Lost in Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Ghost Novel) (32 page)

Sucking in his breath, Emily continued to amaze him. He was prepared to be mortal, give her lots of children, would she regret the choice?

“What about the houseful of children you want? If we choose immortality, I don’t want you to regret your choice a hundred years from now.” He looked at her, searching her face for a clue to her feelings.

With a tremor in her voice she asked, “Would you be open to adopting a few kids of our own? You’d be the most amazing father.”

Jumping up from his seat, Colin practically ran around the table. Laughing, he picked her up, swinging her in a circle, kissing her face. “Lass, we’ll adopt a houseful, there’s an agency in Inverness we can visit. This place needs to be filled with laughter and love.”

Putting her back down as the dessert was brought in, he sat beside her. “Oh yum, orange sorbet, my very favorite.”

“You can have it for every meal if it will keep you smiling like that, makes me want to drizzle it all over your body and lick it off,” he leered at her.

“Colin Campbell—you will not waste sorbet. Now I’m fine with ice cream or honey but I’m eating every drop of this sorbet…speaking of which…if you’re not eating yours, pass it over.”

Roaring with laughter, he gave her his dessert, watching her eat, imagining the spoon she was licking was his shaft.

As she finished the last drop, he nearly dragged her from the room, swinging her up in his arms as he dematerialized them to their bedroom. “Let’s tell the goddess so I can properly ravish you, I’m not sure I can wait much longer.”

Pointedly looking at his erection tenting his kilt, she arched an eyebrow, “I think we better sit down to talk to Terya, not sure how she’d feel about you sitting there with a big ol’ hard-on.”

Sitting in front of the ancient oak tree in the bedroom, noticing the gold and silver dust floating in the air, sparkling on their skin, Colin asked Emily to call Terya since the goddess seemed to have a special affinity for her.

The air shimmered, the sound of a babbling brook filled the room as Terya appeared. Barefoot as always, her hair floating in the breeze, she looked serene, all-knowing.

“Have you come to a decision?” she asked sitting on a branch of the oak tree. Colin cleared his throat. “We have. While we want children we both feel this war is important. Dayne must be defeated. I need to fight and Emily wants to help, whether gathering intelligence, working to find missing persons, or saving children. We don’t want to forget everything we’ve been through.”

Emily added, “We don’t want to live without each other, we accept the price of sharing the same heart and dying together. We are filled with gratitude for what you have offered.”

“Then so shall it be. You will both be immortal, sharing the same heart. Colin, you have all your Shadow Walker powers back. Emily, you retain the power to see Walkers, to talk with the dead and I grant you the power to use lightening as a weapon against the Day Walkers to protect yourself. It will serve you in your quest.” Turning to go, the goddess stopped, “Child, is there something else you would tell me?”

Shyly showing the goddess her ring, the happiness evident in her voice, “We are to be married next week.” Looking up at the tree, Terya smiled. “As a wedding gift, I bless you both with twins, a boy and a girl.” Stunned, Emily and Colin thanked the goddess. With that, Terya vanished. Colin kneeled in front of Emily, placing his hand on her stomach. “I wonder if you are already with child, but to be safe, we should make sure.”

Pulling him close, she kissed him. “I thought you’d never ask.” He swept her up, laughing, tossing her on the bed as he landed next to her.

Emily sat up, pulling him to his feet, she knelt, gently removing his boots, placing his daggers, all four of them, on the table next to the bed. Next was the double shoulder holster with his guns and spare magazines, then his shirt, the silk sliding like water through her fingers as she lightly ran her fingernails down his chest, watching his nipples harden under her touch, his skin pebbling from the sensation. Undoing his kilt, her hands shook, wanting to give him everything, wanting to be his shelter, the kilt fell to the floor, his heavy erection sprang free, bobbing near her hand, wanting, seeking. She ignored it for the moment, placing soft, feathery kisses from his ankle up to his hip, across his stomach and down the other leg.

