Shadows of Bourbon Street (11 page)

I tilted my head back, arching into his touch, wanting that delicious rush to take over my entire body.

And Kane didn’t disappoint. His lips touched the sensitive spot just below my ear, and he trailed hot, needy kisses to my collarbone, scraping and nipping with little darts of pain and pleasure. I grabbed at his shoulders, digging my nails into his skin.

The fire burning inside me was more intense, more consuming than anything I’d ever experienced before. I couldn’t get close enough. I wanted Kane everywhere, over me, inside me.

“Tease me,” I breathed and arched my chest up, bringing my nipple inches from his mouth.

He smiled against my skin and nipped the swell of my breast harder. Then without warning he twisted me around so I was facing the wall. Both of his hands came up, cupping my breasts. His thumbs and forefingers closed around each nipple, squeezing until that glorious pleasurable pain shot straight to my center. I ached with intense need.

“Kane,” I moaned and pressed my backside to him, needing to feel him.

His length pulsed against me as he bit the nape of my neck. “I’m going to take you right here,” he said, his voice strained with need.

I whimpered and answered by yanking my red lace down. Spreading my legs slightly, I bent and arched my back, giving him all the access he needed. “Do it. Now.”

A deep, possessive growl erupted from Kane as he gripped my hip with one hand and ran a firm but gentle hand down the length of my spine. And then he was pressing into me, his fullness invading me in the best possible way. I rocked into his intrusion, my eyes rolling back in my head at the sheer bliss of having him inside me.

Magic pulsed and swirled in my chest, making me come alive. The sensation was so new, so overwhelming that my head began to swim in a sea of pleasure and pure sensation.

Then Kane’s hands moved, one teasing my right nipple, the other inching toward the V between my legs. My magic pooled and as he pumped into me, my power built and concentrated everywhere he touched and teased. The magic intensified with each tantalizing caress. Excitement consumed me and my body became tight with certain release until my magic spiraled into a crescendo of unwieldy power.

Kane shifted, leaning forward, and slowed his pace. His breath was hot on my neck as he said in that sexy, hoarse voice of his, “Let go, Jade. I want to feel you lose control.”

Then he slammed into me, over and over again. My muscles tightened, and powerful magic burst and shattered through me. Pleasure I’d never known gripped my body and crashed through me in never-ending waves. All the while Kane continued to thrust into me, letting me ride out my release.

Finally I cried out and went limp against the wall with Kane still filling me from behind. He buried his face in my neck and kissed me softly, trailing whispered promises of more to come.

“That was…” He paused to rain kisses on the other side of my neck.

“Fucking crazy,” I whispered, leaning into the wall to hold myself up. I was so weak I could barely stand. And all the magic I’d built up had burst forth and seemed to evaporate into nothing.

“Jade?” Kane asked, sudden concern in his voice.

“Hmm?”

“Are you all right?”

I nodded and rested my head against the wall. “Just spent, I guess.” But as I shifted, I realized he was still anchored inside me, hard as if we’d just started. My eyes popped open and I pressed back into him. “Hey, you’re not done.”

He chuckled into my ear and then pulled away, slipping out of me. The shock of his retreat left me shivering with loss. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to control the trembling.

“Babe.” Kane wrapped his arms around me. “Come here.”

I twisted in his arms, certain his incubus status was responsible for my current state. Yes, incredible orgasms tended to take something out of a girl, but this was more than that. Still, this was Kane, and despite my vulnerability, I felt loved, safe.

He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Let’s move to the bed.” He lifted me up, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist, holding on while he carried me.

Pulling the covers back, he smiled down at me and laid me on the bed. As his gaze swept over my naked body, he trailed those tantalizing fingers of his down my leg and gently freed my feet from the heels I’d so carefully selected. He smiled at me and the tenderness in his eyes told me he’d remembered. I’d worn these on our first date. The night I’d twisted my ankle and Kane had carried me home.

He climbed in beside me and tucked the blankets around us.

“I don’t know why I’m so cold,” I said. The chill would not leave.

“I bet I can warm you up.”

“I’m sure you can.” I snuggled into him. Heat instantly warmed me from the inside out. “Wow. What just happened?”

He shook his head and nibbled once again just below my ear, his hands roaming seductively over my bare skin. “It’s the incubus connection, I think.”

Right. He was full of my magic now. “How are you feeling?”

His smile turned lopsided. “Good, except I’m still going out of my mind wanting you.”

Of course he was. He’d brought me to orgasm before he let himself go, like he always did. I ran a gentle hand over his cheek and gazed up at him with undisguised love. He was everything I ever wanted and, in this moment, I felt like we were true partners. He wasn’t standing by while I dealt with the crisis of the week. We were in this together, and if my magic helped him to do what he needed to do, I would continue to give it to him. I lifted my head up, bringing my lips to his. “I want to give myself to you.”

“You already did, pretty witch.”

I shook my head. “No. Not really. Or not totally.” Our lips met and the kiss started slowly, tentatively, as if he was trying to gauge how far I wanted to take this. But when my hands curled in his hair and I draped one leg over his hip, his tongue darted hard and fast against mine in a war of friction. Then he was on top of me, pressing his weight against me.

That magic spark we’d shared earlier came roaring back, and although I’d expected the effect to be weaker, it was stronger. Much stronger.

Kane pulled back, his eyes wide with both wonder and fear. “I don’t think we should—”

I pressed my fingers to his lips. “Don’t think, Kane. Not now. I have something to give you. Please let me.”

