A Cascade of Moments (The Fae Souls Book 2) Read online

  “Perhaps it is at that,” Sorcha agreed, her hand still warm in mine.

  I wasn’t worried about the Prince though. We’d known each other for years, and he’d shown nothing but respect for the fact Sorcha and I made each other happy. Wherever he was, I could only hope he was alright, just as I hoped we would be in here.

  “I think I’m ready to go down to help with the shield now,” she told me. “That’s if you are?”

  I nodded and together we made our way downstairs.

  It felt unsafe walking into the open beneath the golden-shielded sky, speckled with flashes of red and tendrils of black, as we made our way toward our destination. We’d been outside on the balcony, but there was no suite to easily retreat to here. The day was otherwise fine – it smelled vaguely of peach trees, though I thought I detected a hint of smoke mixed with their gentler aroma, as if the spells shattering above scorched the air and left a vague taint that even the island’s magic couldn’t entirely dispel.

  There were very few people out. They seemed to either be laying low in the mansion, or in the case of guards or staff, tending to their duties. I knew the sorcerers were lending their energy to the shield at the guard post near the docks, so they could coordinate their efforts. It wasn’t a long walk, but I wasn’t prepared for the scope of the attack as I approached the shield’s edge. The shield was covered in tendrils of dark magic, trying to sap the energy out of it. Fireballs struck the surface, propelled from ships at anchor, which drifted in the air no more than fifty metres from the shield’s edge. There was a noticeable trembling of the ground here whenever a powerful spell struck the shield. It was a horrifying sight, but the play of flames over the shield’s surface was also beautiful in its way.

  The sailing ships were massive, though sleek – painted silver and white, and created to traverse the air instead of water. The fluttering of the sails was soundless at a distance, but they were an imposing sight. They were of a similar size to the King’s own ship, which was docked just inside the shield. There were three of them, and at a distance I could just make out figures on the decks – some appeared human, but others were more twisted and animalistic. Sorcerers on deck propelled blasts of magic against the shield, while others armed the massive cannons.

  “Airships!” Sorcha exclaimed fearfully.

  We quickly made our way on to the docks and ran down to where a crowd of people were gathered near the simple, square building that was the guard post. I recognised a few faces but most were unfamiliar to me – or rather, they felt familiar, but I couldn’t place their names. No one was performing magic at first, but as I watched, fae among the group sent up streams of golden light that flickered almost like dancing fireflies until they joined with the shield and reinforced its strength. It was a beautiful sight to watch.

  “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, Celina. Are you alright waiting a while?”

  I nodded. “That’s fine, Sorcha.” I glanced out over the island’s edge and the sight beyond, and found it both fascinating and disconcerting that I could be so calm when a threat lurked right there on the other side of the shield. “I’ll wait for as long as you need me to.”

  There was a bench at the guard post, and there I waited, watching as Sorcha drew on her magic and projected a golden strand of light that grew in strength and beauty as it wound its way up to the shield. It was a side of Sorcha I hadn’t seen before and I liked it.

  I’d called her a witch a few times when she was being difficult, which felt ironic now. I loved her so much, and while I liked that she helped in our protection, the fact she was so close to the attacking force unnerved me. I wanted to help keep her safe – more than anything – and even though I’d long avoided the idea, I couldn’t help but think she might be safest in the mortal world. I just wasn’t sure if it would mean the loss of our relationship and love. The possibility of a lifetime spent apart was something I feared, but I would feel better knowing we’d be together again in some way. If one of us died here, it would mean the end for us.

  I felt tears sting my eyes, but the beauty of everyone working together to strengthen the shield wasn’t lost on me. They were trying to save us all, and so I tried too. I don’t know if I ever had magical reserves, but I tried to draw on mine. Nothing happened, of course – it would probably take a lot more practice than I’d had, but it felt important that I try.

  I don’t know how long we were there, but it felt like hours. Eventually Sorcha found me, and took my hand.

