Chapter 30 #3
He threw his head back when I shattered, my muscles tightening around him, milking him.
He gritted his teeth at the sensation. I watched his face tighten and his eyes roll back from the feel of my pleasure.
When my last pulse passed, he built up speed again, pounding into me, reaching for his own release.
I felt him swell and heard the vinyl of the mat under his hands give way, ripping from the force of his fingers digging in.
I groaned, tore at his shoulders to control the surge in myself as he reached his peak and shouted my name, not caring at all who heard us.
He continued to grind as I wiggled and moaned, reaching, grasping, gasping. The urgency of his movements pushed me over the edge one last time.
My breathing and heart rate became erratic as he slowed. He whispered against my ear, the words almost lost in my hair. “So powerful.” Then, louder, with those big hands dusting gentle touches over my skin: “You are dammed beautiful, Keena.”
When my breathing was closer to normal, he rolled us over so I was draped across his chest. “Did I live up to your fantasies?” The satisfaction in his voice was warm and deep.
I laughed, breathless, undone, still trembling, my carefully constructed composure in absolute ruins somewhere back on those mats. “You had my blueprints. That’s cheating.”
“I had the blueprints,” he agreed. “But hearing you say it…” He exhaled slowly.
“Asking me. Telling me what you wanted and why.” Something quiet moved through his expression.
“That wasn’t in any fantasy I read. That was just you.
” He pressed his lips to the top of my head.
“Next time I will show you how we can add our Demon magic to it.”
I thought about that for a moment. “If it gets better with the magic, I don’t think I’ll survive it.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself.” We remained still for a few quiet moments.
The only sound in the room was our hearts trying to find their way back to a normal rhythm.
He kissed my head. “I have watched you grow, Keena. Longed for you from a distance for years. I wouldn’t have survived if you had rejected me. ”
I didn’t look at him but I felt his sincerity, his relief. The sudden softness of his voice touched me. “Years? How?”
“I was the one who found you. You were around twelve, I think. You were so cute then.”
“I’m not now?”
He chuckled. “No, now you are outstanding, beautiful…sinful even. But you outgrew cute at about fifteen.”
I liked this softer side of him, but knew he shielded it well on purpose, and I would never betray it. “At fifteen, I was tall and gangly.”
“I always saw the beauty that you have only recently seen. I have dreamed of holding you in my arms for years.”
“Why weren’t you my guardian instead of Manus, then?”
“Can you be in love with your guardian?”
Manus had made his pledge to protect me always, but he couldn’t be a consort. “Oh.”
“And I couldn’t blend into your life as a cat. I did handpick Manus from the volunteers. I felt your need for companionship and gave you a friend and a guardian.” He kissed me again, softly on the head and ran his hand over my hair.
Again, I was humbled and at a loss for words as I thought of all those who had spent years protecting me, waiting for me to come into my power.
I knew Jordan must have had lovers over the years, but he had waited for me.
I was glad I had been drawn to him, happy to be in his arms. I twirled my fingers across his chest. No wonder he was anxious when he finally knew I was drawn to him and then rejected that pull.
“Thank you,” I said and kissed his nipple.
“For?”
“Making sure I had a friend, making sure I had Manus.” And for showing me your softer side. I didn’t say it, but it meant more to me than he would ever know.
A knock came at the warded door Jordan one of the guards called out, “Sir, others will be arriving soon.”
Jordan scowled at the closed door. I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn’t. He rose to a sitting position, bringing me with him, and kissed me on the forehead tenderly. “We should get you dressed and go see Manus.”
I gave him a questioning look. “I knew you’d want to, so I checked with Bevin. She said we could see him around lunchtime.”
I rested my head against his chest, and it felt good. Right. Why did I have to fight everything so hard? Why did he accept who I was, and I couldn’t? Would he accept all of my life? “Jordan…” I began softly.
“You have not closed your mind to me, Keena. I know who you are and I understand your responsibilities. My human, possessive side will not like you in the arms of another, but I will accept it. I’ve had relationships with Witches before.”
“Is it the Witch in me that makes these demands?” I nuzzled closer.
He tightened his hold on me. “The Witch makes the demands, the Demon and your legacy make them urgent. If I’m able to regularly satisfy those demands, urgency won’t overtake you so badly.
Your magic abruptly lost its connection to Tynan, which heightened the need.
It won’t be so bad again. The shock from his loss only made the rest of it worse for you.
” He lifted me to my feet with a sure-of-himself smile.
“Let’s go see your overstuffed kitty cat, Priestess. ”