Authors: Melissa Schroeder
She opened her eyes and looked at herself again. Her hands
were fisted on the table in front of her. Her ring sparkled in the light. It
wasn’t new. The design spoke of another era, and she wondered at the age of it.
It looked as if it had come from another world. Two bands of gold twisted
together, then knotted in the center. A ruby sat atop the knot. There was
wording, but she could not read the ancient text.
“I hope you like it. It has been in the family for many
years.”
At the sound of his voice, she turned around and saw him
standing behind her. How such a big man seemed to move without making a sound
was beyond her. And at that moment, she truly couldn’t think of anything. He
was wearing a pair of silk pants and a robe. He had left it untied, allowing
her to see his bare chest.
“Cordelia?”
“What?” She tore her gaze away from his chest and then
raised it to meet his. “Oh, the ring. It is very beautiful.”
“It was my grandmother’s.”
She held her hand against her chest. “Oh.”
She did not know what to say to that. It meant so much more
to her now, but she had a feeling if she said that to Nico, he would ignore it,
or worse, pity her. She barely knew the man. His entire life was a mystery to
her, but there was something about him that made her want to be with him.
"Such a serious expression," Nico said, drawing her attention back to
him. "What are you thinking about?"
She wanted to lie and say nothing because that is what
another woman would do. She could not. Cordelia was horrible at lying, and for
some reason, she knew she could not lie to Nico.
"That I don't know you."
He nodded. "I don't know you either, but that is not so
different from other married people much of the time."
She sighed. "Yes, but for a man it is different. You
have more power, more freedom."
He frowned as he swirled the brandy in his glass, stopping
to take a drink. "You will have your freedom."
She blinked. "What do you mean by that?"
"I am not a man who thinks that you have to answer to
me all the time."
"And you do not have to answer to me."
Which meant, as she knew most powerful men always did, he
would have his affairs.
"I can see wheels turning in that pretty head of yours,
but I think that you need not worry about those things tonight. We can work out
the details on how we will get on later."
He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. His breath
feathered over her flesh a moment before they made contact. The small gesture
sent a sizzle of heat racing up her arm and then spread throughout her body. He
looked up at her. His smile dissolved as his eyes turned dark. Her own body was
already responding. It was odd that this man could make her want things she had
never even fathomed before meeting him.
Not true. She had thought about the marriage bed but had never
thought she would have to worry about it. Now she was ready to jump in
headfirst, although there was a little bit of fear along with the excitement.
"I would love to know what goes on in that head of
yours."
She smiled. "It is never all that interesting."
"I find everything about you interesting."
At first, she wanted to push aside the words. He couldn't
truly mean it, could he? Most men disdained her thoughts or that she had a mind
of her own. But from the serious look on his face, he really cared. Cordelia
could not help the thrill of knowing that, at least to Nico, she was
interesting. And, at this moment, that was all that mattered.
"Come," he said gently, and tugged her along to
the bed. He waited for her to sit down and then took the place beside her. This
time there was no hesitation in him. He leaned next to her and kissed her neck,
right on the pulse point. Instantly, her body heated as she felt something
strange and exciting tug at her. Nico continued to kiss her neck, then kissed a
path up to her mouth. He cupped her face and without closing his eyes, he took
her mouth.
She felt his tongue gliding over her lips then he pulled
back. "Open up for me, love. Let me inside."
She didn't hesitate. She opened her mouth and closed her
eyes. His tongue darted in and she could taste the brandy he'd had at the
reception.
He eased her back on the mattress as he hovered over her,
still kissing her. All her worries seemed to slide away as her body took over
her mind. Heat as she had never before felt went racing through her blood. Her
body pulsed with a need she did not know she had ever had before. His fingers
traced her jawline, and she wanted them to move lower. Her breasts ached, her
nipples almost painfully so. She arched up, offering her body to him, wanting
to feel his hands move over her flesh.
As if he understood, he slipped his hand down her neck to
her breasts, his mouth following the same path. She thought he would pull her
flimsy nightdress away, but he did not. Instead, he set his mouth atop the fabric
and teased her nipple. The sensation of the wet fabric sliding over her was
amazing. She had thought it would give her some kind of relief, but it did not.
Instead, as he continued to alternately lick and suck at her, the ache in her
breasts increased. Before he was done, he had teased both her breasts. Her
stomach muscles tightened as he slid his way down her body. He made easy work
of her gown, pulling it up and over her head. Then he kissed a path down her
belly. With each touch of his mouth, her stomach quivered. He nipped at her
skin, then licked it.
Heat surged, and her head spun.
Just as several nights ago, she was shocked, but she now
knew what to expect. He set his mouth upon her sex as he slipped his tongue
inside of her. The tension in her stomach tightened. Everything in her wanted
something, some kind of release into pleasure, just as she had in the library
days before. She lost all sense of time. The only thing she was aware of was
the feel of his tongue against her most private parts. She grew slick with
anticipation, and her heart was galloping out of control. Biting her bottom
lip, she tried to hold back the moan vibrating in her throat.
Nico must have sensed it. He growled against her, the
tremors skimming over her flesh. He said nothing as he moved his mouth up to
the tiny bundle of nerves. She flinched as a jolt shot through her. He slipped
a finger into her, then bit down gently. Then, in the next instant, the tension
burst free. A rush of heat danced over her nerve endings as she slipped her
hands into his hair. Wave after wave of ecstasy crashed through her, and she
was helpless to do anything but accept it.
As she floated down, she opened her eyes. Nico had thrown
off his robe and was clawing at his pants. It was so unlike him that for a
moment she couldn’t react. This was not the practiced seducer she had known
from a few nights ago.
