“Prove it.”
“Um….” Oh God. This was going to get embarrassing. “Take me, baby,” she cooed for all she was worth. “I’m sooo hot for you.” She half-closed her eyelids, attempting a sultry, totally overcome by passion expression, and trying not to think too hard about how Malach’s big hands were so very close to her breasts. How his touch warmed her skin. How much she craved that touch.
She dared a peek beneath her lashes at his expression. Impassive. Oh. Okay. More dirty talk required. “I-I want you to lay me back on that big comfortable bed and stroke my body all over. Slowly. From head to toe. With your fingers and your mouth. Um, y-you can even use your tongue, if you like.”
There. That ought to do it.
She peeped at him again.
No?
Really? Sheesh. She managed a shaky breath, refusing to dwell on how effortlessly he held her, as though she were feather-light. Or the heated blood pounding through her veins at the mere thought of his hands stroking her bare skin.
“I want you. I want your cock inside me.” That had to sound convincing—had to, because it was the truth. And then her brain caught up with her mouth and it occurred to her to wonder how big a cock he possessed. Because if the size of his hands and feet were any indication, then maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all. Maybe she should—
And then it was too late for thought. He hitched her up to cradle her butt in the crook of one arm. The hand of his other arm splayed across her back to urge her firmly against him. His mouth sought hers and his lips worked their subtle magic, first nibbling, then pressing harder, enticing her to open her mouth and let him in.
Her breath caught. The room swam before her eyes, the subtle pattern decorating the walls cavorting in a gleeful celebration of surrender. Her surrender.
Her eyelids drifted closed, shutting out reality, protecting her from consequences…. For now.
He nuzzled the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “I commend you on a convincing performance.” His warm breath on her skin elicited a shiver. “Pity I do not believe a single word that falls from your pretty lips.”
Jade blinked, trying to focus on his words, not the effect his caresses were wreaking on her body. “Y-you don’t?”
“Nay. But it matters not whether I believe what you say when your body tells a different tale. We are caught in Pieter’s web, you and I. And sex is the only way I know to ease this unholy spell that eats our rational thoughts and spurs us to incautious acts.”
His words cannoned through her brain. “You truly think we’re only acting this way because of some spell Pieter might have cast?”
“I do not think, I know. I heard it cast. I felt its power. I have suffered its consequence.” He shifted her in his arms.
She glanced down and discovered he’d navigated his way to the edge of the bed. The stark reality of what she’d initiated slammed her. Yikes. She was finally going to have sex. On a bed and everything. With an extremely large, extremely strong, extremely hot stranger… who believed he only wanted sex with her because of a spell.
Her sang froid cracked. She hoped it didn’t show in her voice. “Why on earth would Pieter cast a spell to make us want to have sex?”
“Pieter’s spell is far more complicated than that. ’Tis a spell of imprisonment in a crystal, until such time as I, and the other members of my tehun, are each bonded to women who are destined to set us free.”
“And this bonding happens how?”
“Simply put, ’tis initiated after the third incidence of sexual intercourse.”
Jade blinked at him. “So doing the wild thing three times will set them—and you—free?”
“Only if the bonded couple successfully pass the Testing.”
“Riiight. Who is Pieter trying to kid?”
“His is very serious indeed. As I have learned to my cost.” He shook her gently. “Are you a simpleton? Have you not understood anything that was discussed these past few hours?”
Understanding was one thing. Wholeheartedly believing was quite another.
Jade decided it was time to rethink her options. The bathroom was looking like a damn fine option right now. She wriggled in Malach’s arms but there was no escaping him. She’d have to wait until he put her down and then make a run for it.
“Look. Mal. I’m pretty open-minded about supernatural stuff. An old friend of my mother’s happens to be a witch. So I tend to believe in magic spells and the power of curses suchlike. And it is beginning to appear that Pieter’s quite a powerful witch. Or warlock. Or whatever. A sex spell sounds doable. But imprisoning a man inside a hunk of rock? Come on, let’s get real here.”
He began to chant softly. “Verily the crystal for which thee be named/ Shalt form the prison in which thee be bound/ To atone the sins for which thee be blamed/ ’Til thee be blessed and thy true love be found.”
His words resounded in her head, imprinting themselves indelibly upon her brain.
Flashbacks of another time slashed through her mind.
She saw another place, an alien countryside that was not her own. She saw a massive warrior garbed for battle mounted on an equally massive horse. His men fanned out behind him. They exuded menace, and she glimpsed no possibility of mercy in their eyes.
And was that—? Yes, it was Malach, the oldest of the assembled warriors.
Her consciousness lit on a prepubescent girl. The girl’s small body quaked with worry for someone she loved. An old man—Pieter was his name. Her grandfather. The same man who was facing down the marauders, forbidding them from entering the village.
And somehow, Jade became that girl-child….
~~~
Amie slipped out of her ma’s arms and ran to help Grandda’.
Ma shrieked. “Amie, no!”
Amie ignored her mother and planted herself at Grandda’s side. She put her fists on her hips like Ma did when she was cross. “Don’t speak to me grandda’ like that, ye big bully!” she said, in her loudest grown-up voice. “Go ‘way and leave us be!”
