Alluring Tales

One

“So…how did your date with Brian go?”

Caira glanced up from the three-tiered wedding cake she’d just finished icing and watched her best friend, Nikki, breeze in through the back entrance of her bakery.

Blue eyes wide with anticipation, Nikki rubbed her palms together and grinned. “Tell me everything. I want all the juicy details. Every last drop.”

Caira quirked her lips and gestured toward the cake. “Let’s just say I won’t be making one of these for myself any time soon.”

Nikki plopped herself onto a nearby stool and scrunched her nose. “Was it that bad?”

“I think the word bad is an understatement.” Caira brushed powered sugar from her fingers and continued. “Try painful. spent hours listening to Brian recite stories about how wonderful he is, and then he intimately introduced my tonsils to his tongue when he tried to give me a good-night kiss.”

Nikki bobbed her head in agreement. “Yeah, I guess he does think highly of himself. But he’s cute enough, and I heard he has a huge co-”

With a wave of her hand, Caira cut her off. “If one can get past his overinflated ego, one might enjoy his other attributes.” She paused and carefully placed the groom onto the top layer of cake. “Unfortunately, I am not that one.”

Caira stood back and admired the finishing touches on the wedding cake. As she adjusted the small groom figurine she sighed regretfully. Would she ever find her very own Prince Charming? She’d made enough cakes over the years to know other women discovered their true love. The one man they were destined to be with. Why couldn’t she? Was she too picky? Too set in her ideas of what qualities her Prince should possess?

Was it too much to want a man with deep soulful eyes that looked at you, not through you? A man with long, midnight hair, a strong angular jaw, quiet confidence, richly bronzed skin, and a body that oozed strength and sexuality.

A man like the one in the portrait hanging in her living room. The one that had been handed down in her family for generations.

With his blond hair, blue eyes, and boyish twin dimples, Brian was the antithesis of her ideal man. Surely Nikki knew that.

Knitting her brow together, Caira glanced at her best friend. “Whatever gave you the idea that we’d hit it off?”

Nikki shrugged. “He’s a wedding photographer.” She paused and waved her hand through the air. “And you own your own bakery shop specializing in wedding cakes. I just thought you had a common interest.”

“The only thing we have in common is we both breathe oxygen. And for a while there I wasn’t even too sure about that. I had a sneaking suspicion he came from another planet. Planet Narcissist to be exact.”

Nikki chuckled and jumped from her stool. “Come on, let’s go shopping. I’ll buy you something nice to make up for it. I hear there’s a new boutique that opened up on Fifth Street and I’m just dying to check it out.”

Caira uncoiled the apron straps from around her neck and eyed her friend. “No more blind dates okay?” She pulled the plastic clip from her nape, letting her blonde curls tumble over her shoulders.

Nikki raised one brow, a wry grin curling her lips. “Not even if he has a huge co-”

Groaning in exasperation, Caira nudged Nikki toward the back door. “No, not even if he has a huge cock.” She tossed her apron aside, and followed her friend outdoors.

A short while later Caira found herself peering through the frosted, curbside door of a store called The Magic Boutique.

She shadowed the afternoon sun from her eyes and turned to Nikki. “What is this place?”

Nikki shrugged. “Let’s go find out.” Tiny bells jingled overhead when she pulled open the thick, opaque glass door and stepped inside. The small store was overcrowded with unique, antique items, rich in history, and undoubtedly, family secrets.

Caira’s senses were immediately enticed by an exotic blend of jasmine and vanilla incense. Soft rays of light from an overhead beaded chandelier bathed the room in a golden glow, creating a cozy, somewhat mysterious atmosphere. Gusts of warm air from a ceiling fan rattled the dangling beads, the resulting noise similar to the soothing sound of raindrops falling on an old porch roof. Blinking her eyes to adjust to the dim light, Caira glanced around the room and noted the dark shadows dancing across the crimson-colored walls.

“Come closer, ladies.”

Caira and Nikki both turned in the direction of the aged, smoke-roughened voice coming from the other side of the room.

In an attempt to avoid banging into any of the expensive items, they pressed their bodies together and carefully moved across the wooden floor until they found the old woman with the deep, gravelly voice.

Dressed in a silk chiffon flamenco skirt with a cut velvet ruffle and a peasant style top, wrapped and knotted at the waist, the woman looked more like a traveling gypsy than a store owner.

Sitting on an oversized stuffed chair, with her legs folded underneath her, she pressed her lips together and stared at Caira for a long silent moment. Her eyes bore into her with a gaze so intense and probing, Caira feared the woman could see into the depths of her soul. She found it most difficult to hold the woman’s stare.

With weathered fingers the gypsy-woman lifted her hand and took a long, slow drag off her menthol cigarette. Tendrils of smoke billowed around her braided, waist-length gray hair.

Not wanting to appear rude, Caira blinked the smoke from her eyes, weaved her fingers tightly together, and restrained herself from fanning the fumes away.

When the woman finally spoke she leaned forward and said, “Ma Petite Princesse. It is you. You have come.”

Did this woman somehow know her? To Caira’s knowledge they’d never crossed paths before.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” Caira asked.

Her question was left unanswered.

The woman barely spared Nikki a glance as she unfolded her legs, crushed her cigarette into a pink flamingo-shaped ashtray, and rose. Her joints moaned like a wounded animal with each jerky movement. Using small, measured steps she closed the gap between them and stood in front of Caira. Tension lines bracketed her mouth as her eyes roamed Caira’s face. A moment later a wide smile split her lips as her violet eyes gazed at Caira as if she’d just discovered some long lost treasure. When she reached out and placed her palm on Caira’s forearm, the tiny hairs on the base of Caira’s neck began tingling. An uneasy, foreboding feeling closed in on her.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Caira took a distancing step back and reclaimed her personal space.

The gypsy-woman must have sensed her discomfiture. She positioned herself behind the dark, paneled counter and cut her hand through the air. The movement sent a fresh wave of jasmine and menthol before Caira’s nostrils.

“Please browse, ladies.” Returning to her previous position on the chair, she concentrated her attention on lighting another cigarette.

Caira made a move to turn. The woman’s voice stopped her mid-stride. “I must forewarn you that each antique piece comes with its own unique magical power. You must wield that power wisely, Ma Petite Princesse.”

A shiver skittered down Caira’s spine as she turned and stared wide eyed at her friend. Remaining silent through the entire bizarre encounter, Nikki nudged Caira and gave her a look that suggested she too found the whole situation strange.

“Maybe we should get out of here,” Nikki whispered as they inched toward the exit.

