Page 13 of One Last Wish (The Elder World)

I wasn’t prepared to learn about the people Darce loved , and it affected me more than I wanted to admit. If I had been smart and thought about it, of course he would have his own battles to fight. He wanted to be good enough for the person he loved. It was touching, but that person wasn’t me and it was never going to be me. I was fine with that because I’d never be capable of loving him back anyway.

What it did clarify was that I might never get him in my bed. Well, not even my bed , really, but an alley or restroom. My desire for him was still a thick, undiminished need. If I didn’t get to feel and taste him, I was worried I’d always crave him. There had to be a way to break those walls of his down. Even if just for a night.

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I T WAS THE EVENING of the midnight release. I think this was as close to nervous as I’d ever been. We’d sold over two hundred tickets, and had pre-ordered the books a few weeks ago so they would be ready for tonight.

I was stacking the Future of Dawn books onto the display stand when Darce came over to give me a hand. I’d been off with him since our drink at Clover bar—I had no right to be, and I knew it—but my desire for him had gotten the better of me.

“Are you ever going to tell me what I've done wrong?” he asked, reaching for the same book as me in the box. Sparks shot down my fingers, and when I looked down at my hand, I froze. It was glowing very slightly. Fuck, not now, brain. I was stressed, but I didn’t have time for a meltdown at the moment.

“Shit! Sorry!” I recoiled, hoping he hadn’t noticed my freak out. Gazing back at my hand, I held it under the light. Thankfully, I wasn’t glowing anymore. Whatever my brain had pictured, had stopped.

“No, that was my fault. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Your hand? Does it hurt?” Shit! I was holding it like I’d burnt it or something.

“Oh, no. I’m all good,” I stressed, moving to unpack a different box of books.

“Where do you want the large book poster, Alora?” Theo called from the bottom of the stairs. “Near the front door or by the stairs?”

“The stairs!” I called, looking at the time. It was only an hour until midnight, I needed to get changed into my outfit. “Can you finish this display while I get changed?” I asked Darce.

“Yeah, then will you talk to me? You’ve been avoiding me as much as Theo the last few days.”

“My head is a bit crazy at the moment,” I admitted. Absent-mindedly, I reached out to touch his arm and accidentally brushed the skin on his wrist.

It hit me like a bolt of lightning...a dream being plucked from my head...and pushed to the front of my mind. I stood there staring at him in bewilderment.

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“D ON’T WALK AWAY FROM me,” Darce pleaded, his eyes wet with emotion. “I can’t do this, Alora.”

“How do we make this work, Darce? How do we do this without getting each other killed? We are breaking every rule! If we carry on, we risk war .”

“You know how I feel about you.”

“You know neither of us can admit those feelings. If we give in...” I shook the thought away.

“This doesn’t feel wrong to me.” He tucked a stray piece of my hair behind my ears before cupping my cheek.

“Maybe you never should have saved me,” I whispered, leaning up to peck his lips.

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“A LORA. LOOK AT ME. I’m right here.” Darce’s hands were on my face. He was touching me...skin on skin. I closed my eyes for a moment, savouring how it felt. “Are you okay? You zoned out.”

“W...What...I...”

“Are you okay?”

“Darce,” I whispered. “You’re touching me. Are you okay?” I could have sworn he moved an inch toward my lips before finally letting me go and pulling away. “I...I...I’m going to get ready,” I stuttered, impressed that I could walk straight after that encounter.

I changed into my outfit for the event. It was basically a leather catsuit to represent the dragon rider’s leathers in the spotlight book series for tonight. Clipping the utility belt I’d made into place, I put my work boots back on, pulled my hair down and was ready. I looked the part of a dragon rider. Theo and Darce hadn’t dressed up, but neither of them were into this series like I was.

Walking up the stairs, I was scrunching my hair to give it a bit more volume when Darce and Theo turned around at the same time. Theo looked at me from head to toe and swallowed hard. He was trying to focus on not getting a hard on, I suspected. Darce was the one that shocked me, standing there with his arms crossed. His eyes looked half-crazed as they lingered on my body. He brought one hand to his face and bit his knuckle, drinking me in.

“A bit of warning next time please, Alora,” he breathed. “You look ridiculously desirable right now.”

“Yeah, I second that,” Theo muttered, ruining the moment between Darce and me.

This was the first time Darce had ever lost control around me. The fact that he loved another woman didn’t matter to me. There was only one thing I wanted as I looked at that longing in his eyes... his head between my legs.

“I might need a hand getting out of this catsuit later,” I purred towards Darce then winked as I walked off to open the door. I heard a sharp intake of breath as I walked away. Hopefully, that was Darce and not Theo.

