Page 89 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

M oonlight cascaded over the lake, making it sparkle against the darkness of the night. The rush of the waterfall cascading into the pool of water below was a soothing melody to my ears.

Declan’s smile warmed the night chill. He kicked off his boots and socks, and I did the same. He guided me to the grotto behind the waterfall. The slate stones beneath us were slick and I tried my best not to slip.

“Let’s go for a little swim.” He dropped my hand to reach for the bottom of my tunic.

His eyes stayed locked on mine as he lifted my tunic over my arms and then slid my leggings down and tossed them aside. The need to have him close sent my body into tremors as I undressed the strong man before me.

As I slid his belt free, his eyes fluttered closed as I wrapped my hand over his hardened length beneath his pants.

“Careful,” he groaned. “You keep doing that and I may have to do other things to you.”

“We can swim later.” My words were breathless against his neck as I kissed it.

That unleashed his restraint. My world shifted as he lifted me up and then lowered me onto the cool rock. He lifted my hands above my head and ripped off the clothing that remained. In the blink of an eye, we were down to nothing but bare skin between us.

Lips stormed against mine in a wave of passion. His length brushed against my core, and my hips bucked for more. Hot breath warmed my ear as he let out a dark rumble of a laugh. “You need more, love?”

I whimpered. He slid his palm between my thighs, and his fingers traversed through the slickness that awaited.

“Gods,” he groaned against my lips as he slid two fingers inside of me. “You’re soaked , my love.”

Pulsing in and out, he kept stoking the fire within me.

He curled his fingers inside of me, his tongue swirling against mine at the same pace.

Just when I thought I couldn’t wait any longer, his lips traced a line down my neck and I felt his teeth clamp down as I found my release.

For a moment my focus hazed. With a sly grin, he pulled his fingers out and licked them clean.

My mouth gaped wide as he captured my lips and thrust himself deep inside of me. Hidden behind the misty veil of water, we lost ourselves in the moment.

Our bodies moved together at a deliciously slow pace. With each roll of my hips and each thrust of his, our bodies spoke the words our voices could not do justice.

His warm hand danced across my neck and over the space between my breasts.

My heart thundered underneath his palm as he massaged them.

His other thumb tenderly provided the exact amount of attention to the swollen bundle of nerves between my thighs.

This man knew his way around my body, anticipating my every need before even I could.

“ More, ” I pleaded into his mind as his lips swallowed my whimper. My fingers clawed into the thick muscles of his back as I wrapped my legs tighter around him. Even though we were so close, I felt the need to be impossibly closer.

“Lena,” he rasped against my cheek, “I know I’ve told you this before, but everything about you is absolutely stunning.” He thrust harder. My head fell backward into the rock underneath as my back arched up to meet him.

I had never felt so full, so whole, than when we were together like this. I didn’t know if I had spoken those words into our minds or not—at this point my reality was in a bit of a haze—but Declan responded.

“I’ve never felt so damn whole except when I’m here inside you like this, love,” he purred against my lips. “Wildfire, you make me feel things I have never felt in my entire existence.”

Shifting us, I straddled him. A tender smile grew across his lips at the flush that spread across my neck and cheeks, embarrassment from my inexperience at what to do next.

Declan’s hands tightened around my hips as he guided me up and down his length. Everything became more intense at this angle, and my dynamis surged from within. His stubble rubbed against my cheek, his hand gripping the back of my neck as he whispered seductively into my ear.

“That’s it, love, ride me. You’re in control now. Use me, undo me, wreck me completely. Show me exactly what a powerful woman you really are.”

His deep voice thrummed over my sensitive skin, his lips creating a delicious trail down my neck and breasts.

My hips began to move, and instantly the fears drifted away.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had complete control.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I realized the gift he had just given me.

He’d given me the power to make choices, to have a sense of control of something for once in my life, and it had never made me feel more alive.

“You look so good in control, love,” he growled. “Now, be a good girl and undo me.”

The praise made my cheeks burn. I’d never felt so vulnerable and powerful at the same time.

Taking a chance, I embraced that power, increasing my pace as a rush of feelings like no other burst inside of me.

My fingers dug into his chest as Declan met my pace, both of us panting as we chased after our highs together.

Our dynamis flooded our bodies, illuminating us like glowing stars within the cave.

“Declan,” I panted, “I love you.” I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Our teeth collided as our lips slammed against each other.

“And I love you. Let go with me,” he whispered against my lips.

As he captured my bottom lip between his, I finally let go, screaming his name into the wind.

A blinding blast of dynamis fled our bodies, then burst into thousands of tiny little speckles of light.

Completely spent, our bodies collapsed onto the ground.

We lazed in each other’s arms, watching the lights above us glisten.

Declan smirked. “Well, that was mind-altering.”

“Life-changing.”

“Soul-shattering,” he countered, waggling his eyebrows.

The sight caused me to snort, and even though we both should have been catching our breaths, we instead gasped for air from our laughter.