Adamant Spirits, page 58
“Del, please.” Her voice quavered, but the fact she even managed to get out the words seemed an accomplishment.
He stopped teasing. He...he devoured her. Roena could find no other way to describe the pleasure he inflicted on her. She tried to watch. Seeing the glittering possessiveness in his eyes as he licked and sucked affected her as much as the physical sensations, but it was all too much. Her head fell back and thumped against the door, but she felt no pain. All she felt was Del.
She called out his name as she came and would have sunk to the ground in a puddle if he hadn’t continued to hold her up.
He gently slid her leg from his shoulder and rose to his feet, his hands sliding up with him until they rested on her waist. Then he kissed her again, and she could taste herself on his tongue. Somehow that gave her enough energy to stand on her own, for he had taken his turn, and now it was hers.
But maybe they should move to the bed first, just in case.
He seemed to have the same thought. They shuffled across the room, still kissing. They paused only long enough to climb onto the bed without injuring themselves. Del tried to maneuver Ro onto her back, but she wriggled free and twisted until he ended up on his back instead. Then she broke away from kissing him and slid down until she straddled his thighs.
“Don’t move,” she said. She meant it to come out as a command, but it sounded more like a plea.
Del craned his head to look at her for a long moment, then dropped it back against the pillow. “As you wish.”
She waited, but he did nothing else. He had ceded control to her. Leaning forward, she took him in her hands.
His hips bucked, but he fisted his hands in the sheets and otherwise did not move. Roena pumped his length twice. Then, when his eyes closed, she leaned forward and took him in her mouth. If she hadn’t been sitting on his legs, she thought he might have come off the bed in reaction. His eyes popped open.
Roena experimented. She licked. She sucked. She tasted every inch of him as she discovered what made him writhe. Then she applied what she learned until he couldn’t hold back anymore. She swallowed him down and kissed a path back up to his lips, wanting him to taste himself the way she had tasted herself on him.
One long kiss later, she sank down onto the mattress, pressed against his side.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he said, fumbling for the blanket.
“Well, I did,” Roena murmured and drifted off into the pleasantest dreams she had ever had.
DEL KNEW HIS smile was ridiculous. He couldn’t help the wide grin, though. His night with Roena might not have gone exactly the way he had always dreamed, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Not when Roena’s eagerness had caused the derailment of his plan. Besides, even in her rush to get to work on time—they had overslept a bit—she had made plans to meet him for supper. Which was why he had spent the entire day smiling.
In a little bit, after supper, he’d have another chance. He started toward the common dining hall where he’d meet her.
“Somebody looks happy today.”
Del tried to scowl; he really did. That’s what you did when your brother teased you, right? But he couldn’t stop smiling. Besides, who knew how long he’d have waited to admit his feelings for Ro if Khiran hadn’t stepped in?
He couldn’t scowl, but he punched Khiran’s shoulder. “Shut up.”
“Ooh, I can finally ask. I mean, I’ve always assumed, but I wasn’t positive. I didn’t want to bring it up while you were pining, but was Ro your first?”
“Well, uh ...” Del was not in the habit of keeping anything from his brother, or he would have simply said yes (or no, depending on his mood).
Khiran knew him too well, though. He certainly knew the answer to his own question, except that he didn’t know that Del and Ro hadn’t technically ...
“Really, Del? I’m not distracting her roommate for you again, just because you are too shy.”
“I don’t need you to distract her roommate. I’m meeting Ro for supper soon. Then she will come to my room tonight. Again. Like she did last night.”
“If Ro went to your room last night, then why is it that you still can’t say she was your first? Your smile a little bit ago certainly looked like the grin of a man who had finally had sex.”
Del crossed his arms. “I’m not discussing this with you, Khir. And it doesn’t matter anyway, because tonight I will tell her that I love her, and she won’t sidetrack me, and tomorrow when you ask your stupid question I’ll be able to say yes.”
“Sidetrack you? What in the five hells—oh!” Khiran chuckled. “Did you at least sidetrack her first? I’m not sure I can still be your brother if you failed at that.”
“Of course I did!”
“Of course you did what?”
Del spun around. There she was, as beautiful as always. Even the severe lines of her maid’s uniform couldn’t hide her lush curves, and the bits of chestnut brown hair poking out from her cap had him remembering that same hair spread across his pillow when he woke up that morning. She was so beautiful that his tongue knotted itself whenever he tried to tell her what she meant to him. But he was going to do it tonight. First, though, he had to figure out what to say right then. He hoped Ro hadn’t heard too much of his conversation with Khiran.
Khiran’s snickers behind him did not help.
“Of course I told His Majesty that I would oversee his holdings.” There, a simple statement. It was what he would have been discussing with Khiran if his brother wasn’t so nosy, too.
Roena’s face fell.
Del rushed to close the distance between them. “Ro? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. That’s wonderful news. You must be honored that the king trusts you so much.”
Honored wasn’t exactly how Del would describe his feelings. King Duirden had pushed him toward this position ever since Master Dven had reported that Del showed an aptitude for such things. He was grateful for the opportunity but wished his uncle had ever shown an interest in him as a member of the family rather than an underling with skills to exploit.