Caira readily agreed. Wrapping her arm through Nikki’s, they both quickened their footsteps. As they approached the opaque glass door, a strange almost surreal sensation washed over Caira. It was as if someone had physically cupped her chin and turned her head in the direction of the antique oak cabinet in front of the store window.

Her steps slowed and time seemed suspended. She felt her body turn as though she no longer controlled her movements. Suddenly, she found herself standing before the cabinet, even though she couldn’t recall crossing the room.

“I see you have found the Lover’s Locket.”

“What?” Startled by the woman’s sudden appearance, Caira jumped back. She hadn’t even heard her approaching footsteps.

The woman gestured toward the beautiful silver necklace enclosed behind the protective walls of the glass case and motioned for her to take a better look.

“The Lover’s Locket,” she repeated. Her aged voice cracked like brittle bones causing goose bumps to pebble Caira’s flesh.

Palms open, Caira placed her hands on the glass. She was so mesmerized by the beauty of the exquisite piece of jewelry she almost found it impossible to speak. She fought to recover her voice. “It’s magnificent.”

“You’re searching…yes?”

“Searching?” Caira didn’t understand the question.

“For your true love.”

She was surprised at how perceptive the old woman was. Uncomfortable talking about her personal life with a complete stranger, Caira turned the discussion back to the locket. “Is it antique?”

The woman ignored her question and asked one of her own. “Should you wish to have it?”

Caira gave a quick shake of her head. “I can’t afford-”

The woman cut her off. “It is not for you to argue.” She opened the glass case, removed the locket, and placed it in Caira’s hand.

The second the locket came into contact with her flesh, an odd tingling began in her bloodstream. She was strangely fascinated by the piece. Strangely fascinated by the way her pulse kicked up a notch at first contact. Curious about its origins, she stared at the antique locket in awe. She’d never seen anything more beautiful.

The woman touched her arm, bringing Caira’s attention back to her. “You feel it don’t you?” she asked.

Uneasiness closed in on her as she met the woman’s challenging gaze. She felt something, an unexplainable strange pull toward the locket, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She lowered her lashes, hiding her emotions from the woman’s probing eyes.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Caira responded quickly, turning the locket over in her hand. A ribbon of sunlight burst through the window and reflected off the unusual intricate design etched in the silver. Caira squinted and stared at the inscription until the words in front of her blurred together.

The gypsy curled her weathered fingers around Caira’s and squeezed until the locket was tightly enclosed in the safety of her small hand. “With this locket comes great power, but with all great power there comes darkness.”

“What do you mean?” Caira asked, indulging her for a moment.

Her gravelly voice became as smooth as silk as she recounted the tale of the Lover’s Locket. “It is said that if one recites the incantation etched in the silver, their true love will be revealed.” Suddenly, an anxious expression crossed the gypsy-woman’s beguiling violet eyes. “The incantation also awakens the Keeper of Darkness from his eternal slumber.” Frowning intently, she looked deep into Caira’s eyes. “The person who recites the incantation is the only one who can defeat the Keeper of Darkness. It is said that death is the price of failure.”

Caira blew out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She remembered the old legend well. It was only a few years ago while babysitting her niece that she’d recounted the story herself. She almost laughed out loud at the foolishness of it all. She took a moment to recall the legend.

It was believed that centuries ago on the eve of her arranged wedding to a man she didn’t love, a rebellious princess had fled her father’s castle and secretly met her lover. Their plans to elope were foiled when one of the Lord’s vassals captured them. The all-powerful Lord had a curse placed on his daughter’s lover. In retaliation, the princess acquired the help of an old gypsy woman. She had an incantation etched on her most precious possession, a locket given to her by her lover. Should the locket find its way to her in another lifetime, the princess could read the incantation and break the curse. But unfortunately, as the old woman had already said, with great power comes great darkness. The princess must battle the forces of evil to free her lover forever.

“You know the story…yes?” The worry in the woman’s voice gained her full attention.

Caira forced a smile and addressed the old woman’s concerns. “It’s just a legend. A story told at slumber parties. The legend also says that only the princess can unleash its power,” she pointed out. Rolling her shoulders she continued, “So if this ever fell into the hands of the original owner-”

A frown formed on her forehead as the old woman sealed Caira’s protest with her fingers. Caira repressed a shiver as a chill rushed through her. “What makes you think you’re not the original owner, Bella?” the woman asked.

Caira’s skin prickled. The air almost seemed to crackle with electricity. Bella? Obviously the old woman had her confused with someone else.

“My name isn’t Bella, it’s Caira.”

The woman gave a slow nod. “Yes, of course, Caira. Forgive my slip. Perhaps this belonged to you in the past, Caira.”

She met the woman’s glance and tried to placate her. “It’s ridiculous to believe the legend.” Waving her hand over her worn jeans and t-shirt, she said, “Besides, I hardly think I was a princess in another lifetime.”

“Yes, well, you’ll never know unless you recite the incantation.” The look in the woman’s eyes caused her skin to grow cold.

Caira gulped, her stomach plummeted. Good Lord, what was going on with her? What was she getting all worked up about? She shook her head to clear it. It was just a silly legend.

Wasn’t it?

Two

Night had closed around her as Caira restlessly toyed with the locket draped around her neck. Padding softly across the carpeted floor of her small living room, she glanced out her bay window and gazed at the dark sky. It was nearing midnight, yet sleep continued to elude her. Earlier in the evening she’d had a warm, relaxing bath and dressed in her most comfortable two-piece silk pajamas, but to no avail, she still couldn’t seem to unwind.

Grabbing a new book from the stack of paperbacks on her coffee table, she decided to settle herself into her cushiony recliner. Perhaps that would help her relax and fall asleep. Misty, her cat, jumped onto her lap and curled up on her outstretched legs.

“Hey, girl.” As Caira stroked her cat’s silky fur, her glance wandered to the portrait overlooking her sofa. Drawing a deep breath, she stared at the beautiful man for an endless moment. Zarek. His dark eyes seemed so intimate, so possessive as she gazed at him in rapture.

She drummed her fingers on the wooden armrest. Who was this handsome man? And what was her obsession with him? Years ago when she had posed that question to her parents, they had no concrete answers. All they could tell Caira was that the portrait had been in the family for generations. She only knew his name because it had been carved into the back of the picture frame.

As her hand tightened over her new locket, the old woman’s words rushed through her mind like a windstorm. “It is said that if one recites the incantation etched in the silver, their true love will be revealed.”

Even though she thought the whole idea of the legend was silly, Caira took a moment to imagine what it would be like if the man in the portrait was her true love. Closing her eyes she fantasized about how wonderful it would be if he came to her, in person. His strong hands cushioning her in his arms. Chest against chest, skin against skin. His full, sensuous mouth taking possession of hers while she touched the hard planes of his magnificent body. His long midnight hair sweeping against her naked flesh as he laid her out and buried himself deep in her welcoming sheath.

