CHAPTER 54

The guard room was oddly empty of...well guards, which was strange enough. Two men still stood in the corridor and they were quickly conversing with Sargrach and those who had accompanied her trip to town, but the rest, who generally took their downtime in the room, were missing. Tianna frowned at the empty space before proceeding to the apartment proper. She opened the door and then stood there, staring stupidly.

The antechamber was transformed. Candlelight glittered from various surfaces and deep, blood red petals were scattered on the floor and table, on the center of which was a carefully wrapped package.

Heart in her throat, Tianna moved toward it and carefully pulled open the paper.

A white dress lay before her with delicately embroidered black lace vines and leaves, each with a shining red gem at the center, a gem that she much suspected was real. Next to the dress was a smaller package. She opened that one, as well, and lifted out a string of rubies and white pearl droplets. Another necklace? No, that wasn’t quite right, this one was a circlet, it was to be worn upon her head.

She enjoyed gifts as much as the next girl, and Xor’annan had already proven he liked to go over the top with them, but she’d made it pretty clear she was uncomfortable with such wealth. She certainly didn’t need *another* gown and set of rubies.

She glanced around the antechamber, but no answers came to her.

She picked up the circlet and walked into her chamber.

Xor’annan stood at the window, his back to her, his hands clasped behind it, watching the sun set. He turned when she came in, his gaze fierce and possessive.

“There are conditions attached to this gift,” he told her.

Tianna blinked down at the circlet in her hand and back up to him. God he was a sexy man. The memory of what he could do with those hands...not to mention the rest of his body, muddled her thoughts a bit, slowing her response.

“What conditions are those?”

“I have given myself to you freely, Hellcat...bound myself to you. Though you are not capable of the bonding, I would have you bound to me, as well. Accept this gift, Tianna, accept me as your husband.”

*Oh my god*. He was proposing. It wasn’t just a dress; it was a wedding gown. Her heart thundered in her chest. Did she want to marry him?

He stood before her, watching, feeling every thread of emotion run through her. He didn’t say anything more, didn’t try to convince her with pretty words, simply waited for her answer.

An echo of vulnerability came from him. Uncertainty. He didn’t know if he was worthy of her.

*Oh Xor*.

She crossed the room, carefully setting the circlet on the chest that held most of her gowns, before coming to stand before him. She raised her hand, caressing the side of his face, his horns, brushing the silky black hair back.

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard.

“I am already bound to you, Xor...I love you.” Saying the words aloud seemed to take down the barrier that she had been carefully keeping up when it came to him. As if, when she hadn’t acknowledged her feelings, they weren’t quite real. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Xor’annan’s mouth crashed to hers, the kiss desperate and commanding. Tianna melted into it, running her tongue along his bottom lip. His hands came up around her back, tangling in her hair, pulling, tipping her head back to devour her better. He kissed like a mad man, like someone who didn’t know if they would see the dawn of another day...like someone who had expected rejection.

His lips left hers with a last little nip and he kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw...trailing downward, pushing the sleeves of her gown down, until he found the same spot where he had marked her before. The wound had healed well over the last few weeks, but there was a red remnant that had not faded. Xor’annan ran his tongue over it.

Tianna shuddered. Her entire body tensed, nipples purling, her skin tightening.

“I like the way you respond to me, Hellcat,” he growled, and licked her again.

She dove her hands into his hair holding him to her. His hands were busy undoing the laces that held up the bodice of her gown. It was mere moments before the entire piece slid to the floor and she was left in the pale, slightly sheer underdress. He kissed her over top of the material, his hot breath bleeding through the fabric, warming the side of her breast. He walked her backward until her legs bumped a chair and she toppled onto it.

The figure that looked down on her was pure temptation, as if sin had come for her and it was as delicious and wild as everyone had warned. He gave her a wicked smile before kneeling, kissing her knees and then her calf, pulling off the stocking and boot as he went. First one leg and then the other.

Then he was between her knees, the under dress rolled up to her hips, his hands pinning it on either side of her hips, keeping her in place.

She wore nothing beneath the underdress, so when he bent down to kiss her thigh once more there was nothing impeding his view.

A fierce snarl emitted from him, and he dove forward, his tongue sliding along her folds, up until he found the little nub, where he circled and then sucked it into his mouth.