She could hear his sharp intake of breath, hear his heart beating faster as he held still, rigid with need…wanting her. So this is what sex is supposed to be like between two people, she mused, feeling as if he was the first, the only man she’d ever been with, the others falling away like fall leaves, brittle, crackling, carried away on the wind.

Watching the firelight dancing across his body, he was a magnificent predator, like a big cat, lethal, beautiful, ready to spring and devour her. Reaching on tiptoes, she pulled the tie from his hair, letting it fall, the braids swinging at his temples, the chestnut and burnished gold strands reflected in the light. He didn’t have any hair on his chest, his muscles flexed under her palm as she ran her hands down his rock hard stomach. Standing there with his legs wide apart, strong thick thighs, broad shoulders and heavily muscled biceps, she felt her eyes fill that he trusted her to do as she wished with his body. This night, she would show him how much she loved him, not with words but with her body.

He watched her, his velvet green eyes, hooded, waiting for her next move, letting her explore. Placing her palms on his chest, she pushed him back to sit on the bed, backing up, slightly out of his reach. He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lip curving into a smile as she slowly pulled the sweater dress over her head. She’d never stripped for a man before, finding it too intimate, too revealing. Crazy, she knew, considering she slept with them but something about the act, made it off limits for her, until Colin. She wanted him to know every part of her. He’d given his life for her, she knew she could trust him.

Clad only in her bra, she saw his eyes widen. “You didn’t have any panties on, I should have dropped my napkin at the table, climbed down to get it and taken you in my mouth, made you come as you ate your bloody orange sorbet.”

Giggling, she waggled her finger back and forth, “Now, now, no touching yet.”

“Hmmprh, have your way with me but remember this game works both ways, lass.”

In answer, Emily reached up and removed her bra. Turning around, she bent over giving him a view of her backside, pleased when she heard him hiss. Slowly, she unzipped and stepped out of each boot, tossing them aside.

Colin’s words came out in a cough. “You enchant me. Standing before me, the fire looks like it’s licking your body, illuminating and at the same time hiding every part of you as the shadows dance across your skin. Gods Emily, ye hold my heart in your hands, able to crush it with a single squeeze if ye so chose.” He took a deep breath, exhaling hard.

Tears in her eyes, she held them back. Her savage warrior had been profoundly changed. She’d died for him, would love him throughout eternity. Her voice choking, “Your heart is safe in my keeping, I’ll never hurt or betray you.”

“Dinna cry lass.” Reaching out to touch her, Colin stopped.

Seeing Colin reach out for her, her breasts grew heavy, she was ready, anticipating him, wanting him so very much. Emboldened, she moved to stand between his legs. Swallowing in anticipation, she knelt, pressing her breasts to his chest, sliding down his torso, reaching his cock, enveloping it between her breasts. Licking her lips, she took him in her mouth, kissing him, stroking him, tasting him as she lightly scraped her teeth along the underside, feeling him jerk against her, hearing a rumble of satisfaction from deep within his chest, his breathing rough as she took him in, licking and suckling.

Reveling in the feeling of power, Emily took Colin over the edge as he fisted his hands in her hair, calling out her name as he came. Kissing his sac, running her tongue in that lovely crease between his sac and thigh, he growled, reaching down to pull her up.

She stayed him with her hand. Sliding up his body, rubbing against him, stretching like a cat, enjoying the sensation of skin on skin. She straddled his hips, leaning up to kiss him. Her breasts, brushing against his chest, her nipples hardening as he reached to roll them between his fingers, stroking her as she rubbed herself along the length of his shaft.

“You’re ready again?”

“Aye lass, ‘tis a wonderful benefit of being a Shadow Walker, wouldn’t ye say?” With a moan, he reached down, sheathing himself inside her in one quick, hard thrust. Sighing in contentment, she rode him, arching her back, letting her hair brush his calves. Leaning up to let him slide out, she twisted back down hard as he filled her to the core. Swiveling her hips, she ground against him, gasping with pleasure as he reached down, stroking her while she rode him. Rocking her hips, she could feel the waves cresting, rising, almost to her peak. Leaning back to allow him greater access, she placed her hands on his ankles, her body arched as he took her breast in his hand, kneading, stroking the nipple as his other relentlessly played her. He was so deep within her at this angle she could feel their shared heartbeat through her body, starting in her center, radiating outward as the waves crashed over her.

