Summoned and Bound (Summoned Series Romances Book 3) Read online

  He placed a finger across her lips, stopping her words. “No arguments. I’m pulling rank on you, little one.”

  “Right now, I’m in charge of you. Not the other way around,” she muttered rebelliously.

  “Only if I let you speak.”

  He had her pinned under him seconds later, his mouth sealing hers before she could utter a single word. For a split second, she was utterly still, her eyes wild and wide as she stared up at him. Her expression was fearful, and it made his heart ache to see it. She’d been used and hurt by men before, and he was hell bent on seeing to it she never knew a moment’s fear again. He gentled his touch, then gave her a slow wink before kissing her again, feather-light touches of his lips to hers.

  With each kiss, she relaxed a little more, until at last, she kissed him back, her pale lashes fanning her cheeks as she closed her eyes and let him guide her. She reached up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, her fingers stroking the short hairs at the back of his neck. He braced his weight on his elbows with one leg thrown across hers to hold her in place. The soft curves of her body pressed against his, scorching him everywhere their bodies touched.

  Their kiss deepened as passion overcame them both, and she uttered a soft moan that had his cock turning to granite. Need built on need until gentle touches weren’t enough anymore. He slipped his tongue past her lips, savoring the sweet heat of her mouth as she yielded to him. He moved in closer until he could grind the aching length of his dick against her thigh. She was a fire in his blood, a need that overwhelmed every other thought or desire, and it took all of his remaining control to give her the time she needed to accept what he already knew.

  They were destined for each other.

  Gwyn was lost in a storm of passions and desires she’d never felt before. She clung to the one person in the entire world that she trusted. She held him close as she dropped her guard and truly let herself feel for the first time since she’d been summoned into the hellish life of a slave. The air around her nearly crackled with the energy of the essence, and she knew that if she opened her eyes that she would be able to see the flow of energy between herself and Vamir. She could feel it, a steady pull that drew her in, promising her everything missing from her heart and soul. Companionship, trust, laughter, and even love.

  She allowed herself to feel his energy. It wasn’t that she could read his thoughts or see his memories, it was both less than that, and so much more. It was the truth in his soul that she sensed, the light and dark that made up his very being. Their energies were soon as entwined as their bodies, growing closer with every touch. If she allowed it, they could stay like this, their souls bound together for the rest of their lives, not just for one life, but for all the ones that followed. He could be hers, forever.

  It was too much.

  Heart pounding, she broke their kiss, drawing in a lungful of air to try and cool the fire that raged inside her. “That’s what it would be like, forever?”

  “If we became soulbound, then yes.” His words came out in a roughened growl, and there was no missing the need that blazed in the dazzling glow of his eyes as he stared into hers.

  “And if we don’t?”

  “Then over time, the fire between us will burn down to embers, and then to ash, but only if we stay away from each other. Being close like this will always fan the flames between us.”

  “All or nothing, then?” she asked. Lying here with him, Gwyn didn’t know if she would have the strength to stay away from him, to forever deny herself the pleasure of being in his arms.

  “Exactly. I know what I want, Gwyneth. I want it all. When we’re free of this place and the Magi, I’ll ask you what your choice will be.”

  “And until then?”

  He grinned down at her. “Until then, I intend on doing everything I can to convince you to say yes.”

  ***

  Chapter Six

  In the end, Vamir won the argument, but he learned that Gwyneth’s stubbornness matched his own. She’d wanted to free him immediately, but Vamir had argued against it. If she released him while they were still in the citadel, it would only be a matter of hours at best before the sorcerer noticed. It would be obvious that she’d helped to free him, which would leave her at the mercy of her master. Vamir had come up with a better plan.

  Not much better, but still an improvement.

  Both because of her abilities and because her master never left the protective walls of his citadel, Gwyneth was tasked with transporting all the slaves to their new homes and masters. It was a task she despised, but this one time, it would be a blessing instead of a curse. That last journey would provide them with everything they needed to escape: time, distance, and most importantly, the ring that enslaved him. It meant risking another day or so in the presence of the master, but Gwyneth grudgingly admitted that they would not see much of him so long as the sorcerer was assured Vamir was recovering from his injuries.

  Vamir still didn’t want to leave Gwyneth behind, but she insisted. For now, he was going along with her plan, but if he saw a way to bring her with him, he intended to take it, consequences be damned. He could deal with her anger at being taken far easier than he could live with himself if he left her behind.

  Having her in his arms all night had been an experience he would never forget. Whether she consented to be bound to him or not, he would always have the memory of her falling asleep beside him. She’d slept with her head on his shoulder and her beautiful hair falling like a silken blanket across his chest. When he’d finally allowed himself to fall into a healing sleep, his last thought had been that whatever it took to free her, he’d see it done.

  Gwyn woke up to the unfamiliar sensation of being both warm and sheltered. It took her sleep-addled mind a few moments to remember why, and when she did she registered another new sensation, contentment. While they’d both slept, the bond between them had strengthened, and now she felt more connected to Vamir than she would have thought possible. It wasn’t invasive or overpowering, more a sense of his strength and determination, along with the feeling she wasn’t alone anymore.

