Threads of Fate, page 51
Letting out a scream of both shock and pleasure, she gripped the pillow. Before had been intimate and raw but what he did now was wild and passionate.
This was what her fantasies had been.
He shifted one of his hands from her hips and grabbed her shoulder, slamming against her in wild frantic movements. She briefly registered that she was screaming his name as he pulled her against him—filling her with each thrust.
Gripping the pillows harder she screamed out again. The pressure built, hot and heavy. She was sure she would die from the pleasure.
His hand released its hold of her shoulder and he reached around, caressing between her thighs. The shock of his hand on the sensitive spot jolted through her and she screamed out again. He let out a low groan, holding her tight while he quickened his pace, moving his fingers against the nerves in teasing erotic motions.
The building pressure crested higher while his fingers played and teased her until she couldn’t stand it any longer. Her body spasmed and she called out his name with her release. His fingers dug into her hips in response while he thrusted deep, shaking against her until his own climax slowed.
She breathed against the pillows unable to move while he remained behind her, keeping them connected. Neither of them dared to move. Neither of them dared to speak. The only sounds in the were the sounds of their breathing. She stared at the bed in a daze and considered never allowing them to separate from each other when he finally pulled from her and laid down beside her.
Her breath was shaky and uneven as she flipped over and laid against his chest. She could hear his heart beating as quickly as hers and she looked up to find him staring at the black canopy above them with a smile on his face. Reveling in the moment her eyes began to drift shut when a thought hit her.
“We didn’t use protection.” She sat up. Birth control—prevention hadn’t once crossed her mind in the time she’d been in his world. But now…
“I take a tonic every day. I have for fifty years. We’re protected,” he replied with a tone of amusement.
She stared at him, still unable to ignore her panic. “Are you sure? You said you haven’t had anything with anyone for all this time. Why take a tonic?”
He sat up. “That’s valid but I’m not lying, Orah. I take it as a precaution. I'm only a man, you know. I’m aware that despite my conviction in my decision, I could slip up and I’ve wanted to be sure I’m always protected.”
“I don’t know if I want children.” Turning away from him she tried to hide her embarrassment at what she just admitted.
Chuckling, he laid back against the pillow. “I don’t know if I do either and we don’t have to make that kind of decision anytime soon.” She stared at him, unsure how to change the subject when he motioned for her to lay against him. She let out a relieved sigh and laid back down. Her body hummed while the beat of his heart acted as her own lullaby.
His arms pulled her tighter against his body and her body grew heavy from the now immediate demand for sleep. Her eyes drifted closed while she fell asleep to his whisper. “I’ve got you, love.”
At some point in her sleep, she turned to her side and the bed shifted, followed by the quiet sound of his door opening then closing. But she was too sleepy to look up and snuggled back into the blanket, sure he would return soon.
Chapter 38
Orah woke with her cheek on Roan’s chest again. She wasn’t sure how long he had been gone when he’d left the room but all she cared about was that he was back next to her. His arm tightened around her and she shifted, resting her leg onto his. The feeling of his bare skin against hers almost set her on fire again and she smiled.
“Good morning.” His chest rumbled with the sound of his voice and she glanced up. He looked like he had been awake for a while. Smiling down at her, his hand moved back and forth against her bare skin.
Shifting, she pulled the blanket up around her and sat up. “Good morning.”
“Oh, don’t cover up for me. Please.” His eyes flared and he tugged on the blanket softly.
Grinning, she allowed him to pull it off of her, exposing her naked body to him. He sat up and moved so he was in front of her. Crawling up to her he smiled, his arousal was hot while it brushed against her. “We could stay in bed all day.” Kissing her neck his hands traveled down brushing her ribs. “We don’t have to get up yet.” His hands moved to cup her exposed breast.
“Yes—we could,” she replied with a gasp.
