Then it became clear. Directions. Well, who was he to refuse an order from the Queen?
She giggled breathlessly against his throat as he carried her through the door behind them. He only hoped she knew where they were going—her whispered instructions seemed to be taking them deeper and deeper into the maze of rooms that made up the living quarters in the palace, and he was apprehensive that they’d be discovered at any moment, either by a staff member or by one of his wolves… something told him this peculiar spell would be broken by an outside observer. But gratitude surged in him as he realized the excessive over-preparation by the palace architects had kept their secret for them… and finally, they found their way to Lana’s bedroom.
Somehow, she’d managed to unbutton his whole shirt without his noticing—distracted by the journey, perhaps—and he grinned against her lips as she pulled the garment impatiently from his shoulders. Her hands felt incredible as they slid across his chest, her fingertips soft but her touch firm and demanding. Possessive, almost. Well, two could play at that game… he pressed her back against the closed door behind them and buried his face against her neck, drawing a gasp from her as he kissed the sensitive skin of her throat, her collarbones, her chest… only to be thwarted by the silky fabric of her gown. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, her breath catching in her throat with impatience and desire as he tugged helplessly at the dress. How had she even gotten herself into this thing? And how was he supposed to get her out of it? He’d all but made up his mind to tear it when the garment finally gave way, Lana exhaling with relief as she pulled the now-unfastened dress down from her shoulders. Then she was kissing him again, her lips fierce and demanding against his, the heat between them rocketing up again, and suddenly it wasn’t nearly enough to have her in his arms like this.
Seth gathered her close and carried her across the room to the bed, grinning at the soft yelp of surprise she uttered as he threw himself down on top of her. Here, finally, she could wriggle her way out of the rest of the gown—he flung it across the room to join his shirt and their shoes, which they’d both kicked off immediately. Lana shifted back on the bed, tugging him along after her, her blue eyes glowing, and he took the opportunity to drink in the sight of her laying before him, her pale skin contrasted against the soft, dark covers of the bed beneath her.
He’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life. The sight of her froze him—and some of what he was feeling must have shown in his face, because the wicked smirk on her face faltered a little, replaced by a smile that was softer, more vulnerable. For a long moment, they regarded each other—but Seth knew he couldn’t let his rational mind catch up with him. After all, this was just about the most ill-advised idea he’d ever had—and just as that thought was about to claim him, Lana grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him down hard on top of her, and he was lost again in the intoxicating delight of her lips against his.
How did he want her so badly? Every touch seemed to be making the fire in him burn brighter. He’d have worried there was something wrong with him if it didn’t feel so good. He lost himself in exploring her body, attuned to every whimper and gasp she uttered as he kissed and caressed her. She shivered as his hands caressed the curve of her waist, and when he brushed his lips lightly across the hard peaks of her nipples, she stifled a scream. With the sound of her breathing as his guide, it wasn’t long before he had her whimpering and writhing under his touch, demanding more with every touch… and when he finally caressed the wet heat of her sex, the sound she made almost undid him completely.
He claimed her lips in a kiss, some distant part of him aware that they should try not to make too much noise. The way she groaned against his lips was intoxicating as his fingers explored her sex, taking note of every gasp and rock of her hips to coax more and more pleasure from her body. Before long, she was grinding herself against him, his hand slick with her juices, her kisses hot and wet and desperate. He was already doing all he could to hold himself back from her, aware of the growing urgency in his own body, the aching press of his manhood… and then he felt her hand tugging impatiently at his belt and knew that he couldn’t resist her any longer.
She yanked his pants down hard enough to tear them—but nothing could have been further from his mind as he felt his manhood spring free of its confines. He’d been determined to stay in control here, to ensure she had her fill of pleasure before turning to his own need—but when he felt her curl her hand around his cock, he knew that he’d well and truly lost any power he might have had in this situation. But how could he register an objection, when the most beautiful woman in the world was stroking his cock, her breath hot against his lips as she kissed him?
Somehow, she reversed their positions, and his eyes widened as he realized she was on top of him, straddling him, the slick heat of her sex brushing against his cock and making him groan his desperation against her lips. For a moment, she hovered there, that wicked grin curving her parted lips… and Seth seized her hips in his hands and drew her down. As he felt himself slide inside her, he saw her eyes roll back, a choked-off groan escaping her, and he hesitated just for a moment, worried he’d hurt her… and then her eyes snapped open and she drove herself down harder, burying him to the hilt inside her. It was his turn to moan, the sound tearing itself free before he could stop it—he felt his hips jerk reflexively, trying to drive himself even deeper into her. How did this feel so good? Every movement she made was exquisite, every grind of her hips drawing more pleasure from him… and in turn, every time he thrust himself into her, he could see her pleasure building.
There was no way they could maintain the furious rhythm they set up for long, but Seth was determined to try. He was grateful for the heavy stone bed—anything lighter would almost certainly have buckled beneath the force of their lovemaking. At least, it felt that way. He could feel his climax building in him, as inexorable as gravity, and he lingered in the exquisite tension between pressure and release for as long as he could, hearing her breathing grow frantic and knowing instinctively that she was suspended in the same delicious ecstasy as he was. But he wasn’t going to be the first to give in—no way. If it killed him, he would ensure that Lana reached the peak ahead of him.
