Spiritbound Read online

  Moonlight filtered through the blinds, brightening the room and filling it with restless energy. Declan was not ready for sleep. He kissed Grace’s shoulder, his mind filling with thoughts of her.

  She demanded nothing from him and he liked that. The thought that it wasn’t enough snuck up on him. He’d been avoiding entanglements, running from witches who were willing to give him anything he wanted. Except for Grace. She wanted nothing from him.

  Begrudgingly, she’d offered friendship.

  He realised if he wanted more from her, he was going to have to demand it. She was too wounded to freely give to him. It wasn’t just the betrayal that day when they were kids. There had been years of suffering at the hands of others. It didn’t take him long to get the full story of how she’d been treated during his time away. The slights he’d witnessed recently were only mild in comparison to her school years. Her family had supported her, and that was all. Her family was her centre, and he understood that. But was it enough? Was it a full life?

  There was too much angst and stormy waters churning through broken bridges for her to be open with him. She’d said as much when he’d asked her to touch his mind like she had when she was a child. He could mind speak her, but he couldn’t reach out and touch like she had the power to do.

  He did not share with her his own family’s animosity towards the Denholm clan, and he couldn’t think of a way to shift it. Not right then. They didn’t know he was with Grace now, in this house. He made sure to keep the boundaries of his life tight, and as much as he loved his family, he wasn’t about to tell them every single thing that he did or reveal who he was intimate with. There was time enough to deal with that when he’d decided to settle down.

  He’d learned a lot about Grace; enough to know that she had an amazing courage that stood against what the members of the coven had thrown at her. She was a bit of a prodigy with her talent, able to touch people’s essences, their souls. That was why she’d been able to summon the spirit of her cat all those years ago. At that time, she hadn’t understood the boundaries between life and death. Now, she was so controlled she wasn’t using her talent at all. That was a damn shame. Yes, necromancy was strongly associated with dark magic, forbidden magic, but there had to be ways to use her ability for good.

  The subsequent tutoring from the elders had not only enhanced her skills, but taught her to navigate between life and death so that she couldn’t commit that awful sin of bringing back the dead again. Yet her talent gave her many advantages, such as being able to understand people, find hidden spells and dark motivations. He grinned, thinking of their match that afternoon. She was strong in mental agility too. She easily matched his own. She’d make a strong warrior if she chose. He considered her spirit, so light and airy after a lifetime of shame and ostracism. It had taken her a lot of inner strength to turn out as well she did, given the circumstances. He could only admire her.

  Holding her close tested his vow not to make love to her. He sensed that she was dreaming and he was sorely tempted to take a peek inside. He’d could only skim the surface, not touch her essence. He remembered when she had reached out to him, and in their innocence they had shared parts of themselves. Was that a fluke? Could they do such a thing again? It was so long ago.

  Grace changed positions but Declan wasn’t ready to turn away from her, so he manoeuvred her so that she lay along his body, her face on his shoulder, her arm across his middle. Her knee rested on his. He lay there with Grace in his arms, staring at the ceiling and trying not to think about his arousal.

  Grace’s consciousness rose up from her dream. She was in that in-between space where being not quite aware, she would answer questions if asked.

  ‘Grace?’

  ‘Mmm.’

  ‘You’re a virgin, aren’t you?’ he whispered in her ear. She mumbled something incomprehensible but he knew that was it. What else could she be? Unless she’d taken up with humans, she was bound to be untouched. There weren’t that many warlocks in the coven and she had been shunned. No one would date her for fear of her necromancy.

  The kisses they had shared that night were more than special, knowing that he was probably the only one. Yet it also worried him because Grace had passion inside of her. She did a good job of keeping it banked to a low ember. The desire to unleash it solidified.

  He wasn’t about to break his word, but he was going to mine heavily along the edges.

  Reaching across her body with his free hand, he stroked along her jaw. He passed his thumb over her bottom lip, smiling when she tried to dislodge it as though he were a fly buzzing around her head. Gently, he eased her face upwards and pressed his lips against hers. He sent a mental thrust of encouragement. Come on, Grace. Kiss me.

