It was as if she’d been thrust into some alternate reality version of her life. She’d known since she was a little girl that magic existed. Much to the dismay of her father and the delight of her mother, her aunt had taught Rowan everything she knew about the unseen world—about spells and creating her own reality. But this thing with Gwydion went far deeper than that. She’d never imagined gods existed, nor contemplated the kind of magic of which he was capable. She just wished he was able to do something to put a stop to the destruction of this place.
Closing her eyes, she tried again to think of a solution and realized there might not be one. Sensing she wasn’t alone, she opened her eyes. In the fading light, she saw the fox sitting a few yards away, head tilted to the side and watching her. The animal lay down on her belly, resting her chin on her paws and slowly inched toward Rowan. Not close enough for her to touch the creature, but close enough for her to see the bright amber eyes and cocked ears.
A slight rustle of leaves to Rowan’s left let her know that she and the fox had company. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she wasn’t surprised to see Gwydion standing there watching. “She knows you’re responsible for her survival,” he said quietly.
“I’m the one who nearly killed her.”
“You’re also the one who insisted on saving her.”
She turned to look at him. The setting sun glinted off his hair, highlighting the gold strands among the brown. He sat at her side, and a companionable silence fell over them. Finally, he caught her hand in his and traced intricate designs over her palm. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you more thoroughly about the consequences of the spell.”
She took a deep breath and looked at the animal. “It’s fine. It saved her, so it’s not like I would have done anything differently.” She tried to tug her hand from his grasp, but he held firm. “Besides, it’s not like it wasn’t enjoyable.”
Lifting her hand to his mouth, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles, and the need for him flared to life again.
She leveled a glare at him. “I thought we established that this is a bad idea.”
“I didn’t establish anything of the sort.”
She sighed. “Let it go already.” Yanking her hand from his grasp, she scooted a short distance away. She couldn’t think clearly when he was that close. Her mind drifted as silence fell between them. Staring at the setting sun, she turned to him, an idea forming. “You said that if you tried to put a protective bubble over this place, you’d have to stay here to sustain it, right?”
He nodded slowly, watching her.
“Okay, but what if you taught me how to do it? And Meaghan? We could keep up the protection magic.”
He shook his head slowly. “Maintaining that level of power would age you both prematurely. You’d be dead in a matter of years.”
The kernel of hope that had sprouted withered. “Oh.”
Her gaze drifted over the orchard, and her attention fell on the rock fissures, almost swallowed by the encroaching darkness. Hope sprang to life as another idea took shape. “There are plenty of plant and animal species that have vanished over the last few years. Is it possible to bring them back?”
He looked thoughtful. “You’re thinking that a reemergence of endangered or extinct species might be enough to halt the destruction.”
“Exactly. And if they reestablish themselves here, and the land can sustain them, it shouldn’t require a constant flow of magic to keep them here. Right?”
He nodded slowly as if lost in thought, and she noticed the shadows under his eyes and how pinched and drawn his face seemed.
“Are you okay?” she asked, laying a hand on his forearm.
“The high levels of pollution in your time have weakened me,” he admitted, his voice tight and frustration evident in his tone. “It’s not a spell I can do without help. Not without returning to my realm to revitalize my abilities.”
“Does that take a long time?” she asked, already guessing the answer.
“Time passes differently there. I can’t promise I’d be back before the inspection.”
She met his gaze. “Is it possible for us to do it together?”
“There would be consequences.”
It was more a statement than a warning. Not that she would have heeded a warning anyway. She didn’t anticipate her lust for him abating any time soon even though she knew she was nothing more to him than convenient. Pushing away a pang of sadness at what could never be, she focused on the here and now. She didn’t anticipate her growing feelings for him disappearing either. He’d be gone soon. If she would only have one more night with him, she’d be stupid not to take it.
“I don’t care.” She cleared her throat practically choking on the all the lies. She did care—more than she wanted to admit and far more than she should.
Chapter Seven
Gwyidon nodded once, then as he’d done with the fox who still lingered nearby, he placed Rowan’s hands palms down on the soft, cool grass and covered them with his own. Closing her eyes, she felt the sluggish, pulsing energy of the earth as well as Gwydion’s more vibrant power seeping into her.
“Visualize all of the plants and animals that have vanished from this place. Hold those images in your mind as you let the spell wash through you.”
She nodded, though she wasn’t sure if he saw her.
His power increased as he began intoning ancient-sounding words. Letting his voice wrap around her, she tried to focus on visualizing the little brown bats Meaghan feared so much. She pictured them flying from their hiding spots at dusk and filling the air with the flapping of their tiny wings. Racking her brain, she tried to remember the rest of the animals she’d read about and the plants she’d seen as a child but no longer grew there.
There was the rock cress that grew along the bats’ habitat—small purple, white and pink flowers that managed to flourish in the rockiest of terrain. She hadn’t seen any of them in years. Nor had she seen the tiny frogs she and Reece used to catch as children. She couldn’t remember what they were called, but they’d filled the woods in early summer.
