A Veil of Secrets Page 20

  Wings twitching, he rolled his shoulders. “What will you tell him?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I shoved him aside and exited the tent.

  Asher had no tent assigned to him. He might have joined the guards in their communal tent, but I bet he would crave solitude until the sting of my rejection—for that must be how it seemed—eased.

  I decided to check the spot where he had sheltered Edan. It was far enough to give him peace, and I wouldn’t mind exchanging words with him in private either.

  The spot must hold some sentimental value to him if he had remembered it and returned there.

  Since becoming a permanent resident of Beltania, I had taken to wearing a light cloak Pascale had woven for me over my dresses. It hid my wings and let people see me as myself. Not as a harbinger. At least, that was what I told myself. It was hard enough to keep my head held high.

  Besides, the cloak would save my hide if we had guests unused to living with a tame harbinger.

  She had woven Edan a cloak as well, but he refused to accept any gift, no matter how small, from her.

  For some clans, such gifts spoke of the giver’s intent. While I doubted the Araneidae resorted to such trickery to secure their mates, Edan was unwilling to take a chance. Flat refusal was his stance.

  A carpet of pine needles crunched underfoot as I wound my way through the trees.

  On the river’s shore, I found Asher gazing at the pinks and purples warming the evening sky.

  He must have heard me tromping through the woods. I had made no effort to quiet my approach.

  When he didn’t turn or greet me, I decided I would begin. “I opened the box.”

  I left out the part where Edan had crushed it first.

  Asher kept silent for the longest time. “What did you think?”

  “Of the cuff?” I held it out to catch the last rays of the sun. “It’s beautiful.”

  He turned his head. “Do you know what the cuff symbolizes?”

  “Marriage?”

  “Commitment.”

  I eased closer. “Was this your mother’s?”

  “It was.” He faced me. “My father’s grandfather purchased it from the Hall of Artisans in Erania while he was courting his future wife. It was passed down through our family for generations until Father gave it to Mother. When he passed, she kept possession of it for the day I—or one of my brothers—claimed a wife. There is a stipulation, you see. A gold price must be paid to the female who surrenders it. No male within our family can marry until that price is met and the cuff given to a new wife of our line.”

  “None of your brothers married?” It struck me I had no idea how many he had or their ages.

  “Two live with their common-law wives.” His lips thinned. “They lack the means, and the drive to get the means, to purchase the cuff from Mother. While Mimetidae standards are lax compared to Salticidae vows, living together as they do, for as long as they have, with no plans of cementing their bonds, is still an insult dealt to their females.” He crossed his arms. “I want a wife. I want those ties.”

  The metal felt heavier in my hand. “Will any wife do?”

  “I think you understand me.” He shrugged. “I’m not a very subtle male.”

  I stared at him. “Perhaps I want to hear the words instead of assuming what your intentions are.”

  “What is left to say?” He rubbed the base of his neck. “I haggled with my mother for you.”

  “What you endured at Lailah’s hands changed you. How could it not?” I closed the gap between us. “You have experienced the loss of control over yourself, and you fear putting another person in a position where they might go against their wishes to honor yours. But you have to understand that to ask a question is to get an answer. Even the hard questions must be asked. It might make one or both parties uncomfortable, but it is not you imposing your will. You are allowing the freedom of choice.”

  The edge of his lips curled. “Should I beat on my chest now and yell nothing frightens me?”

  “If that is what makes you feel better.” I rolled my shoulders. “Who am I to judge?”

  “I want to fall asleep with you beside me and wake next to you, Marne. Every day. Until our days end. I want you to marry me. I will wait, if you need more time, but I am resolved.” He dragged his gaze to mine. “Will you marry me?”

  I tapped my pointer against my lips, pretending to consider his offer. “I’m not sure.”

  The shine left his eyes, and I felt wretched for being the cause.

  A final step put us chest to chest, and I stared up at him. “There is one more consideration.”

