One eyebrow lifted and for a long moment he simply stood there, watching her, assessing her words. When he spoke, his voice rang with fury. “Do you think I haven’t thought about that every second of every hour of every day? Do you think I’m proud of sleeping with a witch, our enemy?”
Her nostrils flared. He knew exactly which buttons to push. “If I’m so distasteful to you, then why have you come back?”
In a move so sudden she felt the wind whip past her, Braeden shot to her side, taking a handful of her hair and giving it a sharp tug. “Because I can’t stay away any more than you want me to.”
Breath hissing out of her lungs, Athena stared up into his dark eyes, her teeth gritted. “Let go of me.”
He only tightened his grip. “That’s not what you want me to do.” Instead he yanked her forward, dragging her against his chest. “Look at me. Tell me what you want me to do.”
In reflex, she snapped her hand up and slapped his cheek, leaving the imprint of her palm against his flesh. “I want you to let me go.”
The smack didn’t seem to register nor did it make him release her. “Yeah?” Loosening his hold long enough to clasp the back of her neck, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a bruising kiss, a stamp of possession.
Athena tasted his desperation, his regret and his anger and she gave back as much, parting her lips to invite the invasion of his tongue. Her nails dug into his shoulders, scoring his flesh, and using the weight of her body and the power of her magic, she pushed him against the farthest wall. His back slammed against the concrete but if it was painful, he didn’t acknowledge it.
He ripped at her white silk dress, laying her skin bare to the heat of his gaze. “God, you make me so hard.”
She tipped her head back as his lips found her neck, nibbling at the tender skin. Fight, Athena, fight. But the words fell on a deaf conscience. She tried to push away but Braeden held her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“Don’t.” The one word seemed to come from the depths of his soul.
“I have to,” she whispered furiously.
Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he forced her backward, spinning her across the floor, whipping and whirling until their bodies blurred as one. The fury of the storm melded their breaths, making them cling to one another, hold on in a desperate need to remain aloft.
Athena’s shoulder bumped into a portrait on the wall, making it crash down onto the stone floor. The glass covering shattered into hundreds of ragged pieces. She gasped and held on tightly, the thrill of the raw power seeping into her veins, feeding her own wild side.
She hooked one leg behind his and arched the lower half of her body, grinding her pussy into his thigh. The roughness of the jeans he wore chafed her nether lips. The sensation was savagely erotic.
“Don’t let go,” he instructed, his hands gripping her hips.
“Why?” She loved the guttural sound of his voice, the sexy inflection of each word.
“Stop asking questions.” The thickness of his cock pressing against the front of his jeans branded her thigh. “And just hold on.”
The air spun around them, giving way to a vortex of pure energy. Braeden pulled her toward it though Athena protested. His strength overwhelmed her and soon they faded into the rectangular box of pure gold.
Heat penetrated every pore of her body, centering mostly between her thighs. She felt incredibly alive. Aware. “God, Braeden, what are you doing to me?” His face glowed in the light and the smile he gave her caused her heart to leap within her breast.
“Taking you somewhere you can be as unrestrained as you want to be.”
“Why should I trust you?”
His hands cupped her ass. “Do you think I planned for things to go this far between the two of us?”
“I haven’t seen you trying to stop it.”
He laughed and pushed her head to his chest. “Just relax and enjoy the ride.”
The clean, fresh scent of pine and damp soil surrounded her and as Athena’s feet sank into the warm earth, she tipped her head back to see nothing but a canopy of trees overhead. Their connecting leaves and branches barely allowed a sliver of light to filter through and the air was moist, smelling of rain.
“The forest? This is where we can be alone? Have you forgotten that wizards can track witches? What makes you so sure your friends and family won’t find us?”
Braeden took hold of her hand and guided her deeper within the security of the trees. “Relax. I’ve taken the necessary precautions.”
“Think you can save us from the other wizards then?”
He backed her against the trunk of the nearest tree and the bark scraped her skin through the flimsy material of her dress. “Do you think that just once you could stop worrying about my family?”
“Sure. They certainly can’t do me any harm.”
“And you’re so sure I won’t protect you?”
“Would you?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? Taking the risk right along with you.”
He had a point. A very good one. Hooking her fingertips in the pockets of his jeans, she drew him closer until his body seemed to melt into hers. “Do you want to know what I want to do right now?”
“If it’s the same thing I’m thinking, I’m going to be a very happy man.”
Her fingers went to the top button of his jeans. “When’s the last time you had a blowjob out in the open?”
A long silence followed, long enough for Athena to wonder if he’d heard her. “Braeden?”
He held up one hand. “Wait a second. The blood’s no longer in my brain.”
“Ah.” Giving a low, sultry purr, she reversed their bodies with a quick turn, slamming him against the tree. A quick spell opened his jeans without the touch of her hands. “Thank the goddess for magic.”
