Chapter 48

As we neared the coast, the smell of saltwater hit our nose and we barked in excitement. Liam and I had left in the middle of the night two nights ago as we’d planned and taken wolf form and had run most of the way with only a few short rests here and there to sleep and eat.

When we arrived at the bungalow, I shifted back to human form and walked to the edge of the cliff that the little house sat upon and looked out at the vast, blue ocean before me. The water sparkled in the summer sun and stretched for as far as the eye could see. It took my breath away with its sheer magnificence.

Liam’s arms wrapped around my waist from behind and he rested his head on top of mine and we stood still in admiration of all the loveliness before us. Within a few minutes though, I started to fidget, anxious to begin exploring. I had waited six long years to be here and I couldn’t stand to wait a second longer.

Liam laughed as I wiggled in excitement and led me back to the bungalow where we changed into the copies Maezi had made for us. We grabbed several towels that were in a cupboard and made our way down a path to the beach. I gasped in surprise when I dipped a toe into the water, surprised at how different the salt water felt on my skin.

We played and swam and explored the beach until a deep growl came from Liam’s belly. Returning to the bungalow, we bathed and dressed and then walked to the nearby village to see about buying some food. Since it was a tourist village, there were actually several restaurants and Liam and I chose one that had tables in the shade and a view of the ocean. I’d never eaten in a restaurant before and found the plethora of options on the menu overwhelming.

Liam, being more experienced at such things, helped me decide what to order and we feasted on many things I’d never had before; fire roasted oysters and flaky fish drenched in lemon and butter, crab legs that we cracked open by hand and dipped in garlic sauce and shrimp and squid lightly battered and fried until they were a crispy golden brown and were amazing dipped in a simple sauce of sesame oil and sea salt.

We ate and ate until we couldn’t eat anymore and Liam had to pull me to my feet to get me out of the restaurant, as well as promise me that we would return to try more of the restaurant’s delectable dishes.

We strolled about the quaint village and found a shop where we bought a staggering amount of snacks, including, to my utter delight, a bag of popping corn, which Liam had never had before.

I added a bag of sea salt to the huge pile on the counter, as well as several bags of tea leaves and then wandered away as the shop owner tallied up our items. At the back of the store, amongst a hodgepodge of trinkets and tourist souvenirs, I discovered a small shelf of books. The book about marine life had been the first time I’d ever read a book just for the pleasure of it and it had ignited a desire in me to read more. I perused the small selection and chose a couple of books almost at random since I didn’t really know what I might enjoy.

As I made my way to the front of the store, I caught sight of Liam as he chatted with the proprietor and I stood still for a moment to admire him. We were both wearing modern Zanskan clothing, but Liam looked exceptional in the black trousers and buttoned-down shirt. The trousers showed off his muscular thighs and rear and the shirt highlighted his broad shoulders. He had rolled up the sleeves to nearly the elbow when we’d dined and there was something inexplicably sexy about the way his tanned forearms looked against all that black cloth.

Liam turned his head, searching for me. When his eyes caught mine, he gave me a brilliant smile that sent a flutter of joy through me.

I moved up to the counter and added the books to the pile just as Liam was asking the shop owner to deliver the items to the bungalow for us, which the older man seemed happy to do, saying he would send his son with the items promptly.

Feeling saucy, I pinched one of Liam’s butt cheeks causing him to stutter as he was thanking the shop owner. He glanced at me over one shoulder, an eyebrow arched and an amused look that said I’d pay for that later. I smirked back at him, confident that I could take whatever he dished out.

Afterward, we wandered the village, hand in hand, peeking into shop windows. A couple of people whispered as we passed, making comments about my strange hair, not knowing that we could hear them with our Kin senses, but there was no malice in their voices, just curiosity, unlike what I’d dealt with at the citadel.

As we were just about to leave to return to the bungalow, I felt the little frisson that told me a Kin was nearby. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw a woman standing in the doorway of the shop we’d just passed and she had a knowing look in her eyes as we exchanged a glance, but she seemed friendly, as did all of the people in this little seaside village.

The next two weeks went by in a blur. We hired a guide who took us out on his boat to a location known for its dolphin pod. Watching the dolphins romp and swim in the waves as they squeaked and chattered was one of the most enchanting things I’d ever laid eyes on. When I leaned over the side of the boat and ran my fingers along the top of a dolphin that had been swimming next to us, Liam pulled me back with a shout of alarm. When I gave him a happy grin, he just shook his head in resignation and didn’t try to stop me when I did it a second time.

We learned how to snorkel and let I'ikki and Dax roam the woods that surrounded the bungalow and went to the village for our meals. We swam and rented a canoe and ate so much popped corn that we had to replenish our supply twice.

