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  When he was completely naked, he reached down and caught her arms, pulling her to her feet. She chuckled softly, loving how anxious he was to get close to her. She’d never felt more like a woman than in this moment.

  He smiled as well as he dragged her into his arms, slanting a kiss again over her lips once more.

  He pummeled her mouth in the best way and only stopped when she grabbed his bottom with both hands and began to explore.

  “Sweet Goddess.” He’d said it again, but this time added, “You’re killing me. Every touch sends a thrill straight to my cock.”

  When she bit his lip, he drew back and with his mossy-green eyes glittering, said in a deep hoarse voice, “Okay, that’s it. I’ve got to take charge or I swear you’ll vaporize me.”

  Without warning, he slid his arm behind her knees and lifted her into the air.

  A long breath deserted her body as he swept her in a darting levitation, through the living room and into a short hallway.

  The trip to the bedroom was brief then she was flying through the air. She landed on her back on his bed and laughed a little more. It was an extraordinary thing to be handled by such a strong man.

  As he drew close and leaned over her, she tried to reach for him, but he put a hand between her breasts to keep her pinned down. “No. It’s my turn. You need to pay for working me up so fast.”

  The quirk to his lips melted something inside her heart.

  She’d meant it when she’d said she trusted him with her life.

  Chapter Ten

  Stone went to work on Rosamunde’s clothes and he wasn’t gentle, something she didn’t seem to mind since she kept laughing. He flipped her to one side and worked her arm out of her leather vest, then did the same to the other. Seeing her large breasts, nipples peaked, stopped him for a moment. He wanted his mouth on them right now doing to her what she’d done to him.

  He leaned over her and using one hand, shaped her breast into a peak then licked around the outside of her nipple. Her breath came in several odd gasps, which made him smile. He continued licking the tip over and over and when she was cooing and her back kept arching he finally took her nipple in his mouth. He suckled greedily which had her crying out and gripping the back of his neck. When he was sure she couldn’t take much more, he added a vibration to his tongue.

  “Sweet Goddess, you could make me come like this.”

  He rose up to look down at her. “Good. Now you know exactly how you made me feel.”

  Her fairly wild expression softened and she grinned, but tears touched her eyes. “I think you’re amazing.”

  He stalled out as he stared back at her, at the admiration shining in her eyes. His heart kept feeling as though it was expanding with every second he spent with her. Was this truly Rosamunde?

  He said the only thing that made sense. “I love doing this with you.”

  She nodded.

  Since she still wasn’t completely undressed, he moved down her body. He worked on her boots next, unzipping them and tugging them off as gently as he could.

  “I love your shoulders and arms. Stone, you’re built as hell.”

  Her voice had deepened, a sexy sound that made his cock twitch a couple of times. But he stayed focused on his task.

  Once he had her boots off, he spent the next couple of minutes tugging her snug leathers down. Her skin looked beautifully pale next to the black leather and as he eased her pants over her hips, a reddish landing strip appeared, making his mouth water.

  He knew exactly what he wanted to do next, but he had to get her pants off first. He worked them down her legs and once they lay on the floor, he met her gaze. “My turn.”

  She cried out in surprise as he caught her thighs in hand and dragged her quickly to the edge of the bed. Dropping to his knees on the floor, he spread her thighs and heard her pleasurable moans, very deep and throaty, as he began to kiss down the short length of her groomed pubic hair.

  He slid his arms under her legs and when he reached the seam of her clitoris he began to deepen each kiss, adding more pressure and nipping at her. When he licked her, the groan she uttered went on and on so of course he began to lick in earnest. He wanted those sounds to reach a feverish pitch.

  Her woodsy, herbal scent hardened him as he continued to lick. Rosamunde smelled and tasted like Aralynn. They really were the same woman.

  When he took as much of her in his mouth as he could and began to suck, she cried out and her fingers landed on his head. She caressed him moving her hands down until he could reach her fingers with his lips.

