“Must have been a sight, ‘Sin Garu and Lidra.”
She shivered and grimaced. “You have no idea. I left as fast as I could, racing to Sava to tell him what I’d seen—”
“Sava?” He frowned. “Who is Sava?”
Alandra stared. Aerolus sounded jealous. “He’s a friend,” she said slowly, wanting to smile when an obvious frown darkened his face. She could feel his anger slowly licking at her magic and was thrilled at the notion he cared enough to feel that possessive. “He was a good friend to my parents. And he took me in when they died.”
The anger immediately left him and waves of compassion reached for her. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged, not wanting to think about how much she still missed them. “Life ends in death, and that’s a fact no amount of wanting can change. My point is that I confessed what I’d seen to Sava, and he warned me to stay quiet. And that’s very unlike him. I was furious. I, ah…,” she paused.
“Didn’t listen,” he said dryly.
“No, I listened. I just didn’t have the patience to wait for Sava to take action. That man is so completely slow, so methodical about every little thing…,” she drifted off as she understood that those very traits existed in her Wind Mage.
Stunned, she wondered if that was part of what drew her to him. Could it be the comforting qualities of Sava, her foster father, had attracted her to Aerolus Storm, a Light Bringer?
She stared at Aerolus’ sultry face, at his perfect, muscular body that even now burned for her. He afforded comfort, no doubt, but Aerolus made her burn with lust and lo—like, extreme like, something only a lover could do.
“So, ah,” she floundered, feeling a blush creep over her face.
“He’s methodical,” Aerolus reminded her.
“Right, methodical. So I couldn’t wait a few years to see what he might do. I had to act now, to take Lidra in hand before she did something so stupid as to aid a Dark Lord.” She scrunched her face in distaste. “Did you know the Dark Lords make sport of the Shadren? They’ve taken Nocumat and loosed wraiths and demons in them merely to watch as the Nocumat die from engulfing so much tainted prey.
“I’ve seen them enslave Aellein females to use as toys, inflicting pain the likes of which threw the poor women into madness.”
“How were you exposed to such sights?” Aerolus sat up straighter, his tone grim.
“From studies. Our ‘Great Hall’, which we call Gray Keep, houses thousands of altee scrolls. They’re each spelled with illustrative text.”
His eyes widened. “You possess that many scrolls of enactment?”
She nodded, proud of her home. “It’s as if you’re actually there, watching the events unfolding before your eyes.” She waved her hands excitedly. “Can you imagine witnessing ancient battles fought by your forefathers? Seeing the Dark Tribes as they once were, before the Light split them?”
“Incredible.” He sighed, closing his eyes in pleasure. “What I wouldn’t give to hold an altee scroll in my hands. We have five at the Great Hall, but you have to be an elder sorcerer to touch one. That you have seen history unfolding, spellcasting from its very source, it’s remarkable. What else have you seen?”
Their conversation digressed from there, as each expounded upon the delights of history, from both Light and Shadowed perspective. Alandra had so much fun talking with Aerolus it came as some surprise to realise she and he were still practically naked, though both aroused now by academia instead of each other.
Aerolus must have noted the same thing for he shrugged with apology. “I’m sorry. I tend to get carried away when talk of scholarly pursuit arises.”
“No, I brought it up. Though I have to say I’ve never seen you so excited as you are right now.”
“Never?” he murmured and let his gaze roam her body. Immediately his flagging erection returned to full attention. “The only thing more exciting than learning about other cultures is learning about your body and what it does to mine.”
She grinned as he tugged her closer to him on the bed, forcing her to straddle his lap.
“So the reason they banished you from Aelle was because you disagreed with Lidra’s takeover plan against Tanselm?” he nipped at her earlobe, making her gasp.
“There’s more to it,” she paused as a moan worked its way past her lips. “But that can keep.”
Words were lost as sensation overcame them both. Aerolus wasted no time and shifted Alandra’s body over his, sliding her over him until he filled her with desire. Their coupling was rough, needful. He sucked at her breasts, gripping her thighs and buttocks hard enough to leave bruises.
She clutched at his shoulders, hugging him so tightly it was a wonder he could breathe. And all the while he rocked inside her, his massive shaft pressing deeper and deeper, rubbing against her clit with a tumultuous pressure that brought her to climax seconds before him.
“Alandra,” he growled and thrust up, almost unseating them. She was gradually aware of the wind caressing her, holding them steady as Aerolus continued to shudder within her. “Ah, love, at this rate I won’t have the strength to move from you, and we have much to do.”
She sighed, wishing they could avoid any unpleasantries for a while. “I know. Where should we start?”
He hugged her to him, lowering his mouth to capture hers in a soul-stealing kiss. “First we start in the shower, and then we find Arim. There are a few things he needs to know.”
She flinched hearing Arim’s name. Shadows, but she didn’t want to face him again anytime soon.
“Trust me, Alandra.” Aerolus gave her an intense look that made her wish she could read minds. Instead, she ignored her secret hopes for the future and focused on the practical. Aerolus might be a Light Bringer, but he was honest, loyal and compassionate. And he’d never intentionally hurt her.
“I trust you,” she said quietly, knowing she meant it, and that she hadn’t said those words in nearly a hundred years.
Arim swore as fire burned along his side. The ache in his ribs intensified, and the blue flame he’d been trying to master felt as if it had grown into a bonfire. The smell of stale nothingness told him he floated somewhere between, in the spaces connecting worlds.
A sudden flash threw him off balance, and before he could blink he was pinned to a cold wall, manacled and blanketed by a magical buffer. Surprisingly, the chill surrounding him felt natural and not at all Dark, as he’d expected.
“So predictable,” a husky voice drawled, capturing his attention.
He stared, his gaze stony though his heart stumbled, at Lexa Van Nostren, the woman he’d hoped never to see again, at least, not alive.
“Still the same old Lexa.” He gazed at her without expression, taking in her denim jeans and casual silk T-shirt. She’d obviously just been at the club, and despite his precautions, she had taken him by surprise. Anger surged, and he had to force himself to remain calm. “Slumming again, Blue? Or are you just desperate enough not to care who you fuck?”
Her lips tightened at his deliberate use of a nickname she’d been given in friendlier times, and he could see his insult hit home. “Well, rest assured I’m not so desperate I’ll fuck you.”
The blow hurt, more than it should, but he merely raised one brow and waited.
She glared, the pale blue of her gaze like an icy dagger. “Leave well enough alone before you do more damage than even you can possibly repair.”
“Oh?” She had the nerve to dictate his actions? He studied the spark in her eyes. Despite the inanity of her claims, she was indeed fully sane. Sane and tired, by the look of her. She still appeared a veritable beauty, but Darkness now clouded her ethereal splendour.