Sebastian (Bowen Boys, #5)(14)
He had heard of faeries but not any sort of specific kind. “And what exactly is an earth faerie, and what is the mark on your face?”
“I can control things that are earthbound. Not a lot of them are very useful or else I’m not very good at them yet, but Jacob told me that I’d get the hang of it with practice. He said…. What is it?”
“Jacob the wizard?” She nodded, and he felt the air rush from his lungs. “He was here last year. My sister-in-law and brother Dylan helped him with something. He told me…he said that you…he said that my mate was coming soon. I thought he meant like then, but…. Christ, he told me that you’d be more than I’d ever hope for.”
“I’m not going to be your mate. Never. Whatever magic I hold now is too much. I don’t want any more.” She stood up and so did he. “I want to go back to my job now. If you won’t let your brother take me, I’ll call a cab.”
“I’m sorry, but…. Do you know what will happen if another male touches you? I will kill them. And you and I are going to be mates whether you want it or not. I’m not saying that to piss you off, but it’s fated that you and I are together.” He didn’t tell her that he wanted it as well, and figured he’d live longer if he didn’t. “Look, I’ll take you back to work. I don’t like it, but I know right now that you’re stressed and I don’t want you hurting like this.”
He moved to the sink, pulled down a travel glass for her, filled it with the rest of the cold tea, and handed it to her. He needed to touch her, and if this was the only way, then he’d do it this way. When she reached for the glass, he thought she was going to take it and disappoint him, but she looked up at him as her fingers were inches from his hand.
“Touching me without permission is certain death for you. Telling anyone, and I mean anyone, what I am is death for you as well. But if I allow you…if you touch me now, as you want, then you’ll see me for what I am and not like you see me now.” She looked at his hand then at him again. “You’ll be able to see me like I truly am, which is more than even your parents can. Their touch was an accident. I would give you permission so that you can see the monster that I am. It will change your mind about wanting me, I’m sure. Do you want that?”
What she was saying frightened him on so many levels. Seeing her? What did that mean, and what was he going to see? Without thinking any more about it, he lifted his finger from the glass and ran it along her outstretched hand, and felt the power from her as it moved up his fingers to his body. Christ, she wasn’t just powerful, she was electrifying.
~~~
She watched his face as he moved his fingers along her hand and up her arm where she’d pulled up her sleeve. He never took his eyes from hers, and she could see each emotion he had as he touched her. Each bit of magic that ran up his fingers and into him.
“Your skin is very soft and warm. Do you run hot?” His question had all sorts of images popping into her mind, most of which had to do with them both being naked and sweaty sheets, and he seemed to know it. “I’m betting that I’m making you hotter right now. The thought of seeing how hot you can really get has me hard as stone.”
She glanced down without thinking and saw that his cock was indeed hard, and as she watched him it seemed to swell more. When she looked back up at him his eyes were closed, and she watched as he licked his lips. Every cell in her body seemed to heat up more.
“I can smell you.” He moaned. “You’re aroused, and I would like nothing more than to press my body against yours.”
She wanted to pull away but couldn’t. As his fingers moved along her elbow then up over her sleeve, she waited to see where he’d touch her next. She’d never known that having someone touch her like he was would feel so erotic. When he pressed his thumb over the pulse at her throat she moaned.
“I want to kiss you, Ama. May I?” His voice was silky smooth and so husky that she found herself wanting him to do just that. As his head moved toward hers, she licked her own lips and watched as he got closer and closer to her. When his mouth brushed gently against hers, he leaned in more. But before she could touch her mouth to his for the promised kiss, she felt something she’d never felt before and pulled away.
“There’s something at the front door.” He felt her stiffen, and another low growl came from him. She took a step back, then another. She was both glad and very sad that he let her go. She moved to the door that the others had moved through just as Khan was going to the front door to open it.
“Don’t.” He stopped and looked at her. She heard Sebastian come up behind her but didn’t look at him. “Something is out there.”
Khan nodded and took a step back when she moved in front of him. Sebastian put his hand on her arm and turned her to him so that he was whispering in her ear.
“You said something, not someone. Is it dangerous enough that we should simply not answer?”
She looked up at him. “He knows I’m here.” When he started to push her behind him, she grabbed his arm. “I’m stronger than him, but he knows that you’re going to answer the door. I’m not really sure what he is, but he plans to kill anyone that answers that’s not me. You’ll need to…. Can you trust me?”
“With my life.” She hadn’t expected that and she was sure he knew it. “We’re going to have to talk, Ama. The fact that you can speak to me like this and know something is out there is enough for me to know that we’re fated to be together.”