“Nico?”
When he looked up at here, his eyes were brighter, somehow
more entrancing to her than before. With more confidence than she was feeling,
she reached up and cupped his face. For a moment, he did not do anything, but
then he turned into her palm. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. The
act of it was simple, but she felt shaken to her core. It was something so
basic and primal.
She felt his mouth open against her palm and then the flick
of his tongue. Cordelia shivered.
“I can’t seem to get you out of my mind.”
He said it as if he were confessing some horrible sin. And
maybe he was. The man had been a confirmed bachelor until that afternoon.
“Is that such a problem?”
He looked down at her. “There are things about me, things I
must do that you will never understand. In truth, I doubt you will ever
understand me.”
There was something behind the words that she couldn’t quite
detect. And before she could, he leaned down against her again.
He bent his head and took her mouth again. The urgency was
there, but it was somewhat tamed as he had regained his control. His tongue
invaded her mouth. It was still a bit odd, but the heat that he had built before
started to rekindle. Her body was apparently ready for more…of what she did not
know.
He continued to kiss her as he slipped between her legs. The
ache he had satisfied before was back, pounding through her blood. She felt
something prodding at her sex then felt the intrusion. She had grown up in the
country and had spent time around horse breeding, so she expected this. She
felt full, as if she would not be able to handle it.
But as he continued to kiss her and touch her, any worries
she had slid away. He pulled back from her for a second and hovered, his mouth
over hers.
“I’m sorry, Cordelia.”
She did not know what he was apologizing for until he thrust
further into her. A sharp shard of pain wound through her, erasing some of the
pleasure. But then he moved again and the pain began dissipating, being
replaced with the pleasure of having him inside of her.
“Nothing but satisfaction now.”
She opened her eyes and found him staring at her again. She
slipped her hand up to the back of his head and pulled him down for a kiss.
This time, Cordelia opened her mouth immediately. He dove into her and she
sucked on his tongue. A shudder moved through him. He groaned and began to move
faster and faster. The bed squeaked and shook with the force of his thrusts.
Nico was mumbling to himself as he kissed a path down her
neck. She felt the first scrape of teeth against her flesh, then the flat of
his tongue. Something moved through her, as if she had moved into a dream, her
flesh numb. She felt a prick into her flesh, and for a moment she thought he
had bitten her. Nico thrust into her one more time, sending her over into
ecstasy again. Cordelia arched up against him, screaming his name. Nico
stilled, groaning with gratification as he poured himself into her.
Her body continued to feel as if she were floating on a
cloud. Nico collapsed on top of her. He was so heavy, but it didn’t matter to
her. She would tell him to move in a minute.
It was her last thought that night.
*
*
*
*
Nico watched her sleep, his body fulfilled for the moment.
For a woman who seemed so animated at times, it was odd to see her still. He
brushed back a silken curl from her forehead. She frowned in her sleep, and he
couldn’t help but smile. She looked so cute. Nico knew that she would not like
that term, but in this he could assure himself he was correct. She turned to
him and cuddled closer.
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his
chest. She was his mate now, officially. Tomorrow, the explanations would be
given, but for the moment, he enjoyed the way she had her head on his shoulder,
and her small hand over his chest where his heartbeat.
He knew then, without any doubt, he would protect her to the
death. He just hoped that when he explained what her new life would be, that
she would understand why he had married her first.
In their world there was no way around it. They were mated,
and she would have to accept it.
Malik looked down the hallway and watched Gray pace. He had
been like this since Malik arrived.
The door opened, and Gray came to a stop. Malik stood.
The diminutive figure of Dr. Bingam slipped out the door,
and he shut it behind him.
He looked at both men with surprise.
“She’s alive and more than likely will stay that way,” Dr.
Bingam said.
“But she has not regained her senses,” Malik said. He did
not have to be told. He knew an attack like the one she had dealt with would
take days, if not weeks to recover from.
The doctor shook his head. “Sleep is best. Have her parents
been notified?”
Malik looked to Gray. A look of disgust moved over his
expression. “Yes. They have told me they no longer have a daughter.”
Now he understood. The bastard parents thought they had lost
a commodity. It was not that much of a problem in their world for her to no
longer be pure—but to have been tainted by a Made could be devastating.
“Can you tell us anything else?” Gray asked.
“She’s a fighter. A lesser woman would have just submitted,
but this one did not. And she saved herself. After I had the midwife in last
night, I am almost certain she wasn’t raped. She fought back so hard that he
didn’t have time to finish his task.”
“What should we do?” Gray asked.
“I think it’s best to get a woman to look after her. That
way she will not feel so threatened when she wakes up. And I am sure that your
family or the Blackburns will help her once she heals. She will need a new life
somewhere.”
From the look on Gray’s face, he did not look like he would
allow her to leave. Before the duke could embarrass himself, Malik stepped in.
“With Mrs. Blackburn in town, I am sure she can take care of
her when she is well enough.”
“Yes, of course. Mrs. Blackburn. Well, I am off. The
Fredricksons are expecting me.”
The doctor left them alone. Malik waited for Gray to say
something, but he just kept staring at the door.
“I can go by to see Nico, although I’m fairly confident he
won’t be happy about it. I can bring back Mrs. Blackburn. She was a comfort I
think last night even though the woman was barely alive.”
Gray nodded without taking his gaze from the door. “Empathy
from another female Carrier will help.”
“Gray.”
He didn’t even acknowledge Malik.
“Gray.”
He finally turned his attention from the door. “What?”
“I’m going to the Blackburn’s home right now. I will bring
his mother back with me.”
Gray nodded. “I guess that will be best.”