To my chagrin, we never spotted any otters, though. Liam promised we’d return some day and I hoped I’d be able to catch a glimpse of them next time.

We made love often, sometimes passionately, sometimes gently. We made love beneath the summer sun and below the glow of the moon and in every room of the bungalow. We even made love on the beach once, but the sand that worked itself into all of our nooks and crannies made that experience less than comfortable and not something I wanted to repeat, but it had been fun to try.

On our final day, I awoke with a start, my heart racing and a light sheen of sweat covering my entire body. I’d had a nightmare but the memory of the dream dissipated instantly, leaving me strangely unsettled that I couldn’t recollect what had scared me so badly.

I glanced out the window and saw that the sun was just beginning to rise, which meant that I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep since Liam and I had stayed up quite late frolicking in the nearby woods with our wolves.

I groaned softly for I knew there would be no returning to sleep in the state I was in.

Gently, I eased my way out from under the arm that Liam had flung over my waist, trying not to disturb him as I slowly scooted out of the bed. As quietly as possible, I padded about the bungalow, making use of the bathing room and brewing a pot of tea in the tiny kitchen. Though I didn’t turn on any lights, my wolf’s eyes made it easy to see in the gloom.

Once the tea was ready, I fetched an afghan and wrapped it around my nude form like a giant shawl. While the weather was warm come mid-morning and on, I’d discovered that early mornings could still be a bit chilly due to the constant ocean spray and cool breezes that blew incessantly.

With a steaming cup of tea in one hand and the books I’d purchased when we’d first arrived in Otter Cove tucked under an arm, I oh so carefully opened the door that led out to a small covered porch that faced the ocean and slipped outside.

I cozied down into one of the oversized chairs and watched the sun come up, making the water sparkle and filling the world with light and color. I sipped my tea, feeling a bit morose that it was our last day. While I did miss our home, I also knew that returning was a resumption of all of the things that we hadn’t managed to get answers to, such as who had killed Emmi, what the priestess wanted of me and what Liam’s father had in store for us.

With a sigh, I made a concerted effort to push aside all of the worries that hung over my head. Today was our last day here and I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible before returning to the “real world.” I closed my eyes and let the sound of the ocean ebbing and flowing move through me until I was relaxed and calm once more.

I picked up one of the books with a flutter of anticipation and examined its cover. When I flipped it over, I discovered that there was a sort of synopsis on the back that I hadn’t realized was there when I was perusing the books at the little shop we’d bought it at. I didn’t know books had those on the back cover or I would have been more selective about what I’d grabbed. The summary wasn’t terribly appealing to me, but I thought I’d give the book a try with the hope that the story contained within was better than the mediocre description.

I began reading but knew within a few chapters that it wasn’t to my liking. A tale of greedy young noblewomen in search of rich husbands held little appeal for me and after reading about the main character aggressively seducing a high ranking noble’s son and referring to the subsequent sexual encounter as an “investment” made me cringe with disgust.

Having so recently fallen in love with Liam, I had thought perhaps the book would give me insight into Zanskan romantic relationships, but there was no love, nor even infatuation, within the pages. Instead, what was described was as cold and unfeeling as a business transaction and while I have nothing against courtesans, there was something repugnant about the mercenary greed of the so-called upper class women conniving to sell themselves to the highest bidder so that they might have bragging rights and unlimited silk dresses and pretties to put in their hair.

I did glean a few tidbits of interesting information when one of the predatory young women seduced a noble family’s son, which I filed away for later use on Liam, but finally had to set the book aside when one of the other characters decided to fake a pregnancy to force a marriage with the unfortunate young man she was sinking her talons into, later planning on an equally false miscarriage after the wedding.

I set the book on the table and actually wiped my fingers on the afghan, feeling disgusted by the sick ambition contained within the pages of the book.

Before I could pick up the next book, I felt a whisper of energy against my skin and looked to where Liam was standing at the doorway to the bungalow. He was leaning against the jamb with his arms folded across his naked chest with his hair wildly sleep tousled and in nothing but a pair of silk pajama pants that rode low on his hips, exposing every inch of his gloriously muscled torso and I marveled once more at the sheer beauty of the man that had given me his heart.

As when we were in Twisted Pines, he seemed more hale, more alive than we’d been in the Silver Citadel, as if all the fresh air and exercise had revitalized him in a profound way. Thinking on it for a moment, I realized that was exactly the case. He had, in a short amount of time, deeply changed and strengthened his bond with Dax, increasing his already massive amount of Kin power. It made sense that his aura would reflect such.

He had a small, contented smile on his face as I forced my eyes away from his stomach muscles and up to his handsome, chiseled face. I gave him a smile of my own as I asked him, “What are you doing there?”

“Just admiring the view.”

I laughed softly. “I could certainly say the same, my love. All this sunshine and salt air seems to suit you. You are more handsome than ever.”

