Page 51 of Heart Cradle (The Melrathen Saga #1)

Aeilanna didn’t hesitate, she kissed her again, harder this time.

She moved quickly, climbing into Nolenne’s lap and straddling her.

Her hands settled on Nolenne’s shoulders as their mouths met again, deeper and more urgent.

Nolenne let out a breath against her lips, gripping Aeilanna’s hips, holding her in place.

She kissed her back just as hard, just as desperate.

Aeilanna melted into it, wrapping herself around Nolenne, both of them falling back onto the cot as need overtook exhaustion.

Aeilanna righted herself, tugging her leather shirt over her head.

“You’ve been looking at me like you want to devour me since the battle started. ”

“I was planning on it.” Nolenne said, breath hot against her throat.

She pulled Aeilanna down into another kiss, then reached up and cupped her breasts, thumbing over each nipple until they hardened under her touch. “I want your mouth,” Nolenne murmured, voice rough with need.

Aeilanna didn’t hesitate, removing the rest of their clothes with intention.

Nolenne’s body was all warrior, lean, scarred, strong.

Her breasts were full, natural, and slightly drooped from battle and time.

A thick patch of ginger hair sat between her thighs, and a deep, jagged scar ran from her belly button to her throat, stark against her pale skin.

Aeilanna moved down her body, kissing down Nolenne’s chest, teasing each breast with licks and gentle bites.

Her tongue circled one nipple while her hand massaged the other, until Nolenne was writhing beneath her.

Aeilanna shifted, sliding between her thighs.

She started slow, tongue soft and teasing, but quickly picked up the rhythm.

Two fingers slid inside Nolenne, stretching her while her mouth didn’t stop on her clit.

“Fuck… ” Nolenne gritted out, hips jerking, fists bunching in the sheets.

Aeilanna kept licking, sucking and thrusting until Nolenne cried out, loud and wild, as her orgasm tore through her. Her thighs clamped around Aeilanna, body shuddering in release. Still breathless, Nolenne reached for her. “Come here.”

Aeilanna climbed up her body, kissing her fiercely.

She then straddled Nolenne’s stomach and began to move, grinding, slow and deliberate.

Nolenne’s hands found her clit and rubbed in firm, perfect circles.

Her other hand rose to squeeze her small breasts, then slid up to wrap gently around her throat.

“Does that feel good?” Nolenne whispered.

Aeilanna nodded, her eyes fluttering shut. “Yes, fuck, yes…”

Nolenne didn’t stop. She watched every tremble, every moan, every bite of lip, until Aeilanna fell apart, loud and unashamed.

They lay together in a tangle of limbs, sweat and lingering tremors, holding each other in the dark, as the world outside the tent slowly went quiet until a low whistle pierced the tent flap, followed by a loud, drawling voice.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Calen strode into the tent first, sword slung across his back, grinning like a fox .

Soren and Fenric followed right behind, all three of them coming to an abrupt stop.

“Ah! For fucks sake!” Fenric shouted, throwing an arm dramatically over his eyes. “You dirty bitches, we’ve been scarred for life!”

“Are you kidding me?” Soren groaned, backing up a step. “Couldn’t you two wait until we weren’t walking in?”

Nolenne and Aeilanna, still gloriously naked and twisted together on the cot, looked up with amusement. Aeilanna lifted her brow slowly, resting her chin on Nolenne’s shoulder. “You know, civilised folk usually fucking knock!”

“Didn’t know we had to!” Calen said, half-laughing, half-mortified. “This is a war camp, not your personal love nest.”

Nolenne groaned, hiding her face in Aeilanna’s hair. “They’re never going to let this go.”

“Never,” Calen confirmed, lips twitching. “You’re meant to be protecting the realm, not… ”

“… fucking each other senseless in a war tent!” Fenric finished, flinging his hands in the air.

The tent filled with laughter, Aeilanna already stretching, dressed with intention magic, she winked at Nolenne dressing her with the same ease.

“We were multitasking,” she said smugly.

“Is this why you’re actually here? To give us shit?” Nolenne asked, now stood, hands on her hips.

Soren rubbed the back of his neck. “No, um… Solirra won’t let us near the prisoner.”

“Yeah,” Fenric muttered, still peeking through his fingers. “She growled at me. Growled, like a feral fucking mother with a very ugly baby.”

“She’s just doing her job,” Aeilanna said with a satisfied nod, adjusting her boots. “I asked her not to let anyone near him.”

“Yeah, well, she took it personally,” Calen said. “She won’t listen to the thunder. We’ll need you to go talk her down, preferably now… Please?”

Moments later, Nolenne and Aeilanna stepped out of the tent fully dressed, weapons belted once again to their hips and holey boots on.

They walked towards the command tent, Solirra was still sprawled beside the unconscious Davmon, her massive paw pressing into his chest with possessive weight.

“ You told me to watch him, ” Solirra said in Aeilanna’s mind, her voice calm but firm.

“ So I didn’t let anyone near, they can all piss off. Especially that little shit Fenric .”

Aeilanna smiled, stepping closer. “ I know, Sweet One. You did right. Keep those arseholes away.”

Still laughing, Aeilanna spun looking at her three brothers. “She said you all reek of brotherhood and bad jokes, and can all piss off. Especially Fen.”

“What have I done?!” Fenric protested.

Solirra chuffed, smoke billowing from her nostrils, and shifted her paw off Davmon. “She says you can take him,” Aeilanna said, glancing towards the brothers.

Soren and Calen stepped forwards to hoist Davmon between them. Fenric offered Solirra a wide berth as he passed, calling “You’re terrifying. I love it, my most favourite of the thunder.”