Tempting Ecstasy (The Guardians of the Realms Book 4) (21 page)

Yes, more than you know,
he groaned in the link.
Shit, watching that little pink tongue all over that treat is fucking agony.

Her mouth dried up, the cupcake suddenly forgotten in her hand. She took a deep breath. His nostrils flared, and her focus was taken up by him, no longer was she peeking in the stores. All she felt and tuned to was the warmth from his body and the seductive growl of his voice in her head. She felt over warm, and the cool breeze wasn’t soothing it. She wasn’t sure what to do with the cupcake, other than eat it, but it didn’t taste quite the same now that her senses were focused on him. She scented his arousal and knew he was getting hers. She nearly moaned, but they weren’t alone on the street. She shook her head at how awkward they must appear to the milling Mageia. Her muscles were tense as she scarfed her treat, frowning because she didn’t even want it.

She finally swallowed the last bite as they came to their destination. She stuck the wrapper in her pocket and hoped she didn’t have cupcake in her teeth as they ascended the steps to a townhome with shrubbery planted on either side of the stairs.

It was the next couple of hours that descended her into hell. Pure hell. Homes with children who were too pale and foster parents who seemed at a loss at how to help them. Conn had given them the treats and seemed to be checking their surroundings and making sure they were being well cared for. The kids knew him, were polite… curious, but she was stiff and unsure around them.

The looks on their small faces when they’d eaten their treats nearly made her cry and long to do some serious damage. She wanted to dig up the dead bastard who’d caged them and rip him into bite-sized pieces. The desire for blood was tempered by the need to stay calm for them. She wasn’t familiar or comfortable around children, which only added another level of awkwardness to the visits, and there were several… She hadn’t known what to say to any of them or to the foster parents. Isa and her sisters would have known what to do, and she’d wished they’d been with her.

Making matters worse was the close proximity to Conn for way too long. Taking the kids outside hadn’t done much to stifle her need. It was on a slow torturous burn by the last house.

She felt worn thin by the time they finally stood in front of their last destination. A much bigger stone home with wide steps lined with potted plants.

Conn knocked, and they were greeted by a blonde female with short hair and a big smile. “Hi, Elaina. I need to get the blood samples for Sirena, and sorry, but we’re in a rush.”

Elaina nodded and looked at Dacia. “Okay, I’ll go grab them. Would you like to wait in the foyer?”

“No,” they both said in unison, but Conn tempered it with, “We have to get back.”

Dacia’s wolf wasn’t thrilled with his polite smile at the other woman, and Dacia knew she was losing her grip. Elaina rushed off, which was her saving grace. Dacia was having issues with pretty blondes who smiled at her damned male, and gouging Elaina’s beautiful violet eyes out was too violent a temptation at the moment.

She finally retreated a few steps closer to the street and tried to breathe into the blowing winds. Nothing was taking it away. Her face was burning up, and her breasts were swollen and achy along with every muscle in her body. Conn didn’t look in much better shape. No, he looked animalistic with his flared nostrils and clenched fists. If they didn’t get distance and clear air soon, it would be over.

Gritting her teeth, she ticked off the seconds and said a silent thank you to the Creators when she heard Elaina’s heels clicking on the wood floors at the other side of the door.

Conn slung the bag Elaina had handed him over one shoulder and met Dacia at the street. He still held the bag with her sisters’ treats, and she eyed it, tempted to snatch if from his fingers and dig in just to have something to do with her hands. She blew out a frustrated breath. She wanted his skin on hers, and she was losing her damned mind. Staying there with him had been a huge mistake.

This will only get worse, Dacia.

Yeah, I get that,
she snapped back in irritation.

She was done waiting. She could ask a million more questions, learn everything there was to know about the Realm, the people and the dangers to her siblings, but in the end it wouldn’t change a damned thing. He was hers. He’d held to his word and given her a choice when he could have taken anything and everything he wanted. She closed her eyes. Seeing him in the city, interacting with the Mageia and even the Hippeus before they went inside, tipped the scales.

