Ch.16

"Are you mad?" Arelia hissed as he came near.

Evander felt foolish. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a strained voice.

She raised her hand to his face, bringing him closer. He gasped as she lowered her lips to his, kissing him fiercely, roughly. Her hands dug into his chest, bruising him slightly before she let go. They stood there for a long moment, chests rising and falling with deep breaths, watching each other. She licked her lips, eyes glittering as if they still burned.

"I figured it out," she said quietly, reaching down to unzip his trousers. "I knew it wasn't because of me."

His entire body tensed when he heard her words. Her words . ..

He grabbed the front of her robes, yanking her close. His fingers slid down the silk fabric until he reached the delicate line between her thighs, and he closed his hand around the object there. He was breathing heavily, unable to keep the excitement at bay. He knew, even at that moment, that this was wrong—the fact that she had learned about him and Ivi after only one brief conversation did not bode well, or serve her purpose. That made him angry.

"No," he growled, jerking back. "This isn't—"

It took only moments for him to understand what he wanted to do with her. Inevitably, the words slipped past his lips. "Don't say it like that."

She flinched, biting her lip in pain.

Evander drew in a deep breath, suddenly desperate to drag away from her. What was happening here? How could this possibly help them? "Ivi was . . ." He swallowed, trying again. "I cannot control myself when you speak those words!"

Arelia frowned. "Well, I can. If you want to touch me, come closer and make sure your hand is gentle."

He nearly bit his tongue when he saw that her smile had returned, though she moved uncertainly toward him, her hand gliding down his chest. The desire for her was so strong within him, it was hard not to make another mistake. Yet, some part of him also knew he needed to be careful. Perhaps Ivi wouldn't care about this, but . .. Evander couldn't bear the thought of letting Ivi down by denying her. It had been such a struggle, at first, to convince her that he did not hate her for what happened at the elven encampment. He had felt like an utter failure, but now . .. Now he would do anything to remain with her.

She took hold of his wrist, squeezing tightly. His pulse quickened, and his body shifted forward as he complied. The contact brought tears to her eyes, but she did not pull away. She pressed herself against him, turning slightly to accommodate his growing size. The edge of his pants slid further up his thighs as they drew nearer, until they finally touched her waist. Ivi's robe fell away, leaving her naked except for a simple tunic.

"That's better," Arelia whispered into his ear. "Take off your clothes."

Evander hesitated, pulling back again. "Why?" he asked. He glanced around nervously. There was no one else within earshot, but he could still hear the sounds of rain on stone. It was only moments away from falling outside, though, so perhaps that made it easier.

Arelia smiled warmly at him. "You might enjoy this more if you let go of your fears for a while," she said, tracing the curve of his jaw with a single finger. He shuddered. "Plus, I don't think you're ready to take my blood."

He smiled, oddly comforted by her words. Maybe it wasn't that he was incapable, after all. Perhaps he just didn"t want to stop. This must be what Ivi felt when he got so worked up. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, trying to steady himself. Arelia kissed him, raking her fingers through his hair in encouragement.

His hand moved with practiced ease. It took only moments, but he stroked her cheek and kissed her lips lightly. When he felt her stirring beneath him, he lost all track of time. As she pulled her head from the kiss, he shifted down to look at her. "Ivi won't know," he whispered. "This can"t hurt her."

"No, it certainly cannot." Arelia was gazing up at him with a pleased smile, one that lit up her face. "Now, what are you waiting for?"

He knew what he wanted, now. The urge swept over him, causing his fingers to twitch. Arelia noticed and sucked in a deep breath, a few strands of his hair catching between her teeth. His instincts took over, moving to kiss her again before she could speak. Her tongue brushed against his, forcing him to tilt his head back. For long minutes, they stayed like that, locked together, kissing and exploring each other"s mouths until they finally came to the bed.

There was nothing gentle or sensual about what followed. He did not care, in that moment, for anything other than removing his clothes. He pushed them to the floor, then brought himself down to her. She lay back on the mattress as he moved atop of her. He stared at her in silence for a long time, running his hands gently down her shoulders and neck. Evander's gaze lingered on the bite mark he had given her, one he could barely remember making, and he marveled at how much he wanted to be with her. How did this happen?

The thought of her lying beside another man, if not the elf he'd chased into the forest, was almost too much to bear. However, his desire for her was so strong that it no longer mattered. All he cared about was doing exactly what she asked, at least for right now.

The two of them kissed, undressed each other slowly, and then moved together in the bed. It wasn"t quick or frantic, rather taking its own sweet time until the pleasure built so high he could hardly stand it. Arelia smiled in satisfaction, her eyes closed and body arching up toward his, before she opened her eyes wide.

He looked up to see why.

Then Evander recognized the elf standing there.