His hands on her flesh facilitated this reaction. He knew her nervousness would abate and she would respond to him once he touched her. This conversation had merit after all. Adrienne had given him the means to her seduction.
Adrienne continued, “Well, the rings are constantly visible. And there are other little traditions for the reception—the throwing of the garter, the throwing of the bouquet, the first slice of the wedding cake, the first dance—”
“I am trying to get to that now.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Adrienne insisted in an agitated voice.
Malik felt Adrienne’s lust waning in the face of her frustration at his words. He asked quickly, “Why do you throw things at the reception?”
“The bride usually carries a bouquet of flowers. Those flowers are tossed over her shoulder at the reception to waiting bridesmaids. The groom tosses the garter the bride was wearing to his groomsmen,” she explained. “Usually the woman who catches the bouquet and the man who catches the garter are the next to be wed.”
“And if these two people are already wed?”
“Only single people are allowed to…” Her statement ended on a gasp. Malik’s hands slipped up to her breasts. The sensation of his thumbs teasing her nipples was wonderful.
“If I return to Earth to have this real wedding, will that make you happy?” he asked in a quiet voice. Adrienne didn’t answer, so he assumed she hadn’t heard him. He smiled knowingly and repeated his question a little louder.
Adrienne turned and faced Malik, successfully dislodging his hands from her breasts. She was about to speak but the words died in her throat. The raw passion in Malik’s eyes scared her. She hadn’t felt lust from him throughout their conversation and still couldn’t. Was he blocking her somehow?
She tried to step back but Malik grabbed her arms and held her in place. In a small voice, she said, “I want to see my parents.”
“I will take you to see your parents. You can have your Earth wedding.”
Adrienne’s smile was immediate and blinding in its intensity. She added, “Before I have the first child?”
“Before the first child, then.”
Adrienne looked at him closely, her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t just saying that to shut me up, are you?”
He laughed at her statement. “I give you my word. At the first feasible opportunity, before our first child, I shall take you back to Earth to see your parents and have your wedding.” His laughter died as he felt Adrienne’s power again. This time a contract spell surrounded him.
Malik cursed silently. He had not lied when he gave his word to take Adrienne back to Earth. Contract spells were ironclad, however. If he failed in one stipulation, the spell would punish him. Each contract had a punishment patterned to the person held to its terms, and the punishment promised to be painful. Malik didn’t know if the first feasible opportunity would be before the first child. Now he had to make sure it was.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, my Adrienne,” he soothed. He wouldn’t dwell on it.
For now, he had a bride to bed. He rose from his seat and helped Adrienne out of the tub. Fine shivers cascaded down her spine, either from chill or anticipation. He hoped it was the latter.
It surprised Malik that Adrienne didn’t protest going back into the main room. She walked calmly beside him and even sat on the bed without protest or argument. He didn’t question her cooperation, just hoped it would last.
The time had come to claim his bride. He divested himself of his pants and heard Adrienne gasp.
Adrienne knew Malik was aroused but she hadn’t expected the proof to be so daunting. Malik’s height wasn’t the only thing big about him. She jumped off the bed and practically ran to the other side, putting it between them once again.
Malik looked to the heavens and asked Karasi for help. He had never handled a virgin before. Every woman who ever came to his bed was a seasoned lover, and excited at the thought of being with a king. But he wanted his wife, not one of those women.
Adrienne stammered out, “I changed my mind. Can we do this some other time? I really don’t feel comfortable—”
“You will not feel comfortable at any other time. This has to happen now, Adrienne. Talking will not soothe your fear of me.”
She looked around for something to hide behind or in.
“Adrienne, listen to me,” Malik ordered gently. He waited for her gaze to return to him. “You know my powers, or you know most of them. You have felt them before. If I wished to force your cooperation, I could, and easily. You are still as yet untrained and could not negate anything I do to you. I do not want that.”