  After so many years alone, it was a wonderful feeling.

  She rose from the bed, careful not to wake her sleeping patient. His wounds looked much improved. The angry red welts had faded, and his cuts appeared to be healing without infection. Only the bruising looked worse than it had last night. Starbursts of deep purple and red bloomed all over his body. Today, she would have to find another balm, one that worked to ease aching muscles and speed the healing of bruises.

  The master would not give him long to heal, and when the time came for them to put their plans in motion, Vamir would need all his strength…and so would she. Gwyn knew she would have to defy her master’s commands to ensure Vamir escaped. Defiance meant pain, and this level of disobedience was going to invoke the worst punishments she’d ever endured. She hadn’t told Vamir, but there was a chance it would kill her to free him. She couldn’t be sure, and even if it did cost her everything, at least they would both finally be free.

  After glancing at Vamir one last time to ensure he still slept, Gwyn removed her robe and moved over to the window. Standing in the one small patch of sunlight that made it through the narrow opening, she focused her thoughts and conjured a small wooden tub full of fresh, heated water that smelled faintly of spring flowers. Stepping into the tub, she raised her arms over her head and closed her eyes. With a thought, she sent the water spiraling upward around her. She let the water settle back into the tub while she soaped and washed, then reformed the waterspout to rinse herself off. It was an indulgent use of her magic, but one she enjoyed a great deal.

  When the water was back in the tub once more, she felt a shift in the energy in the room and knew that Vamir was awake. “You better not be peeking.”

  He chuckled, his energy resonating to the sound. “If you’re insinuating that I’m lying here watching you frolic with a waterspout like a naked water sprite, you’d be absolutely corre
ct. And I am not the least bit sorry, either. After all, you’ve already watched me bathe.”

  “You have a point, guardian, but as I recall, I didn’t stand and stare. I went to find you something to wear.” She glanced over her shoulder to find him watching her, a smug smile on his lips. His eyes gleamed with admiration and a blatant desire that made her clit throb.

  “That you did. Would you like me to return the favor? I could fetch you something to dry yourself with, or better yet, I’ll dry you off myself, make sure you got every drop,” he offered.

  “Who said anything about me needing help drying off?” she asked, stepping out of the tub. With a twitch of her fingers, the air around her began to stir, moving faster and faster until she stood in a gentle whirlwind. It wasn’t long before she was relatively dry. Though her hair was still damp by the time the spell ended.

  “I still liked my idea better.”

  “Then I’d have to dry the towels when I was done. This way is faster.” Gwyn considered for a moment, then crooked her finger at him. “Come here.”

  Vamir hadn’t intended to move, but before he knew it, he was on his feet and walking toward Gwyneth. He tugged at his collar with a disgruntled snarl before shooting her an irate look. “Will you quit doing that, woman? I feel like a pet on a leash.”

  Her lips twitched into a ghost of a smile that vanished a second later. “Sorry, force of habit. I’ll try not to make everything into a command. If you wish, I can bathe you next.”

  “I’d like that,” he said. Despite her smile, Vamir could tell she felt badly for ordering him to move, her discord made dark ripples in the energy that flowed between them. It amazed him how much their bond had strengthened already.

  For his people, all male twins were born connected to each other from birth until death, and once they were bound to their mate, she would share in that unique bond. For him, it was different. He could sense the energy of every Garda he’d ever spent time with. It was a weak bond, but it had helped him become the most formidable commander his people had ever known. He knew the location of all his men during a battle and could get a vague sense of how things were progressing for them. Instead of one powerful bond, he had many weaker ones. Until Gwyneth, he’d never considered the possibility he could have more than that, and now he couldn’t imagine letting her go.

  “I’ll conjure up some fresh water.”

  She gestured with her fingers, and the water simply vanished. A few seconds later fresh water appeared, and this time the scent was different, like a forest after a rainstorm. Gwyneth wielded her magic with an ease that astounded him, but more than that, she used her abilities in ways that he’d never seen before. Her people wouldn’t have bothered conjuring water at all, they would have simply willed themselves clean, and the magic would have seen it done.

  Elementals created what they needed at the moment, only to dismiss it once the need had passed. Homes and furnishings were solid constructs, but even they were remade time and again according to the whim of their creators. Gwyneth used her power very differently than the rest of her people, no doubt because she’d grown up mimicking the ways of her master instead of being tutored by her parents. When she returned home, she would be as unique among her people as he was among his.

  It was yet another reason they should be together.

  “Are you going to stand there staring at the water or are you going to take off your clothes and get cleaned up?” she asked, interrupting his musings.

  “Ah, now I see what you’re planning. This is all a ploy to get me naked again.” He stripped off the tattered remains of his pants, pleased to note that his injuries were already healing and the pain of last night had dulled to a general ache.

  She spluttered and blushed as he stripped. “I didn’t. I mean, that wasn’t…”

  “I know, little one. I was teasing you.”

  She was so damned adorable that he couldn’t resist tugging her into his embrace and kissing her. It didn’t matter that she’d only left him a few minutes ago. He wanted to feel her next to his body again and explore every inch of her gloriously naked body. Watching her bathe and play in the water had made him hard and aching, and now the two of them were wrapped in each other’s arms.

