I formed an alliance with the Bloodstone tribe after decades of conflict between our people. I believe the same thing is possible for House of Crimson and House of Silver.
But before I can introduce the idea of peace between our houses, I must quell this rebellion. Once I have stabilized my lands and ensured the protection of my people, only then can I extend an olive branch to House of Silver.
* * *
I jerkawake as Annora tenses beside me, her body going rigid. She mumbles something too soft for me to make out. I prop myself up on one elbow to get a better look at her. Her brows are drawn together, eyes moving rapidly beneath their lids as her head tosses fitfully on the pillow.
I hesitate, unsure whether to wake her or let the dream run its course. She whimpers, face contorting in distress, and I make my decision.
Reaching out, I grasp her shoulder gently. “Annora. Wake up.”
She doesn’t respond. I give her a gentle shake, then repeat her name more firmly.
Finally, she gasps, eyes flying open, body jolting upward. I keep my hand on her shoulder, steadying her as she glances around.
“It’s all right,” I soothe. “Just a dream.”
Her frantic breaths even out as her gaze focuses on me. The lingering fear in her expression fades to relief as she sags back against the pillow.
“Jasce,” she breathes. “You’re here.”
I offer a reassuring smile. “Of course. Where else would I be?”
She doesn’t answer. Instead, she continues to stare at me for a long moment, as if needing visual confirmation that I’m real.
Lightly, I run my hand up and down her arm. “I’m here, my love.”
“Jasce.” The soft whisper of my name is the only warning I get before she moves. In an instant, Annora straddles me, the shift in position pressing us chest to chest.
Her lips find mine in a crushing kiss. It’s fierce, desperate, as if she’s trying to imprint the reality of my presence through sheer force of will. Her fingers dig into my shoulders while her mouth moves over mine.
I feel the frantic need in her kiss. It mirrors the way I feel about her. The way I need her. The way I would give up everything for her.
Slowly, I wrap my arms around her slender frame and allow my hands and lips to convey my thoughts. I’m here, I’m real, and I won’t leave her side.
Her hands slip between us and slide down my body, seeking lower to wrap around my cock. I yank up her nightdress and rip her undergarments away as she guides me into her. I groan at the sensation of being inside her, filling her.
She controls the tempo, pulling back and then sinking down again, her breath hitching each time I stretch her. Each stroke, each delicious grind against me unravels another thread that binds my sanity.
The room, the world, everything spins around us, but all my senses are focused solely on her. The silkiness of her skin under my fingertips, the taste of her lingering on my lips, the intoxicating scent of her that drives me to madness.
Her movements quicken, become more urgent, and it takes all my self-control not to match her pace. I know she’s close, but I want to prolong this moment, to engrave it into my memory so deeply that time can never erase it.
Even so, the searing heat building within me threatens to consume me whole. I grit my teeth against the pleasure, battling with every ounce of my willpower.
She arches her back, pressing her breasts into my chest. The sight of her, hair splayed out around her, head thrown back in ecstasy, is entirely too intoxicating.
“Hold on,” I manage to get out through gritted teeth. “Just a little longer.”
She looks down at me then, her eyes wide and wild with pleasure and something more—something deeper that tugs at my heart.
With a gentle but firm hand, I guide her movements, slowing her rhythm to a tantalizing crawl, stretching out the sweet torment for both of us.
“Faster, Jasce,” she pleads.
I shake my head.
“Trust me,” I whisper against her lips.