He searched her worried eyes for a sign she understood what he said. “I would never do such as that because I want never to cause you harm, my lady. I will never use my magicks against you, nor raise a violent hand to you. You have my solemn vow.” He held out his hand and finished softly, “You are soul of my soul. Come to me, Adrienne.”
He didn’t lie. She felt exactly what he could make her do—or not do—that first day when they met. Malik’s eyes showed she had nothing to fear, but some part of her wasn’t convinced. Despite that, she forced her feet to move her in Malik’s direction, but faltered a few feet from him. She couldn’t bring herself to take the last few steps.
Malik took them for her. His arms encircled her body in much the same way they had at the ceremony. And like the ceremony, his kiss made her forget everything except the feel of his lips on hers and his tongue in her mouth.
He broke the spell when he slipped his hand between their pressed bodies and caressed her breasts. Adrienne jerked back with a strangled cry and crossed her arms over her chest. Tears came to her eyes. “I can’t,” she cried, then ran to the other side of the bed again.
Malik swore he was getting more exercise chasing his wife around the room than he had gotten in his last near-twenty-five years. He followed her before she could get too far and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pinning her arms down. Near her ear, he whispered, “I know you are scared. I can feel it of you.”
He loosened his hold and allowed her feet to touch the ground. In a soothing tone he continued, “Our first meeting was not ideal. I have given you very little time to adjust to this life.” He passed his finger lightly over her lips when she would have spoken, and felt her shuddering breath.
“There is nothing but time now.” He turned her so she faced him fully. “I will not rush you. I will do nothing you do not want me to do. I mean this for all things, not only tonight, my Adrienne.” He caressed her cheek. “I only wish to learn what will make you happy and give you pleasure. Will you allow me this?”
She nodded because she couldn’t push the words past her lips.
Malik lowered his head and placed his lips against hers, though he learned from his past mistake and kept his hands on her waist. He had to go slow with Adrienne. So, he kissed her deeply and transmitted all of his lust into that single contact.
Adrienne responded to his kiss and placed her hands flat against his chest. Slowly, she hugged his neck, an action meant to keep her standing, as her knees had gone weak.
Just as she would have pulled away from him, Malik released her mouth and trailed kisses down her neck. He held the back of her head with one hand and cupped her thighs with the other.
She gasped when Malik lifted her into his arms.
He soothed, “I merely wish to make you more comfortable. There is no need for you to stand, my Adrienne.” He placed her on the bed. As much as he wanted to drink in the sight of her naked body, Malik knew this would only make Adrienne more nervous. Instead he looked only at her eyes and smiled when she looked away from him.
He kissed her neck, then her collarbone. The next kiss landed still lower. His destination was her breasts. He laid a soft kiss on her left nipple before taking the taut bud into his mouth.
Adrienne wanted to squirm away but she stayed put. Malik’s actions weren’t uncomforta
ble. If anything, his mouth felt good. Her hand twitched by her side.
She wanted to run her hands through his hair but hesitated to touch him just yet. He might mistake her touch as an invitation to go further. As much as she enjoyed his kisses, she didn’t want this to go too far, wedding night or not.
She stiffened when Malik caressed her thigh, moving his hand from her knee to her hip and back again. He made no other motions than that.
Malik felt Adrienne’s fear ease and smiled. He could easily overwhelm her senses with his own lust, but continued shielding himself from her. Making her passion match his own was his goal.
He kissed her stomach and her thigh, then changed directions and pressed his lips against her navel. The next kiss landed right above the patch of black curls between Adrienne’s legs.
When he would have let his kisses go lower, Adrienne pulled away from him. She asked in a breathy voice, “What are you doing?”
“Kissing you.” He laid another kiss on her hip.
“You’re not… Don’t…” She stopped with a frustrated sound, then tried again. “I don’t want you kissing me there.” She crossed her knee over her leg and turned slightly on her side, emphasizing her point.
Malik found her embarrassment amusing. He smiled at her and asked, “Why not, my Adrienne?”
