by Mayburn, Ann
“Nah, she said I wasn't Isis's type.”
Chrissy laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder. “Well, that's her loss then. Wait until I tell my mom I met Nuri. She's going to be green with envy.”
A large, dark-skinned man with thick black hair was standing in front of her car. He was dressed all in black and had dark-tinted black glasses on. On the lapel of his shirt was a small gold pin shaped like an oddly curving sword. They stopped a couple steps away from him and stared.
“Ladies,” he said in a deep voice. “High Priestess Nuri requested that I watch your car for you to make sure it was not broken into while you visited the temple.”
Leaning over, Chrissy whispered, “Inner Sanctum Temple Guard,” into her ear.
“Thank you. Please tell the High Priestess we're grateful for her help.”
The man bowed to them and moved back to the edge of the building, scanning the crowd.
Eliana and Chrissy got into Big Fran. As soon as the doors of the elderly Cadillac were shut, Chrissy said, “Wow, a real Inner Sanctum Temple Guard. Those guys are totally badass. In the old days, they were the last line of defense during an attack. Now they’re more like the Secret Service of the religious world. It's considered a high honor to be picked as an Inner Sanctum Guard. They usually have a military background and compete for a position at the temple of their gods.”
Eliana nodded as she checked her mirrors and pulled out into traffic. She let Chrissy's chatter wash over, her mind full of her meeting with Nuri. She would wait until tomorrow to tell Aiden what had happened. If she talked to him again tonight, he might manage to get her to come over, but she had way too much homework to catch up on. Somehow she didn’t think her parents would appreciate her failing out of school because she was caught up in the world of gods and goddesses. Then again, the memory of Aiden’s kiss, his touch, his everything, was so good that she found herself reliving their time together. He was so amazing and he liked her, really liked her. Almost as much as she liked him. With that cheerful thought in mind, she drove back to the dorm with a smile, fingers tapping to the song on the radio.
Chapter
The next morning, as she was walking to class, Aiden's Hummer pulled to the edge of the circular drive next to her. He rolled down the passenger side window and made a come here motion. With a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, she threw her backpack into the car and jumped in.
He gave her a dazzling smile and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her in for a deep kiss. “Come play hooky with me,” he whispered against her lips.
She laughed softly as he kissed his way over her jaw. “Aiden I can't… I have class.” She closed her eyes as he bit his way down her neck. “Really...Aiden...I...”
He stopped and caressed her neck with his thumb. “Please? I have something special I want to show you. I missed you last night.”
She sucked in a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. “Fine, but if I fail physics, you get to explain it to my parents.”
“You won't fail. I'll tutor you,” he said with a wide smile as they drove out of the parking lot of her dorm. He held her hand in his and stroked her palm with his thumb.
He kept his eyes on the road and said, “I really did miss you last night.”
Fighting the urge to grin like an idiot, she replied airily, “People often suffer through withdrawal after being away from me for a while. I'm addictive.”
“That you are.” He raised her hand to his lips and slowly placed soft kisses over the smooth skin.
They drove with the radio playing softly, enjoying each other's company. It was a beautiful day outside, chilly, but clear and bright. The leaves were in their full fall colors, blazing in the vivid sunlight. As they moved farther out of the city, rolling hills blanketed in trees replaced the homes and office buildings. It was warm in the car, and she removed her dark brown leather jacket and smoothed her pale pink sweater.
Grabbing his hand again, she said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I passed out at the Temple of Isis yesterday.”
He turned to look at her sharply, his hand gripping hers hard. “You what?”
She winced at his tone. “I didn't eat a proper lunch, and, well, I didn't shield myself properly, and I passed out. Nuri said—”
He cut her off. “You met Nuri?”
“Well, yeah. I guess when I passed out she was the one who found me.”
After peeking over at him and making sure he didn’t look too pissed, she continued quickly, “See, Chrissy and I were there shopping for beads for my dress that I'm going to wear to the country club, and I went to look around for a bit. I saw the altar to Isis, and I started to feel all funny. I passed out before I reached it though. Then I woke up in Nuri's room, and she explained a bunch of stuff to me.”
Silence filled the car as they entered onto the freeway, heading north.
Finally, he said, “Did Isis speak to you?”
“No. Nuri said I had Egyptian blood, but I didn't belong to Isis.” She peeked at him and asked softly, “Are you mad at me?”
“No, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself for leaving you alone and not teaching you well enough to strengthen your shields. I'm sorry. What happened was my fault.”
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m all right.”
Turning to look at her, he stroked her hand with his thumb again. “I lo— care about you. I don't want anything to happen to you. Especially when it's something I'm supposed to teach you and protect you against. You're lucky Nuri was there and I'm glad she has extended her friendship to you. She is a very powerful woman within the Chosen community and having her protection will help.”
Trying to lighten the mood, she said, “So, evidently I have some Egyptian in my blood somewhere. As far as I know, my mother is Greek and African-American. My dad is Dutch and English. Who knows, maybe I have Cleopatra somewhere in my family tree.”
He laughed and exited the freeway. “Or maybe an Egyptian washerwoman who got too friendly with a Greek sailor.”
