Threads of Desire (Spellcraft)

Chapter Five

I will be your servant even as you are mine. In the end, it was that promise that swayed her. A man like Kal—proud and strong, never broken—offering his body for her service. How could she refuse?

She wanted him. There was no question of that, and she was so very tired of being a mouse.

They’d entered his chambers. A fire was lit in the grate, but it had burned down to embers. A flare from the taper he touched to the flame briefly illuminated his face as he turned to light the candles. His back was to her, straight and powerful. She could see the flex of muscle through the thin fabric as he lifted his arms. He was a work of art himself. He belonged to this place as much as it belonged to him.

Take off your shirt,” she said, surprised at how bold her voice rang out when inside she was beginning to melt. I will be your servant. She wanted to know if he meant that or if it had only been a careless turn of phrase.

He turned his head to the side, placing his face in profile—the straight nose, sensual lips, bold chin. She thought he might balk, but slowly he drew the shirt over his head, revealing golden skin inch by maddening inch. The slopes and angles of him, the way the firelight kissed every curve, drew her a step closer. His house sigil was tattooed on his right arm, the dragon’s tail curling sinuously around his bicep. When he tossed his shirt aside, his muscles briefly flexed and the scales rippled.

May I turn around?”

I’d rather you not.”

She wanted to touch him and his gaze always threatened to steal her courage. Or at least her good sense. She crossed the room on silent feet, the thick carpet absorbing every step. That she didn’t as much as glance down to examine the weave was a measure of her desire. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with a man. Ian, who she’d fancied herself in love with at the University. No, Gatin was the last—a mistake. She hoped she wouldn’t count this night as a mistake, too, but she suspected otherwise.

She touched him just above his shoulder blade and it seemed a momentous step, to reach for him after denying her attraction for so long. The heat from his body seeped into her fingertips, and she flattened her hand, smoothing her palm over the jut of bone. Kal lifted his head but otherwise remained still as stone. She thought he might have stopped breathing. When her hand drifted lower, his breath let out in a great rush. The sound reminded her of the horses the aristos rode in the marketplace, powerful creatures, proud.

Remove your breeches too. Everything.”

Thumbs hooked inside the waistband. He hesitated briefly before shoving the breeches down his well-formed legs and kicking them aside. And he stood there, back to her, hands open at his sides, head bowed and breath shallow. She liked the way the firelight touched his forearms. She’d never realized how erotic that part of a man’s body was. The way the muscles there wrapped the bone, the slight bulge of vein and light covering of hair.

When she touched his shoulder again, the muscle beneath her fingertips twitched. She wasn’t the only one affected by this, and that knowledge emboldened her. She skated her fingers down the long muscles of his back, cupped the curve of his ass, let her thumbs stroke the crevice between those firm round cushions of flesh. She slipped one hand around to his front to see if he was hard. He was, good sized, thick and warm. The smooth skin slid beneath her palm as she stroked him. She palmed the cool weight of his sac and felt the vibration there when he laughed.

You’re very bold, Ily.”

You’re surprised?”

You’ve done nothing but surprise me from the moment I set eyes on you.”

He was a fine specimen of a man. Tight abdomen. Broad chest. Narrow hips. She pressed her mouth to his skin just to breathe him in. He smelled of scented oil, bergamot and sandalwood. Clean skin. Fresh sweat.

I’d like a bath.”

He turned and she allowed him to do so. “There’s one in the next room. The servants have standing orders to prepare one nightly. It should be ready now.”

Such luxury and he took it for granted. “Will you join me?”

If you’d like.” His voice was husky, his erection bounced against her hip when he stepped forward to press his hand to the small of her back. “This way.”

Steam curled from the door when he opened it but didn’t obscure the enormous square-shaped bath set in the center of the small room. It was nearly as big as the public baths that could be shared by a dozen men. Two tiled steps led up to a small dais. She couldn’t guess how many buckets it would take to fill the monstrous thing. And they prepared this for him alone nightly?

It’s a southern design one of my clients installed for me. There are pipes that pass from the kitchens to fill it. You simply turn that spigot,” he pointed to a brass fixture, “and the water empties into the basin. The other rotates the drain plug to empty it.”

She cleared her throat. “That’s terribly clever.”

I thought so.”

Windows lined one wall, but the curtains had all been drawn. A line of interestingly shaped glass bottles, all in jeweled hues, were set on one edge of the tub. Kal’s hands kneaded her shoulders and he seemed content to wait for her direction. His thumbs stroked the base of her neck, slipped just inside the gap at the back of her tunic before skimming back up her spine. It was a simple tunic; she hadn’t wanted to waste her money on useless trim or even a single crude wooden button to close the neck. She crossed her arms and reached for the hem, lifting it smoothly over her head, gratified by the sound Kal made behind her, somewhere between a grunt and a sigh.