Lust swamped her as she played out the provocative mental image. Her breasts tightened in bliss and she reached out and cupped them in her palms, gently massaging and brushing her nipples, attempting to relieve the ache.

A needy, not quite satisfied sigh caught in the back of her throat as she stood and walked closer to the portrait. Rocking on her heels, she fingered the aged canvas. Her hand traced the pattern of his face and surfed the outline of his jaw. There was something in his eyes. Something hauntingly familiar. As her fingers glided over his sculpted chest, she could feel a heavy, sexual pressure building in her body. Her toes curled, her heart pounded, and her skin came alive. Her entire being reacted as though she was touching the man himself. She bit her lip as a rush of heat moistened her silky pajama bottoms.

Good Lord, she had to pull herself together and find a way to get over her strange fascination with the handsome, mysterious man that watched over her every night. A man who continually invaded her thoughts, even in sleep.

He was always with her.

In her.

In her head, her heart, and her soul. It was like she was waiting. Always waiting. But for what, she didn’t know.

She inched back and steepled her fingers. No wonder all her dates and relationships had ended in disaster. How could any guy possibly live up to the rich, erotic fantasy life she’d created with the sexy man from her portrait?

Returning to her recliner, she flicked on her lamp and propped opened her book. Soft rays of warm light danced off her silver locket and drew her attention. Heat seemed to radiate off it and electrically charge the air around her.

She gathered it into her hand and turned it over to see the incantation. The silver felt warm to the touch. Rubbing her thumb in a circular motion over the engraving, she concentrated on the words.

No time, no earth, no sky, or place shall ever thwart our way. To right a wrong, to change the past, I bring you back to stay.

Of course the whole idea of the legend was ridiculous. And how could the old lady possibly think she was a princess from the past? A princess. She resisted the urge to throw her head back and laugh. Instead, she threaded her fingers through her hair and rolled her eyes heavenward. The idea was simply ludicrous. And with the so-called Lover’s Locket draped around her neck, Caira was presented with the perfect opportunity to prove it. Ignoring the sudden pounding of her heart, she moistened her lips, drew a fueling breath, and read the inscription out loud.

Holding the locket tightly in her fist, she waited. Seconds turned into minutes. The only sound in the room was coming from the antique grandfather clock ticking in the alcove behind her. Another unique piece handed down through history.

She glanced out her open living-room window, watching the leaves on the oak tree bristle in the warm night breeze, and continued her wait. The streetlamp cast golden shadows on her walls.

Nothing.

Silence.

No true love appeared. No Keeper of Darkness threatened her life. She had to admit, she was rather grateful for that. She’d much rather cuddle up with her book than battle the forces of evil, she mused.

She shook her head and laughed at the foolishness of it all. It was well past time to forget her bizarre encounter with the strange lady from The Magic Boutique.

Pushing herself deeper into her cushiony chair, she opened her book and proceeded to read the first line. “What makes you think you’re not the original owner, Bella?” The book fell from her fingers. Her heart pounded like thunder in her ears and her mouth went suddenly dry.

She squeezed her eyes shut then blinked them back into focus. She scooped the book up, flipped to the beginning, and concentrated on reading the passage again. This time the line read as it should. Obviously the old lady had shaken her up more than she cared to admit and now her mind was playing tricks on her.

She diligently tried to shrug off the gypsy-woman’s warning and force her focus back on her story. A short while later her eyes grew heavy and soon fatigue overtook her. She felt herself slip away.

“Caira.”

The voice was soft, hypnotizing, pulling her awake. She sensed a movement in the shadows. A gasp caught in her throat as the air around her seemed to stir with energy.

“Caira. Wake up,” he commanded in a gentle voice.

As she took in the hazy vision before her, she had difficulty remembering how to breathe. Although he moved in the deep shadows of the room, she instinctively knew it was him.

Zarek.

Her pulse jumped in her throat. Excitement coiled in her veins.

She drew a breath and said calmly, “I’m awake.” Of course she wasn’t awake. She’d obviously fallen asleep while reading. She wasn’t about to admit that to him, or herself, and risk the possibility of spoiling a perfectly good, erotic dream.

His voice was like a rough caress. “Caira come to me.” He held his arms out to her.

She reacted to the intensity she heard in his deep sexy tone. Her body buzzed to life as she rose from her recliner and crossed the room, slipping into the dark shadows with him. There appeared to be a highly charged, glowing blue aura of energy radiating from his magnificent, muscular body as he stood over her.

He wrapped his thick arms around her small waist and crushed her body to his. She sucked in air, raised her gaze to his, and gripped his shirt. His steel gray eyes blazed with heat and hunger. The way he looked at her with such need and desire made her insides quiver.

He slid his fingers through her hair and brought her lips close to his. A smile touched his mouth as his eyes moved over her features with tender warmth, appraising her.

As he breathed his words over her face, she could taste the sweetness of his mouth. “I have waited centuries to hold you like this.” The heat in his voice licked over her skin. Her body liquefied under his smoldering gaze, forcing her to lock her knees to avoid collapsing.

Sexual energy leapt between them as she arched forward and pressed her breasts into his firm chest. He wedged her legs open with his knee, her pussy pressed hard against his thigh. She began trembling, with need, urgency, and utter excitement. His thick cock curved her stomach inward as she leaned into him.

“I want you, Caira.”

“Then take me.” Nestling closer, she gyrated her hips and rubbed her pelvis against his leg. “I am ready,” she added. A surge of heat rushed through her veins when his cock throbbed in response to her bold touch and words. “I’ve always been ready, Zarek.”

She’d dreamt of him before, of course. But it had never been like this. It had never felt so real, so vivid. Her senses seemed to be amplified. Everything about her was heightened, even the hairs on the back of her neck were alert. She didn’t need to touch him to know how his hard muscles would feel beneath her fingers. Nor did she need to draw a breath to bask in his arousing, heady male scent. Instinctively she knew his skin would taste sweet and salty, and at the first delicious touch of her tongue to his naked flesh, she’d lose herself in him, body and soul.

Her hands shook as she put her palms flat on his chest. She could feel his blood surging though his veins. She could feel his every breath, his every heartbeat as though it were her own.

As though they were connected.

As though they were one.

