Autumn Dawn (Fate's Intent Book 11) (8 page)

Cadence immediately pulled away from my lips with a long intake of air and I got instantly worried. “You okay?”

She nodded repeatedly with her grip tight at my shoulders. “Yeah. Just keep it slow.”

I did just as she asked and slowly moved my hips over hers, keeping my attention on her behavior. She wasn’t the only one nervous about it. I didn’t want to hurt her. I loved her.

She soon started to show signs of being more relaxed by my presence but I was still concerned. “Better?”

“It’s good. You can relax. I want you to enjoy this too.”

“I am. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

Cadence pulled my neck down to her and kissed me. “You’re not. Take me like you really want.” I was worried but wanted it all at the same time. “I want you to.”

She pulled me back down into her lips and immediately put her tongue in my mouth as a gesture of desire. I couldn’t hang on to my worry any longer and began to thrust my hips harder into hers. Her breaths became heavier through her nose as our lips were still pressed together and her fingernails found a nice sturdy grip in the skin of my back. I grasped the pillow next to me and halted my kisses from the sudden feeling and was becoming more intense with sexual emotion to hear her moans of pleasure escaping with every breath she made.

I was hoping it would be good for her because I didn’t know how much longer I could take. She sounded so beautiful when she praised me; I just wanted it to end well for her.

It was so sensitive that I felt it when she had her orgasm and I was able to end it right there with her.

It was over timely. Not short enough to be pathetic on my part but Cadence was still breathing heavily even after I moved to her left. “Are you all right?”

She nodded and looked over with a smile. “Yeah. I know I may not have anything to compare it to but that was great.”

I smiled. “It was. I’m pretty proud of the outcome.”

Cadence turned towards me and cuddled against me. “You should be. It deserves a good night’s sleep.”

“Here.” I got the covers out from underneath us and draped them over us as I wrapped my arm around her. “Go ahead. You’re with me from now on. This is now your room.”

“I’d like that.”

“I’ve been waiting to share it with you. Go to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“Mmm. Okay. I love you.”

I smiled and kissed her head. “I love you too. Goodnight.”

I closed my eyes peacefully to finally have her back in my arms and I was never going to let go again.

Chapter 16

Dirk

I’ve been down here for several hours and the party was just about done out of me. I haven’t seen my brothers lately and wondered how they planned to finish their night.

I found Bryce at a snack table and patted his shoulder with conversation like we haven’t been separated. “Hey, you’ve seen Seth anywhere?”

“Oh, there you are.” He said with a high tone of amusement in his voice. “You’re not going to believe it.”

“What?”

“I did see Seth. He just left a few minutes ago with a brunet babe on his arm.”

I was overly surprised. We haven’t been able to get Seth with a girl for weeks. “What? Really?”

“I know, finally right? He’s been in a serious need to get laid. It’s been awhile. So, what about you? I’m surprised to see you. Pick your reward of the night yet?”

I turned my back to the table and looked over the crowd as I ate from a small plate with my fingers. “No. It’s hard to decide when there’s so many gathered in one place. I won’t bless just anyone, you know.”

“Yes. I know but I’ve been seeing a particular blonde that looks like she would meet your qualifications.”

“And you haven’t snatched her up?”

“Blondes are more your thing not mine.”

“Oh, right because of your mother. Well, I must be lucky then. Is it Lynn by any chance?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve never actually seen her before. Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I was hoping to. We haven’t really been in touch much since I left the Academy.”

“I thought she was younger than even me. She might still have to attend.”

“I guess that’s why there’s not many blondes here. Her father likes her home at a certain hour but I’m surprised I haven’t noticed the one you mentioned. Have you seen her lately? I hope she hasn’t given up on me.”

Bryce just smiled and looked over the crowd. “No. I don’t think she left yet but I could be wrong. Oh, wait! There she is!”

I turned my eyes in the direction Bryce was looking and shifted them around. “Where?”

“Gold dress, bareback, fur wrap, thirty paces east.”

I spotted her in the exact manner as he described and I could see all the way to her tailbone. She was very slim and elegant looking.

“Fuck yeah. She’s totally doable from that angle. Good eye.”

“Wait, it looks like she’s heading north. She might be breaking for the doors.”

“Oh, shit!” I handed off my food to Bryce and started in a fast pace walk towards the door and the girl. “I owe you!”

