Page 25 of Wind and Water (Reign of the Witch Queen #2)

I expect her to back away, but she stands her ground, and when I reach her, she drops to her knees and replaces my hand with both of hers before running her tongue around the head.

“Wren, you don’t have to…” I caress the crown of her head and along her jaw.

With a hint of a smile, she sucks me deep into her mouth until my cock hits the back of her throat before she pulls back with tight suction.

My knees nearly buckle as pleasure swamps me.

Again and again, she draws me in and lets me out, keeping constant pressure. Her soft fingers wrapped around the base hold firm as she massages, and with the other hand, she cups my tight balls.

It’s the most erotic sight, and it takes all of my strength to hold my orgasm, but that can’t last. “Sweetheart, if you don’t stop, I’m going to come down your pretty throat.”

Her low moan hums along my flesh, and passion flashes in her eyes.

Threading my fingers through her hair, I lose control. No one could resist the way her pleasure hinges on mine. It would take a god to resist the longing and the vibration along the flesh of my shaft. I’m no god.

On her next release, her teeth scrape my sensitive flesh. Her tongue sweeps across my head and she sucks me deep, opening her throat and taking an inch more.

The tingle begins at the base of my spine.

My legs shake. Nothing but her mouth, her body, her crystal eyes, exists in my world as I lose my thin control.

I spill my seed for the second time and when I try to pull back, Wren’s pretty mouth tightens around me, and she grips my ass to keep me in place.

She swallows again and again, not letting one drop free.

The camp is close, and I have to stifle the calls of pure ecstasy erupting within me. My chest aches, and I swallow down every groan. “Gods above,” I whisper as the last shiver of pleasure rushes through me.

Letting me pop from her red lips, she stands. “I hope I did that right.”

She must be joking. Stalking forward, I grip her upper arms and back her against the nearest tree.

The bark is rough, but it’s a young tree and not yet sentient.

Glad she hadn’t yet put her shoes on, I unbutton her jeans and pull the zipper down before stripping them down her legs.

“You do everything right.” I grip her breasts with both hands through her shirt—the nipples pebbling under my palms.

Her gaze shifts to my already recovering cock. “Already? Are all elves like you?”

“I hope you never find out the answer to that question.” I can’t even imagine Wren with anyone else. The notion makes me feel ill.

“You’re quick to jealousy? I would never betray you, Liam.” She brushes my hair behind my ear and trails her fingers along my jaw.

I lean into her hand and kiss her palm. “I know and yet, the idea of it makes my blood burn. Everything with you is different.”

She cocks her head. “How?”

“I’ve never felt possessive or wanted to be possessed. No lover can compare to how I’m compelled to be at your side.” I run my thumb over her nipple.

“Just my side?” With a wicked grin, she turns to face the tree, grips the trunk, and lowers her torso until her ass is high. She steps her feet apart, exposing her wet folds.

A low growl rumbles through me. This woman may be the death of me, but there is no help for it. If this is how I’m destined to perish, I’ll die a happy man. I slide my fingers through her wetness and dip inside. Her sheath is soft, warm, and silky.

She moans and leans back for more.

My cock jerks and my balls ache despite having come twice in so short a time.

Every moment when I’m alone with Wren is an opportunity for pleasure that I won’t refuse.

I tease her bud and thrust two fingers inside her again and again until she’s fucking back into me in earnest and her bottom lip is tight between her teeth.

I replace my hand with my cock while sucking her sweet juices off my fingers. “By the gods, you’re like nectar I’ll never be able to resist.”

She peers over her shoulder. “I hope not.”

Thrusting inside her, I bury myself to the hilt. Gripping her hips, I take full advantage of the position she’s given me. She’s pure perfection, and I won’t last long, but every stroke is everything a man could want. Tight and soft, her sheath grips me as alluringly as her mouth did.

As I slide forward, she slams back, taking me deeper. “Fuck. Liam. Harder.”

At her command, my balls tighten. I give her what she wants, what I want.

Pounding inside her until I can’t bear the pleasure, and her body contracts around me.

Again, I fill her with my seed. It’s reckless, but I need to give myself to her.

I long to see her grow with our child. The idea of anything else seems pale and dishonest.

Clutching her hips, I fold over her back and trail kisses along the back of her neck. “At some point, we’ll have to join the others and eat something.”

She groans and wiggles her ass, teasing where we are still intimately connected.

It takes all of my control to ease free. I wrap my arms around her and turn her in my embrace, kissing her hair and breathing in her flowery scent. “I could live on a steady diet of just you for the rest of my life.”

Resting her cheek on my chest, she wraps her arms around my waist and lets out a long sigh. “Yes. Let’s stay here and starve to death but have incredible sex until we die.”

If only it were that easy. “I’m afraid we’d be found, and there is still the problem of the witch queen to deal with.”

On a groan, she steps out of my hug and nods. “Yes. I guess we’d better do something about her, but when this is over, I will need you to myself for an extended period of time without interruptions.”

