STORY EXCERPT

“I was not a gift possessed here,” he said holding out his hand. “But here.” He lifted his palm to his head and then lowered it to his heart. “She owned me, and I would have done anything for her. I now belong unquestioningly to you. The only difference is that I love you.”

The idea of having such an exquisite man belonging so completely to her was beyond dreams. Lane had always dated nondescript men with mediocre personalities. The relationships never lasted very long, and she rarely slept with any of them. As she considered him, the idea was slightly intimidating, and she had an overwhelming need to change the subject. Holding up her foot, she asked, “Do I get shoes?”

“No. You simply walk with a subconscious belief that the ground will always be soft and safe beneath your feet.” She wasn’t sure if he was kidding or serious, but when he took her hand and led her outside, Lane had her answer. The dirt beneath her soles shifted, and Lane stopped, standing in horror. It was a short-lived emotion as Vicca smiled at her. “What’s wrong?”

“The ground is moving.”

“So?”

“Okay, why is the ground moving?”

“There are many things within the soil that move. Worms and bugs constantly move. Debris crumbles and shifts, stones move so they won’t hurt your feet. Have you never walked barefoot before?”

“Of course I have. I have just never felt the ground move before.”

He tilted his head in understanding. “You now possess Pawn’s power, and your entire body will be more in tune with nature. I will explain the connection in more complete detail later. It is too extensive to go into right now. I would be interested in what other unusual things you encounter as we walk. I have felt these things all my life and never found them odd.”

Lane lifted her foot, looking down at the soil in the bright moonlight. She had felt something crawl or maybe slither beneath her sole, but there was nothing to see. Vicca knelt and put his palm to the ground and then smiled up at her. “It was an earthworm, probably a foot or so down.”

“How do you know that?”

He grasped her hand, urging her to kneel. Vicca put her palm to the soil. “Do you feel it?”

“Yes. It feels like it is slithering in my palm.”

“Okay. Worms or snakes slither. Snakes are usually above ground, but not always. Can you feel its size?”

Lane concentrated. “It feels fat, about the circumference of my pinky, and about two inches long.”

“I got the same impression. Now think about your palm against the soil and where the worm is. If you tune into the distance rather than the worm’s movement, you will find that he is nowhere near the surface.”

Doing as he instructed, she focused on the sensation directly below her skin. The soil held millions of tiny, stone granules, softened by minuscule particles of decaying debris. Her mind carried her deeper, small stones scattered beneath the surface, unseen by human eyes. Deeper and she felt the earthworm, its body cool and slippery as it maneuvered past a root. Lane gasped and looked up at Vicca. “I felt it. All of it. The dirt, the stones, the roots, the earthworm. That was amazing.”

He chuckled with her and then nodded in approval. “That is exactly what you are supposed to feel. Now you have to teach yourself to tone down the sensations unless you want or need to feel them.”

“How do I do that?”

“You walk and get used to the feeling below your feet. Concentrate on muting what you feel.”

“I’m certainly glad that my mind can multitask, because it’s going to need to.”

“Good point.” He took her hand and led her forward.

Lane found that with each progressive step, she was trying not to step on something. There were worms, some with hundreds of legs tickling her skin, others with segmented bodies, thin, tiny ones, and fat ones. Some she could identify like earthworms and slugs, but others she had no idea what they were. There were also insects, some with hard shells, and others with soft shells, wings, feelers, pinchers. Each time her foot hit the soil, a range of different sensations washed into her mind. Her toes hit the dirt, and she screeched, hopping to the side. A small spotted salamander glared at her, indignation in its gaze. Lane sagged. “Can you please carry me?”

Vicca couldn’t help but laugh. Her complete and utter dismay at the things he took for granted was endearing. Pawn had always been so confident about her place in life. Lane was more unsure and it made him feel as if he was truly needed. He swept her into his arms. “I’m sorry, but that was funny. It was his own fault for not paying attention. Your presence is quite notable.”

“Whose fault and why?”

“The salamander’s fault and you are being so careful with each step that concern is radiating off your body. Any animal within a hundred feet who is paying attention will be warned of your presence. Remind me to never take you hunting.”

“I would rather you got me a pair of shoes.”

“Trust me, you will get used to it. For the moment, it will be far faster for me to carry you.”