  Grace was waking up. She opened her mouth and accepted his tongue, which was so ready to rub against hers. Her hand slid from his waist to his neck, while his slid along her back to cup her butt. With a quick manoeuvre, she was lying across him, giving his hands free access to knead her bottom. As she responded, he enjoyed the feel of her mons grinding against his erection. He’d said he wouldn’t do this but she wasn’t exactly protesting.

  His hands slid inside her boxer shorts, revelling in the feel of her warm, firm flesh in his hands. Grace squirmed, inadvertently rubbing herself harder against him. His eyes rolled up, a groan sounding low in his throat. She was going to kill him.

  He broke off the kiss and moved her to his side. His mouth dived straight to a nipple revealed through the oversized singlet she was wearing. Grace’s body stiffened and an impassioned cry escaped from her throat. The sound made him even harder. He could picture himself sliding inside her, catching her cries of ecstasy in his mouth. He switched to the other nipple. Grace surrendered herself to him, thrusting her breast so that he could reach it easily.

  ‘Don’t stop,’ she mumbled.

  His fingers slid into her moist folds and found her clitoris. Grace cried out in a loud voice as he stroked. She was a witch, who was at one with the goddess. He could sense the sexual energy surging within her.

  Oh, how he wanted to sink inside of her, but he couldn’t. He leaned his head against hers and panted. She was a virgin and it was wrong to take her like this. He’d touched a nerve and she was ready, aching with need. Vulnerable.

  It had to be her choice. A rational choice, not one made in a moment of passion like this. He may not be able to seek satisfaction between her legs but he could certainly provide her first taste.

  Flipping her on to her back, Declan tugged her boxer shorts lower and he kissed down her centreline, nibbling on her tight belly before burying his face in her sweet sex. She cried out again as he gently suckled, stroking her clitoris with his tongue in a rhythm that soon had her writhing and then screaming while she tugged on his hair. He held her by the hips, pleasuring her, giving her what he hoped was her first orgasm.

  Her body was possessed by jerks and twitches as pleasure rippled through her. He was gratified that he had done that, brought her to climax. He climbed up her body, holding her close, as she lay languid in his arms.

  It wasn’t right that such intimacy had been denied her. He’d had plenty of encounters as he grew up. Warlocks had to be able to pleasure their witches if they wanted to keep them. How sad that Grace had to wait until she was twenty-two. No wonder she was angry with him. No wonder she hadn’t wanted anything to do with him. He thought himself a jerk for taking their platonic sleepover to another level, but he couldn’t regret making her cry out like that, hearing that special sound coming from her lips. He had been well-intentioned. They had shared a touching of the minds as a child, an event that was now a distant memory that had been replaced by this one. He would treasure it always—nurture it, because he never wanted to forget what he’d been able to give her.

  ***

  Grace still throbbed from her amazing orgasm. Where had her resolve gone? Probably with those racy dreams she was having before he woke her and chased them away. Sleeping with a plato
nic Declan was obviously not a good idea, unless one wanted to be driven crazy with lust. Perhaps she should have been the one to have a cold shower. She sighed. He held her so tenderly she wanted to weep.

  ‘Grace?’

  ‘Mmm.’ She didn’t want to talk. She wanted more of where that came from.

  ‘Grace?’ He nudged her.

  She lifted herself up and rested on her side with her hand supporting her head. As she looked up into his face, shrouded in shadows, she let out a long sigh. Goddess above and below. She was in bed with a gorgeous hunk of a man. Who’d have thought skinny Declan Mallory would fill out so well? His father was short and sort of dumpy, so you wouldn’t have supposed it.

  ‘Is my honour still intact?’

  ‘What honour? You’re a warlock and a trickster.’

  He pursed his lips.

  Grace laughed. ‘Don’t worry. I could have shut you down if I wanted to.’

  His eyebrows rose, a look of scepticism.

  ‘Look, I think we’ve gone past recriminations and well into explorations now. You’ve been exploring my anatomy so I think it’s only fair I investigate yours. I seem to recall a rather large bulge.’