  He switched to lick her fingers, then lifted up enough to take one of her hands and press her palm to her sex. He licked the tops of her hands and she began to massage. He held her gaze as her hands went to work. She was gasping and panting.

  He licked harder then pushed her hands away. Sliding his arms beneath her thighs, he found her well and drove his tongue inside. Her back arched as she cried out. He held onto her legs and went vampire fast, then added a vibration to his pummeling tongue.

  She writhed as she came screaming. Her body jerked in his hands, but he held on and kept up the quick pace of his tongue, until her shouts lessened and her body grew lax.

  He glanced down at his cock, weeping at the tip, needing to be inside Rosamunde.

  Rosamunde.

  He rose up over her, settling his hands on the bed so that he could look at her. She was breathing hard with a soft blush to her cheeks. He leaned down and kissed her throat.

  His nostrils quivered as he caught the scent of her blood. It would taste better because she’d come, different, richer and he couldn’t wait.

  But just as he began to get serious, she caught his neck and pushed him back a little so that she could look at him. “There’s something I want to do for you.”

  A shiver went over his shoulders. “What’s that?”

  “I want to be both women for you. Would you like that?”

  Another shiver raced down his body and had his erection jumping all over again. His lips parted but no words came out, so he nodded.

  Her lips curved. He felt the vibration first then he watched as her features blurred then suddenly Aralynn was beneath him. He groaned. Two women. A fantasy he’d never imagined before.

  He’d loved Aralynn first. That’s what went through his head. Her brown eyes glinted with desire as she slung an arm around her neck. He kissed her hard. She grabbed his ass with both hands and with her shifter strength rolled him onto his back.

  She didn’t wait. She didn’t ask for permission. Instead, she climbed up on his hips, took his cock in hand and guided him to her well.

  Slowly, she eased down on him, her back arching slightly, a wicked smiled on her lips. “Hey,” she said. “You feel damn good, Stone.”

  “Aralynn.” The wolf in this woman was much more demanding and in control.

  She began riding him, up and down. She settled her hands beside his head and worked her hips. He gripped her bottom wanting to help, but she shoved his hands away. “Let’s keep this slow because I’m going to change back.”

  He barely had time to register what she meant when she rose up and he felt the vibration begin.

  Staring at Rosamunde, his eyes were drawn naturally to her larger breasts, but there was something more. He loved Aralynn’s take charge attitude, but Rosamunde’s sensuality got to him.

  Her lip were parted and her eyes closed. She moved her body in a slow undulation so that she worked his cock. At the same time, her hands glided down her breasts. Pinching her nipples, she moaned softly.

  He shivered and his balls tightened. Rosamunde was much more sensual. Yet he loved the qualities of both women.

  Aralynn.

  Rosamunde.

  When she opened her eyes, she slid a finger in her mouth and sucked. Now if only I could ride you and suck you at the same time.

  His eyes rolled back in his head at the image she’d just created for him.

  Then another vibration
and Aralynn’s more muscular shifter body was on him again, her hips moving fast. She leaned over him and went wolf fast.

  His neck arched. “I can’t hold back.”

  “Then don’t.”

  Another vibration and Rosamunde was on him. She had the same power, so her hips never stopped. “I want you to see me as you come.” Her violet eyes turned silver. Sweet Goddess, she was adding a fae thrall and it felt amazing. “Come for me, Stone. Come now and come hard.”

  With her sex all but fisting his cock, he began to release. He shouted as each pulse of pleasure barreled through his cock.

  But when she began to slow her movements and the last of his semen poured into her body, he could tell she hadn’t come.

  He slid his hand through her hair, cupping the back of her neck. He dragged her down to him and kissed her, plying her mouth with his tongue.

  And still he felt the elf-lord power moving through him, a residual amount but enough to make him firm again.

  “My turn to take care of you,” he said. “But I want you to stay as Rosamunde now. Okay?”

