“Alaric?” She spoke his name with uncertainty.
“I’m here. I won’t leave you.”
She took heart in his promise, but then she jumped, because the feeling of something light and almost ticklish touched her shoulder. “What is that?”
“A feather,” he returned. “I will be using various items to heighten your awareness. Just breathe and allow your senses to be your guide.”
Marlene told herself to be calm, but it was nearly impossible with the gentle slide of the feather along her skin. Gooseflesh broke out wherever it touched her, and she shivered. He trailed it all along her torso and legs, driving her mad with the sensations he was causing.
When he finally moved it away, she was grateful. However, it was replaced by something else. Something that seemed suspiciously like the soft, wet stroke of a tongue. She moaned when he ran it over the tips of her nipples, before daring to suck one of the aching peaks into his mouth. Her legs trembled and she reached for him, but then the pleasure was gone, and she grasped nothing but air. “Why can’t I touch you?” she gasped. “Must you tease me like this?”
“I promise that the end result will be worth the frustration you are feeling in this moment.”
Marlene wanted to trust in that vow, but she wasn’t sure her consciousness would allow it. He ran his fingertips along her arm and down the side of her ribcage, and then along the backs of her legs. Each time he touched her, she trembled in anticipation, never knowing where the next brush would come from. She yearned for his kiss, but he continued to tempt her with the pleasure she couldn’t fully grasp.
“Please.” It seemed to be the only word she could utter, and even then it was little more than a breathless whisper.
He left her again, and she nearly wept at the loss. However, when she was urged back onto the bed, followed by the gentle movement of his mouth set upon her throbbing core, she nearly burst apart. He moved away, and she begged for his return. Over and over, she sobbed his name, not caring whether or not she sounded like a blathering wanton. It was time for this torture to end.
“Tell me what you want.”
The whisper came next to her ear, and she jerked in surprise. Tension coursed through every inch of her, because she didn’t know where, or what, he was going to do next. “I want you.”
She tried to reach out for him again, but there was a whisper of air. When she could feel the gentle nudge of his erect manhood at her entrance, she moaned.
“Is this what you want?” he teased.
“Yes!” she screamed and was rewarded with the sweet slide of his cock. Her hips lifted, eager to reach the pinnacle that was just over the horizon.
He thrust into her, over and over, bringing her to the brink of oblivion, and then stopping, until she was nearly incoherent with desire. She grasped the counterpane on either side of her and urged him to finish what he’d started.
“Patience. It is almost time.”
She gave a moan of irritation that was soon swept up into the greatest passion she had ever known. With his mouth sucking at her breasts, and his movements becoming more merciless than ever, she reached for the bright light of release—and was blinded by the force of it. Shudders wracked her entire body, emanating in waves of ecstasy so strong that she wondered if they might ever stop.
“That’s it, my love. Give everything to me.”
His words caused a new round of tremors to ripple across her body. When the orgasm finally subsided, she was weak, replete, and fully sated.
The blindfold was removed from her eyes, and she blinked against the harsh light that intruded.
Alaric was lying beside her and gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I believe that the ritual was successful. I doubt that Hector will be bothering you for some time.”
Marlene wasn’t sure what to think after such an explosive encounter. She knew that there was a fine line between pleasure and pain, but how did she dare to explain to him that she’d enjoyed what he’d done to her?
She worried her lip uncertainly, and then asked, “Did you make me respond like that?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
Embarrassment threatened to steal her voice, but she dared to ask, “Is it because you’re a witch? Did you cast some sort of spell that made everything more… enhanced?”
She saw the moment awareness took hold, because he smiled. “No, my dear. There was nothing about our coupling that was different from any other time. It was because I closed off one of your senses, which heightened the rest. Most notably with touch.” He lifted a lazy brow. “Did you like being held at my mercy?”
Marlene shifted her gaze away. It wasn’t easy for her to admit, but she did so, nonetheless. “At times I liked it very much. Other times I was so annoyed that I wanted to strike out at you.”
He chuckled. “I understand. It was difficult for me to restrain myself as well. But I fear it was all necessary. I could have warned you before we’d begun, but I’m not sure you would have agreed.” He got up and pulled his trousers on.
“Let’s just hope that next time you aren’t quite so relentless.”