One of the mounted warriors, a flaxen-haired one who was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life, snickered.
The big warrior snarled like a wolf. “Silence!” Then he glared at her with his strange sky-blue eyes.
“The girl-child is comely,” he said, and Amie shivered when she realized he was talking about her. “Too, she shows no fear. When she comes of age, I will honor her courage by bidding for her on the Choosing Block. You show courage also, old man, so to appease this child of your blood I will spare your life.”
“My life is already forfeit. But not to you Lord Keeper Wulfenite,” Grandda’ said.
The big warrior’s eyes went very wide. Amie’s heart went pitter-patter in her chest. Grandda’ had scared him! Maybe he’d go away now, and take his men with him.
She stifled a moan as the warrior kneed his horse forward.
The horse shied and he had to yank on the reins to control it.
His men moved restlessly behind him. Maybe they were scared, too. Amie hoped so. If they were scared, it would make it easier for her grandda’ to beat them.
“Much good knowing my true name will do you, old man,” the warrior said. “If you insist on resisting us then so be it. The earth will drink your foolish old blood as readily as it does that of younger men.”
Amie’s hand flew to her mouth. What a wicked man! Her gaze darted to Grandda, but he only smiled back at her, and whispered, “You are a brave girl, my Amie. And I thank you for standing by me. Now off back to your mother. And tell her I said not to scold you too much when she recovers from her fright.”
Amie did as she was bid, racing back to her ma. Ma held her tight, almost smothering her, but Amie twisted around to watch her grandda’.
He raised his hands to the skies and began to chant. “Verily the crystal for which thee be named/ Shalt form the prison in which thee be bound/ To atone the sins for which thee be blamed/ ’Til thee be blessed and thy true love be fo
und.”
The big warrior threw back his head and laughed. “Blessed? What nonsense is this, old man? Mayhap you are addle-brained, yes? Warriors such as we have no need of blessings. And as for true love? Bah. ’Tis naught but a woman’s fantasy.”
All the pretty stones Amie’s grandda’ had set in a circle around him began to glow. The clouds turned black and the sky darkened. Lightning flashed. And then strangely colored beams shot up from the stones, making rainbows in the sky.
“What sorcery is this?” the oldest warrior asked. He was a grim-faced man who kept to the lead warrior’s right side. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Her gaze darted to each of the other men. They all looked scared. She smiled, hugging herself. She’d told her mother not to be scared, that Grandda’ would protect them from these wicked marauders.
Grandda’ sang a spell. “Kyanite, Malachite, Shattuckite, Okenite, Danburite. The stone thee be named for shall bind thee. I, Pietersite, bind thee.”
There was a flash of light, and the sky rumbled like it was answering her grandda’s song. Amie rubbed her eyes. The handsome flaxen-haired man and the older man and three of the other warriors had vanished, and five of the stones had lit up. Grandda’ had sent them into the stones!
The big warrior—the leader—had heard one of his men shout and he’d turned toward the sound. But before he could say or do anything, Grandda’ named the five remaining warriors and sucked them all into the stones.
The sky rumbled again. Amie shivered.
Ma shrieked as the big warrior bellowed with rage and drew his sword. He yanked his horse around to face Grandda’ again, and charged at him.
Amie wanted to close her eyes but she kept them open. Grandda’ had said she was brave, and brave girls didn’t close their eyes and try to shut out the scary things.
The warrior raised his sword. Amie gasped, but Grandda’ didn’t run or try to hide as the sword came down on him. “Wulfenite, the stone thee be named for shall bind thee. I, Pietersite, bind thee!” he yelled.
The flash almost blinded Amie. And when she could see properly again, the big warrior had vanished and his sword lay on the ground.…
~~~
Jade came back to the present with a jolt. She lay on the bed in the hotel suite with Malach’s body covering her own.
“You saw what happened.”
She nodded.
“And you believe what you saw.”
It wasn’t a question. She caught her lip in her teeth. Did she believe what she’d seen? Could she believe it?
“Malachite,” he whispered. “The stone thee be named for shall bind thee. I, Pietersite, bind thee. And thus, I was bound to suffer an eternity in my namesake crystal.”
She shuddered, overcome with the emotion of the shared experience, her body acknowledging the truth of her vision even as her brain fought to reject what she’d seen. She let her head loll to one side, unwilling to meet his eyes, and her gaze locked upon the broken crystal halves nestled on their gold silk scarf. “Th-th-that’s the crystal? Your crystal?”
He twisted, following her gaze. “Yes. That is my crystal.”
“It’s a malachite crystal, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
She felt his gaze fix on her again and the magnetic pull of him washed over her. She became hyper-aware of his big body pressing her into the mattress, of her thighs spread wide to accommodate him. Of her vulnerability.
“So it’s true? All of it? Everything?”
“Yes.”
“And Pieter’s the bad guy in all of this?”
“Not entirely.”
She waited for further explanation but none was forthcoming. “And me? What’s my role in all of this, Malach?” She couldn’t demean him by calling him Mal. Not anymore. Not after what she’d seen. He deserved her respect, at least.