  His brow creased. “What might that be?”

  I fisted his lapels and let the blackness of his gaze swallow me. “I have to know—”

  His head bent to mine. “To say I love you is to remark that there are stars in the sky.”

  “Surely it wasn’t that obvious.” I rubbed my soft cheek against his coarser one.

  “If your brother’s not-so-subtle threats to break my hands, legs and neck are to be believed, then I think you must have been the only one in doubt as to my affections.” Asher was smiling at me now.

  I nipped his throat and relished his shiver. “What if I demand proof?”

  His hands smoothed down my arms. “Aren’t you holding the proof?”

  I planted my hand on his chest, trailing my fingers lower, over the hard muscles of his abdomen. Asher’s breath shuddered at my ear. My nails slid past the closure of his pants, down the laces until I traced the length of his erection. His exhales were deafening, his grip on my arms almost painful.

  “Ah,” I said softly. “Now I am holding the proof.”

  He groaned when my fingers closed around him through the fabric. “Marne.”

  “Shh.” I dropped to my knees before him, lengthened my claws and cut through the laces of his pants. His hands tangled in my hair while I tugged the fabric down past his thighs. “Let me do this.”

  My breath hit his flush skin, and his moan brought my gaze to his. Asher stared into my eyes when I took him in my mouth.

  His taste was salty sweat and clean skin. He smelled of soap and leather. Intoxicating.

  His thighs quivered when I raked them lightly with my nails.

  I savored his pleasure, humming my approval when his hips started rocking.

  “Not enough,” he said quietly before sliding his hands under my arms, hauling me onto my feet. His dark eyes glinted in the dying light. “I need more.” His mouth crushed mine. “Your tent or—”

  I groaned into our kiss. The city was so far and… “Edan lives next door.”

  While his lips brushed my temple, trailing down my cheek and across my jaw, I solved the problem.

  I tugged at the intricate pin holding my cloak together. It hit the ground, and I let my wings stretch after their confinement. While Asher watched them, I reached for the next pin, the one holding my dress together at the shoulder. I removed it, and the material puddled at my bare feet.

  A flush stole across his cheeks. He trailed his knuckle from my collarbone down to my breast. My nipples pearled, and I arched my back, inviting his touch. He accepted, cupping my breast in his palm, smoothing his thumb over the sensitive tip. He bent his head, put his mouth on me, swirled his tongue around that aching point and my vision blurred. I murmured his name as his teeth grazed me.

  When his other hand drifted lower, gooseflesh raced over my skin. He splayed his hand across my abdomen, drifting lower until his fingers parted my folds and eased inside. His fangs scraped down the column of my throat, his tongue soothing away the slight pain. Asher’s thumb found my center, and I forgot how to breathe. His light strokes kept me gasping, straining against his palm until release set my wings aflutter. My feet lifted off the ground. He gripped my hips to keep me from floating
away.

  “Not so fast.” He dragged me closer, pinning me to his chest.

  Wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms about his neck, I was happy to oblige and sank down his body slowly until my sex glided over his and his eyes rolled closed. His chest pumped, harsh breaths huffing into my ear. He buried his face in my neck and held me, let us both savor the press of our bodies together. When he reached between us and fisted his erection, I met his gaze.

  He watched with rapt attention as he slid into me, so deep I sank my nails into him in retaliation.

  The hiss between his teeth gratified me. I kissed the side of his neck, letting my blunt fangs score his skin. His fingers dug into my hips, lifting me before burying himself in me a second time. With a little help from my wings, I braced on his shoulders and took control. His surprise made me laugh.

  His grip softened, allowing me to set a gentle pace. I rested my forehead against his, loving how his eyes never left mine as he watched me seek pleasure. Sweat slicked my skin. My fingers slipped.

  He caught me before my wings did, wrapped his arms around my waist and drove hard into me.

