Born of Stone Page 3

  Finally, he could no longer resist temptation and lifted his gaze to look at her expression. Her eyes were tightly shut, her head thrown back. The pulse in her neck beat a frantic tempo and her breasts heaved. She was the picture of feminine passion and there was no way to stop himself from indulging. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss at the base of her throat. When she didn’t stop him, he did it again. Then again with a small bite. She moaned and pushed her hips forward against his hand.

  “Master…”

  “Uh-uh, my little star. I told you to call me Orestes.”

  “Oh….Orestes…I…oh…”

  Her brow furrowed and her hips sped up. He watched her lovely face while her body trembled in his arms. She was close. So close he could almost taste her arousal on the air. Had she ever felt this passion before? For another man? A deep growl left his chest before he could stop it at the thought and her eyes flew open. Her pupils were dilated, making her brown eyes appear even larger. It gave her a look of innocence that deeply contrasted the wanton movement of her hips. He growled again.

  “Oh, Orestes.”

  He moved his fingers faster through the moisture seeping from her body. Then she cried out and threw her head back again as her small frame shuddered. She was falling apart in his arms and he had never seen a lovelier sight. He kept his fingers in play until her muscles relaxed and she whimpered. Then he slowly pulled them away and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. Her head rested just above his heart. Could she hear it racing? He’d never been so aroused without a single touch from a woman.

  He kissed her forehead and she looked up at him with a dazed expression. Masculine pride filled him at knowing he had satisfied her so well. But there was so much more he wanted to do with her.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  He frowned. “Sorry? Whatever for?”

  She chewed on her bottom lip a moment before slowly raising her head to meet his gaze. It appeared to take a supreme effort.

  “For what just happened. I know you were only trying to wash me.”

  He threw his head back and laughed, tightening his grip on her slender body. Once his amusement subsided he caught her gaze again and instantly sobered at the uneasiness he spied.

  “My precious lady, you have nothing to apologize for. I assure you, I enjoyed that as much as you did. If not more.”

  True confusion spread across her face. “How?”

  He turned to sit on the shelf so he could hold her in his lap. She sat up so she was nearly eye-to-eye with him. She couldn’t possibly have missed his erection pressing into her hip, though she ignored it.

  “Have you never had a man pleasure you before?” he asked.

  She chewed her lip again and shrugged. “Not really. I mean…I’ve been with a man before. Er, two men…but it was nothing like that.”

  He growled once more, the sound unbidden while anger over another man touching her went through him. He didn’t even question the emotion. Like his kin, once he decided he wanted a woman, he wanted her all for himself. True, it didn’t happen often and he usually lost interest quickly. But there was just something about this little human that intrigued him. He honestly couldn’t imagine losing interest quickly this time.

  “Ma—er…Orestes?”

  He took a deep breath and released it slowly, holding her gaze. She didn’t look away but a shiver went through her frame.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  She shook her head even as he wrapped his arms more securely around her. “No.”

  Pure joy filled him when she didn’t attempt to pull away. She was now firmly against his chest, his hard cock pressing into her soft body. He growled again at the sensation and couldn’t help rocking against her slightly. A light blush reddened her cheeks and she dropped her gaze to his chest.

  “Do you need me to…um…take care of that?”

  His thick eyebrows shot up and she thought she would die of humiliation on the spot. Did he have to seem so surprised by every word out of her mouth? It made her feel like a child.

  “Take care of it?” he asked. “And how would you do so?”

  Could she die from all the blood in her body rushing to her face? If so, it would surely happen very soon. All she could so was shrug and chew on her lip again. Soon it would be a raw sore.

  “I’m not certain, sir. I mean…the others just…they put it inside me and then were done.”

  He chuckled but it didn’t sound nearly as amused as his earlier laughing. She dared a glance at his face and found him frowning.

  “Did they?” he asked. “Did you enjoy that?”

  “No, sir. Not at all. I was just happy when they finished so quickly.”

  Did he just growl again? The first time the deep rumbling had sounded from his chest, she had frozen in fear. She was growing used to it, but certainly didn’t understand it.

  “I assure you, Astrid, I have no plans to finish quickly. And you will enjoy every second of my touch.”

  He stood then as if the conversation was over. She didn’t understand any of this but remained silent while he moved beneath the slow waterfall. The warm spray washed over them and he dropped her legs so he was holding her flush to his body. She threw her arms around his neck in fear he might let her slip from his grasp. Here the pool was deep enough to reach his shoulders. She would surely drown if he released her.

  “Fear not. I won’t drop you,” he whispered.

  His warm breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine and she tightened her grip. Once they had sufficiently rinsed, he cradled her to his chest again and walked to a set of stairs on one end of the pool. Then he walked out of the water and set her on her feet. He wrapped a towel around her shoulders and another around his waist before grabbing his weapons in one hand and pulling her from the room with the other.

  Chapter Three

  “What about my clothes?” she asked while they walked the short distance to his room.

  “You’ll never wear such rags again.”