A delighted expression flashed across his face and he twirled his thumb against her nipple. Biting back a moan, she gripped the blanket. His eyes sparkled while he lowered his mouth onto her, never breaking eye contact. Her back arched against him from the pleasure and she grabbed hold of the sheets, desperate to hold onto something to help keep her from losing sense of reality. Keeping his eyes on her, he shifted, settling himself right between her thighs. His tongue moved against her nipple in playful movements and she smiled down at him.
Leaning back down against the pillow she looked down at him. His other hand lazily traced up and down her body. She shook in response and closed her eyes. She would likely never leave the bed if he kept that up. His chuckle of approval vibrated against her skin and her eyes flung open as he pushed himself inside of her again.
They had ended the night frantic and wild but that morning he moved as though he intended to take his time. Each thrust was almost agonizing, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer to him. They made barely any sound other than the sounds of their breaths.
Pulling away from her breast, his lips found hers again and they moved in sync. Every thrust and kiss felt as though their bodies were remembering lifetimes of rhythms. Lifetimes of moments just like this.
Wrapping her legs around his waist she shook while his movement quickened. Her tears slowly fell while she watched him. It was like a dream. Like at any moment he would disappear, and she would find herself alone in the world again.
Soon his own tears hit her cheeks and she cupped his face, knowing he was feeling the same emotions she was. She’d had sex in her life, she’d had hot, heavy moments, but she had never had what they were experiencing. She’d never had true intimacy.
She hadn’t realized the pressure building inside until she let out an involuntary gasp and arched her back against him. Intense waves of release crashed over her and she dug her nails into his back, holding back her screams. Letting out a loud groan, his hands gripped the pillow next to her and he thrusted deeper with his own release.
Again, they laid together, unwilling to move until their breathing slowed. Softly, he kissed her neck and she winced. She didn’t need a mirror to know that she was bruised from Marek and it was likely pretty bad with how Roan’s kiss had felt.
“I love you,” he whispered.
The words hit her heart and she choked back a cry. “I love you too.”
Removing her arms from around his neck, she brushed a hand through his hair. The freckles under his eyes lit softly. “You really are beautiful.” She didn’t think she would ever stop admiring his beauty.
Finally pulling himself from her, he sat up. “As much as I want to stay in bed with you all day, we should probably get up.” Placing his hand out for her to take, he helped her off the bed. “But first I want a shower.”
Grinning at the intention behind his eyes, she followed him to her room. According to him, while his tub was better than hers, her shower was better than his. He turned the water on quickly and smiled before pulling her in with him.
By the time they shut off the shower the water was cold, and they were both flushed. The shower wasn’t anything quick and they had done very little washing of themselves. At least, washing up using the hot water. The hot water had been used for more kissing and touching.
Stepping out, Orah groaned in appreciation for the warm floors while she wrapped up in a towel. Roan followed close behind her. Finally looking at herself in the mirror she let out a gasp at what she saw. Her neck was purple with very clear finger marks wrapped around it.
The lights flicked on and off and she glanced at Roan, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze. His eyes were focused on her neck. Touching his chest, she leaned up and kissed him softly. “I’m going to be okay.”
Pulling his lips from hers, he shook his head. “I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him.”
“Roan. Please. I’m okay.”
Still refusing to look at her, he grabbed her hands, pulling her to him. “I’ll make sure he never lays a hand on you again. I promise, love.”
Responding didn’t feel right and she instead nodded her head while squeezing his hands. Pulling her into her closet, he silently left her alone in front of her clothes while he ventured into his own. She smiled, noticing he was sure not to close the conjoining door.
Looking around, she picked up the first outfit she could find—a coordinating shirt and pants set in a dark, almost plum purple. The shirt was long with a high neck. High enough that it mostly covered the bruise.
She stared at herself in the mirror, expecting the purple to make the bruise look worse but to her surprise it didn’t. While her neck didn’t look great, the purple somehow concealed the bruise slightly.
A glint of gold in the mirror pulled her attention and she looked to find the coin Roan’s mother had given her. Without thinking, she grabbed it, tucking into her pocket. She felt that Leora had something to do with her and Roan realizing who they were to each other and having the coin close by felt… right.