“It’s gross.”
“Another man has kissed you there before?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know it will feel ‘gross’?” He smoothed his hand up and down her thigh.
“I don’t know how it will feel. It’s just gross.”
“Ah,” was his only response. He kissed her hip and, with a gentle touch, pushed her side so she lay back. She complied easily enough but her legs remained firmly closed.
That wouldn’t deter him as much as she seemed to think it would. And he knew she protested out of a misplaced sense of modesty—the anticipation tightening his stomach wasn’t his alone.
He slipped his hand between her clamped legs and rubbed one finger over her most sensitive spot. His gaze stayed on Adrienne’s face as he teased her.
Like before, Adrienne had to look away from the intensity of Malik’s eyes. She closed hers, and all of her attention focused on the hand between her legs. Her body gave an involuntary shudder. She’d never felt a sensation like this before.
She wanted more of his touch, and opened her legs, giving him more freedom of movement.
Malik stroked Adrienne’s leg with his unoccupied hand, then lifted her knee, bringing it off the bed and moving her leg so she was open to him. Adrienne moved her other leg in a similar fashion without his prompting.
Keeping his eyes on her face, Malik lowered himself slowly. With a sly smile, he spread Adrienne’s nether lips wide, then drew his tongue over her sensitive flesh in a single stroke.
Adrienne gave a sharp, gasping moan. She slapped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment.
Malik took this as an invitation to continue. He flicked his tongue over and over her throbbing nub and was rewarded with breathless moans. It would seem Adrienne wasn’t a quiet lover, and Malik wondered how loud she could be.
He slipped one finger into her depths to find out.
“Oh,” cried out Adrienne through her fingers. She tried to close her legs but Malik blocked her. She didn’t want him to stop but couldn’t handle the feelings his fingers and tongue invoked.
“You will crush me, my lady,” Malik joked. He laid a kiss on her inner thigh while he kept his finger moving. The teasing feel of her growing lust told him which motions pleased. Her vocalizations did the same thing, but weren’t as rewarding.
“Do you still think my kiss gross?”
Adrienne said nothing.
“Is that a yes, my Adrienne? Shall I stop?”
“No,” Adrienne yelled as she let her legs go slack again. Her hips moved of their own volition to meet Malik’s finger. When she felt his mouth again, her back arched off the bed. This time her clearly audible moan originated deep in her throat.
Tremors started in her body, and Malik caused them. He lapped at her then suckled ever-so-gently. That, coupled with his finger moving deep inside her, was her undoing. Her hands clawed the bed as her climax rolled over her.
Malik removed his mouth and his finger from Adrienne. He sat and watched her recover. Her eyes were closed and she panted. The rise and fall of her breasts drew his eyes and he knew where his mouth would go next.
Instead of immediately ravishing her breasts like he wanted, Malik asked, “Shall I continue, my Adrienne?”
It took a moment for Malik’s question to register in her brain. She blinked open her eyes but couldn’t focus on Malik’s face. “Continue?”
“Are you still scared?” he asked, even though he knew the answer. The only thing he could feel from her was lust, and it finally matched his own.
She shook her head.
“Good,” he rumbled. He lowered his mouth to her breast. When she arched into his mouth, he stole his arm under her back, keeping her arched. His other hand went back to the juncture between her thighs and stroked into her.
Adrienne opened her legs further and moved her hips to get closer to Malik’s hand. He added another finger. She moaned. He stopped driving his fingers into her and made a beckoning motion. Adrienne screamed.
Malik couldn’t help but laugh when she slapped her hands over her mouth again. It seemed his bride didn’t want anyone to know of her pleasure. He had no sympathy for her embarrassment, and continued rubbing and caressing her. He returned his mouth to between her thighs.
With slow movements, he removed his fingers. Adrienne gave a tiny, upset whimper, and it only enticed him. He shouldn’t enjoy teasing her this much, but couldn’t stop. His tongue took the place of his fingers, thrusting into her depths then retreating. He hesitated to see if his bride would object.