  She nodded.

  He didn’t give her time to think. Instead, with a swift levitating trick and a hand on her ass to hold her in place, he flipped her midair so that she landed on her back, his cock still buried inside her.

  “Oh. That was fantastic.” He felt her internal muscles glide over him hungrily. He began to drive into her, letting her feel him.

  “I’m going to feed from you now.”

  He slowed the movement of his hips and began to lick above the vein in her throat.

  Her breaths grew ragged. “I want this, Stone. I want it so bad, just as we are right now.”

  His fangs descended fully and he tilted his head for the right angle. As soon as he had it, he pathed, You ready?

  I am. Do it. Please.

  He struck quickly, retracted his fangs and formed a seal around the wound. This time, her blood in his mouth was like a series of powerful fireworks that flew down his throat. He groaned heavily and put his hips back to work.

  She released a series of profound cries. The taking of blood always brought pleasure.

  He heard the growing ecstasy in her voice. I want you to come while I’m drinking from you, Rosamunde. Can you do that?

  Yes. One single, breathless, telepathic word. She was tight around him. He wouldn’t last long either.

  At the same time, his mating frequency lit up. He didn’t ask permission about this either but pushed inside her body and found her frequency. As his mating vibration rolled over hers, Rosamunde shouted at the ceiling.

  “Stone, that’s heaven. Oh, what you’re doing to me.”

  With her blood now firing up his veins, and his mating frequency swirling all over hers, he left her throat and swiped the wounds to seal them, then lifted up. He had to look at her as she came.

  She slid her arms around his back, her hands anxious and moving. “I’m going to come.”

  “Me, too. But let’s make this special.”

  The next moment, he levitated them both above the bed. They remained locked in the same thrusting and receiving movement. As she surrounded his hips with her legs, his movements became lightning quick.

  She cried out over and over.

  Ecstasy built like a massive wave in the distance and what was about to flow had him grunting ferociously. A soft keening sound left her mouth. Stone … Stone … Stone … came from her mind in a series of repetitions that sent a thrill straight up his groin and through his cock.

  I’m coming, he pathed.

  I’m with you. He felt how tight she was as her back arched.

  Pleasure like a rocket shot through his body as he released into her again. He shouted as he came and as he watched ecstasy roll over her beautiful face. She writhed in the air with him, her body grasping at his cock, pulling on him.

  Stone! Came one last time from her mind to his.

  The pleasure seemed to roll longer than usual, sustained by the elf-lord power and squeezing every single drop from his cock. His mating frequency had formed a solid shield around hers. He saw how easy it would be to forge the blood rose bond with her, but they hadn’t agreed to it, so he held back.

  As his hips settled down, he floated them to the bed until she lay beneath him. He stayed connected to her and she held her legs locked around him for the longest time. Her beautiful violet eyes held an expression of gratitude. Somehow he hadn’t expected that.

  “Thank you,” she murmured softly. She caressed his face.

  “Can you feel our mating frequencies?” he asked.

  “I’m prone inside yours in the same way I’m lying beneath you now. With a word, we could bond. Do you think we should?”

  The question took him aback. “I don’t know, but something inside me resists it. Is this what you want?”

  “Not my rational mind, but every other part of me seems to be shouting at me to go the distance. Yet we barely know each other and we have a war going on.”

  “I’m thinking the same thing. I’m tempted because I know from the other ruling mastyrs that their powers increased once they bonded with their blood roses. But it doesn’t seem right to me. I’m just getting used to you as Rosamunde and Aralynn.”

  She petted his shoulders and caressed his arms. “You are so magnificently muscled, Stone. I’m overwhelmed.”

  He loved that she’d praised his body. Like all the mastyrs, he worked out and he battled. Both kept him fit, something he had to be. But it pleased him to know that Rosamunde liked what she saw. He was struck all over again by just how much he’d gotten her wrong.

