A Midsummer Night's Demon(16)

“How do you celebrate it?”

Her eyes sparkled with memories. “We dance, tell stories, and sing. We also build a huge bonfire on the beach.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“It is. You should come.”

“I tell you what. I’ll make a vow to you tonight that I will accompany you to the festival.” He knew he would have no trouble keeping that vow. He would be with her in June and each of the following Junes for the rest of their lives.

“You promise?” she asked, anticipation bringing another grin to her pretty face.

“I promise.”

The sound of fins slicing through the water drew his attention. He cocked his head to one side, focusing his hearing.

“You have to see this," he said, pushing from the chair. His hands on her hips steadied her when they rose as one.

“Come with me." Ky took her hand in his after she put the computer on the chair.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Ky scooped her into his arms to keep her bare feet from harm as they made their way across the patch of land to the waterfront.

They emerged through the copse of trees in time to see four gray fins gliding through the water in their direction. Ky lowered her legs, her body moving in a sinuous slide down his. His arms wound around her small waist, pulling her back against his front.

“Are they sharks?” Lyn asked, wrapping her arms on top of Ky’s.

“No. They are dolphins. Look.” He pointed a long arm out toward the river as one of the dolphins leapt in the air. It spun head over tailfin sending tiny water droplets flying out into the water below. Their wake rippled the calm water, making the reflection of the moon sparkle on the river.

“I thought this was a river and dolphins swam in the ocean.”

“This river feeds into the ocean, so occasionally I have oceanic visitors.” Ky rested his chin on her shoulder.

“Oh look,” Lyn exclaimed when one of the dolphins did another flip. “They are beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” Ky whispered in her ear, his breath hot against her face.

She turned in his arms and their eyes met. He could almost drown in the warmth he saw in their chocolaty depths.

“You say the sweetest things, Ky. You really do.”

He caught her chin and took a kiss. A gentle brush of his lips against her. Her hands left his waist, burning a trail up his arms and over his shoulders to wrap around his neck.

Lyn deepened their caress, her lips parting in invitation as she tightened her arms around his neck. Ky willingly accepted her generous enticement. His tongue thrust between her lips to taste her. Their tongues dueled urgently, dancing between their mouths in a waltz as old as time.

He bent her over his arm. Her pliant body rested against his, and molded to his corded muscles. His hand fisted in her hair, holding her head at the exact angle he wanted. She was off balance, entirely at his mercy. Only the strength of his arms kept her from falling to the ground.

Their breath mixed, becoming one. Their hearts raced in unison with passion. Desire flowed between them like an electric current, heating his blood, driving his passion higher until the need made him dizzy.

His lips blazed a fiery trail along her jaw, down the creamy flesh of her throat, coming to a stop where her elegant shoulder met her throat. His tongue flicked out to taste her skin, finding her slightly salted by the night air. Her pulse beat hard beneath her flesh, the sound like the beat of tribal drums signaling his inner beast. His fangs lengthened from his gums. Her blood called to him, begged him to take her. His mouth opened. She trembled in his arms when he scraped his fangs over her throat.

Lyn turned her head, giving him better access, obviously unaware that what grazed her neck were fangs and not teeth. The realization acted like a splash of cold water.

She trusted him, believed in him to keep her safe not only from the monster of her nightmares but from him, as well. If he continued down their current path, he wasn’t sure he could restrain himself.

He found Lyn too tempting. She would allow him to take her here, now, on the sandy shore of their private island, but he could not allow that. He would not be with her until she knew what he was. She deserved his honesty. He refused to make love to her until she accepted him being of the breed.

He feathered kisses back up her neck, following the line of her jaw, until he once again found her soft lips. He straightened their bodies when he broke the kiss.

“We have a big day tomorrow.” Ky rested his forehead against hers, struggling to slow his breath. “Maybe we should try to get some sleep.”