Deadly Attraction (36 page)

Rocking against him heightened her arousal.
But she also wanted to make him crazy with desire.

She flattened a palm on the mattress and ran
her other hand over her ass cheek and to the cleft. Reaching far as she arched
her back, she pushed a finger into her cunt and stroked her inner walls.

Darien said, “I should be the one doing that.”

“Doesn’t it turn you on to watch?”

“Everything about you turns me on. Especially when
you’re rubbing your pussy against my stomach.”

“How selfish of me to use your body for my own
pleasure.”

He laughed, though it was a short, tight one.
“Use me, sweetheart.”

She kissed him and then worked a second finger
into her tight canal. Her clit rubbed against the rigid muscles of his abs and
the sensations evoked, along with the fire that flashed in his eyes, excited
her even more.

“You want to fuck me, don’t you?”

His jaw clenched briefly. “I want you dripping
wet and in desperate need of me.”

“I am always in desperate need of you.”

“Then let me make love to you.”

“Soon,” she whispered. Her breathing picked up
as she continued to rock against his hard body and finger her pussy. A tremor
ran through her body. “Just being so close to you—just
thinking
about
you—gets me going. I want you more than you can imagine.”

“So do something about it.”

“Patience, my king,” she whispered, sensing
how desperately
he
wanted
her
.

The feelings welling within her were erotic
and exquisite, intensified by the lust in his voice and the fire in his eyes.

“Move up a little,” he told her.

She did and he captured her nipple between his
lips. Jade moaned. His tongue toyed with the puckered point and she felt the
climax expand deep inside her and then explode.

A sharp cry fell from her lips as she came.
Darien’s warm breath teased her nipple as he let out a sexy growl. She hadn’t
even gotten her breath back when he shredded the satin sash around his wrists
and whipped her onto her back. He settled between her parted legs and excitement
rushed through her.

“Neither one of us are capable of keeping our
hands to ourselves for long,” she said as his swept over her body.

He kissed her, then cupped her breasts, heavy
with desire, and caressed them. He tongued her nipple again and erotic
sensations flooded her veins once more.

One hand left her breast and skimmed down to
the apex of her legs. He rubbed her clit aggressively, making her writhe
beneath him.

“That’s so good,” she whispered on a ragged
breath.

He continued massaging the swollen knot of
nerves, and just when she was about to come, he pushed two fingers into her wet
pussy, filling her.

“Oh!” Her back bowed and her eyes squeezed
shut. He only had to pump a few times and she came. “Darien!”

Her orgasm was a powerful one that stole her
breath. Her pulse raced and her inner walls clutched his fingers as she savored
the release.

Eventually, he withdrew from her and took her
by the hand. He led her to the sofa and he sank into a plush cushion. Guiding
her to turn around and straddle his thighs, he gripped her hips and brought her
down onto his lap, positioning her so the head of his cock nudged her opening.

“I do enjoy how quickly you recover,” she told
him.

“I have inspiration.”

She smiled, though he couldn’t see it because
she wasn’t facing him. Lowering herself and taking him fully into her body sent
a ripple of delight down her spine. He settled against the sofa, and her back
pressed to his chest. His large hands covered her breasts, squeezing them and
toying with her nipples. Her hips rocked with his as he thrust into her. His
teeth grazed her neck. She cataloged every sensation, thrilling over each one.

“You feel so incredible inside me.” Jade loved
how his thick cock stretched her, how deeply he pushed into her. But mostly,
she craved the intimate connection they shared. The sense of belonging to one
another and wanting to give pleasure.

Darien kissed her neck as one of his hands
moved between her legs and he rubbed her clit while his cock massaged her inner
walls. She felt the familiar fiery stirrings and the heady surge of desire. It
still amazed her that she had an eternity to experience this heated passion
with her immortal lover.

So as he made love to her with assertive
strokes, she allowed the fire to blaze bright and then erupt, knowing she
wouldn’t have to wait long to drown in sexual bliss all over again.