He pushed her skirts from her hips, one of his big hands splaying low on her abdomen as he steadied her. She stepped free when he released her and placed her foot on the first stair. Goose bumps rose over her exposed skin at the sudden heat that wrapped around her feet. She didn’t turn around until she was standing waist deep in the water.

Kal remained where he’d left her. When she turned, his gaze lifted slowly from her breasts to her face. “May I?”

Strange to have him ask, but she was quickly losing pleasure in this game. It wasn’t his meekness that had convinced her to stay. It wasn’t his palace or this inarguably glorious bath. She’d humbled him, but it had only skewed the balance in the opposite direction. And that was false. She could pretend all she wanted, punish him as harshly as he could bear, and he still held all the power. She wished she could forget that even for a night. She sank into the water, her hair spreading around her.

I don’t need a servant,” she said, meeting that hot gaze. “Join me if you like...or not. Your choice.”

He didn’t hesitate. She liked the way the muscles of his thighs moved as he walked, the taut skin above the jut of his cock that gave way to muscle. She watched the water swallow him until only his upper chest and shoulders were exposed, and then he settled back on the submerged ledge opposite her.

What do you want?” he asked.

A bath.”

He smiled, a slight knowing curve to his mouth that had always fascinated her. There was something self-mocking about his smile, as if he knew how ridiculous the role he played was. A trap, that smile, because it made her want to like him. To think there was more to him than there really was.

You already have your bath.”

And you clearly underestimate its value.”

Perhaps.”

She reached for the red bottle, water sluicing from her arm, and he came closer. His movement made the water rock, exposing her nipples and making them pebble.

His hand closed around hers, prying the bottle from her hand. “Please, let me.”

She raised her brows. “You’re protective of your bath oils.”

A faint flush stole across his cheeks, but it might have been the heat. “This one is patchouli. I think...” He reached past her to lift a bottle so deeply blue it was almost purple. He removed the stopper and held it a few inches below her nose. “Rock rose. It suits you.”

She nodded and he tipped the bottle, letting the clear liquid pool in his hand. “Allow me?”

She stood and he knelt, sliding his palms together and smoothing the oil down her arms first, shoulders to fingertips in a cool glide. The scent engulfed her, rich and pure. Why would he think something so tantalizing suited someone like her? It didn’t matter. Enjoy the moment. Don’t think.

She closed her eyes. Her chest, her breasts seemed to deserve extra attention. He pressed his mouth to her belly before covering that too. With a crystalline ring, the glass knocked against another when he replaced the bottle. “Turn.”

He brushed the damp strand of hair from her shoulders and moved his hands down her back, over her buttocks, the backs of her thighs. Another pass and the side of his hand split through her folds. She sucked in a mouthful of steam and he chuckled. She hadn’t imagined he’d bathe her there. But he did, then delved deeper with his fingers, pushing his hand between her thighs, stroking her from front to back while she stood there trembling. Again. The tip of his finger brushed her * but withdrew far too quickly. He explored her, deftly, thoroughly, and the oil coating his skin and hers made every sensation both more exquisite and more frustrating. She needed more.

He drew her back into his arms, into the water, kissing her shoulder as he whispered in her ear. “Here?” He rocked his erection against her, nestling it in the crack of her buttocks. “Or my bed?”

Not yet. I haven’t washed my hair.”

She laughed at the expression on his face because it was nearly that hard for her as well. But if she was to bathe like an aristo only once in her lifetime, she would do it properly. Tonight wasn’t about sampling the pleasures of his life in tidy sips and bites. It wasn’t about promise or restraint. She intended to gorge herself on every sensation in greedy gulps, enough to satisfy this desire, enough to sicken her.

To Kal’s credit, he didn’t argue, only reached for a pale blue bottle and poured a creamy substance into his hand. “Come here.”

An order, not a request, but one she obeyed happily. His hands were rougher this time, working through her thick hair, kneading her scalp, pulling through all of the tangles.

Ouch,” she said when he hit a snag, and he gentled his touch.

Sorry. I’m sorry. If you tip your head back, I can rinse the soap out.”

She did, feeling curiously vulnerable. But also cared for and then...saddened by that.