*Holy crap*. Tianna moaned and tried to come up off the chair. He still had her firmly secure, though, and she couldn’t move far. He suckled and then flicked his tongue down, the tip of it entering her before retreating to encircle the nub again. She writhed against him, begging for more but he didn’t increase his pace, just took his time tasting her, sending fierce jabs of pleasure to her core, pushing her higher and higher before trailing away and down her thigh.

Tianna was panting, she had been so close...so close.

“Stand up,” Xor’annan’s voice was rough with passion. It took all of her effort to obey, her legs shaking with the effort. “Turn around.”

She did, and his hands were at her waist, bunching the fabric there and pulling it up until he slipped it over her head and she stood, naked, before him.

“Put your hands on the arm rests.”

The chair was actually pretty low, so the position bent her forward and down, her ass raised toward him, her arousal exposed for him to see.

Another growl, and a rustle of fabric. Warm fingers trailed over her back and around the curve of her buttocks, finding the crease where her spine ended. He continued his path downward. The pressure of his fingers against her back opening felt wrong, forbidden. It sent a strange sensation through her. He lingered there for a brief moment before slipping them down and inside of her. She moaned and pushed back against him, arching her back for him.

The fingers slipped out and back up again, circled her anus once and then back down. Over and over until she wished he would just do *something*. She had never had anal sex before, hadn’t been interested in it, but Xor’annan was tempting her past the point of sanity.

His fingers stopped and he stepped back.

“Stay put,” he warned. The command shot a spike of pleasure straight through her. She could hear him moving, his clothing rustling. Slowly. Too slowly. He was taking his time on purpose, tormenting her.

When he finally stepped behind her, she was wild with need. But he didn’t push into her like she wanted, he caressed one ass cheek and then the other, lazily letting his fingers continue off where they had started.

“There are so very many ways I am going to bring you pleasure,” he whispered.

He leaned a little, fingers sliding forward, and flicked her nub.

She couldn’t help the half-scream that broke from her then.

He was going to kill her.

Back up they went, slipping quickly inside and then higher. She tensed, not sure what to expect, waiting to see what he would do with her.

His erection pressed at her folds, sliding along her once, twice, before the pressure pushed inward. At the same time, his other hand circled around her hip, flicking and rubbing her clit, and the first fingers pressed, just the slightest bit against her anal opening.

He groaned as he slid deeper into her, rubbing both her front and back, slick with her own juices, but not pressing too far.

She pushed back against him, the motion controlling both how deep he went and the pressure of his finger, and she found the sensation triggered a whole new set of nerve endings. The tension grew insistent, demanding he push harder, fill her more. Little moaning pants were coming from her lips with every thrust. Higher and higher he pushed, fuller and fuller, the tip of his finger pressing inward. Lights burst before her eyes and her body clenched hard, the intensity almost painful before finally breaking into wave after wave of heart stopping pleasure.

Xor’annan hissed, a man on the edge, trying to ride out her orgasm, but it was too much, she was too wild, slamming back against him again and again until he was roaring and bucking against her in ragged motions.

They stood, joined together for a long while, catching their breath, trying to recover their senses.

Finally, he managed to get a hold of himself and slid out of her, gathering her in his arms and heading toward the bed, which was good, because she didn’t think she could walk.

He tossed the bedding around and tucked her beneath the sheets before crawling in beside her and pulling her to him so that her head rested on his shoulder. Contentment filled her. Some of it was definitely coming from him, but most of it was her own. She loved this man.

She let her fingers run lazily along the hard planes of his stomach and chest.

“Where’s Eveera?” she asked, because it was obvious he had planned the entire evening.

“Chelsey has her in her own room for the night. I encouraged most of the guard to follow.”

Ok. That was good.

The room filled with silence, so that the only sound she could hear was her breathing mingled with his.

“I’m going to miss you,” she whispered at last, the thought bringing a stinging pain behind her eyes. She had just found love; she didn’t know if she could let it go again so soon.

“What are you talking about?”

“Tril said you always leave as soon as court season is over, to patrol the borders.”

Xor’annan rolled toward her, his head propped up on his hand, and looked down at her. His face was soft, his eyes dark with wonder.

“I retired from the Queens service, Hellcat.”

She stared at him.

“I would go insane being apart from you for so long. Besides, I have been in the Queen’s service far longer than most. It is time to turn my attention to other, more important matters. My service is to you now.”

His words soaked into her, their meaning, the commitment behind them.

“When are we getting married?” she whispered. Because, suddenly, she wanted nothing more.

“As soon as possible.”