Shaking her head ,she walked back to the bathroom to brush her hair. Roan’s throat clearing caught her attention and she looked over, finding him leaning against the wall by the bedroom door. “I think I could watch you get ready every day and never tire of it.”
“I guess it takes very little to entertain a God,” she replied.
Laughing he pulled her in for a kiss. His hands tenderly brushed the hair from her face and his eyes glistened while he looked into hers. She knew, despite the unspoken words, he was trying to avoid staring down at her neck.
The warmth in the room dipped quickly to a suffocating cold. Orah’s heart beat rapidly and she looked at him. “Are you okay?”
Just as quickly as it had grown cold, the warmth in the room returned. Turning his head toward her, he shook his head. “Yes. Of course I am.”
She didn’t quite believe him but allowed him to pull her out the door and into the hall. The house still felt alive from the party the night before, but she couldn’t help noticing how quiet it was again. While the house was usually quiet, this felt sadder. As though there was an odd layer of mourning from the house that it was empty again.
They reached the bottom of the stairs and a loud clatter echoed from the kitchen. Rushing toward the hall, they stopped right next to the dining room doors and found Lahana standing in the hallway staring at them. Her wide mischievous grin spread to her eyes and she squealed. “I swear to the Fates I don’t want any details, but I know.”
Roan tensed beside Orah and she wondered what his sister was referring to when she rushed toward the both of them. “You guys were not quiet. Fates, Fawn and I had to move to the other side of the house last night. Roan, way to put on a show and make the literal house shake. Fawn thought the ground was opening to swallow the city whole.”
Blushing, Orah looked up at Roan, realizing Lahana was talking about their bedroom antics and not what they had learned about each other. Roan’s eyes sparkled and he looked down at Orah, shaking his head. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”
Cocking her head to the side, Orah laughed. There was no possible way he hadn’t felt the house shaking last night. The doors had been rattling so hard she’d wondered if they were going to fall off their hinges. His eyes flared and realization hit her. The shaking hadn’t been him. It had been her.
Roan’s only response was a quick nod. Blinking, Orah looked back at Lahana, unable to grasp what she’d just realized. She had done that. She had made the actual house shake.
She couldn’t stop the blush that spread across her cheeks. She shook her head and laughed. “Okay, we can stop talking about our nighttime fun. I’m starving.”
Lahana scoffed and turned back towards the kitchen. “I’m sure you are.”
Letting go of Roan’s hand, Orah chased after Lahana while she let out a squeal, running to the safety of the kitchen. Roan laughed, rushing after them both. Orah was focused only on Lahana and almost collided with Etta when she finally reached the kitchen doorway.
Etta stopped and smiled at Orah then glanced at Roan. “This house has been waiting for its Queen.”
Before Orah could respond Etta walked out of the kitchen toward the ballroom. Orah turned and watched her, placing her hand on her now stinging heart. She wasn’t sure if she had heard Etta correctly. That wasn’t true—she had heard her right.
Roan wrapped his arms around Orah, whispering in her ear. “I have to agree with her.”
Orah’s eyes blurred and her body hummed in response. Queen.
Shaking off her shock, she pulled Roan’s arms away from her waist and walked into the kitchen where Yohan and Clarah smiled at her. It appeared that everyone in the house was aware of what had occurred between her and Roan.
Roan motioned for her to sit at the table and she watched while he dished up the large breakfast spread Yohan had prepared. Next to Orah, Fawn grinned at her then winked. Orah put a finger to her lip, trying to hold in her laugh, and silently begging Fawn to not ask any questions.
After a few moments, Roan approached the table with two plates of food. The room soon filled with the happy sounds of laughter and everyone discussing the party.
