Riss (9 page)

“
Suck on my nipple, Riss. I need to feel your mouth on me.” He did as she’d begged him and lifted her higher so he could pull the shirt off. When she was naked, he turned and started for the bed. As soon as her back touched the spread, he stood up to tear his own clothes off.

“
Let me.” She helped him undo his belt and pulled it free of the loops almost in the same motion. When she started for his snap and zipper, Riss reached for the post at the end of the bed and held on while she kissed and licked her way to his boxers. When she freed his cock, her mouth took him deep, and it was all Riss could do not to cry out his pleasure.

“
Kala, love.” Curling his fingers into her hair, he meant to pull her back, but she swallowed around him then and he held her to him. It was that or fall over. She was doing things to him that made his eyes cross. And when she cupped his now naked balls and squeezed them, Riss cried out her name and begged her to stop.

“
I need to be inside of you.” She took him again, this time watching him as she bobbed up and down on his shaft. The faster she went, the harder he began to rock into her. Riss felt his balls tighten up and knew that he was going to release soon, but she pulled back and laid out on the bed.

“
I want to feel you inside of me too.” She opened her legs and he could see how wet she was. “We’ve done this before, haven’t we? We’ve had the most amazing sex and then you left me.”

“
Yes, we have, love. And I had no choice.” She nodded and slid her hand down over her pretty mound and then slid her fingers into her heat. “You’re going to make me release all over you if you keep that up.”

“
Please do. I want to feel your hot cum on my body. Then I want you to fuck me hard.” Nodding, he fisted his cock as she continued to slide in and out. When she cupped her breast in her free hand, Riss decided that he wanted to drink from her again. Crawling up the bed on his knees, he pulled her legs open as wide as he could get them and leaned into her. She smelled of heat and sex.

The first swipe of his tongue made him moan.
But when her legs tightened around his head, he looked up at her from his position and nearly came from the sight. Her breasts swaying hard as she panted, her nipples had turned a dark rosy pink and her busy fingers were now in her mouth as she suckled them. Taking her clit into his mouth, Riss nipped hard at her and was rewarded with a mouth full of her juices as she screamed out his name with her release.

He loved the taste of her. The hot
, sweet, honeyed taste made him want more and more of her and he continued to eat at her long after she started to beg him to stop. When his head was snapped upward, he looked at her and saw the tears on her cheeks. She had yanked him hard.

“
I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

“
Now. I need you now.” Crawling up her body, Riss nipped and kissed as much of her as he could. Taking one pert nipple in his mouth, he suckled just the tip as she wrapped her hands around his bottom and pulled him down. His hard cock slid into her just as she rolled her hips upward. Riss nearly released as soon as he rocked upward. Nothing had ever felt this good to him, and he didn’t want it to ever stop.

“
Come in me. Come in me, Riss, so that I can come with you.” Riss nodded at her and moved in and out of her as slowly as he could. When she started scratching his back with her nails, raking them down his back until he felt blood trickle down his spine, he felt his own release coming quickly. Taking her mouth, he kissed her with all he was as the most amazing thing happened to him. His mind connected with hers in a way that he knew her every emotion, every thought, and even her need, as if they shared it too. His body released deeply into her as he threw back his head and cried out, her body tightening around him so that he knew that she’d released as well. They were one now. And he knew in that moment what Arryn had said to her was true…he loved her very much, and would for the rest of his days. Riss had found his soul mate.

Holding her in his arms
, he rolled to his back, taking her with him. She fit against him in ways even his favorite blanket never did. When she lifted her head to look at him, he felt his face heat with embarrassment. He had no idea what to do now.

“
You seem to be much better at this, I think. I even think you might be getting the hang of it. Have you ever had sex before me?” He shook his head. “You certainly learn fast. I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard or so many times in my life. I think I might have to keep you.”

“
I enjoyed this a great deal. I have missed touching you. Seeing you when you are releasing. Your entire body seems to come alive when you do.” She kissed the area over his heart, and he pulled her tighter. “You will have my child.”

