The Duty of a Queen by Dara Tulen Page B

their lovers' bodies with mouths and
nails during moments of passion. The marks meant many things. Skill in
pleasure. A mutual possessiveness. Reminders for lovers being parted.
    Astrid's heart ached as Jonas restrained himself. She had been
honest with the prince regarding her people's view of the relations between men
and women, but to arrive at her marriage bed with her body bearing the evidence
of another's passion would be a great dishonor. She tugged at Jonas's tunic,
suddenly eager to feel his bare skin beneath her hands. He may not be able to mark
her, but she would leave him with the signs of her love.
    His tunic fell to the floor as his hands moved over her full
breasts, his mouth worshipping at her soft flesh. His tongue circled the pale
brown nipple and Astrid dug her nails into his shoulders. She felt him gasp,
then take the sensitive flesh between his lips. Her head fell back, a moan
escaping her lips as desire flared inside of her. He suckled at her breasts,
each pull of his mouth triggering a new wave of fire licking across every inch
of her body.
    Jonas's hands slid down over her sides to her hips and he pulled her
to the edge of the table. She lifted her head, looking down at him as went to
his knees again. This time, there was no subjugation in his eyes, only heat. He
took his time, running his hands over her legs, up to her thighs. He placed
light kisses up the insides of her thighs, avoiding the place she wanted his
mouth the most. When he finally stopped teasing, her entire body was tense with
anticipation. The first pass of his tongue made her cry out. Her back arched as
he pressed his mouth against her, his tongue slowly and thoroughly kissing her
most private place. The wave of pleasure made her fall back and only his hands
on her hips kept her in place. She writhed as his mouth took her high again and
again, leaving her body quivering and tingling, aching for more.
    “Jonas, my love,” she gasped.
    He stood then and lifted her into his arms. As he lowered her to the
rug, the bearskin rubbed against her sensitive skin, making her whimper. She
parted her legs, and he settled above her. As he entered her, she wrapped her
legs around him and pulled him into her, held him against her. She never felt
so complete as she did when he was inside her. Their bodies moved together,
sweat slicked skin glistening in the flickering firelight. As it always was
when they were together, the duties and burdens of their stations faded away,
leaving only them and the oldest of dances.
    She kept her promise to herself, her mouth sucking on his skin until
the flesh darkened, her teeth nipping at his throat and shoulders, her nails
raking over his da'na'sgi until his body shuddered with the effort to
continue to drive within her. He took her nipple in his mouth and began to
suck, letting the pressure build until she was stretched taut, desperate for
her release. He bit down and a scream ripped from her throat as lightning
struck her. He held her as her body went rigid, his hips moving ever so
slightly to draw out her pleasure. Just as it became too much, he withdrew from
her and she forced her eyes open. His gaze was on her face as he moved his hand
over himself, finishing his own release. His seed spilled over his hand as her
name fell from his lips.
    They would come together more than once that night, she knew, but he
would only ever end in his hand, her hand or her mouth. She could not risk
becoming with a child that was not the prince's, no matter how much she longed
to feel Jonas spend himself inside her, their bodies coming to that place of
ecstasy together one final time.
    She awoke before the sun rose, but remained in Jonas's arms. They
had fallen asleep facing each other and now she studied his face, free of worry
in his slumber. She knew she would see him again, now that he would be
accompanying her, but it would not be the same. She would not be able to watch
him sleep, touch him. His body was as familiar to her