Chapter 27 #2
‘No!’ I yell. Is this the Court informing me that I did the wrong thing, that I should have hunted her down and killed her?
I can’t move my hand – magic stronger than my own is holding it in place, my own fingers squeezing as tightly as the snake is.
Niamh’s head tilts back as the snake’s coils tighten still further until suddenly it rears its head back and strikes.
Its fangs lodge front and centre in her throat and then it’s gone and only my hand remains.
Niamh’s body convulses as I loosen my grip, pulling my hand away. She sits up and coughs. A chunk of apple flying from her throat as she holds her throat and blinks.
I almost laugh in disbelief as James reaches for the piece of poisoned fruit. He holds it up so that I can see the two clear puncture wounds that go deep into the apple.
‘What the…’ I whisper, looking at the serpent, which has now returned to my wrist. I close the gap between us, pulling her against me.
‘Vittoria…’ Niamh whispers hoarsely.
‘It’s all right. We know what happened, and we’ll work out the rest when you’re better. Don’t try to talk yet.’
‘I’ll get you something to drink,’ James says. ‘One of our medicinal brews.’
‘Not Stox,’ Niamh rasps, and I smile. I lift her off the altar and carry her through to a lounge area, sitting down with her cradled on my lap. I don’t know how long we sit there, until James brings her the drink.
‘I’d really like to check you over, Niamh,’ he says.
‘She’s fine,’ I snap, not wanting to let her go even for a second and definitely not ready to let another man put his hands on her.
‘Cillian, it’s probably a good idea,’ Niamh says, attempting to climb off my lap, but I hold on tighter, before finally accepting that she’s right.
I keep hold of her hand, though, as James checks her blood pressure and the puncture wounds on her neck.
‘How does it feel?’ he asks.
‘Rough and sore. Like a bad sore throat.’
‘The wounds are almost healed. While there was a physical aspect to the manifestation, it’s essentially a magical wound, so it’s healing much faster than normal. I still can’t quite—’ He shakes his head. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this. Powerful magic like this – it’s only heard of in stories.’
‘Maybe not anymore,’ I say. My Huntsman senses are peaking, and I can sense something in the area. ‘There’s something stirring. I’m sure of it. Old magic.’
James rubs his stethoscope on his robes moving to put it down the front of Niamh’s robes.
‘No!’
‘But—’
‘No,’ I insist. ‘She can hold it herself, or I’ll do it.’ Niamh makes a face at him and laughs. Sensibly, James doesn’t.
Niamh turns to me, and although I can see that she needs to rest, she puts one hand on either side of my face.
‘He’s my doctor, Cillian. You will let him do what he needs to do without him having to worry about you losing your temper.’
I frown as James keeps his gaze firmly on his stethoscope, then finally I nod.
‘Fine, but I’m taking you upstairs right after this and only calling him in an emergency.’
‘Okay,’ she says. I don’t miss her rolling her eyes at James, wisely he doesn’t respond.
I fold my arms as I watch James listen to her back and then her chest. Smiling when I see his hands trembling.
‘She’s as well as can be expected,’ he announces finally. ‘Get some rest and I’ll check you over again in the morning.’
He’s barely finished speaking when I scoop her up into my arms.
‘Keep everyone working in the other building as much as possible today.’
I ignore James’s laughter and march through the monastery to her bedroom, kicking the door closed behind us before I finally put Niamh down.
‘Cillian,’ she whimpers, as I hold her way too tight, rocking her against me, reassuring myself that she’s still here, that she’s breathing again, alive again.
I let her go a fraction, only to thread my fingers through her hair, holding her head in place so that I can kiss her.
She kisses me back just as desperately, and finally I accept that she really is all right.
‘I want you. I need you,’ I say. ‘Vittoria knows it’s over.’
‘Good. Then I want you, too,’ she whispers, her smile still a little shy. I search her face for any sign that she’s not okay. But she seems to be fine.
‘I thought I’d lost you,’ I say, as I grab hold of her robes and pull them over her head. ‘Let me see you.’
She pauses for a moment and bites her lip.
I look around, and deciding to play safe, I draw the curtains, and make sure there are no reflective surfaces in the room.
Satisfied, I look back at her. She’s toed off her shoes and is waiting for me, her hands on the waistband of her shorts.
I watch as she pushes them down her long, toned legs, then steps out of them.
