Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) (48 page)

Damn
it.

That
“dear” ate through his resistance like water through sand.  No one but Ty had
ever called him by an endearment.  “
Fine
.  Unfair, though.”  He
separated the folds of her and tracing the damp flesh.  “You’ll owe me another
favor, though and you know how much I like to collect favors from you.”

“Fair
enough.”  It was a gasp.  “I’m sure that I must have
something
you
want.”

That
made Gion chuckle.  “Keep going with the story and I’ll bet we can make a
deal.”  He pressed his finger deep inside of her, admiring the way she felt
around him and the image of the white dress draping across his arm.  He was
going to Phaze with this woman and nothing was going to stop him this time.

“Well.” 
Ty rocked against his hand and bit her lower lip.  “Obviously, you’re helpless
against my wiles.  What can you do, but give into my seduction?”

“I
struggled hard to get free of your web, I’m sure.”  If he could have, Gion
would have super-glued himself to her side.

“Oh,
you did.”  She caressed the golden streak at his temple and Gion’s teeth ground
together in need.  When she touched him, the Air energy went wild and it was
already
going wild, so it was a wonder his knees didn’t buckle.  “I’m determined to
lead you astray, though.”  Ty tugged at his hair enticingly.  “You try to escape,
in fact.  But, I tell you that if you leave me panting and unsatisfied, I’ll
just go to someone else and
he’ll
give me what I need.”

“The
hell you will.”

Ty
gasped as Gion pushed a second finger into her.  “I know
that
lie will work
to stop you.  I belong to you and you’re
sooo
territorial.”

“Fucking
right I am.”

“Well,
so am I.  And I’m going to take you, and Phaze with you, and make sure that you
never even look at another woman.”

“Angel,
there
are
no other women.”

Ty
made an “hmmm” sound of pleasure.  “The door’s right there and we have to
hurry, though.  Anyone could walk out and see us.  So, I unzip your pants and
find you.”  Her hand went to his belt buckle, tugging it open.  “And you yank
my skirt up, and I’m so ready.  Hot and tight and the energy is getting bigger
and bigger…”  She trailed off and met his eyes.  “Gion, I’m so ready.  Please.”

Gion
had never played with his powers.  In fact, he took them very, very seriously. 
So, removing his hand from inside of her and then sweeping Ty up with the Air
was just instinctive.  She went flying across the room in a carefully
controlled cyclone.  Gion’s eyebrows soared, shocked that he’d done such a
thing, even as he dropped her onto the mattress.

 Ty
landed on the bed, laughing madly.  Everyone else in the universe was terrified
of his energy.  Ty saw his casual use of power as a game.  Gion smiled.  With
Ty it
was
a game.  He wouldn’t hurt her and she knew it.  He gave her
another bounce, just because he could.

“When
I’m your age, I’ll be super powerful, too, I’ll bet.  Then, I’ll get back at
you for that.”  She gave her hair a toss and Gion thought that he could die
happy.  “I’ll whoosh you up in a tsunami or something.”

Gion
looked forward to teaching Ty anything she wanted to know about developing her
energy.  The woman had talents and untapped resources.  He could feel it.  “No
matter how old you get, I’ll still have four centuries on you, angel.  So, I’m
not intimidated.”  He pulled his shirt over his head, not bothering to unbutton
it.

“You
should be.”  Ty’s gaze traced over his bare chest.  “I have a very big Match. 
He’ll protect me.  He can do anything.”

“For
you, your Match
would
do anything.”  Gion told her truthfully.

Ty’s
face grew more serious.  “I would do anything for you, too, Gion.  Anything to
keep you safe.”

Gion
jerked his boots off.  “Do not endanger your life for me, again.  I mean it.”

“I
love you.”  Ty said simply.  “I don’t deserve you, but I love you more than
anything.”

Gion
stopped and stared at her for a beat.  “You
don’t
deserve me.  You
deserve so much more than me, it’s almost tragic that I’m never going to let
you go.”

“You
can be so maudlin.”  Ty smiled.  “Do you see me
asking
to escape your
evil grasp?  I
like
being in your nefarious clutches.”

