Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

with you,” he said.
    She turned her face up to his. “That makes two of us. I can do this, Dax. I can make
     it into your world and be happy. I’ve given it a lot of thought. I’ve seen all the
     dangers, but I know I want this.” She cupped the side of his face as she traced the
     strong line with her thumb.
    He kissed her hard. Demanding. A little rough. She responded like she always did,
     not in the least intimidated. She kissed him back. Hard. Demanding. A little rough.
     Her slender arms circled his neck and brought his head down more fully to hers. She
     poured herself into the kiss, accepting his storm of turbulent emotion.
    The volcano was inside him, buried deep but smoldering. He wanted her with every cell
     in his body, and he hadn’t even seen it coming on. The force of his need shocked him.
     Hunger clawed at his belly, a new kind of hunger, but just as urgent, just as feral.
     His fist bunched in her hair and he pulled her head back to take better advantage
     of her soft, hot mouth. He lost himself there for long minutes before he finally,
     still kissing her, lifted her into his arms, high against his chest so he could keep
     moving through the hallway toward the open gallery.
    Riley opened her eyes as the cool air hit her body. She was absolutely naked. Not
     a stitch covered her skin. The flames from hundreds of lit candles leapt and danced,
     surrounding her on three walls. Above her head, on the ceiling, blue stars glittered
     with a soft radiance, creating a midnight sky. The walls of the cave seemed to be
     studded with gleaming gems.
    Dax had created a bedroom. The chamber was warm and inviting. The sound of water dropping
     into a deep blue steaming pool only added to the ambience.
    “This is where I live,” he whispered. He wanted her to love the night the way he did.
     She had gotten inside of him, wrapped herself around his heart. Her smile lit his
     world. Turned his body hard and filled him with such love, such emotion, that he felt
     shaken, vulnerable even, when he never had.
    One woman. It amazed him that he could feel such intense emotion after feeling barely
     anything for centuries. She just had a way about her that took every sane thought
     from his head and replaced them with . . . her. He found he was uncomfortable when
     others were close, because the wealth of emotion for her was nearly impossible to
     hide. It made him feel . . . exposed.
    He looked down into her earth-colored eyes. Her lashes were long and feathery, half
     concealing the heat of desire looking back at him. “You’re so tempting,” he said.
     Her lips were full and curved and made for kissing.
    She moved in his arms, her silky skin rubbing over his, sending little electrical
     charges arcing between them. “I’m hoping you’re tempted,” she admitted.
    He set her feet on the smooth floor he’d created for her, walking her backward until
     the backs of her legs hit the platform placed in the center of the chamber. She sank
     down, sitting on the edge of the hard surface. The action placed her exactly at the
     height he’d intended. Her head was just a little below him, just enough.
    Dax widened his stance, stepping close to her, his hands going to the back of her
     head, guiding her forward. There was never hesitation in Riley. She cupped the weight
     of his balls in her palms, rolling and kneading before sucking gently. The breath
     left his body in a rush as her tongue traced a path up from his sac, along his thick,
     swollen shaft to the underside of the flared head.
    He reached down and tugged at the binding around her long hair, releasing it so that
     black silk cascaded like a waterfall down around her. The contrast between her soft
     glowing skin and her blue-black hair was beautiful to him. Her lashes rose, and for
     one moment their eyes met. Watching him, she opened her mouth and took him in. Fire
     burned down his shaft. She tightened her mouth and sucked hard for a moment or two
     and then danced her tongue over him.
    Riley had fantasized about loving Dax with her mouth. Tasting him this way. Her skin
     felt hot and sensitized. Her breasts ached and swelled, nipples twin taut peaks—for
     him. Every breath she took, every swipe of her tongue, made her crazier for him. The
     flower ceremony had shown her how addicting he could be and tasting him only made
     her crave him more.
    She could taste his hunger, barely held at bay—for her. His shaft pulsed and throbbed,
     filling