  “You look tired, sweetheart. Like you’ve run a marathon,” I told her, and she gave me a wan smile.

  “I feel like it, but it’s just magical energy. It will replenish with time. There’s nothing more I can do here for now, so we can head back when you’re ready.”

  I gave her a nod and we left hand in hand.

  “Why didn’t you tell me –about the magic?” I asked her, not wanting to make her feel bad over it but I was curious to hear her answer.

  “I don’t know,” she said uncertainly. “I guess I was still figuring it out and with the memories of that sorcerer who tried to hurt me, I wasn’t quite sure about whether it was a good thing. If it helps us hold back the unseelie, it is.”

  “I think I understand, and I agree that it’s likely a good thing,” I told her reassuringly.

  We returned to our suite in the mansion and locked the door, also placing a chair behind it for added security. I could’ve returned to the garrison, but for now there was nothing for me to do there, so I stayed here with her. I was feeling restless, like I wanted to bring some resolution to this situation so that I didn’t feel so vulnerable and unsure, but there was no quick answer. We had to ride it out and take it step by step.

  ***

  The day passed quickly, despite our worries and anticipation of what might come to pass.

  There were several hard blasts that shook the ground beneath us as they impacted the shield above, but it had held. Sorcha had bemoaned the fact it would take time for her magical reserves to replenish again. They were nothing like the level of power the unseelie brought to bear against the shields, but every little helped, and there was only so much we could do. At this stage it was a waiting game.

  We rested on the soft covers of our bed, which held a slight, reassuring scent of jasmine. Sorcha liked the aroma, and so Jacqueline always fragranced it for us.

  I played with Sorcha’s long, dark hair as we lay close together, and I knew I needed her. I didn’t want to think about this war – or whatever it was – I wanted only the feeling of her lips on mine, and the touch of her soft skin, and for both of us to feel safe and loved in each other’s arms. The world could take care of itself for a while, but me – I wanted to take care of Sorcha.

  Caressing her hair softly, my fingers snagged on a slight tangle and she gasped. It was a little less gentle than I’d been, and I leaned in to kiss her lips heatedly. Her hand came up to cup my chin, and I let her, as I claimed kiss after needful kiss from her warm mouth, and gazed into her loving eyes, before my own closed in bliss.

  I’d left my sword by the bed, so its presence wasn’t a concern as I climbed over Sorcha. Her dark silken hair flowed around her shoulders as I settled atop her, both of us still fully-clothed.

  I didn’t know if there would be a battle ahead, but if I could choose any way to spend tonight, it would be like this with her.

  Sorcha seemed to have the same idea. She grinned as we kissed, showing me her passionate side.

  My desire for her deepened, and I slid my hands up under either side of her skirt, and pushed it over her hips.

  I liked the white, embroidered cotton top and skirt she wore. They were soft to the touch, and their design offered an enticing blend of virginal and skimpy. I wore a simply-tailored orange dress, which was a lot like the pink one I’d worn when I first arrived at Insley Island. It was plain but comfortable, and as Sorcha had said more than once, matched my red hair.

  I smiled as I relieved Sorcha of her pretty
top. It occurred to me as I enjoyed the sight of her lacy bra that we should perhaps have worn clothes that didn’t stand out from the surroundings of the island quite so much. I decided to mention it to her later, as I caressed the swell of her breasts through her white lace bra.

  “Mmmm, I love it when you touch me like that,” she whispered, and I enjoyed her response as I reached around to free her of her bra.

  Sorcha lifted her back slightly off the bed, causing her silken hair to shift behind her.

  I gently kissed the underside of her throat, as I pulled the catch of her bra open. I heard her chuckle as I pulled the bra away, baring her lovely breasts to me, and I leaned down to place soft kisses between them.

  “Oh Celina, that’s so good,” she gasped, smiling.

  “It’s wonderful, and so are you,” I told her, softly kissing her nipples, then tenderly licking them, which drew a moan from the beautiful Sorcha.