“I
can’t imagine why.”

“You’re
just a super good catch.”

“Oh,
obviously.”  Gion scoffed.

“You
are.”  Ty insisted.  “Want me to list some reasons why I love you?  You’ll
see.  Compliments are fun.”  She started ticking some off, without waiting for
a response.  “If anyone gets on my nerves, I can just threaten them with you. 
That’ll come in handy.  You terrify people.”

“I
did
.  Before my musical career.”

Ty
ignored that.  “You watch TV with my cousin, even when I deeply suspect that
you have no interest in fashion model reality shows.”

“It’s
an acquired taste.”

“You
protect Nia, even when she calls you The Prince of Darkness.”

“
I’m
an acquired taste, too.”

“When
I need you, I’m always –
always
-- sure that you’ll be there.”  She arched
a brow.  “Right now, I need you in this bed.”

Gion’s
mouth curved, letting the Air energy glide over every inch of her.  “Not so
fast.  I’m not done hearing about my virtues, yet.”  He held onto the bottom
post of the bed and watched her spread out before him.  “Turns out, I
do
like compliments.  Continue.”

Ty
bit her lower lip, her eyes sparkling.  “Let’s see… You do incredible things
with you your powers.  Things I’m
positive
they didn’t teach you in any
dreary Air Phase classroom.”

“Dear
God.  I would have been an honor roll student.”

“You
were
already
an honor roll student.  I find your bookworm-y leanings
amazingly sexy.”

“All
the women do.”

“And
yet you can still do manly home improvement projects with tools and plastic
sheeting.”  Her body arched up into the rush of his powers, her voice getting
breathless.  “Very useful around the house.”

“Especially,
when it comes to repairing slightly battle-damaged antique buildings for crazy
women.”

“You’ve
proven that you really would sack kingdoms for me.”

“Just
little ones.”  The Water powers glided over him like music; pulling taunt,
reaching for his energy.  Gion increased the Air pressure and enjoyed the view
as Ty gave a shriek of pleasure.

“Okay,
wrapping up, so we can really concentrate here.”  Ty continued, panting, now. 
“I feel like myself with you.  Like I’m whole.  You tell me I’m beautiful and
that you want me.  You’re gentle and you make me laugh.  You give me music and
poetry.  You make me happy, even when you drive me nuts.  Now, get into bed!”

“I’m
not writing any poems, Ty.  I’m serious.”  Not unless she
really
asked
nicely, anyway.  Obeying commands, he went back to stripping.  His pants came
off and Ty’s eyebrows rose at the sight of his naked body.  Perfect, pink lips
parted and Gion realized that he’d speak in nothing but iambic pentameter if
she wanted.  “And you
are
beautiful.”

“You’re
so handsome sometimes I can’t believe that you’re real.  Even when you tried to
frighten me, I thought that you were gorgeous.  But, when you smile, I know
that you’re the most attractive man in the world.”

“I
never meant to frighten you.”

“Liar.” 
She said, again, her eyes sparkling.

Gion
had to concede that one.  “Alright.  I was a mean son-of-a-bitch, but I
always
wanted you to like me, Ty.  To see me.  It killed me when you wouldn’t even
look at me.  I don’t even exist without you.”

“For
a mean son-of-a-bitch, you’re incredibly romantic.”

No,
he wasn’t.  He never had been.  The Air House didn’t exactly encourage flowery
prose.  Except when he was with Ty, Gion found himself unabashedly saying every
sappy thought in his head.  Just because he knew that she wanted to hear it. 
His Match was a dreamy, passionate little thing, who liked waltzes and fairytales
and analyzing genomes on her laptop.

Gion
loved that.

Loved
her.

Ty
wanted compliments and he enjoyed giving them to her.  Actually telling Ty how
he felt after eleven years of having to hide his emotions was a gift. 
Especially since, for some reason, she loved him back.