  A cross between a squeak and a laugh escaped him. ‘Now, Grace. You’re a virgin. I don’t want to—’

  ‘Oh damn.’ She sat up. ‘I’m an inconvenient virgin. That truly sucks.’

  His fingers brushed the side of her face. ‘Not inconvenient, but you should save it for someone special. After all, you’ve waited this long, what’s another few days…months…’

  ‘Years.’

  ‘That’s a bit pessimistic.’

  ‘Is it? Oh goddess, you should live my life.’

  ‘Look, it’s not even about whether you’re a virgin or not. I’m not ready to settle down. I’ve got things I want to do. I wouldn’t want to give rise to expectations. I’m not the one you should share your first time with.’

  ‘Oh, give over all ready.’

  ‘I’m glad I gave you your first orgasm.’

  Grace sat up in bed. ‘Are you kidding me? I’ve had plenty of those.’

  ‘Oh, yes. I suppose you pleasure yourself. How arrogant of me.’

  ‘Damn straight you’re arrogant. Madam Eloise ran me through the paces when I turned eighteen. Mother insisted, as she didn’t want me growing up to be a shrivelled up old prude. Besides, the goddess encourages us to explore our sexuality.’

  ‘Madam Eloise, the French witch from Nice? She was my first,’ he admitted.

  ‘Taught you all the tricks then,’ Grace quipped. ‘Excellent.’ Her hands dived to the sheet covering him. ‘So let’s check out this enormous and possibly painful erection of yours.’

  He grabbed the sheet and covered himself. ‘Now Grace. We should talk about this.’

  Grace flicked on the lamp, using her power to make it a low glow. She was really interested in seeing his equipment. She straddled his thighs and put her hands on her hips. ‘Come on then. Either we employ your equipment or you take me home right now to Randy Roger.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Randy Roger.’

  ‘Who’s that?’ His forehead creased.

  ‘My vibrator. It’s only small but it does the job.’

  He laughed so hard he nearly knocked her off her perch. Then their eyes met and passion burned in his. Her senses slid inside for a second and she nearly choked. This was a hot man, a sensual man, and she was directly in his sights.

  He sighed. ‘Of course you use a vibrator. Madam Eloise’s first lesson. Learn your own body, learn to pleasure yourself and you can give to others as well as to yourself.’

  ‘Yes. I have my self-pleasuring down to an art.’

  ‘Show me.’

  Grace rocked back. So much for teasing. Can’t stop now. ‘On one condition. I get to check out that throbbing cock of yours.’

  ‘You betch ya.’

  Grace stripped off her singlet. She’d lost her boxers earlier when Declan had been using his tongue so expertly. She got on all fours, butt angled in the air. She put a finger on her clitoris and stroked. Declan appeared to choke.

  Then she thought she’d mind share her erotica image, the one that always brought her to climax. It was rather ribald. ‘Then there’s this.’

  Declan sat up, smacked her lightly on the butt. She turned around, kneeling on the bed, facing him. ‘You want me to take you up the arse?’ he asked, titillated by the image she’d shared.

  ‘Declan.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a fantasy. Not real. It’s just an image, a scene that resonates with me. It’s very personal.’

  Grace jerked her head in the direction of his erection. ‘Show time.’

  Declan laid back against the pillow and slowly lowered the sheet. ‘Oh, by the goddess!’ Grace covered her mouth, then shook her head. ‘You’re definitely not doing me up the arse with that. It’s enormous.’

  ‘I’ve had my share of compliments.’

  ‘I’ll bet.’ She leaned in close to look at it, comparing it from different angles. She had serious doubts it would fit in any woman’s vagina, particularly hers. Yet he’d pleasured her and she wanted to return the favour. She’d never had a real flesh cock in her mouth before. Madam Eloise’s dildo was realistic but not real.

  ‘I think we should try stripping the bark.’

  His head jerked up off the pillow. ‘What?’

  Grace shrugged. ‘I’ll show you. Much easier than explaining.’