When she looked up at him
, Riss knew that she was confused. He wanted to tell her that it was a son as well, and all about the house he’d purchased for them both, but he knew that going slowly was the only way she’d believe him. He had to make her understand a great many things and soon.

“
We have been together before, as you have said. I am human when I come to you, and I impregnated you with our child. I should have thought to take care with you, but I was…it was…there was so much….”

Her laughter made him flush again
, but her words had him humbled. “Yeah, I get it. We are hot when we have sex. And now that we’re here again, I remember the other times with you too. And the feather.” She looked up at him with a sly grin. “You have feathers.”

“
I do indeed.” He thought she was taking this very well and rolled her to her back as he moved to the edge of the bed to stand. “Would you like to see them? I’ve never had a chance to show them to anyone before. Not human anyway.”

At her nod
, he stood up and turned his back to her. He was slightly uncomfortable with being naked now that they were no longer under the blankets, but he let his wings go and heard her breath catch. Turning slowly so as not to knock anything over, he looked at her.

“
You’re beautiful. I don’t know really what you are, but you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. And Riss, I’m in love with you. I think that’s why this is so easy for me, the you not being a human part. I love you very much.” Flushing even more, Riss shook his head at her compliment. “You are. I would love to touch you now.”

When he didn
’t stop her, she stood up and came to stand in front of him. Her fingers dancing along his wings had his body respond in a way that made his cock harden again. When he tried to cover himself, she wrapped her hand around him.

“
I will want you again if you keep this up.” She moved her hand up and down him as she smoothed out his feathers. “I can feel me touching you. Not like wings, but all over my body. It’s as if we’re connected in a physical way. And I have changed my mind. I do want you again.”

Riss lifted her up again
, this time not moving to the wall but pulling her down over his thick cock and holding her there. When she tightened around him, using her body to give herself pleasure, Riss couldn’t help but watch her face as she rode him.

“
Riss, take me this way. Take me hard until I come all over you.” He nodded and took the two steps to the wall and pressed her against it. “Hard, take me hard.”

He started pounding into her even as she held onto his wings.
When his climax raced over him, she screamed out his name, and he wrapped his wings around her until they were both cocooned inside. When she screamed again, her body stiffening around him, Riss nipped hard at her throat and tasted blood. Sucking hard on the wound, he felt her come again, this time pulling a few of his parts from his wings. Riss came again, filling her with his own release until he felt the world tilt on its axis. Bringing his wings back to his body, he held her until he could move again.

Staggering
to the bed, he laid her down gently, then covered her up. He was going to have to explain himself to Tholan and Michael, but right now he wanted to watch her a bit more. Riss ran his fingers down her spine, then over her bottom. It was soft, yet firm, and he wanted to squeeze the firm muscles very badly. As soon as she opened her eyes and turned to look at him, he knew that leaving her was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done.

“
Don’t leave me.” He took her hand into his and kissed it as she continued. Sitting down beside her, he started to explain why he had to go, but she cut him off. “Please, don’t go just yet. I have so many questions for you.”

“
I will have to leave you soon. What we have done here, what I have done here, is forbidden. I will have to pay a huge fine.” She pulled him to her, and he lay beside her. Nothing they could do to him would compare to leaving her now.

“
You said you’re not human. And someone told me that you were a protector. Is that what this symbol is?” He looked at the emblem on his arm that had been put there by Boss so long ago. “I have a necklace that looks like it.”

When she reached to the smallish night
table next to the bed, he nearly kissed the exposed skin she’d shown him. But when the medallion was hovering above her breast, he reached out to touch it.

“
Where did you get this?” He sat up in the bed and looked around the room, thinking that the only person who could have given this to her might be there with them. “Did Boss come to see you?”

“
Yeah, he said everyone called him that. He was very nice, but I think he is a little overworked. Do you know him? Is he really your boss?” Riss nodded as the medallion swayed back and forth. He’d only seen this particular necklace once before, and it had hung on the neck of the man who she said gave it to her. If what she was saying was true, and he had no doubt that it was, then Boss was already aware of what he was doing here with Kala.