She squeezed Darien’s shaft as she came,
milking him as he thrust upward, until his body tensed and he erupted inside
her with a satisfied grunt. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight
as they both reveled in the afterglow.

* * * * *

The wedding date arrived three weeks later.
Jade learned it was to be held near the cottage, though the details were still
a mystery to her. She and her maid of honor, Sheena, and her bridesmaid,
Lisette, gathered at the small house to help her prepare for the evening.

Jade stood in front of the full-length,
oval-shaped mirror encased in rich cherry wood that Sheena had given her as a
wedding present. She surveyed herself from all angles, finding the white silk
gown the perfect complement to the Star of Nadia, which Lisette had secured at
her throat.

The strapless dress had a sweetheart neckline
and the bodice flowed cleanly and seamlessly over her body, into an A-line
skirt that flared at her feet. It was precisely as she’d imagined—sophisticated
and elegant, fitting for a queen, yet simple enough to allow her stunning piece
of jewelry to take center stage.

She’d pulled her hair up but left long,
loosely curled tendrils to cascade over her shoulders and back. Lisette
accented the updo with strategically placed sparkly beads that snapped onto
strands of hair without the need for pins. She’d offered the glittery concept
to one of Sheena’s many designers, who’d crafted the tiny enhancements.

The bridal party’s gowns were also simple and
elegant, in silver satin. Jade wanted nothing to diminish the radiance of the
necklace she wore. Unfortunately, Sheena was capable of stealing the show on
her own.

She said to Jade, “You look sensational.”

“I look like I should be the maid of honor and
you
should be the bride.”

“Hardly.” Sheena beamed at Jade’s reflection
in the mirror as she stood behind her. “You just can’t accept how beautiful you
are, can you?”

“When standing next to you? Not in a million
years.”

With a soft laugh Sheena moved away. “Your
groom will back me up on this.”

Butterflies took to flight in Jade’s stomach
at the thought of Darien. He would look sexy as hell in his black tuxedo, she
had no doubt. She was also giddy over the fact she was actually marrying him.

Although there’d been plenty of protocol
preached to her about being the queen, she’d found that Darien’s biggest goal
was promoting their unity. Despite the fact she was a demi-demon and now
immortal, the plight of humans was still her top priority and he felt it
acceptable for her to continue that stance, knowing she had a comprehension of
demon life as well.

On this particular evening, as Sheena handed
her the single, long-stemmed red rose she’d requested—a perfectly full and
fragrant bloom—she considered her marriage to Darien was more than the joining
of two people in love. Rather, it was symbolic and represented hope for a
stronger future between two races that inhabited the same continent.

This was further demonstrated when she, Sheena
and Lisette left the cottage and Jade followed the winding path, dotted with
red rose petals and lined with lit candles in oversized glass hurricanes. She
paused at the end of the grassy trail and stared out at the humans and demons
gathered on the opposite riverbank.

“The ceremony will be on the king’s side of
the village’s border,” Sheena told her. “And the reception will be held on your
side.” She gestured to the tables and chairs set up, all beautifully decorated.

“Maybe someday,” Jade said, “there won’t be a
border.”

The vampire beamed. “That might actually be a
nice change of pace. I’d like to spend some time in Lisette’s library, and I
also find the idea of your local tavern inviting.”

“It’s a very lively place. You’d enjoy it.
I’ll take you there sometime.”

“If anyone can bring together the kingdom and
the village,” Lisette said to her, “it’s you.”

Jade turned to her human friend and emotion
welled within her. “I’ve learned so much from you, Lisette.” Tears suddenly
sprang to her eyes. “You’ve been a mother to me, without making me feel
disloyalty over the replacement.”

The older woman gently squeezed her hand. “And
you’re the daughter I’d always hoped to have.”

Jade hugged her. She was grateful to finally
be of the frame of mind where she could not only accept the friendship and love
surrounding her but also give something of herself in return.

When Jade pulled away, Sheena dabbed at her
cheeks with a hanky to make sure her makeup hadn’t smudged. “Both of you stop,
or I’ll be crying too and lose all credibility with the king.”