Nor were my words an exaggeration. He’d already been ridiculously handsome, but the two weeks of cavorting on the beach and swimming in the ocean had deepened his skin to a golden, nutty brown that made the silvery grey of his eyes stand out in a startling way and had bulked up his already massive body enough that I knew we’d have to have all of his clothes retailored when we arrived home, especially his palace uniforms.

With the compliment I’d given him, his peaceful expression turned to one of desire. His eyes darkened and he tipped his head toward the interior of the bungalow and arched an eyebrow at me. “There’s a table in here that looks quite sturdy. Care to test it out?”

He had once before mentioned taking me on the low table in the study at home and I’d been curious about it ever since. The table in the bungalow was of regular height and I thought there might be some interesting possibilities there.

I reached out my hand and Liam came to me and helped me out of the chair, the afghan I’d used to cover myself falling away and revealing my nakedness to his hungry gaze. Before I could blink, his mouth was pressed hard against mine and he was plunging his tongue into my mouth. With his incredible strength, he placed his hands on either side of my rear and picked me up like I weighed nothing. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

Without breaking the kiss, he turned and made his way into the bungalow and to the small table that served as a dining table with seats for four people. After shoving a chair out of his way with a foot, he set me gently down on the edge and moved his lips to that sensitive spot just below the ear, nibbling and sucking on it until my breath was catching in my throat.

Heat pulsed between my legs as I reached down and undid the tie on his pajamas. In a whisper of silk, they slithered to the floor. Looking down, I was delighted to see that he was already erect, his cock so swollen that it amazed me.

Liam groaned, his breath hot against my neck as I wrapped my fingers around the base of him and began firmly moving my hand up and down the length of him. After a few moments of stroking him, I reached further down and gave his stones a gentle squeeze. He drew in a ragged breath. “You’d better stop that or I won’t last.”

Pleased at his reaction and that I’d gleaned one piece of useful information from that horrid book, I ignored him and continued to squeeze and massage him until he grabbed my hand and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “It’s like I’m eighteen again.”

He stood there for a second, breathing hard and trying to compose himself. He still held my hand and not able to resist the temptation, I used my free hand to rub my palm around the tip of his cock in a circular motion. He grunted and grabbed that hand, too.

“Wife, are you trying to make me finish before we’ve even begun?”

I grinned at him and shrugged. “I guess I’m feeling naughty today.”

His eyes darkened further and the wicked smile I’d learned meant he was about to do something interesting appeared. I had just enough time to wonder what I’d gotten myself into when he picked me off the table, set me on my feet, spun me around and pushed me down with a gentle hand until my upper body was resting against the top of the table.

He bent over me, covering my body with his and ran his tongue along the edge of my ear before whispering, “I guess if you’re being naughty, I should punish you.”

“What… what do you mean?” I gasped as he nipped my earlobe with his teeth.

His breath tickled me as he asked me, “Do you trust me?”

Without even a second of hesitation, I said, “Yes, absolutely.”

Without any other words, he straightened up and pressed himself against my rear, the heat of his erection pressed against my skin making a spike of lust go through me.

Starting at my shoulders, he began to massage and caress my skin. His fingers were warm and gentle as he kneaded the muscles down my back all the way to my waist where he stopped and rested his hands on my lower back. He stayed that way for several seconds, long enough for me to wonder if something was amiss. “Liam, is something wro-”

My question was interrupted by his hand landing on a cheek with an audible slapping sound. It hadn’t been hard, but it was a firm smack that caused my skin to tingle in reaction. It hadn’t hurt exactly, but it had stung a bit.

Propping myself up on my elbows, I looked over my shoulder in surprise and was about to ask what he was doing when I saw him raise a hand and give me another slap on the opposite cheek.

Looking me straight in the eyes, his voice low and husky, he asked, “Are you still feeling naughty?”

Comprehension dawned in me and I bit my lip as I thought for a second before telling him yes in a breathy whisper.

He spanked me again, first one side, then the other and I could feel my skin warming from the love taps and could see a pink blush blooming on the surface of each cheek.

Facing forward again, I wriggled my bottom against him and told him again, “Yes.”

He slapped each cheek several more times, alternating sides, but in quick succession until I moaned, heat thrumming between my thighs everytime his hands landed on my rear. I looked over my shoulder again and could see the pink blush had changed to the bright red of summer apples.

“Liam, now, please.”

My voice was thick with desire but he didn’t answer me. Instead, he stroked his fingers against my center, making me gasp in pleasure. His fingers found my nub and he rubbed it until I could feel the beginnings of a climax approaching.

When he withdrew his hand before I could finish, I made a sound of protest that was cut off by another couple of slaps of his hand on both sides of my rear causing me to arch my back and shudder in pleasure. Several more smacks and I was writhing as the sting morphed into pain. For no reason that I could explain, the pain felt good, so good that I didn’t want Liam to stop.

