Seeing him clearly now for the first time, she lifted her hips as he slid her nightdress up so that he could skim his hand over her thigh, to her waist. A moment of panic went through her at the shocking contact, but she forced it away. There was nothing to fear with Duel. Of all beings, he wouldn’t hurt her. Not intentionally. She knew that without a doubt.
He left her lips so that he could kiss his way down her body, to her exposed belly. Hissing, Mara sank her hand into his wavy mass of soft black hair and held him closer to her as his hot breath caressed her skin.
Devyl took his time sampling every inch of her skin, and especially her breasts. He still couldn’t believe he was here and that this wasn’t a dream. That she was finally allowing him to have her.
How many times had he imagined being with her like this? Dreamt of her touching him with something other than scorn or hatred? And the reality was so much better than anything he’d ever concocted in his fantasies.
Licking his lips, he pulled her gown over her head, then rolled to trap her under him. “Are you feeling better?”
She touched her nose playfully to his before she answered. “You were right. My mind is completely off my misery.”
Too bad his wasn’t. The pain of wanting to be inside her was excruciating. And it took every bit of his will not to rush, but this was her first time and the last thing he wanted was to ruin it for her.
Or worse, cause her pain.
A smile tugged at the edges of his lips as she bashfully reached for the waistband of his breeches, then hesitated. He kissed her again. “You can touch me, Mara. I promise you, I won’t mind at all.”
A bright red blush crept over her cheeks.
Tsking at her, he took her hand into his and slowly guided her toward his cock, then showed her how to stroke him.
Mara bit her lip as she watched the pleasure play across Duel’s face. He was so hard and soft at the same time. Like velvet stretched over steel.
That familiar tic returned to his cheek as he growled deep in his throat.
It made her feel powerful to hold him like this. To know she controlled his pleasure.
At least until he returned the favor and began stroking her intimately. Arching her back, she cried out at the most incredible pleasure she’d ever felt. What was he doing to her?
But even more incredible was the unexpected surge it gave her powers. They sizzled through her body. “Can you feel that?” she whispered.
“I feel it.”
Mara gasped as she realized that his eyes were no longer red or dark. They now glowed a vibrant amber … the color of a Deruvian magus’s eyes. She trembled at that significance. “How much power do you wield?”
“My grandfather was the king of the Adoni, and my mother a daughter of Yggdrasill.”
Mara’s head swam at that confession. A daughter of Yggdrasill would have held unbelievable powers. No wonder he could predict the weather. Which made her wonder …
“Can you control the elements?”
“I can summon storms, but not banish them. And I can command lightning, but the control of the sea is beyond my abilities.”
That sent a shiver over her. “And from the Adoni?”
He nuzzled her neck as his hand sent ribbons of pleasure through her. “Is this really the conversation you wish to hold right now?”
She blushed again at his question. “I’m just trying to understand you.”
Devyl nibbled her collarbone. There was nothing for her to understand. Not really. He was terribly uncomplicated. Just a broken man who was bent on vengeance.
Of course that was a little more complicated given the fact he doubted Mara would stand by while he took her sister’s head. The one thing about Mara, she was loyal to a fault. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her sister.
Worse, he held a secret that, if she ever learned it, would guarantee her enmity for all eternity.
But he didn’t want to think about that right now. Not when her warm, supple body was beneath his.
His heart pounding, he pulled away long enough to remove his boots and stockings.
Mara traced the scars on his back with her nails, sending chills over him. “Are all these from battle?”
“Nay,” he said gruffly. “My father was a firm believer in the lash. As was my mother.”
“I’m sorry, Duel.”
“It doesn’t bother me.” That was the truth. Perhaps there had been a time in his childhood when it had, yet he couldn’t recall it. “Better me than either of my sisters.”
She rose up to gently kiss his scars. He sucked his breath in sharply. And when she wrapped her arms around him, he lost himself to her completely. Dagda help him. He wanted to die in this moment. To end eternity right here and now on this one perfect feeling of being wanted. Desired.
He could almost believe that she loved him, and that was the worst of all. Because he wanted it to be real. He wanted this fantasy.
Craved it with everything he wasn’t worth.
But it was bullshit. He had no doubt.
And yet …
His hand trembling, he undid his breeches and slid them from his body.
Mara froze as she saw him completely bared. Not that she hadn’t seen him that way before.
Many times. He’d never been a particularly modest person. Point of fact, he’d seemed to delight in embarrassing her. But this was very different.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
“Good.” A tiny smile played at the edges of his lips before he leaned her back on the bed and covered her with his warmth.
She sighed at the pleasant weight of him, reveling in it and in the massive size and hardness of every inch of his flesh. His body felt incredible against hers. And when he slid himself inside, she cried out and clutched him as pain overrode her kinder thoughts where he was concerned. She sank her nails into his back.
He held himself completely still while he kissed and nuzzled her. “Breathe, blodwen. I’ll never hurt you. I swear. It’ll pass in just a moment.”
Mara choked on a sob at his endearment and kindness. Blessed flower. For their people, that was reserved only for those who resided deep within your heart.
And it wasn’t an endearment bandied about idly. No one used it unless they meant it. To a Deruvian, it was as sacred as saying I love you.
Pressing her cheek to his, she cradled him with her body. “I love you, too, Duel.”
He rose on his elbows to stare down at her in disbelief. “What?”
“You don’t have to look so stunned. Is it so hard to believe that I feel the same?”
“A little bit. Aye.”
She snorted at him and his continued suspicion as she brushed at his long hair that fell forward to frame his face. How strange that such a simple thing could make so ferocious a beast appear boyish and vulnerable when she knew full well he was neither of those things. “Not exactly the reaction I was wanting, Captain.”
This time, he gave her his full dimpled smile and charmed her completely. “You’ve stunned me past all rational thought, my lady. Therefore, you’ll have to have a bit of leniency with me while I acclimate to hell freezing over.”