Isa was right. Dacia’s instincts had never failed her. She would trust them about Conn too. He was an honorable male. Hers. If he and the other Guardians were willing to help orphaned mortal children, they wouldn’t do anything to harm her family.

Her last concern was him learning her family’s secrets the minute she claimed him. She could only take that chance after talking to her siblings.

The past few days had been enlightening. She’d questioned the other mates and knew that she would be mentally wide open to him when the frenzy started. Even if she wasn’t, she balked at going into eternity hiding things as big as her family. She had to talk to her brothers and sisters.

Both took deep breaths of the cooler air when they finally exited the city gates and walked out to the grass beyond. Rain was there to port her away, and she was more than thankful to see the other female’s smiling face. Rain looked at them both and frowned. “Are you okay?” The blonde’s lips twitched. She could probably scent the arousal on them as they got closer. “Long day?”

“Yes,” they both ground out at the same time.

Chapter 23

Guardian Manor, Tetartos Realm

“Any change?” Conn asked Sirena.

He was still feeling the effects of the day. All the time spent in Lofodes in a state of increasing sexual torment while fighting his beast and trying to do his damned job had been agonizing.

An hour in the shower trying to jack off after leaving Dacia with her siblings hadn’t helped shit. Cold water had done a little better. He’d gone directly to chasing a couple of leads on Cynthia to distract himself. It hadn’t given him all his control, but he was marginally calm. He was on his last stop before heading back to his room to attempt sleep.

His sister answered as he wrangled his mind back to the present. “Nothing new in the last few days.”

“Do you think they know what’s happening?” he asked. The frowns on Vane and Brianne’s faces had bothered him from the start.

“I’m not sure. I talk to them. Alex and Erik both come in and do the same and then use their family link hoping to get through to Vane. I just don’t know.” She blew out a tired breath.

“You need to take care of yourself too, Sirena.”

She nodded, but he knew she would do whatever the hell she wanted. She was stubborn.

“I am,” she said. “Thanks for getting the Lofodes samples. Sacha’s been doing what she can between patrols, and I’ve been checking on the females the bastard used as fucking breeding stock, and monitoring the babies and toddlers as much as possible. There were just so many.” Ten years had produced a lot of kids that needed care. They’d been fortunate to have so many willing to foster them while the Guardians and the healers worked to figure out the long-term issues from what Cyril had done to
enhance
them.

“How’s your mate?”

He nearly laughed thinking back on the day. It started out well enough, but ended in comical misery. They’d barely been able to talk in the end. “Frustrated, but she’s still testing me.”

Sirena smiled at that. “Then don’t screw it up.” She gave him a wan smile, and knowing she’d never have the gift he was given made his gut hurt. He hated that her life was her work; she deserved so much more. His Guardian sisters’ lack of acceptable males was worse for Sirena. There were no males more powerful than her, at least without being blood related. Conn had always thought that since she and Drake worked almost as a team over the Guardians that she would have confided that problem.

“How long are you going to hold it against him? Not that it’s my business,” he said, raising his hands at her narrowed eyes. “Drake said you didn’t accept his apology.” He gave her a soft grin. “You should have seen the look on his face. Small villages are in danger of burning to the ground at this point.” He was teasing her, but Drake’s temper really was flaring more.

“He should have known,” she said quietly. Conn knew she was hurt that Drake hadn’t paid attention.

“You’re right, he should have, but the only reason I knew was because Brianne told me,” he said. “Why didn’t you ever tell him, or P? They both feel like shit. They thought you were married to your work, and since your energy levels were always fine, they didn’t question. They never realized that the females don’t need sex the way we do.”

She tensed.

“I’m not getting on your case. It was your right not to say anything, but I’ve never known him to apologize. Ever. He’s closest to you and P. He leads us, but you two are his blood,” he said softly.

“So I’m just supposed to forgive him?” she said on an irritated sigh.

“No. Just give him a way to earn your forgiveness.” Conn grinned at her, and she laughed. “Milk it. I doubt he’ll ever fuck up this bad again, and it’d be a shame to miss the opportunity. Maybe dragon rides for the kids.”

