Flames moved through him, over him. He could have sworn that the entire meadow was on fire, yet Tatijana’s skin remained cool to the touch. That sensation of fire and ice added to the scorching heat sheathing his heavy erection. The night air played over his body and overhead the moon bathed them both in beams of light. He couldn’t have asked for a more perfect moment.
Ainaak sívamet jutta oleny.
The whisper filled his mind, moved to hers. “You are bound to me for all eternity.”
They had been bound together long before he invoked the ritual words imprinted on him before his birth. She enhanced everything in his life, made every moment that much richer and more vibrant. More, there was the solace of her sweet body, a refuge when the world around him didn’t make sense.
Tatijana used her tongue to seal the small pinpricks in his neck and slowly opened her eyes. His heart leapt, and then shuddered in his chest. Those multifaceted eyes glowed at him, brilliant emeralds, glazed with desire. She had never been more beautiful.
“
Ainaak terád vigyázak.
You are always in my care.”
With the ritual binding completed, Fen could concentrate on every nuance, every pleasure point in Tatijana’s body. He wanted this night to be engraved in her mind for all time, just as it would always be in his. He took his time, holding her hips rigid, so that she was unable to move as he surged in and out of her body, sheathing himself over and over in her tight channel. Nothing could have been more pleasurable.
Her little frantic moans and pleas added to the rising tension, the way both bodies built and built toward a soaring crescendo. Still, he kept the pace slow, drowning them both in the swirling wash of ecstasy.
Tatijana felt as if she were burning from the inside out. She was surrounded by heat and fire. His skin—so hot to the touch. His body—so firm, like an oak tree with little give. His hands—strong where he gripped her hips and pinned her so effectively. His hips never ceased their rhythm, long, slow, tantalizing surges that only seemed to inflame her more.
She wanted more. Needed more. Was desperate for more. She heard herself moaning. Pleading. She couldn’t stop writhing beneath him. Attempting to lift her hips to meet his. None of it helped. He didn’t stop. Didn’t speed up. Didn’t slow down. Her entire world seemed to be centered on the joining of their bodies. Every nerve ending was inflamed, the tension building higher and higher until she thought she might go insane.
She became aware of his teeth, a subtle pinpoint to that leisurely rhythm that was driving her so crazy, tiny nips along the swell of her breast. With each slow thrust, his teeth scraped over her frantic pulse and her body reacted, clamping hard around him, holding on for life, providing a fresh flood of joyous liquid. Each scrape of his teeth took what little breath she had so that her panting moans became staccato.
He was driving her slowly crazy with need. She couldn’t tell which was worse, the waiting for him to bring her over the edge or the anticipation of his bite. She was right there, so close, yet couldn’t fall. He stretched her out on a rack of pure pleasure, building, always building until fear that the intensity would kill her skittered down her spine. The scraping of his teeth, the little nips as he worked his way from her breast to her neck limited her ability to breathe properly. Her entire body seemed to shudder and writhe in anticipation.
Fen, I can’t breathe. I won’t survive.
Then we’ll both die right here, just like this.
She heard herself give a strangled scream as his teeth sank deep, right over her pounding pulse, the scorching burn between her legs matching the one at her neck. Pain gave way instantly to pleasure. She writhed under him, arched her back and rubbed her breasts along his chest. She couldn’t stay still, moving continually, unable to release the burning, scalding heat and the tension coiling tighter and tighter.
She could feel his pleasure, the mind-numbing pleasure was all pure feeling as he took in the very essence of her. He was everywhere, deep in her body, inside her mind and her blood flowed into him. It was too much and not enough. His pleasure only added to hers. Only took her higher and higher until she was nearly thrashing under him. Pleading with him.
He lifted his head and looked at her, those eyes burning over and through her. Marking her. Branding her. As if he wasn’t already stamped into her very bones. He lowered his head to follow that trickle of ruby red drops down her neck to her left breast with his tongue and then closed the pinpricks.