“
He is my boss, yes, and I am a protector. I was sent here to watch over you. But I had decided to quit my job before I met you, and now…now I will die and leave you behind.” He looked at her. “I’m so very sorry. Had I met you before, I might have…no, that’s not right either. I would still have wanted to quit. I would have spent my last days with you, and it would have been worth coming to work until we had to part ways.”

“
What do you mean, your last days? You’re saying because you’re quitting being a protector that you have to die? Oh no you’re not. Not now you’re not. You’re not dying. I won’t let you.” He smiled at her sadly. “No, I just found you. And if you’re right about this kid, I can’t raise one on my own. You tell that man you’ve changed your mind. You can’t leave us. Or better yet, I’ll tell him. You tell him to get his ass here right now, or so help me, I’ll hurt him when he comes here again.”

“
But I must.” He felt the pull of being summoned home almost as soon as he spoke. Looking at her as his body began to fade, he thought of all the things he wanted to tell her, but all he could think of now was to tell her that she was his. “I love you with all my heart, Kala Marrow, and I will miss you so very much.”

She was crying for him as he left her.
He could hear it even though he was pulled away. And Riss knew as surely as he was standing there alone that the sound of her cries would haunt him forever.

Chapter 9

Michael sat very still as Riss paced. He
’d not said a word since he’d been brought here, but any fool could see that he was upset with them…especially him. When he finally would sit down, Riss would hop back up as if he’d been sprung from a spring only to start pacing again. When Boss entered a few minutes later, Riss dropped to his knees, and then to his chest. With his wings and arms spread wide, it looked as if the man had become a feathered rug for his master. Michael looked at Boss, and both men knew that he was in a great deal of pain.

“
You disappoint me, Riss. I thought we had a deal. I never thought of you as one to break a bargain. What do you have to say for yourself? Anything?” Riss said nothing as Boss took the seat behind the big desk and continued. “You have nothing to say in your defense?”

“
No. I am guilty of what you say. Please, do not punish the woman. It was all my fault. I take full responsibility.” Boss looked over at him as Riss lay there talking. “I wish that you would make sure that she has the home that I have provided for her. And that—”

“
You think to make deals with me? Now? After this? You think to tell me what I will do concerning a woman who has thrown herself at you countless times?” Riss did look up then when the room echoed with Boss’s voice. “I make the rules here, and you will do well to remember that.”

“
I do, sire. I do. But she didn’t throw herself at me. Not like you think. I was the one who came to her. She is innocent of this matter. Please, punish me and not her.” When Riss was bid to stand, he did so as he again begged for Kala’s home. It was not a good thing to watch one as powerful and as strong as Riss beg for something.

“
Sit.” Riss sat down when commanded, and Boss looked over at him as he sat down. Michael could see the humor in his eyes. “When did you take her the shirt?”

Riss looked at him sharply
, but he answered Boss. “Late last night. I came to her in a dream and gave her the information. I don’t think she believed me, but she did talk to me. Along with the file of homes she was to see. I believe Arryn picked them up from her today. He was most impressed with her too.”

“
You took her my shirt?” Riss flushed when he looked at Boss, but he still had questions. “You had him take her my shirt and the file and didn’t bother telling me about it? You do know that is what made her see me, don’t you?” Riss flushed again, but he was no longer looking like a beaten man. He looked like the protector that he really was.

“
I do as I please, Riss. You of all people should know that. I have my reasons for a great many things that I do not share with you. This being one that…well, I will share with you. What I can for now. And I believe it will benefit a great many people and not just you. We would like for you to marry the child, Kala Marrow. As soon as possible, as a matter of fact.” Riss didn’t look like he believed Boss, so Michael looked at him.

“
I took her your shirt so that she could do just what she did. Boss has decided that it is time. Time for the two of you to become a couple. A couple that will do a great many things for us both here and on earth. You will both be greatly rewarded for your services.” Michael handed him the file that he’d gotten from his contact on earth. “There is the house that she has chosen. As well as anything that you have desired, as well as her dreams of the things she wanted. The swing set will have to be assembled, but we are hoping you can manage that.” Riss opened the file, and Michael could almost see his mind working. The man was excited, yes, but he was also very cautious. So would he be, he supposed. It was a great deal to take in. Michael looked at Boss, then at Riss. They had chosen well in this.

