“If that's the case, I have other techniques at my disposal.” Grinning wickedly, Stellan sidestepped in an attempt to corner her.
Clarysa scooted along the wall just out of his reach. “You'll have to catch me first!”
Stellan chased her around the room. By the third pass, Clarysa's heart raced uncontrollably. She wanted him to catch her, but at the same time craved the thrill of being hunted.
A second door caught her eye. “What’s through here?” she asked breathlessly. She tugged at the iron catch and opened the door. She made it through the opening just as Stellan dove for her.
Clarysa stumbled onto a freezing catwalk lined with a stone parapet.
“Oh, my!” She stopped to survey the nighttime view of the castle below, buried in ice and frost and shadow. A canopy of stars glittered brightly above. “I didn’t realize we were up so high!”
Stellan’s steadying hand clamped against her elbow. Clarysa shivered. The predator had caught his prey. “This is the highest tower,” he murmured into her ear.
His breath made her skin tingle. She stepped forward carefully, letting her palms rest on the waist-high parapet. “It’s beautiful. I can see why you come up here to play.”
They stood still for a moment. Save for a light sprinkling of snow, nothing moved below. The organ music simmered quietly in the background. Clarysa stared about her, transfixed. I could become accustomed to this view.
An icy blast swooped in and she shuddered violently. The edges of Stellan’s cape flew up, snapping high into the air. As the material settled down, it wrapped her body against Stellan's in a warm embrace. Clarysa hadn't seen his arms move. More of his magick? Delightful! She rested her cheek against his chest. It felt so firm and broad she wanted to stay there forever.
“And what about you?” he whispered after the wind died down.
“What about me?”
“Do you think I’m ‘spooky’?”
Startled, Clarysa looked at him. His anguished gaze captured hers, searching for an answer. She moistened her lips. “Not at all. I think you’re wonderful.”
She became aware of a new sensation as his hands hungrily explored her waist and hips. Why am I breathing so hard? She clung to him, feeling giddy. In fact, she wanted to say, I love you! But words would only sound harsh and awkward in this gloriously ethereal moment, high above his beautiful and enchanted kingdom.
All across the land below snowflakes drifted down–lightly at first, then with renewed vigor. Stellan gazed at her now through half-lidded eyes, his lashes tinged with wetness. Clarysa’s excitement mounted as he pulled her hips closer, drawing her upward. As he bent his head down, she rose on tiptoes to reach him. Their lips met in a warm, vibrant kiss. Clarysa trembled, but not from the cold. She encircled his neck and stroked the glossy, uneven locks she had yearned to touch for so long.
As the kiss deepened, he began exploring more than her waist and hips. Thighs, back, neck, hair… He caressed every inch with deft, eager strokes. Clarysa gasped as he swept her hard against him, leaving her feet dangling. Still, he kissed her, even as her bottom pressed alarmingly against the parapet. Excited, spellbound, impassioned, she clutched him tightly. Her girlish daydreams hadn’t come close to the actual thrill of Stellan’s embrace and hot, raw affection. Giddy thoughts raced through her mind about their future. He is the one!
Stellan’s kisses grew frenzied, more demanding. Clarysa wondered at how heavy her breasts felt, crushed as they were against his solid chest. Where their hips met, she could feel Stellan’s hard length. It inflamed her desire to slip her hand between their bodies and stroke him there. But the Dark Prince held her tightly in his embrace, his questing tongue gaining intimate knowledge of her mouth. With a happy sigh, Clarysa parted her lips wide so he could know it completely.
She clamped his waist with her legs. Moaning, Stellan gripped her hard and ravaged her mouth as the bloodthirsty snowstorm howled around them. Wind lashed at their clothing while snow and hail accosted them without mercy. Clarysa paid the weather no heed. All she could think about was finding relief from the pulsing heat between her thighs. She was wound so tightly with need.
Clarysa bucked against him. Intense pleasure spiraled deep within her. If Stellan could slip his hardness inside her right now, she would be complete.
“Oh yes,” she gasped as he feasted upon her neck. She rolled her hips in a way she hoped would entice him. How else could she signal her readiness?
Stellan growled. “I’m going to lose control if you keep doing that.” He grazed her ear with his teeth, prompting a cascade of tingles across her skin.
“I don’t mind,” she panted. “It will feel so good!” She dragged her tongue, slick and hot, along his stubble-roughened cheek. He shuddered violently. She put her lips to his ear. “I’ll do that again anywhere you want.”
For a moment, he closed his hands dangerously tight around her waist. He thrust his tongue so far into her mouth she couldn’t breathe. Clarysa absorbed every inch, hanging onto him for dear life.
Then he broke the kiss, his snarl of frustration echoing across the snow-laden countryside.
“Damn it, Clarysa! We must stop before this goes too far.”
Swinging her away from the parapet he deposited her in a large snowdrift. Reluctantly, she dropped her legs from his waist. He plunged a hand into the snow by her shoulder and paused to catch his breath.
Clarysa groaned in protest. “But, Stellan, it feels so right!” She gently touched his lips. “I ache for you so much.”
He caught her hand in his. “The feeling is mutual,” he said, his breath ragged. “But we risk too much throwing caution to the wind. Our situation is too complicated.”
Stellan was right. She sighed. “And politically fragile.”
He gently wiped a fresh coating of snow from her forehead. “Yes. I’m glad you understand.”
Clarysa frowned, fighting back tears of disappointment. “What are we going to do?”
“Well,
