“With help.”

  “Ah.” She trailed her hands downward to grasp the belt of his robe, easily tugging it away. “I’m a very good helper,” she assured him, pushing the slick fabric down his arms.

  “Yes, yes you are.” Micha allowed the robe to slide away, leaving him naked as he turned to gently lay her in the center of the mattress. Moving to join her, he rolled onto his side and stretched out next to her reclined form. Staring down at her flushed face surrounded by a halo of golden curls, anticipation bubbled through him like the finest champagne. “And a kick-ass mage,” he added as he reached for the belt of her robe.

  Pleasure danced in her eyes, her arms stretching above her head as he parted the robe to reveal her soft curves. She looked like a sensual cat begging to be petted.

  “I did kick some ass,” she agreed.

  With a low growl, Micha reached to cup a full breast in his hand, his cock twitching as he watched the nipple clench with an eager need.

  “Dragon ass,” he added, lowering his head.

  “Zanna wasn’t actually—”

  He sealed her mouth with a kiss that warned he wasn’t going to listen to any nonsense. Not if she was going to undermine her heroic efforts. Plus, it was the perfect excuse to taste her sweet temptation.

  Magic hit his tongue, tingling through him like an intoxicating potion. She’d already bewitched him. Now she was molding him into someone new. A male who would never be the same after this night.

  “You kicked her ass and saved the world,” he whispered against her parted lips, his thumb stroking her nipple until she melted in desire.

  “Perhaps,” she murmured.

  He turned his head, scraping his fangs along the line of her jaw. “Eventually I’ll convince you to believe in yourself,” he promised.

  Releasing a shaky gasp, Skye wrapped her arms around his neck. “Well you did promise an eternity together.” Holding his gaze, she slowly tilted back her head, exposing her throat in a blatant invitation. “That’s a lot of time to convince me.”

  Micha hissed as a soul-deep craving slammed into him. Not just for blood, but for the soft curves that promised pure bliss.

  “Should I start here?” he growled, dragging his fangs down her throat, before pausing to stroke his tongue over the pulse that pounded just above her collarbone.

  Her fingers dug into his back, the scent of her desire perfuming the air. “It’s a nice beginning.”

  Micha smiled as he felt her heart miss a beat. “There’s more.”

  “Mmm.” She pressed against him. “I like more.”

  He stroked his lips over the curve of her breast, allowing her small gasps to guide him as he used his tongue and lips to tease her nipple while his fingers explored the satin softness of her body. With intense devotion he traced the dip of her waist and over the contour of her stomach. She was perfect, he silently acknowledged, grasping the back of her leg to tug it over his hip. The position not only squeezed her tight against his throbbing cock, but it gave him the best access to provide her pleasure.

  With a last, lingering lick of her nipple, Micha lifted his head to gaze down at her features that had tensed with the same need that echoed inside him.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, his voice not entirely steady.

  “Yes,” she hissed. “Please.”

  Unable to resist another second, Micha parted his mouth and sank his fangs into the side of her throat. Skye flinched in surprise at his swift strike, but her arms tightened around him as if to reassure him that she wasn’t hurt.

  Micha groaned as her warm blood hit his tongue, a heady sense of power rushing through him. He’d fed from demons, both goblins and fairies, as well as at least one mage, but none of them could compare to the raw strength that flowed through Skye’s veins. It was no wonder she’d managed to face down a dragon, he acknowledged, feeling almost drunk as the magic rushed through him.

  Drinking deep, Micha ran his hands down her back and over the curve of her hip before he sought the heat between her legs. Easily locating her cleft, he dipped his fingers into the welcome honey, slipping upward to find the perfect spot. She groaned in delight, as he stroked over her bundle of pleasure, moving faster and faster as he sucked her blood. Her hips moved in a rhythm to match his strokes until she raked her nails down his back.

  “Micha!” She arched forward, her eyes closed in intense bliss as her orgasm hit. “I can’t...”

  “Let go,” he urged, sliding out his fangs and using the tip of his tongue to seal shut the tiny wounds.

  “Yes,” she gasped, her body trembling. “Oh yes.”

  The climax was still convulsing through her as Micha rolled her onto her back and thrust into her with an urgency he’d never felt before. Probably because he’d waited for an eternity for this female to come into his life.

  Threading his fingers in her golden curls, he gazed down at her exquisite face, allowing himself to drown in the ancient beauty of her dark eyes. The feel of her squeezed tight around his arousal was just as glorious as he’d anticipated. The pleasure so intense it was swiftly spiraling him toward a looming climax. But it was the tenderness that flooded through him that caught him off guard.

  And the absolute certainty that he would never love another woman for the rest of eternity.

  “Micha.” With a tiny laugh of delight, Skye wrapped her arms tight around his neck while her legs folded around his thrusting hips. “We’re floating.”

  He buried his face in her neck, the climax blasting through him with enough force to send them spinning through the room. “Hold on tight.”

  “Forever,” she swore.

