Aeromancist: The Beginning Read online

  “Private jet.”

  For a moment, she was at a loss for words. How did he know she was at the club? She hadn’t mentioned anything to Alfonso.

  She fixed him with a stare. “How did you know I was out? How did you even know where to find me?” When he didn’t say anything, she said, “Are you having me followed? Is that why the driver is always there, why I can’t walk out of this convent without having him on my back?”

  The driver hadn’t followed her tonight, though. She had slipped out the back and taken a cab. She waited for his answer, but Lann said nothing. He only watched her with guarded eyes.

  A terrible suspicion started to grow in her mind. The thought was so disconcerting, she prayed it wasn’t true.

  “Tell me, Lann. How did you find me?” She took a step forward. “I know you’re a man of many resources. Did you have me tracked?”

  Still, he didn’t reply.

  “Oh my God,” she said as his silence told her the truth. “How did you do it? My mobile phone?”

  He regarded her cautiously. “No.”

  “What then? Did you plant something on me?”

  He flinched. It was a slight movement, but it was there. Oh God. That was it. It had to be something she always carried with her. If not her phone... And then it hit her. She lifted her hand slowly, fingers spread, to stare at the sparkling diamond.

  That hurt. That he tracked her secretly hurt, but what caused even more pain was that she actually believed, or maybe hoped, that that ring meant something. To her, it was a symbol of belonging, of affection of some kind. She felt violated and utterly stupid. Having an agreement is one thing, but having her privacy compromised is another.

  Lann studied her as the truth dawned on her. For a minute, he almost looked regretful, but when she started to wiggle the ring from her finger, he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her toward his bed. The momentum had her falling backward, but his arms were there to catch her. When her back hit the mattress, he was on top of her.

  He cupped her face. “Listen to me, Katherine. The ring is for your protection. We can talk about it if you wish, after you’ve explained to me why you disrespected our agreement.”

  There was so much pain in his voice, it caught her off guard. “I didn’t disrespect anything. I wasn’t going to touch anyone, or let anyone touch me.” She paused. Her hand moved down between their bodies, finding his erection. “Not like this,” she said softly.

  He claimed her lips like a starving man. He kissed her roughly, his stubble scratching her skin, but she kept her caress light, until he slowed to fall in with her pace.

  When he finally pulled away to look at her, his eyes appeared haunted. “I told you before, Katherine, you have the power to crush me, to squash me like a bug in your hand, to bring me to my knees. All I asked for were thirty days.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Seeing you,” he looked down at her dress, “like this, in his arms...” He shuddered. “I know what he was thinking, because I was thinking it too.”

  His confession softened her heart and dampened her anger. She laid her palm on his cheek. “What were you thinking, Lann?”

  “That I’ll die if I don’t have you.”

  “Then let me make it better,” she whispered.

  “We shouldn’t.” He shook his head. “Not like this. I am too angry.”

  She squeezed his erection and felt it twitch in her palm. “Then punish me.”

  His eyes widened. “What are you asking me for, Katherine?”

  She lowered her lashes. “I liked it when you ... spanked me.”

  “I know you did, bella,” he said, his lips inches away from hers, “because it made you wet. But erotic spanking is for your pleasure, and I am in no mood to give you pleasure right now.”

  “But my pleasure will be yours.”

  He laughed softly. “If I punish you, it will be my way, and my pleasure.”

  His words made her shiver with anticipation. “I think you are right,” she said slowly, stroking his erection.

  He watched her with narrowed eyes. “About what?”

  “To have been jealous.”

  “Katherine,” his tone held a warning, “you’re playing with fire.”

  “Maybe I’d like to burn.”

  His face turned hard with desire, his shoulders tense, but he didn’t move.

  “I trust you,” she whispered. When he still didn’t react, she said, “This is my fantasy, Lann. Now, make it happen.”