  He withdrew from her body slowly and reached for tissues on the nightstand. Handing them to her, he shifted on his side and watched as she tucked them between her legs. Strange to think how satisfied he felt that she needed the tissues. He liked that he’d left something of himself behind in her. With every other woman, he used condoms, but not with Rosamunde. Or Aralynn.

  She turned on her side to face him her wild hair covering her shoulders and arms then sliding down to shade her breasts. He settled his hand on her waist and caressed her hip.

  “I can’t believe this happened.” She stroked his arm. “Never in my wildest dreams. And I loved that we did that while levitating. We were high up in the air, too, much farther than a foot above your bed.”

  “It was amazing. And my mating vibration is still covering yours, almost protectively.”

  “I like it. I’m sure you could disengage, but please, don’t, not yet. It feels comforting to me in a way I’ve never experienced. And for this moment, I don’t feel alone or even so burdened with the rule of Ferrenden Peace.”

  “I’m glad.” And he meant it.

  He felt her sigh. He didn’t say anything further in response, he just caressed her and slowly rubbed her back. Her body began to relax and she scooted closer. She even nuzzled him, pushing her head into his shoulder.

  He held her for a long time. He didn’t quite understand all that was happening, but he found himself grateful that she’d shared the terrible guilt she lived with because of her mother’s death.

  Stone knew about guilt. He carried his own damn weight on his shoulders.

  His thoughts were drawn back to Charborne. The village and farms were situated at the foothills of the Dauphaire Mountains, in view of the tall, mist-shrouded peaks.

  The village had shown him so much love. He’d been raised on a nearby farm, in the predominantly troll community.

  The villagers had been nothing but supportive when he’d finally joined the Tannisford Vampire Guard. They’d thrown him a farewell bash that had lasted for hours. He was pretty sure the ale he’d drunk hadn’t left his system until at least two nights later.

  If only better provisions had been made for a possible future attack.

  But who could have predicted the arrival of twelve wraith-pairs that went through the village and surrounding farms, slaughtering anyone they could find.

  Half the
villagers had perished by the time three squads of Guardsmen had arrived to take on the Invictus. Two of those good men had died as well because of the overwhelming numbers.

  It had happened centuries ago, but like the aftermath of so many tragic events, he still felt the pain of it. His parents had been two of so many who had died that night. Grief had been a constant companion since, a reminder of the necessity of staying focused on his Guardsman duties.

  Rosamunde stirred in his arms and he pulled her closer. He realized he could relate to her. He knew what it was to lose family to Margetta’s depredations and now that she’d shared more of her life experience with him, he’d begun to understand her.

  Still, he smiled. Rosamunde, both Aralynn and a blood rose. His blood rose. It seemed impossible.

  And the sex had been fantastic.

  ~ ~ ~

  Rosamunde had never felt so satisfied, so content in her entire life. Lying in Stone’s bed, with his arms around her felt like she’d come home after a long difficult journey. She wanted to stay there forever.

  She still couldn’t believe he’d made love to her.

  After a few minutes, she drew back so that she could look at him. She even shifted to lay her head on the pillow and meet his gaze. “You know what I’d love to know. When did you first meet Davido?”

  He chuckled softly.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Just wasn’t what I was expecting.”

  “I guess I want to know more about you and your life. I mean, we’re here, together, and this might be a good time to exchange histories. Davido and Vojalie have been part of my life for a long time and they’ve been such a huge support. I don’t know what I would have done without them.” Especially when it came to the horrendous Margetta visions, but this she didn’t share with Stone. She honestly hoped she’d never have to.

  Stone shifted onto his back. “I know both Davido and Vojalie really well. As for the first time I met Davido, well that’s hard to say. He took an interest in me early in my life. I’ve never told anyone this but he used to sneak into my room during the day when I was a little one. My earliest memory is of him sitting on the floor, near my cradle and talking to me. Or rather, pathing with me.”