Sorcerer’s Apprentice Read online

  “Brynn ―”

  “Don’t talk…just let this happen.” She put her fingers over his full lips and smiled up at him.

  Besotted with her, he gently pushed her legs apart with one knee and looked down into her glowing, green eyes. “Just remember one thing, Brynn.”

  “Tell me.”

  “This is no game now, no test.”

  “I know. I can see what you’re feeling. It’s in your eyes, in your expression,” she quietly said as she stroked his long hair back.

  Draco lowered his lips to her breasts and began to gently suck her nipples until she writhed beneath him. Her skin was as soft as night air, her hair fell in shimmering waves around her shoulders and on the blankets where she lay. The warmth of her body, the entreaty in her voice and the intensity of her green gaze all promised to chase away the loneliness of the past years. There was at least time to make love to this beauty now. He could still send her away, though doing so might already be too late. Bane might already have heard of her and might consider her a target. But he could no more push her aside—as his better judgment bid—than he could stop breathing.

  When her palms caressed his back, butt and his shoulders, he heard himself moan. The sound of it was alien, almost as if someone else had cried out. The need in that voice was recognizable. The sound was born of loneliness.

  Masturbating in the shower, in bed and while lying in secluded glens near his castle would never take the place of this beguiling creature’s touch. Of course it wouldn’t. And of course he’d never intended for his situation to be permanent. But it had certainly lasted far too long, long enough that he could no longer bear the future without someone by his side. Brynn was offering. He couldn’t turn her down, though the rational side of his nature told him to send her away. He slid his body up and down her torso while staring into her forest green eyes. She reached between their bodies and gently twisted his nipples until he moaned again. The application of that small pain mixed with the ecstasy of her caresses, and both were thrilling. As good needed evil to exist, rapture was more exotic because a small amount of pain was inflicted. He sucked air through his clenched teeth and delighted in every moment. Her kisses against his chest and throat were lures to a man who been denied such raptures for too long.

  She was made to be stroked, made for magic. He was the wizard who wanted to enter her life and her heart. How a woman could land on his world in one afternoon and change his existence the same night was no mystery. He’d been waiting for her all his life. And she was inviting him to take her. All he had to do was keep her safe during her apprenticeship. If she was as strong as she was bewitching, as intelligent as he sensed, then she could be the golden opportunity of his career. More, she might be the woman who could end this self-imposed exile. She might even be able to withstand any threat Bane could pose, but she’d have to be taught well. He had to keep her near or guarded. Still, he wouldn’t be alone. This could happen, he could make it work.

  He finally discontinued the exploration of her body by placing his head between her slender, creamy thighs. Once there, he slid his tongue around and around her clit and labia until her body lifted off the blankets. He heard her voice shouting and squealing out his name with every tongue-stroke. When his cock throbbed so hard that he fancied the sound of it echoed throughout the campsite, he rose over her and finally thrust deep within her tight, hot pussy. She arched beautifully and grasped at the blankets with her long fingers. He supported his weight with one hand while squeezing her breasts with the other and circling his hips in a slow way that made her cry out his name even louder. “That’s it, sweetness…let it happen.”

  Brynn brought her legs up and encircled his hips with them. He stopped massaging her breasts and rested his body weight on his elbows. She could feel his nipples brush against her own. His long hair fell on either side of her face, forming a curtain. Then, his mouth covered hers in a melting, slow kiss that didn’t match the frantic rhythm of their bodies. The different slow-fast sensations caused by his sensual, deliberate kiss and his wild thrusting were divine. She was beside herself with need for him.

  “Say my name again,” he demanded. “I want to hear it.”

  “Draco,” she breathed.

  “Louder, Brynn. Shout it!”

  She not only shouted it, she yelled it at the top of her lungs as a monumental orgasm rocked her world into another dimension. She heard his answering cry, but he kept moving into her until it seemed that every last drop of his cum was rendered.

  She lay there panting, with her eyes closed, still grasping at the blankets. She felt him pull her hands free, then run his palms over her entire body as he sat up.

  For a moment, he gazed down at the lush perfection before him and knew he’d never have enough. The relationship he’d started was way out of hand—it was as if she was a drug and he was her addict.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she whispered. “Look at all the stars.”

  “You’re the brightest one in any heaven,” he murmured. “Go to sleep, Brynn.” He gently pulled her closer. And when he felt her breathing slow and knew that she slept, the rational side of his brain finally took over. The lucid portion shoved out all the promise of the night, all the dreams he might have of living with this beautiful apprentice. He recalled how his family members had almost died and knew that the situation was just too dangerous. He couldn’t bring himself to risk her life any more than he could risk the safety of his family. He swallowed hard, tamped down the urge to resist and made a promise. She’d be on the next transport off the planet. The scenes he’d imagined as they made love were only wishes.

  He could fight it all he wanted. She was now in his blood and embedded in every nerve. Their relationship—as new as it was—meant she had to go. Sadly, that single-minded but more prudent solution made it hard to find sleep.

  Emmaline was right. His beloved aunt had known it would be nearly impossible for him to send Brynn away. That’s exactly what his dear, interfering Aunt Emmy had hoped for, someone strong enough to weather the threat to his life.