  * * * *

  Skye snuggled against Micha as she struggled to catch her breath. Wow. That was the only word that captured the explosive pleasure that continued to pulse through her. It wasn’t just the numerous climaxes that had clenched her body in ecstasy, although they had been spectacular, but the realization that Micha’s feeding had mentally connected them.

  She couldn’t read his mind, but she could sense his emotions. And for the first time since she’d crossed paths with the shockingly gorgeous male, she no longer doubted his utter commitment to her. It didn’t matter that he had the power to command a Gyre with thousands of demons who called him master. Or that he was capable of causing earthquakes that could destroy entire cities. In fact, nothing about their mating made any sense at all, but fate had somehow chosen to put them together. And she intended to relish every single minute.

  Smoothing his hand down the curve of her back, Micha propped himself on his elbow to stare down at her with a searching gaze.

  “You’re quiet,” he murmured.

  She smiled as a shiver of awareness raced through her. He was just so damned gorgeous. Even in the shadows of the cavern his raw beauty was like a punch to the gut. And then there was that sexy, naked body. Was it any wonder she was finding it hard to do more than melt against him in mindless joy?

  “I’m savoring the moment,” she admitted in a husky voice.

  He dipped his head, pressing his lips against her curls. “Me too.”

  Skye tilted back her head, suddenly sensing a tension in the air that hadn’t been there before.

  “Are you?” she asked, a pang of unease tugging her heart as he grimaced. “Micha?”

  “I want you to be happy here.” The words were clipped, as if they’d burst out of him.

  “I don’t understand. I am happy.”

  “For now,” he agreed, his expression suddenly troubled. “But this lair is remote and far away from your friends. And there are times when I’ll have to be away for hours or even nights at a time to deal with the duties of the Gyre. I don’t want you to become bored or lonely.” His jaw tightened, as if he was clenching his fangs. “Or worse, feel like you’ve sacrificed your own life to be with me.”

  Skye reached up to cup his face in her hands. It seemed impossible to believe this male could doubt how much she adored him. Or that she would ever willingly walk away. But there was no mistaking the vulnerability that smoldered deep in his golden eyes.

  “Micha, if I’m bored or lonely, I’m perfectly capable of finding a way to fill my days with projects that interest me. And I have every intention of traveling to Jersey to spend time with my friends, and hopefully, they’ll come and stay here on a regular basis.” She lifted her head off the pillow to brush a light kiss over his lips. “The only sacrifice would be if I had to exist without you.”

  He returned her kiss with a burning intensity, the hand on her lower back pressing her tight against his thickening erection.

  “Never, never, never,” he growled. “Nothing will ever come between us.”

  Readily melting into his kiss, Skye skimmed her fingers over his chiseled features. She was tracing the sharp line of his jaw when a random thought abruptly shattered the passion flaring between them.

  “Micha.” She pressed her hands against his chest, too distracted to appreciate his skillful touch. “Wait.”

  Micha lifted his head, regarding her with a sudden concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just remembered.”

  “Remembered what?”

  “Where I’ve seen Lynx.”

  Micha arched his brows, but he didn’t point out that it was an odd time for her to be thinking about other men.

  “The fairy?” he asked in confusion.

  She shook her head. “The original Lynx. The one who negotiated the Dragon Treaty.”

  His features instantly tightened, his fangs lengthening. He was still annoyed that the crystal had been snatched away by the mysterious creature. Skye didn’t doubt it was an itch that wasn’t going to be satisfied until they knew the full truth of who had appeared in the cavern.

  “Tell me,” he commanded.

  “When we activated the memory spell that revealed the moment the Dragon Treaty was sealed I was certain there was something familiar about the original Lynx, but I couldn’t pinpoint why,” she reminded him.

  “And now?”

  “I saw a picture of a male who looked very similar.”

  “In one of my books?”

  “No, in a photo that Peri and Valen found hidden at Wisdom Ranch.”

  “Wisdom Ranch.” It took Micha a second to place the name. “That’s the homestead in Wyoming where Peri’s mother lived with her coven, right?”

  “Yes,” Skye agreed. The ranch had once been a remote, secretive area like Area 51. Now it was a beautiful vacation spot for children in need.

  “Who was in the picture?”

  “Supposedly Peri’s dad. At least that’s what her mother told her.” Skye wrinkled her nose. Brenda Sanguis had been pathologically ambitious and willing to do whatever was necessary to gain power, including the murder of her own daughter. Which meant it would be foolish to believe anything she’d told Peri without verification. Still, for the moment, Skye was willing to accept that the male truly was related to her friend. “Peri never met him. Or had any contact that I know of, but she brought the pictures back to Jersey. That’s when I saw them.”

  “And he looked like the original Lynx?”

  “Not an exact copy, but they have to be related.”

  He nodded, his expression distant as he considered the implications of her revelation.

  “Azra did mention there were several descendants spread around the world,” he finally reminded her. “It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine Peri is a great-great-great-grandchild.” He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. “And it would explain a few things.”

  Skye blinked. As far as she was concerned, the fact that Peri might be related to the mysterious creatures only added another layer to her confusion.