  It was as if her last words were the magic ones that broke his silent spell. He moved fast, holding her down with his body while his hands went to her thong. With one movement, he jerked it to her knees. In the next, he hitched her dress up. Her breasts turned hard, reflecting the swollen need between her legs.

  Lann flipped her onto her stomach. He pushed down on her lower back with his palm, keeping her body in place, while she could hear him unfastening his belt and unzipping his pants. He opened her legs with his knee, and when she felt his hardness at the entrance of her soaked folds, she tensed. She wanted it so much.

  He bent over her. His lips brushed against her ear. “Like this, Katherine? Is this what you want?”

  God, yes. She wanted to be at his mercy. “No,” she said bravely, “this is too easy, too predictable, Lann. Surely you can do better than that?”

  He grabbed her wrists. “Like this?”

  Her body tightened in response. “Yes,” she whispered.

  But instead of continuing to stage her fantasy, he took her hands, intertwined their fingers, and stretched her arms above her head.

  His breath was hot on her cheek. “I won’t hurt you, krasavitsa, but remember, you asked for this.” He pressed forward, the head of his cock entering her. “Is this what you want? Tell me now.”

  “Will you punish me?” she said with a shaky breath, intensely aware of his cock stretching her, willing him to move.

  “Yes, bella, your fantasy will be mine.”

  “How?”

  “By withholding you from pleasure.”

  “That doesn’t sound like a punishment.”

  “No?” He kissed her naked back. “You will beg for it, that’s a promise.”

  “Yes, Lann, make me beg.”

  He groaned at her words, and as if that was his affirmation, pressed deeper. Her legs were trapped by her underwear, so she couldn’t open them for him. The resistance her folds gave from that closed pose made his penetration intense as he entered her, slow and gentle.

  “I want to fuck you out of your mind,” he said, his breath warm in her neck, “but it’s been a week.”

  He moved, but not enough.

  She whimpered. “Please, Lann.”

  “Did you miss me?” he whispered.

  “Ah.” She pushed her hips up, but he pulled back.

  “Did you miss me, krasavitsa?”

  Kat gritted her teeth. If this was his idea of punishment, it was working. This was torture. She couldn’t wait. “I did.”

  “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes,” she said, biting off the word with a breathless gasp when he inched forward again.

  And then he stopped. “How much?”

  “A lot.” Already she was panting.

  He gave her a little bit more and paused again. “Tell me, bella.”

  She tried to lift her hips to him again, but he pinned her down with his weight.

  “Tell me,” he said, trailing his tongue over the lobe of her ear.

  “I missed you, Lann. Please.”

  He moved leisurely, driving her crazy. She heard her own cries and moans and she couldn’t care that it was loud. He released her. His body lifted, and suddenly, he was gone. She turned in confusion to see him standing next to the bed, dressed only in his shirt. He yanked a pair of handcuffs from the bedside table.

  “Give me your wrists, Katherine.”

  Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

  “Giving you your fantasy. This is what you want, isn’t it?
”

  When she silently offered her arms, he took her hands, lifted them above her head and handcuffed her to the bed. Then he left the room.

  Kat had never been so turned on in her life. Waiting for Lann to return was eating at her nerves, though. Before her emotions ran out of control, Lann reentered with a travel bag. He sat down on the side of the bed, and removed two vibrators. She stared at him with huge eyes, her heart racing. Swiftly, he pulled her thong down and over her feet. He held it up, admiring the diamante detail, and threw it aside.

  “Open your legs,” he said.

  Instinctively, her knees locked together. He chuckled. He got up again, disappeared into his walk-in closet, and returned with two scarves. He grabbed hold of her ankles and tied each one to the foot-end of the bed. When he was done, she was spread-eagled, open and vulnerable for him.

  He stood back to look at her. “Prekrasnaya.”

  She had heard that word before, but then it was said with tenderness. Now, it sounded like a growl.

