Ilisa strode toward me, slinking, step by step in pace with my heartbeat, picking up the pace, my pulse loud in my ears, heat rising in my chest, in my temples, in my torso, and in my pants, which were steadily tightening.
“Would you like some wine?”
I reached for the offered glass and our fingertips brushed and I shivered at the touch of her skin. There was really something so unique about her… A challenge, a battle, a toughness. Here she was, naked, but there was in the air a remarkable truth that still made me know that she wasn’t mine to have, yet. This was a taunt, a challenge, I still had to earn her.
I drained the glass, surprised I was a little shaky. Her eyes were intense as they watched me. Damnit, was she reading my mind? She looked away as I had the thought and that made my fists clench and teeth grit. Was that a confirmation of the idea? Was she reading my mind?
“There is a battle coming, Skarde…” Ilisa sidled up to me, lips moist, eyes open and inviting. She drained her own wine, then put her glass on a nearby table. She moved all the way close to me. I gasped as her fingertips traced my cheek, down my jawline, moved to my lips. They reached down and tugged at my wet tunic. “I’m ready to battle beside you.” She let her hand trail down my chest, then moved her fingertips to her own chest, wove a line between her breasts, drawing my eyes to watch the curves of them swell with her breaths, then she moved her fingers over their luscious rise and played with each of her nipples. I moaned, an involuntary gasp of desire, because I wanted to be the one touching those nipples, I wanted to be the one playing with those naked peaks of desire…
I reached out and put one of my hands on her cheek. She nuzzled into it, then moved it down to her waist, then took the glass from my other hand and put it on a nearby shelf so she could place my other hand on her hip. Her skin was cool, cold to the touch.
“You’re freezing cold.”
“It was cold in that storm. I expended a lot of heat using the telekinetic powers. I need warmed up.”
Her eyes looked up at me calmly, no judgement, no real intention either. Just open.
Why was I hesitating? She was so gorgeous… Her moon-shaped face, so round, so pale in the striking lightning from outside, the wind rushing in the window blowing back her hair, drying out the raindrops from its shining light brown sheen… And the way each strike lit up her skin…
I let my eyes rove up and down her body, then I guided her to the bed, just gently pushing her, my fingertips still where she had placed my hands. Then I gripped her, picking her up effortlessly, and laid her on the bed. I pulled the covers around her and tucked her in.
“Warm yourself up, Ilisa.”
She snuggled deeper into the pillows and watched me from deep within their nestle as I pulled my shirt off, then tugged the rest of my clothes off. I enjoyed watching her eyes go wide as I revealed every piece of my body, knowing I was a rippling muscular masterpiece from all my years in the mines.
I lifted the covers of the bed and curled into the bed with her. I pulled her in close to my chest.
“Ah shit, I should have lit a fire,” I said, and began to move back out. She pulled me back, then sat up. She waved her hands toward the fireplace, signaling the logs and matches and kindling to arrange, then deftly made a fire with her tele powers. It flared to life, gained a bit of air, then flushed forth. Lastly, she closed the dormer window, and dropped her head back to my chest.
Ilisa nuzzled into me and I braced her against myself, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead.
“We have twenty minutes to get warm, dry off, and then we will need to get dressed and make it down to dinner.”
“I know. Let’s just enjoy this…”
I kissed her on the forehead again and thrilled with the little spark that went through my lips as I kissed her. I remembered the electricity that seemed to pulse from her pussy through my mouth and lips as I tongued her while she braced us on the boat in the storm. Maybe the process of learning telekinetics would be worth losing some of my control… Maybe… Maybe this Bravo warrior alone would be worth it.
I shook my head slightly as she sighed into my chest and hugged me tighter.
I couldn’t imagine I would ever be completely sure of that, but Ilisa was doing a bloody good job trying to convince me.
Eight
Skarde
Kajo, Cartari, Axis, two Harthens, and the five Bristolans were already in the command room when I entered that morning, including Ilisa. I locked eyes with her for a moment and her lips curled in a slight smile that I hoped was just for me, but then her look returned steady and her eyes moved to King Kajo as he opened his arms wide to welcome me. Everyone was standing around a tall, oval table that was really a large computer screen.
“Welcome, Duke Skarde. I trust you slept well after the feast last night.”
“Thank you, King Kajo. Indeed.”
Actually, I had slept hardly at all. I had been too restless with thoughts of Ilisa. I had wanted to run to her quarters, and might have indeed, if I had known where they were. The feast had been splendid, and I had
