The Kings Series #2 His Silver Hand novel Chapter 18

Gently grazing his rough thumb on his soulmate's bluish cast circling faintly on her delicate skin, he watched her deep and even breaths while sleeping.

Anna Marie. She looked so tired -- only a few hours of sleep for her while she was in his arms. He held her all night to dispel her nightmares. It had help -- only just.

A surge of protectiveness calling forth hand in hand with extreme possessiveness surged through his veins. It took an effort to hold it down - tamping his impulses. Muscles tensed and protested. The drive to lock her on a castle until the danger had passed was a serious thought. One he was really considering. How?

How to convince her that he needed to keep her with him. Safe. All the damn time.

Lucas had known her independent streak all along and he didn't want to step on her dainty toes and or step around it. Yet he must. It was his needs roaring to be addressed.

Their bond was strong. It was more than that. An emotion so strong had blossomed in his heart. One he needed to acknowledge soon.

And her past had haunted him all night. He had absorbed her pain. And after her confession, he had lulled her to sleep while he remained alert. Thinking. Planning.

Today, a conference with the High Council, along with the other Kings will commence. Xavier, the Vampire King, would have to be reawakened.

Powerful evil had surrounded their realms. They needed powerful allies.

On that note...

Esmeralda. They needed her. Something significant had happened to his baby sister. Her Celtic prowess had been tapped.

She might be... No! His sister had suffered enough.

His jaw tightened -- her suffering, her bruises and knife wounds -- Indali had lost her innocence with the world.

Though, there was no sexual penetration -- he will forever be thankful she was spared of the experience, the humiliation, the torment -- their unconditional love for her would never change.

Indali needed their support. He knew she was made of sterner stuff -- she was tough, her disposition was made of steel -- belying her sweet personality. A warrior at heart.

His baby sister had saved her Queen. He couldn't be more proud of her.

This brought him back to his earlier musings -- how to deal with what she was now -- Esmeralda will hopefully know what to do.

A faint moan drew him from his bleak thoughts. He glanced down. His Argetlam was dreaming once more. Her brows drawn together, her cherry lips pressed in a tight line. Tears flow freely down her pale cheeks.

Lucas's gut tightened and his heart contracted in pain. He couldn't bear this. Her suffering needed to stop.

"Shhh, sweetheart. Sleep. I'm here." Arms of tense muscles hugged her closer to his body. Closing his eyes, trying to relax -- trying to convey a safe aura for her.

"Lucas," his name sounded like a prayer from her lips. He gritted his teeth -- please don't let me fail her -- his glowing orbs never left her face. Glued to her all night.

He exhaled - burrowing his face on her hair -- then inhale her sweet scent deeply. "You are safe, my little chef. Safe."

Anna Marie murmured once more -- relaxing in his arms -- she went back to blissful sleep, sighing his name. Limpetlike, she clutched him tightly. Like she never wanted to let go.

He felt the same. More than she does.

***

Mature Content 18

Please be guided

The next time Anna Marie woke up, he just came out of the shower -- with a small towel covering his lower body. He pretended not to notice her messy hair, flushed-from-sleep cheeks, and sexy slumberous amber eyes.

If he let her know his state, she would try to convince him to join her in bed -- with every part of him so painfully aware of her -- he didn't want to risk it.

He meant what he said. They will make love after their mating ceremony not before. Although... He shook his head to get rid of his lustful thoughts.

He went straight to her walk-in closet to get dressed. She insisted he kept his clothes here for emergencies. That endeared her to him more. She was acting like a wife, a mate. He liked it very much.

"Lucas," he almost jumped out of his skin when her soft hand touched his bare shoulder. Stifling an explicit curse, he closed his eyes tightly. His hands clenched at his sides.

One soft touch from her and he was ready to explode.

"Rie, sweetheart," he groaned when she hugged him from behind. Her cheek flat on his back and her dainty hands on his abs. Running her fingers up and down. Beneath his hot skin and her hotter palms, his muscles bunched. Loving her touch. Asking for more.

He was painfully aware of her unbound luscious breasts pressing on his skin. Her thin shirt but a flimsy barrier.

What he felt next made him weak in the knees. Butterfly kisses and her warm breath. A deadly combination. He breathed her name sharply.

He turned to embrace her briefly and to create a much-needed space from their bodies -- instead what he saw in her beautiful eyes made his lips and throat dry.

"Lucas, please. I need to know. I need to know that your touch will not give me pain. Please." Her voice quavered with uncertainty. In her mind, she thought she was asking for a favor. When in fact it didn't take much to give in to her need. To appease it.

Assuaging her need would address his as well. What he required was control. Lots of it.

He cupped her face gently, their eyes locked. Both breathing deeply in anticipation. "Tell me what you want. I will do anything for you, Rie. Anything."

"I want to know pleasure from your touch -- no pain, only pleasure. It has to be you. Only you, Luc." On her tippy toes -- with her arms on his neck -- she breathed her request on his lips. Nibbling and kissing him gently. Provocatively. Her dainty tongue parting his lips.

Lucas groaned -- giving in. Ready to fall at her feet. This will test his control like no other. He brushed the thought aside. Knowing he had full knowledge of the situation gave him the strength he needed.

He vowed his Argetlam will know of happiness and pleasure in his arms. From now on until forever.

His eager lips met hers in a hot kiss. She gasped when he plunged his tongue on her sweet mouth, tangling with hers, pairing. Sucking. She met him hesitantly -- shy and eager. They both moaned at their combined taste.

Anna Marie's tank top was not enough barrier from his bare skin -- her arms on his neck made her breasts flattened on his lower torso. He was suddenly aware of her pointy nipples on his ribs. He wanted to taste her. But he still had to take this slow.

His cock pulsed at the thought. Growling in anticipation, he deepened their kiss. Control. It hanged tethered in the balance. Trying to take the reins -- testing the waters -- his palms left her flushed face and went to knead the small planes of her back down to her cute derriere. Massaging the soft and firm mounds gently. Molding her against his painfully erect shaft -- the towel was long gone, courtesy of his mate's eager hands-- on her flat belly.

Lucas groaned and lifted her pliant and soft body to the nearest flat surface -- an expensive tallboy in her walk-in closet. Nudging her rounded tights apart, he settled in between.

Their lips parted, deliberately. Both were gasping for air.

His eyes glinting, he watched her beautiful blushes coating her delicate skin. Accentuating her adorable freckles. He wanted her to feel everything he was about to do to her. All the pleasures he was willing to lavish upon her.