“I promise.” It’s an easy vow to make. How this works out without heartbreak, I have no idea, but I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to stay with Wren, if she’ll have me after what I’ve put her through and what is yet to come.

Once we’re cleaned up and dressed, it’s long past dark, and we weave our way through the trees to the camp. A small pile of rocks glows with magic-created heat. It’s less dangerous and more efficient than a fire, not to mention harder for our enemies to see.

Birdie is already asleep on the bedroll I laid out for her.

My bedroll is unmoved, but Wren’s has been placed beside mine. I lean in and whisper, “I didn’t want to presume. I had put your bedroll next to your mother’s.”

Even without much light, I can see her cheeks glowing pink. “I suppose Momma approves.”

As soon as she sits on the thick blanket, I join her. “Would it matter if she didn’t?”

“Yes. It would matter to me, but it wouldn’t change anything.” She leans her back against my side.

Jadar carries two leaves filled with roasted deer meat.

His gaze averted, he hands the food to each of us.

“We saved you some food.” The young centaur, who is usually so full of life, looks as if he’ll never meet our eyes again.

I don’t know if it’s because he knows we were making love, or if his attraction to Wren is causing him shame. Either way, it’s not necessary.

“Thank you. We’ve worked up an appetite.” I laugh.

Wren’s cheeks burn red. “Liam. My word.”

Surprise registers on Jadar’s face. He looks at Wren, then at me with wide eyes before bursting out with a full, deep laugh. Without comment, he backs away, rejoining the other centaurs as they begin to find their beds for the night.

My stomach growls at the scent of well-cooked deer. I eat quickly, then go to a bucket set out for hand washing. Returning to Wren, I bring the bucket for her to wash, then return it for everyone’s use. I toss the leaves we’re forced to use as dishes into the woods.

Lying beside her, I let my hand rest on her hip. “Was the food enough?”

“Yes. It was good. Why did you embarrass Jadar?” She curls her upper arm under her head.

“He was already embarrassed. I just let him know we have nothing to hide. He has a crush on you. He knows you are not available. He wasn’t sure how to act, and he was shy about his reaction to knowing you were naked in the stream.

I gave the situation less gravity.” I squeeze her full hip and pull her back to my front, letting my hand settle over her abdomen.

There’s a long pause before she relaxes against me. “Very diplomatic. Will you be king one day?”

I laugh louder than is appropriate. Several centaurs turn to see what could be funny.

I lower my head and relax. “No. If we don’t all die in this war, and the curse can be broken, my brother Aaran will be next in line for the elven crown.

However, my mother will live a long time, and there is the curse that currently keeps men from ruling. ”

“Yet you have cultivated diplomatic skills.” She yawns.

I kiss the back of her neck. “I like to put those around me at ease. I have good instincts about others. It is useful, even for a soldier.”

Rolling to face me, she opens her eyes. Panic in her tone, she says, “I wasn’t implying that your profession was less important than your brother or mother.”

She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

Her soul is as lovely as her face, maybe more.

I brush her hair out of her eyes and tuck the wild curls behind her ear.

“I know, sweetheart. I’m not offended. My brother is an excellent diplomat as well as a good man.

I am confident that he’ll make a fine king if the curse is lifted.

As it is, no man can rule Domhan, and if Aaran tried, he would likely perish very quickly. ”

She rests her head on my arm. “Tell me more about this curse. Because it seems counterproductive to have no females born, but no males may rule.”

I lie back and pull her so that she is tucked against me with my shoulder for a pillow.

“The witch queen cursed the land to keep any male from ruling the elves. She likely meant to protect her crown from the lovers she takes. However, the old gods can twist this kind of dark, evil magic. No elven women have been born in these last thirty suns. If my mother were to fall, there would be no one in her line who could rule while the curse exists. A younger female elf might take up the battle against the witch queen.”

“When Venora took the white tower, how did the elves in the light escape?” Wren relaxes.

“Mother saw the evil coming. She tried to stop Venora, but half the army was turned into shadow demons, and the rest were forced to retreat. It was clear then that my mother had allowed Venora to become too powerful. She’d underestimated the dark magic and the lengths to which the witch queen would stoop to increase her power.

” It’s not easy to keep emotion out of my voice.

“Your mother made a mistake.” There’s no judgment in Wren’s tone. She squeezes my hand. “No one is perfect, Liam. She saved all she could.”

That is true. “I’ve heard the curse has affected other races as well, though not for as long. I think the dark magic is pushing outward.”

“Most of the very young centaurs are male. I heard the women lamenting over it in the village before we left. I didn’t think anything of it at the time.” She yawns again.

“Sleep, Wren. Tomorrow will be a long day.” I wrap her in my arms and hold her and push aside a past that I was too young to alter. My mother did the best she could under terrible circumstances.

“Let me hear our songs?” Emotions, whose source I don’t know, tighten her voice.

Opening my mind, I allow her song and mine to merge, then filter it into her welcoming essence.

“I love you, Liam.” On a long sigh, she closes her eyes, and her head grows heavy.

Kissing her forehead, I’m filled with the joy of all things Wren. “I love you, too.”