She takes hold of the hem of her T-shirt, then with a deep breath she pulls it up and over her head, dropping it to the floor at her side. She’s not wearing a bra, but she immediately covers her breasts with her arms, and turns her head to the side.
‘Look at me, Niamh,’ I say. ‘You’re beautiful, don’t cover yourself.’
It’s almost painful to watch as she slowly drops her arms. As soon as she does, I move closer, running my hands over her body, feeling her soft, smooth skin beneath me.
I pull her to me, angling her face to mine and kissing her slowly.
She deepens the kiss as our tongues tangle together, greedily devouring each other more and more.
I circle her nipple with my thumb, teasing it as it puckers beneath my touch.
I pinch it hard and she cries out at the pain.
Breaking the kiss, I bend to blow gently on it, before I run my tongue over and begin to suck. First one nipple, then the other.
I bite again, quickly soothing it with my tongue. ‘Don’t … please … again…’ Her back arches and she sighs.
I want more from her, but once I start, I know I won’t stop.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you feel all right?’
‘Better than all right. I feel … different somehow. But in a good way,’ she adds when I’m about to step back. ‘I want this. Please. I need this.’
Teasingly slowly, she pulls her white cotton panties down, and I moan as I see the dark hair that forms a small triangle between her legs.
Her confidence grows under my approving eye, and she drapes her arms around my neck, making no attempt to cover herself.
I kiss her again and again, desperate to show her how sorry I am for leaving, and she pulls my shirt from my waistband, undoing the buttons with nimble fingers.
She discards it on the floor as she runs her hands down my taut back, her fingers seeking to touch every part of me.
‘Should we—’
‘You think you’re in charge, Gléigeal?’
‘I … I…’ she falters. ‘I thought you’d want…’ When she takes a step away from me, clearly unsure, I smile as my predatory instincts take over.
‘One day I’ll take you back to the woods and have you run from me again. And when I catch you…’
She shivers but I see the excitement in her eyes.
‘But here and now, we’re not going to do that.
We are doing this my way, though.’ I drop my hands to my belt buckle pushing the strap through and loosening it slowly.
Then I slide the thick strip of leather from around my waist, one belt loop at a time.
She licks her lips as she watches, then looks up at me.
‘What?’ She swallows. ‘What are you going to—’
‘Lie on the bed.’
‘Not until I know…’ She hesitates, rightfully so, but she will do what I want.
‘This isn’t for punishing you. This time. Your safe word is apple,’ I say.
She wrinkles her nose. ‘Really?’
‘I think we can safely say we both now associate apples with something deeply unpleasant.’
‘Apple,’ she confirms and after taking one single deep breath, and looking back at me, she obeys.
‘Put your hands out, wrists together.’
I thread the end of the belt through the buckle and back up to make three loops.
‘Hands in.’
She does as she’s told, shivering when I pull the belt tight around her wrists and I can sense the fear run through her.
‘Relax and put your arms above your head.’
There’s a brief hesitation before she does as I asked, and I kneel on the edge of the bed, leaning over her as I fasten it to the headboard. She pulls at the restraints and while there’s some movement, it’s clear she can’t get free.
Cillian,’ she whimpers. ‘I can’t—’
‘You can, Gléigeal. Just look at me and breathe.’
I lock my gaze with hers as I move around to the end of the bed and kneel between her parted thighs.
She’s sprawled out before me, her pert breasts decorated with small bite marks, my bite marks.
Her body is flushed and aching for me as I grip her knees, easing them back until her pussy is revealed, pink and wet, waiting to be claimed.
The scent of her arousal fills the air, intoxicating and impossible to resist. She whimpers and I know she’s ready to be taken.
‘Cillian…’ she swallows, her voice trembling.
‘You’ve done this before. You have the safe word.’
She nods and I lower my mouth to her, licking greedily at her pussy.
Her hips gyrate as I tease her clit with my tongue, and I have to hold them firmly in place when I start to suck.
Her body is so responsive that when I press a finger to her entrance, it slips in easily.
I know she can take more of me, so I insert two more fingers, seeking out the spot I found before and bending my fingers to rub it.
Small gasps and moans fall from her lips, interspersed with my name and a series of prayers. And all too soon, her demands follow.
‘Cillian!’ she cries out finally as I work her body with my fingers and mouth.
Her inner muscles clench around my fingers, but I don’t stop and as soon as her body softens and relaxes, I start again to push her over that edge a second time.
And I know I will never grow tired of hearing her screaming my name.