Spent, she rested her body on top of his, kissing him as he let out a satisfied groan. “Rest now love, I plan to have my turn next.” Lying in his arms, she couldn’t stop touching him; lazily tracing circles on his chest. Flipping her over, he lay between her legs, spreading them wide, dominating her.

He kissed his way down her neck, nibbling her ear, scraping his teeth against her nipple, the underside of each breast, making her skin pucker. Licking his way down her stomach, she quivered, his stubble, exquisitely rubbing against her skin. Dipping his head down, he licked her, sliding a finger in, drawing words inside her with his tongue, telling her how much he loved her as he took her in his mouth. The pressure built as he flicked his tongue against her bud, she shattered again in pleasure, her thighs tight against his head.

Pushing her knees up, he slid inside, burying himself to the hilt as she wrapped her legs around him, her hips bucking up to meet every thrust as they fell over the cliff together, the sacred bees adding the music of their buzzing wings, the leaves of Terya’s oak covering them like a blanket, shutting out the world.

All that mattered was they’d found each other, would spend the rest of their days loving each other, forever.

Upon waking, the tree, meadow, grass and flowers had disappeared, leaving only two gold acorns remaining. The room was as it was before.

Saturday, November 7th

Edinburgh

Inside the dress shop, Emily thought of Kat; this store’s selection was on par with Charleston’s. Kat would be thrilled Emily had found someone. With a pang of sadness Kat wasn’t here to help her pick a dress, she shook her head, reminding herself that Kat would be there for the main event.

She tried on a number of dresses, wanting something simple, classic, no big white cupcake dresses for her. Luckily the shop had everything from shoes and hairpins to dresses. She found a beautiful white sheath dress with simple lines–heck, with her giant ring, she didn’t need any other type of adornment. The proprietress was an older lady in her sixties, with snow white hair and a twinkling smile. The owner fussed over Emily, bringing her shoes and gorgeous rhinestone sticks to put her hair up, placing a short veil on top. She told Emily to close her eyes, felt something being put on her dress, felt jewelry being placed on her.

“Oh lass, you are a vision—wait, don’t look yet, let me straighten one thing…there, open your eyes.”

Speechless, she was speechless, a sash of plaid matching Colin’s was around her waist—but oh my stars, the bling. Tentatively reaching up to touch the gorgeous stones, she was blinded by the fire opals surrounded by diamonds, throwing rainbows all across the shop as the sunlight poured in, illuminating the stones from within. “I don’t understand, these are amazing, they look antique and worth an absolute fortune…” her voice trailed off.

“Yes on both counts. A wedding gift from Baron Campbell, worn by the first baroness, like your ring. He wanted to give them to you himself but wanted to make sure they went with the dress you chose and of course he couldn’t be here to see the dress, lass.”

“Seriously, these rocks would make a trash bag look like haute couture. The man is amazing.” She couldn’t stop touching the sparkling stones. A necklace, drop earrings, bracelet and ring, wow—on so many levels.

The owner told her they’d have the dress altered and would deliver it along with the accessories in time for the wedding. She handed Emily the jewelry cases as Colin came in.

Emily jumped into his arms, “I didn’t want to take them off, I want to shower in them, sleep in them, they are magnificent!”

Arching a brow, he leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I’m imagining you naked in nothing but the jewels, if we don’t leave now, I may take you on the bloody floor.”

Blushing, she kissed him as he put her down. They thanked the owner and went to grab lunch before going back to Ravensmore. Colin started to tell her all the arrangements he’d made, to tell her he’d enlisted Kat, that he’d like to have her work with some of the men they were training, she’d whip them into shape in no time, it was daunting to say the least.