Page 45 of Courting the Fae Captain
“Aeris,” he said softly as he rose.
“Don’t,” I said with a shake of my head as I looked at him. “I don’t need promises right now. I just need to feel something other than fear and anxiety. Everywhere I turn, something else appears to remind me that I’m not safe, I’m not free. I want…”
“Say it,” he purred. He had his eyes intensely fixed on me, waiting, yielding. “Say it and it’s yours, little lark.”
“I…” He took one step, then another from the bed, his eyes darkening as he took me in, as they seemed to undress the near-naked state I was already in. My voice came out barely a whisper, “I want you.”
“You have me, Aeris. You always did.” He crossed the room in seconds, taking my face between his hands and consuming my entire being with a kiss. He pressed me against the door, his touch like fire, burning me as he held me firmly in his grasp. I melted into the embrace as he consumed my every breath. Then those hands shifted down my neck, tilting my head to the side where he planted heavy kisses in the sensitive curves.The smell of leather and rum washed over me, and I sucked it in until I was heady with the scent of him. His kisses trailed down my chest, his hands snaking over the thin fabric of my gown to settle firmly on my hips.
I shrugged the gown down my shoulders and unhooked the front clasp of my strapless bra, letting it drop to the floor. He eyed me hungrily, his gaze turning molten as he brushed my hair over one shoulder.
“Beautiful,” he said, his tone filled with awe. “You are so beautiful.”
His hands shifted my gown over my skin, used it to caress and explored me, gliding up my sides and front. He removed hispalms from my skin, then gently caressed my nipples over the fabric, which scratched against my flesh, sending little waves of pleasure down to my core.I could feel my wetness soaking into my underwear, even as one of his hands resumed wandering until it brushed over the thong and pushed it to the side with his thumb. I gasped as his fingers slid down and replaced the space the thong had been covering. My gasp turned into a moan as he toyed with that flimsy strap once again and snapped it clean off my body.
“While this is sexy,” he said, his voice deepening into a low growl as he grabbed the gown, “I’d much prefer you wear something I give you. Better yet?” He eased it down my body, kissing my collarbones as he went. “I’d much rather you wore nothing at all.”
His fingers returned to their place between my legs, sliding home and eliciting another gasp of pleasure from me. He increased their tempo as his fingers slid in and out of me, then circled the tender bud until I thought I might combust. I whimpered, enraptured by the entirety of him as my spine pressed harder against the door which thudded with every stroke and pulse.
“Raithe,” I whispered, his name like a prayer on my lips.
“Yes, little lark?”
A soft sigh escaped me as my walls began to mirror the rhythm of his fingers, contracting and building, my blood heating in response. “Make me sing.”
“With pleasure.” He lifted me, planting his hands on my ass as he carried me over to the bed, where he placed me gently and spread my legs wide. Then he fell to his knees and worshipped me with his tongue until I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
“Oh gods,” I cried, my spine arching as I pushed against his face, wanting more, more, more. He devoured me, so focused on his feast that he didn’t notice my shadows that settled overthe room like a fog.My legs began to shake, and then I was climaxing. My entire body released in a long breath of mumbled pleas and curses. There was only him. In this fucked-up world of Rites and dark power and cruel and wicked things, there was only him.
When he was done, he moved me gently so I was lying on my back and looking up at the stars through a glass window directly above the bed. I could have been floating up there with them, lost in a world without end. It was perhaps the first time I’d given myself so freely to someone, completely unguarded. And, honestly, the first time I’d ever wanted to.
“Raithe,” I said, his name slow and lazy as a comfortable, heavy weight settled deep into my limbs. I wanted to explore him; to give him the pleasure he so easily wrought from me, but I was slipping away. Slipping to a safe place I hadn’t known I’d yearned for.
“Sleep,” he said as he placed a kiss first to my forehead, then another to my lips. “I am here.”
Yes. He was here, and I thought for a moment I might like it to stay that way.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
‘Any Bone Cleaver from the Bone Court can manipulate and guide the dead, but it takes a strong wielder indeed to reanimate multiple corpses for any significant time. In the right hands, such a powerful gift could turn the tides of war… or incite one.’
The Trials and Traditions of a Mithrian Fae
The next day, I was once again forced to take part in our daily combat training. Only this time, I was joined by the captain himself, if only for a short time. We had arrived early and decided to do some of our own practice while waiting. Raithe slammed me onto the training mat, his face a picture of cocky arrogance.
“Where is your head this morning? It wouldn’t have something to do with last night, would it?”
I smiled slyly as I wriggled beneath his grip. “You mean the excellent sleep I had? I got so much of it, I’m sure I can’t quite remember whatever exciting activity you’re talking about.”
He placed a hand over his heart. “Savage, little lark. I’ll be sure to remember that the next time I make you scream to the stars. We can play beneath them all night if you’d prefer.”
“The next time?” I shoved him playfully and swung my legs out, rising to my feet. “That’s awfully presumptuous of you.”
“I’m an awfully presumptuous guy when I know I can back my words up.” He held his hand out and gestured in a come-hither motion. “Come at me and do not hold back.”
I shifted to a low stance and grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” I charged, jabbing twice before throwing an upper hook. The bastard smoothly angled out of the way with ease, but I wasn’t done. I feinted, then twirled around his body to knee him in the balls. But he grabbed my knee before it could land, as I knew he would, and I lashed out with a punch to his throat.To my eternal surprise, this one almost landed. His eyes widened as he cleared his throat.
“Unexpectedly dirty … I approve. But enough combat for now. Show me how you wield.”
