Page 24 of Shadowbound

I murmur a quick cleaning spell to wipe away the wine of the circle and his seed which was spilled during the ritual. I hope my Paladin enjoyed his orgasm—it’s the last he’ll get for some time. Then I lead him into the bed chamber.

“Where do I sleep? Beside you?” he rumbles and casts a hopeful look at the bed.

I shake my head.

“No, I don’t allow my Blood-servants to sleep with me.” I don’t elaborate on that—don’t tell him that the last man who slept at my side was Kraven and he tried to Drain me. It’s going to take me some time to trust again. Even a male as straightforward as Alaric appears to be will have to prove himself before I can feel comfortable letting him sleep at my side.

“Where then? On the fucking floor?” he asks, scowling.

“I have a servant’s bed—it pulls out from the foot of my own bed.”

I walk to the carved wooden end of my tall canopy bed and push the hidden latch in the footboard. A trundle bed comes sliding out. It’s not quite long enough for Alaric’s immense height, but he can curl up or let his legs hang over the end. And the mattress is extremely comfortable.

He takes a look and his scowl deepens but he only shrugs and says,

“Better than sleeping on the ground like I have been, I guess.”

“I’m glad you’re making the most of it,” I say lightly. “I will allow you on the bed for my nightly power building session but when it’s time to sleep you must go to the servant’s bed.”

“Power building session?” he asks, frowning. “What’s that? I don’t understand.”

“Magical power isn’t free,” I explain as I settle myself in the center of my bed with my back against the padded headboard. “It must be paid for—worked for. It must be earned through pain, pleasure, or blood.”

“That’s not true—my Celestial Fire just builds up inside me,” he counters.

“Only after you hurt yourself. Or in the case of the Binding Ritual, when you feel pleasure,” I point out. “Either way you’re building magical power. In time, I will train you to store your power inside your person. For now, the collar you wear will store it when it overflows.”

“But how do you build power?” he asks.

“Come and see.” I motion him to the foot of the bed. “You may watch me but you cannot touch, understood?”

“Understood. Hands off,” he growls, but settles across from me willingly enough. He’s still naked and I can’t help enjoying the sight of his big, muscular body. His cock has gone down a little but it hardens again immediately when I spread open my robe, revealing my body.

“Gods, Mistress—you have the most beautiful breasts and the sweetest little pussy,” he murmurs hoarsely.

“Thank you, my Paladin,” I say, smiling. “Then you should enjoy watching me build power.”

“Why do you need to, though?” he asks. “Can’t you just use your Shadow Magic?”

“I did use it—several times tonight when I caught you and restrained you,” I point out. “My personal reserve is now low—I need to refill it. Also, I need to send some magic to my tower so things will keep working smoothly.”

As I speak, I reach into the drawer of my bedside table and withdraw my pleasure wand. It’s made of a long, deep purple crystal that glows from within when I use it. The minute I take it in my hand, it begins to hum. I rub its smooth tip across my tight nipples. They’re already sensitive from the way Alaric sucked them earlier and the tingling vibration of the magical crystal feels good on my delicate flesh.

“Gods, Mistress,” Alaric murmurs, his eyes suddenly lazy with lust. “Are you really going to pleasure yourself in front of me?”

“You can feel free to…to join in, if you wish,” I say breathlessly. I rather like having an audience for my power-building sessions. “I have no objections to you touching yourself while you watch me—though of course the ring I placed on your shaft won’t let you come.”

He shakes his head.

“I told you—self-abuse is a sin.”

“Then I suppose I’m going to Hell for this,” I say and begin sliding the smooth head of the pleasure wand down my body. I spread my legs so he can get a good view and slide it between the lips of my pussy. I moan and arch my back as the tingly vibration teases my clit. Goddess of Pleasure, that feels so good.

“Gods, Mistress!” Alaric’s deep voice is a groan and I see his big hand is hovering over his shaft.

“Go ahead,” I urge him breathlessly. Goddess, I like the feeling of his eyes on my body! Kraven was so cold to me near the end, right before he tried to Drain me. It’s been a long time since a man looked at me with such desire and lust.

“I shouldn’t,” he groans but when I slip the pleasure wand inside my pussy and begin to fuck myself with it, he can’t hold out any longer. I see his big hand sliding over his cock at the same rhythm I’m using to thrust the wand into my pussy and I know that we’re in sync.

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