She snorted and lightly hit his bicep. “I'll stick with the Egyptian royalty theory, thank you.” She looked out the window, watching the countryside roll by. “So where are we going?”
“You'll see.”
They turned down a dirt road and jolted around as he slowly drove over potholes. Reaching a pair of thick metal gates, he got out and unlocked them. She loved the way his worn jeans clung to his tight ass and as he strode back towards the car their eyes met and her heart raced. He hopped back into the Hummer with a grin, and they continued deeper into the forest.
After reaching a small clearing in the trees, he parked the SUV. She turned to him expectantly and gave him a teasing smile. “Okay, what am I missing class for? You know, as a professor you’re setting a very bad academic example.”
Reaching over, he cupped her face. Ever so slowly he rubbed his lips over hers while stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. She ran her fingers through his hair, tasting him on her lips and drowning in his desire. They shared a long, soft kiss that left them both breathing heavily before Aiden pulled away with a low groan. All he had to do was look at her to make her hot. When he actually kissed her, it felt like a blazing fire in her body.
“We’re here to make some magic,” he said with a devilish smile. “And we need to get out of this car before you entrance me again, and we end up in the backseat.”
“Hmmm, that would be a bad thing why?”
“You are far too tempting. Come on. I have something much better in mind.”
He grabbed a large backpack out of the trunk and handed her a thick blanket. “It's not too far of a hike. Can you carry the blanket please?”
“Yes, Oh Mysterious One.”
****
She looks so beautiful, Aiden thought. The black jeans she wore clung to her rounded hips, and her pink sweater couldn't hide her stiff little nipples. The small purple bead that Billy had given her from Cupid was laced through a silver chain and lay in the hollow of her throat,
making him want to kiss that smooth little depression. She was, by far, the most effortlessly beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And she was his, at least for now, but if he had his way she’d never leave his arms.
He loved how her silver eyes shone with pleasure when she looked at him and how her face lit up when she’d seen his car back at the university. The more time he spent with her, the more he thanked Odin for bringing her into his life. It scared him how fast he had fallen in love with her. He could only hope she felt the same.
With all the things going on in her life right now, he didn't want to burden her further, so he kept the talk of love to himself until she was in a more stable place. But that didn't mean he couldn't shower her with all the devotion and love that he felt. Once she was Chosen, and he knew she would be, all the other single male Chosen would fall on her like a pack of starving dogs, so he needed to make sure her heart belonged to him before that happened.
They made their way through the forest, stepping over fallen logs and following an old path. The air smelled rich, and their breath misted as they hiked past old trees and exposed rocks. He stopped and turned to her, admiring the way the sunlight brought out the amber and gold highlights in her wavy hair. “Close your eyes.”
She obeyed and held his hand as he carefully led her forward. “I feel silly, Aiden.”
“Be patient,” he replied as leaves crunched under their feet.
“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” he said as he continued to hold her hand. Her skin was so smooth, and his cock stiffened at the memory of sliding down that soft body of hers. A hint of her psychic scent curled over him and he took a deep breath, warming from within.
They were in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. A pool of water surrounded by smooth weatherworn rocks steamed gently into the chilly air. The trees all around the pool were alight with the beginning of autumn’s brilliant color, and a soft wind blew red and yellow leaves into the clearing like confetti.
“Wow, it's beautiful,” she murmured. “Are we going for a swim?”
“That, and something more. If you're game, I would like to do some magic with you. It's an old harvest spell, asking for Odin's blessing in the long winter months to come. To keep the participants warm and fed, safe from the killing frosts and dangers of the ice.”
Pulling her closer, he stroked his hand down her long honey-brown hair, loving how well she fit in his arms. “The spell needs a sacrifice. Normally I offer grains and meat. This year I would like to offer the warmth our lovemaking.” Did she notice the extra emphasis he put in the word love?
She gave him a sassy smile. “Sounds like more fun than baking bread.” She did a large mock-sigh that made her full breasts stretch against her sweater. “I guess I can make this sacrifice of letting you worship my body.”
Laughing, he stepped away from her and began to take his clothes off. First, he removed his shirt. Next went his boots and pants, leaving him in his boxers. With a grin, he hooked his fingers into the boxers and pulled them down, revealing the stiff length of his erection. He loved the way she reacted to him, going instantly still and staring at him with those hot silver eyes. Arousal burned through her aura and his dick swelled further beneath her admiring gaze. Fisting himself in one hand, he gave his shaft a leisurely pump.
She gasped, her hands hanging at her sides as she stared at him. Laughing at her expression, he lowered himself into the warm water of the pool, the hard muscles of his chest flexing. He sighed and sank in to his neck. “Are you coming in or do you plan on watching me?”
Her mouth closed with a snap, and a pretty blush turned her tan cheeks pink. “Turn around.”
“What?”
“Turn around, or I'm not coming in. I feel shy with you watching me get undressed,” she mumbled, playing with the edges of her jacket.
“Darling, I've seen every inch of you. It's burned into my memory. I think we're past you being shy about getting undressed in front of me.”
Blushing even harder, she said, “Please?”