“Your role? We shall have to wait and see what the future holds, Jade. But for now—” He cradled her face in his palms and kissed her, coaxing her lips to open, stroking her tongue with his. The heat of his body melted away her apprehension, her fears and distrust of men, leaving only desire.
He pulled back to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear, giving her time to catch her breath… and pretend his kiss hadn’t affected her as deeply as it had. If she was lucky, she might eventually be able to hear something other than the furious pounding of her heart. Give her a few more moments and she might be able to form real words, too.
His gaze swept down and settled on her pendant. “Green jade,” he murmured, fingering the stone. “A nice example of the stone, too.”
“It’s real jade? Are you sure?” She’d spotted the pendant at a market and bought it on impulse. Given its cheap price, she’d figured it was merely a pretty green stone. She squinted at the piece of jade, thankful for a reason to tear her gaze away from Malach’s face and concentrate on something other than him.
“I am sure.” He laid the pendant back on her breastbone. His fingertips drifted over her cleavage, sliding over the silky material of her dress to caress the swell of her breast.
Her breath hitched. “I-I didn’t know what it was.”
“Jade has some interesting properties.”
“Oh?”
“’Tis a symbol of purity and serenity. Our priests claim it is a dreaming-stone which, when placed on the forehead, brings insightful dreams. It integrates mind with body, promotes self-sufficiency, releases negative thoughts and soothes the mind. I do not think it suits you, however.”
“Yeah? The purity thing, right? Thanks a lot.” Enough. If he didn’t want to sleep with her because he believed her to be sullied and impure, then he could go screw himself. She tried to push him away and failing that, attempted to knee him in the balls.
He merely pinned her arms with his hands and trapped her flailing legs with his body. “I believe red jade is more your match.”
She glared at him. “Red jade? Never heard of it.”
“’Tis said that red jade is passionate and stimulating. That it is associated with love. That it aids the release of tension in constructive ways.” He eyeballed her until she quit struggling. “Discounting all mention of love, shall we see how passionate and stimulating you are, Jade?”
“I-I…. Um… I don’t think—”
“Now is not the time for thinking, but for feeling. What was it you said, Jade? Ah yes. I am going to lay you back on this big comfortable bed and stroke your body. Slowly. From head to toe. With my hands and my mouth. And yes, even my tongue. I am going to make you beg for mercy. What say you to that?”
She couldn’t bring herself to say anything. All she could do was stare helplessly at him—in thrall to him—and wonder if she’d survive whatever he planned to do to her.
So much for her hastily donned veneer of sexual experience. It’d just shattered into itty bitty pieces. Despite being as inexperienced as a woman could possibly be, not to mention weak from anticipation and a healthy dose of trepidation, she wanted Malach so badly she was already wet and ready for him.
God. She didn’t want him knowing how much she wanted him. It’d give him power over her, and the mere thought of a man like Malach wielding power over her scared her spitless.
~~~
If not for the vision of his past that had so disturbed her, Malach believed Jade would have drawn out her game a while longer. A woman like her, so skilled in enticing a man and then playing the innocent, could lead a man on until the poor bastard didn’t know whether he was coming or going. Women like her enjoyed the power they had over men, leading them ’round by their cocks, one minute willing, the next pretending outrage at the very liberties they’d encouraged.
In another time, in another place, he would have enjoyed the game, enjoyed the chase and the opportunity to prove that ultimately it was he who controlled the game.
He supposed he should be grateful she’d capitulated so easily, and they could now get this deed done. The sooner he fucked her the requisite number of times, the sooner they coul
d be free of this place and he could begin preparing for the Testing.
But as much as he told himself he wanted it over and done with, he couldn’t deny the intensity of his body’s reaction when he’d kissed her. She’d been all petal-soft lips and heated need and want that had begged him to nibble and lick and tease until she yielded. And when she’d opened her lips and let him possess her mouth, dueled with his tongue while her pale skin flushed beneath his touch, she’d consumed his senses so that she’d almost stripped him of all control.
Almost, but not quite. He had her measure. She was a potent little package of seductive wiles—a consummate actress. He could have parted her thighs and rutted with her like a drunken bore who didn’t know a female’s quim from her arse, and she would have moaned and writhed and whispered in his ear that he was the best she’d ever had.
He knew this, and yet he still wanted to take it slow, wanted to lick and stroke her until she quivered and sighed beneath his touch. He wanted to tease her and incite her, work her into a lust-fueled frenzy and make her come again and again, watch her lose control again and again until finally, before he possessed her body, he could see the true Jade, stripped of all pretense.
He stared down at her and refused to acknowledge the vulnerability and fear and longing lurking in her beautiful eyes. He refused to acknowledge those emotions because then he would have to acknowledge that deep down, he, too, suffered similar emotions.
Malach could not afford to give Jade the upper hand. He could not afford to worry about whether he’d misjudged her, or what she might want or need. Once before he’d put his life in the hands of another woman from this world and where had it gotten him? A second sojourn in Halja, praying to Pieter’s vengeful goddess to take pity on him and put an end to him.
~~~
Chapter Five
The Crystal Warriors Series Bundle Page 58
