20 The Sound of Snow Falling

Zander's room was very similarly designed as Mira's room was, with the same basic furnishings. What was different was there were no fresh flowers in vases, placed around the room, and there was no makeup on the dressing table. Instead, there was a table set into the library nook, where dozens of documents were piled up.

What was she thinking about? Zander was not meeting up with anyone in the middle of the night. He was working on his piles and piles of documents.

"It's cold in here," Mira rubbed her fingers together. She glanced out the window.

Snow was finally starting to fall, and the fire in his room had died down to mere embers. She went to the fireplace and added another log, then she looked up at him. "Do you have any matches or fire starters?"

Zander was still standing near the door. He had not moved from that spot. His thin lips twitched.

Raising a single finger, he shot a tiny blue arc into the log and it began to smolder.

Mira rolled her eyes. "Just because you're allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wand out for everything."

"Wand?"

"Never mind. It's just a famous quote from a woman on Earth named Rowling."

"You should get some sleep. It's late and I still have a lot of work to do." He rubbed his face tiredly.

"I won't bother you. I'll just hang out here and keep you company." She grinned toothily as she stood near the fire, shivering in her thin gown.

"I can't keep you company. I have to finish this," he indicated the pile of work still on the table.

"Pleeeaaase…" She begged, her eyes blinking back fake crocodile tears.

As predicted, her childish groveling worked on him.

Zander's face softened. He turned back to the table. "If you're going to be here, then be useful. Get under the covers and warm the bed for me. I still have a bit of work to do."

"Sure." Mira grinned and went to his bed. It looked pristine.

She pulled down the sheets and crawled in. Even though the fireplace was finally crackling, the bed was freezing. She shivered a bit but the down comforter was super warm. Within minutes, her body was no longer chilled.

The snow had held up earlier, when they were out, but now, it was really starting to fall. It hit against the window panes like so many little palms, patting softly on the glass, wanting to be let in.

The wind howled outside like an angry ghoul haunting the estate, and as the night grew old, the wind picked up.

Mira snuggled under the thick down quilt and inhaled deeply, the scent of his pillow. It smelled like him...mint and sandalwood. His bed was so soft and comfortable, and the fireplace lit the room up in such a friendly way, she was starting to get a little sleepy.

To keep herself from inadvertently falling asleep, she propped herself up and stared at him as he worked.

In the flickering light, the planes and lines of Zander's noble face lit up like an angel. His long hair fell over, partially obscuring his face. His hands were busy writing something in that strange beautiful curlicue writing that looked more like artwork.

She briefly wondered how anyone could possibly turn Ashryan writing into something that could be typed on a keyboard, and then laughed at her thoughts. These people had magik. Of what use to them, would a world full of computers be?

Zander looked up. He had heard her silent laughter.

"How is the bed? Is it warm yet?"

"It's very warm." She smiled. "Come try it out."

"I still have a bit more to do. Make sure the bed stays warm."

🌺🌺🌺

Mira opened her eyes. The glow of the stale cold morning seeped from around the edges of the thick drapes covering the window. She could still hear the pitter-patter of snow hitting against the window, and the wind was still howling. It had stormed all night.

Behind her, someone stirred. Mira's eyes widened with surprise. She had fallen asleep while warming up Zander's bed, and now he was behind her, with his arm, casually thrown over her body.

Gingerly, she tried to crawl out from under his arm, but it had tightened over her body, effectively capturing her. She could feel the warmth from his entire body from behind, pressing against her.

"It's still early," he whispered in her ear. "Go back to sleep."

"How do you even know what time it is?" She whispered back.

"Magik. Now shush and go back to sleep."

Mira's upper lip snarled. How lucky were these people, who could use magik to tell time? Mira's watch had stopped working when she hit the bog on the day she slipped into Ashryan. She didn't know if it was because of water damage, or if it was due to the realm change, but it had never worked again afterwards.

She looked down at his hand, resting peacefully around her waist. His fingers were long and elegant, with perfectly manicured nails.

She reached out and touched his hand. Finding no resistance, she entwined her fingers around his. It felt strange in a nice way--holding hands while lying together in bed.

He was so quiet that she thought he had fallen asleep again, but then Zander sighed and disentangled his hand from hers. Then he separated himself from her body.

Mira felt the sudden loss of his warmth and turned towards him. For the first time, she saw Zander shirtless. His body was rock hard, and his sculpted muscles gleamed in the soft glow of dawn.

She looked up into his eyes. They were warm and gentle and filled with something akin to adoration. She sighed with pleasure and snuggled back into his arms, seeking the warmth of his body.

His breathing increased--his body heating up and trembling with the effort of holding back. Mira clung onto his body, burying her face into his chest.

Within seconds, Zander had lost that fight. He pulled her tighter into his arms and groaned with barely suppressed desire as he buried his face, rubbing his nose into that sensitive space between her shoulder and her neck.

She felt his moist tongue licking her, his lips kissing her skin. Then, unable to hold back, he grabbed the back of her head with gentle fingers and began suckling her neck.

Mira's heart began thumping so hard, she could feel her pulses racing like a wild mare. Waves of desire reverberated from the area where his lips met her skin. Where the waves hit, her body responded.

She shivered in anticipation of what was to come, and wound her fingers into his long hair, clutching reflexively.

He bit down hard.

"Ahhh!" She gasped with the pain. Her neck bled a bit, where his teeth had grazed a tiny blood vessel. What was he, a vampire?

"Zander. What are you doing? It hurts...a little..."

"Putting my mark on you." He rasped, his voice thick with desire. And then he lowered his head and licked the few drops of blood that welled up from where he had bitten her.

But Zander was not done yet. He moved his lips upward, his hot breath tickling her face. He gently suckled her cheeks, and then he moved his lips' exploration upwards to her eyes. His tongue darted out, tickling her lids. Her lashes fluttered and she closed her eyes.

It was as if he was a blind man, needing to taste her to know what she looked like. He trailed his tongue up to her temple, and then towards her forehead. He planted a deep kiss on her forehead before moving back down towards her nose, and then he moved his shapely mouth over hers.

Zander's lips were hot and soft. As he invaded her mouth, her lips quivered uncontrollably. She let out a soft whimper, surrendering herself to his kiss. He pushed his tongue deep into her mouth, tasting, caressing. It was as if he could not get enough of her taste.

Zander brushed her hair from her face and continued kissing her with fierce short kisses. His hot, muscular arms tightened, around her waist, a deep guttural growl beginning deep within his throat.

Mira barely registered his gruffly muttered, incoherent words. Perhaps her magikally induced translation was not working properly, but at that moment, she could barely understand anything.

She opened her eyes in question, and found his silver-blue eyes gazing at her with such tenderness that she could cry.

He drew in a violent breath. "You are so beautiful, my virgin bride."

She opened her eyes. His silver-blue eyes were full of unslaked passion.

Mira smiled and leaned towards him. She dropped a gentle kiss on his cheek and then withdrew from the bed. "I should get back to my room before the handmaidens think I've gone missing."

"Mira--"

"It's ok." She grabbed her gown from the floor and threw it over her body. "You have one more year to go, and I'm trying to be a supportive wife." Well, at least as supportive as a fake wife could be.

Mira turned and ran for the door before she could change her mind.