  I bit my lip and tasted blood. I didn’t care. I loved the way he held me, the way he filled me.

  The way he loved me.

  Pressing scorching kisses up my throat, he raked his teeth over my frantic pulse before plunging his fangs into my skin. I bucked against him when his venom hit my system. It left my hands and my feet tingling, my lips stinging and my sex aching for more. While I was dazed, Asher took control.

  His pace made my nails dig back into his shoulders to anchor me to the moment.

  “Not so fast,” I teased.

  “I was wrong,” he panted. “Faster is better.”

  My laughter strangled when his hand found my sensitive core and his thumb set to work on me. I shuddered in his arms as he coaxed another orgasm from me. My wings juddered once, going limp. I slumped against him, too weak to hold on any longer. Asher buried his face where my neck met my shoulder and followed me with a harsh growl that might have been my name before he sank onto his knees. He fell back onto the sand, taking me with him. I stretched over the top of him, content never to move again. His fingers tickled up my sides until the tips brushed across my sensitive wing joints.

  I came a second time from that small touch. Cheeks burning, I buried my face against his chest.

  “Interesting.” He traced veins in my wings until I was writhing. “Are you always so sensitive?”

  “No.” I propped my hands on his chest and studied him. “At least, I don’t think so.”

  He was the first male I had been with as a fledgling, and I had never orgasmed from a touch.

  Until Asher.

  “Hmm.” He lowered his hands to my hips and rocked me forward. “I think we should find out.”

  I braced on his chest, tempted to nibble the dip in that full bottom lip of his. “Do you?”

  His fingers teased a line up my spine that left me shivering. “We can go slower this time.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said faster was better?”

  “You know what they say…” His grin was wicked. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  About the Author

  Hailey is a wife turned mother turned writer, who loves her husband, her daughter and alone time with her computer. Whenever southern living strikes her as too ordinary, she can be found squinting at her monitor as she writes her next happily-ever-after or with her nose glued to her Kindle’s screen. Wings and/or cupcakes are usually involved.

  She loves to hear from readers at hailey@haileyedwards.net.

  You can also swing by www.haileyedwards.net for all her latest news.

  Look for these titles by Hailey Edwards

  Now Available:

  Daughters of Askara

  Everlong

  Evermine

  Eversworn

  Araneae Nation

  A Hint of Frost

  A Feast of Souls

  A Cast of Shadows

  A Time of Dying

  A Breath of Winter

  The most damaged heart can fly with the right pair of wings.

  Everlong

  © 2010 Hailey Edwards

  Madelyn’s life is far from fairytale perfect. She is second in line for the throne of a corrupt, brutal monarchy. Or at least she was until her dark guardian sacrificed his life to hide her safely in a realm of infinite possibilities.

  For years she’s lived among a colony of escaped slaves as her guardian’s widow. Even in this simple life, though, nothing is as it seems. Her hero kept a secret—a younger brother named Clayton Delaney. Warrior, winged demon…and the man who now wants to lay claim to her heart.

  No longer cast in his brother’s shadow, Clayton meets all obstacles head on, including one named Maddie. His infatuation with her reaches the breaking point when she undergoes a royal rite of passage, going into heat and pushing them both over the edge.

  Just as Maddie learns that some risks are worth taking, she discovers that her guardian may be alive. And she’s forced to make a choice between the man she’d thought she loved, and the demon willing to lend her his wings.

  Warning: This book contains virginal angst, a hero who’s too nice for his own good, wings, claws, and convenient use of glamour. It contains heartbreaking loss, conversation with a woodland creature, and sweet, sweet demon loving.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Everlong:

  Pushing up the trail harder than I should have, I almost missed the turn guiding me up the final incline to where the landscape dropped away before me. Trees and rocks jutted up off to my left and right, but ahead lay nothing. My legs ached from the effort of climbing to Emasen’s cliff edge, but the view made the burn worthwhile.