Jade laughed softly. “Never. He’s very
appreciative of everything you do and he admires your strength and
determination. He seems to like that in females.”

“Please continue to remind him of that, if you
wouldn’t mind.”

“Between the two of us, we might be able to
keep him in line?” Jade quipped.

“Not a chance. But I like the false sense of
hope that thought offers.”

Lisette cleared her throat to break up the
conversation. “At the moment, the only thing Jade should be thinking about is
getting married.”

She drew in a deep breath as the crowd stood
and turned to watch her entrance.

“Try not to say or do anything that offends
anyone on your way down the aisle,” Lisette added with a wink. She and Sheena
fell into step behind Jade as she crossed the clearing and then the arched
bridge over the river.

It was easy to follow Lisette’s direction. The
people gathered faded into the background as soon as she rounded the corner of
the last row of chairs and saw the Demon King standing before an enormous
lattice archway, dripping vines and red roses. She was a magnet, pulled to the
solid steel that was Darien.

Her heart fluttered at the sight of him, even
more gorgeous than she’d dreamed in his formalwear. He still exuded strength and
power but also a refinement and sophistication she found titillating. And yes,
Lisette had been right. He was ridiculously handsome. Impossible to take her
gaze from.

Not surprisingly, she was anxious to get the
evening over with so they could be alone. Conversely, it was such a lovely
affair, she tried to commit every detail to memory.

There was no distinction between bride and
groom factions when it came to the setting, save for the three stewards of the
continent’s divided regions, who obviously stuck to demon droves.

Other than that, both sides of the aisle were
occupied with humans and demons alike. While she noted more than a few looks of
concern from the villagers, the overriding emotion seemed to be delight—they
were happy for her, for finally finding her way.

When she reached her groom and his
groomsmen—Morgan and Tanner—Jade couldn’t have been happier for herself, in
turn. There truly was a sense of unity forming. And she was marrying more than
a king. He’d become her heart, her soul, her lifeblood. She honestly could not
imagine a day without Darien in it.

She smiled at the men, then breathed deep
again, inhaling the fresh spring air. The moon overhead was full and shimmery,
casting glittery rays over the clearing and the forest beyond. More candles and
a few torches lit the area, but with a warm, inviting illumination that made
the entire event cozy and intimate, despite the mass of people in attendance
and many more spectators who stood on the ridge, not far from the castle.

Jade knew that not every creature, human or
demon, fully embraced the new direction in which relations had turned, but she
couldn’t deny there was support formed by curiosity and optimism—a clear
foundation that could be built upon.

The village’s chaplain, who administered service
at the meeting hall on Sundays, had agreed to perform the ceremony. A nice
touch. Jade gave her rose to Sheena so she and Darien could join hands before
him.

“You take my breath away,” Darien told her as
she faced him.

More tears of joy pricked the backs of her
eyes.

“I hope you know this is the happiest day of
my life,” she said.

Emotion flickered in his amber gaze. “There
will be many more to come. I’ll make sure of it.”

She had no doubt.

“I’m so glad we finally made it to this
place,” she told him. “I love you so much.”

“We were meant to be together,” he assured
her.

Traditional vows were exchanged. They each
slipped a ring onto the other’s finger, and Jade basked in the excitement and
pleasure in Darien’s eyes as she took him as her husband.

When the chaplain pronounced them man and
wife, Darien leaned in for a kiss before the words even left the officiant’s
mouth. This caused a ripple of laughter through the crowd. He didn’t seem to
notice. His civil kiss turned passionate and that led to gasps and hooting—and
a lot of clapping and cheering. Darien’s arms encircled her waist and he kissed
her deeply before releasing her and grinning down at her.

She fanned her face with a hand, the flush of
public embarrassment not quite rivaling the heat of the moment.

“I think you’ve just given everyone a glimpse
at our wedding night,” she teased.

One corner of his mouth lifted in a devilish
way. “No one knows about the sashes.” He winked at her and the flush of her
face turned vibrant.