Sensual Magic

  Anguish poured off him in a wave, catching her, tugging at her emotions, her need to soothe him.

  She pulled herself loose, needing some distance. “I would not use magic to manipulate your feelings. That’s not how it works. I use it to defend myself and my people. I don’t use it to play with men who I’d be way better off without. You don’t know what an insult it is to accuse me of that. There are no love potions, no spells to make another person love you and if there were, I’d still not use them. I wouldn’t cloud your will.”

  He sat on a nearby chair and looked up at her. “I’m sorry. It…I know you wouldn’t harm me like that. I don’t know why I know it, but I do. I’m just…I don’t know what to do with all this emotion.”

  Unbidden, laughter bubbled from her and she bent, kneeling before him, giving in to her need to touch him. “You think I do?”

  A smile tugged at his mouth and she had to kiss it. His hands cupped her cheeks gently as he tasted, teased, returned the kiss.

  “I love you,” he murmured against her lips.

  “I love you, too.”

  “I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to love anyone, but I can’t resist you and I don’t want to. I don’t know what this will all mean tomorrow other than that you’re mine and that’s not going to change.”

  He said it so surely, so laden with possession and utter maleness it made her shiver.

  “Yeah? So take me then.”

  William stood, but she stayed on her knees, leaning in to rub her cheek over the ridiculously painful erection he’d had ever since he’d gotten on the elevator to her floor.

  “Let me take the edge off.”

  He watched her hungrily as ripples of sensation slid through him every place she touched him. He nearly growled when she undid his jeans and finally freed his cock.

  “I’ve not been able to see it this closely,” she said, amusement clear in her voice and he laughed.

  “Take all the time you want to check it out.”

  “Well, the first order of business is to determine where it’s been. I noticed your company when you went back to the Dollhouse earlier.”

  He blushed, mortified she’d seen it. “Ah. I imagine you were following to keep me safe, huh? I’m a prick, remember? But nothing happened. I ordered them a bottle of champagne and stewed over you for hours until I came here. I don’t want any woman but you. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “I considered maiming you for touching the redhead’s ass. You’ll pay for that, Mr. Man. But for now I’d rather suck your cock.”

  Nearly choking when she licked a line from his balls to the slit, he simply took her in, so beautiful there on her knees. The shock of heat from her mouth when she took him inside made him ache.

  She took it slow, savoring every inch of his cock, licking and sucking, stroking with clever fingertips. What a fucking amazing feeling to be swallowed not just physically but emotionally. The intensity of the moment amped up a thousand times simply because of how she made himfeel inside, as well as outside. This love thing sure made the sex hotter.

  Orgasm built quickly, gathering at the base of his spine, pleasure seeping through every part of him as she took him into her mouth.

  “Stop, Nell, stop. I’m close and I want to fuck you.”

  She pulled off, leaving his cock shiny and her lips swollen. A pang of desire pulsed through him at the sight. “Do you have slow recovery? Like, once and you’re through?”

  Horrified, he nearly gasped until he caught her smile. “You’re a wicked thing, aren’t you? For your information I have wonderful recovery, thank you very much.”

  “Then shut up and come in my mouth.” Before shock and then the flush of heat at her words could register, she sucked him back into her mouth, deeper than she had before and he had to lock his knees before he collapsed.

  Her short curls felt soft and cool as he slid his hands through her hair, cradling her skull. Instead of letting his head fall back, eyes closed as he might have done with another woman, he let himself be mesmerized by the sight of his cock sliding into and then pulling out of her mouth. Over and over, each time pulling him in deeper and deeper until he gripped her hair and he came so hard he saw stars even with his eyes open.

  He sank to his knees when she pulled back, leaving him with a kiss on his belly. Without words, he pulled her close, one arm banded around her waist, and pulled her to him, pressing his mouth to hers to steal a kiss.

  She consumed him like fire, her touch ate him up, the taste of her mouth spiced with his own essence drove him mad. He tore his lips away and stood, pulling her up with him.

  “Off with the robe and panties. I want you totally naked and on that bed.”

  “You, too,” she said, tossing the robe to the side. Her panties fluttered to the floor as she threw them over her shoulder when she climbed on the bed.

  “Lamps don’t do you any justice.” He stalked to the windows and used the button to open them wide, letting in the lights from outside and the full moon above.

  “Beautiful. God.” He worked the shirt up and over his head and toed off his shoes to get rid of the jeans and boxers. She lay on the bed, watching him with a smile. Long and muscled, breasts high and round, her big green eyes taking him in, she was everything he never knew he wanted until he saw it.

  “William Emery, you have a wonderfully sexy body. Why do you hide it under all those clothes? Well, scratch that, I’m glad you do. Come over here and fuck me already.”

  He laughed and jumped on the bed, wondering when the last time he’d been so carefree during sex, or any time really.

  * * *

  Nell took in the tanned, firm skin, the muscles of a man who worked out regularly. He had an elegant body, tall, lean and muscled just right. Thank goodness he didn’t shave. She moaned to herself as she slid her hands up his chest, through the light smattering of hair. It was his turn to moan when she slid her fingers around and around his nipples until she pinched them, just hard enough that he jumped, but not hard enough to hurt.

