Page 43 of Pawns of Fate

Rose pulled a few apples and a loaf of bread out of their saddlebags, sat beside the fire, and scooted herself close to her husband. The plain dinner turned into an enjoyable feast in Nicholas’s company.

“Have you sensed anything on the aural plane today?” he asked.

Rose shook her head. She’d checked several times and never sensed any hint of shadow mages.

“Why do Lyla and Syzman think the rogue mage is after me ? What value do I have?”

Nicholas let out a low hum. “I told you this before, but please don’t question your value.” He tugged on a strand of her hair playfully. “You mean the world to me.”

Rose felt her cheeks flush. Nicholas had never really been one to hide his affection, but since they had reunited, he’d been so forward with it that she almost found it overwhelming.

“I’m talking about my aural abilities, or lack thereof,” she replied. “All I can really do is tether my senses to the aural plane and soothe troubled hearts. This mad mage would be better off kidnapping my cousin if he’s got a monster army. Hermes can make small monsters fall asleep with his aura.”

Nicholas frowned. Rose wondered if these thoughts had already occurred to him.

“I don’t know that sleeping monsters would help a madman. But I do think he wants to use your magic to strengthen his own.”

Rose bit her apple. “The legend of Viscount Robson.” Her eyes almost rolled out of her head at the annoyance. “No one in my family has had mastery of their aura like that in hundreds of years. I’ve wondered if the legend is true at all.”

Nicholas laughed, still playing with her hair. “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. It’s amazing what you can do despite Hector’s interference .”

“Sometimes I would eavesdrop on my cousin’s lessons just to learn a little bit,” Rose said. The memory brought a small smile to her face.

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “How naughty,” he said quietly, his voice almost a purr. Why did his words make her heart race? He was just flirting. Still, she thought about the pleasant soreness in her core, and her mind lost its focus, a haze of desire setting in.

“I’ve also read quite a few books on magic,” she declared, desperately trying to maintain the conversation as Nicholas finished his dinner and placed one hand on her thigh. “Though there aren’t very many on aural magic.”

“I’ll order some from the bookseller when we’re finally back in Onanish. We could go together. It would be a nice date.”

Rose remembered their double date to the teahouse. “It’s been ages since we went on a date.”

“That it has.” Nicholas chuckled. “You know, we only met three months ago.”

Her eyes widened. “It feels like a lifetime ago that you scolded me for using my aural magic on Ava.” Rose smiled at the memory.

“You two were surrounded by the prettiest pink glow. It matches your cheeks after we make love,” Nicholas said with a devilish smirk.

She gasped, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

“It’s true! It’s the loveliest shade of pink. I’m a little jealous of Ava; you’ve never used your aura on me.”

“Oh, I could if you want me to.”

“Is it hard? We don’t have to if it drains you.”

“It isn’t hard.” She shrugged. Nicholas seemed content, holding one of her hands and playing with her hair. It wasn’t like her aura would have much effect, but it still felt like something special to do with her husband. “Here, hold my hands.”

Nicholas dropped the strand of hair he’d been fondling and entwined his fingers with hers. Rose loved the feel of his calloused, masculine hands against her feminine ones. She closed her eyes and began to shift her senses.

The smaller auras of the forest plants and animals came into focus for her before Nicholas did.

It was because, like his magic, Nicholas had an electric aura.

It was very bright and constantly changing, letting off sparks and making it almost impossible for Rose to see it clearly.

She grasped as much of it as she could, then willed her magic toward it.

“Oh,” she heard Nicholas say. “That feels… like you’re embracing my very soul. I can see why it’s called a soothing aura. Thank you, Rose.”

Rose was about to end the session when their auras began to mix. Her pink aura had enveloped Nicholas, but now it was a peachy orange color, like a sunset, and sparks flew off it like tiny bolts of lightning.

It didn’t feel harmful or painful, but it still startled Rose. She pulled her magic back to herself. Her senses untethered from the aural plane, she saw a few lightning sparks dancing on her hand while a faint pink aura surrounded Nicholas.

“I’m sorry!”

“What was that?” Nicholas sounded curious, not suspicious, much to Rose’s relief.

“I’m not sure. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before. ”

“Hmmmm. It would be wonderful if we could share magic abilities. Do you think that’s what it was?” he asked.

“I haven’t heard of that happening before.”

Nicholas held his hands in front of himself as if he were about to catch a ball. Small, electric sparks flew between his hands, and a few of them were pink.

“Oh, I’ve ruined your lightning!” she cried. This is what she got for practicing magic without a proper teacher.

Nicholas immediately stopped the little sparks and hugged her. “You’ve done no such thing. I think it’s wonderful that some of my sparks are pink.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, truly. It will be a nice reminder of you when I’m in the heat of battle.” Nicholas paused, clearly debating something internally. “Tell me, Rose, have you ever done this with another one of your lovers?”

She was somewhat taken aback by the question and had half a mind to ignore him. As she thought it over, however, it made sense. She’d read that aural magic was more potent when used on family or friends close to the user. It couldn’t get much stronger than with a lover.

“I haven’t,” she said sheepishly.

“Good,” Nicholas replied, then leaned back, pulling Rose on top of him and firmly covering her lips with his. His tongue demanded entry to her mouth and explored every corner, claiming her. Rose was left breathless and dizzy after the heady kiss.

But Nicholas gave her no time to relax. He pulled her neckline down and quickly began to leave love marks on her neck and shoulders, working his way lower.

“Nicholas, what are you doing?” she said through gasps.

