Page 22 of Protected

Zings of heat coursed from where their skin and mine met, down my belly, and pooled between my legs. I both wanted to squirm away and push myself closer, begging them to touch me everywhere. I couldn't do either, because my eyes were locked with Nuss's. I was mesmerized by his mere presence, but also the way he clearly commanded everyone's actions.

Leb groaned from behind me and yet didn't move to touch me himself without his commander's say so. Nuss's gaze flicked up and he gave a quick nod, then returned his eyes to me. He didn't even flinch when Leb pulled my dress down in one fast yank, pooling the fabric around my feet. It was as if he wasn't interested in what I looked like at all. Only in my reactions.

That made me love him even more.

Magic burst in my chest, swirling around and around my heart. I'd never felt the sparks of power inside of me like this, but somehow, I understood it was the magic I was born with. And I realized I needed to feel love and be loved in return for it to ignite.

Oh, goodness. I loved Nuss.

I gasped at the feeling of the magic inside of me and let it grow. I glanced over at Tau and another burst joined the first and pooled in my belly. It felt amazing and I could hardly wait for more. I turned my gaze to Zucker, and the magic dropped to my core, heating me from the inside and melting away the fear and reticence holding me back from feeling the true pleasure of the lust he had for me.

I sucked in a deep breath and turned to look up at Leb. The magic rushed up and down my spine and bowed my body toward his. The amber necklace his mother gave me, his people's piece of the broken seven crowns glowed and my magic pushed it out to fill the whole room.

Nuss's voice came from behind me, speaking as if he was performing a spell. "As you collect the broken pieces of the seven crowns from each of the lands of the Winter Realm, your bond with your chosen consort representing those lands can be consummated, strengthening your magic, and their loyalty and duty to you."

As if the magic was pushing us together, I floated to Leb and into his strong arms. For the first time, he was wide-eyed and awed, losing a bit of his alpha vibrato. "My lady, I am overwhelmed by your beauty and grace."

He wrapped me into his arms and brushed a soft kiss across my lips. He'd been so eager and forward about his sexual arousal for me that I thought he'd be almost roughly enthusiastic. I smiled against his mouth and deepened the kiss with him, pushing my tongue forward to tease him.

He relaxed, his taut muscles releasing, and he smiled against my mouth. He opened his lips and our tongues dueled to see who got to taste the other first. I won and my magic surged up, intensifying everything. I shivered at all the sensations and let them flow through me. Leb groaned and it turned into his hearty chuckle.

"I do love when I woman takes what she wants from me for her pleasure." He picked me up under the knees and shoulders, carrying me like a real princess the couple of steps toward the bed. He laid me down and crawled up over me, his body blocking out everything from my site.

On the periphery I could feel Zucker, Tau, and Nuss's spirits reaching for mine, but couldn't quite connect with them in the way I was with Leb. There was one more wisp of spirit searching for a connection, but it was lost somewhere dark and desolate.

The amber light of the crown pendant matched what I saw in Leb's spirit, and it surrounded us, pushing the darkness away. I clung to his light and let it fill me.

The magic dancing between us emboldened me in a way I didn't know I had in me and I reached for his belt. His chest contracted with tight breaths as he let me unbuckle the clasp and open the fastenings of his pants. His cock was already pushing at the seam and my fingers brushed against his hard length.

"Fuck me, lass Touch me again, I beg you." His words came out on a shudder and that sent butterflies up and down my spine.

"I'll touch you, if you touch me." I was sure I would break apart soon if he didn't.

"Sorry, you've made me lose my head. I'm doing a piss poor job of pleasuring you."

"No, you're not. I--" He didn't let me finish my protest and kissed me so fiercely I thought my lips would bruise. The almost pain of it only intensified the crackling of the magic rushing through my body. Leb sucked my bottom lip into his mouth and pulled it between his teeth.

"I'm going to do the same to the lips between your legs too." His reticence from before was all gone now and the twinkle I already loved was back in his eyes. He kissed his way down my throat, between my breasts, across my stomach, until he got to the red panties I'd worn beneath my dress.

"I didn't know any small garment could be so fine." Leb ran his palm across my lower belly, slipping his thumb under the elastic waist, then pulled them down on one side, then caressed across the same path, pushing them lower until they were bunched at my hips.

"I didn't know taking them off could be so infuriating." I lifted my bum, begging him with my actions to take the damn things off.

He laughed, not his normal chuckle, but a big hearty joy-filled laugh. "My apologies, I'll fix that right now."

With one flick of his thumb, he snapped the fabric, slipped it out from under me and flicked them over his shoulder. "Better?"

"Yes, but I do hope the gingerbread warrior women have something I can wear tomorrow." I hadn't thought that the lead up to having sex could be fun. But I shouldn't have expected anything else with this big teddy bear of a man.

I was looking forward to more of this flirty foreplay. But why was it only me and Leb in this big old bed? "I feel slightly awkward asking this, but are the rest of you going to join us? I want to be able to bond with you all."

Zucker and Tau stepped forward and flanked the bed on either side. Tau propped his hip against the soft mattress and touched my cheek. "Until we find our land's lost pieces of the crowns, we cannot consummate our bond with you."

"Oh." I guess I thought this would be one big love fest and all the bonds between us would be sealed with the magic I felt so strongly.

"But if you wish for us to be here, we can still bring you pleasure, amplifying your bond with Leb." Zucker traced the shell of my ear and licked his lips.

I glanced up at Leb and he gave me a nod and a look that meant I didn't even need to ask. "It is the Viking way for one woman to be pleasured by many men. I would have nothing else for mystjarna."

---