Docilely, she allowed him to lead her from the bath and bundle her into a plush length of cloth. He settled her on a stool in front of the fire and a moment later returned with a jade comb. A smaller cloth was tied to his waist, barely coming to his knees. It slung low on his hips and she fought the urge to tug at it as he passed. Without speaking, he began to work at her hair.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve done this before.”

Perhaps I have.”

She imagined him here with other women and pushed the jealous thought aside. Tonight was hers.

Ily?”

She turned her head to look at him. His eyes were uncommonly grave, shadowed by uncertainty. “Nothing.” He set the comb aside and touched her jaw. His smile transformed his face back into the man she knew. Arrogant and self-sure, a hedonistic creature of wild and sensual delights. A pleasant ache grew between her thighs. He stood, pulling her up along with him. “Come.”

Tugging the cloth free of her fingers, he tossed it aside. There was nothing mild about the gaze he ran over her. His face was as serious as she’d ever seen it—and as determined. “On the bed, Ily.”

She arched one brow. “Issuing orders? I thought—”

He swooped down and lifted her in one smooth powerful motion. For a moment she was airborne, and then she landed on the bed. She scrambled upright just in time to see him set his knee on the edge of the bed. I’ve been properly humbled, no?”

Her eyes narrowed and he grinned. Of course, he’d realized what she was doing. He saw far too much. “What happened to ‘you have all the power here’?”

You do,” he said. “You proved that by abusing it.”

I abused my power?”

He nodded. “It’s not as easy as you might think, being responsible for another person.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of all the pompous—”

There’s no reason for name calling. Just because you were raised in the streets, doesn’t mean—”

You’re an ass.”

He laughed and she tried to calm herself. He was toying with her again, poking at her tender spots to make her squirm. Wasn’t that the reason she’d agreed? To find out what such a perceptive, ruthless man would be like to bed?

Still, self-preservation made her grasp for control. She scooted back. “You said you’d be my servant. You can’t fault me for taking advantage of your offer.”

No.” He caught her ankle and hauled her closer. Her arms slipped out from under her and she landed flat on her back. Kal loomed above her, a dark curl fallen across his forehead. Gorgeous. Eyes lit with triumph. Dark skin still damp enough to glisten in the light from the fire. “I don’t fault you at all. I only wondered how far you would take it. I wondered what you might demand of me.”

He lifted a strand of her hair, brought it to his nose and inhaled. “For an artist your imagination is sadly disappointing. You could have asked for anything. I offered myself as your servant.”

I’m not like you.”

No, you’re not.”

This was a trap. All of it, from the beginning.”

I wanted you here,” he said, as if that justified everything. In his mind it probably did. “And I wanted to show you that I can be...accommodating. But there’s no place for that in this bed. Tell me now that you don’t want me and I won’t force you. I won’t cast you into the street. Rael will find you another room—you can leave in the morning. But tell me now Ily and quickly.”

He waited, and she was tempted to throw it back in his face. To win despite herself. But she couldn’t force the words from her mouth. Instead, she reached down and did what she’d wanted to do for the last hour. She fisted her hand around his hard cock and pulled him closer.

He grunted, and his cock seemed to swell in her hand. His arms pushed beneath her shoulders and his hands caged her head. “I promise you won’t regret this.”

Well, she’d known he was an arrogant bastard. Before he could speak again and ruin it all, she tipped back her head, offering her mouth. He took the invitation, pressing his lips to hers before sinking his tongue inside.

His hands were hard. Maybe that shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. He didn’t work. She’d always imagined that an aristo would have soft hands. Pale skin, soft hands, round bloated bodies. Kal was nothing like the image she held in her mind of what an aristo was like. He was more...everything. Harder. Bolder. Cunning as a thief. It sliced at her. She should despise him not crave him like magic. The skin of his palm was cool and dry as he slid his hand up to cover her breast, kneading her gently. When she moaned, he scraped his fingertips down the slope and shaped her nipple into a tight peak.

Lovely. So soft and sweet, Ily. You’ll melt on my tongue like spun sugar.”

I’ve never had spun sugar,” she whispered, and he bent his head to draw a nipple into his mouth. Sleek wet heat clamping down on the fragile flesh. Her back arched and he curved his body to accommodate her, an undulating lift and drop, as if riding a wave. He hummed in appreciation and pulled more insistently, his tongue swirling around the tip just as he released her.

His hair brushed against her when he turned his head toward her other breast. Goose bumps spread over her skin followed by delicious heat. Everything dissolved into sensation. The slide of his cock along the seam of her sex. The looming bulk of his shoulders and chest. The hair on his thighs tickled her legs. He kept his weight from crushing her, but she felt it when he dropped to an elbow, freeing his hand to cup her breast or position her head for his kiss.

