Damon became aware of warmth filling his body. Without his sight distracting him, everything became magnified. The heat in his heart intensified until it burned. Although it didn’t hurt, he wanted to rub his chest to try and ease the unfamiliar feeling. His free hand remained heavy, almost as if his arm had been weighted.
It felt as if an invisible door on the top of his skull had slid open and the sensation startled him. Before he had full awareness of what was happening, he found himself suspended in midair. He looked down and “saw” himself standing at the pillar, his hand linked with Ravyn’s. What started to unsettle him wasn’t that his consciousness was hanging out near the ceiling, but that it didn’t seem abnormal to be outside his body.
Ravyn,
he thought, and in the next heartbeat he sensed her beside him. The essence of their beings brushed against each other until the edges, the separation, seemed to blur. Joy surged through him at the union. No sooner did that register than he returned to his physical self. Not abruptly, but similar to a leaf drifting from a tree, he floated back.
He wondered what she felt. Ravyn was so much more sensitive to energy than he was. What continued to happen disconcerted him, affected him in ways he could barely comprehend. What did she think? How intense did this feel to her?
His heart went supernova. Before Damon could even think about opening his eyes, he felt it retracting, returning to his chest. Something had changed, though, become different. He frowned, trying to figure out what. He didn’t have much opportunity for thought. Something began to drill into the center of his forehead. This brought real discomfort and he struggled to stop it. He couldn’t. Fighting it increased the pain so he surrendered to it. Immediately, the ache lessened. He remained seemingly powerless and that frustrated him, angered him. Damon hated feeling helpless.
His own worries became secondary. He could sense Ravyn warring against the required submission. She fought even harder than he had, and the more she battled, the more intense her pain became. He could feel her agony as if it were his own. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t tell her to relax, to relinquish herself to the flow. It took all his concentration, but Damon squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. He thought she returned the pressure, but she didn’t stop resisting the energy. She knew better; he was sure of it.
Damon managed to open his eyes. The view dizzied him as the lights from the walls, ceiling and floor flashed even faster than they had earlier. He wanted to shut it all out again, but he focused his gaze on Ravyn instead. A grimace twisted her face and rage flooded through him. Meriwa and Kale had no right to do this to her, to them. If he had known it would cause his sweet pea torment, he never would have told her what to do. Gradually, he became aware that the frenetic flare of the lights had slowed. It appeared almost lazy now. The energy filling his body seemed to ebb and the roaring sound receded, letting him hear just how harshly they both were breathing. Ravyn opened her eyes then and she looked shell-shocked.
Like his mother’s antique music box winding down, the sequence ground to a halt Damon knew he could withdraw his hand now, but he held on to Ravyn until he saw her start to sink to the floor. She was on her knees when he reached the other side of the obelisk, and he dropped behind her, bracing her with his body.
“That,” she said, “was not fun.”
*** *** ***
“You shouldn’t have fought it,” Damon said. “It wouldn’t have caused you so much pain if you’d just let it happen.”
She didn’t comment. He was right, but then he didn’t know why she had tried so hard to stop the joining. If he understood how completely they were bound together, she didn’t think he’d be quite so calm about the whole thing. He’d find out soon enough, and she couldn’t help wondering what his reaction would be. The pain surged then, nearly overwhelming her, and she quit thinking about it.
Ravyn leaned against Damon, grateful for his support. Her head felt like it would fall off if she so much as winced. Although, the way she was suffering, that might be a blessing. She’d had psychic headaches before, but never one that had hurt this bad. Closing her eyes again, she let her head rest against his chest. She’d brought this ache on herself by trying to prevent what was happening, but the knowledge gave no comfort.
Damon’s arm went around her waist. The simple gesture echoed through her, and she carefully moved to rest both her hands atop his. Ravyn concentrated on bringing green healing energy down to surround her head. She slowed her breathing, deepened it. Ten minutes should take care of it, she figured.
As the stabbing pain in her temples eased, it became harder for her to keep from acknowledging the situation. And she wanted to; she really wanted to. She... No, she corrected,
they
were going to have to deal with the repercussions of what had transpired. Ravyn sighed and felt Damon bring his other arm around her. He remained silent and she knew it was because that’s what she wanted. She wondered if he realized the source of his actions.