  Exhausted, I shrugged out of my backpack, letting it slide down my arms to land with a soft thud on the compacted earth. Sweat stung my eyes. Perspiration beaded on my skin, struggling to squeeze through the coating of waterproof sunscreen Emma had made me apply before allowing me to leave the house.

  I walked to the edge of the precipice and stood with the toes of my sneakers hanging over the sheer rock face of the cliff. My shoulders tensed, air whooshed into my lungs as I rolled to the balls of my feet, preparing for the impossibility of flight.

  “Step back from the ledge,” Clayton’s soft voice coaxed from behind me.

  “Clayton,” I groaned. “I wasn’t really going to jump.” I pointed towards my back. “No wings, remember?” As if either of us could forget.

  I twisted abruptly, discounting the lingering tenderness in my knee, and lost my footing. Arms flailing, I tried to regain my balance and failed, toppling backwards from the ledge.

  “Clayton!” I shouted his name as my body whistled through the air, plummeting towards the earth. Frantic heartbeats thundered in my ears, drowning out the sound of my screams.

  As I fell, my earliest memories flickered through my mind. I pushed aside the barrage of images and settled on my favorite. That of a black-skinned boy with glittering onyx eyes. And wings. Tiny, ruby-red wings that had fluttered with his excitement and made my child’s heart long for the half of my heritage I lacked.

  “Madelyn!” Clayton bellowed, leaping from the edge and following me into the sky.

  I had only a fraction of a second to wonder if he would make it before his strong arms plucked me from my downward spiral.

  His enormous scarlet wings opened wide, stretching out so far in either direction I couldn’t see the blackened tips and tiny, hook-like hands that topped them.

  Clayton’s blunt chin dug into the top of my head. The muscular arms holding me close tightened until my breath wheezed from my lungs.

  “Were you trying to get yourself killed?” he snapped. “What if I hadn’t been there? What if you’
d been alone?” His skin trembled beneath my fingers.

  “It was an accident.” I struggled in his hold, trying to free my arms from where he pinned them to my sides. “If you hadn’t startled me, I wouldn’t have fallen in the first place.”

  “You can’t be so careless.” He held me dangling in the air before him, shaking me senseless, before tucking me back against his chest. His voice cracked. “What would I have done without you?” His thumb worked across a bony protrusion behind my shoulder blade, marking my absence of wings.

  “It’s okay, really.” I rested my cheek against his chest since my hands weren’t free. “A fall from that height would have hurt.” I carefully avoided making a comment on my personal experiences. “But I would have healed eventually.”

  “I don’t want to hear this.” His head tossed from side to side. “I don’t want to know how you know that.”

  If I’d thought he couldn’t hold me tighter, I’d been wrong. I would wear bruises for a while, but for now, I allowed him to have what he needed, letting him squeeze until joints popped and pain blossomed. It was such a small hurt when compared to the anguish carried in his voice.

  Using my chin to part the fabric of his shirt, I rested my face flush against his skin. His body shuddered beneath my cheek. His desperate groan filled my ear with his heated breath as he glided the last few feet and touched down.

  Still gripping my upper arms, Clayton lowered me to the ground, sliding me down his body so slowly time felt suspended. With earth beneath my feet, I leaned into him, trying to calm his ragged nerves. Something hard pressed against my stomach, making me shift to get comfortable and him growl low in his throat. Oh. Oh.

  “Madelyn…” His voice grew husky.

  I pulled back, meeting his gaze. “You really are worked up over this.” I twisted in a circle before him. “I’m fine. See?”

  “Madelyn…”

  “Don’t beat yourself up over it.” I touched his arm, the muscle beneath my hand pulled taut as a bowstring.

  “Run,” he grated out over his lips.

  I spun around, searching for another demon or a wild animal, unable to imagine anything Clayton couldn’t protect me against. We were alone in the ravine. No one or thing had followed us here. “Why? What’s wrong?”