  He removed a tube from the bag and lubricated the thickest and longest of the two vibrators. He pushed it into her very slowly, inch by inch. It stretched her, but not as much as Lann’s cock, and she took it easily. When it was fully lodged inside, he switched it onto a low setting. The toy hummed inside of her, creating a pleasant heat that had more of her juices flowing and her muscles clenching in need.

  He kneeled between her legs to watch her, his eyes shining more golden. The pressure was building inside of her, too slow, not enough. The pleasure stretched and tightened, but the slow vibration only kept her hanging on the edge of a promise.

  “Oh God, please, Lann.”

  He picked up the second vibrator, a smaller model, and held it to her lips.

  “Lick it for me, Katherine.”

  She wanted to please him, anything just to stop the unhurried torture. Her tongue flicked out. As she licked around the crest, his expression changed. His muscles flexed.

  “Good girl.”

  He switched it on. It started vibrating gently. He regarded her as he pressed it lightly to her clit.

  She screamed. She tried to get closer, to push her body up, but he removed it, leaving her shaking with need.

  A few times, he increased the speed on the toy inside her body, bringing her close, only to cut it back down again, always keeping her hanging, alternating the torture with the feather-light pressure on her clit, until she thought she was going to lose her sanity.

  She couldn’t tell how long his game carried on, but it felt like forever. Perspiration made her skin slick. Tears of frustration pricked at the back of her eyes. She couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “Please,” she said, “just let me come.”

  “Tell me how much you missed me,” he said, bringing the toy close, but not close enough for her to press against it.

  “I missed you, Lann,” she said. Her breath hitched as he upped the speed of the vibrator inside of her.

  “Enough to let other men touch you while I was gone?”

  “I just needed a break,” she said, feeling her control slipping. “Please. I was just going dancing and coming home.”

  “I’m not convinced, bella.” He pulled away from her.

  “I fucking missed you like crazy, you bastard! How dare you go away for a whole week when we only have another two left?”

  Her shoulders shook. She was screaming, crying, she didn’t know which, but she had never felt so helpless, out of control, and frustrated in all of her life.

  He was on top of her in a flash. He pressed the toy hard against her aching nub, put it on maximum speed and gave her what she wanted. She convulsed, coming hard, the pleasure slamming into her like a sledgehammer.

  “Stop,” she begged, but he continued to press the torturous instrument against her exploding clit.

  Her body lifted off the bed, and when the peak of her release ebbed out, she crashed down, unable to stand the intensity of the prolonged orgasm. It carried on and on, rippling out from the center of her pelvis until her toes curled and she thought she would explode. Her screams continued to echo in his room until he released her, casting the object of torture aside. She was still riding the waves of her orgasm when he removed the vibrator from inside her and replaced it with his hard, pulsing cock.

  It took only a few seconds before he came, spurting his sperm into her with forceful thrusts. Kat basked in the feeling of him inside of her, his hands on her body, his mouth on her ear, whispering soothing words. He uncuffed her, and within a few minutes, she was asleep.

  Kat woke up in Lann’s arms. They were still in his bed.

  “Hey,” he said, touching her nose. He kissed her forehead, her eyes and her cheeks.

  “I didn’t enjoy that,” she said. “At least not the waiting part.”

  “You weren’t meant to. Punishment, remember? You asked for it.” His hands stroked down her back. “But the orgasm was supposed to make up for it.”

  She rested her head against his chest. “You do know how to give a girl an orgasm. Did it make you feel better?”

  “To see you come that hard?” He kissed her ear. “Yes, krasavitsa, it made me feel better.” He pushed her hair back to rub his palm over the curve of her shoulder.

  “What’s wrong?” he said gently when she didn’t speak for some time.

  “I’m still upset with you, Lann.”

  “Why? I thought we straightened it out.”

  She pushed away from him. “You gave me a damn ring that’s bugged.”