And just as he was beginning to worry that he might have set himself an impossible task, he felt Lana’s nails dig hard into his chest, and the look in her wide blue eyes told him all he needed to know. As if on cue, he felt his orgasm break over him too, and he felt her claim his lips in a kiss that didn’t do much to stifle the cries either of them was uttering. Wave after wave of pleasure rolled through him, his hands tightening on her hips as she writhed atop him in the grasp of her own climax… and finally, she flopped down onto the bed beside him, both of them soaked in sweat and gasping for breath like they’d just run up a mountain.
The exquisite relief, the breaking of a tension that had been lingering between them since they’d met, the physical exertion of their lovemaking… he could see Lana’s eyelids sagging, knew she was succumbing to the same delicious exertion that was stealing over him. But before he succumbed to sleep, he managed to pull her warm body closely into his arms and wrap them both in the soft blanket of the bed.
And with that, he followed her into the deepest sleep he could remember.
Chapter 11 - Lana
Lana stirred slowly, some part of her determined to resist the prospect of waking all the way up from the warmth surrounding her. Memories of the night before were rising to the surface of her mind, vivid and shocking—it was as though they belonged to someone else entirely. She’d never felt anything like that. Never lost herself so utterly to the feeling of another person’s body against hers. And it wasn’t like she’d never had sex—far from it. She’d lived a long life, much of it spent traveling… she’d had her fair share of casual encounters, with shifters and humans alike, and while it had been fun, it had certainly never been anything likethat.
What did that mean? Here it came… the anxiety she’d been trying to push aside, gnawing at the pit of her stomach. She’d been trying to ignore the way she felt about Seth ever since they’d met. That was about to get a whole lot harder, wasn’t it?
As if roused by her racing thoughts, she felt him stir a little in the bed, his arms instinctively tightening around her… and despite her worry, Lana couldn’t stop the smile that slipped treacherously across her face. For as long as she could remember, she’d been sleeping alone, and though she always said she preferred that, right now she couldn’t imagine a better way to wake up. The warmth of his arms, the strength of his body, even the intoxicating scent of him… she could feel that surprising passion stirring in her again even now, unnerved by how quickly it threatened to take her over…
And then there was a gentle tap on the door. She sat bolt upright, panic surging through her. Beside her, she heard Seth jerk awake too, scrambling drowsily for his clothing before he’d even opened his eyes all the way. To her acute relief, the door didn’t open—she heard the familiar voice of one of the palace staff, telling her what time it was.
“Thank you,” she called, her voice cracking a little with relief. Of course. She’d asked for a wake-up call—her phone battery had long since died, and with no way of charging it and a distinct lack of alarm clocks in her quarters, she’d had to resort to the old-fashioned route.
Seth was buttoning his shirt up, and she fought the urge to laugh at the worried look in his eyes. “It’s okay. I asked them to wake me up.”
He exhaled hard, the relief clear on his face, and she grinned up at him, taking full advantage of the fact he hadn’t quite finished buttoning his shirt up. His dark hair was a mess, and she felt a blush creep across her face when she lifted a hand to check the state of her own. What had been a simple and elegant updo the night before had been replaced with what felt like a bird’s nest. They regarded each other for a long moment, and she wondered if the soft smile on her lips looked anywhere near as good as his.
“I should get back to my pack,” he said finally, clearly reluctant to speak the words. She nodded, not liking the way reality was reasserting itself. “They’ll be wondering—”
“Of course. I need to—” She gestured vaguely towards the palace offices, and he nodded quickly.
“Of course. Duty calls. Um.”
“Um,” she agreed, helplessly. A long, frozen moment… and then he was gone, the door clicking quietly shut behind him. With a groan, she dropped her head back against the pillow, cursing her slow wits. She’d always prided herself on how calm and collected she was with one-night stands. Witty and arch, striking the perfect balance between playful and affectionate, letting them know that she’d had a nice time… but that they shouldn’t make any long-term plans around her. Where had all of those skills gone?
Maybe they just weren’t relevant here, she thought, an odd shiver running down her spine. Maybe she wasn’t interested in a one-night stand with Seth. Maybe—
“Stop it,” she whispered aloud, springing out of bed and seizing a jeweled comb from her bedside table. No sense dwelling on what had just happened. She had things to do, people to meet—an entire coronation to plan, she’d learned yesterday, much to her chagrin. Throwing a whole elaborate party just to tell everyone she was the Queen? It had seemed ridiculous. Today, though, she was grateful to have something to distract her from the unfamiliar feelings racing through her.
She combed her hair, showered, tried not to let her attention linger too long on the marks Seth’s amorous attentions had left on her throat… and after selecting a high-necked dress from her collection, she set off for the office. If there was one thing she was good at, it was finding ways to distract herself.
And so she did. The morning she spent with Conrad, planning the coronation—and in the afternoon, for the first time, she set out from the palace to explore her new kingdom. With her wounds mostly healed, she was finally able to tour the cavern under her own power. Her wings were a little delicate, the sails still marked by where the creature’s claws had punctured them, but she took it slowly, and it wasn’t long before the giddy rush of being airborne was filling her heart again. Maybe there really was something to what Conrad had told her about being a Gemini, an air sign… flying was certainly one of the best parts of her life.
She wondered, just for a moment, what Seth’s sign was, then forced the thought of him away. But she’d have been lying if she said her mind didn’t return to him dozens of times that afternoon.