Read Online Wicked Lord of Thessaly (Halcyon Romance Series Book 3) by Rachael Slate - Free Book Online Page B

she rose on the tips of her toes to whisper against his mouth, “Yes, Agrius. I am yours.”
    ***
    Agrius couldn’t hold back the growl rumbling in his chest at Eione’s declaration. Three hundred years he’d lived with the certainty he’d never take a mate.
    In truth, he’d been waiting for her.
    For Eione.
    The castle grounds were hardly the place to claim his mate. Though his staff would undoubtedly enjoy the entertainment.
    At last, he allowed his horse to follow his instincts, and he scooped Eione into his arms, carrying her to his chamber.
    Dusk had fallen, the pink and orange glow from the setting sun casting beaming rays across the room. He set her in the middle, curled his finger beneath her chin, and tilted her face to his.
    Trust and affection reflected in her eyes and his chest inflated. This beauty had chosen him.
    Mine.
    He withdrew a blade from his belt and lifted it between them. Her eyes flashed with uncertainty. “Easy lass, the blade is for me.”
    The wary spark switched to confusion, so he explained, “During the bonding ceremony, you will slice across my arm, along the bonding mark, and place your claim on me.”
    She nodded. “I can do that.”
    “After, we shall be mated. I will cherish you for the rest of my days, until both of my hearts stop beating.”
    “Well, I’d best not loose any arrows into them again, then.” She flashed him a devastating smile.
    He chuckled and crouched to set the blade on the wooden floor. “I’ve never unleashed my beastly side with anyone.” His nerves fired, sending a tremor through his hands. He so badly wished to please her.
    She placed her hands on his shoulders. “I trust you. I choose you, Agrius, centaur and man.”
    As he rose, her hands slid down his chest to the belt at his waist.
    “Don’t make me regret my choice, centaur.”
    “Aye, lass, you will not.”
    Agrius groaned while she loosened his breeches, the garment falling around his knees. He stepped out of them, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping it from his shoulders.
    Patiently, he stood before her, nude, allowing her to explore him. Her hands glided across his abdomen, up to span his shoulders, and down his back, returning to his front.
    He allowed her exploration because, soon, he’d unleash the passion of his wild nature upon her, and in that moment, there’d be no gentle caresses or leisurely kisses.
    Once he claimed her, she’d be at his mercy.
    “You are so beautiful,” she hummed, airy.
    “Nay, sweetling, ’tis you who steals my breath.” He closed the distance between them and loosened the stays of her bodice, baring the creamy skin of her shoulder. As he feathered his lips across her silken flesh, her muscles quivered beneath his kisses.
    “How did you know Myron’s blade would miss me if I performed the morphos ?”
    She laughed. “He’s a poor shot; he’d aim for the largest target on your body, your centaur flank.”
    “Ah, not unlike some wench I know.”
    She punched his arm. “You’re lucky you have two hearts and I had only one arrow.”
    “Nay, lass,” he murmured against her shoulder, “I am fairly certain you pierced both of my hearts that day.” He braced his forehead to hers. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, not to your family, not to anyone. You are so much more than my mate. My cherished companion, my perfect match. I love you, Eione.”
    Her lips parted and tears sparkled in her eyes. “And I love you, Agrius.”
    He crushed his mouth to hers, claiming her body and stealing her breaths. His greedy hands ripped away her clothes, baring her to the moonlight.
    Tonight, they were far more than a centaur and a Lapith.
    Their love transcended their worlds, uniting them.
    Two souls born to separate races and destined to become one.
    She shivered, yet he sensed, not from modesty. Her hands were as demanding as his, roaming his body in possessive hunger.
    He turned her around, her back to his chest, and they fell to their knees. He held her right