Del couldn’t care less about his uncle at the present, though. Not with Ro looking at him with bright eyes and a forced smile. Why was she on the verge of tears, and why was she trying to hide it from him?
Del gathered her stiff body into his arms and glanced over at Khiran. His brother held up his hands, palms out, and backed away silently.
“Ro, tell me what’s wrong. Please.”
ROENA SNIFFLED. SHE wouldn’t cry. She had Del for right now, didn’t she? That was a better outcome than she had truly expected just yesterday. So he was about to leave Sintal and manage the king’s estates. It didn’t sound like he was leaving tomorrow.
She refused to diminish Del’s joy at having such an important position. Instead, she lied. “It’s nothing, really. I get weepy this time of month, that’s all.”
Del’s cheeks went pink. “Do you need to go lie down? Is there anything I can do? I hadn’t realized, or I wouldn’t have ...”
Roena laughed. It was a watery laugh on the verge of a sob, but a laugh nonetheless. She had Del for only a short time, and she tried to protect it by telling him she had started her courses? How many nights would he still be in the city? How many nights had she just wasted?
“Are you sure you’re all right, Ro?”
“No,” she admitted. “I’m not sure of anything right now.”
“Here, we can go rest in my room.” Del led the way, stealing constant glances at her, the furrow between his eyes deepening after each one.
They reached his room, and he steered her over to the bed, then seated himself on the chair in front of his desk. Ro hated the distance between them, and he was barely beyond arm’s reach. What would she do when he was out in the countryside, farther than she had ever traveled in her life?
Roena slid off the bed and crossed the room to the chair. She crawled into Del’s lap and curled up against his chest. He wrapped her in his arms and stroked her back.
“Which estate will you live at?” she asked with her face pressed against the wool of his jacket.
His hands stopped their soothing motions. “What?”
Ro pulled back enough that her words wouldn’t be muffled, but she didn’t look up. She couldn’t look at him when she asked. “Which estate are you overseeing? Where will you be living? When do you leave?”
Suddenly her face was pressed back against his jacket, Del’s arms becoming iron bands clutching her to him. “No, Ro. I’m not leaving. I’ll never leave you. I love you.”
Roena dared to look at him. “You ... you do?”
“Of course I do. I’ve always loved you, Roena.”
“I’ve always loved you, too. But if the king offered you a position—”
“A position that has me living in the palace. I’ll be overseeing all his estates, so while I will travel some, I don’t have to live anywhere else.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Roena squirmed in his arms, which didn’t loosen in the slightest, until she faced him full on. She kissed him. “I was so afraid I was about to lose you, Del. And I didn’t want to ruin what time we might have left, which is why I lied about what was wrong.”
He kissed her, and his arms finally loosened enough that his hands could skim back down over her back. Lower. “You will never lose me. If His Majesty had offered me a position at one of his estates, I’d have asked you to come with me. If you didn’t want to, then I wouldn’t go. You mean more to me than any job the king can provide.”
“I would go anywhere with you.” She would. Ro had dreamed of the security of a palace job for years, but suddenly it seemed silly to limit herself. Maybe she had always been so set on the palace because she thought Del would always be there. But she could find a job anywhere Del went. Knowing he wanted her by his side was enough to give her courage.
“Tonight, I’m only asking you to go as far as the bed.” He nuzzled against her neck, then pulled back, a comical mix of concern and chagrin in his expression. “That is, if you meant you were lying about ...”
Roena placed a finger against his lips, silencing him. Then she replaced that finger with her own lips. After kissing him thoroughly, she leaned back. “That’s what I meant. Make love to me tonight.”
“My pleasure.”
Del stood, carrying her with him across to the bed. He laid her down and just looked at her, wonder in his eyes.
Ro reached for him, needing him closer. “Love me, Del.”
“Always.”
The Promise
Heat Level: ☕︎☕︎☕︎
Vee R. Paxton
Vee R. Paxton is a Portland Oregon based author of paranormal and fantasy romance.
* * *
The Promise is a prequel story to The Ring of Souls.
* * *
Website
One
“Marjorie, Help me!”
The door to our shop flew open, and Tara’s voice pierced the air as she ran toward me, nearly tripping over her full skirts in her rush.
I looked over at my grandmother busily mixing potions at her window table. Gran’s lush blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the sunlight. She was a stunning woman. Her green eyes sparkled as she smiled and shook her head lightly, clearly amused at the drama being played out. Tara plopped her arms onto the counter, flipping her long, pale blonde hair as she looked back at the door and then to me.
“What is it, Tara?” I asked.
“Oh my God, Marjorie. He’s here, I mean right here. Kat saw him with his mom and sister getting off the train. He can’t see me like this. Help!”
Tara turned to her reflection in the window, ran her fingers through her hair, and straightened her dress. I wondered just how many petticoats she had on underneath there to make it stand out. Here I was lucky if I had one. I noted that her mother allowed her to wear a lower neckline, at least showing something below her neck. Gran kept my tiny frame covered from head to toe. Tara pursed her lips as if giving a kiss to her reflection. Her beauty and style were typical for the area. My looks, not as much. I longed for lighter skin, vibrant blue or green eyes, and lush blonde hair like Gran instead of the slightly tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes, and black hair luck handed me.