  “Explains what?”

  “Her ability to tap into her wild magic.” He held up a hand, as if he thought she might be angered by his words. “Not that I’m taking away from her enormous talent, but it’s been endless centuries since any mage has been able to do more than skim a small fraction of that power. It’s possible her ancestry gave her the unique ability to release the magic.”

  Skye couldn’t argue with his logic. “It would also explain why the magic that Peri had loaded onto my charms reacted so strongly in the cavern,” she murmured, recalling the thread of power that had led them past the lava and the ability to nearly destroy the crystal.

  “True.”

  Skye pursed her lips as she considered the possibilities. She’d always suspected her friend was special. Unfortunately, they were no closer to the answers they needed.

  “Even if she is related, it doesn’t reveal the truth of who or what he was, or the identity of the male who appeared in the cavern to snatch Lynx and the crystal,” she admitted, frustration bubbling through her.

  “It’s possible we could do some DNA testing.”

  Skye released a sharp laugh. “Are you kidding? You think Valen would allow you to start poking and prodding his mate?”

  They shared a glance of dread at the mere thought of convincing the rabidly overprotective vampire to allow Peri to become a lab rat for the Cabal. Then, with a shake of his head, Micha visibly pushed aside the pending battle.

  “A worry for later.” His features softened as his fingers drifted over the curve of her hip. “For now...”

  Skye’s frustration was drowned beneath a wave of desire as she smoothed her palms over his chest, fascinated by the sculpted muscles that rippled beneath her touch.

  “For now?” she prompted.

  His cock pressed against her hip, his fangs fully extended. “I have a more interesting suggestion to pass the time.”

  Without warning, Skye pushed hard against his chest, tumbling him flat on his back. Not waiting for him to realize what she intended, she climbed on top of his sprawled body.

  “It’s my turn to decide how we pass the time,” she informed him.

  The candlelight flared and soft music filled the cavern as he gazed up at her in wonderment.

  “Anything to please you, Skye Claremont,” he softly promised. “Anything.”

  Epilogue

  Maya stood back to study the Christmas ornaments and mugs of hot chocolate with candy canes that she’d painted on the front windows of the Witch’s Brew. They weren’t nearly as good as Skye’s, but they were expected for the holiday season, so they would have to do.

  Dropping her brush into the water bucket she’d set next to the palette of paints, Maya tilted back her head to study the thick clouds that obscured the sun. She’d spent the past weeks fretting over both Peri and Skye. Not only did she distrust leeches, but now they believed there was a connection between Peri and an ancient creature they knew nothing about, and Skye’s brief but worrisome encounter with a dragon.

  Today, however, was Sunday, and she’d promised herself that she was going to take care of the chores that had rapidly been piling up. Starting with the tedious paperwork that came with owning a business, followed by checking on Skye’s friend, Madame Clarissa, who had come into an unexpected inheritance (that she had no idea came from Skye) and retired to a small house outside of the city. Then there were the order forms she needed to—

  “How does it feel?”

  Magic danced around Maya as she whirled around to discover Joe leaning against the nearby lamppost. Just for a second she held the spell that bubbled through her, longing to vent the irritation that had become her constant companion. She’d reached the limit of her patience when it came to this man sneaking around, spying on her, and hiding his true identity behind that ridiculous velour tracksuit and fishing hat.

  It was only the knowledge that he was deliberately provoking her that forced her to release her magic and paste on a cool smile.

  “How does what feel?” she demanded.

  He jerked his head toward the shop. “Becoming an empty nester.”

  Lonely. The word whispered through her mind, but she kept her smile in place.

  “It’s not the first time I’ve run the shop by myself.”

  “True.” Joe sucked air between his teeth, considering her with a gaze that threatened to pierce her very soul. “It won’t be long, though. Soon enough you’ll be on the search for your next stray mage to bring home.”

  Maya refused to react, even as she wanted to reach out and give the man a good shake. How had he known she’d already been searching for a suitable candidate?

  “What does it matter to you?”

  “The service in your coffee shop goes to hell when you’re training someone new.”

  “Service?” Maya sent him a mocking glance. “Since when have you ordered, let alone paid, for anything in my shop?”

  “Don’t be a hater. I offer more than money.”

  “Really? What’s that?”

  He straightened from the pole, running his hands down his velour jacket. “I give the whole neighborhood its special vibe.”

  “Yeah, it’s special all right.” Maya folded her arms over her chest. It was that or striding forward and punching him in the nose. “And that’s why you hang around here?”

  “Why else?”

  “That’s a question I intend to answer.” She deliberately paused. “With or without your help.”

  Joe snorted at the threat. “I admire your confidence. Even if you’re doomed to failure.” With a shrug he strolled down the sidewalk, pausing to whisper in her ear. “Enjoy the peace, Maya. It’s not going to last.”

  She froze in place, the warning tingling down her spine. “Great. Just great.”

 

 

  Alexandra Ivy, Ancient Magic

 

 

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