Her heart pounded even harder in anticipation. His eyes burned with such intensity, such hunger and such love for her she couldn’t believe she had ever gotten so lucky. Her past, all the years in captivity, all the horrendous things she’d seen, were gone when she looked into his eyes. His fingers gripped her hips hard. She had time for one breath and then he thrust into her hard and her world went up in glorious flames.
His body moved hard and fast and deep, over and over and the flames made her feel like the phoenix, burning clean and pure so that her past and the memories of her father and his malicious experiments, the scars she thought would never be gone were reduced to a fine ash and she was remade—reborn. Stronger. Better.
He dragged both legs over his shoulders, driving into her again and again, so deep, those hard thrusts filling and stretching her with every thrust. His face above her, that beautiful face, was carved with such sensuality she found herself staring, loving, shocked at the intensity of emotion when her body was inflamed and writhing with such need.
It was the most beautiful moment of her life. The complete coming together. His love for her. Her knowledge that she loved him every bit as much. That she could wipe out his past as effectively as he wiped out hers. And this . . . this rapture. This insane place only Fen could take her was beyond anything she’d ever known or conceived of.
The pleasure was almost too much, the tension building so fast and hard that she couldn’t catch her breath. He didn’t stop and this time he didn’t slow down, his body moving in hers with purpose, deeper and harder as if he would live there always. Flames rose, she could feel his heat engulfing her, burning her from the inside out. She heard her pleas, her calling his name, her fingers dug into his arms seeking an anchor when she felt as if she might not survive the absolute beauty and pleasure.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes glazed over, but still he continued at a furious pace, the friction building and building, until she felt the first explosive tremor. A series of waves followed, so strong the sensations shook her entire body, running from breasts to thighs, the epicenter in her very core, so that her sheath clamped down on Fen’s heavy shaft, taking him with her on a wild, erotic ride she’d never forget. One she would need to repeat often, and even then she doubted if she would be sated.
They lay together beneath the moon, gasping for breath, clinging to one another, savoring every aftershock. She had no idea how much time passed. She was content to lie in his arms, her ear pressed over his heart, happier than she’d ever been in her life.
Fen stirred first, kissing her several times, and then he whispered into her ear. “We have to finish the ritual.”
He knelt up, making a vee between his legs for her to fit into. He indicated for her kneel as well, facing away from him. Tatijana did as he asked, kneeling in the soft bed of fragrant white petals. Her body felt flushed and achy, completely alive and vibrant.
“Sit back on your heels and open your thighs,” he whispered.
Tatijana felt flushed all over. She’d just made love to her lifemate, but this was way sexy, even after he’d possessed her so thoroughly. She knelt up in front of him, opening her thighs to the night air. Instantly her body reacted with more liquid heat. She felt it trickle down her thighs and felt more sensual than ever.
His arms came around her, palms cupping the weight of her breasts, his fingers and thumb rolling, and tugging her nipples. She gasped as the nerve endings went crazy, sending shocks of electricity straight to her channel. A deep shudder set off another strong ripple.
He urged her to lean back so her head lolled against his shoulder and her breasts jutted even more into his hands. One hand left her breast and made its way slowly down her narrow rib cage to her belly. He pressed his fingers to her shuddering muscles.
“You are so beautiful, Tatijana,” he whispered, “so sensitive to my touch.”
His touch inflamed her. She couldn’t imagine being any more sensitive. She wanted his hands on her always. He was in her mind and knew exactly how every tug and roll of her nipples sent more heat coursing through her veins. She was all too aware of his fingers slipping lower, tracing the dragon over her ovary with a reverent fingertip before continuing the journey lower still.
She closed her eyes, gasping, arching her back when his fingers penetrated deep. Her muscles clamped around him and again delicious strong aftershocks shook her.
“Tied vagyok.”
He whispered the words against her neck, his teeth grazing over her pulse. “Yours I am.”
She loved that he was hers. There could never be another. No other man would ever measure up to him. He reluctantly pulled his fingers from her body and carefully took the blossom he’d set aside earlier, and placed it tight into the junction of her leg so that the soft petals teased her ultrasensitive body. She knew her body was weeping and the flower collected every drop.
