Page 51 of Flame and Starlight

I straddled his waist and let the towel fall to the floor. I rested my forehead against his and let my emotions flow through that bond he had created. I let myself feel his as they moved across our skin.

Adoration. Hope. Fear. And something a bit more demanding in the present moment.

A deep rumble through his chest had my breath hitched in my throat and my hips moving against him, hard and ready.

“How will I ever be able to stay mad at you?” I asked against his mouth.

“I’m really hoping you never can. You were terrifying.” He laughed and moved his fangs against my neck. I tilted my head to the side to give him better access. I rolled my eyes.

“Bite me, Asher.”

“With pleasure, princess.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Zemira met us on the road the next morning, worry lines marking her otherwise flawless face. I let Asher do most of the talking and leaned against the carriage door. My new Fae ears wouldn’t let me miss a second of their conversation, but I pretended it did and stared out into the forest covered in deep snow. Who knew I would be such an interesting topic of conversation?

“Alys?” I turned my face towards Zemira and smiled. She walked over towards me, and I pushed off the door. “What Asher told me has me troubled. That power is something you need to learn how to control before it learns how to control you.”

I nodded and kicked some snow with my boots. We were leaving this morning instead of staying for the Solstice celebration because they both thought it was too risky to keep me out among people. I didn’t feel like fighting with a High Lord and a High Lady, but I honestly didn’t think it mattered where I was. It seemed that they would come for me no matter where I was. But I was mentally exhausted, and being back in my own room sounded comforting.

Zemira put a hand on my shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts. Her smile was reassuring as she leaned forward and whispered in my ear so that Asher couldn’t hear.

“Don’t reach for a savior, Alys. Reach for a knife. Be your own savior.” She leaned back and met my eyes with a fierce look in her own. My fingers twitched, and the dagger on my thigh suddenly felt much heavier. Her words spurred something in my blood that I recognized as courage. A new determination overtook my anxiety. She winked, and with a kiss on Asher’s cheek, she walked back towards town.

Asher walked over and took my face in his hands, stroking my cheekbones with his thumbs. The worry behind his eyes was almost enough to break my heart. I had to get this shit under control before it broke him, too.

“What did she tell you, little duck?”

“Just a few words of encouragement.” I stood on my toes, and he met me halfway. His lips were so soft on mine I couldn’t help but lean into it. The kiss deepened and started to remind me of all the other places his mouth had been last night…and this morning. My skin heated as his desire flooded into me. Gods, his desire for me made my knees weak. I could feel it build in my chest, reaching out and twining with his.

He growled into my mouth and lifted me into the carriage and pounded twice on the roof. It lurched into motion as he sat me on top of him, my simple wool dress pooling around his thighs. His impressive length pressed into my core, and I ground into it.

“Fuck, princess,” he whispered as he trailed his kisses along my jaw and down my neck. My nipples peaked and strained against the fabric. “I’m at your mercy. Ask anything of me and it’s yours. I’m yours.”

I laughed and pushed all the fabric out of the way and untied his pants. “Round four?”

He caught my mouth in a bruising kiss, his tongue exploring, teeth clashing. I finally got him freed from his pants and hovered just above him, rubbing the tip up and down my wetness. His hand trailed up my side, over my breast, and landed around my neck.

“You aren’t wearing any panties,” he groaned and squeezed. I smiled and watched his lips part in a sigh as I slowly lowered myself down on him, inch by excruciating inch, until he was in me to the hilt. While he was distracted, I moved my hand from him to the dagger at my thigh and brought it to his throat. I smiled as his eyes went wide, and his hand fell from my throat.

“Sit there and behave for once, High Lord.” I started to move against him, while still pressing the blade against him just enough to make sure he didn’t move. It was my turn to be in control.

His fingers gripped my hips with such strength I knew I would have little purple cherries there. Knowing he was barely holding himself together just spurred me on. I could feel the heat rise in my belly and my toes start to curl. I took deep breaths, letting it wash through my body. I rolled my head back, and the dagger fell out my hand as I gripped his shoulders for support.

He pulled my dress down, and as he latched onto my breast, I fell over the waterfall. I knew the driver was a mere few feet away, but I was never good at being quiet. Asher’s hand covered my mouth and squeezed as I let out a scream that would have otherwise woken the dead.

“Let me see those beautiful eyes,” he said, his hand dropping to my jaw and forcing me to look at him. I knew my eyes were hooded but glowing. He loved them, his personal starlight. He pushed back against me, taking his own pleasure as I gripped him and moved with him. I leaned forward, gripped his jaw, his stubble rough against my fingertips, and pushed my lips against his.

“Come for me, High Lord. Show me what I do to you.”

He seized my mouth with such force I tasted blood, and it lit a fire in my veins. I wanted more and sucked harder on his lip. He tasted like life itself, like starlight and darkness and sin, and I couldn’t get enough of it. He groaned and pressed a thumb against the bundle of nerves between my thighs.

“Oh, fuck,” I growled into his mouth.

“My sentiments exactly,” he said through harsh breaths. I felt my own orgasm building again, the heat of it stirring deep in my belly. A few more thrusts and we came together, sweaty and spent.

I leaned my forehead against his. “That was so inappropriate with the driver right outside.”

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