Chapter 349: A Firm Hand (Part One)
Darkness swirled around Nyrielle as she took Ashlynn in her arms, scooping the young noblewoman up like a princess and carrying her away to the luxurious wing of the palace reserved for visiting dignitaries.
Inside Ashlynn’s bedchamber, a fire crackled in the massive hearth, filling the room with soft golden light and dancing shadows that caressed the gilded furnishings of the room like with the lightest of touches as though the shadows were afraid to linger too long and spoil the view.
The scent of burning cedar filled the air, mingling with Ashlynn’s evergreen scent and Nyrielle’s own lavender to create a fragrance that felt as familiar as a night in the Vale of Mists even though they were on the opposite side of the mountains from the place they called home.
"You’ve been planning things," Nyrielle said with a slow smile when she spotted an assortment of items laid out on a table beside the hearth. "What sort of naughty thoughts have filled my Ashlynn’s head in these few months that you would need to prepare so much?"
"I’ve learned more than just witchcraft," Ashlynn said. She leaned in close, giving Nyrielle the briefest of pecks on the cheek before she slid out of the other woman’s arms and walked over to the table beside the hearth. "When I heard about the army you raised, I knew you must have pushed yourself hard," she added softly as her fingers traced over several different bottles of scented oils and herbal infusions.
"Tonight, before you feed, let me pamper you the way you once pampered me," Ashlynn said, setting down a bottle and turning to face Nyrielle. "The night’s are longer now," she added as a light blush spread across her face. "We can take our time."
"What if I don’t want to wait," Nyrielle said, vanishing from where she stood and appearing beside Ashlynn in the blink of an eye. One hand cupped Ashlynn’s face and her star filled midnight eyes loomed large in Ashlynn’s vision as Nyrielle leaned in to plunder from her lover’s lips.
For a moment, Ashlynn melted into Nyrielle’s kiss. Her knees went week and only the hand that Nyrielle wrapped around her waist supported her asall thought was driven from her mind by the intense wave of pleasure that washed over her body at the vampire’s touch.
The next moment, Ashlynn collected herself, pushing Nyrielle back and pinning the vampire against one of the bedposts. Ashlynn’s hands roamed over the lace and silk of Nyrielle’s dress, finding the fastenings one by one as she pulled her lover into an even deeper kiss.