  Orestes hoped he didn’t sound too possessive, but from this moment forward she would be covered in silks. Or perhaps satin? Maybe even lace and velvet when he could get it. Unfortunately, most of the finer fabrics weren’t made in Halstrid, but he knew where and how to get them. Being a Master definitely had its perks.

  She said nothing else when they entered his room. He closed and locked the door before leading her to a table near his wardrobe. It held a small towel, an empty bowl and a clear flask filled with blue liquid. He set down his weapons and grabbed the flask. He pulled the stopper and turned to face her.

  “You will take some of this in your mouth and swish it over your teeth. Then spit all of it out into the bowl.”

  He demonstrated before grabbing the towel to wipe his lips. When he held out the flask, she simply frowned at it.

  “Why? What is that?”

  “A potion to cleanse your mouth. It will keep your teeth healthy and in your head.”

  Her frown cleared and she took the flask, though she still looked skeptical. She sniffed it then did as he asked and spit the potion out daintily. He wiped her mouth with the towel.

  “It tingles a bit on my tongue.”

  “Yes, but it feels better too, doesn’t it? Fresher.”

  “Yes, like a tea I once had.”

  “Mint.”

  “It was an herb.”

  “Indeed.”

  He was nearly at the end of his patience, knowing she was bare beneath the towel. He motioned to his bed with one hand. Luckily, he’d left the fire burning earlier so they could see but there was a chill in the room now. He saw her shudder as she walked to his bed. He grasped her hips and lifted her onto it before turning to the fireplace.

  “Crawl beneath the blankets while I add logs to the fire. The room warms quickly.”

  He attended his duties with half a mind, the rest of his attention zeroed in on the sound of her movements. He imagined the cool sheets sliding across her pale s
kin, her thick hair scenting his pillow. It was enough to have him burning his finger.

  “Shite.”

  He shook out his hand while the flame grew before him.

  “Are you all right?”

  Her soft voice sounded from his bed and he closed his eyes to calm his ardor. “Yes. A bit too close to the flame with one finger.”

  “Oh.”

  Before he realized what she intended, she was by his side. He stared in awe as she crouched beside his kneeling form and gently grasped his hand. It looked so huge between her much smaller palms. He almost couldn’t imagine touching her. Had he really pleasured her with these rough, massive fingers? It was a miracle he hadn’t hurt her.

  She turned his hand over and inspected each finger until finding the one with a slight red mark at the tip. Then she brought it to her mouth and placed a light kiss on the sore. He nearly came on the spot. The erection that had lessened in the past few minutes sprang to immediate and pulsing life. He growled and pulled her into his arms.

  “You would kiss away my pain?” he asked.

  She gasped but didn’t fight his hold. “Yes.”

  Her pink lips caught his eye and he could no longer ignore the siren’s call.

  Astrid had never been kissed. Not really. Certainly not like this. When she had been much younger, her first kiss had come from a boy in her village. Their mothers had been friends for a while. But that was the last time anyone had touched her lips in a kiss. This was so much more. It was a claiming and she wasn’t fool enough to deny it. The wonder of a Master wanting to claim one such as her was quickly forgotten while she lost herself in his kiss.

  He was gentle at first, though his hunger was unmistakable. His arms were strong as ever, like brick encasing her shoulders. Rather than intimidating, they made her feel safe. She relaxed into his hold. His lips moved against hers slowly, coaxing her into a deeper kiss. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than his warm tongue slid against the seam of her lips. She gasped and he took it as an invitation to invade her mouth.

  His taste filled her senses and it was such a peculiar sensation she had to stifle a laugh. Luckily he didn’t seem to notice when she easily turned it into a moan. Who knew men could do such things? She gripped his arms before slipping her hands up to his massive shoulders. He continued to slide his tongue along hers and she tried to mimic his actions. Was she doing it right? Did he like it? She loved every second and prayed he wouldn’t push her away. Then he pulled her tongue between his lips and sucked on it like a treat. A lightning bolt of sensation shot straight to the apex of her legs and she jumped. Their teeth crashed lightly and they both quickly pulled back.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said as she tried to regain her breath.

  He grinned and cradled the side of her face with one large hand. “Nothing to be sorry for. Unless you mean for stealing my wits.”

  If not for his grin she might have been frightened. But he was obviously joking and the dimple that appeared to one side of his mouth stole her senses.

  “Oh…”

  He chuckled and placed a light kiss on her mouth before pushing to his feet. He carried her as if she weighed no more than a feather. Compared to his strength, she probably didn’t. But where his form had initially intimidated her into fear, she now felt safe and perhaps even cherished. He was so careful when he set her on his bed. She moved to the middle to allow him room and her towel slipped from where she had wrapped it around her breasts. She was about to pull it back up when he stopped her with a hand on hers.

  “No.”

  He pulled her towel away and dropped it onto the floor before allowing his to follow. This was her first real look at his full naked glory. He was absolutely magnificent.

