War Bride (Battle Born #7)(23)
In the stilted manner of dreams, he was suddenly on the bed in front of her. He wrapped his fingers around her upper arms and drew her to her knees. He knelt as well, so she had to tilt her head back to look into his eyes.
“Don’t fight me, please.”
His soft, nearly pleading, tone shocked her. He never allowed himself to appear vulnerable. “I must.” She sucked in a ragged breath, her heart pounding wildly. This was her opening, the only opportunity she’d get. If he kissed her, she’d be lost. “You want to steal my child from me. How can you, of all people, do that?”
He tensed, his fingers digging into her arms. “Me ‘of all people’? What do you mean by that?”
There was no turning back now. There was no way he’d tell her while awake. Would he be any more candid while dreaming? “You know the heartbreak of losing a child. How can you inflict such pain on another?”
His chest heaved and his phitons glowed. She was half afraid he’d lash out physically. He was clearly infuriated. “It is not the same thing.” But guilt bled through his other emotions. She didn’t need to scan him to recognize what he was feeling. “It’s because of Arton that I’m doing this.”
That was odd. She met his gaze directly, struggling to remain calm. “How does seducing me help you rescue Arton?”
“How do you know about that?” He yanked her against him, making it hard for her to see his face. “You shouldn’t know.”
“I’m a figment of your imagination. I know what you want me to know.” She whispered the explanation against his chest, her breath warming his skin.
“I can’t fight them.” His voice was harsh, almost strangled. “They see every move I make before I make it. I have no weapons to use against their powers.”
Understanding unfurled inside her. She’d been born with similar gifts. Kryton was planning to use her to take on Harbinger Guild. Uncertainty sped her pulse and respiration, drawing her attention to her naked breasts. Her nipples rubbed against his chest with each anxious breath, creating an entirely different sort of tension.
“I’m just one woman.” She eased back, breaking contact with his chest and allowing her to see his face. “I’m not sure I can help you.”
“Not while you fight me at every turn.” His hand slipped into her hair and formed a loose fist. “Agree to help me rescue my son and I’ll set you free.”
She searched his eyes, confused and angered by the offer. If her visions were correct, she would bear his child. So either the offer was false or it would take a very long time to accomplish the rescue. “Will you still release me if the attempt fails?”
His fingers slowly tightened in her hair as his expression turned savage. “Three attempts and then I’ll free you regardless of the outcome.”
“And until then?” Her heart began to pound again. “Am I still your prisoner?”
He lowered his head, lips barely touching hers. “I’m not honestly sure who has captured whom.” Then he tilted her head and sealed his mouth over hers.
She held perfectly still as his lips caressed hers. This was his dream. It wouldn’t seem odd if she surrendered. And she wanted to surrender, had wanted to join with him even before he kidnapped her. She’d suspected there was more to Kryton than his harsh exterior and now she knew why. He wasn’t trying to breed his way back to magic. He was a father desperately fighting to free his son.
They’d first met in her visions. So it felt natural to touch him, to meld with him while enveloped in the surreal haze of dreams. She parted her lips, allowing the tip of his tongue to venture deeper.
He turned and laid her back across the mattress. She parted her legs, making room for him between her thighs. His throaty groan urged her on as his kiss grew more demanding. The hand grasping her hair shifted to her shoulder, positioning his forearm beneath her neck. His other hand wandered across her breasts, staking his claim with touches every bit as bold as his dizzying kiss.
Her hands were unbound for a change and she took full advantage of the freedom, exploring his arms, shoulders and back. He was tangible and yet not quite real. She’d never touched him like this, so her mind struggled to produce the sensations. Her visions left her with a curious mixture of longing and dread. Then each confrontation fueled the smoldering fire. Now desire burned through her being, yet her emotions were still conflicted.
His muscles bunched and flexed as he changed position, better aligning their bodies. The unmistakable ridge of his erection pressed against her lower belly, the thick base rubbing her clit. He rocked his hips and she gasped, momentarily separating their lips. The increased pressure sent sensations pulsing along her inner walls, scattering her inhibitions.
After recapturing her mouth, he shifted his weight onto his knees. Was he still afraid she’d refuse him? He was clearly using kisses to silence her.
His hand eased between their bodies and a strangled sort of moan escaped with his next breath. “You’re so wet.” As if to prove his claim, he slid two of his fingers deep into her passage. Then he lifted his face just far enough so he could look into her eyes. He pulled his hand back, paused for one breathless moment, then thrust his fingers deep inside her again.
Emboldened by the knowledge that this wasn’t real, she arched her hips, taking his fingers deeper. “Yes,” she whispered. “Oh yes.” His phitons blazed as his hand shuttled back and forth. She tightened her inner muscles, caressing his fingers as they slid in and out. It felt good, and yet it was only a teasing hint of what she really wanted.