Lulled by the sound of Gwydion’s voice, she remembered reading about the yellow-headed blackbirds. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen one or heard its song. She wasn’t positive it was on the endangered species list, but it couldn’t hurt if there were more of them.
The energy emanating from Gwydion grew stronger. It rushed up her arms and into her torso, swirling in her chest before filling her completely. She felt the magic she possessed, though pale in comparison, join with his. It melded and grew stronger still. She cracked open her eyes, looking at him then down at herself. Both their bodies glowed with a white-hot light. Her nerve endings tingled sharply as the power expanded within her. She’d lost the thread of concentration she had, but hopefully, she’d been able to do enough to make a difference.
His voice grew louder, and without warning, all of the energy that had been amassing in her body dispersed in a breathless rush, racing from the epicenter of their hands into the earth. It rolled from them like a giant ripple that illuminated the ground around them and stretched out as far as she could see. As she watched, it faded slowly until the world around them was completely dark and bright spots danced in front of her eyes.
Gwydion sat before her, head bowed and breathing ragged. Pulling a hand from under his, she trailed her fingers through his hair. Her touch brought his head up. The intensity in his gaze held her motionless, as desire, even stronger than she’d experienced earlier, slammed into her.
Her breath caught on a gasp, and instinctively, she scrambled away from him, completely aware of what he was capable of this time and slightly fearful of her reaction to him. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him, but her heightened response and the feral look twisting his features frightened her a little. It was as if her mind and body fought each other despite the fact they both wanted the same thing. Gwydion—hot and needy inside her.
Taking a deep breath, she
tried to calm herself. She was too late. Fire flashed in his eyes, and he waved his hand over the ground covering. Vines sprouted from the earth and crept toward her, increasing their pace to match hers. Cool, green tendrils snagged her ankles and rapidly spiraled up her calves. She plucked and pulled at them, but to no avail. They kept climbing higher, teasing the bare flesh behind her knees. Damn it, why had she thought a skirt was a good idea?
Forcing aside her panic, she stopped fighting, letting the vines snag her wrists. They tugged hard, yanking her flat on her back and pinning her arms to her sides. The night sky filled her vision until he loomed over her, the shadow of his body blocking out the moonlight. She couldn’t see his face, but she felt his arousal rolling off him in waves.
He knelt, sitting back on his feet with his hands on his thighs staring down at her. “Now, that’s how I like to see my sacrifices presented…tied down…legs spread…eager for my cock.”
She squirmed, fighting against her restraints, desperate to touch him. She could just imagine the picture she made—tied to the ground, her skirt crawling up her thighs, her breasts straining against the snug fabric of her top. She probably looked like some virgin offering. She wriggled again, completely aware of his eyes on her. She lifted her hips, desperate for his touch. He was right. She was eager for his cock. She wanted him pressing her down into the soft grass. The longer she struggled against his restraints, the wetter she got. Her folds were slick, and her underwear was damp.
Gwydion leaned forward between her spread legs, and her stomach trembled. Anticipation made her lightheaded as his hand hovered above her, coming to rest on her abdomen. She writhed beneath his touch, frantic for his fingers to move lower. Slipping his fingers beneath the hem of her shirt, he stroked the soft flesh of her belly, circling her bellybutton with the rough pad of his finger.
“Is there something you want?” he asked, a smile creeping into his voice.
She glared at him, continuing to squirm. “What do you think?” She didn’t know why, but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of admitting how badly she wanted him—not after she’d thrown herself at him earlier.
“By all that’s holy,” he muttered mostly under his breath, “you’re so beautiful.”
She wanted to believe he meant it, but she knew better. She knew what she looked like. She might be cute, but she was too heavy to be considered beautiful.
He leaned over her—much as he had the night they’d first met. He nipped at her chin before following the path along her jaw line. She closed her eyes at the brush of his firm lips as he made his way to her ear. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”
Sitting back on his heels again, he stroked his erection through the straining fabric of his jeans. She couldn’t take her eyes from him. She wanted to see his hand wrapped around his cock, jerking rhythmically on his slick, swollen flesh.
“Show me,” she whispered.
Holding her gaze, he unzipped his jeans and freed his shaft. The ruddy, engorged tip shone damply in the light of the rising moon. Unable to help herself, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. She wanted to taste him again.
She watched as he stroked himself, thrusting slowly into the palm of his hand while her body cried out to be touched. She whimpered, licking her lips again.
“You want this?”
She nodded. “God, yes.”
A slow smile curved his lips, and he prowled up the length of her body until he straddled her chest, the head of his cock skimming her lower lip. Swirling her tongue around the tip of his shaft, she lapped up his pre-cum.
The salty-sweet taste of him covered her tongue, and she lifted her head to take more of him. The angle was awkward, but she refused to be denied.
Gwydion’s breath hissed through his clenched teeth as she sucked harder on him, trying in vain to draw him deeper. He groaned, thrusting shallowly across her tongue, whispering in that same ancient language. She had no idea what he said, but the tightly strung sound of his voice flooded her pussy.
