She half groaned, half growled at the feel of the stretch, the rub of my curled fingertips against her velvety walls. “There, there,there…hells yes,there…Don’t stop!”
I clamped my mouth around her throbbing clit and sucked hard. Her thighs shook as the climax burst violently from her clit to arrow straight through her core. Her intimate walls pulsed, rippled, and gripped my tongue in a fist. She came magnificently. My scalp stung as her slender fingers wrenched at my hair, her back bowing off the ground and the tower filling with a shrill shriek.
I lapped at her—gentle, soft strokes as she rode the waves of her orgasm, her limbs quivering. Finally, her chest heaving for breath, she went slack and her hands fell away.“Oh my gods…”
I pitched over, flopping onto my back, and the both of us lay spread out on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling, trying to catch our breaths. Rays of golden light streamed into my quarters, promising a warm day. I threaded my hands through my hair,exhilarated, wondering what the hells had just happened. Could it happen again? Would there be more?
I rolled toward Nelle, a stupid grin plastered over my mouth. “I—”
She scowled, reached for a cushion, and went to hit me in the face with it. “Shut up, Crowther.”
Shit. Fuck.
I lashed out and sent the cushion spinning across the room.
Sage whined. He peeked around the corner of his refuge on the balcony.
Nelle rose and scooped up her discarded panties. She plucked at her dress, her nose scrunching at the creamy stickiness splattered over the fabric. “Gross.” She shot a dark glare at me as if I were the one responsible.
I hitched a shoulder. I mean, I guess I was.
She pivoted on a heel and stomped to her bedroom.
A minute later she’d changed into a fresh dress and re-entered the room. I propped my upper body up on my forearms and frowned at her black, oversized dress. It was a color I’d never seen her wear. Nelle didn’t even spare me a glance as she stalked to the door, clicking her fingers. Sage trotted past to catch up with her.
My frown deepened. “Where are you going?”
“Somewhere you aren’t!” she tossed over a shoulder. A second later, the door slammed shut behind her.
I scrubbed my face, sighing wearily, yet feeling rejuvenated too. In the background, the sound of chaos had become slightly more distant as the hunt for Nelle’s bloodthirsty brunnie had entered the Keep. Pushing to my feet, I glanced down at my chest smeared with the residue of cum. It was time to shower and then meet Mela at the catacombs beneath Ascendria.
39
Nelle
Sunbeams spilling between arrow slits brightened the murkiness of the tower’s staircase. I hurtled down the steps with Sage bounding alongside. After Graysen got his shit together, he’d be heading to the catacombs buried beneath Ascendria, for whatever reason—who the hells knew. Right now, there was no time to waste. I needed to move on with my plan.
I erupted through the tower’s arched entrance like a startled bird. The inner courtyard rang with a cacophony of sounds and brimmed with soldiers on high alert. Ferne stood among a small team, an adamere dagger clenched in one hand. She raised her other hand, fingers trilling slightly as if she were reading a report carried on the wind.
Vigilant soldiers guarded the Keep’s various entrances. A few more escorted a cluster of servants carrying babies and toddlers from inside. Guilt twisted in my chest at the sobbed wails of a little girl clinging to a woman. However, the Crowthers were well versed in warfare, and even though the brunnie wreaked havocwithin their home, I felt confident that no innocents would suffer harm.
As for Graysen’s brothers, they were nowhere to be seen. Madness drifted from the windows and doors thrown open along the wrap-around inner balcony. It sounded like the rabid brunnie was on the second floor of the Keep, heading toward the Crowther family’s personal quarters.
Abellow.
Ashriek.
A noisy din ofclatteringmetal andclankingstone.
An ear-piercing eruption.
Suddenly, bank after bank of windows exploded in a shattering line.
Those below streaked away from the downpour of glittering shards that rattledupon stone like heavy hail.
A low, raspy voice shouted my name.
“Stop, Wychthorn!”Ferne cried.
