Authors: Gloria Harchar
"
Your wishes?"
"
Yes
.
I don
'
t wish to become enamored with you.
"
She had to fight the overwhelming pain his comment caused. Did he even know what he wanted? His actions contradicted his words. Those times he
'
d kissed her, touched her intimately, weren
'
t actions of a man who didn
'
t want love. In fact, those very acts, the manner in which he had to fight her, his very anger right this minute spoke of deep feelings for her—deep enough that he had to fight to keep his desire in control. Damnation, she was going to break that control, because she was going to get what
she
wished for in life, and he would soon realize he wished for it, too.
Love.
Her hand balled into a fist, and she decided to fight.
"
On the contrary, my lord.
"
"
Excuse me?
"
"
I beg to differ, but you don
'
t know your wishes at all. Or your fate. You see, you
'
re part of a legacy of magical
pixie
s who have determined your destiny. And even if you don
'
t know it, your ultimate destiny is to fall in love with me.
"
Silence thicker than a lumpy batch of
Clockwork
Blue
dye
settled over the carriage.
Malcolm
'
s curse was rough and low.
"
You have a death wish.
"
"
Yes
, I
suppose so
...
though actually it
'
s a
petite mo
rt
I
'
m after.
"
He coughed, or made a choking sound.
"
Where did you learn that
phrase?"
Her comment had come from a wicked part of her, she knew. But she must get his attention.
"
The French midwife. She told me all about it.
"
"
Bloody hell. What kind of midwife is she? A former courtesan?
"
His guess made her smile.
"
Actually, I believe she was. She married our local solicitor. They seem very happy.
"
He grasped her by the chin.
"
You
'
re going to quit playing these little games,
Nicola
. Do you
understand?'
"
No, because it
'
s not a game. Our marriage is very
,
very
real.
"
She rubbed the hand that held her chin, hoping
Malcolm
could see the earnestness in her
eyes
.
"
You are my husband, and I
'
m completely devoted to making you happy.
"
"
Don
'
t you understand? You cannot survive if you get too close. I will make mincemeat pie out of you.
"
He scooped her up and settled her on his lap. She
'
d barely gotten her breath from that unexpected move when he covered her lips with his. It wasn
'
t a sigh that escaped her, but more of a moan. And she didn
'
t shiver—she quaked strong enough to bang the leather soles of her shoes against the side of the cab. If he hadn
'
t wrapped his other arm around her, tucking her into the surging power of his body, she would have fallen onto the floor in a mindless heap. His mouth ravaged hers in a piratic kiss—a kiss that would steal what might not be freely given. But if he was a pirate then she was a privateer, taking what she wanted in return. His tongue foraged her mouth, silky heat melting her bones even as she met his challenge and dueled for mastery.
A heady rush of pleasure rocked her to her toes.
"
I want to be your pie to eat.
"
He growled.
"
How you twist my words, little minx.
"
Then she felt her bodice shift, waiting cool air across her breasts. He surrounded one with the warm, moist heat of his mouth. Pulling sensations hit her belly and then lower in her womanhood, as if a magical string were attached
to her nipples
. She gazed down at his dark head as he moved from first one breast to the other.
Night frogs chirped in the countryside. The carriage wheels crunched on the rocky road as the conveyance
swayed
. A wolf howled in the distance. In the light of the moon,
Nicola
could see
Malcolm
'
s dark head moving as he suckled her. Then he turned his head, keeping his cheek presse
d against the turgid peak
.
"
You bewitched everyone at the soiree. Even Clarence.
"
His shaven cheek rubbed against the tender nubbin, the slightly rough feel sending currents of excitement to her stomach. Without realizing exactly why she did it, she arched back. Her nipple found his mouth.
He groaned, then tongued it. Shivers of delight chased down her spine. After a while he looked down.
"
See how
they glisten from my attention? They
'
ve grown long and hard.
"
"
Yes
, only for you.
"
Her words seemed to jolt him, for he withdrew.
"
Don
'
t.
"
The fiercely uttered word startled her.
"
Don
'
t what?
"
He pulled up her bodice, covering her breasts, which ached with need.
"
Don
'
t make the mistake of falling in love with me.
"
"
You commanded me to marry you. Now you
'
re going to command me to not love you?
"
"
Just remember that I forced you. I married you for your
dye
. The small
pleasure
s
we find in each other will not harm you as long as you remember that.
"
"
I regret to tell you this, but you cannot control my feelings
, nor can I control mine
.
"
"
R
emember I warned you. If you fall in love with darkness, you
'
ll never recover your soul.
"
She could feel the carriage slow.
"
What is all this about darkness and lost
souls?"
"
Haven
'
t you figured it out by now?
"
"
What?
"
"
The rumors. They
'
re true.
"
She stared at him, her mouth dry.
He leaned close.
"
You see, I really did kill my brother.
"
"
There you are,
"
Allegro exclaimed
when he finally spied
Glissando
in the gardens behind Septima Manor. He hovered above the place
Glissando
sat curled in a ball.
"
What are you doing, hiding on that oak tree leaf? I never would have found you if I hadn
'
t discovered your magic
al
compass.
"
Glissando
glanced at him,
and
then turned away, his head on his arms.
"
Did it ever occur to
you
that I didn
'
t want to be found?"
"
Why not? What
'
s wrong with you, anyway? You sound different.
"
He couldn't put his finger on the reason.
"D
on
'
t tell me that.
"
He hid his face in the crook of his arm as a tremor swept through him.
"You aren't slipping your notes. They are starting to sound purer."
"
Nooo," Glissando said on a moan. "
Go away.
"
"
I
'
ll not do it. Are you all right?
"
Taking a good look, for the first time he noticed the paleness of
Glissando
'
s mag
ical green light. The white tinge
around his lips didn
'
t look good, either.