Those thoughts vanished when he lowered his head. His eyes fixed upon her parted lips as the pad of his thumb brushed her cheeks. The artist who painted his portrait should have been commended for capturing the sharp angles of his face to perfection. He was so beautiful, so flawless. He slanted his head sideways. It was then that she noticed a deep, purple scar on his face. Every sculpted angle and plane of his face was burned into her mind forever, yet she’d never seen this mark before. It didn’t exist in the portrait but gave off a hazy, violet glow in her dream. She reached out and traced the pattern of it. Her mouth formed a question.

His brow puckered into a frown as he grabbed her hand and anchored it to her side. The smile faded from his face. “There will be time for questions later. Right now I must taste you and hold you as I have so desperately longed to do.” The depth of urgency and emotion in his voice made her shudder.

Caira knew it was her dream, hers to control, but she could no more control her dream world than she could control the man in it, a man who gazed so deep into her eyes she thought she’d burn from the inside out.

All thoughts were forgotten when his hands stole up her silky night shirt, his rough fingertips heating her body to near boiling. His fingers climbed higher until he skimmed the underside of her breasts. Heat and energy transferred from his fingertips to her puckered nipples. They tightened with arousal while an explosive wave of pressure began building deep inside her. Sexual energy whipped through the air around them.

“I am going to make love to you, Caira.” She trembled as his rich voice rolled over her. “As your true love I can bring your mind and body to a higher level of passion that will leave us both sated and drained.”

She nodded, unable to find her voice. She closed her eyes, wanting nothing more than to listen to the sound of his hypnotic voice. It seeped into her skin, flooding her with desire.

“Are you prepared for me?” His voice was dark, seductive.

“Always.” He swallowed her response as his mouth closed over hers. She moaned and drew his tongue inside to mate with hers. She could feel herself burning up in his strong arms.

Pressure.

So much pressure.

Deep in her body.

Fighting for release before she melted all over him.

His hand slid over her breasts, kneading them, caressing her nipples with deft manipulation. His other hand began a slow descent, over her flat stomach, until he dipped a finger below the band on her pants. She pushed her pelvis against him, wanting to rub her entire body over his. She ripped at his shirt. Buttons popped and fell to the floor. His chest was magnificent. She stroked him, unable to keep her hands from his naked bronzed flesh. With much greed, she shoved at his shirt until it rolled off his shoulders.

“You are so very responsive, Caira.” He brushed his tongue over her bottom lip and drew it into his mouth, tasting her. With seemingly practiced, controlled patience, he worked the buttons on her shirt. He eased it open until the curves of her breasts were exposed.

“Beautiful.”

His words, his voice, and his touch made her insides shudder. Her entire body responded as though this dream was real. As though his hands were actually stroking her flesh with dark urgency, his mouth possessing hers with hunger. God, she never wanted to wake up. Ever. Nothing in real life could ever feel so good.

“Your lips are even softer than I remember.” The low growl of longing was deep in his throat. Barely audible. Had she not been so in tune with his every breath, his every emotion, she would have missed it.

He shifted his position, dipped his head, and drew her breast into his mouth for a taste. His warm, wet tongue glided over her trembling flesh, raising her passion to new heights just like he promised. Her body shook and her heart pounded as his mouth moved over her skin. His touch was erotic, intimate. God, she felt so safe, so cherished in his tender arms. She now knew why no other man appealed to her. She was made for Zarek.

He growled and sucked harder. “Yesssss,” she hissed. Throwing her head back, she drove her fingers through his long hair. “Oh God, that feels incredible.”

“And it tastes incredible, Bella, just as I remembered,” he added, curling his tongue around her engorged nipple.

Bella!

Deep in her arousal-fogged mind she fought to make sense out of it. Why would he call her Bella? Had the old woman’s stories seeped into her subconscious, rattling her more than she realized? Caira knew at that moment, as she floated on some level between sleep and awake, her brain was too foggy to rationalize anything. She pushed it far from her mind.

All thoughts were forgotten as his tongue continued its gentle assault. Biting, nipping, and ravishing her with hunger. Her whole world was pulsing, throbbing. She’d never been so desperate, so needy.

She could feel an orgasm pulling at her as he lapped at her breasts with demanding strokes. He dipped a finger between her moist folds and stroked from front to back, his finger bathing in her syrupy arousal.

“Zarek,” she cried out breathlessly as pleasure forked through her. The room began spinning as a rainbow of colors danced before her eyes.

“You are nice and wet for me.” He swirled his finger through her slick heat. “I must taste your sweet juices, Caira.”

“Please…” she begged, needing him to answer the urgent demands of her body. There was no time for him to taste her. She needed him to bring her over the edge now. Before she burned up inside. “I need to come.” She could hear the impatience, the greed in her voice.

When she reached out and cupped her hand over the bulge in his pants, he groaned and burrowed a finger deep inside her. Her pussy muscles gripped him and held him high in her tight, moist fissure. His tongue climbed up her neck until his lips were a hairbreadth away from her. His long hair tickling her ultrasensitive flesh.

“Ahhh my sweet Caira, you are much closer than I thought. Your body is quivering.”

He pressed a kiss over her mouth and eased another finger inside her while his thumb circled her clitoris. “Let me take the edge off for you, sweetness. Then I’ll make passionate love to you all night long. Let me make up for all the years we missed.”

She could barely make out his words. She could only hear the raw ache of lust in his voice. His need drove her into a heated frenzy. She was desperate, frantic for an orgasm. She pressed her face against his chest. His masculine scent curled around her.

“Are you ready to come for me, Caira?”

“Yes, please…”

She shifted her hips and snaked her arms around his neck when his thumb applied the perfect amount of pressure to her clitoris. At the first sweet touch, her body pulsed and throbbed and responded with a hot flow of release.

He held onto her and absorbed her tremor as she rode out the gripping waves of her orgasm. Minutes later when her breathing finally regulated, she gave a small satisfied purr and loosened her grip around his neck. She touched his cheek and looked deep into his haunted, dark eyes.

Zarek pulled his hands from her damp bottom and drew his glistening fingers to his mouth. He inhaled her feminine scent and suckled his finger with sheer delight.

“Mmmm, you are as sweet as ever. Taste with me, Caira.” He cupped her chin and drew her face to his.

She closed her lips over his mouth as his finger played between their tongues. His cock throbbed against her stomach. She ached to taste his juices, to feel his thickness in her mouth.

It was her dream after all. She could do as she pleased.

His mouth dropped to her neck and did magical things to her nerve endings as her hands slid down his body, touching him, absorbing his heat and energy. She eased away from his kiss, her mouth following the path of her hands until she sank to her knees before him.

God, he was so beautiful. He looked down at her. His long thick hair fell forward, shadowing his handsome face, hiding his scar. He smiled. A perfect smile that made her insides turn to liquid.

