Page 30 of The Darkest Knight

“I will stay with you for a bit,” he told her lifting his head and looking at her. Then he leaned forward and kissed her. This kiss was soft, the kiss of a well-satisfied man.

Reluctantly, she allowed him to roll off of her, and she snuggled against his side. He remained silent, his fingers tracing small circles on her arm.

“What are you thinking?” Tammie asked him and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

“I can’t remember ever feeling like this,” Niall replied surprising her with his candor. “I could remain here in this room, with you in bed forever.”

“We would eventually have to find food,” Tammie teased nibbling at his ear.

His low growl told that he enjoyed the sensations. “Aye, we would.”

She raised and leaned on his chest. With a finger, she outlined his lips. “I suppose if it came to life or death by hunger, we could just call and ask the housekeeper to bring food and eat in bed.”

Niall nodded. His lips curved. Her breath caught. It was the first time she’d seen him smile.

The smile vanished as if he caught himself. And she kissed his lips. “Tell me about Atlandia.”

He put his arm behind his head. “It’s ugly.”

Tammie laughed. “Wow, that draws a great picture.”

“I suppose it could also be described as beautiful, white as far as the eye can see. Unlike the area where we lived, which resembles this realm, Atlandia is stark. Everything is covered in snow and ice. There are some trees that barely survive, but for the most part, you can travel for days and not see another living creature.”

“Yet some people continue to live there.”

“Aye, for the most part in small villages that are supported by the Royals. The village of Middlesex is protected on one side by a mountain, so the air is not as frigid. They manage to grow some crops and raise wooly animals, much like cows, but smaller.”

“What a hard life,” Tammie replied, then lay her head on his chest. “I don’t think I want to visit.”

He didn’t respond and she wondered if he’d fallen asleep until he kissed the top of her head.

Tammie took a deep breath. “I want to ask you a question. Promise you won’t be angry, just answer my question.”

At his lack of response, she looked up at him. “Promise.”

With a slight nod, his wary eyes met hers. “All right.”

“Is part of your enchantment something that happens in your dreams or in your sleep?”

Niall didn’t need to reply. She knew she’d guessed right at the stiffening of his jaw and the way his brows drew together before he caught himself and erased all expression from his face. “No.”

“One night, while I slept, it was as if I slipped into your dream,” Tammie told him without inflection in her voice.

“Dreams are different than dream travel,” he told her in a flat voice. “Not everything is easily defined.”

Once again, Tammie ensured to keep her tone neutral. “I dreamed about you, that you were being tortured, that this dark-haired woman threatened you.”

Niall went to move away, but she pretended not to notice and lay her head on his chest. “I suppose I had this dream because I constantly worry. But it was so vivid. In my dream, I was powerful, and I was able to keep the woman from hurting you. Isn’t that interesting?”

“It is,” Niall replied, his entire body still.

“Not exactly pillow talk, is it,” Tammie teased. “I would rather do something else than to talk about such dreary things.”

She ran her hand down his thigh, at the same time she flicked her tongue out at his nipple, loving it when his breath caught.

Slowly, sliding her fingers up his inner thigh, she took his sex in hand, curving her fingers around the hardening member. Niall closed his eyes.

Trailing kisses down his chest, she slid her hand up and down on his shaft, delighted when he bucked into her hold.

She had part of the answer, on how to fight his enchantment. In the other realm, she was powerful. Somehow, she’d find a way to go there. Once there, she’d confront the dark-haired demon.

Her lips curved as she took Niall’s shaft into her mouth, relishing his grunts of pleasure.