  If Bane ever found out about the woman lying next to him—and that she wasn’t just another pupil, but a lover—every breath Brynn took could be numbered, no matter where she went. Assuming his old enemy knew this new apprentice was on Illusia, Draco had to make it appear that she was like all the others and that she’d been sent away without having made any difference in his life.

  He sighed, closed his eyes and let the floral scent of her clean hair and skin take him to a pretend world where he could live a normal life.

  * * * * *

  The tall, hooded man handed some bills to the freighter’s captain. “I can assure you I’ll have more money transferred to your account by midnight.”

  The captain of the cargo freighter Persephone looked over the hooded man before him and tried to peer through the cloth hiding his face. “I don’t want to get into your business, mister. But if you mean to cause trouble on Illusia, I never heard of you. You didn’t book special passage on my ship and you never existed as far as I’m concerned. And that’s exactly what I’ll tell the law if you’re caught doing something wrong.”

  “Of course,” the man answered and nodded in agreement, “your hesitation in transporting me here is understandable. But I can assure you my motives are quite personal. And I thank you for allowing me private transport with the crew. No offense, but the food below the main deck is as atrocious as the company.”

  “Just make sure the money you promised is in that special account by the stroke of twelve. I’ve got to make an emergency delivery of medicine to a planet in the next sector and I need the money,” the captain asserted.

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’ve checked as you asked,” added the captain. “The depot is clear now. Only a few constables are walking around.”

  Bane Shadowynde nodded and smiled beneath his hood. “Thank you. All I want is to visit an old relative who’s about to pass away. I couldn’t wait for t
he necessary visas to be filed. You understand?” He tossed back his hood and gazed deeply into the freighter captain’s eyes.

  “I-I understand completely,” the captain droned.

  “And to make doubly sure no word gets to the authorities, you’ll forget my presence as soon as you get your money tonight. But you’ll recall that you have a passenger to pick up on Illusia as soon as your medical supplies are delivered,” Bane commanded.

  The freighter captain numbly nodded.

  Bane stared into the man’s eyes. “Very good. You can go about your business.” He watched the freighter captain walk away in a dream-like state and knew the old man wouldn’t remember a thing about him personally, just that he was supposed to pick up a passenger within the month.

  Bane looked up into the night sky and pulled his cloak about his body to ward off the chill of the Illusian night. “This time you won’t escape my wrath, Pendragon. You’ve given me all the chance I needed.” He couldn’t help laughing as he walked out of the freighter, past the depot and into the night. The forest would hide his presence well. But he’d only need to hide until he could get to Castle Pendragon and find a way in.

  Draco had given him the easiest way to gain access to the planet’s only port of entry. By allowing that new apprentice to come here and not making sure she used the more security-conscious tourist transports, finding a way to the planet’s surface had been easy. And that was all he’d needed, just that one mistake.

  He fled into the night and the forest to make his plans.

  * * * * *

  Something woke Draco. He sat up and stared into the forest but could neither see nor hear anything threatening. The embers of the fire were no more than a heap of red-hot coals. His mare Starfire grazed peacefully nearby and didn’t look in the least disturbed. Still, something had awakened him from a very deep, comfortable sleep. He gazed down at the beauty still slumbering next to him.

  Indeed, his sleep hadn’t been so serene for a very long time. Her warm, tender body was still affecting his. All he had to do was look at her and his traitorous penis was all too eager to be stroked, caressed or fondled. He felt as though he could lie back down beside Brynn and never leave this place. It had been so very long since he’d been with a woman and no one who so easily got under his skin the way she did.

  Fighting the desire to awaken her and make love to her again, Draco carefully exited their make-shift bed, walked to where their clothing lay and put his back on. Deep within the folds of his wizard’s cape, he found his communicator. He activated it.

  “Bodie, are you there?” It was late and he hated awakening his old retainer, but there was business to attend to. “Bodie?” He waited for a moment more.

  “Yes sir. I’m here.”

  “I’ll auto-send the remains of our meal and our bedding when we’ve broken fast in the morning. Right now, I want you to contact the captain of the Persephone and book passage back to Earth for Miss Nightflyer.”

  Silence.

  “Bodie, did you hear me?”

  “Yes sir. I heard you. Surely the young lady didn’t fail already?”

  “No, she didn’t,” Draco responded. “In fact, I’m going to write her a letter of recommendation. I’ll have it sent to whatever wizard she chooses. Have my official seal taken from the vault so her letter can be certified.”

  “Then, Miss Nightflyer won’t even stay another evening, sir?”

  “I want her off the planet as soon as you can arrange it. That means I want her passage booked tonight,” Draco declared.

  “Very well, sir. I’ll contact the freighter immediately.”

  “Thanks, Bodie. I appreciate it.”

  “Will there be anything else, sir?”

  “No. That’ll be all. I’ll be returning to the castle with Miss Nightflyer in the morning. Make sure her things are packed and ready to go.”

  “As you wish, sir.”

  Draco looked back toward the bed and felt an onset of depression. He didn’t want her to leave, but she sure as hell couldn’t stay on Illusia. Brynn would just have to understand.

