The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)(53)
She felt him shiver in her grasp and pull back from the embrace. The scent of him was thick about her, that intoxicating mix of spice and sweat that was Seth’s alone. He stared down at her for a long moment and then his lips were on hers once more with what seemed like hunger. She could feel the heat from his body and the look on his face no longer held a trace of uncertainty. The fragileness was gone replaced with Seth’s pure confidence. His hands slid down her shoulders to rest on her hips and then he was pulling her down to the grass with him. She straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck as his grip on her tightened and pulled her almost painfully close. His lips moved from hers to trace a path down her neck and to her shoulder. She could feel the brush of his teeth against her flesh, but it wasn’t painful.
A soft moan burst from her lips and she clung to him. All desire for talk had fled her mind and the only things that mattered were his hands tracing down her body and the feel of his lips. Cool night air brushed against her bare flesh as he unlaced her tunic. His lips found hers once more as his hands rose to her breasts. Her entire body was screaming for more and she knew no matter what Seth asked from her she would give it willingly.
“What I don’t understand is why you are avoiding me, when you obviously don’t want to.” Seth whispered in her ear and his voice was hoarse and filled with desire.
“I…I…” Zoelyn stammered but his mouth had moved to her breasts and words would no longer form in her mind. She felt the brush of teeth again and another moan burst from her lips. His lips traced a path back to her neck and her own hands scrambled to push away his cloak as her fingers frantically sought the buckles of his armor. She wanted to feel his flesh against hers and very little else mattered beyond that. They could talk later when she could manage the words. The buckles seemed to evaporate beneath her fingers and the armor fell away leaving nothing but Seth’s pale scarred chest beneath her hands. Her nails dug into his sides and she heard his breath hiss through his lips.
“Had I known your dreams were this interesting I would have dream walked sooner.” He whispered and her fingers froze on his back. “This is much more satisfying in reality you know.” He added with amusement thick in his voice. She pulled back and stared at him eyes growing wide and he smiled at her with a devilish look in his eyes. “You can’t avoid me Zoey. I know the truth of things now and I won’t give up. I promise you that.”
The garden seemed to swim around her as her vision blurred and the feel of his flesh beneath her hands faded. She pulled back further and the press of his hands against her flesh was gone, and then she was falling.
Her eyes flashed open as her chair hit the stone floor with a clatter and for several moments her mind refused to comprehend what she was seeing. The kitchen ceiling above her, the table beside her, and Grim’s boots as he rose from his chair to move to her side. It all flooded back then in a rush, Shade’s healing and Grim’s mission in Rivana. She had fallen asleep at the table, and Seth had been a dream. A panic rose in her chest as his words echoed in her mind. Had I known your dreams were this interesting I would have dream walked sooner. He had truly been there then. He had truly been in her mind and he had seen everything. Her breath quickened in her throat as her panic rose and she could feel the blush burning her skin as Grim crouched beside her fallen chair and stared down at her with a mixture of concern and amusement on his face.
“You know the noises you were making didn’t seem like those of a nightmare, but the way you jumped and fell has me wondering.” His voice was low, and to his credit Grim was obviously trying to keep the smile from his lips as he spoke.
“I..I...” Zoelyn stammered and for the second time she was at a loss of words. Scrambling quickly she pulled herself from the chair and rose from the floor. The back of her head throbbed painfully, but it was less than she deserved. She had not only fallen asleep at the table, but she had shown Seth her true feelings. The memory of his lips made her blush rise further and she hurried to the cabinet to fetch down cups. Perhaps by the time she had tea brewed for the two of them she could speak rationally.
“I...I...indeed. So who is he? Someone I would approve of?” Grim asked with the tone of an older brother as he crossed the small room to stand beside her. He leaned with his back against the cabinet and watched her frantic attempts to get the canister that held the tea herbs open before taking it from her hands and opening it himself. “Must have been one hell of a dream.” He mused and the amusement was back in his voice.
“You wouldn’t approve of him, and it doesn’t matter. It was just a silly dream there is nothing to it.” Zoelyn muttered as she did her best to avoid looking at him.
“Dreams are the canvas that our desires are painted upon. No dream is silly. They all have meaning. It’s just too often that our minds aren’t clever enough to decipher what we truly want.” Grim’s voice was gentle and while he was amused, there was no mockery in his words.
“I do not want what was in that dream.” Zoelyn said firmly, but kept her gaze fixed on the tea kettle she was filling. She knew if she looked at him, Grim, would see the lie.
“Who is he?” Grim pressed. He leaned back further against the counter so he could glimpse her face. “Is it the Blight? I mean Micah’s boy.” He asked hesitantly.
Zoelyn nearly dropped the tea pot as she whirled to face him with a look of shock on her face. “Dray? No!” she gasped and shook her head quickly. “Aspects no, Grim. Dray is barely more than a child himself. He is like a little brother in my eyes. He watches over me and I try to look out for him.” She explained quickly then frowned as her eyes moved to the faint dawn light outside the window. “Though in truth he has been spending more time with Vosha these days than me.” She admitted with a sigh.