“Zarek, let me love you as I’ve longed to do.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

He threw his head back and moaned softly. “Yes Caira, as I have longed for this too.”

She leaned into him, mesmerized by his sensual voice. Lowering her head, she worked the button on his pants. His low groan of pleasure stirred the fire inside her. Easing his pants past his hips, she let his thick cock spring free. The scent of his arousal stirred her blood. Her hunger for him grew to new heights. She sheathed his cock in her small hand, stoking his smooth, silky skin as blood pumped through his swollen veins. He was so magnificently huge. Fire licked over her loins and her mouth salivated, eager to sample his male juices.

When she flicked her tongue out to taste him, something stirred in the back of her mind.

Sometime from long ago.

Something distant.

Something forgotten.

She tried to grasp onto it but it slipped away much too quickly, leaving her with no time to examine it further.

Three

As her sweet silken tongue glided over his length he clenched his jaw and fought to hang on, wanting to prolong the exquisite pleasure longer, wanting to bask in the heat of her erotic mouth. Her hands cradled his tight balls, gently massaging them with the pad of her thumb.

Although he’d spent centuries watching over her, aching to hold her in his arms, he knew they were playing a dangerous game. By reciting the incantation she had awakened a great darkness and soon that darkness would try to consume her. Zarek could feel danger all around them, lurking nearby, waiting, just waiting to destroy their love once and for all. He needed to tell her, to warn her, but first he needed to love her the way she so desperately needed to be loved.

As her sweet mouth drew him in deeper, his orgasm mounted. Threading his fingers through her long golden hair, his hands followed the motion of her head as it swayed back and forth.

His need for her consumed him. A growl of longing lodged in his throat. Knowing his time with her would soon be over filled him with a hollow ache. He wanted to hold her, protect her, have her stay with him for an eternity. He gripped her shoulders, possessively, as her tongue swirled around his cock.

He pushed his hips forward, burying his cock in her throat, needing to get deeper. Not wanting to ever let her out of his grasp, he squeezed his hands, tightening his grip, bruising her delicate shoulder. She winced and he forced himself to release his hold.

His blood raced as she smiled up at him, gauging his emotions. He returned the smile, letting her know that passion, not anger, stirred his soul. He mopped at the beads of sweat trickling down his face as the pressure of an orgasm made him quake.

He closed his eyes in sweet agony, tension building, coming to a peak. “Caira, I’m going to come.” His voice sounded strangled, barely recognizable. He began trembling from head to toe as his groin throbbed. Sparks multiplied and shot through his body as he gave in to his orgasm.

She parted her lips and poised his cock at the opening. Her hands continued stroking, coaxing his release. He bucked, driving his cock between her lips. Her teeth scraped his sensitive skin as her mouth closed over him like a vacuum, milking every last drop from his body.

She looked up at him. He reached out and held her face between his palms. The blue glow emanating from his body made her moist skin glisten. The love he felt for her rushed over him, slamming the air from his lungs.

He sucked in a tight breath. “Come here, Caira.”

As he drew her mouth to his, a flash of anger coiled through him. So much time had been lost. The ache inside him gathered around his heart. They’d lost so many loving, caring moments like this together. To think her own father, Lord Montright, had purposely destroyed her happiness, and her future, by placing a curse on him and forcing her to marry a man whom she didn’t love. Rage welled up inside him and he fought to control it. His time with her was coming to an end. He didn’t want his anger ruining their last minutes. He wanted to make this night perfect for her, in case it was the last. He’d been in her mind for centuries and knew all her secret fantasies and desires, and was about to fulfill every one of them.

He tried to control the tremor in his voice. “Take me to your bedroom where I can lay you out and taste your body in its entirety.”

Nodding anxiously in agreement, Caira swallowed. There was nothing in the world she’d rather do. She forced her rubbery knees to carry her down the hall. Keeping pace, Zarek walked beside her. The blue glow emanating from his body guiding the way. He walked silently, with easy, fluid movements that were both sensual and confident.

She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Before she could walk toward her bed, Zarek grabbed her and spun her around to face him. There was an ache of longing in his dark eyes. Powerful emotions tore across his face as his gaze glided over her. “So beautiful,” he whispered. “I want you to remove your clothes, my sweetness. Let me see you. All of you. Naked.”

She nodded, her voice lodged somewhere deep in her throat.

Taking two steps back, she slid her pants down her thighs, letting the silk pool at her feet. She eased her shirt from her shoulders, her pert nipples alerting him to the heightened state of her arousal. The material kissed her skin as it feathered to the floor. Awareness flared through her as she stood before him naked, needy-for his touch, and his love. Her chest heaved as his ravenous gaze dropped to her damp, silky curls.

She watched him come toward her. His cock was so thick. It excited and frightened her at once. She’d been with men before, of course. But those encounters were always fast, awkward, and uncomfortable and had left her feeling used and unsatisfied.

This man, however, was different from the rest. He was skilled. Patient. Concerned about her pleasures. Eager for her pleasures.

He cupped her bare sex in his hand. Her muscles clenched as fire shot through her body. She couldn’t believe that with one simple touch, he made her burn up inside. Now she understood why she had never been able to find pleasure in another man’s arms. Because none of those men were Zarek.

With the utmost ease, he gathered her into his embrace and in two long strides, carried her to her bed. As he laid her sideways on the mattress, across a splash of silken sheets, her long hair fanned her face. She moaned, her eyes beckoning him to take her. But he didn’t take her. Instead, he straightened and took a long moment to admire her body. Her breasts grew achy under his tender gaze. She stroked her fingers over them and then her hand wandered lower, to touch her inflamed clitoris.

He pitched his voice low. “Open your legs for me.”

She did as he requested.

“Wider.”

Moaning softly, she opened her legs as far as they would go. When she brushed her fingertip over her clitoris, his nostrils flared, his dark hair fell forward. She almost came just from the heated look in his eyes.

He licked his lips, and she shivered in anticipation. He stepped closer, knelt on the floor before her, and spread her open. “That’s good.” His finger breached her opening. “Your scent is driving me wild, Caira.” His warm breath feathered over her quivering sex and made her skin tighten. He pushed his finger in deeper. “Ahhh, you are very swollen.”

He didn’t move his finger at first. It remained motionless inside her, driving her into a frenzy of sexual frustration.

She threw her head to the side and arched into his touch, driving his finger in deeper, urging him to stroke her, to touch the spot that made her quake all over. He wiggled his finger, ever so slightly. Her breath came in a gasp as she concentrated on the tiny points of pleasure.

“Oh God.” Her throat went dry as he slowly drew it out. The nerve endings in her pussy screamed in protest. She wiggled and writhed on the sheets trying to drive him back inside.