  “Katherine, it’s for your protection,” he said patiently. He took her hand and brushed his thumb over the ring. “The driver ... I’m not having you followed. I’m protecting you. I want to know where you are, every minute of every day.”

  “What do you do for a living, Lann?”

  “Many things,” he said evasively.

  “Is that why I’m in danger? Because you’re involved in ‘many things’?”

  “No, but I have many enemies.”

  Her heart went cold. “Did I put my life in danger by accepting this...” she searched for a word, “...agreement?”

  His expression was sad when he looked at her. “Probably.”

  His honesty shocked her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I can protect you.” He pressed her hand to his chest. “But I need to know where you are. That’s why you cannot remove the ring.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” she repeated.

  “I didn’t want to worry you.”

  She freed her hand from his grasp. “I had a right to know.”

  “And now you know,” he said softly.

  “What are you involved in Lann?” Tears blurred her vision.

  “Nothing.” He put his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

  “What?”

  “Drive me insane. If you want to go dancing, tell me, and I’ll take you.”

  She sighed. “I’m not going to waste energy debating the issue with you.”

  What was the point of trying to sort out their different viewpoints on the matter? They were going to split up in a few days anyway.

  It was his turn to sigh. “I’m exhausted. Just stay with me. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  That statement, coming from Lann, surprised her. She studied him more closely. He was clean-shaven, as usual, but lines of concern and dark circles marred his eyes.

  “Will you stay the night?” His voice was so hopeful, her heart melted.

  Lann had never spent a whole night with her. After sex, he cuddled her for long stretches, but always left to sleep alone. And they had never had sex in his bed before. It had always been in hers. And never in his den.

  “Yes,” she whispered, “I’ll stay.” She cuddled up to him. “Lann?”

  His arms tightened around her. “Yes, krasavitsa?”

  “Why haven’t we made love in the den?”

  He strained his neck to look at her. “When I showed
it to you, you gave me the impression you didn’t like the idea very much.”

  “What’s different about the den?”

  “It’s just for fucking. This, here,” he patted the bed, “is also for making love.”

  She didn’t want to think about the women he was going to fuck in his den, or the ones he had made love to in his bed.

  “It’s late. Let’s get some sleep, yes?” He kissed her hand, the one with the ring, and unbuttoned his shirt. When he pulled it from his torso, Kat’s eyes widened. A cry escaped her lips. He had long scratch marks over his chest. Deep ones. The skin on his ribs on the left side of his body was blue, and there was a cut on his shoulder, stitched up.

  Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh my God, Lann, what happened to you?”

  “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” he said, lying down on his back. “Come here.” He opened his arms.

  Kat didn’t hesitate. She put her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him so tightly that he exhaled sharply.

  “That hurts,” he said, his voice tainted with humor.

  She eased her grip, but didn’t let go. “It’s alright. You’re home now.”

  * * * *

  Kat woke at daybreak. Lann was already awake. His arms were still around her, and he was looking at her with a warm expression.

  He kissed her softly. “Sleep well?”

  In reply, she stretched in his arms. She suddenly remembered the scars, and pulled back the sheet to look at them. In daylight, they looked worse. The scratches over his chest reached from his shoulder all the way to his ribs. They were evenly spaced, as if cut by the tips of a claw, only a claw that big didn’t exist. What kind of weapon left such marks? Kat shuddered. The skin over his stomach was sliced too. The line was short, reaching over his navel. Tears built in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. What was Lann involved in?

  Her hand shook as she traced the wound on his taut stomach. His muscles quivered under her touch. When she lifted her eyes, she saw tenderness in his gaze.

  His thumb wiped a tear away. “I know it’s ugly. Don’t look, bella.”

  She wriggled from his embrace, moved her body down and kissed each cut. He groaned. It could have been from pain, so she kept her touch light, careful not to put pressure in her caresses. Lann kept perfectly still, lying on his back with his hands next to him on the bed, his palms down, while she soothed him by pressing her lips on his torso and injured shoulder.