“
Wait. I don’t understand.” Riss closed the file, only to open it twice more before he continued. “You want me to marry Kala, build a swing set, and set up a house with her? How long before you bring me back here to be ended from my services? Days, weeks? Will I see my child born?”

“
You’ll see many of them born if you do not make me regret this.” Boss chuckled at his own joke. “I have decided that you are too good a protector to replace. And I will not have to if you would be so kind as to live on earth for all the time I need you, and come to me when I call. I have great plans for you, as Michael said. And in doing this for me, you’ll be rewarded.”

“
Call me for what?” Riss had always been a man to question everything, and this didn’t appear to be any different. “You’ll bring me to you, here, and I’ll do what for you? Watch over a child for their lifetime, only to leave my own family alone all that time? As much as I think you’re a great man for giving me this gift, I don’t know how beneficial I can be if I know Kala and my child are all alone. I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t know if I can make this work for you.”

“
No, you’ll train new protectors.” Riss sat down when Boss spoke. Even from where he sat, Michael thought Riss looked pole axed. The poor man was actually taking it better than he’d thought he would under the circumstances. “I need a good man to train them on the ways of the world, the human world. I need a man who can, even during a crisis, stand up and keep his mind on business. That is something that you cannot get from a book. There needs to be someone there, on earth, that can be there for them and only them until they are ready to be on their own. You are that man. I’m not saying you must be with them the entire time. I would like for you to be there if they summon you, in a situation that they are not comfortable with. Understand me?”

“
I think that I do. And I don’t mean to question you about this, sire, but what of my life? I will not be able to keep the pace of a protector as a human. I will not be much good to you once you have released me to earth. I will become a human, will I not? I can’t think that I’d be much good to you as I grew older.”

Boss nodded at him
, and Michael stood to answer Riss’s question. “You’re going to remain as an immortal. And you’ll wear the crest that makes you as such. Yours that you have now will be altered to show what you’ve become. A new breed of protectors. Kala, too, will be branded. And all your children as well. Each of you will train and help the new protectors through time. All time.” Michael handed him a medallion much like the sigil he’d given Kala, and watched as he put it on before telling him the rest. “Starting the moment that touches your skin, you will be one of the Chosen few, one of the Mystic Protectors.”

Michael knew the moment that the sigil touched Riss
’s skin. The change between them, the connection that had always been there, changed. It morphed into something more, and he knew that his mark on his shoulder had taken on the new changes as well. Riss was now the first of the Mystics that would be his new army. He summoned Kala to come to them.

Kala appeared in the room seconds later.
Riss grabbed for her when she swayed on her feet. When she was lowered gently to the chair, Boss offered her a glass of wine, which she declined. She stared at Riss, then at Boss, for long moments before she spoke. Michael was almost afraid of what she would say. He sort of liked that about her.

“
I’m not dreaming.” Boss shook his head and smiled at her. “This is really fucked up, you know. I don’t know what’s going on, but you wake me up right now. Because I know that I did not just travel through a wormhole-like thing to end up here. Where is here, anyway?”

Riss started to speak
, but she glared at him and stood up to pace. They all let her. She was working up to something, and no man wanted to be in front of her when she got there. As soon as she stopped walking and turned to them again, she stood staring at Boss for several seconds.

“
You came to me. Twice. You told me that I’d meet a man and his name would be Riss. I’d have to watch over him, too. You said that things would happen. I’m not sure of everything you said, but you really screwed me up.” Boss nodded. “I don’t like you very much right now.”

“
That is fine, my child. There are times when I do not care for myself, either. Please have a seat.” She sat, but she didn’t relax. Boss grinned at Michael before speaking. “She will be a good Mystic as well. I think I shall enjoy watching them spar with the new recruits.”

“
As will I.” Michael turned to her. “I’m sorry about this, my dear, but it has become imperative that the man Carey be taken out. I do not mean it to be that you do so, but we will need your help in bringing him over to be dealt with.”

