hand found his arousal, thick and hard, as she guided him inside her.
“By the heavens,” Lucian moaned and took hold of her hips. “I want to taste you.”
She barely had time to register what his words said before she was on her back, and he knelt between her legs, licking her stomach. His hot tongue trailed from hip to hip, stopping to dip lightly into her belly button before nipping the inside of her thigh. Isabelle's lungs seized when she felt his hot breath on her sex.
Could it be? Did he really mean to kiss her…there?
No sooner did she ask herself that question than his tongue licked her sex, slow and soft.
She sighed and fisted her hands in t
he blankets as he settled between her legs and parted her woman's lips. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her.
“Lucian?”
“You have no idea how beautiful you are,” he said before his tongue snaked out and lightly brushed back and froth over her clit.
Isabelle bit her lip as hot, molten desire licked their wicked flames around her. Instinctively, she opened her legs wider, giving Lucian more access to her sex. Almost immediately, his tongue delved deeper, tasting her as no one ever had. Her passion was growing so fast that she knew she couldn't hold back her climax, and she wasn't ready for it to end yet.
Not until I taste him.
With great effort, she managed to sit up. At Lucian's look, she merely smiled and rolled him onto his back.
“My turn,” she said and loved the way her stomach clenched when she saw the desire in his eyes.
She gripped his cock gently, loving the feel of its heat and softness. A bead of liquid formed at his tip, and Isabelle leaned down and licked it off. Lucian's breath hissed from between his lips, but it only urged her on. The taste of him was delicious, and she wanted more.
Much more.
Growing bolder by the moment, Isabelle brought him into her mouth as she moved her hand up and down his shaft. With her free hand, she reached down and cupped his sac. She was just beginning to take him deeper when Lucian's hands gripped her waist.
Isabelle raised her head to tell him to stop when he said, “Wait.”
She trusted him completely and loved anything new he showed her, so she eagerly waited as he positioned her on top of him with her legs straddling his face and her face mere inches from his rod.
Without being told what to do, she once more brought him to her mouth, licking him from bottom to tip. She had just taken him in her mouth again when she felt his tongue moving across her clit. For a moment she couldn't move as the pleasure poured through her. To be able to receive such pleasure as she was giving it was a wonderful experience, one she intended to make sure they repeated often.