The midnight release party was a big hit. We must have had well over two hundred people attend and sign up for the newsletter for future events. Darce and Theo stayed on the tills while I mingled with the customers, talking books.

“This is incredible!” Evelyn screeched. “All my college friends are coming to the next one no matter what the book is. The reading nooks are magical. I never realised how big this place was.”

“Thanks for coming and supporting me.”

Evelyn looked over at the tills and back to me. “I don’t want to alarm you, but judging by the way Theo and Darce keep watching you, I’m pretty sure you could have a threesome tonight if you wanted it.”

“Yeah, I did notice their reaction when I came out wearing this earlier.”

“You look sexy as hell. If I was that way inclined, I’d be queuing up, too.”

When she turned back to her college friends that were waiting for her so they could leave, I noticed Danny was one of them. “Which one are you taking home tonight, then?”

“Probably Danny. We’ll try and keep it down when you get back later.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, watching her join them. Darce was getting the last few customers out the door.

“You can head off if you want, Theo. You’re on the earlier shift tomorrow,” I offered and I was cashing up the till, impressed with our takings. Malcolm would definitely let me host another one.

“No, I can wait, I don’t...”

“You heard her, Theo. Beat it! Alora and I have it covered,” Darce interrupted, giving him a look that reminded me of the club when he’d scared away those guys that were hassling me. “What?” he asked once Theo begrudgingly left.

“You made me remember something. How did you scare those five guys in the club the first time I saw you? They looked petrified. At the time I wondered if you had a knife or a gun.”

“I did have a knife.” Well, shit! Darce was a bad boy, after all. “Are you going to tell me now?”

“Tell you what?”

“Alora, don’t play games. Did I do or say something? You’ve been giving me the silent treatment for days.” His breathing became erratic as he watched me lock the front door and turn the main light off. All that was left was a soft, dim light. “What are you doing?”

“Locking us in.” It was time to test that willpower of his.

“Why?” He frowned, biting his lip as I stalked towards him. “Whatever you’re thinking. It’s not happening.”

“Do you want to know what happens every time you touch my skin?” I wasn’t going to give him the crazy answer...that my skin glows. I was going to give him the real answer. “My body yearns more than it ever has in my entire life. I want you, Darce.”

“Alora, stop...” He held his hands out, freezing me in my tracks. “You’re not making this easy for me.”

“What parts of my body can you touch?” Piece by piece, I’d break him down. “I need you to touch me. Give me fucking something !”

“Fuck, Alora! Stop !”

“You want me, I want you. Tell me what you’re willing to do to me, and I’ll tell you if you can.”

“Don’t do this to me, please!” He put his face in his hands.

“I wasn’t kidding about needing help to get out of this thing. Have you seen how tight it is?”

“Mmm...yeah, Theo and I both noticed.” Letting out a large huff, Darce looked up at the skylight.

“ You’re allowed to touch me, unlike Theo.”

His head snapped to mine, his eyes crazed. He licked his lips as he lowered his gaze to my body again. “We can’t have intercourse.” Darce swallowed and closed his eyes, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe he was cracking. “That’s the only thing we can’t do.”

“Everything else goes?” He nodded, his eyes not leaving mine. “What about things I can do to you?” Darce released a feral groan, trying to compose himself. “I’m only asking if I can suck your cock. Am I allowed to touch that?”

“Holy fucking Ether .” Wait, did he...? “Alora, you are playing a very dangerous game that we cannot get into right now.”

“What did you just say?” Ether? Did I mishear him?

“You just asked if you could suck my cock...I have no idea what I said! I’m a little distracted right now.” I tilted my head, looking down towards his trousers and licking my lips. “ Stop ! You’re not helping!”

“You haven’t said no yet. We could pleasure each other with our mouths, and call it quits tonight. All I need to know is where I can touch you. I’ll keep to your boundaries, I promise.”

“Where has all this suddenly come from?” His eyes were dark and hooded. I was winning this argument. His resolve was crumbling.

“You called me desirable,” I whispered, stepping closer. Darce didn’t try to stop me this time. “You want me. You can't deny it anymore.”

“I’ve never denied that I want you, Alora. If you remember, I told you it would be safer if you kept away from me.”

“And look how well that went.” I grinned, crossing the last bit of space between us. Darce’s hands settled on my waist as he gazed down at me.

“If we’re going to do this, I have one more rule.” My body almost buckled at the feel of his hands on me. “No kissing on the mouth and I will not be penetrating you, no matter how many times you beg.” Only Darce could make that sound so damn sexy! It was the two things I wanted most from him, but I’d take anything to get his hands on me right now.

“Oh, you’re that good, are you?”