He held her down gently. “Don’t move,” he commanded. “Remain still while I kiss you.”

She fisted the sheets in her hands and bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. He was so commanding. So in control. It was thrilling, exhilarating. How did he know she liked it this way? She hadn’t even known herself until this very moment. He seemed to know her desires better than she did herself.

“If you move, you shall have no pleasures.”

None too gently he gripped her inner thighs and pushed her legs open further. Her hips ached, but it felt incredible at the same time.

Using his fingers, he parted her labia and inhaled her feminine scent. A shiver passed through her when he growled his approval. His tongue touched her damp folds. It felt rough and cool and so deliciously wonderful against her scalding flesh. She wanted to move, ached to move, but remaining pinned to the bed, knowing she was forbidden to budge pushed her desires beyond anything she’d ever known. It thrilled her to know he was in control of her pleasures.

“You’re dripping, Caira.”

Her heart thudded. She could feel her juices pouring between her thighs. It tickled but she didn’t dare squirm.

His finger followed the path of her liquid heat. “Ahhh, I believe you are ready for me, my sweetness.”

“Oh God.” Both fear and excitement coiled through her. She glanced at his magnificent erection.

His eyes softened as they met hers. “I will never hurt you, Caira. Ever.” He responded as though he was in her head, able to read her every thought, her every desire.

Was it possible? Was he inside her head? Could he read her mind?

His hands brushed her face. His voice covered her like warm honey. “Yes, Caira. I know what you need, and I know how to give it to you. Now stop asking so many questions and let me taste you as I’ve longed to do.” He breathed a kiss over her quivering pussy, making her incapable of coherent thought.

His warm tongue slipped back between her folds, stroking her with expertise. The warmth from his mouth spread out over her skin. He pressed his mouth over her clitoris and drew it between his teeth. He nipped at her until she cried out in pain and pleasure. His fingers slipped inside. Her pussy muscles clenched, driving him deeper into her hot sheath, and she fought the urge to buck against his hand. His powerful muscles bunched as he shifted position, pushing his tongue as far up inside her as it would go. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp as a powerful, overwhelming, all-consuming orgasm washed over her. She began panting, drawing in his warm, masculine scent, letting it curl over her.

“That’s it, Caira, let me taste your sweetness.”

She bit down on her lip as the room blurred before her. A stab of pleasure made her cry out his name. Her orgasm hit so hard the room darkened before her eyes. She couldn’t think, she could only feel as Zarek moaned and licked every last drop.

He lifted his gaze to hers. “I love the taste of you.”

He took one more long, luxurious lap at her, then grabbed her hips and positioned her into the center of the bed. He climbed over her, his eyes were darkly seductive, and his breath was labored. Juices pearled on the tip of his cock as he prepared her for entrance.

“Put your hands above your head.”

She lifted her hands and gripped the headboard. “Like this?” came her breathy reply. How many nights had she laid in bed, arms restrained above her head, fantasizing about him? It was like he knew every fantasy she’d ever had.

“I do.” His smile was wry.

God, he really was inside her head.

He crushed his chest over hers, twined his fingers through hers, and in one quick motion pushed inside. The fit was perfect and so deliciously full.

His fingers tightened over hers. “You feel so wonderful, Caira.” His smoldering eyes glazed with lust and some deeper emotion that Caira didn’t recognize.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and drew him in deeper. She gave a sexy moan. “Kiss me.” Her voice trembled with emotion.

Zarek closed his mouth over hers, angled her body for a deeper thrust, and pumped into her. She met his every loving push with one of her own as she swiped her tongue over his. Their bodies moving in perfect unison.

Blinding pressure began building inside her as moisture pebbled her skin. The scent of their lovemaking saturated the room and closed over her. Fire burned through her, driving her beyond the brink of sanity. Her heart pounded, her body buzzed. It had never been like this before for her. So perfect. So right. So intimate. He rotated his hips, massaging her sensitive spot with the tip of his cock, bringing her as high as the moon and the stars.

She was close, so close.

“Zarek I…”

He buried his mouth in the crook of her neck. “I know, sweetness, let it go, come for me. Come with my cock inside you, and let me feel your liquid silk.” His voice was a rough whisper over her skin.

Her pussy muscles tightened and gripped his cock. Zarek let go of one of her hands and slipped a finger between their bodies. He stroked her clitoris, his touch scorching her body as he pulled an orgasm from her. She let out a gasp, writhed on the bed, and locked her legs around his hips. Tightening her grip on the bedpost, she began quaking. Heat poured through her as another earth-shattering orgasm ripped through her body. Everything around her seemed to fade. Zarek clenched his jaw and she sensed he was struggling for control. His eyes darkened, his breath came in a burst as her pussy massaged his thickness.

He didn’t even give her time to catch her breath before he flipped her over onto her stomach. “I’m going to make love to you the way you’ve imagined in your fantasies.” His voice was thick, urgent, filling her with desire and apprehension.

She tried to twist around but he gently anchored her to the bed. She’d never tried this position before. It made her feel exposed. Vulnerable. Her alarm was obvious in her tone. “I don’t think-”

Her resistance melted when his finger probed her wet pussy. Her whole body tightened in pleasure. As his finger moved deeper inside her another wave of desire engulfed her. She wiggled, her swollen clitoris scrapped against the soft sheets. She felt her face flush with heat and desire.

He pulled his finger out and gripped her hips, lifting her ass in the air, exposing her swollen cleft to him. His fingers brushed the length of her. “So perfect.” There was so much emotion in his voice.

Caira took a deep gulping breath and gave herself over to him completely. Heart and soul.

Zarek slipped two fingers into her pussy and slathered her juices over her heated, fleshy opening. He placed a pillow under her curvy hips and gently pressed on her shoulders, easing her breasts onto the bed.

His voice dropped to a whisper. “Wiggle your backside for me, Caira. I promise you this will be better than any fantasy you’ve had.”

She gave a low moan as he eased his cock into her pussy. Slowly, steadily, inch by inch, until her lubricated sex swallowed up his thickness. The depth of penetration nearly made her explode from sheer pleasure. Heat rushed through her.

She’d never experienced anything so magnificent, so intimate. She bucked against his body, lifting her hips higher in the air to give him better access.

He groaned and gripped her hips harder, driving his cock impossibly deeper.

“You’re so tight, Caira, I won’t be able to last long if you keep that up.”

She bucked again, wanting him to give himself over to her.

He began panting. A low growl rumbled in his throat as she wiggled. A sweet moan filled her throat as his cock throbbed inside her tight warmth.

Everything about what they were doing felt so right, so familiar, like she had experienced this before.

