"Amanda," he breathed as her rose scent encircled his head, beguiling him. "What is it you do to me?"
She answered him by tracing her tongue along his jaw, then down under his chin to his neck. A thousand chills shot through him as she slid his coat over his shoulders and dropped it to the floor.
She untucked his shirt and ran her hands underneath it, branding his skin. The voice in his head wanted to push her away, but he couldn't. In truth, he never could. He loved this woman. There was nothing more to be said about it than that. She truly was his soul mate. He would deny it no more.
For this one tiny moment, he would revel in the love he felt for her. Revel in the way he craved her. Her eyes hungry, she undid his pants and slid her hands over his swollen shaft. "I love how you feel in my hands," she whispered, stroking him. "Tell me, Kyrian, can you read my thoughts?"
Kyrian closed his eyes as he savored her touch. When she cupped him, he shivered. "No," he breathed. "I relinquished that power when you asked me to."
Picking her up, he set her on the edge of the bed and stood between her knees. She smiled a smile that lightened his heart as she unlaced the front of her gown and bared her breasts to him.
His body burning, Kyrian nudged her legs farther apart so that he could look at her. Gods, how he loved looking at her. Dropping to his knees, he took her into his mouth.
She let out a strangled cry as he tasted her completely. Kyrian closed his eyes as he ran his tongue over her. Her thighs trembled around his face as he brought her to climax. Her hand clutched at his hair and all the while she rocked her hips against his face.
"Oh yes," she moaned.
Kyrian waited until she was completely finished. Only then did he stand up. Her eyes were liquid and hot as she stared up at him. She rose up on the bed and finished undressing him, then she slid off the bed in front of him and offered him her back.
Without being told, he knew what she wanted. Growling low in his throat, he drove himself inside her with one forceful thrust. She moaned in pleasure, rising up on her tiptoes and then dropping herself down to take him into her body all the way to his hilt.
Kyrian's entire body shook. Kissing her shoulder, he slid his hand over her soft belly, then down through her nether curls so that he could touch her swollen nub. He stroked her tenderly with his hand while he kept his hips completely still. He let her take control of their pleasure.
Amanda milked him with her body until she came again, screaming his name. Just as he felt their pleasure combining and his powers slipping from him, he pulled out of her. His breathing ragged, it was all he could do not to double over from the pain of his unspent lust.
For once, Amanda didn't take pity on him. Instead, she turned around and kissed him avidly. "Amanda," he said, trying to get away from her.
"Shh, Kyrian," she whispered against his lips. "Trust me."
Against his instincts, he did. She laid him down on the bed, then climbed on top of him. Kyrian shook as she guided him back into her body. She felt so incredibly good as he felt her inside him. Felt her pleasure as his as she rode him. His ecstasy mounting, he let her roll him over until he was on top, cradled between her thighs. Feeling a little better, he rode her hard and fast.
This time when he went to pull out, she wrapped herself around him and held him tight.
Kyrian frowned as she rocked herself against him, drawing his shaft deeper into her body. She moaned as her body clutched at his. "Amanda, stop," he breathed raggedly. If she continued, he would be lost.
Again he tried to pull away and again she held tight, sliding herself against him. Kyrian ground his teeth, trying to stave off his orgasm. It worked until he felt her climax again. The sound of her cry combined with her clutching him was more than he could take. Against his will, his body released. Kyrian leaned his head back and shouted from the ferocity of his pleasure. There was truly nothing better than being in Amanda's arms. Her body.
For the first time in two thousand years, he felt at home. And as those tender feelings swept through him, he felt his Dark-Hunter powers recede again.
No!
Amanda kissed him lightly on the lips and rolled over with him. He was too weak to protest. All he could do was stare up at her. She left the bed and pulled on a robe. "Amanda?" he called.
She returned a moment later with a glass of wine. "Everything is all right. I'm here, my love," she said. She held the glass of wine to his lips. Trusting her completely, he drank it. After a few minutes, the room began to swim. "What are you doing?" he asked as a feeling of dread consumed him.
But he already knew. Like Theone all those centuries ago, she had drugged him. The last sight he had was of her opening the door to admit Desiderius into his bedroom.
CHAPTER 17