When Liam slid a finger into me, I nearly climaxed immediately from being so heated up from the spanking. As if reading my mind, he stopped for a second and when he resumed, it was slow, too slow for my desires, but it kept the climax at bay, though I trembled with need.

When he asked me if I was still feeling naughty, my answer was a growl, primal and raw. Instead of the spanking I was expecting, he withdrew his finger and slammed his cock into me, bumping that sweet spot deep inside of me. The orgasm ripped through me and my entire body shook from the intensity.

Liam stayed still until my body subsided and then he withdrew completely before ramming himself into me once more, making me cry out in pleasure. Grabbing my hips, he began to slide in and out of me with powerful thrusts that caused my nipples to rub against the table’s surface as we rocked back and forth.

Between the rubbing on my nipples and the feel of Liam’s skin slamming against my inflamed bottom, it took only a moment before I could feel another climax approaching, building up like storm clouds on the horizon. I pushed back at Liam, urging him to increase his pace. He obliged and slammed into me at a furious pace and then suddenly, he was smacking my rear again, harder this time. Every muscle in my center clenched tight as I climaxed, screaming in ecstasy and Liam was groaning as he came too.

I collapsed onto the table, unable to hold myself up any longer as all my muscles had turned to jelly. I felt Liam slide out of me and he gave my rear a couple of soft kisses before suddenly lifting me up and once more sitting me on the edge of the table.

I flinched as the tender skin on my rear made contact with the surface of the table, but as before, it hurt in a way that I enjoyed, mystery though it was to me. I’d had moments of near pain during sex before, but that had always been accidental, as well as incidental. This was something new and titillating in a way that had never before occurred to me.

Liam knelt down and then his tongue was on my nub, swirling around it. I fell back onto the table and cried out as he pleasured me with his tongue.

When he stood, he pinned my knees back toward my shoulders with his hands before plunging into me once more. Something about the angle allowed him to drive deeper into me and I could feel him bumping that sweet spot with each thrust, over and over until my muscles started quivering with that feeling of impending release yet again.

With his own cry of ecstasy, Liam slammed into me one last time and the throbbing feel of his climax triggered my own. I sat up and reached around his neck to pull him into a fiery kiss, but instead, as when we’d first coupled, my mouth moved to his neck without conscious thought and I bit into his flesh and the sting of pain in my neck told me he’d done the same.

We had Marked each other once more. I had no idea what that signified, nor even the energy to give it thought at the moment.

Before the last tremor ended, I lay back onto the table, unable to hold myself up anymore. If my muscles had been jelly before, they were nothing but cloud vapor now.

Liam collapsed on top of me and we lay there for a ridiculously long time trying to catch our breath. When he eventually stood up and withdrew from me, I winced slightly at a twinge of pain that told me that perhaps we’d overdone things a bit.

Liam saw me wince and with a furrowed brow, he asked me if I was alright.

“Uh-huh.”

“Was I too rough?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Ah… would you like a bath?”

“Uh-huh.”

He waited a few seconds and then cleared his throat. “Are you going to get up?”

“Nuh-uh.”

A thread of amusement entered his voice as he asked, “Would you like me to take you to the bath?”

I raised my wobbly arms a couple of inches and with a laugh, Liam scooped me up and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

As he moved in the direction of the bathing room, there was a sudden cracking sound behind us and a loud clatter as the table split and fell into two pieces. Liam whirled around and we just stared at the broken table for a second or two before we both burst out in laughter.

“I guess we should leave some coins to pay for it to be repaired.”

For some reason, Liam’s words made me laugh harder and I wheezed as I said, “Worth it.”

This brought on a fresh bout of laughter from both of us.

That evening, as we sat at the edge of the cliff admiring the setting sun, wrapped in a blanket to ward off the chill of the ocean spray, Liam gasped, pointing a finger to the right. “Xia Wind Song, look!”

And there, not far off the shore, was a truly magnificent sight - the whales I’d half believed were the stuff of fairy tales. There were seven adults in the pod, swimming gently along, blowing air and spray from their blowholes. One baby, still bigger than any animal I’d ever laid eyes on, was surrounded by its family as they moved along in search of food.

Mesmerized, I watched until they eventually disappeared around the curve of the coast before finally looking at Liam with an amazed smile on my face. He smiled back and I cupped his face in my hands as I gave him a lingering kiss.

When we parted, I leaned my forehead against his. “Thank you for this. I have no words for how special this has been. It’s a dream come true, being here with you.”

He gave me that crooked smile I’d grown to love so well and spoke the words that had sealed my fate the first night we’d lain together. “I am yours and you are mine, Xia Wind Song.”