  I stopped for a moment to remove my dress, just by pulling it over my head, as it had clung loosely to my curves, and then I focused my attention solely on my tempting lover.

  She pulled at my bra strap, as I began to rub her through the front of her panties.

  “That feels so amazing,” she told me, her eyes sparkling with mischief, “but incredibly frustrating too.”

  I giggled at that, and then climbed off her, so I could better reach Sorcha and remove more of her clothing.

  Her panties were similar to her lace bra – the same soft, stretchy fabric, which she wore so elegantly. I pulled them off her, and I admired her beauty, as she lay naked for me on the bed.

  I caressed my fingers down over her stomach and lower – around her belly button, over her sex, all the way down to her thighs.

  Sorcha’s back arched against the covers as I touched her in some of her most sensitive places.

  I could tell she wanted to know what I’d do, and soon she would have her answer.

  First I would undress myself. I removed my bra, which was pink satin, and my panties, which were white and didn’t match at all. Moving closer to her side, I wrapped my arm around her waist, and then drew her against me – side by side, so our bodies touched.

  She seemed to like my assertiveness, and I think it was because it served as a reminder that she was mine.

  I loved the way she felt, and my fingers gently stroked the arch of her back, as I kissed my way down her throat and over her shoulder. They were the softest of kisses – feather-light to the touch.

  I felt her nuzzle my bare neck as she kissed me there too.

  As I held her, I realised my mind had wandered from the concerns of the world outside, despite the flashes of light through the curtains, as there had been before.

  Once again, I let myself drift back into this softer, gentler world that only Sorcha and I shared. I indulged in her as we kissed, and I caressed and lavished loving kisses on her softly-rounded breasts. I stroked down over her belly button and lower, and I felt her fingers slide into my hair as I began to tease her sensitive sex.

  “Oh, you sure know how to drive me crazy,” Sorcha whimpered, opening her legs wider for me.

  I took that as my cue and lowered my head to gently lick her, as I listened to her sudden murmurs of pleasure. Stroking her thighs softly, I pressed my tongue inside of her sex, licking her there with wild abandon.

  She squirmed on the bed as I tongue-fucked her, gasping in joy and pleasure for me.

  I held her legs firmly in place as I thrust into her with my warm tongue, and teased the inner folds of her sex, which I knew were incredibly sensitive. She seemed to enjoy my licking, and I felt her tremble as I began to suck softly on her clit.

  Her body was a temple to me and she was my goddess. I loved giving her pleasure, because she always made me feel incredible too.

  I slid a finger inside of her, and then gazed up at her – I couldn’t quite see into her eyes, as I continued to pleasure her clit. I revelled in the sound of her erotic moans, and I began to thrust harder with my finger the more she pressed against it. I slipped in another finger, so there were two, and continued to suck on and lick her clit all the while.

  I grinned as I felt her more firmly grab my hair, using it to guide me as I licked her. Sorcha liked being dominated, but she seldom let me get away with it for long before she tried to take control.

  “Shit that feels good. Keep going, please don’t stop,” she begged.

  I had no intention of stopping, but I considered trying it one day, just to see what she’d do. She often begged me not to stop at moments like this. She was so aroused that she writhed. I licked her all the way until she moaned hard beneath me. I was gentle but firm in the way I finger-fucked her, and I knew she was going to come before she told me so.

  “I’m getting close, Celina. Please… oh yesssss!”

  She cried out hard as she came on my fingers, squirming in ecstasy.

  I continued licking her until her pleasure grew so intense it overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t take it anymore.

  Sorcha pushed my head away because she couldn’t handle anymore licks.

  She writhed on the bed as I withdrew my fingers, and I behaved myself while she recovered from her orgasm. She was glowing with happiness as she pulled me down beside her, and we lay there for a long time just gazing into each other’s eyes and cuddling.

  They were such sweet moments and I revelled in them. I felt like they restored some part of me that had felt broken or preoccupied with worries over the unseelie.