I quietly turned to Gran, “Did you know they were coming today?”
“Yes, I did. Lady Maeve notified me she’d be here today. She has some special orders to request. She didn’t mention she was bringing the children. I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you.” Gran said as she grabbed more ingredients for her mixture.
Midwinters at Ealach had always been something I enjoyed. I didn’t have many friends, so I treasured time with Lady Maeve’s children, Gwen and Lazlo. When we were little, Gran and Maeve had found it adorable that Lazlo and I bonded the way we did. We were besties when we were together. Gwen too, but primarily it was Laz and me. At our last visit, things changed. Lazlo hadn’t been as present. He spent more time training with his father and less with me. Then, Gran took me with her on a trip the following year, and we missed going to Ealach. Since that last visit, it seemed Lazlo had become a hot commodity. I hadn’t seen him in nearly two years, but I couldn’t imagine he was that different. I mean, he’d always been cute but, really?
“So, what do you need my help with, Tara?” I asked, turning to my would-be customer after she was finished admiring herself.
“I need my hair to shine like yours and something to make my skin, you know, glow a bit. I need to radiate,” Tara said, lifting her head proudly.
‘No problem, we have those things ready-made. Should I have them put on your family’s account, or are you paying for them yourself?”
“Mom will get it for me. She’d want me to look my best. Oh Marjorie, how can you not look at that man without getting all gooey inside. He is simply dreamy.” Tara said, batting her eyes. She grabbed her potions and swooshed out the door.
Dreamy? Lazlo? It sounded so odd. I went back to the shelves behind our counter and continued putting away the items Gran had just finished. It wasn’t long before the door opened again. I turned to see the Lady of Ealach, Maeve, filling the doorway. She was a tall, stunning woman with lush red hair, the color looking even more radiant against the backdrop of her stylish black wool coat with long fur lapels and cuffs. Gran dusted off her apron and went around the counter, her full skirt brushing the sides as she made her way out.
“Lady Maeve, so good to see you!” she said as the two women shared an embrace.
“Likewise, M, always a pleasure. Children, come on in and say hello to M and Marjorie.”
Gwen wasted no time rushing in, running behind the counter and hugging me. She had always been beautiful, but in her stylish light-blue dress with the cinched waist and full skirts billowing out behind her, she was stunning. Her hair was still a spectacular blonde, but it was beginning to pick up a reddish hue like her mother’s. Her smile was as radiant as ever, and her blue eyes sparkled. Behind her, with a slow stride, strolled her older brother Lazlo.
My breath suddenly left my body. How could this be the same boy? In addition to being taller with broad shoulders, his hair was slightly longer. Loose chestnut curls fell to his shoulders. On top of that, he’d developed a sense of style. His tan overcoat had dark lapels. The collar of a white shirt could be seen peeking out from the top of a rust-colored vest with an elegant pattern in the fabric. His pants were form-fitting enough to flatter his muscular form but still draped beautifully down his body. He even had on impressive leather boots that shone with care and polish. This was the frumpy boy who looked as if he grabbed clothes randomly from a pile the last time I saw him? As much as I didn’t want to use Tara’s words, he was, in fact, dreamy.
“Oh my, Lazlo, you have grown quite a bit since we’ve last seen you,” Gran said.
“Yes, he went through quite the growth spurt, didn’t you, son?” Maeve said, nodding toward him.
Lazlo smiled and nodded. “Things do look a bit different from up here,” he said. His voice was distinctly deeper, adding to his allure.
The two women then made their way toward the back of the shop to continue their discussion.
“He looks down girls shirts from up there is what he does,” Gwen whispered in my ear somewhat loudly. I tried to contain my laughter.
“I heard that, and I do not,” Lazlo said. He leaned over the counter, eye to eye with his sister. His magical blue-green eyes with that hint of violet were sparkling brighter than ever. He curled one side of his mouth in a smile.
“Well, Marjorie, do I get a hug too?” he asked.
Lazlo and I had always exchanged hugs. We even wrestled each other; we were kids together, we played. For some reason, looking at him, I was suddenly nervous.
“Of course, Laz.” I managed to say, despite my apprehension.
He reached over the counter, pulling me into him and hugging me tightly. He smelled earthy, spicy, manly. How did he do that? My heart beat faster than it should have. We pulled apart, and our eyes met. He brought his hand up to my face and artfully tucked a strand of my smooth jet black hair behind my ear as he smiled.
“You get more beautiful every time I see you, Marjorie,” he said softly.
I could say nothing. His voice was deep and smooth, so masculine.
“Yo hoo! Hey Laz, this is Marjorie. Don’t be pulling your fancy flirty tricks on her, or I’ll kick your butt,” Gwen said, “Besides, fancy man, about a dozen women are strolling around outside this shop waiting for a chance to flirt with you.”
He shook his head, still keeping his eyes on me. “This is what she does to me, every day. Please come to Ealach and save me.” He said. There was feigned desperation in his voice. Gwen rolled her eyes. I smiled and shrugged.