“Did
I ever apologize for frightening you?  Would that help you forgive me for not
professing my undying love the second we met?”  Gion moved forward, tugging the
dress all the way off and exhaling heavily as he took in her curvy body. 
“Because, I could have told you that first night that you were my reason for
life.  I’m sorry that I waited so long to say it.”  He tossed her dress over
his shoulder.  “I would’ve known you anywhere, Ty.  Not my Match. 
You
.”

Ty
held out a hand and Gion grabbed it.  “I’m ready to Phaze with you, now.”  She
shifted restlessly.  “
Right now
.”  She pulled him forward.

Gion
was all for that.  Except… “Phazing Days really should be a little less…
eventful.”  He climbed onto the bed, though, slowly moving up over her body. 
“We could wait and try to make it more special…”

“I
told you, I’m not waiting, anymore.”  Her free palm caressed his cheek.  “You
make it special, Gion.  I’m ready, if you’re ready.”

Thank
God.

He
wasn’t sure he could have survived if she said that she wanted to wait.  Gion
eased down on top of her, groaning slightly at the feel of her beneath him.  He
would have given anything –
anything
-- to have this.

“Oh,
I’m ready.”  Urgency beat at him, but he didn’t want to rush this.  Gion buried
his face in her hair and inhaled the strawberry scent.  “I’ve been ready for
eleven years.  I waited, because I knew that for me there was only you.”

“I’ve
waited longer than that.”  Ty’s hand slid down to grip his shoulder.  “I haven’t
done this before, at all.”

Gion
met her eyes and saw that she looked nervous.  His heart turned over.  “I know,
angel.”  He kept talking, soothing her.  Ty was the only person in the world
he’d ever been able to talk to and she seemed less anxious when he kept the
conversation going, so it worked for both of them.  “Don’t worry.  I’ve never
Phazed with anyone, either, so we’re both learning as we go.”  He bent his
head, so he could kiss her.  “I’ll let you know if you fall behind the learning
curve.”

That
got her giggling.

He
loved it when Ty laughed.  It lit up her whole face.  Gion’s mouth curved. 
“You lose demerits for not taking this seriously.”

“Sorry. 
I’ll try to keep up with the rest of the class.”  Ty’s lips found the underside
of his jaw and Gion forgot about teasing her.

The
seductive pull of her energy drove him to the edge of sanity.  Every rotten
thing he’d ever done should be forgiven after this.  He’d suffered enough. 
Going slow for her was like being on the rack.

Ty’s
arms slid up to wind around his neck, tugging him even closer.  God, she was
soft
everywhere
, except for the hardened points of her breasts.  They
rubbed against his chest as she moved against him and Gion knew he would lose
control if he didn’t have her soon.

His
hand swept down, starting to part her legs… and then he remembered.

Parald
had tried to pry her thighs open.

“Shit!” 
Gion reared back so fast that he jerked completely free of her grasp.  “I’m
sorry.  I’m sorry.”  He held up his palms, kneeling on the mattress.  “Ty, I
would never…”

“It’s
alright.”  Ty sat up.  Red hair danced as she scooted closer to him, closing
the distance he’d created.  “It doesn’t bother me when you touch my legs,
Gion.  Not at all.  I know that you’re not going to hurt me.”

Relief
filled him as Gion realized that he was the only one panicking.  He was an
emotional wreck, but Ty was fine.  “Ya know, I used to be very cool and
ruthless, until I hooked up with you.”

“Awww. 
I think you’re still very bad ass-y.  In an adorable way.”  She positioned
herself on his lap, her mouth finding his, again.  “And I love that you worry
about me.”

Gion’s
eyed drifted shut as Ty kissed him.  “I would die for you.”

“I
know.”  Ty moved over him like water itself.  Fluid and warm and sacred. 
“Please don’t, though.  I need you alive.”

His
palm came up to cover her breast, toying with her nipple even as the harsh
truth of her teasing statement hit him.  “We can’t go back once we do this,
Ty.  You can’t undo a Phazing, even if you renounce me.  Your energy will be
fully connected to mine and, if I die, I’ll drag you down with me.”

“So,
don’t die.  I thought I was clear on that.”  Her hands were sliding
everywhere.  “And I’m not going to renounce you.  You’re mine, remember?”