They both laughed at the ridiculous image of Drake in all his glory mounted up like Puff the magic dragon. He was glad to see her laugh even if it was short lived. The situation with Vane and Brianne was rough on them all, but especially her. She and Brianne were close, and Sirena couldn’t find any answers to make things better.

“Maybe give him his penance when these two are back on their feet. Brianne would love to see whatever horrors you make Drake suffer.”

She smiled, and they both heaved deep breaths. He refused to lose Brianne or Vane to the beasts trying to take them over.

Chapter 24

Guardian Manor, Tetartos Realm

Dacia was going to lose her mind before he even arrived. It was intoxicating sliding in his sheets, in his scent. Now that the decision was made, she felt free, alive and ready to make him hers.

After she returned from Lofodes with Conn, she and the rest of the family had talked about the city and all she learned. Hagen had said he would be on his way to see for himself soon enough. After he handled some US business and made sure the other brothers would be fine if he left them there. He made it clear he wanted to see for himself what they were getting into, personally. As if her sisters’ and Gunn’s assessments meant nothing, completely typical of their eldest. It grated.
He
grated.

After Gunn slipped out to meet the blonde female, for the third night in a row, she talked to her sisters about Conn. She’d already made her decision, and was hoping to avoid trouble with her brother. They’d all said it was a bad idea to tell any of their brothers what she had planned. Hagen was already going to out himself to the Guardians; she wasn’t putting their lives in danger if Conn knew about them. Her information on the city and how the people had reacted to Conn seemed to be enough for them. Isa was sold when Dacia mentioned the children, might have been sold even before.

Dacia took a deep breath of Conn’s pillow and hoped he’d get there soon.

She settled into the blankets. They smelled incredible, even more so now that she knew she could truly enjoy the scent. It wouldn’t torture her anymore because she’d stopped fighting the need already. Her legs ran over the smooth sheets that smelled like him, and she rubbed her face in his pillow. She was pondering using the link to see where he was when she heard the click of the door. She sat up in the bed and held her breath as the door to the bedroom shot open.

His eyes found her and he growled low. Beautiful amber eyes glowing in the dark room. A light shot on as if he needed confirmation of what he was seeing. His eyes tracked from her tousled hair to the flannel he’d given her. It was only buttoned in the middle. Her hair was in wild waves from rolling in his bed, in his scent. His eyes landed on her cleavage and lowered to her bare legs.

“Is that all you have on?” He growled again. “Nothing but my shirt, princess?”

“Just this,” she said breathlessly.

His eyes glowed as he peeled off the flannel and tee shirt he was wearing before stalking to the end of the bed, naked to the waist. His heat rolled over her. He looked bigger, his muscles pulled impossibly tight, and she watched him hold onto his control.

“If you’ve made your choice, then come here.” His voice rumbled and she watched his chest rise with each breath, his eyes never leaving hers.

She crawled to him, her breathing erratic and her heart beating hard. Her bare skin on his rumpled blankets, covered only in his shirt, made her skin tingle. Her breasts felt heavy as she slinked closer. Her cheeks flushed with heat as anticipation blanketed her. His scent had been driving her wild well before he’d even come in, but this was it. Finally, they were finishing it.

“Touch me and I’ll give you everything you want,” he growled seductively.

She stopped in front of him and slid her hands up his muscled stomach. The first touch of his hot skin was electrifying. His muscles twitched and nearly vibrated with banked need. She wanted to taste his skin, but one hand slid into her hair while the other caressed down her back to her ass. In one tug he lifted her into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and his hand fisted in her hair bringing her lips to his. It was dizzying, disorienting and so consuming. He savored her; it was the only way to describe the way he moved his lips over hers.

These lips are mine, Dacia.

Yes.

You test all my strength, princess. I’ve never wanted anything more. Never felt so out of my mind.

Her mind was open and so was his, every wicked thought shared between them. The sensual glide of his hot lips against hers, his tongue tasting and dancing slowly with hers. She could feel how much pleasure he found in the innocent touch. That it was her first time made him insane, but he held back to let her savor the experience. Making her melt with each seductive pass of his tongue.