  He knew it was too soon for them to be like this, but he was a warrior who rose every day aware that it could be his last. Patience and restraint weren’t part of his makeup. He wanted her, and he intended to have her.

  Keeping her was a problem for another day. After they were both free of their slave torcs.

  Gwyn let herself fall into Vamir’s arms, happy for the excuse to touch him again. His mouth slanted over hers, and she stood on her toes to meet his kiss with one of her own. He seemed larger now that he was standing up, all muscle and power. She ran her hands down his back, mindful of his injuries but needing to feel him, to learn every line and sinew. As her fingers traced along his spine, he groaned her name and fisted a hand into her hair, tugging her head back as his kiss intensified, becoming a claiming she felt to the depths of her being.

  Her pussy throbbed, and her breasts felt heavier, aching to be caressed. A century of loneliness was burned away in the inferno that blazed between them. The last of the walls she’d built around her heart crumbled to dust as his energy blended with hers. He held her tight as their souls touched, and she knew that nothing would be the same, ever again.

  He lifted her into his arms, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, the need to be close to him so strong it superseded everything else. The hard length of his cock pressed to her slick pussy, and she ached to have him inside her, the two of them moving as one. His hands gripped her hips as his mouth plundered hers, bodies and souls clamoring to be joined.

  When he finally broke their kiss, he lifted his head and stared into her eyes, letting her see the need burning in their gleaming depths. “I want you. All of you. Forever. Do you understand? If you don’t want this, then you better order me to put you down, or I never will.”

  She should tell him no. It was too soon. There were too many risks, too many things that could go wrong. There were a thousand reasons to deny him, but she couldn’t. “I don’t want you to let go of me, Vamir. Now, or ever.”

  “Then you are mine, Gwyneth Annaren, for this life and all that follow.”

  Every word Vamir spoke rang with power, invoking the essence and beginning the process that would bind their souls. It was insanity to be claiming her here, in this place, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was her. Nothing was going to stop him now that she’d said yes.

  “For this life and all that follow,” she echoed his words with a smile.

  He kissed her again, savoring the summer-sweet taste of her lips as he walked to the nearest piece of furniture that looked sturdy enough to endure what he intended. He positioned her so that on top of a small, wooden table that suited his needs perfectly. With one last kiss, he pulled away from her, coaxing her legs from around his hips so that they dangled over the edge of the table, her thighs parted and the slick folds of her pussy exposed to his gaze for the first time.

  His cock swelled in response to her beauty, his entire being aching with the need to be inside her, to show her that she belonged to him in every possible way. There would be time for tenderness, later. Time to explore and worship her body and teach her every pleasure he could imagine, but for now, he would settle for giving her a taste of what the future would be.

  Their future.

  “You are so damned beautiful.” He kissed his way down her body, cupping the warm weight of her breasts in his hands as he nibbled and licked first one and then the other. Her nipples pebbled at the first touch of his mouth, and when he drew one hard nub between his lips, she let her head fall back and moaned. He could feel their energies coming together in a frenzied exchange that mirrored the fire burning inside him. Soon they wouldn’t be able to fight the need to complete their bonding.

  Gwyn had to close her eyes when the glow of their auras b
ecame too dazzling to bear. She could feel it sizzling in the air around them, dancing over her skin like a thousand silken kisses. She was drunk with need, her head spinning from the forces flowing between them. He was everything she’d imagined in her deepest dreams, the ones she never acknowledged because she didn’t let herself hope for impossible things. Freedom, love, and laughter, she never believed she would experience any of them, but here she was, about to risk her life to claim all three.

  To claim him.

  His mouth was hot, every touch of his tongue searing her tender flesh as he sucked on her breasts, toying with her nipples until she was breathless and quivering. He kissed his way lower, and she lifted her head, peeking through the veil of her lashes to see him drop to his knees before her with a rumbling groan.

  “Mine.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, a wealth of meaning loaded into that single syllable. He moved closer, carefully draping her legs over his shoulders as his hot breath fanned against her inner thighs. Her clit throbbed, her pussy slick with liquid arousal, her fingers shaking as she cradled his head between her hands and drew him closer still. She wasn’t certain what he was going to do, but she knew he would never hurt her. With him, she was truly safe.

  Vamir took a moment to appreciate the vision Gwyneth made, laid out before him like a feast waiting to be devoured. Her pale skin was pink with the soft flush of passion, and her eyes gleamed as bright as newly forged silver. Her scent perfumed the air, every breath he took drawing it deep into his lungs and imprinting itself in his memory. He brushed an open-mouthed kiss to the silken skin of her inner thigh and slowly worked his way higher. She parted her legs wider in silent encouragement, opening herself so that he could see every perfect inch of her pussy.

  He traced her labia with his fingertips before spreading her wide and moving in to swipe his tongue across her clitoris. Her shocked gasp made him grin as he drew the delicate bud into his mouth and began to flick it with the tip of his tongue. Her gasps grew louder, and she released his head to lean back on her hands. Gwyneth’s legs tightened around his shoulders as she cried out his name, and it was the most glorious sound he’d ever heard.