“I know it’s childish.” His lips made a popping sound as he finished leaving another mark on her. “But, I find myself mad with jealousy at the thought of your other lovers. I need to prove that you’re mine.” He bit down on her neck.

Rose squirmed on top of him. His aggressive marking sent all kinds of pleasant sparks through her entire body.

“Are you using your magic on me?” She gasped. He nipped at her skin, and more sparks of desire set themselves free in her body.

Nicholas chuckled darkly. “I’m not, my love. This is just the magic of our bodies.”

She would have been embarrassed at his flirtatiousness if she hadn’t enjoyed his touch so much. The haze of lust that had already begun to cloud her mind thickened into a fog of carnal craving.

Nicholas’s hands wandered down to the back of her thighs, which were straddling his hips. He pulled her up so that he could access her chest without dipping his head.

“This is a wonderful sight,” he said with a contented hum, then used his teeth to pull down her dress, allowing him full access to her already stiff peaks. He teased her with his breath for just a moment, then licked her nipple a few times before beginning to suck on the rosy bud.

Rose cried out. Bolts of sensation shot from her peaks to her core. She clenched around nothing as she felt herself growing wetter and wetter.

“I love the noises you make when you start to lose control,” Nicholas said with a satisfied smirk.

“I’m not—ah!” He shoved his thigh in between her legs and began to grind. Even through her clothes, the friction caused pleasurable waves that threatened to sweep all Rose’s rationality out to sea. Maybe Nicholas was right. She was losing control.

“We’re outside,” she gasped.

“So? No one is around,” he said after releasing her breast with a lewd smacking sound. He reached one of his hands up under her skirt. His face lit up. “Rose, you’re so wet.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she realized that it was from lust, not embarrassment. Even if it was her first time doing something like this out in the open, she wanted her husband to finish what he’d started here. He’d teased her long enough.

“It’s your fault I’m like this. So, take responsibility,” Rose mumbled as she hiked her skirts up. She began to fumble with the laces on Nicholas’s breeches.

The lustful grin that had overtaken Nicholas’s face grew broader. He sat up, leaned against a tree, and helped Rose pull down his breeches.

Rose grinned when his cock sprang free, then hiked her skirts even higher as she mounted Nicholas and aligned his member with her sheath.

“Are you going to ride me?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I want… to try,” she replied. She rarely took control like this, but Nicholas was so affectionate with her. It sparked something within—brought out a part of herself she hadn’t known was lo cked away.

“Go on, then. This is something I really want to see.”

He put his hands on her waist, his eyes never leaving the place where they were about to join.

“Swallow me, Rose,” he mumbled darkly.

She brought her hips down quickly, more quickly than she’d meant to. The surprising pleasure of it caused both of them to groan.

Nicholas leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Good job. Can you move your hips now? I can help if you want.”

Rose only whined a little in reply. It was all she could manage. Her core felt like it was melting around his hot member. She knew an orgasm was coming and that once it hit her, she wouldn’t be able to do much besides hang on to her sanity.

Still, she made a few feeble attempts at moving her hips up and down his shaft. She wiggled her ass a bit to find the best angle. It felt good, but it just wasn’t quite enough to build the heat she truly wanted.

Nicholas clicked his tongue, then slammed himself into her while pulling her down with hands that encircled her waist. Rose yelped, nearly climaxing from his sudden actions.

“That’s the best sound,” Nicholas whispered into her ear as he continued to drive into her. “I can feel you so intensely. It’s amazing.” He licked her neck.

Waves of pleasure crashed over her, and Nicholas didn’t ease up, continuing to drive into Rose during and after her orgasm. It made her core tighten again almost immediately.

“Nicholas, I’m so close.”

“I can tell.” He kissed her neck. “Let’s go over the edge together. Can you hold out just a little longer?”

“May…be…” she said, knowing the next wave was coming very soon.

Nicholas thrust into her a few more times, and she hit her limit. The spasms of her muscles brought Nicholas to his limit, too. She felt his member twitch and then ejaculate its warm liquid inside of her.

Nicholas held them together even as Rose collapsed on him, panting. He rolled a little so that Rose was lying on her back and he was on top of her. He held her legs up in the air and pulled out of her, keeping his eyes on the place where they had been connected, like he’d done the night before.

“What are you doing?” Rose asked sweetly.

“Making sure most of my seed stays inside of you.”

“What!” Rose was truly embarrassed now.

He leaned up and kissed her forehead.

“I want you pregnant, Rose. I thought you knew that already.”

“How would I know such a thing?”

“I’ve been asking to impregnate you before we were even married. I secretly hoped I’d get a letter from you saying that the seed I planted on our wedding night took while you were staying with the Ojoh. It’s okay, though. These things take time, and I hardly mind the work.”

He winked at her. Rose thought her heart might explode. He wanted children with her that much?

She’d struggled so badly to earn her place with the Robsons that she’d never dared to dream of having her own family. It had felt pointless to her, like a cut flower doomed to wilt. Perhaps that sentiment had lingered when she’d married Nicholas, but he was chasing her doubts away now.

“I love you, Rose. Your magic, your heart, how you care for the family we already have.” He kissed her gently. “I know our marriage was born of politics, not passion. But I’d wade through a thousand miles of your uncle’s swamps if it meant marrying you again.”

“Nicholas,” she breathed his name out like a prayer. His words warmed something in her soul that she hadn’t realized was cold. “I love you, too.”

She leaned up to kiss him. He pushed her down gently as their lips met, crushing her with his chest. Rose felt her core heating up again as her heart began beating wildly. It was going to be a long night. She wondered if she’d get any sleep at all.