Abruptly, he pulled free from her mouth and inched backward, stopping when he was settled over her hips. He leaned forward and dropped tender kisses over her neck and shoulders while dragging down the straps of her camisole. He pulled the fabric until her breasts were bared. Sitting back, he stared at her. Her nipples tightened almost painfully under his gaze.
Exposed and completely at his mercy. She’d never imagined that she’d be in this position. Even more surprising was how hot it made her. The energy from the spell still bounded through her body, but this was different. This was real desire independent of magical enhancements. She’d be feeling this whether or not there’d been any spell work.
Reaching out, he rolled her nipples between his fingers and thumbs, pinching and tugging at them, making her cry out. Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet of the night. She hoped the sound hadn’t carried to Meaghan or any of their more distant neighbors. The last thing she needed out here was an audience.
Gwydion lowered his head and caught a tight peak between his lips, sucking hard on the taut flesh. Pressing her breasts together, he moved back and forth, tormenting one bundle of nerve endings then the other, driving her into a frenzy. She lifted her hips, thrusting into him from beneath, begging him soundlessly for more. Her body shook with need as he continued to torment her.
Sliding backward, he moved between her spread legs. Reaching out, he trailed his fingers over the sensitive flesh of her calves. The heat of his hands conflicted with the cool caress of the vines. The contrast sent chills through her, and she shivered on the damp grass.
His grin flashed in the low light as he inched her skirt up her legs.
“It excites you,” he murmured, tracing patterns over the now exposed skin of her inner thighs.
“What?” she gasped, barely able to think.
“This.” He waved his hand through the air above her body and the vines tightened around her limbs. It wasn’t painful, but there was no mistaking his control. “You like being my captive. You like giving up your control to me.”
A whimper was the only intelligible response she could make. He wasn’t wrong. There was something about him that made her want to submit. She couldn’t imagine wanting this with any other man. She couldn’t imagine trusting another man with this level of vulnerability.
He cupped her sex, and she groaned.
“So wet for me.”
His voice was a harsh rasp that dampened her pussy further. He ground the heel of his hand against her clit, and she nearly blacked out from the sharp jolt of pleasure that speared through her. She squirmed against her restraints, arousal obscuring everything but her need for more.
Gwydion fisted his hand in the front of her panties and yanked. The sound of tearing fabric made her pussy clench emptily and goose bumps erupt over her skin. Cool night air kissed her overheated flesh right before his lips descended.
Using his thumbs, he spread her wide and feasted on her aching cunt, licking her from her opening to her throbbing clit. Nothing had ever felt as good as having his mouth on her. Except maybe his cock inside her.
As if responding to her thoughts, he slid a callused finger inside her grasping channel. Her muscles squeezed as he tried to withdraw, and he moaned, the vibration rippling through her. Adding a second finger, he plunged inside her again. She thrust up against his mouth, her back arching off the ground as far as possible.
She heard herself chanting his name, but she couldn’t seem to stop. She was so close. Her fingers scrabbled at the grass beneath her hands and she clung to it, needing to anchor herself somehow.
He pumped his fingers in and out of her willing body, swirling the tip of his tongue around her clit. She wanted nothing more than to grab his head and demand that he finish her off, but unless he released her wrists, that wouldn’t happen any time soon.
He slid his free hand under her ass, lifting her up and changing the angle of contact. He continued to surge in and out of her before f
inally catching her swollen clit between his lips and sucking hard.
She bit her lip to keep back the keening cry of release, but it escaped as soon as he raked his teeth across the sensitive nub. Release roared through her, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. It was as if everything had seized up—everything except the bliss careening through her body.
Withdrawing his fingers, he shifted back to the kneeling position between her legs. His cock stood erect, the tip glistening. He pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the ground beside her. Shoving his jeans down, he kicked off those, too.
She caught her breath as he leaned over her, gripping his cock in one hand and bracing his other hand next to her. He slid the wide head along her slick cleft, teasing her clit before fitting himself against her entrance. Holding her with his gaze, he pushed inside her snug passage, groaning against her neck as he seated himself fully.
The way she was secured to the ground made him feel even bigger inside her than he had before, but she wasn’t complaining. God, no. It was heaven.
He thrust so hard and deep, he would have lifted her off the ground had it been possible. Instead, he just pounded into her, and she loved every minute of it. He quickly pushed her to the point of orgasm again. Her muscles rippled and tightened around him, making it more difficult for him to move, but he continued to power through, plunging between her delicate, grasping tissues.
Pleasure shot though her veins as she went rigid beneath him. It didn’t take long for him to follow. He stiffened as his cock jerked within her, filling her cunt with spurt after spurt of his hot release.
With a whispered word, he released her from the vines. They slithered away from her, and she wrapped her arms around his body, holding him closer. She wasn’t ready for their time together to be over.
Chapter Eight
Gwydion breathed deeply, tightening his grip around Rowan and burying his face in her neck. Overhead, he could hear the leathery flutter of wings and around them the delicate scent of various flowers mingled with that of their bodies. They’d done it. The land around was coming back to life.
Sensuous Summoning Page 5
