Page 258 of The Dryad Storm

Or’myr grins and draws her tightly against his toe-curlingly aroused form. “That could be arranged,” he croons into her ear. “Repeatedly. I’d like a taste of the whirlpool of delight.”

Tierney’s eyes widen, her flush deepening.

Another laugh escapes Or’myr as he cocks a purple brow at her. “You can’t even handle the bizarrely oblique metaphors?”

Tierney gives him a bashful look. “Apparently not.”

Or’myr shakes his head and mock-frowns.“Westerners.”

Biting her lip, Tierney runs a finger straight down the center of his chest, stopping just below the water’s upper edge. “Do we have to speak?” she teases.

Or’myr shivers, his gaze growing liquid as the water. “Gods no. You gorgeous Xishlon—”

Tierney cuts him off with an impassioned kiss that shocks his lightning through them both. Then another kiss. And another.

“You’re not going to let me get another metaphor out are you,” Or’myr manages when they finally come up for air.

“Be quiet, Or’myr,” Tierney says, raining kisses along the length of his neck. “And ready that great arrow of stone.”

Or’myr huffs out an amused breath. “Oh, it’s long nocked...”

And then his mouth slants down on hers in a shock of power, and Tierney gasps against his lips, her body shuddering in response to the magic in Or’myr’s kiss as he pulls her underwater and the whole world explodes into swirls of purple and lightning-pulsing delight.

Later, Tierney takes in her reflection in the Vo’s shimmering water, which has returned to its blue hue. Dawn’s first light has begun to tint Voloi’s Eastern horizon cerulean through gaps in the cypress grove, the dark, cool sands of the Vo’s eastern bank beneath her feet. Seeking to make sure her reflection isn’t deceiving her, she raises her hand and studies it, a shocked flush heating her cheeks.

She’s still purple.

Completelypurple, with threads of purple lightning crackling over her skin.

She whirls around to face Or’myr, holding up her quite purple hand to him. “Did you know about this?” she demands as he pulls his tunic back on over his tattooed chest, unable to keep from noticing that his other rather impressive attributes are still... well, rather impressive under the cloth of his pants.

“Um, no,” he says, barely able to suppress his delighted smile. His face is flushed, violet lightning dancing over his lips and skin, as well. “How would I have known about it?” he ventures, grinning as he envelops her in a caress. “That was my first time too.”

Tierney purses her lips at him, even as she thrills to the sinuous feel of his arms encircling her, barely able to think around her lingering delight over how good his body and magic can make her feel. She gives him a narrow look. “You’re full of surprises.”

He shoots her a returning sultry look, scanning her purpled form with obvious relish. “Apparently so.”

Tierney glances at her hand again, the purple coloration beginning to fade, some of her Vo blue returning. But still, she remains very much purple. “So, every time we pair,” she presses, “I’m going to light uppurple?”

Or’myr’s grin widens before his expression turns reflective. “I think it’s happening because you’re supposed to get over the Western Realm ridiculousness around this particular pastime.”

Tierney mock-frowns at him. “You’re just feeling smug because you’re ridiculously good at this.”

An eager light sparks in his eyes. “Am I?”

“Do you really need me to stroke your ego?” Tierney sputters. “You turned mepurple!”

Or’myr flashes a wicked grin. “You could stroke other things...”

A throaty laugh escapes Tierney. “You just want to see if you can make me erupt into lilac fireworks.”

“I am up for the challenge,” he valiantly offers.

Tierney shakes her head and blows out a breath, her flush intensifying. “This is a mortifying conversation.”

“I’m not going to lie,” Or’myr says as he reaches up to trace the skin just above her tunic’s collar. “My ego is doing cartwheels. I just turned the most desirable woman in the entire Eastern Realmpurple.”

Tierney shoots him another derisive glare, but she can’t maintain it. Her mouth twitches into a smile, her heart so warm and full of him.

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