“Sívamet andam.”
His hands were at her breasts again. “My heart I give you, Tatijana.”
He had all of her, heart, soul, mind and body. She felt almost as if she was melting with heat. She wanted him all over again. Whatever ceremony with the flower he was completing was a potent one. As she leaned her head back against his shoulder, her hair covered both of them, a long cascading waterfall of silk that felt sensuous against their bodies. Her skin was cool against the heat of his, only adding fuel to the fire of need.
“
Te avio päläfertiilam
—you are my lifemate.”
The way he said the words in his own language, a language so ancient and long gone from the world but for a very few, added to the mystique and beauty of the ritual.
“Now you place the flower, as a symbol of optimum fertility for me and say the words to me. We are bound and asking—pleading—with Mother Nature to bless us with our own children during our time in this world or the next.”
Her hands shook as she carefully picked up the blossom and turned to face him. Kneeling up as he was, his body rock hard, his face carved so masculine, he was beautiful to her. The moonlight spilled over him, streaking his hair with dancing light. Moistening her suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue, she placed their night star flower directly under his very heavy erection. Her hands brushed his sac, fingers lingering a little too long on his thick shaft while the back of her hands slid over the insides of his thighs.
“Tied vagyok.”
She placed her palms on his bare thighs and looked into his eyes. “Yours I am.
Sívamet andam.
My heart I give you.” She meant every word. She couldn’t imagine anything more right than giving her heart into his keeping. “
Te avio päläfertiilam.
You are my lifemate.”
9
T
he first few streaks of dawn’s light poured over the large field, turning haystacks into small hills of gold. The wind touched the sheaves still in the ground, setting them swaying gently, like a softly rolling wave. The air was crisp and cold, but the sky clear.
Costin Eliade yawned as he stepped outside onto his porch to look over his farm. Satisfaction appeared in every line of his body. His farm had been in his family for two generations, and his father as well as his grandfather had done their best to improve the conditions. He’d been the first to seek a higher education and put the procedures he’d learned into practice. He had been the first to bring cattle to the farm and successfully sell his beef to the outside world.
Farming was hard work, but he was a man who took great pride in doing for his family. His animals always had the best of care. His fields were planted with rotating crops, and his irrigation system was up to date and served him well. He was also proud of the house. Many farmers took great care of the land and the livestock, but neglected their dwellings. His wife had no complaints with her indoor bathroom and year-round running water. He made repairs instantly to anything that she pointed out.
In his area, he had become the first to introduce cattle and procure a large contract. His cattle made up most of their income and had elevated them to a decent living. Losing the steers would be devastating not only to his family, but to several other families who had thrown in with him as well. His dogs guarded the cattle, three of them, and they were fiercely protective.
Costin reached for the walking stick he kept on the porch just behind the column. It fit neatly into the palm of his hand, worn from use. The ground was uneven and being the sole provider for his family, he didn’t take chances on accidents. A turned ankle could mean no one feeding the livestock.
Two small goats bleated at him and raced each other around the yard. One leapt up on a small boulder and lifted his nose to the air. The other rushed toward the larger of the two goats, head down in an attempt to butt it off the boulder. The slightly larger goat sidestepped so that the smaller one was forced to jump playfully past. The smaller goat sent his brethren one laughing look and then lowered his mouth to snack on grass just to the left of the corral. Occasionally both looked toward the horses, and then back out to the field.
In the distance, several yards away, most of the cattle still lay in the cushioned grass, sleepy and not quite ready to face the day. A few birds circled above in the sky, a lazy early morning flight before settling in the field to catch any worms not burrowing into the earth.
Costin took a deep breath of the dawn air. This was the time he liked the best. Just between night and day. Everything was always peaceful. There was such beauty surrounding his farm and he was a man who most of the time was far too busy to notice such things, but not at dawn. Dawn was his time to relax and enjoy what he had.