  He sat by the fire and warmed himself until the first rays of Illusian sunlight crept through the canopy of the trees. Brynn stirred, reached for him, then sat up when she couldn’t find his body next to hers. Draco wanted so badly to hold her when he saw how beautifully she woke. She looked like a dove stirring from its nightly nest. And when she smiled at him, he almost reconsidered his orders to Bodie.

  “Good morning,” she murmured and stretched her arms above her head.

  Draco picked up the fresh change of clothing his staff had sent with their supplies and handed her things to her. “You’ll need these. It’s quite cool right now. Hurry and get dressed, I’ll heat up some breakfast, then we’ll be on our way.”

  When he was sure she was dressed and he wouldn’t be tempted by her luscious body any longer, Draco finally looked up from his breakfast chores. Why he thought clothing would make a difference, he didn’t know—it didn’t. She was standing there dressed all in brown today. The vee of her laced jerkin showed an enticing amount of cleavage. Her lovely body filled out the tight outfit in the most alluring way. Brynn’s long legs were made to wrap around a man’s body. Jealously, he realized they might never be thrown around his again. Knowing this made him want to tear off her clothes and stroke her full, pert breasts and her wet little clit. His cock went hard, just at the thought of taking her. How wonderful would it be to wake up to such a woman every single morning? But he knew that was impossible. He had to send her off as soon as they got back to the castle. He justified the reason for taking her home first and not straight back to the depot. It was simple—he didn’t want to watch her fly away.

  He’d have Bodie see her to the freighter using the excuse that they were arriving at the castle to collect her luggage first. That would give him just a little more of time with her. But while he could endure the carriage ride to his ancestral home and see her leave from there, something in the vicinity of his heart balked at watching her get on that damnable freighter. Perhaps the emotion he felt could be called cowardice. Perhaps he’d feel the pang of her going so deeply that he might be tempted to change his mind.

  Whatever the reason, he simply couldn’t see her board that vessel and fly away. She wouldn’t like his decision and would certainly argue. But he wasn’t having her safety compromised, not just because he needed and wanted her near. As his apprentice, she was his responsibility.

  “What’s for breakfast?” Brynn asked as she slowly sauntered toward him, picking up blankets and other camping gear to put on the auto-delivery platform.

  “Fruit, cheese, some re-heated beef and some juice.”

  “Sounds great.” She sat next to him after depositing the now-deflated warming mattresses on the floating disc.

  Draco handed her a plate then quickly ate his own without looking at her.

  Brynn knew something was up. This was not the same man she’d lain with. She kept her silence, ate her meal, then helped him put out the fire, clean up everything that was left and hitch up the mare to the beautiful black carriage.

  Draco helped her up into the carriage, then took his place behind the mare. He picked up the reins and finally turned to her. “Brynn, I’m sending you back to Earth.”

  She shook her head. “I thought we had this discussion.”

  “You discussed, I decided. It’s final,” he sternly advised. “The subject is closed. I’ll send letters of recommendation you can give to anyone you choose. I’ll make sure you have no problem finding someone to take my place.” He flicked the reins gently and the mare immediately made her way down the road.

  Brynn stared at his profile for a long time. He wouldn’t even look at her. Angry, she decided there was nothing else to say. She’d seen rocks that looked more amenable to compromise. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared over the horse’s head. She could go to the Guild and report his antics, but that wouldn’t get her back here. It would o
nly anger Draco and disturb members of the renowned Guild of Wizards—of which she was a member. It seemed more tactful to let the matter drop. Sometime in the night, Draco’s mind and heart had made him uncomfortable with her presence. She wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted, even though her soul told her she should. One simply couldn’t help another who refused assistance.

  When the castle appeared in the distance, Brynn gasped. “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispered in awe.

  Draco saw her looking up at the highest turret. Brynn was shielding the sun from her eyes with one hand. He also saw mixed expressions of surprise, elation and wonder cross her lovely face. He looked back at his ancestral home—built by members of the Pendragon clan more than a century ago—and only now began to see it from someone else’s point of view. It was grand. But he’d never really taken the time to look at it the way Brynn was. There was a kind of inspired astonishment on her face, as though she were considering a great piece of art.

  Long ago, he’d given up looking at the view with such an open mind and heart. Cynicism about the apprentices sent to him had blocked his ability to see his surroundings with any vision or imagination. He had only been looking at the world and those in it as one disappointment after another. He’d lost interest in his own home because his family had been forced to flee it. For him, it was more a prison than the magnificent castle on the horizon.

  “Stars, it’s the grandest thing I’ve ever seen,” she murmured. “I’ll bet it’s like living in a fairytale.”

  “Far from it,” he denied. “It’s lost without its family. And they can’t return until it’s safe. They’ve been gone for years and I miss them.”

  Brynn gazed at him.

  He saw the pity in her emerald eyes and became angry that he’d voiced these innermost thoughts to someone who would leave so soon, someone who could use his loneliness to argue her way into staying. Draco kept the mare headed toward the drawbridge, but his glance at the woman next to him proved she was no less put off by his reiterating the shadow cast over Castle Pendragon.