“Fuck,” Xaedren groaned. “You're right. This feels amazing.”
“We'll get another bottle before we go back upstairs.”
He chuckled and sped up. “Three more.”
“Are we eating dinner in your room again tonight?”
“Yes. We grab some food along with the oil. Now, brace yourself, Ember.”
“Great Goddess, I love it when you say that.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next day, I was on my way to meet Rath in the citadel's main library to look for some of the texts Mistress Lectia suggested I read when I was grabbed roughly from behind and shoved against the wall. I barely had time to see that it was Xae before his lips were on mine, demanding a response. He devoured me, rubbing himself against me as his tongue lashed at mine. His hands were everywhere—sliding over my chest, pinching my nipples through my tunic, going down my arms, then around to my ass. Squeezing. Kneading. Claiming. Then Xae pulled back, nuzzled my face, and walked away, leaving me panting and dazed.
The day after that, Xae caught me coming out of my room, pushed me back in, and tossed me on my bed. He only bothered to remove my pants, then propped my legs on his shoulders and slid into me. He was already oiled up. The man had been waiting in the hallway with a hard, oiled cock! Halfway through the sex, Xae got annoyed with my tunic and tore it off. Then, with a happy sigh, he latched onto my left nipple, sucking at me hungrily as he fucked me.
The day after that, I was in the garden, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. Just sunning myself on the grass, tunic and boots off. A shadow blocked the sun, and when I opened my eyes, Xae was above me, his expression beyond aroused, more like inflamed. He dove for my neck, growling as he kissed and bit me there. Meanwhile, he ground against me, pumping his erection against my shaft until I was just as hard as he was. He knew that once he gave me an erection, he could do anything with me . . . even fuck me in public. And he did.
It went on for weeks. I quickly became obsessed with Xae, and part of me wondered if that was his plan. I thought about him constantly, always on the lookout for him, expecting him to pounce at me, out of the shadows. And yet, there was Rath, always watching me with those lavender eyes, always supporting me. Always frowning when Xae got near.
And through it all, I trained.
I made it through Earth and Water training, with Mistress Lectia overseeing everything. Now, I was on to Air. But Master Bri'tar wanted me to study a few books before we worked with Air Magic. So, I was back in the library. Rath sat at one of the many polished oak tables in the center of the vast room with Master Bri'tar beside him. I left them speaking in low tones and went to fetch the next book on Bri'tar's list.
I didn't mind studying. In fact, I loved it. It was a lot easier than learning to properly control the elements. For one thing, I didn't have to worry about hurting people or myself. And I've always loved books. With my lack of friends, books filled the gap, giving me other lives to live. Lives in which I was a hero with hordes of friends. The books Master Bri'tar had me reading weren't fiction, but they were interesting and helped me prepare for the practical part of his training. Maybe they'd help me become that hero I'd only dreamed of being.
I ran my fingertips over the leather spines, admiring the gilded titles. The library was my favorite place in the citadel. I couldn't get over how many books there were in one place. A veritable treasure trove of information. And it was so beautiful there, with polished ebony bookshelves pressed back to back, soaring up over fourteen feet to form a labyrinth around a central reading space. High-backed chairs sat around the edges of that space, with small tables gathered in the center, and smaller chairs pulled up to them. They were all carved from ebony to match the shelves and upholstered in soft maroon leather. Above the stacks, the lantern light was diffused, a soft glow that was just bright enough to read by. There was a reason for the dimness, something about light being bad for books. I'm not sure exactly, but whatever the reason, it wasn't as bright within the maze as it was in the center of the room. I had to lean in to read the titles.
I was just about to pull out a huge tome for a better look when a hand clamped over my mouth and a hard body pressed against me from behind. A week earlier, I might have panicked and fought, but I knew Xae's scent now. And the feel of his body. I even knew the sound of his breathing. So all I did was groan against his muffling palm, excitement shivering through me. I leaned back against him, angling my head to the side so he could bite my neck.
Xaedren loved to bite my neck. He did so now with a soft growl, then licked me there.
“How are your lessons going?” Xae whispered in my ear as he removed his hand from my mouth . . . and set it over my hardening cock.
Yes, he even had my dick trained. Sometimes all it took was a whiff of his spicy musk to get a rise out of me.
Instead of answering, I spun in his arms and lifted my mouth to his. Xae grinned before he gave me what I wanted, his lips molding to mine as his tongue slipped into my mouth. I moaned and pawed at him just as wildly as he groped me. Instantly feverish, I sighed when I felt cool air hit my skin, but then his warm hand slid under the hem of my tunic and glided over my chest.
After what felt like an eternity of kissing, I pulled back to say, “We can't do this here. Rath will come looking for me soon.”
“Are you sure?” He unbuttoned my pants and claimed my cock. Then, holding my stare, he went to his knees.
“Holy fuck,” I whispered as his hot mouth surrounded my shaft.
With one hand gripping the base of my cock and the other massaging my ass, Xae sucked and licked and moved his tight lips up and down my dick as he watched me with those sky-blue eyes. Primal sounds vibrated through his throat, and when I crumpled against the books, moaning, his eyes filled with pride.
“Xae,” I whispered as I ran my hand through his wild hair. “What about you?”
He just kept going, working me until my thighs tightened and my hand clenched in his hair. I bit my lip to keep from crying out but shuddered violently as I came in his mouth. Xae sucked it all down greedily, then moved off me to lick his lips and stand.
“You will see to me later.” Xae lightly tapped my flaccid shaft. Then he pressed a kiss to my lips and vanished, becoming a shadow before fading away.
Panting, I stared down at my wet dick. Then I heard the sound of footsteps. In a panic, I tucked myself away and buttoned my pants, my hands shaking so badly it took me several tries. Thankfully, I managed to get myself settled before Rath came into view. As if I were just reaching for it, I lifted my hand toward the book I'd been after, then pretended to notice him.
“Oh, hey,” I said.
“Did you find the book yet?”