The look in his eyes changed and suddenly all my hesitation was gone. That live wire came to life inside me and with each caress, each touch, it only built. And when I spread my legs for him, he pressed into me in one smooth thrust, filling me so achingly deliciously that I let go of all control. My magic spilled from me to him and formed a shell around us. We moved together in a perfect harmony of love, lust, and desire. Then when he brought me once again to the edge of release, I tightened myself around him and cried, “Now.”

Kane stared down into my eyes, his dark ones lidded with lust, and thrust once more, hard and deep inside me.

My body spasmed and wave after wave of magic-filled pleasure crashed over me. But this time Kane didn’t wait me out. He thrust once, twice, and again a third time. Then he groaned into my ear. Our bodies shuddered together, but as Kane spilled into me, something else took over.

My magic. And the intoxicating tendrils of power that lived deep in my chest rose and fell and then burst from me like a breach in a dam. As Kane absorbed the release, I could feel his wonder, excitement, and pure elation. It was a raw craving that was finally being filled.

Still locked together, his body arched above me as if my magic rushing into him was too much for him to handle. All I could do was watch in equal parts awe and horror. This was my magic we were talking about.

The realization brought me back to myself, and although I knew Kane hadn’t taken anything from me I hadn’t willingly given, I suddenly felt helpless. Empty.

“That’s enough,” I cried and pushed him off me. I scrambled out from underneath him and clutched the covers to my chest.

Kane rolled over and stared at the ceiling, seemingly unaware of my outburst.

“Kane?” I asked tentatively.

He turned his head and blinked a few times. Then he sat up and faced me. “Jade?”

“Yes?”

He reached out and ran his fingers lightly over my lips. The familiar signature of my magic tingled over me with his touch. “You gave me something precious. I intend to use it wisely.”

“You’d better,” I said, still feeling hollow from my loss.

“But right now, I need to give some of this back.”

I glanced up at him, startled. He just smiled and leaned in to kiss me.

Chapter 9

“But—”

His kiss cut off my protest. I automatically opened my mouth, welcoming him, but all the passion we’d built between us was gone. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Kane to touch me. It was that the all-burning need had been satisfied.

“Kane,” I said and pushed him back gently.

“Yes, love?” He gazed down at me with tender eyes.

“I don’t think… I mean, I just need a moment to myself.”

His sweet expression turned concerned and he sat up. “What’s wrong?”

I turned my head to the side, wanting to cry. But I held the tears back. “I don’t know. I’m having a hard time being touched.” Not wanting to admit the truth even to myself, the words came out in a whisper. This was Kane. I couldn’t remember a time I hadn’t wanted to be close to him. Not even after Camille had taken over my body and I’d felt so incredibly violated.

“Look at me.” Kane’s quiet voice was like a soft caress over my bare skin.

I turned and met his gaze.

“You’re okay. We’ll be okay.” His fingers curled into mine, and he pulled my hand close to his heart. The slightly elevated beat beneath my fingers settled me, grounded me to him. “This thing, this incubus spell caused what you’re feeling here.” He moved his other hand and caressed the left side of my chest right over my heart. “Let me hold you. I can fix this.”

I wanted him to hold me. But at the same time I wanted to curl into myself and disappear into my own world, where I wouldn’t have to deal with the emptiness inside me. “How do you know?”

He shook his head. “I don’t
know
anything. But there’s an instinct in here.” He pointed to his chest. “It’s telling me what to do.”

“And what is that?” I whispered, feeling more broken than ever.

Kane scooted down next to me and wrapped his arms around my body. “Just let me hold you for a while.”

I sensed the sheer desperation churning in him to fix me. To bring me back to myself. And I wanted to let him do it. I didn’t want to feel this way, but I just couldn’t. Not yet. Crossing my arms over my chest, I rolled away from him, facing the wall, and let the tears fall.

“Oh, Jade.” The words came out strangled, full of emotion, and in that moment his love slammed into me, thick and warm, filling all those empty crevices.

Still facing the wall, I reached one hand behind me. “Take it.”

His fingers tentatively slid over mine.

I tightened my hold and pulled his arm around me. “I think this is okay for now.”

He let out a long, slow sigh, scooted down onto the bed, and tucked me close to him, my back to his chest. His warm breath tickled my neck as he buried his face against my hair. “Jesus, Jade. I feel like such a dick right now.”

“No.” I pulled his arm tighter around me. “Those witches did this to us. We’ll be okay.” I said the words but wasn’t quite sure I believed them. My only saving grace was that I could sense his emotions and how much he needed me and ached to be near me. My heart swelled with love. Yet my body still felt distanced from him. Like our last joining had taken every ounce of physical pleasure from me, leaving me with nothing left to hold on to. It was terrifying. “Kane?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you feel powerful now?” I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of effect my magic was having on him.

He laughed, but it was humorless. “I feel incredibly helpless. All I want is for you to be whole again. But I can’t…won’t force myself on you. And this power inside me is worth nothing if it breaks you.”

I heard what he’d said, appreciated the sentiment more than he could know, but I really wanted to focus on what our joining had done to him. I rolled over and placed my palm on his cheek. “I love you, Kane.”

“I know, pretty witch.” He closed his eyes. Pain lanced across his features and shot like a jolt through my hand.

“Stop,” I said gently. “Don’t blame yourself.”

“How can I not? I stole a part of you.”

“I gave it to you,” I said with a smile.

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Not exactly. But thank you for trying to make me feel better.”

The longer we held each other, the more balanced I started to feel. My magic was weak and I could barely call on it, but as long as we were here, safely locked away from the rest of the world, it didn’t seem to matter that much. But as soon as I started to think about leaving, or rejoining the rest of the world, panic set in. I caught my breath and let it out very slowly.

Kane didn’t say anything. He seemed to understand my struggle, and instead of trying to calm me with words, he caressed my bare back, running his fingers along my spine.