“Oh, yeah you do! Just hurry!”

I took his advice and broke into a light run through the people, keeping my eyes on the back of the girl’s head so I wouldn’t lose her. She indeed was going to the door and I sped up to get to it in time.

She left my sights for just a moment as she turned to walk through the main hall and I bolted out of the ballroom. My breaths were deep from the run and it made the girl take notice and turn to see who was following.

I stood fully to see her face. Her light brown eyes were the highlight and I couldn’t look away.

“Are you all right, my lord?” She asked.

My eyes moved from hers and traced the front of her body. Her golden dress was draped low in the front almost completely down to her bellybutton and I moved my eyes back up over her breasts just covered in fur, trying to focus. “Leaving so soon?”

She smiled and she had the face to smile. Her eyes squinted as her cheeks raised and her perfect little pointed nose wrinkled when she let out a quiet laugh. “It’s been a long night, my lord. Things get a little crazy if I drink too much.”

“Well, crazy is good. I live for crazy and please, just call me Dirk.”

“Anything you want, Dirk.”

I built up the moment and watched her wanting smile. “Anything?”

“If you’d like. I was just heading to my room—”

“You’re staying here in the palace?” I hope my question didn’t sound rude but I’ve never seen her before, let alone thought she’d be allowed to stay here.

“I’m an honored guest you could say. Makes this quite convenient, wouldn’t you agree?”

I started to smile and stepped closer. “Very much so.”

She turned and my eyes then traced the backside of her body and I couldn’t help but follow. It was like my feet had a mind of their own and I walked down the downstairs hall just a few paces behind her, thinking to myself of all the things I wanted to do with her petite little body.

“Sorry that took so long.” We finally stopped in front of a door and she turned to me.

“I’ll make it worth it.”

She smiled while she opened the door and entered the room with me still behind. “I have no doubt about that.”

She closed the door and turned to me, immediately kissing me like she didn’t want to waste any time either.

I started stepping backwards from the force she used while her arms reached up for my neck and I backed all the way to the bed, sitting down on it. I pulled her down into my lap while our lips were still one and our tongues entwined. I put one hand on her bare back to keep her from falling while the other slid up her dress.

She was already taking heavy breaths and reached for my coat. I moved my hands to get it off and our lips parted as I got to my feet with her being completely held up by one arm. I set her down gently on her feet with a kiss and I looked in her eyes. They were still like nothing I’ve ever seen and I couldn’t explain what was happening to me.

This feeling I had was like no other as I stood in her presence and she smiled to my pause. “Having second thoughts? That doesn’t seem like something you’d do.”

I finally blinked and shook my head. “No. I’m not.”

The girl’s smile got a little bigger and she lifted up her right hand, unclipping two clips at her shoulders that held up her dress. It came loose quickly and the weight of the fabric straps strung through gold chains made it fall down and then she unhooked another on her chest amongst all the fur. She pulled it off her shoulders and she was now standing topless in front of me, her dress merely settling around her hips.

My eyes drifted down from hers and traced the pattern of her body. She was quite petite like I’ve already guessed but I could see it more now, especially since she was standing in front of me like this but she was also very fit. I could see the muscles in her chest just over her perfectly portioned breasts and my eyes moved down to the contouring of her abdomen just a bit lower. She was beautiful.

My eyes and mind were knocked off guard when I saw a small tip of black on her smooth white skin over her left hip. I took a small step back and pulled down the front of her dress to reveal it. My eyes widened when I saw the familiar Black Wings of Death mark embedded in her skin and the sight became blurred.

I took a breath and the past flashed quickly through my mind, hearing my father’s voice echo. “Don’t get too attached to anyone—your fate remains with that of an Assassin as did mine.”

I blinked again to regain clear vision and I took more steps away from her with a more panicked breath. “It can’t be.”

“Dirk?”

“You’re—you’re an Assassin.”

She looked down at what I saw and covered her breasts with a sigh as she sat down on the bed. “That did it for you, didn’t it? I pushed you away.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me—Lana?”

She met my eyes but still seemed shadowed with some regret. “I didn’t want you to treat me differently. I wanted to be with you like how you are with all the others and not have that pressure of Fate and destiny over your head. I just wanted it to be real.”