“I am.” He smirked with such confidence that my insides flipped. “Let’s do this upstairs in case anyone walks past.” It was three in the morning, but he was right...New York never slept. We didn’t want to be putting on a show.

I could feel his eyes on me as I ascended the grand staircase. I reached the top unprepared for Darce’s attack as he pushed me against the bookshelf, removing my fake utility belt and dropping it to the floor. “Once I’m done with you, you won’t have the energy to return the favour,” he snarled against my ear, slowly undoing the zipper on the front of my catsuit. All I could do was brace myself against the bookcase.

“W...W...What are you going to do to me?”

“I have two ideas, but I’m not sure which yet.” The torturous pace of my zipper being undone made me squirm. “Both of them end in you climaxing, don’t worry.”

“Fuck,” I groaned, looking up at the ceiling to try and compose myself.

Darce continued slowly with the zip, revealing the swells of my breasts. “I’m going to get lost in you, Alora,” he breathed, running his thumb across my lips. He looked at me as if I was the air he needed.

“I’m already lost in you,” I trembled, desperate to kiss his lips. He gave me a small, lazy smile before cupping my breast with his one hand.

“I never could stay away from you,” Darce muttered, moving to plant kisses down my neck. My body jerked with each gentle kiss. It was like a small gun was going off inside me with each touch. As if something deep within me was caged and a few strands had come undone. “Mmm...your skin is so soft,” he groaned into the crook of my neck as his fingers caressed over the tops of my breasts.

“Please! Pull my catsuit down!” I begged, needing to be naked in front of this man. “You’ll get better access to my skin!”

“Always such an impatient creature,” Darce chuckled, caressing the top of my chest with his lips. I was unravelling already and he’d hardly touched me. “You can beg all you want. I’m taking my time.”

“Darce! Please touch me!”

“I am touching you,” he whispered, running his fingers from the base of my throat to the part of my chest that was exposed.

“It’s not enough,” I yearned, moving my hands that were gripping the bookcase. I tried to put them on his shoulders, but he pinned my hands back in place with his grip.

“Keep your hands on that bookcase or I’ll stop.”

“I want to touch you,” I pleaded, looking into his deep, midnight eyes.

“You can’t. If you want any of this, you have to keep your hands to yourself.” This wasn’t fair. If he was allowed to touch me, wasn’t that skin on skin contact? None of it made sense. “Alora, do you understand?”

“You were never going to let me suck your cock, were you?” Darce stepped back. His face was in his hands again. “I don’t understand. Why won’t you let me touch you? Why are you fighting the desire we clearly have for each other? It doesn’t make sense. None of this makes sense!”

“I can’t tell you.” He stepped back again, putting even more distance between us. The reality of our situation was dawning on him and that wall was going back up.

“Why?”

“This was a mistake. We should go.”

“Yeah, that’s right, run away! Like you always do!” I raged, hurt and confused. “Are you scared to admit that you might feel something for me? Is that what all of this is about? I thought I was guarded, but fucking hell , at least I’m honest about it.”

“Alora, that’s not what all this is about. If I could tell you, trust me, I would!”

“Oh, fuck off, Darce!” I seethed, crossing the space between us and pushing at his chest. I then yanked the zipper on my catsuit back up. “I offered myself to you on a fucking platter, and still you didn’t take it. I’m fucking done !”

“Alora,” he grabbed my arm, pulling me back towards him.

“ What ? Are you going to fuck me now? That’s all I want, Darce. One fucking night. Is that really too much to ask for?”

Searching his eyes, all I could see was turmoil and uncertainty. “Yes, it’s too much to ask for.” Ugh! I twisted out of his grip and was about to yell at him, but a voice called from downstairs.

“Anyone here? Alora? Theo? Darce?” Fuck, what a time for Malcolm to give a shit about Bookends. Darce gave me a longing look before I called out to our boss, and did my catsuit back up.

“We’re upstairs, Malcolm!”

“I couldn’t sleep thinking about how things were going tonight,” Malcolm beamed, watching us walk down the stairs. “How did you get on?”

“We sold all the books.” Darce looked at me. “Alora did an amazing job.”

“Well done! That’s incredible. You two can head off. I’ll stay until opening time. Don’t worry about coming in until after lunch. Theo and Daisy can finish tidying upstairs in the morning.” Getting away from Darce was all I wanted to do right now. Nodding, I grabbed my bag and left without another word.

“ALORA! ALORA!” Darce was yelling for me. I could hear his footsteps and knew he was running after me. “Hate me all you want, but I’m not letting you walk home alone at this time of night.”

I let him follow me without saying a word. Once we were at my apartment door, I gave him one annoyed look before heading inside.

Done! I was fucking done chasing this prick!