“I want you to come inside me, Zarek. Let me feel your juices inside me.”

“It’s too soon. I want to give you pleasure first.” His voice fell over her like a soft blanket.

She arched her back, giving him deeper access inside her body. “I cannot even begin to tell you how much pleasure you’ve given me, Zarek. This is for you. For your pleasure now. I want to give you what you need.”

Groaning in ecstasy, he eased his cock out until only an inch remained inside her swollen sheath. He pulled her delicate folds open wider and in one quick trust he pushed into her. Hard. She gasped with euphoria and pitched forward as he rode her with the utmost expertise. His fingers bit into her hips and would surely leave bruises. Every erotic sensation running through her body heightened.

She moaned.

He growled.

Her muscles tightened in bliss as she indulged his cock. She ground her clitoris and whimpered as another orgasm tore through her.

As her muscles tightened around his cock, air rushed from his lungs. He pushed into her then stilled his movements, joining her in orgasm. “That’s it Caira. Come with me.” He came so hard she could feel his seed pulse through her body.

Caira dropped onto the bed, Zarek laid over her. He whispered into her ear. “You are amazing.”

She drew a breath, trying to regulate her voice. “You are too,” she whispered back. She’d had sex before but it had never been like this. “That was the most wonderful, intimate thing I’ve ever done.”

He brushed her damp hair off her shoulders. He eased his cock out of her and rolled onto his side, pulling her with him. The look in his dark, passionate eyes turned serious. “I love you, Caira.” The love in his eyes took her breath away.

And she knew, even though he was her dream lover, she loved him too. She touched his face and pressed a light kiss over his sensuous mouth. “I love you too, Zarek.”

Caira snuggled in closer, resting her head against his chest. Zarek pulled the blankets over them and tipped her chin until their eyes met.

She stifled a yawn and smiled up at him. Her eyes felt so heavy. She could no longer keep them open.

“Rest now, Caira. When you awake you will have much to understand.”

Four

Zarek stared at the beautiful women asleep in his arms, a woman who’d been in his heart and mind for centuries. The love he felt for her rushed to his heart, making it difficult to draw his next breath. His gaze moved over her features as he ran his hands over her silky soft skin. Although she needed to rest, he couldn’t let her sleep long, not while evil lurked nearby. Threatening to destroy their love.

He had to warn her. Prepare her.

He touched her chin. “Caira.”

She stirred and snuggled in tighter. “Yes?” Her voice was whispery soft.

“Look at me, Caira. I need you to understand what I am about to tell you.”

Caira perked up. She lifted her gaze to his. Her blonde brows puckered. “What is it?”

Zarek drew a breath. “You shouldn’t have recited the incantation, sweetness.”

She smiled. A slow sexy smile that stirred his blood. “Why? Didn’t you enjoy being with me?”

“You know I did. But now you are in danger.” Zarek sat up on the side of the bed. He gathered Caira in his arms and held her tight.

She rested her head against his shoulder. Her heavy lids fluttered. “Danger? Why would I be in danger?”

“Your father placed a curse on me, Caira.” He touched the scar on his cheek. It ached. It always ached. It was a deep scar crafted by her father’s sword. A reminder that Bella was never to be his.

She glanced up at him and placed her delicate hand over his.

“He placed a curse on me, banishing me to an eternity inside your portrait. To watch over you yet never be able to claim you as my own. By reading the incantation, you broke that curse, but you’ve also awakened the Keeper of Darkness.”

She let out a heavy sigh. “Oh yes, the legend. It’s not real. None of this is real.” She closed her eyes, slipping back into sleep.

Zarek looked at his hands. The blue glow was fading. His time was almost up. He touched her cheek, bringing her back around. “It is real, Caira.” He made his voice harsh so she would understand the seriousness of the situation. “My time is up, but before I go I must warn you.” He felt his body grow cold, his movements were slow, his speech harder to come by. “You have awakened the Keeper of Darkness from his slumber and now a great evil will soon descend upon you. I cannot help you. The battle is yours and yours alone. You are the only one who can vanquish him.”

Alarmed, her eyes sprung open.

He gently tilted her face up so he could look at her. “Just remember, I am with you.” He reached out and placed his hand over her heart. “Here and always.”

She blinked. The look on her face alerted him to her fear, her confusion. Zarek’s heart ached for her. He fisted his fingers and fought down the anger raging inside him. He hated that he was so damn helpless.

“How? What if I can’t?” There was desperation in her voice.

Zarek buried his face in her hair and inhaled her fragrant scent. “Then I fear death is the price of failure.”

Hours later, Caira awoke, blinked her eyes open, and stretched her naked body. Early morning rays of sun burst through her window and warmed her bare flesh. She rolled onto her side. Her whole body felt lethargic, exhausted, as if she’d just climbed the world’s highest mountain. Ignoring her discomfort, she drew in a rejuvenating breath and glanced at her clock. Just enough time for a quick shower before she had to deliver the cake to the reception. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she twisted and threw her legs over the side of the bed. As she stood up, her shoulder throbbed, and her hips ached.

Suddenly, her mind filled with memories of last night’s dream and the way Zarek’s strong hands had gripped her hips and squeezed her shoulder.

The locket!

The incantation!

Dear God, it was a dream. Wasn’t it?

Her heart slammed against her chest. Her mouth went as dry as burnt toast.

She quickly jumped from the bed and ran into the living room. Zarek was in the portrait, looking exactly like he always did. His dark haunting eyes stared down at her.

She blew out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Of course it had been a dream. A very real, vivid, sexually satisfying dream. She must have simply kinked her shoulder in her sleep. Her mind urged her to believe none of it was real, because the alternate was much too scary to consider. Yet something in her gut compelled her to examine this further.

Desperately trying to shrug off her worries, she showered and grabbed a quick bite for breakfast. Before she headed out her front door, she took a moment to look at the locket draped around her neck. A cold shiver ran through her veins as her hands closed over it. When she brushed her fingers over the incantation a movement in the corner of her room caught her eye.

She turned in time to watch her cat jump up on her side table. Misty sat perfectly still, staring at the portrait of Zarek. The tiny hairs on the back of Caira’s neck tingled as Misty starched her spine in apprehension.

The poor animal looked spooked. Caira crossed her arms and hugged herself. The cat wasn’t the only one spooked. “Misty, come here.”

The cat didn’t budge. She sat there, immobile. An uneasy feeling closed in on Caira as she glanced around the room. Her gaze settled on the clock. If she didn’t get moving she was going to be late. That wasn’t good for business. She’d have to deal with her cat when she got home.

Stepping outside her apartment, she locked the door and made her way to her car. The whole time something in the back of her mind kept nagging at her. She’d never seen Misty act like that before.

