avoided you so much.”
“You’ve had this problem before?” She traced a vein with her finger.
“Every time I saw you. Or heard your beautiful siren voice.”
She noticed a drop of fluid seeping from the top. “You’re wet, too.” She touched the drop and smoothed it over the head.
He gritted his teeth. “You’re torturing me.”
“Good. That’s what you get for avoiding me all those years.”
He pushed her onto her back, and his blue eyes gleamed with intensity. “Playtime is over.”
Her heart lurched into a fast rhythm. “Then take me.”
He settled between her legs and pulled her knees up. “Wrap your legs around me.”
She did, drawing in a shaky breath when she felt his manhood pressing against her. “I-I always thought it would be like animals with you taking me from behind.”
“We’ll do that, too.”
“We will?”
He nodded. “We can do whatever we like.” He eased himself inside a little bit. “But for now, I want to see your face when I take you.”
She swallowed hard. It was beginning to hurt, but she didn’t want him to stop.
He paused. “I’m causing you pain. I can see it in your eyes.”
She cradled his face in her hands. “I can handle it. I can do anything as long as you love me.”
Tears glimmered in his beautiful blue eyes. “I do love you. More than I can say.”
“Then show me.”
He reached down to fondle her sensitive spot, and when she was writhing with pleasure, he plunged inside her.
She gasped. There had been a sharp pain, but it quickly subsided as she felt a glorious sensation of fullness. He was inside her. Brody inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”
When he began to move, she moaned from the intense pleasure. It was too much, and yet she wanted more. More. Soon, he was pushing deeper and faster, and she felt a fire consuming them both, making them frantic. With a hoarse cry, he pumped into her, emptying his seed, and the wonder of it all sent her over the edge.
As the throbbing slowly subsided, she clung to him, never wanting to let him go. He rolled onto his side, still holding her.
“You’re mine now,” he whispered.
With a sigh of satisfaction, she cuddled up against him. “Silly man, I was always yours.”
“Did you just call your future husband silly?”
She looked up at him. “Did you just propose to me?”
“Do you really think I could ever let you go?”
She smiled. “There’s no escaping from me. I’ve already proven that I’ll cross an ocean to find you.”
He smoothed a hand up and down her back. “Maeve.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to leave now, but I must.”
“Why?”
“Leo and Rupert have arrived at the Isle of Moon with their naval forces.”
She sat up. “Already? How can you know?”
“The birds are keeping Bettina informed. The elfin navy is also on its way. The battle could happen today, so I need to preserve all the time I can for my true form.”
So he would be able to fight the Chameleon and her mother. Maeve swallowed hard. “It will happen today?”
He sat up. “I think so. But first I need to fly to Luna to see Leo and Rupert, so we can coordinate our plans.”
“I understand.”
He touched her cheek. “Try to get some sleep while I’m gone.”
She winced. “If you’re up all night, you’ll be too tired when the battle—”
“I’ll be fine.” He kissed her brow. “Sleep well.”
She watched him as he opened a window, then shifted into an eagle. “Be careful,” she whispered as he flew into the night sky.
* * *
In the royal cabin of his flagship, Leo was having trouble sleeping. His mind kept going over his meeting with Rupert, Queen Esther, and her admiral and naval captains, when they had discussed the upcoming battle. Since her navy was accustomed to standard warfare, they had wanted to stick to tried-and-true strategies. It had taken a while for him and Rupert to convince them that the upcoming battle would be far from normal.
Queen Esther had agreed with them, reminding her officers that the Sea Witch, Cahira, could blow up ships. Also, they would be encountering an army of eight soldiers with supernatural powers. Certainly, some of them were young, but a bolt of lightning was just as dangerous from a youngster as from a seasoned warrior. Leo knew that all too well. He’d accidentally killed his nanny at the age of six.
Another problem was that they didn’t know for sure what Brody and Nevis were planning. Silas had offered to locate