“I second that.”
Reaching inside the opening, she curled her fingers around the thick, warm length of his cock. “No underwear. I like that.”
“You’ll like this even better.” With a wave of his hand, he discarded his jeans altogether, allowing his cock to stand free.
Athena slid her hand up and down the silken shaft, tightening her fingers with each stroke. As his eyelashes began to flutter, she smiled a purely wicked smile. Though only two weeks had passed since their last coupling, it was too long in her opinion. So she planned on taking full advantage of this moment. This time they had together.
Raising her hand, she spoke a few words and Braeden began to rise, his feet coming off the ground. Instead of protesting, he took over the levitation, going higher and higher until his cock was just below her chin, giving her ample room to play.
“Perfect.” She displayed her approval more with her actions than with the word. Her palms caressed his thighs. The muscles bunched and she smiled. Long fingernails danced their way over his skin, lightly tickling his balls.
Braeden’s aerial hold slipped and he dropped lower to the ground before catching himself. He closed his eyes and brought his body back up, level with her mouth. Her hot breath warmed his cock, stroking him like a hot palm.
“There you are,” Athena purred, leaning forward for a lick from the base of his cock to the head. “You taste as good as I remembered.”
Reaching behind him, Braeden grabbed hold of the tree trunk to hold himself aloft. His gaze dropped and the sight of Athena’s painted lips so close to his cock head created a tight knot in the pit of his stomach. He thrust his hips forward. “Take me in your mouth, Witch.”
“And miss all the fun of torturing you? No, I don’t think so.” Her tongue slipped lower, caressing the thin line bisecting his balls. She spent an inordinate amount of time laving the small space of skin just below his cock, gently sucking on the taut skin until Braeden let loose with a stream of expletives.
Raising her head, Athena watched the raw emotions crossing his face and for a brief moment she hesitated. What she saw scared her. He couldn’t love her. He wasn’t supposed to love her.
“Athena?”
She managed a smile. “Don’t interrupt me.” Lowering her head, she moved her cheek alongside his cock. His skin was so soft, yet she knew how hard he was. The thickness of his shaft prevented her fingers from meeting as her hand closed around him. She slid her hand up and down with several short strokes before guiding her hand to the base and squeezing.
“Fuck,” Braeden muttered, his head slamming back against the tree.
Athena chuckled and licked her lips. She dipped her tongue in the salty moisture seeping from the head of his cock. Murmuring her own pleasure, she drew her lips over her teeth and took his length into her mouth.
Braeden let loose with a groan, his hips jutting forward to push himself further into the damp cavern sucking him. “Ah, that’s good. So good.”
Athena cupped his balls with her free hand and massaged with gentle fingertips while she increased the pressure, sucking him energetically. The tip of his cock slid to the back of her throat and thanks to her magic, she took him in even deeper until the crisp hairs curling around the base tickled her lips.
He looked down, watching her dark head move up and down, twisting and sucking his shaft with perfect precision. His thoughts jumbled, he released the tree and began to sink to the ground.
Athena simply followed him, dropping to her knees to continue sucking him. His hands fisted in her hair, his fingers so tight her scalp tingled. She drew back enough to tantalize the tip of his cock with flicks of her tongue. The dance between tongue and flesh became wild as she gave in to the dangerous side of her nature.
Her fingernails sank into the backs of his thighs, digging deep, and she sucked harder and harder until Braeden’s groans became louder and more frantic. She pushed him back against the tree with the force of her body. Pulling his cock out of her mouth, she tipped her head back to meet his gaze, letting him see the darkness in her eyes.
Braeden looked past the ferocity and cupped her face, drawing his thumb across her lower lip. “What’s wrong?”
She didn’t answer. Instead she took hold of him again and began to suck, her strokes becoming more and more powerful until he gasped from the pressure.
His balls drew up tight and his breaths grew shorter. Returning his hands to her hair, he held her head in place, thrusting in time with the pull of her mouth.
The orgasm built slowly, growing stronger with each sweep of Athena’s clever tongue. When it finally overtook him, Braeden cried out so loudly the sound echoed throughout the forest. He jerked and moaned while she licked up the rest of his cum, draining him of every ounce of fluid, of energy, until he could only sag back against the tree.
Athena got to her feet, came close to him, cupped his face and kissed him. “This can’t keep happening.”
Those were the last words she spoke before she disappeared.
* * * * *
Athena shook herself out of the past, her breaths jerky. As she walked toward the tower window, the dampness between her thighs made her moan. She touched a hand to the glass pane and shivered.
As much as she had to do what was right for the Coven, a part of her, that part which no one would ever see, would always crave Braeden.
That was a secret she would keep to herself.