  “Christ,” he hissed and moved closer, kissing her shoulder. “I have work to do. Back off and stop tormenting me.” Hegrabbed her hands and put them above her head. “Stay. I told you I needed some time with you on your back and here we are.”

  She smiled, stretching under his touch, loving the way he felt, loving that they were together and not fighting. After he got on all fours over her body, he ran his hands from her ankles to her thighs, skimming featherlight over her mound.

  “Wet.” He groaned softly. Leaning down, he nuzzled and breathed in at the hollow of her throat. “Why do you smell so good?”

  “William.” She paused a moment as he traced his fingers down her shoulders, bringing gooseflesh.

  “Hmm?” His tongue left a warm, wet trail southward.

  “This is probably just going to sound all mystical and stuff, but we’re meant to be together. It’s Fate.”

  He shrugged as his mouth left hot kisses against the top curve of her left breast. “At this point, I’m pretty much just giving in. Whatever it is, I believe it.”

  “Oh.” Well, that was anticlimactic.

  “Your breasts are so fucking gorgeous. Have I told you that?” He tested their weight, drawing his thumbs back and forth across her nipples as she squirmed.

  “I can’t really recall right now. I’m sort of distracted. Oh!” She gasped as his mouth surrounded one of her nipples and drew hard. A shock of pleasure shot straight to her clit.

  “You like that. I love how responsive you are.” He spoke around a nipple, nibbling on it.

  “Have you met a woman who didn’t? Wait, I don’t want to know.” Nell writhed beneath him, struggling for breath.

  She stretched to touch as much of him as she could, smoothing her palms down his back down to his ass. Spectacular.

  He shifted his attention, and his mouth, down her breast, not ignoring the sensitive skin just beneath.

  “I like finding all the places on your body that
make you tingly. I can see I need to devote a lot of time to this project. I do like the noises you make. Gets me so hot, my recovery time is much improved.”

  Nell laughed. “Just, you know, do something! You talk too much.”

  He moved down her body and shoved her thighs open to lie between them. “Even in the moonlight I can see your cunt, glistening and wet for me. Makes me feel invincible that I can do this to you.”

  He opened her to his gaze and then used one hand to slowly make lazy circuits from her gate up to her clit and back again, just following the furl and line of her labia.

  She gasped when he slid two fingers into her, feeling her internal muscles clutch at the invasion, wanting more than fingers.

  As if he’d read her mind, he gave her a kiss, a full deep kiss, using his lips and tongue and teeth. He kissed her pussy like a lover, like he’d kissed her mouth just minutes before. Nell grabbed the coverlet to keep from yanking his head closer.

  And then he focused on her clit, flicking it with his tongue slowly at first and then speeding his pace. The two fingers inside her became three, stretching her, readying her for his cock.

  He sucked her clit in between his lips—in and out, slightly abrading it with his teeth until she was ready to beg. Only to back off, blowing warm air across the slickened flesh of her pussy.

  Words escaped, fluttering from her reach until all she could do was issue breathy moans and incoherent pleas.

  He hitched her thighs up onto his shoulders then, going in for that final pass. The blood rushed in her ears, roaring as climax circled, descending so that she felt nothing else but him, his mouth on her.

  Finally, all his work came together just perfectly and just for a moment it felt as if time had stopped altogether until it rushed back with blinding intensity as she exploded into orgasm, back bowed, arching into his face.

  She wasn’t aware of much more until some time later when he moved back up and placed a kiss on her lips. She wound her arms around his neck and held on as he devastated her mouth, feasting on her.

  “I like the way you taste,” she said as he finally pulled back.

  “Funny, I like the way you taste, too.” He rolled away to rustle in his pants and came back moments later, holding a condom. “Now, I think we’ve arrived at the fucking portion of our program.”

  He rolled to his back and pulled her atop his body.

  “Oh, I see, you want me to do all the work?” She grabbed the condom and rolled it on his cock quickly. “You didn’t lie about that recovery time.”

  Without any more chatter, she rose up, guided him true and slid back down, taking him into her body as she did.

  * * *

  He lay there and looked up, watching the sway of her breasts as she rode him. Once he’d given in to how he felt about her, truly gave in, it was like everything clicked into place.

  They’d have to work at a relationship, but they would, he didn’t doubt it. He certainly had a lot to learn about her world.

  Taking her breasts into his hands, he pinched and rolled her nipples, delighting in the way her cunt tightened around his cock.

  “I like it when you do all the work. You fuck me and I just look up at you and play with your nipples. Life is very good.”

  They remained that way, gazes locked, her body rocking over his for some time. Neither said much, but at the same time, everything was expressed.

  Once he neared orgasm, he slid a hand between them and found her clit, sliding a knuckle back and forth against her as she ground her body down and against him, driving herself higher and him, as well.

  When he finally came, it was on the heels of her climax and he welcomed her body as she slumped down with a satisfied sigh.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The ringing phone woke William up, along with the warm press of Nell’s naked body as she leaned over him to grab it. While she was there, he put his arms around her, keeping her in place.