Apparently, there was quite a lot that Orah had somehow missed but Lahana filled them in. Most of the Governing Gods were not surprised that the King wasn’t there but all of them were shocked that he didn’t at least try to appear for his own son’s party. Aila had left abruptly after distracting Roan in the library, and to Orah’s shock Moros supposedly left the party very drunk, having to be escorted out personally by Jes.
Orah’s face crumpled while she tried to think back on what she’d seen when the party had ended. Could that have happened when she had gone up stairs? Is that possibly why Jes took so long to hear her cries for help?
Lahana let out a giggle recounting Moros’s exit. “He absolutely refused to leave unless the big bird man walked him to his inn.”
Orah covered her mouth and snorted. Roan and Lahana’s heads snapped towards her and she tried to compose herself. “I’m sorry. I just think I’ll call Jes the big bird man from now on.”
Roan bit his lip to hold in his own laugh and nodded his head. Beside him Lahana’s eyes darted back and forth between Orah and her brother before she spoke again, this time her voice dropping low and serious. “Now you two need to tell me what happened last night.”
Jumping, Orah stared at Lahana whose eyes had fallen to her neck. Orah’s hands moved to cover the bruise.
“Marek,” Roan said quietly, while the fork in his hand bent from the force of his grip.
Lahana’s eyes widened. “Did he?”
Shaking her head, Orah touched her neck again. “No. He tried –” Her stomach rolled at the thought of what he intended to do. Breathing out she forced herself to continue. “Jes heard me calling for help. I thought I was calling to you but apparently that Beskermer bond Jes made with me actually worked. He and Roan showed up right before Marek –” The words stuck in her throat again, unable to voice what Roan had narrowly stopped. Shaking her head, she looked over at Roan. “Roan wiggled his pinky finger and Marek went flying off the roof.”
Fawn’s mouth opened in surprise and Lahana shook her head. “We were both so drunk last night that I thought I imagined the lights going off. Orah I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you.”
Orah reached across the table, grasping Lahana’s hands. “You didn’t do anything wrong Lahana. Jes was meant to hear me, not you.”
Lahana’s eyes narrowed on Orah’s. “It’s not your fault either.”
Orah swallowed her sob. Lahana’s responding squeeze on her hands almost made her sick from the comfort. Orah looked up again to find Lahana staring at her brother. “Did you hurt him?'' The fear in her voice was real and Orah knew it was not out of concern for Marek’s safety.
Roan shook his head. “No, I wanted to kill him, but no. He has a new control on shadow magic, and he was able to use it to get away.”
Breathing out, Lahana released Orah’s hands and leaned against the back of her chair. “You know he’s going to be back.”
Roan’s still lingering anger was replaced by something Orah couldn’t translate. He looked around the kitchen then nodded his head. “I know and he won’t be alone.”
Tension fell over the room and they all sat in silence for a moment. Orah’s stomach flipped again and she glanced down at her half-eaten plate. Suddenly unable to finish it, she stood to dispose of the food and set the plate in the sink. Halfway to the sink the ground shook beneath her. The glasses in the cabinets shook violently and Roan jumped to his feet.
Lahana’s eyes widened with sheer panic and she turned to Fawn. “Fawn—leave now.”
Shaking her head, Fawn looked at Orah, obviously as confused as Orah was herself. “What? No.”
The responding scream from Lahana startled Orah and her plate crashed to the ground, shattering.
“FAWN LEAVE NOW!”
Glancing at Orah once more, Fawn said nothing while she jumped up and rushed out of the kitchen. Orah’s body hummed along with the violent shaking while she stood listening to the side door open and close. Orah’s eyes went to the kitchen window and she watched Fawn take off toward the side path to the city.
Near the sink, Clarah whimpered and Roan turned to Yohan. “Yohan, take your children and go. Do not turn back. No matter what you see, feel, or hear. You take your family ,and you go home. Lock your doors and do not come out.”
Yohan let out a grunt of acknowledgement and rushed Xade and Clarah out of the kitchen. Clarah’s terrified expression flipped Orah’s stomach again and she turned back to Roan.