Chapter Fourteen
The night winds called to her, whispering her name in the darkness. Tess left the bed silently, her footsteps soft against the carpet. In a matter of seconds, she’d dressed. The whispers grew louder, drawing her to places beyond the safety of the citadel. She didn’t try to resist the urge even though she knew the witches were summoning her. Her powers would be ineffectual against the strength behind the Coven. And the spell had been cast. It ensnared her, washed over her. She had no choice but to follow.
Her body shimmered in the gray mist outside the window, flowed across the skies and into realms unknown. As she materialized into the glowing light surrounding the tower, Tess looked up, drew her coat closer around her and waited silently. The minutes ticked by and still she waited, keeping her eyes trained on the window of the tower.
Lightning flashed, sparking the ground at her feet but she didn’t move. Thunder rumbled in the distance and on the strike of the next bolt, Athena swept down to the ground, her eyes glowing, teeth gleaming in the darkness. “Tess, how nice of you to join us. But there’s no need for you to stand out here in the storm. Please come in.”
Tess gave her captor a disdainful glance before sweeping past her to enter the tower. “Why have you brought me here?”
“I see spending time with the wizards has allowed you to forget your manners.” The witch floated up the steps leading to the main chamber. Her long, black hair swept out behind her, creating a curtain of silk. Beneath the white linen dress she wore, her shapely body moved with perfect seduction. Her every movement was a complement to her power.
“Extending courtesy to you would be an acceptance of your intrusion upon my life.”
The tart words made Athena’s eyebrows lower for a second before she relaxed. “No matter then. We have much to discuss.”
“I have nothing to say to you.” Her feet slapped against the concrete as Tess climbed, the power of the spell still guiding her. Doubting her own abilities against the powerful witch behind her, she placed one hand against her stomach to quell the tide of nausea.
“Fine then. You can listen while I talk. After all, you’re going to be here for quite some time. I do want you to be comfortable. In fact please make yourself at home.”
Tess shot a glance over her shoulder as she reached the top step. “No, thanks. I won’t be staying.”
Athena reached around Tess’ waist and turned the porcelain knob on the oak door. It creaked open before bumping against the wall. The musty smell of old papers combined with the odor of incense and the nausea in Tess’ stomach intensified.
Athena laughed, a perfectly musical sound. “I can assure you, the spell is quite strong. Not easily broken.”
“Neither is my husband’s will. He will want me back and he will get me back. I pity the person who tries to stand in his way.” Tess’ voice carried the warning to the witch’s ears but Athena didn’t seem concerned. “But then I would imagine you would know all about what my husband is capable of.”
“That’s true. Jaxon and I have been battling it out for years. And we’re both still alive and well. He has tasted my powers and he no longer considers me a weak adversary. He made that mistake before.” She swept a hand straight ahead. “Please. As you can see, there is no danger awaiting you. This is one of my favorite places in our tower. From here, I can see the world below and even catch a glimpse of Mystique when the clouds move.”
Tess didn’t allow the witch’s words to relax her. She glided past her and into the chamber. “You said Jaxon made a mistake before. Was that when I stabbed your sister witch?” She ran her hands along the concrete wall, touching the glass globes holding books of ancient spells. Behind her, Athena’s anger was almost palpable. She’d struck a nerve. “Oh, I’m sorry. I do hope she wasn’t in too much pain.” That’s it, Tess. Stay calm. Don’t let her see your fear.
Athena bared her teeth in a poor semblance of a smile. With just a nod of her head, she dragged a chair from the darkened corner of the room. “Sit down. My sisters are otherwise occupied or they would have been here to greet you as well.”
Tess ignored the chair and allowed the mystical calm she’d gleaned from the Serenity Chamber to encompass her soul. It kept her unruffled in the face of danger. The spell she carried with her demanded complete tranquility. To attempt to use the power behind the spell otherwise could endanger her life. “Really? I should think you would not be so eager to meet my husband again. Wasn’t Arista your sister?” She shook her head, a perfect imitation of compassion. “I can only imagine the pain you’re going through. I was an only child but to lose a sister, well, even the thought is horrible.”
Athena’s jaw clenched and Tess heard a sound, like a slow hiss. Another strike. “
One would think you wouldn’t be so smug considering where you are.” The witch strolled around the room, her hips rolling with each step.
“Do you think the wizards hadn’t anticipated you would make such a move?”
The question gave Athena pause before she gave her captive a pitying smile. “Oh, I believe I still have a few things up my sleeve of which you are not aware.” She waved a hand toward the chair and this time Tess had no choice but to sit.
Athena stooped and leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming. “And since you are so sure your husband and his,” she waved a hand in apparent disregard, “family will join us soon I’ll just save the little announcement until their arrival.”
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