Lane pursed her lips at the chagrinned expression on his face and put her arms tightly around his neck. “This is much better.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Vicca pushed her hair back and then ran his palm down her cheek. He trailed his fingers down her throat and then knelt beside her, drawing her nipple into his mouth. The pressure of his lips seemed to stream down her body, bolts of hot, watery energy weaving their way through her flesh, condensing as angry butterflies to flit into her vagina and remain there, flapping their wings against her inflamed nerve endings. The sensation was agonizing, creating a need so great that it flashed in her brain like a huge neon sign.

“Problem?” asked Vicca in a tone bordering on cocky.

“No, why?”

“Do you not realize that you are grinding your ass into the bed?”

Lane had been so lost to the oblivion descending over her that no, she hadn’t realized. “Why are you making me insane tonight?”

“Ah, the question I was waiting for. You should have asked it before you agreed to let me tie you up. We joined our power to protect the house. For the next twelve hours or so, until that physical connection fades, everything we do together will be amplified. In essence, our nerve endings are oversensitive in response to one another. I have been through this before and I have some control over it. You haven’t.”

The ramifications of his explanation were insane. “Oh shit. So you are literally going to torment me until I scream?”

“Yes, and I have it on your honor that you will not try to break the bindings that hold you.”

“I presume that you understand that overstimulation has the potential to become painful?”

“I didn’t say that I wasn’t going to make you climax. I just intend to make it very intense and make it last as long as possible. My body is not made of steel.” His warm, strong hands drifted down her stomach and up her leg. He was lightly massaging Lane’s skin as he moved, and she began to feel dizzy from the touch.

“Vicca, am I supposed to be dizzy?”

“Am I making you dizzy?”

“I think so.”

He chuckled and stood, taking something from the drawer and walking around the bed to lie down. Shifting forward, he slid his tongue between the fold in her skin, stopping at her lobe and giving it a firm lick. Waggling his head, he sat up, crossing his legs and spinning to face her. She was surprised when he folded his body in half, holding her lips wide with one hand as he began to slide his tongue up and down over her raised flesh. Something touched her opening, not the warmth of his fingers, but something hard and slightly chilled. He pushed it slowly into her, and Lane cried out, her jaws open wide as the air was taken from her lungs. She involuntarily shifted against the intrusion, and Vicca turned it slowly, filling her with the slightly flexible, extremely silky object that Lane had to think was a dildo. It flowed in and out of her flesh, his tongue stroking her, the spasms growing stronger and stronger as he quickened the pace and then pulled the toy from her, leaning back and placing it on her mound. Vicca crossed his arms, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Lane sagged, panting for air as she stared at him. She bounced her ass against the bed, the indescribable itch of denied climax making her insane. “Come on, Vicca.”

“I want it to be spectacular. Cool off a bit, and then I will start again. Do you want a drink?” He twirled his body, slipping off the bed and walking into the bathroom. He returned with a glass of water, holding her head up and putting it to her lips. Lane’s mouth was parched, and she drank greedily. Vicca waited until she finished and then set the glass on the table. He knelt, kissing her gently this time, his tongue soft and inviting in her mouth. She returned the kiss greedily, and when he pulled back, she groaned.

The fire in her flesh had burned down slightly, but the flame was far from going out. Vicca ran his finger over the sole of her foot. “Move your feet. Any pins and needles or pain in your legs or ankles?”

“No.”

“Good.” Kneeling just below her ass, he leaned over her and began to lap at her breasts.

Lane could see his arms flexing as he balanced on them, the muscles calling to her in a way she had never imagined. She wanted to stroke his silky skin, feel the slight prickle of the hair on his muscular arms. The feel of his body against her stomach was intensely warm, and the constant shift of his moving abdominal muscles was infuriating. His tongue was like a physical creature, caressing her, licking her with a wetness so intense her nipples felt as if they were going to disconnect from her breast to do a dance of joy. The fabric of his jeans was grinding against her mound, the contact shifting her tiny, swollen lobe and making her feel as if angry waves were crashing inside her groin, the muscles twitching and jumping with sensation.

“Vicca, you are making me crazy.”

He chuckled, the vibration of the gesture sinking into her breast as if he had inserted a vibrator into her chest. The need to touch him became uncontrollable, and despite her promise, Lane thrashed against the restrains, fighting the silk to tear her hands free.