  I felt her fingers of one hand lace with mine, and then she knelt up beside me, gazing at me all the while with her beautifully-soft, mischievous, hazel eyes.

  Her long hair tickled my bare skin as she leaned down to kiss me, while the fingers of her free hand swept lightly along my arm. I felt the path of her long, meticulously-painted magenta nails, as they teased me. It reminded me of the slightest brush of a cat’s claws.

  Sorcha didn’t scratch me; she was more careful and deliberate than that. She had magic now too.

  My mind couldn’t help going to that place where I wondered if it could be used to enhance her pleasure or mine, but it wasn’t my only thought. It was interesting to discover this different facet of her nature, or self. We’d been together for a long time, but Sorcha had many layers to her personality, and she never failed to enchant me. If the Prince had once loved her, as she suggested he had – and still might, I could see why. I hoped that wherever he was, he was safe – both for the sake of his wellbeing and because I didn’t want to see Sorcha hurt.

  I was drawn from more serious thoughts and reveries back into the moment as the lovely Sorcha settled in beside me and began to teasingly lick my breasts. I had no hope of maintaining my other train of thought once she did that, and I watched her with lustful desire as I felt the warm, erotic swirling of her tongue. She made me feel so good, and more than that, I felt like she brought out a side of me that made the world beautiful.

  I played with a stray tendril of her dark hair as I felt her arm slide over me and she leaned over me to kiss my other breast. I groaned, enjoying the incredible feelings she evoked in me, just as she was incredible herself.

  My Sorcha – Gods how I desired her.

  She let my hand go as she knelt up and lavished warm, tempting kisses along my side and down toward my hip. She placed small bites there, which she seemed to enjoy inflicting on me – marking me as hers. I gave her a playful swat on the behind.

  Sorcha leaned over, grinned at me, and told me firmly, “no.”

  I giggled, and let her explore my body in her own time and in her own way. I enjoyed every tempting lick, bite, and kiss, and the way her nails often dug in, just a little, when I felt her fullest kisses.

  “Are you tickling me?” I asked her with amusement, feeling the way the ends of her hair danced over a certain sensitive region.

  She chuckled, “not at all,” but the humour in her voice made me wonder if it had been ‘accidentally on purpose’.

  “I
’d enjoy any part of you there,” I told her.

  I grinned as I felt her start to finger me. The pleasure was immediate and strong, and I pressed toward her hand instinctively, wanting to feel her finger in deeper.

  “Be patient. I’ll do more in time,” she promised me, and she pressed her finger in slowly but with great care.

  “Now is a time,” I told her, “and any time with you makes me happy.”

  With a smile, she whispered to me, “I’ll give it to you when I’m good and ready.”

  I felt her penetrate me with a second finger, and I gasped, enjoying the greater sense of pleasure she gave me.

  “What do you know? That time might be now,” she murmured, her eyes glittering lustfully as she began to firmly thrust with her fingers.

  I gazed up at her lovingly, tempting her to pleasure me more. She knew how much I craved it, or at least she had to see it.

  Sorcha pressed me back fully against the bed with her free hand, and placed soft kisses along the inside of my thighs.

  “I like the sound of now,” I gasped, as I felt her nip my thigh. I heard her cackle – not giggle, and then without warning, she began to lick me.

  My pleasure was exquisite, just like the lady I loved.

  She slammed her fingers into my sensitive sex, as I felt her warm tongue tease and pleasure me. She felt wonderful, and we must’ve been quite a sight with her poised above me, licking me toward ecstasy.

  She was so lovely and erotic that watching her aroused me all the more. I burned the sight of her into my memory, because I didn’t know what tomorrow might bring. The sight of her made me feel so warm and wonderful, and loved. I clasped the covers on the bed, my back arching beneath her as my pleasure grew and blossomed with intensity. My moans cut through the near-silence of the room, a sensual counterpoint to her soft lapping and the light rustle of the blankets beneath us. I loved every moment of pleasure she gave me. It felt like a beautiful gift to me.