And now...now she could appreciate the way he took his time.

It was part of how he approached the world, she realized. He was a sensual creature and did not, could not take the luxury he surrounded himself with for granted. A man like this would appreciate Ulla and the silk sheets he lay upon just as he delighted in her body. She was the one who hadn’t fully appreciated these things. But she would tonight. Tonight, she would drown herself in them.

She’d spent the last three years living the life of a vagrant, hoarding her money and denying herself everything. Until Kal came to tempt her. Chasing this kind of life is what had gotten her into trouble in the first place. She’d learned long ago to avoid powerful men who cared only for themselves, to suspect all pleasure and deny every temptation.

She parted her legs to settle him more firmly against her cleft, angled her hips so that the brunt of every thrust landed on her *. She hooked her feet around his calves and moved with him and when she opened her eyes, he was staring at her. The severity of his expression stunned her. Firelight highlighted the stark planes and angles of his face, his bold nose and wide mouth, compressed now and utterly sober. No light of humor in his dark eyes. Something bare and raw, shatteringly intimate in that look. He plunged into her again, and she closed her eyes. She didn’t want the intimacy of his gaze. She wanted cool silk sheets, a hard body and harder cock. She liked the way he moved. She liked that very much.

This wasn’t an invitation to her soul.

He thrust deeper and she arched to meet him, thighs spreading, lifting, locking around his hips to wrestle some control from him. He was having none of it. He shifted his body to clamp a hand over the jut of her hipbone, pushing her into the mattress. The down cupped her body, giving beneath their weight, but it could only give so much. He held her in place as he pounded into her, each thrust more determined though his pace was not yet frantic. She liked the idea of him losing control, of him ceding control to her. If she took him again, she’d tie his hands to the great wooden posts of his bed and ride him until he begged her for release. Except there would be no next time. One sip from the golden fountain.

He pulled at her hair, forcing her mouth up so he could take her with his tongue as well as his cock. In rhythm, one thrust mimicking the other until it all blended together. Her heartbeat. His. The soft grunting sound he made each time he rammed full inside her, his balls slapped tight to her damp flesh. The muffled cries she made around his tongue, panting breath and wet sloppy sounds of their coming together. He forced her body to dance to his rhythm, and it didn’t matter to her then that he was winning. Right now, she was winning too.

Her orgasm came upon her slowly, a silent blossoming that stiffened her body before shuddering through her. Kal lifted his head and drove harder, riding her through it as she clung to him and gasped for air.

A sound vibrated from his chest, warm and approving. He braced himself on his arms and now he was smiling at her, that dazzling smile she’d seen him exchange with his friends. It had never been directed at her before. Unexpectedly, another shudder of pleasure passed through her. He dropped his gaze to her breasts, her belly, where they were joined together. And the smile tightened a moment before his body did, and then his cock. Three quick jerking thrusts and he spilled inside her. Dropping his head to her shoulder, he groaned like he was somehow disappointed which was silly, they’d both found pleasure. Her arms came around his shoulders.

They stayed like that for a long time. Him resting inside her. Sweat cooling their bodies. Their breath slowed and steadied. She could have stayed like that until sleep took them both, but eventually he lifted his face to kiss her. A gentle press of his mouth, nearly tender. She tightened on his softening cock and his laugh trembled on her lips.

He rolled off her and she turned her back to him.

Ily?” He touched his cheek to her shoulder, an expectant tension in the silence that she didn’t know how to answer.

Kal.”

A long pause. He measured words the way she measured thread, testing them for weakness before casting them into the weave. “You are a wonder.”

She smiled because he couldn’t see it, warmth welling up from her chest and threatening to smother her. His hand skated down her flank and she caught it, pulling his arm around her like a blanket.

She kissed his wrist and folded his hand between her breasts. A man like Kal wouldn’t need reassurance and his head was large enough as it was. “You are a singular man.”

His laughter sounded even more wicked coming from the darkness. “Something about the way you say that makes me think you’re grateful that it’s so.”

Another thought occurred to her, something she hadn’t considered he might not know. “I won’t conceive. The magic...it makes us sterile.”

All of her other lovers had been artists like herself. She’d never had to explain that to another, though it was hardly secret knowledge. As much as she’d like to think she was a mature and daring woman of the world, these practicalities eluded her.

He settled behind her, curving his body around hers like a dragon guarding his treasure. “Yes, I know.”

His breath stirred the small hairs at the back of her neck. This is what she’d wanted, to be clean and warm. To be safe for the night and not alone.