Page 77 of Kiss of Magic

She kissed him hard, deliberately stroking her drenched slit over his erection. He groaned as he felt how hot she was, how wet. She bathed him in her juices, and then she took him inside her.

He had never felt anything as good as this. Never.

She rode him rhythmically, lost in pleasure. He drank in the vision of her writhing above him. She looked divine. Her head was thrown back and sweat glistened between her breasts. As long as he lived, he knew he wouldn’t see anything as perfect again.

He rolled her onto her back and thrust deep, needing to claim her more thoroughly. His steady strokes left her panting. She spread her legs wide, urging him on.

“Ethan,” she moaned. “Ethan... oh…”

The air around them started to shimmer. Through half-closed eyes, Blake saw Dani’s skin turn silvery with thousands of tiny sparkly lights.Her magic, he thought. Magic was spilling from her as her cells overloaded with sexual energy.

It swirled around them both in a glittering, shining cloud. And when it touched him, his own pleasure intensified.

“Dani…”

She arched her spine and raked her nails down his back. Her muscles clenched around his shaft, sending delicious pulses through his groin and into the rest of his body. She cried out as her second climax shuddered through her and he was lost.

Their fingers entwined as they soared together, caught in a maelstrom of pounding passion that left both of them gasping for breath.

And afterwards, Blake held her in his arms until the last of the silvery lights faded and she fell asleep in his arms.

Thirty Five

Valkar

Ren rode past the line of troops on the outskirts of Valkar. They were gathered in groups of three, each in charge of one of the recalibrated thermal weapons supplied by Palissandra.

The guns were larger and heavier than the original versions. They were mounted on stands that could swivel through one hundred and eighty degrees. But in order to aim it took two men to push it round and a third to operate the trigger.

Ren nodded courteously at the soldiers, giving a word of encouragement here and there. They were grim-faced and watchful, and she knew they had families they were worried about.

She reined in Mistral and glanced at the castle in the distance. There were hundreds of people in there, taking shelter. Praying that Valkar’s walls would hold firm if the demons broke through the defences.

She looked for her father. Salaq was also on horse-back and had ridden forward some five hundred yards to scan the horizon. She cantered over to join him.

“It all seems quiet,” she commented. He kept his eyes on the far distance.

“The invasion has started, it’s only a matter of time before they reach Valkar.”

Ren gritted her teeth. Her father may as well have called her an idiot.

“Darian and Tala?”

“They left with the armoured convoy this morning.”

“They should be in Arjhan by now.” Ren perked up. “Perhaps the new weapons will stop the demons in their tracks. Perhaps they’ll never get this far.”

Salaq tossed his daughter an impatient glance. He reminded himself that she was the Empress and had to be accorded respect. Even so, his words were edged with irritation.

“You are too naïve, Morenna. And too trusting in technology. The weapons might slow them down but they won’t be able to cull them all. In the end, the demons will get through. We must be on our guard.”

“Yes, father.”

She stifled a sigh. It was clear her father would have preferred her not to be here. But Valkar was her childhood home and the people here were dear to her. She couldn’t abandon them. And though she’d hated leaving Kam, she knew he’d be able to focus more clearly if she was as far away from Arjhan as possible.

Not that being in Valkar was necessarily safe, she reflected. The seal had broken and now all bets were off.

She cast her father a sidelong glance.

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