“
Don’t think I didn’t notice that no one answered my first question. Where am I now?” No one answered her because they could not. Michael supposed that Boss could, but He simply smiled at her. “You’re not going to tell me. Is this one of those things where I wouldn’t believe it even if you told me? If so, then I’m going to tell you what I told Benny. I can take a lot more truth than I can half-truths. I want it all.”

“
I’m sorry, love, but you are not quite ready for the full story yet. You’ll learn a great deal, more than you more than likely want to know, as soon as we have taken care of Mr. Carey. It is very important that things with him settle first. Is that all right with you?” Boss leaned back in His chair as he regarded her. When she nodded, Michael felt the breath he’d not known he was holding leave his body. “You will bear a mark now, I believe. A sigil on your right arm where Riss has his.”

As she pulled up her shirt
sleeve, Michael looked at Riss. He was besotted with the girl. More than that, Michael knew that he loved her…would die for her, too, if it became necessary. Michael looked at Boss. At his wink, Michael felt that this plan to help the protectors might work and that these two would do them a better job than even Boss had thought they might. Things were going to be all right, Michael just knew it. And Boss was going to protect them both.

“
This thing, what the fuck is it supposed to mean to me? Because if you plan on putting feathers on me, I think I’ll have to pass.” Michael started to tell Kala she needed to have a little more respect, but Boss held up His hand to stop him.

“
And if I told you that you have them already, what would you say to that?” Boss leaned forward and looked her in the eyes as He spoke softly to her. “You are now a part of the Mystic Protectors, Kala. An elite group of men and woman who would protect humans. You were hand-picked by me to help lead them.”

“
You mean humans like me.” Boss shook his head, and Kala nodded. They seemed to be at a standstill until Kala spoke again. “I’m no longer human because of this, am I? Somehow…maybe this mark you gave me…it’s done something to me. You changed me without asking.”

“
I had to. You would not have survived this had I not. So no, you were no longer human the moment you became his lover. I cannot have a protector have a human as a wife. Others, the ones that would see this fail, see me fail, would have taken you and caused you a great deal of harm, even death to get to Riss. Nor would you having his child work if you were human, because the child you carry is not human. You are now and will be forevermore a Mystic.” Kala started to stand but sat down hard. Boss stood up and knelt in front of her, taking her hand. “You will be all right, my child. This I promise you.”

“
You’re not going to hurt Riss for this, are you?” Boss shook his head. “I had a feeling that because of what I did to him…to his feather, you would cause him harm. He thought he was going to die, and I thought it was because of me.”

“
Nay, child, it is because of me. It is something that I wanted for him…for you both. I would not kill one of my best men.” Boss kissed her hand and reached for Riss’s. When they were together, he kissed them both again and stood up. They were now united as a couple and no man, human or otherwise, would be able to come between them. Boss handed Riss a small box.

“
It is customary for a man to give his wife a ring. I have taken the liberty of giving you both a set that will keep you safe.” The rings, Michael knew, were made of the purest gold and tears. Boss had fashioned them himself, using parts of himself to form them. The rings slid on their fingers and fit them perfectly.

~~~

Dan knew that sooner or later someone was going to find out he had been at Randy’s house and that someone killed him and his wife. Dan knew that he’d not done it, but the people wouldn’t see it that way. He’d already seen his picture on the television as a person of interest. He had always thought of himself as uninteresting, but the news people might know more than him. But still, he’d decided he was not going to turn himself in.

Looking at his supplies
, he knew that sooner or later he was going to have to go out again. The simple fact that he didn’t want to didn’t even come into the picture. There was only one can of food left, and it was beets. Why he’d borrowed that from Randy was beyond him.

Also
, he had only three bottles of water left. He did have the five bottles of wine he’d borrowed, too, but Randy hadn’t told him he would need a wine opener. Dan was pretty sure that he’d be able to figure one out had he gotten one, but all the wine he’d ever drank had been the kind with a screw off lid. This wasn’t something he was used to. He only hoped that when he and Kala moved in together, she’d not try to buy things that he didn’t know how to use or open. That would make it hard for him to eat while she was at work if she did something like that to him.