After the headache disappeared, Ravyn kept her eyes closed. Discreetly, methodically, she built a wall. She needed to do it now while they were still tired. Later would be too late. Once he experienced the full effect of their connection, she wouldn’t be able to erect the barrier without him knowing. Even now, she had to be cautious so Damon wouldn’t realize what she was doing.
“You okay?” he asked.
Although her headache had left, Ravyn appreciated that he’d kept his voice quiet. She opened her eyes and turned so she could see him. “Better,” she offered with a faint smile. She tried to straighten, but he tightened his hold.
“Take a few more minutes,” he told her.
“Damon, I’m kneeling on a stone floor. In a few more minutes, I may be unable to walk.”
“Sorry.” Grinning sheepishly, he helped her to her feet
Her knees protested the movement. Even once she stood, Damon didn’t release her. To be honest, she didn’t want him to. It was another facet of this connection they shared, the desire to remain in some kind of physical contact. It was also about the only part of the link that didn’t alarm her.
She ran a shaky hand through her hair, pushing it off her face. Her strong reaction had come instinctively and Ravyn didn’t know why she had such a negative response to their bonding. Why was she so opposed to letting Damon discover how she felt about him? Why did she need to keep herself protected? It was completely irrational considering she loved the man.
A shiver went through her as she felt Damon nuzzle her neck. She moved back, fitting herself to him. Her eyes slipped to half mast as she noticed he was still hard. Her body went from zero to a burning inferno instantly. Not instantly, she realized as she rubbed her bottom against him. She’d been aroused for quite some time, but hadn’t been conscious of it. Ravyn smirked at how oblivious she’d been. Too concerned with bonds of the heart and mind to notice how excited she was. Now that was concentration, she thought, amused at herself.
The notion was short-lived as his hands and mouth incited her past the point of thinking of anything but him. Ravyn reached back and held on to his hips, grinding herself against him. “Damon.” She barely found the breath to gasp his name.
“I know,” he told her, his voice rougher than she had ever heard it before. “Now, sweet pea. I can’t take it slow.”
A part of her realized his desire fed hers and she mirrored it back until they were nearly insensible with it. Another aspect of the bond they shared, she noted before the realization flowed out of her head. She couldn’t wait any longer for him. Leaning forward, Ravyn took hold of the obelisk.
Damon needed no further invitation. She felt him tug her pants to her thighs. She parted her legs as far as she could manage and then he was there, broad and hot. He entered her and she moaned her approval. Nothing had ever felt this good, this necessary before. She climaxed on his first stroke, but he didn’t last much longer. It didn’t matter. The fever didn’t abate. Damon stayed hard, kept moving, and Ravyn met his every thrust. They were beyond words, communicating their enjoyment with noises that sounded far more animal than human.
She wanted to feel more of him. Damon’s chest covered her back, and she felt his teeth nip at her neck. That was all it took for her to reach the crest again. Ravyn let loose with a yowl that vibrated through the stone she clasped. He roared as he reached his own release and his big body sagged against her.
Ravyn wrapped her arms around the obelisk and let it support both their weight. She panted, trying to pull in enough air, but trapped between a rock and a hard male body, it was difficult to calm down. He didn’t pull out and she wanted him to stay inside her. The intensity of their coupling left her reeling. Why? she wondered. Why had they both gone so out of control so fast? It hadn’t been lovemaking. It had been so far beyond that, Ravyn had no name for it.
You must be joined in all ways.
Ravyn’s eyes widened as she remembered Meriwa’s words.
Joined in all ways.
He nudged her and she sighed, her body immediately ready for more. Her hiss of pleasure became a gasp of surprise as knowledge suddenly filled her head. There was one bond left the stone couldn’t be programmed to forge. One tie between them that only she and Damon could create.
