Daughter of Azeroth

76 | NO GOING BACK

'How can you stand it,' he said, soft. He took her hand into his, chafing it, trying to warm her. When she remained cold, he murmured a spell. A fire blazed to life in the fireplace. He murmured another spell and a thick woollen blanket settled over them. She sighed, her sudden cocoon of warmth soothing her, bringing her back to life. His hand strayed to her face, his fingertips brushing her hair away, gentle. She glanced up at him and met his eyes, he answered her look, enigmatic, though his grip tightened on her, possessive.

'Thank you,' she whispered, sliding her leg up to rest her inner thigh against his groin. She felt his member awakening, responding to her. Despite longing to see where things could go, the sudden release from her relentless cold had sent her tumbling into exhaustion. She fought it, but in the warmth of his embrace, she slid, helpless towards the realm of dreams, praying he would still be there when she woke.

ত

Deep in the night, Idira opened her eyes, no longer cold. The room hung heavy in shadow, the walls glowing a dull orange, lit by the fading embers of the fire. Khadgar moved, stealthy, away from her, edging to the side of the bed. He sat up, swung his legs over the side, and reached down to pick up his things.

'Khadgar?' she asked, soft, her heart aching. He was going to leave after all.

He froze. She moved across the bed and knelt behind him, sliding her arms around him, embracing him, her breasts pressed against his back.

'I didn't think you were the type to leave a woman in the night,' she said, quiet.

In her embrace, she felt the muscles in his arms tensing. She looked over his shoulder and saw his hands clenching, tight, into fists.

'Why me?' he asked, low, ragged. 'I am almost twice your age. You could have anyone—'

'Age is nothing,' she interrupted, a wave of relief tumbling through her; finally he had admitted the truth, acknowledged the forbidden attraction between them. He turned, his enigmatic steel-grey gaze filling with renewed turmoil as it drifted, helpless, down to her breasts, then back to her eyes. She licked her lips. His gaze fell, hungry, to her mouth, his pupils dilating, aroused. She leaned closer to him, allowing the outer curve of her breast to brush against his arm. 'Since I have discovered my true power,' she said, low, 'I feel as though I am thousands of years old. And this place—it is saturated with your essence. I have learned much about you, of your past, the trials you have overcome, and of your suffering.' His eyes left her mouth and met her eyes, the heat in his blistering, intense. Her heart began to pound, the way he was looking at her, made her feel as though he was making love to her already. She struggled to concentrate, to finish what she had begun. 'You have suffered much, and always alone. Yet you have always remained good—despite terrible ordeals—your strength, your courage, and your honour have never wavered. You are everything I could ever want.' She stopped, slain by the raw need churning in his eyes. He lifted his hand and traced his fingers over her lips. Trembling, she plunged on, whispering through his fingertips, 'I have fallen in love with you. Your secrets are written in my heart, and I cherish them. If only you could—'

He didn't let her finish. He turned, moving so fast he startled her, his arms coming around her, possessive, lowering her onto the bed, his mouth covering hers, hungry, hot, fierce. She answered him, leaving him in no doubt what she wished of him, her fingers tangling with his, helping him as he pulled off his tunic. He shed the thing and knelt over her, clad only in his leather breeches, panting.

'I haven't . . .' he muttered, raking his hand through his hair, his eyes moving down the length of her, lingering on her lace knickers.

She gazed at him, drinking in the sight of him, his powerful body poised over hers, primed to make her his, her body caught in an agony of yearning, trapped between wanting to take her time and needing to feel him inside her, his body covering hers, moving together as one. She caught his hand and entwined her fingers in his. 'You are also my first,' she said, her throat tight with desire. 'Let us find our way together my love.'