“Real? You mean being used because that’s how I am with everyone else.”

“It’d be better than thinking you have to.” She stood up, turning her back to me and put the fur wrap back over her shoulders to cover herself. “But it’s too late because now you know so you can go. I understand perfectly.”

She hooked it back on as she went out the balcony door, not putting her eyes on me again.

I remained in the room and didn’t think to leave. My eyes were focused out the door where she sat herself on the other side of the stone railing on the ground. Knowing who she was seemed to be making things more clear. It was the reason I felt something different around her that I couldn’t then explain. It was meant to be. It was Fate and I took steps towards the outside doors. I couldn’t just let it go; I wouldn’t.

“I’m not going to leave. I’m glad that I know. I would have hated myself if you just let me treat you like I have everyone else when you probably don’t even know why I’ve grown to do things that way.”

I paused there behind her and just hoped she would say something but she wasn’t moving. Her head was rested up on her folded arms that were held up by her knees and that’s where she stayed. I let out a breath and almost turned away but then I saw her lift her head and I immediately stopped.

“Then why?” She asked in a soft voice.

“Well, I guess you could say it was because of you.” I stepped over the stone railing next to her and sat on it.

Lana’s head tilted back to look up. “Because of me?”

I nodded and lowered myself down to her level. “In a way. I was young when my father told me what would become of my future and I was actually hopeful. It was just before I started going to the Royal Academy when he gave me advice not to get attached to anyone because there would already be someone waiting in my future. I guess I took it a little too seriously by creating this persona.”

“You haven’t told anyone about this, have you?”

I laughed. “Fuck no. My parents don’t even know about the persona thing and I could never tell the guys the truth behind it.”

“Why not?”

“I’m supposed to be the strong one. I don’t want them to see me as weak. It’s better if they see me as the selfish sex mongrel I’ve always been. They down on it but it’s a better respect. I hope my telling you all of this doesn’t make you think worse of me.”

Lana smiled and leaned on me. “Of course not. I would never.”

“This isn’t me trying to get in your bed either. You wanted to know so there’s the cold truth as bad as it is for me to say.”

“Well, I’m glad you told me.” Lana still had her smile and hooked her arm through mine. “It makes me feel like we’re a little closer.”

“You know, you’re right. Maybe that was a good idea. I didn’t want to treat you like the rest and as of now, you already know more than anyone has.”

“Lucky me. So, we should get to know each other first then? It’s working.”

“It’d be a good idea. I don’t know much about you besides your name, what you are and that you’re going to make it quite difficult for me to keep my hands off you.”

Lana laughed and lifted my arm, putting it up around her. “You can put your hands on me. I don’t mind.”

I returned the laugh and kept my arm where it was. “Okay.”

“So, what do you want to know about me?”

“I don’t know. Anything I should know?”

“Well, let’s see, I’m probably not like most girls you’re familiar with. They had to tie me up to get me in this dress.”

I laughed. “Really?”

“Yeah, notice it doesn’t have sleeves? They just stripped me down, slipped it on and hooked it up. I didn’t get a say.”

“Well, I like it.”

“Sadly, I kind of do too. First dress I really ever wore.”

“Ever?”

“Oh, yeah, ever.”

“I guess I’m just a bit surprised. Anything else?”

“Well, there may be one thing you should know so you don’t freak out if something weird happened.”

“Something weird like—”

“Well, let me show you.”

Lana turned towards me and sat in my lap. I became very aware in an instant and our eyes met. We were both looking deep into it and I began to hear a sound of purring coming from her.

“You can purr?”

“I can do a lot more than that but that’s one of my basic favorites. It’s my gift of animal abilities. I can use something they have or turn into one completely. It’s like your gifts only I wasn’t born with it. I’ve only had it for about a year. It’s for being an Assassin.”

“Wow. That is good to know.”

“Not getting too weird for you, is it?”

“Oh, no. You’ve come to the right person for experiencing weird. I’ve had that my whole life since everyone in my family has gifts. It just makes it perfect that you do too. Things shouldn’t be that weird for you either.”

“Nothing about you would be. Can I see it?”

“See what?”

“Your fire.”

It sounded like she’s been waiting a long time and I didn’t want to disappoint her. I held up my hand and let the flame flow through my fingers. I could control it better these days and didn’t really seem to need to get mad to use it.