by Lisa Kumar
“Not physically. I projected my soul to your plane while you slept. Being within your dreams granted me a certain boost in strength, but not enough for lovemaking of a physical nature. It was all…”--He flashed her a devilish grin--“well, mostly mental. I had enough strength for a few kisses and to remove those items of clothing you mentioned.”
She released a sigh. If there were a first time for them, she was glad it hadn’t come through what had started as a dream. But her relief trickled away. The weight of her choice bore down upon her. “I need time to think. My family, my parents, will wonder what happened to me.”
Tillon shook his head. “You’ll always be of this world. You can return. I’ve given you all the time you need.” He held out his hand. “I won’t come back again. This ends now.”
She stared at his hand, her mind a jumbled mess. How could a person itch to run away, yet long to grab the offering they sought to escape from? But she had to choose. Time had run out. Pain pierced her breast. “I…I can’t.”
His figure wavered as though her words had sucked the energy from him. The light dimmed in his eyes, and a bitter smile played over his lips. “Just like that? The dreams meant nothing? The love we shared in them?”
She swallowed shakily. Indecision gripped her. How could this be so hard?
“Come with me. You can return at anytime.” He closed the space between them and tipped her chin up. His gaze held her mesmerized.
“But my family here will grow old.”
He inclined his head, which sent the silk of his hair spilling over his shoulders. The brush of it against her face caressed her skin. Her eyes started to flutter closed, but she kept them stubbornly open.
“That can’t be changed, but you’ll have the duration of their lifespans before you have to say your final farewells.”
Even as her hands sought out the familiar contours of his chest of their own volition, Nora shook her head. “I won’t age, while they will. That’s something I can’t hide.”
“You can. We have charms for such things. Nothing need stop you.” He ghosted his fingers over her cheeks, over the sweep of her eyelashes. This time her eyes fluttered closed. Pressing kisses upon her mouth and along the line of her jaw, he pulled her against him. “Feel how well we fit together. This is what we can have. Let me show. Come with me.”
The plea in his voice reverberated through her. Almost a physical entity, it wound its way through her soul with love and desperation. The urge to comfort him, to touch him, overrode everything else and made her body act independently of her mind.
She slid her fingers over his chest to his shoulder. He hissed in pleasure and seemed to solidify before her gaze. Trailing them down his arm, she stopped at his hand and interlocked their fingers together. Her vision and heart honed in on the sight. Tears filled her eyes. A perfect fit, from how his palm cradled hers to the emotions he drew from her. His arms housed her better than any home could. And she needed a place to rest her heart.
These realizations burrowed deeper and flourished like flowers seeking the sun. He and his people made the decision for her years ago. But only she could choose to accept it and step into the role they marked her for. Good or bad, it was up to her. Which way would she go?
She reached up with her other hand and pulled his head down. His mouth sought hers before she could steal a kiss. The rasp of his lips and teeth soon silenced all thought. Their tongues explored each other, faces first. But as clothes mysteriously disappeared, they ventured lower.
Nora found herself naked on the ground, lying on his cloak. Just as in her dreams, each lick and caress he lavished on her breasts, her stomach, and between her legs fueled a blaze only he could satisfy.
Gloriously naked himself, he rose above her and captured her lips in a tender kiss. He settled over her. She tensed. Would this hurt? She only knew dream sex with him.
His erection nudged at her nether lips. She closed her eyes until fingertips gently fluttered over her lashes and her lids opened.
He leaned over her, and she fell into the infinite depths of his gaze before he pressed kisses against her brow bone. “Keep your eyes open, love. I’ve waited so long for this. I want you fully present in every way.”
With a sharp thrust, he entered her, but only a brief pain shuddered through her. He held still, seated deep within her. Then slowly thrust his hips. She gasped and arched her back. His fullness pressed into a secret area and discovered the hidden triggers of her body. He knew her as no other could.
He increased his rhythm, his groans spilling into her ear. Her hands glided over the smooth flesh of his back as emotion and love welled up. This was better than any dream. This was real. He was real.
Little ripples built in her core and became great waves of pleasure that washed over her in a bliss never before experienced in her dreams. She came undone and flew into little pieces. But his triumphant shout signaled his release and brought her back, as did the quaking that overtook his body. A revelation of her power to please him thrummed through her and left her as satisfied as her own release had. She was meant to be with him in every way.
He collapsed against her and then pulled her into his side. A sigh of contentment left her lips as he ran his fingers through her hair. But after a few minutes, he helped her up and drew the cloak around her. Slipping into his tunic and leggings, he made quick work of folding her clothes.
The light shone in his eyes as he brought her hand to his lips. “It is time. No regrets.” He slipped an arm around her waist.
She took one more glance at the landscape around them. Would it be weeks or months before she came back to visit? But her home was with him. Of that she had no doubts. The mark, the dreams all pointed to this, but her heart revealed the unequivocal truth. “No regrets.”
A light enveloped them. A fission of excitement and unease snaked up her back. She released a shaky breath and looked to Tillon. He merely smiled, his love wrapping around her, and pointed. Visible through the light was a gateway into the hill.
She tightened her hand around his, and they stepped through the arch and into the hill.
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About the Author:
Lisa Kumar is a wife, mother, and romance writer who grew up in small-town Indiana. She now resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and son, who are used to sharing her attention with her not-so-trusty computer. When not spinning tales of romance and fantasy, she can be found with her nose buried in a book, or more accurately, her e-reader. Her scholastic background is in psychology, which enabled her to get low-paying jobs in the human services sector. She's now writing full-time.
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