Page 22 of Winds of Darkness
Aravis sucked in a breath, at the demand for a Blood Vow or the use of Moranna’s name, he wasn’t sure. Moranna’s lips tilted up in a victorious grin. “Of course.”
He pulled a dagger from his belt. An unremarkable blade of Fiera steel. He sliced it across his palm, the deathstone stifling his healing abilities. Moranna held out her own hand, her smile growing when he sliced along her palm next.
“I agree to your terms of aiding you in producing powerful offspring.”
“Rayner, no!” Aravis cried, lurching forward, but Moranna held up a hand. Aravis immediately stilled, her features filling with horror as she watched.
“I will resume my role as your personal guard, in whatever capacity you require of me,” Rayner continued. “All these things I vow to uphold for as long as you remain on this side of the Veil. I vow and swear this with my blood.”
“I agree to your terms that no one touches Aravis again. She will remain here and be given free access to you, but she will not be required to perform her duties any longer,” Moranna said. “I vow and swear this with my blood.”
Their palms met, and when Rayner glanced at Aravis, he sawsilent tears tracking down her face. She was shaking her head in disbelief, but Rayner had sworn long ago he would do whatever was necessary to keep her safe. To keep them both safe. He’d failed Breya. He would not fail Aravis.
“Welcome home, my Ash Rider,” Moranna said, intertwining the fingers of their still-joined palms. “Let’s go celebrate your return.” She tugged on his hand, leading him to the door. He only had a moment to look back over his shoulder at Aravis.
The hope he’d glimpsed in her eyes was gone.
Chapter 7
He let Moranna lead him back up the stones of the secret passageways to her quarters at the top of the cliffs. The archway dissolved back into the wall in her dressing room when they emerged.
“I’m going to clean up,” she said, finally releasing his hand. Her palm had already healed. His was still steadily bleeding. She frowned slightly, fingers brushing over the band on his wrist. “You understand why I cannot remove this yet, yes?”
“Of course, your Grace,” he replied, stepping aside to let her pass.
Her frown morphed into a smile, and she sighed wistfully. “How I have missed you. Your replacements have been … inadequate.”
He smiled faintly, nodding his head, and she moved out to the bathing room. He followed, slipping beyond into the bedroom where he removed his cloak, boots, and various weapons.
For Aravis. This was all for her. He didn’t matter as long as she was safe.
He was pulling his tunic over his head when Moranna stepped from the bathing room wearing nothing but a sheer red robe. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, hunger shining in her eyes as they raked over him. She held out a hand to him, and when he took it, she tugged him over to the bed. She shoved at his chest, pushing him down onto the mattress, and he went willingly. Anything required of him to keep Aravis from being touched like this again.
Moranna climbed into his lap, fingers sinking into his hair while she straddled his waist, her breasts pressing against his chest. “So many travels,” she murmured. “Yet you keep coming back.” She brushed her lips across his. “You have always been mine. No matter how far you strayed.”
He gripped her hips, tugging her closer, and she gasped lightly at the movement. He slid a hand up her spine before grasping the back of her neck.
“When you have proven yourself loyal to me once more, I can remove that band,” she said. “Then I can see all that power swirling in your eyes.”
“Whatever you desire, your Grace,” he replied, bringing her mouth to his. She deepened the kiss instantly, hunger and lust and want driving her. He opened when she nipped at his bottom lip, meeting each stroke of her tongue with his own. Her hands were roaming over him, down his arms, across her chest. Fingers skated along his torso, and when they reached for the ties on his pants, he flipped them.
Another gasp came from her when he settled between her thighs, her robe falling open. He broke their kiss, bracing himself on one hand while he trailed his fingertips up her abdomen, between the valley of her breasts. She squirmed beneath him, and he could sense her growing impatience.
“I learned some fascinating tricks on my travels,” he murmured, fingers moving along her collarbone.
“Do tell,” she said breathlessly, hips pressing up against him. “Or better yet, show me.”
The corner of his lips tipped up. “I plan to, your Grace.” His fingers trailed downwards again, stopping over her heart. He pressed his palm flat, leaving a smear of blood from his still-bleeding palm. “This reunion is all about you,” he went on, fingers trailing around one breast, then the other. “It has always been about you.” They trailed back up the valley of her breasts, into the blood smear. “Butnow that I am bound irrevocably to you, tell me, your Grace. What are we working so hard to achieve?”
She smiled up at him, eyes brightening with a different kind of hunger. “Power, my Ash Rider,” she breathed, her back arching as his finger kept moving. The lightest of touches to keep her seeking more, keep her on the edge of anticipation. “The more power I can breed for my king, the more power he will bestow upon me. And now that you are back where you belong, I can finally make progress. I am hoping that one of your offspring will be able to activate the—”
But her words got stuck in her throat, her eyes flying wide.
A wicked smile filled Rayner’s face as he leaned in close, the dagger piercing her chest sliding in a little further. “I do not give a single fuck,” he whispered.
“You cannot kill me,” she rasped, fingers clawing at his hand that was holding the blade in place. “You are not powerful enough. No one here is.”
“I am aware,” he replied. “Which is why I sought help. From a Fae Queen. She seemed to know of you.”