  Grace attacked the side of his penis, lathing up the sides and then sucking on the way down. Declan nearly dislodged her. Perhaps Madam Eloise had not demonstrated that one to the warlocks. She did that for a few minutes, liking how his breath was ragged. ‘Now, I think we should try the vortex.’

  ‘Vortex?’ His voice was a harsh whisper.

  Her tongue slid around the edge of his knob, going faster until she had him full in the mouth. She had to hold his erection still because he was shoving his hips up and pounding the mattress with his fists. Her senses drifted over to him, catching the images and erotic thoughts passing through his mind. She joined with them. He thought her erotic images were odd. In his mind, she drank a tank-load of him. Not quite physically possible, she was sure.

  She rose up off him and licked her lips. ‘So what’s it to be? My way or the highway?’

  He nodded but didn’t move. It looked like she’d have to take the initiative. When she climbed up and suspended herself above him, she did think it was going to be impossible. Her hips were small. She was rather slightly built. Rubbing his head against herself, she lined him up, ready to sink onto him. She didn’t get very far. Declan was shaking, the restraint killing him.

  He was only in a short way and then she stopped. His hands grabbed her around the hips and he lifted her and then urged her down. He went a little further in. It was taking a long time. No heavy-hipped thrust, this was a gradual penetration. It didn’t hurt. It wasn’t that. It was a size thing. He groaned as she slid down him again, sinking a little further. The sound he made encouraged her slickness. It was working. They were getting into a rhythm.

  She rose up and then lowered again. Looking down, she wondered how she would accommodate his length as he wasn’t all in. Once again he raised her up and then brought her down, his strength working with her weight until she was fully impaled.

  Tremors overtook her. He was inside her. She couldn’t move. Staked, she was. Stretched. Full.

  ‘I can’t move,’ she whispered, a tad embarrassed.

  Declan moved under her, an upthrust that had her looking for something to hold onto. She slid back down him and groaned. That was a spot Randy Roger never hit. He did it again and she cried out. A climax built quickly. She was losing herself to the sensation of him moving and thrusting inside her. Soon she was liquid. Declan disengaged from her and she felt so empty. He rearranged her on the bed, had her on all fours. She had to lower herself so that he could enter her. His strong hands on her hips gave her heart-thudding pleasure. His cock s
troked her until she was screaming into the sheets, gripping them in her hands. She was spread so wide she couldn’t move except for where he guided her. Who would have thought a vagina could provide such pleasure?

  Her senses roamed out again, seeking to touch what was leaking from his mind. He was so in the moment. His cock was the focus of intense stimulation, the feel of her buttocks hitting the tops of his thighs like clouds of lust, her dark slit a moist heaven where he could play. Those thoughts merged with her own. He came suddenly with a roar. Her scream was not only in her mind. As they flopped on the bed, she swore she could hear the echoes of their pleasure still bouncing in the rafters.

  ‘Oh, Grace.’

  ‘My thoughts exactly, Declan Mallory.’

  She dimmed the light completely and they drifted off to sleep, entwined in each other.

  Chapter Four

  Grace was dreaming. A rather gorgeous hunk of a man was licking her clitoris with an expert tongue. The light brightened and she became aware of the room, aware of Declan pleasuring her between her legs.

  ‘Oh goddess!’ was all she could manage before she climaxed. That was unexpected. She’d gone from the occasional romp with her little mechanical man to having three, or was it four close encounters of the sexual kind in a twelve-hour period.

  ‘Good morning,’ Declan said, plonking his head between her breasts. ‘I love to hear your heart beat like that. You make mine beat double-time.’

  She ran her fingers through his hair, liking the silken feel of it. ‘You’re welcome. If word gets out you wake your sex partners up with oral sex, the stalking will increase ten-fold.’

  He lifted his head and met her gaze, his expression serious. ‘You won’t tell.’

  Grace shook her head. ‘No way. Our secret.’

  ‘Come on then. I’ll buy you breakfast on the road. I best get back home.’

  ‘So your parents don’t know you’re here.’