  He heard her say she’d be right there, noted the seriousness in her tone and let go when she hung up.

  “Everything all right?”

  She rolled off the bed and he smiled, watching the way she looked as the sunlight touched her bare skin.

  “Galen found Leah. Galen is my partner,” she added at his blank look. “Anyway, he’s tailing her, and I need to get out there. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to have to rush out.”

  “Good, because I’m coming with you.” He picked his cell up and she started to argue. “Don’t bother. I’m going to call my manager to let him know to take over for me at work.”

  Ignoring him for the moment, she rushed into the bathroom, shoving her legs into jeans and quickly brushing her teeth with her free hand.

  When she came back out, she caught sight of him standing at the door once her head popped through the shirt’s neckline.

  “Look, William, this is serious shit. You can’t come. I’llcall you when I get back.” She moved past him quickly once she’d grabbed her weapons and left the room.

  “I’m not arguing with you. I’m coming.”

  She sighed and sped her pace, but he kept up. Skipping the wait for the elevator she ran down the stairs, her heavy boots thudding on the concrete.

  The heat of the garage hit her, staggering her for a moment as she headed to the car.

  “I’m going to grab on to the hood if you don’t let me in. I mean it. We’re together, Nell. Together. I’m not letting you do this alone.”

  “Oh, my God! William, this is my job. I have to go.” She got in, but he simply dove around her and landed in the backseat. Starting her car with a heavy sigh, she seat belted in and tore out of there with squealing tires.

  “Does this mean you’re letting me come?” he yelled from the backseat over Judas Priest booming from her speakers.

  “You will stay in the car. You will follow my instructions. You will not argue with me. I mean it. This isn’t just about your safety, but mine and Galen’s, too.”

  She locked in to the GPS on Galen’s phone and pointed her car in that direction at a very high rate of speed. The engine roared, purring through her bones as the music amped her up, helped her focus, prepared her to do whatever it took to take these people down.

  “Talk to me,” she said over the line once Galen answered.

  “They’ve pulled into some luxe mansion thing out here. Magical wards all over the place. Nasty stuff out here, Nell. Be ready.” He gave her the general directions to where he parked his rental.

  “All right. I should be there in a few minutes. Call Merielto let her know we’re moving. I’ve got a civilian with me. Yes, don’t ask. He’ll keep out of the way. Don’t move without me unless it’s absolutely necessary.” Galen was strong, but not as strong as she was and these mages were nasty. Plus, she wanted to pop that bitch Leah in the face—this was personal.

  * * *

  From the backseat, William watched her. Eyes shielded by dark sunglasses, the music pounding, her face was a mask of severe concentration. Now he knew where he got that air of danger before. She was a dangerous being. And he liked it. Holy shit, she was hot when she got all tough. Who knew he had some secret fetish for tough women?

  She’d been right. He should have stayed back at the hotel, but he couldn’t bear to let her go, not knowing what would happen to her. That was something they’d have to deal with if they meant to make this thing between them work. The distance would be an issue, as well, but it wasn’t that far and they’d make it happen. He wasn’t going to just let her go, not now that he’d found her.

  She was a damned good driver and clearly the car had been modded. He noted the reinforced roll bars even as he fantasized about fucking her again, this time by candlelight and with no interruptions. Sometimes a man had to multitask.

  “Okay,” she finally spoke as they slowed and she turned the music off, “I mean it, William, you have to listen. I can’t…I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you so you need to stay here. Do you know how to use a weapon?
”

  She took a side street when they approached the entrance to a gated community, looking at some notes she’d taken.

  “Um, yes. I’m not an Olympic gold medalist with a rifle or anything, but I know how to use a handgun.”

  She stopped at a cul-de-sac in a new development, pulling up next to a rental car where a muscular man with very short, pale blond hair got out. A sliver of jealousy worked through him as he noted the concern on the other man’s face and Nell’s smile at him. It was the man he’d seen her with at the Dollhouse right after they’d had sex the first time.

  She got out and William followed.

  “William, this is Galen.” They shook hands and looked each other over warily. “He’s staying in the car. I’ll leave him a weapon and a phone.” She turned back to William and pulled a handgun out, handing it to him. “The clip is full. When you get in the car, I’m going to do something to it so you won’t be easily seen and hopefully the shade of the houses and these trees will keep you cool, as well. Water in the trunk. If we’re not back in an hour, take this car back to the city and someone will contact you.”

  Fear, real true fear for her safety shocked him into realizing what he felt was beyond what he’d imagined. Yes, he’d said he loved her, but this was striking. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.

  So he nodded and grabbed her, delivering a hard, possessive kiss. “You’d better get back here, Nell. You don’t have my permission to get hurt.”

  She smiled and kissed his forehead. “Gotcha, tough guy. If anyone does see you and asks what you’re doing here, you’re a developer. You’re supreme with the bullshit—I’m sure you’ll work it out.” Making a waving motion, she ushered him back into the car and then stood back. The air around them shimmered a moment and then he watched her walk away with the other dude at her side.

  * * *

  “Stupid to have brought him.”

  She looked at Galen as they circled the long way around the giant gated community. “I know.”

  “Are you centered?”