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controlled everything else. The orgasm would roll over me from my groin to
every inch of my body, then it would start again, spreading from between my
legs over my skin in a rush that sent my hands seeking something to hold on
to, my body thrashing. My entire upper body left the ground and smashed back,
over and over, while Abeloec held my hips and legs trapped against his body.
Someone was behind me, catching me, trying to hold me down, but the pleasure
was too much. I could do nothing but struggle andscream, one long ragged
scream after another. My fingers found flesh to tear, and strong hands held my
wrist tight. My other hand found my own body, and tore at it. Another hand
found that wrist, pinned it to the floor.
I heard voices over my screams: Go, Abeloec, just finish it!
Now, Abeloec! urged Mistral.
And he did, and suddenly the world was made of white light, and it was as if I
could feel his release between my legs, feel it hot and thick, and him buried
as deep inside me as he could go. I floated in that white light, and found
starbursts of red and green and blue. Then there was nothing, nothing but
white, white light.
CHAPTER 5
I DIDN T PASS OUT, NOT COMPLETELY, NOT REALLY, BUT IT WASas if I were
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helpless in the afterglow of Abeloec s power. My eyes fluttered open when the
lap my head was resting in moved. I found Mistral above me, his hands still
holding my wrists, still cuddling my head. I want you hurt, not broken, he
said, as if he saw something in my face that he had to answer.
It took me three tries to answer. Glad to hear it, I finally said.
He laughed then, and began to move carefully from under me. He laid my head on
the dead earth, gently. Apparently, I d disarranged our makeshift blanket,
because I could feel other patches of dry, scratchy vegetation here and there
against my skin.
I turned my head and looked for the others. Abeloec was crawling a little
shakily toward my head, as if he and Mistral were going to change places. It
took me a moment to focus past Abe, farther into the dark beyond.
The darkness was shot with neon glow, blue, green, and red. The colors were
everywhere, some individual burning lines and some entwined like string wound
into rope stronger, thicker for being joined. Doyle knelt closest to us, as if
he d tried to come to me. His sword was drawn as if there was something among
us that metal could slay. His dark skin was covered in lines of blue and
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crimson.
Rhys was just beyond him, covered in blue and red lines, too and there were
other figures in the dark covered in green and blue lines, and images of
flowering plants. I caught a shine of long pale hair. Ivi was covered in dead
vines and green lines of power. Brii stood near a tree, hugging it, or tied to
it with green and blue lines. But it was as if the tree had bent toward him,
its thin, lifeless branches embracing his naked body like arms. Adair had
climbed a tree and stood on one of the thick upper branches. He was reaching
up into it, as if he saw things there that I did not. I caught glimpses of
other bodies on the ground, covered in dead vegetation.
Frost and Nicca were kneeling farther away. They had lines of blue only,
snaking over their bodies.
They were holding someone s arms and legs. It took me a moment to realize it
was Galen. He was so covered in the bright green glow that he was nearly
hidden from sight. The others seemed to be enjoying the power, or at least not
to be in pain, but Galen s body seemed to be convulsing, almost as I had when
Abeloec brought me, but even more violently.
Mistral s face appeared above mine, and I realized that he was holding himself
above my body, much as
Abeloec had earlier. But he didn t kiss me, as the other man had. He made sure
that the only thing I
could see was his face. My turn, he said, and the look in his eyes was
enough to make me frightened.
Not in fear of Mistral, but fear of what was happening. Something powerful and
what would be the price? One thing I had learned early was that all power
comes with a price.
Mistral, I said, but he was already moving down my body. The wind was back,
a thin, seeking wind that touched my body like invisible fingers. The dead
leaves rustled, and the vines seemed to sigh in the growing wind.
Iraised up enough to look down my body at Mistral. I called his name again. He
looked up at the sound of his name, but there was nothing in his face that
really heard me. This was his one chance in a thousand years to have a woman.
When we left the gardens, his opportunity would be gone.
If I d known the others were safe, then I wouldn t even have tried to argue
with the look in his eyes. But
I wasn t sure they were. I wasn t sure any of us were. I didn t like not
knowing what was happening.
He smoothed his hands along the inside of my thighs, gentle, caressing, but
that gentle movement spread
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my legs with him kneeling between them.
What s happening, Mistral?
Are you afraid? he asked, but he wasn t looking at my face when he said it.
Yes, I said, and my voice was soft in the growing wind.
Good, he said.
Abeloec answered me, I am the intoxicating cup like Medb for the kings of
old. You have drunk deep.
I turned my head back to look at him where he knelt behind me.
I knew that medb had been a word for mead, a sovereign goddess whom nine
kings ofIreland had had to mate with before she would let them rule. But most
of thatwas only stories ; no one would speak of her among the sidhe, as if she
were a real goddess, a real person. I had asked, and been told only that she
was the cup that intoxicates.Which had been another way of saying that she was
mead. I d been left to believe she d never been real.
I don t understand, I said.
Abeloec smoothed his hand along my face. I give the power of sovereignty to
the queen, as Medb gave power to the kings. I was forgotten, because the world
turned to chauvinism and there were no more votes for queens. I was just
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Accasbel.Denied my purpose. Some human literature says I am an ancient deity
of wine and beer. I founded the first pub inIreland , and was a follower of
Partholon. That is all I am now to history. He leaned in close to my face,
and I lay back against the ground with his hands on either side of my
face. Until today. I have new duties.
Just then, Mistral s fingers found my opening, and I would have turned to look
at him, but Abeloec s hands tightened on my face, kept me looking at him while
Mistral began to explore me with his hand.
Abeloec whispered, above my face, There was a time when without me, or Medb,
no one ruled inIreland , or faerie, or anywhere in the isles. The sithen
brought us here for a reason. It brought everyone here for a reason, including
Mistral.
Dried leaves rushed across my body like brittle fingers tapping my stomach and
breasts. Let us have our reason back, Meredith, Abeloec said.
It wasn t a finger touching me down there anymore, though Mistral hadn t
entered me. For someone who liked to cause pain, he was being patient, and
gentle.
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