It was up to them to conceive a child.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ravyn sank back in the hot water and closed her eyes. She’d already added a powdered version of the healing ointment to the bath. Thank God she’d found the huge tub tucked behind another sliding wall. She and Damon had spent a fair amount of time soaking in it. They’d needed to. The last day and a half was a blur of sensation, of arousal, and if they hadn’t had the healing waters, she doubted either one of them would be able to walk by now. She barely had time to stretch before her senses told her she wasn’t alone. “You get out of here, Damon Brody,” Ravyn told him, not opening her eyes.
“How about if I promise to stay on the other side of the tub?” He sounded cajoling.
Ravyn raised her lashes just far enough to shoot him a doubtful look. She didn’t believe him.
“Sweet pea, I couldn’t get hard again even if I wanted to.”
“That’s what you said last time!”
“I know, but this time I really mean it.”
At least he had the grace to look embarrassed. With a sigh, Ravyn relented and nodded her agreement. He settled in on the opposite side of the tub as promised. It didn’t matter.
With Damon’s long legs, their feet tangled together. As if her body had been missing his, something taut within her eased. She felt the simmering begin again and tried to ignore it. Ravyn watched his eyes heat and nudged him with her toe. “Stop it.”
“I’m trying,” he said, looking rueful.
She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The teal stone between her breasts vibrated pleasantly. She’d tried to remove it before her bath, but something inside her had balked at the idea. Damon’s amulet, she noticed, rested just above his dog tags. Looking at his chest was a mistake. Her temperature shot upward, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from him. She wanted to bite him, lick him, kiss him. Hugging her knees harder, she fought the urge.
“You’re not helping things.”
“I know.” She dropped her head to her upraised knees and breathed deeply. When she had her restraint back, she looked up again and met his eyes. “I’ve been wondering, what do you think Kale and Meriwa meant about having our guardians by our side?”
“I’m not sure. They said
their
guardians remained after the others left, so I’m guessing they were real people.” He shrugged and her thoughts shifted abruptly as she watched his muscles flex. This preoccupation with his body was almost humorous.
“Have you given any consideration,” she asked, “to why we can’t keep our hands off each other?”
“You mean aside from the fact you’re sexy as hell and I’ve been fighting the need to make love to you almost since the day we met?” His voice carried the smokiness of arousal.
Ravyn swallowed hard. “Yes,” she said, “apart from that.”
“No.”
“You don’t think it’s odd?” Her body yearned to touch his.
“Now that you bring it up, yeah.” He cleared his throat, but it didn’t dispel the thickness. “It’s like I’m insatiable.”
“
We’re
insatiable,” she corrected.
“You have a theory?”
Ravyn couldn’t fight the need to touch him any longer. She stretched her legs out again, sighing in relief when they came into contact “I do have a theory,” she said. She lost her train of thought briefly as Damon trapped her feet between his. “I think we’ll be out of control like this until I’m pregnant.”
“Yeah?” He didn’t sound unnerved or worried in the least.
“That doesn’t trouble you?”
“No.” He leaned forward and ran his palm from her ankle to the back of her knee. Ravyn grabbed his hand and held on to it.
“You don’t feel manipulated by that damn obelisk?” She’d meant to sound outraged, not breathless.
“Look, Ravyn, we both knew going in pregnancy was a possibility.” He stopped rubbing his thumb over her wrist. “That’s not what’s bothering you, though, is it?”
She pursed her lips and remained silent. He studied her for a moment his eyes too sharp for her peace of mind. Of all the times for Damon to be able to bank the fire burning between them, why did it have to be now? She knew the instant he’d reached a conclusion.
“You don’t like being out of control.” His voice held dawning realization.
“Maybe,” she allowed slowly. Ravyn considered it for a moment. Okay, so needing to be in control explained a few things. Like why she didn’t want Damon to know she loved him. It would be giving him power over her in a way. She trusted him, but she didn’t want to be dependent on him, to acknowledge her emotional state to a large degree was now tied to his actions.
“You’re frowning. It’s not that bad, so don’t worry.”
“It’s cowardly,” she disagreed. Ravyn didn’t put up a fuss when he reached over and moved her until she sat astride him. He’d lied about not being able to get hard again, she noted. With a small smile, she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.