  “Oh, Goddess…”

  He slid between the covers and moved over until his skin touched hers. She remained in place, awaiting his command. Anything this man asked of her would surely be a pleasure. Was it really such a short time ago she’d thought he might harm her? His care since the first moment he touched her had proven otherwise. She only prayed there wasn’t a hidden side to his personality. Oh, she knew as a protector he would be fierce and violent to enemies of the realm. But so far, his human side proved gentle and exciting. She couldn’t stop herself from touching his smooth, hairless chest.

  “Do none of you have hair on your bodies?” she asked.

  Heat immediately filled her face. She hadn’t meant to ask the question that burned through her mind. Luckily he didn’t seem to care.

  “Only on our heads. When we’re in fighting form, even that hardens to stone. Does it bother you?”

  She immediately shook her head. “No. I haven’t seen many men naked, but the humans seem so dirty with all their hair.”

  He laughed. “Well then, I’m glad for my lack.”

  “Um…I’ve heard the women of Keva are also hairless.”

  His humor melted away and he nodded. “Yes, that is true.”

  “Uh. Is that your preference?”

  His brow wrinkled slightly and he moved so he was leaning over her on one elbow. He set that hand against the top of her head and used the other to push her hair from her face. The damp strands tried to stick but he patiently smoothed them away.

  “I’ve never really thought about it one way or another. But at the moment, I can say my preference is definitely for the human in my bed.”

  Then he was kissing her again. She relaxed into the softness beneath her and reveled in his hardness above her. The contrast of sensations was almost too much, and put together with the magic of his mouth and the devilry of his roaming hand, she almost forgot to breathe. He left her lips and she sucked in much-needed air, which left her again quickly when his teeth found her nipples. He bit down lightly but even that slight sting was a riot of sensation. She had never felt the like before.

  “Wha-what…are…you…doing?” she asked.

  Astrid’s breathless pants filled his ears along with the wonder of her query. She wasn’t fully innocent by her own admission, but it was so close as to not really matter. The two human men who had touched her before obviously had only their own gratification in mind. The thought both angered and elated Orestes. He wanted her to know pleasure only from him. Anytime in the future when she remembered these sensations, he wanted only his name on her tongue.

  “O-Orestes?”

  “Yes?”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Tasting your sweet nipples. Next I’ll take the full, plump breast into my mouth and then I’ll lick every part of you until I reach those tantalizing curls.”

  His keen hearing picked up the racing of her heart and he smiled against her flesh. A tremor ran through her body but she didn’t try to stop him when he once again lightly suckled her nipple.

  “Oh…”

  Her soft moans hardened his cock almost to the point of pain, but there was no way he would indulge until fulfilling his quest. He would taste every part of her he could and then worry about his own arousal.

  He pulled the sweet bud between his lips and suckled it until most of her breast was in his mouth. She grabbed his shoulders and dug her short fingernails into his skin. That only served to ratchet up his excitement and he vaguely wondered if telling her so would scare her. There were many things he wished to do with her that might be frightening to the naïve human. For now, he concentrated on sucking her breast like a starving babe. Then he moved to the other before switching back. By the time he’d had his fill of both, she was writhing beneath him with soft mewls escaping her throat.

  “Like that?” he asked.

  “Yes. Oh yes…”

  He grinned while pleasure filled him. Her eyes were glazed with passion, her breaths fast and unsteady, and a fine sheen of moisture coated her skin. She was slick from the warmth of the fire and their exertions. The scent of sex hung lightly in the air and made him hungrier for the feel of her around his cock.

  He went
back to kissing her, starting with the spot between her perfect breasts. She had a small scar there and more all over her torso. He decided to lick every single one. Some were small scratches—others appeared to have been made by a whip. He pushed aside his anger but vowed to question her more on Simon’s part in these scars. That also brought to mind her earlier injury and he froze.

  “Astrid, does your back pain you?”

  “Hmm? Oh. Uh…no. I’m in no pain right now.”

  That eased his mind and gave him leave to continue.

  He took his time, licking, sucking, tasting, moaning against her flesh. Her answering sounds pleased him immensely. The Keva were usually passionate, well-built women, but they knew their worth. They could be demanding in bed to the point of insult and his last lover hadn’t been very satisfying. Astrid blew that memory away in a heartbeat. Her soft cries and biting fingernails mixed with her taste and scent were driving him mad. He couldn’t remember ever being so ready to bury himself in a woman’s body before.

  But not yet. He had finally made his way down to her mons. The bushy curls tickled his chin and he brushed his fingers through them gently to find her slit. She jumped but he steadied her with a hand on her lower belly.

  “Easy, my sweet. I’m just looking for your hidden treasure. Open your legs as wide as you’re able.”

  Though her nervousness and confusion were palpable, she did as he said without question. She was learning to trust him. A good sign for things to come. And he definitely wanted more time with her. That was also new for him. Usually his Kevan lovers lasted only the night—or day if he arrived early enough—but never beyond that. Sometimes he had the same lover again from a time before. But even so, those women never expected any more from him. Would Astrid?