But that wasn’t what was bothering at her. It was something else. Something else in her apartment. Something wasn’t right.

With her thoughts consumed by Zarek, Caira’s day flew by rather quickly. She’d delivered the cake to the wedding reception and had run a few other errands. Before she went home for the night she wanted to speak with the gypsy from The Magic Boutique. She needed to find out if she was crazy, like her mind urged her to believe, or if the Legend of the Lover’s Locket was indeed real, and her life was in danger, like her gut instinct suggested.

Darkness had fallen as she quickened her pace and turned the corner onto Fifth Street. She stopped in front of the antique shop, wrapped her fingers around the metal door handle and tugged. It didn’t budge. Caira stepped back and looked for a sign indicating the store hours. Perhaps they were closed for the day. She moved to the window and peered inside. A small lamp burning in the back of the store gave sufficient light for her to see inside. Except for a few old crates, the store was empty.

Her heart lodged in her throat.

How could everything have been moved so quickly?

She needed to get home. To sort matters out in her mind. She wanted to call on Nikki, but if any part of this legend were true, she didn’t want her best friend’s life in jeopardy. She rushed back to her car and hurried to her home. Drawing a deep breath, she knew she needed to get hold of herself and gain control over her emotions.

As her fingers closed over her doorknob she drew another deep breath. She needed to be able to think with a clear, rational head. She twisted the knob open and stepped inside. The minute she walked into her apartment she became instantly aware that all was not right. An uneasy, foreboding feeling closed in on her. Danger. Evil. Lurking nearby.

She felt it. It was all around her. All over her. In her skin. Crawling over her flesh. Her gazed fixed on the portrait.

“I am with you, Bella.”

Zarek. She heard him. Clearly. He was in her mind. Reciting encouraging words of love. Her mouth opened in a gasp, her hand closed over her stomach. Oh God, it was real. The legend. The locket. The curse.

It was all real.

A dark figure moved in the shadows of her room.

Caira gripped the doorknob, ready to bolt.

“You can’t run from him, Bella. He will find you no matter where you go.”

She could hear the helplessness in Zarek’s voice.

Caira swallowed past the lump in her throat. “What do you want?” she cried out, searching the room for something, anything to use as a weapon.

The figure moved out of the shadows. Caira’s heart nearly failed. Her knees went weak, and she locked them to avoid collapsing.

Cloaked from head to toe in a black hooded robe, his face was masked in darkness. For that she was thankful. At least she didn’t have to see the evil that lived beneath.

“Why have you awakened me?” His deep insidious voice crept over her flesh. She shivered.

Caira took a breath, centering herself. “To break a curse. To right a wrong.”

“Be strong, Bella. Do not let him smell your fear.”

“And you have no fear of the darkness you have brought forth in order to right that wrong?”

She did. With every fiber of her being, but she heeded Zarek’s warning and fought to conceal her fear.

She worked to keep her voice steady. “No.”

“Then you are most foolish, Ma Petite Princesse. Your lover’s soul is the price you must pay to right a wrong and change the past.” He moved toward the portrait.

Her pulse leapt, her heart skipped a beat. Her vision went fuzzy around the edges as light-headedness overcame her. She couldn’t let him harm Zarek and steal his soul. She wouldn’t allow it. She’d fight to her death to protect him. He had died because of her, and now she would die to give him back his life.

She gathered every ounce of courage inside her. “No!” She challenged with an unwavering stare as she took a threatening step toward the dark shadow.

“No?” There was amusement in his voice.

She knew she was no match for the Keeper of Darkness. She did not possess the strength or the wisdom needed to defeat him. He would leave here tonight with a soul and there was nothing Caira could do to change that.

“No. Let him live. Take mine.”

“Bella, no. Let him take mine.”

There was a long moment of silence before the cloaked darkness spoke. “You will sacrifice your life for your lover’s?”

“Yes.” Her voice was unwavering.

“Very well then.”

“Bella, I love you.”

“I love you too, Zarek.”

She took a step closer to the Keeper of Darkness and stood proud. “Take me.” The last thing Caira saw before she fell to the floor was the sharp blade of his sword cutting through the air.

“Wake up, Bella.” Zarek touched her cheek and ran the pad of his thumb over her lips.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. “Zarek. Am I in hell?”

He gave a soft chuckle. “No, Bella, look around, you are in your apartment.”

Her voice was not quite steady. “I don’t understand.”

He held his hand out to her and she eagerly accepted it. “The Keeper of Darkness could not take your soul.” Zarek brushed her hair from her eyes.

“Why?”

“Because you showed him the true meaning of love.”

Her beautiful eyes softened as they met his. “I did?”

“Yes, sweetness. You were willing to sacrifice your life for mine.”

Her blonde brows puckered. Panic rushed across her features. “I couldn’t let him hurt you, Zarek. I love you too much to allow anything happen to you.” Her voice ended in a soft whisper.

Zarek’s body shook as his heart filled with the love he felt for her.

Her small, shaky hands reached out to touch his cheek. “You’re no longer blue.”

He smiled and gathered her into his arms. “That is because the curse is broken. I am here, Bella. In the flesh. To stay with you. Forever.” He carried her to the bedroom and laid her on her bed.

Her eyes fixed on his mouth. “What we did last night. The lovemaking. It was all real.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, Bella. It was all real.” He moved in beside her, resting his chin on his palms.

She laughed softly. Desire flickered across her face. “So that is why my body hurts all over.”

He laughed with her. “Perhaps I should kiss your aches away.”

Her eyes opened wide. She pushed her pelvis into his and he immediately hardened as heat and desire whipped through his blood. “Yes, perhaps you should,” she purred.

Zarek planted his mouth over hers and kissed her possessively. She matched the passion and intensity of his kiss.

Joy sang through his blood. He’d waited a lifetime to claim her, to have her back in his arms, his life, and his bed.

And now, armed with the gift of true love, they would have the power to fight and destroy any evil that tried to come between them.

He inched back to gaze at her beauty. “I love you, Bella.”

She gave him a wry smile and whispered into his mouth. “The name is Caira.”

He chuckled. “Yes, of course, Caira.”

She grinned. “But you can call me Princess.”

This time Zarek laughed out loud and smothered her smirk with a kiss.

CATHRYN FOX graduated from university with a Bachelor of Business degree, majoring in accounting and economics. Shortly into her career Cathryn quickly figured out the corporate life wasn’t for her. Needing an outlet for her creative energy, Cathryn turned in her briefcase and calculator and began writing erotic romance full-time. Cathryn enjoys writing dark paranormals and humorous contemporaries.