Lightning flashed, close by, and thunder boomed quickly after. Faelan jerked awake in my arms, blinking upat me, as a torrent of rain unleashed against the window in my room.
“Hey,” I said, softly, not daring to move. “How are you feeling?”
“Luch … what are you …” Her face was soft with sleep, her eyes still drowsy as her brain swam awake, and I waited for her to remember everything that had happened this morning.
Her body stiffened in my arms.
“It’s okay, Faelan.”
“No, it’s not.” She put her hands on my chest, moving to push away, but I held her close, refusing to let her go. We needed to talk about what had happened, and to clear the air.
“Wheehst, lass. Just listen to me.” When she stopped resisting and leaned back into my chest, I relaxed and ran a hand soothingly up and down her back. “I suspected since you healed wee Oban that something was up. I just didn’t know what it was. Now I do. And I have, I don’t know, probably at least a few hundred questions to start with, but for now, I need you to hear that I’m not upset.”
“But … your mum?” Faelan tilted her head, her chin resting on my chest, those gorgeous gray-blue eyes scanning my face.
“Aye, my mum had an issue with a healer. Or so my dad says. I don’t know, because I wasn’t there. I mean, I was there, but I was a wee bairn. The healer has been an easy outlet for my family’s anger, but my father never found them, nor has he been able to question any healers since. I think there’s room here for a discussion so we can learn what choices were made at that time.”
Faelan blinked up at me, and I could see that beautiful mind of hers whirling with thoughts.
“And your mum? What does she say?”
“She’s always said it was nature’s doing. She’s been the only one who never held blame, which I think frustrated my father even more, to be honest.”
“And you think that I could absolve all healers of your family’s blame?” Faelan shifted, annoyance flashing across her face. “I’m not sure I’m up to the task. Or frankly, that I volunteered for it. I’m not some circus act, Luch. I won’t perform on demand to prove to you, or anyone, that I’m on this earth to do good in this world.”
Bloody hell, but I was bungling this.
“Faelan, no, please. That’s not what I’m saying.” I brushed a finger across her cheek. “You can tell my family to go to hell for all I care. I just meant that I’ve always been more open-minded about this than they have.”
Faelan’s eyes narrowed. “Have you? That wasn’t exactly the vibe I got from you when we first met.”
“Och, true enough. I was deeply suspicious of what you’d done to help Oban. But after I calmed down, I began to understand that healing was healing. And maybe science doesn’t have all the answers. I like to think that it does, it’s what my training’s based on, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t believe in magick. I know magick to be true in this world. But now that I’ve seen you heal, and seen firsthand the sacrifices you make to do so, there’s no way that I could ever look at you and see evil, Faelan.”
Faelan’s mouth parted and a soft breath escaped.
“Truly?”
“Truly,” I said. I couldn’t help myself, I needed to kissher. Shifting, I rolled so I could capture her lips in a gentle kiss, desire flaring deep inside me.
“Luch.” Faelan’s mouth was desperate against mine. “I’ve been so worried. I didn’t want to tell you. I thought you’d never be able to accept me.”
“I do, Faelan. How could I not? You’re incredible.” I laughed when Faelan pushed me back, rolling so she could straddle me. “Hey now, go easy. You still have bruises.”
“It’s always like this. After.” Faelan grinned down at me and reached behind herself to unhook her bra. Heat surged through me as her lovely breasts swung free, and I immediately cupped them, testing their weight in my hands.
“Like what?” Easing forward, I captured a nipple in my mouth, desperately needing my mouth on her. She was glorious, even with the bruising that still bloomed along her body, like mottled purple roses fallen against snow.
“I havesomuch energy.” Faelan’s eyes gleamed as she shoved me back until I was lying on my back again, my hands at her hips. “There’s something about a successful healing, a long sleep, and my medicinal tea that sets me buzzing. Usually I go for a long walk to work off the energy. But I can think of other, more satisfying, ways to do that.”
“Is that right?” I grinned up at her, loving this confident version of Faelan, and then moaned as she rocked against me. I was already rock hard, needing desperately to be buried inside her, but for now I was going to let her set the pace. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her in any way.
I groaned as she shimmied down my body and took my cock in her mouth, as I hadn’t been expecting that. Plus, I liked to be the one to serve, but the way she licked me wasenough to have all the thoughts in my brain short-circuit. All I could do was feel.
Her breath, hot against my skin.
Her hands, gently brushing my hard length.
Her hair, tickling my thighs as she sucked me deep.
