The Brat Page 0,109

then Balan bent to trail kisses down her throat. Moaning, she turned her head to the side to give him better access, but stilled as she caught the flash of lightning in the sky. Thunder rolled right behind it, and alarm claimed her. The storm was close.

Tugging free of Balan's hold, she grabbed his hand and turned to run through the trees, pulling him behind her. She thought she heard him ask where she was going, but another roll of thunder drowned out the question, and then they were at the tree she wanted. She'd spotted it earlier as she'd looked for an ash. Tugging him under the safety of its branches, she turned and threw her arms around him, seeking the warmth of his body again.

"What - ?" Balan asked, glancing around with bewilderment, obviously not understanding why this tree would be better than the last.

" 'Tis an elder," she explained. " 'Tis safer. Lightning never strikes elders. 'Tis the wood they made the cross - " Balan cut off her explanation with a kiss, his body herding hers against the tree. She could feel him still hard and hot against her thigh, and she sighed into his mouth, her breasts pressing eagerly against him. They kissed. His hands caught the soft orbs of her breasts and kneaded gently, and then he broke away to suckle at one as his hand slid between her legs. Finding her warm and wet for him, he left off her breast and kissed her again as he carried her down to the ground.

Murie felt the cool, dry earth beneath her back, and then his warm body pressed down on her, and he used a knee to urge her legs apart. She opened for him at once, clutching at his arms in anticipation and then arching and crying out as he entered her. All the excitement and passion he'd stirred earlier in the field of clover was immediately back, her body humming with eagerness and desire as she drew up her knees to cradle him, and she pressed her feet flat to the earth to be able to push upward and meet his thrusts.

The storm raged as they made love, their passion meeting nature's fury and surpassing it. Murie felt the familiar tension drawing tight within her, and then Balan caught her ankles and drew them up to hook them over his shoulders. He then leaned forward so that he rested against the backs of her legs and his hands were free to touch her. He squeezed and caressed her breasts, then continued to fondle with one hand while the other dropped lower to touch her again.

Murie cried out and covered his hand at her breast, clutching at it as her hips danced against him. Then the tension broke, a dam allowing the floodwaters to flow, and she screamed as her body convulsed. Balan thrust into her one more time, and then he cried out as well, his body stiffening against hers as he spilled his seed into her.

"The storm has passed."

"Mmmm," Murie murmured, and opened her eyes to see that the sky was now clearing and late afternoon sunshine was pouring down, though it wasn't reaching them where they lay under the elder tree. She turned to peer at her husband and offered a smile as she rested her chin on her hand on his chest. He'd rolled them so that he was on the bottom immediately after they'd finished making love, leaving her to rest in comfort above, Balan smiled back, his hand lifting to catch and caress her bottom. Then his eyebrows drew together with concern. "You are cold."

"Only my back," she assured him with a grin. "My front is very warm indeed. You are better than a fire, husband." He chuckled and sat up, forcing her to let her legs slide to the side so that she sat up as well, straddling him, her body sliding over his. The surprise on his face told her there had been no intent behind the action, but now that they were in this position, his hands slid to her waist and he kissed her. Murie moaned into his mouth as she felt him grow hard against her.

"We need to dress," he muttered.

"Aye," she agreed, her fingers sliding over his shoulders, then scraping into his hair. Balan moaned as her nails dragged across his skull, and then both of them stiffened at the sound of a distant shout. They broke apart and peered at