Rolling his eyes, he turned around in the water and waded over to the side and tossed a condom on the ledge. “Fine. There, my back is turned. Happy?”
Sometimes he forgot how young she was. She seemed so self-assured and confident beyond her years. It was moments like this that he understood how new the world was to her, how much she had yet to discover and enjoy. He found himself daydreaming about showing her all the wonders that awaited her, sharing that joy with her, for a long time to come.
The sound of light splashing let him know she was in the water, as did her soft sigh as its warmth embraced her. He turned around and watched her. She had her head arched back into the water, and her long hair flowed around her like some type of exotic flower. With her hair pulled off her face, he got to appreciate how fine her bone structure was and how kissable her lips were. And how tight her nipples became in the cold air.
He moved across the shallow, uneven bottom of the thermal spring pool toward her. Gently, he pulled her into his arms, enjoying the feeling of her floating beside him. Cradling her to his wet chest, he said, “When I begin the spell, try to avoid talking. Feel free to scream and moan, but don't say anything that might accidentally get pulled into the spell.”
She traced a peach-painted nail over his chest, circling his nipple and smoothing over his skin. “Okay, but I think you're giving yourself too much credit there, Professor Klemenson.”
“Really?” he said with a challenging smile. “Well, we will have to see who ends up in a quivering heap.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but it quickly turned into a sigh as he began to pull and thumb her nipple beneath the water. He felt desire and possessiveness move through him as she relaxed in his arms, totally trusting him. She gently trailed her small hands over his arms and shoulders as he caressed her.
Shifting, she reached one hand under the water and began to trace the hard edge of his hipbone with one fingertip, ever so slowly following its curve toward his cock. His touch became still on her breast as he concentrated on the feeling of her hand. With a groan, he shifted his hips forward, silently urging her to move farther.
One finger stroked the length of him, and he growled at the teasing touch. She gripped him and began to stroke him with a firm then feather-light touch. That soft caress was torture—it was killing him. He never wanted it to end.
He captured her mouth with his and began to stroke her with his tongue in time to her hand beneath the water. With a wicked laugh, she slipped out of his arms and swam to the other side of the pool. He dove after her, reaching out and grabbing one slender, tanned arm. She drove him crazy. Everything about her made him want to possess her and make her his.
He held her close in the warm water, wrapping her soft legs around his waist and using his hand to stroke her sex. The slickness of her arousal slid over her fingers, somehow wetter than the water. He gave a satisfied smile as he found her hard clit and ever so gently pinched it. She arched back, the tips of her breasts breaking the surface of the water, nipples rose red in the cool air. Fuck she was so sexy.
Rocking her hips, she rode his hand with small sounds of pleasure escaping her parted lips, her arms tightening as she gripped him close and began to gently bite his neck. Leaning back, she slipped her hand between them again and began to stroke his length in time with his hand moving between her legs. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the sensation of her soft hand moving over his erection, gripping and releasing as he plunged his fingers into her silken heat. His cock ached as she rubbed her hand over it quicker, matching the pace of his hand moving between her legs.
He removed his hand, and she made a sound of disappointment. Her obvious desire for his touch inflamed him, and he leaned in for a long, slow kiss, nipping at her full lower lip. He moved them back to a rock shelf and stood her on its edge facing away from him with her hands supporting her, shuddering as her well-rounded rear end rubbed over his body.
“I'm going to begin t
he ritual now. Drop your shields,” he said as he kissed his way down her neck. She nodded and whimpered with need, her features softening, her hands continuing to move over him. She was so passionate. He had never had a partner so open and willing to exchange pleasure. He rubbed his face on her wet hair as her sweet psychic scent washed over him, making him even harder as her energy moved across his body like a caress.
Turning her around, he cupped her breasts, loving the feeling of their weight. For such a tiny thing, she had marvelous tits. He could spend days worshiping them. Moving his hard length between her legs, he rubbed himself over her, the head of his cock moving back and forth on that little nub of flesh. She was so slick and hot. He had to pause to resist the urge to bury himself to the base of his shaft in her. Reaching past her, he tore open the condom with his teeth and slipped it on his aching dick.
The water carried her weight while she stood on tiptoes to give him better access, throwing her head back as he reached forward to stroke her throat with his tongue.
He began to speak the words of the spell, his shields lowering to move his energy over hers. He slowly entered her, straining to keep the spell going as her warmth enveloped his cock and her strong inner muscles clamped down on him. Moving in and out, he leaned her back for better angle, teasing her with short, shallow strokes as he held her soft hips.
She clung to his arms, grinding her hips back and urging him deeper. He smiled as he continued to repeat the words of the ritual, asking Odin to extend his protection to them, sharing his energy with her. He bent her over farther and began to move deeper, harder. Reaching between her legs, he stroked at her clit with his thumb. She began to buck back beneath him, seeking her release.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to hold on, the spell becoming a growl as he began to lose control. She let out a low moan and began to clench around his cock, her velvet sheath milking him. With a final thrust, he finished the spell, his energy mixing with the outer layer of her aura, feeding on the sensation of her pleasure.