The contact surprised Adrienne, but she didn’t want Malik to stop. She reached out to him. He grabbed her hand and threaded his fingers with hers.
His tongue delved deeply only to retreat and wiggle inside her. She didn’t care that his tongue didn’t match the length of his fingers. The motions his tongue made inside of her more than made up for its lack of reach. Adrienne felt herself climax again.
Malik drank in her climax but continued his assault. He eased back on his shield and let his feelings mingle with his bride’s. The immediate euphoric high made him freeze his motions and squeeze his eyes shut. He concentrated on not spilling himself onto the sheets while Adrienne bucked wildly beneath him.
Once he reasserted his control, Malik returned his mouth to its pervious position. Every sound Adrienne made was music to his ears. Many of his motions were made to garner louder and louder responses from his bride. He was surprised the Elite guards had not tried to “rescue” Adrienne, her screams were so loud.
Adrienne’s climaxes started blending into one another until it seemed she was caught in one long perpetual orgasm. She couldn’t catch her breath and yet still vocalized her pleasure.
Malik was satisfied he had tortured his bride enough. Moving slowly, he positioned himself between her legs and pressed the tip of his arousal against her opening. With a whispered apology, he drove forward.
Adrienne screamed, with pleasure. The exquisite fullness that was Malik took her breath away. She thought the sensations of his fingers and then his tongue would be her undoing, but she was wrong.
She wrapped her legs around Malik’s waist, pulling him closer. She wanted to feel more of him. Her arms weren’t long enough to encompass his shoulders, so she settled on digging her nails into his back and hanging on to reality.
Malik braced his weight on one hand while he used the other to loosen the grip Adrienne’s legs had on him, so he could move. He didn’t really need to move—the velvety softness surrounding his member convulsed around him and drew on him. Adrienne had talents of her own.
Despite these talents, he still wished to move and did, slowly. H
e wanted his first time in Adrienne’s embrace to last as long as it could. It surprised him when breaking her maidenhead didn’t mar the beauty of the night and spark another argument. Adrienne hadn’t even felt it. She was too far gone. Malik soon joined her.
His pace proved too slow for Adrienne as she met his every thrust and ground her hips against his. He sped up his pace. Still she demanded more.
Malik stopped his motions to change position. He sat on his knees, grabbed Adrienne and made her sit astride him. She didn’t seem to mind the new position, as she immediately started moving.
Each time she sheathed him, she rotated her hips. Malik wondered where she learned such a trick. No virgin should move the way his bride did. She knew instinctively what would make him lose all reason.
Adrienne leaned forward and pressed her lips to Malik’s. The kiss was chaste, but he didn’t want a chaste kiss. He reached up and pressed her head forward. He slid his tongue past her lips and demanded her tongue dance with his.
Malik released her lips, hissing as she dragged her nails down his back. Though pleasure clouded his mind, he stopped his magicks from healing the wounds. He would keep them as a memento of his first time with his bride, and the proof of her pleasure.
A pleasure he increased when he reached between them and rubbed his finger against her nub.
Adrienne screamed Malik’s name and clutched at him. It was the only thing she could think of to do. She wanted him to stop, but she also wanted these exquisite feelings to go on forever.
Malik gripped Adrienne’s hips to hold her in place when his release came. If he thought that would stop her movement, he was mistaken. His bride convulsed around him. He sighed at the sensation, then released her.
She started moving again, and he didn’t stop her. His bride wished more of him—Malik could do nothing but obey.
Chapter Twelve
Mushira knocked on Malik’s door promptly at sunrise. Adrienne rolled over with a groan and mumbled something incoherent before she returned to a peaceful slumber.
Malik smiled at her exhaustion. He had only allowed her to go to sleep four hours ago. Although it more seemed like she allowed him. He dozed off and on in that time, but found himself consumed with the need to watch Adrienne as she slept.
Adrienne Page 13
