Page 18 of Magic Undaunted

When he was helping one of the wounded to get to Elowen, she pulled him aside. “She needs you,” she said softly. “Even if she doesn’t know it, she does.”

Stryker said nothing but went in search of Elyria. Elowen was right, Elyria had never been one to ask for help. She had been trained to be a fae warrior, and she had been taught that asking for anything was a sign of weakness. He searched the camp looking for her, but she wasn’t to be found.

As he started a second search, Finnian approached him. “I still don’t trust you,” he started without preamble, “but she’s our leader, and if she does, I suppose that should be good enough for me.”

“Is it?” Stryker quipped.

“I don’t know, but it’s a start. Anyway, I saw her heading out to the perimeter of where we have people posted. I think she spent so much of her life alone, that sometimes she just needs a little space where she can just be without having to be in charge.”

“So you’re telling me I should leave her alone.” It wasn’t what Stryker wanted to hear, but he couldn’t argue with Finnian’s logic.

“No. I’m just telling you where I think you might find her. She isn’t always good at asking for what she needs.”

“You think she needs me?”

Finnian nodded. “Like I said, I don’t know that I trust you completely, but I saw the two of you fight together. You don’t develop that kind of synchronicity with someone unless you’ve shared a little part of your soul with them. If Elyria trusts you enough to do that, it means at least at one time you were worthy of that trust. I care about her, Stryker—not just as a leader, but as a person. I can’t give her what she needs, but I’m starting to think you can.”

With that, Finnian turned and went to help with more of the cleanup. Stryker watched him walk away and then headed out to the boundary of the rebel encampment. He found her there with her arm bent, pressed against the tree, leaning against it with her forehead. Her body looked worn down—not just from the battle, but from everything that had happened. She had needed him in the past and he had failed her; he would not do so again.

He purred softly to her as he stepped up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. There had been a time she had found the sound comforting. She lifted her head to look over her shoulder, not even bothering to hide the exhaustion and pain he saw there. Before she could straighten or move away, Stryker tightened his grip. “No,mon chere, you stay where you are. Let me take care of you.”

“I don’t need taking care of,” she said, trying half-heartedly to get away.

Stryker chuckled quietly. “You need more taking care of than anyone I have ever known, but when you needed me the most, I failed you. Do you think you can ever forgive me?”

He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until she relaxed against him. “I don’t know, but I do know I want to.”

With his free hand, Stryker moved her hair out of the way, nuzzling her neck before kissing it. “That will do for a start.”

“I’ve missed you,” she admitted, her voice breaking.

“And for that I am so sorry. You never should have had to. Forgive me,” he said placing kisses all along her neck and the top of her shoulder.

As she moaned and relaxed against him, drawing on his strength, Stryker ran his hand down her spine, tracing every vertebra until he reached the hem of her shirt. Stopping there, he teasingly ran his fingers along the thin fabric before sliding his hand beneath the waistband of her leather pants, pushing them down, baring her ass to the warm, sultry breeze that began to dance around them.

Stryker leaned in close and pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, trailing tiny wisps of hot breath across her skin. "I promise not to take off too much—just enough to get the job done," he murmured huskily before sliding them down the rest of the way and bringing his hand back up under her shirt to cup her breast, flicking his thumb across the rapidly tightening nipple. “After all, I’m not big on sharing, and I don’t need every man in this ragtag army of yours seeing what’s mine.”

He’d prepared himself for a sharp elbow to the ribs, but instead was rewarded with a soft chuckle as she said, “Tell me more.”

The cool air played across her skin as she stood there, naked from the waist down with one of his hands holding her hip and the other fondling her breast. Stryker could feel not only his cock tightening but his heart racing. There was a thrill of anticipation but also exhilaration. How many times had he dreamed of holding her once more? As he continued to massage her breasts and nipples, his other hand slid down and brushed against her sex, his fingers tracing circles around the dampness between her legs as his other hand slipped under her bra. The scent of thebayou mixed with their sweat filled his nostrils as he leaned in closer to kiss and nip at her neck again.

Without warning, a single finger slipped inside her, just one and then another. Moaning again, she closed her eyes as he began to slip inside her, his fingers seeking and finding her sweet spot. He wondered when the last time had been where someone saw to her needs. “Let me take care of you Elyria,” he whispered in her ear.

His other hand teased just the edge of her nipple before pinching it gently. A shiver ran through her as he pulled back the other hand just a bit and added another finger, stretching her out and hitting that sweet spot deep inside her over and over again.

Elyria stifled a moan as she pressed back against him, desperate for more even as his thumb circled her clit faster and faster. His hips ground into hers now, giving her evidence of his need for her as well. He realized if he pushed much harder, he’d be poking her through his leather trousers.

"Fuck..." Stryker panted softly as he picked up the pace even more, each thrust of his fingers deeper than the last.

“Yes,” she sighed, bringing her arm down and leaning against the tree with her hands for support as he began to whisper dirty little nothings in French in her ear, making her even more aroused than before.

He reached down and pinched her clit before rubbing it gently, and he thought she might come right then and there. But he wasn’t ready for that. He pulled away slowly, trailing his wet fingertips across her clit and upward before unfastening his fly. Elyria gasped softly as the blunt head of his cock found her slit and teased her.

His cock pressed into her, hard and ready against her already aching entrance. He murmured sweet nothings in French as he slowly slid inside her. His stomach clenched at her tightness ashe began to move in deep slow strokes. His lips trailed hot kisses along her neck, down her back, making her whole body shudder. As he picked up the pace, his hands gripped her hips tightly, holding her close with each thrust that pushed his cock deeper inside. She arched her back as he hit that spot inside her again and again. He could feel the orgasm building between them.

Elyria gasped as he grabbed her breast roughly, massaging the hardened nipple between his fingers. He bit down on her earlobe gently before whispering, "You feel so good. I’d forgotten… no that isn’t right. I’d convinced myself that it didn’t feel this good. I was wrong.”

She nodded frantically as he pulled out slightly then plunged back in deeper than before, bottoming out before waiting a moment. The feel of his beard scraping lightly against her neck made goosebumps break out over the rest of her skin.

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