Alistair’s Bed by Susan Hayes Read Free Book Online Page B

“You’re amazing.”
    He felt a stab of sadness as she smiled up at him, her green eyes so gentle. She didn’t understand, not yet. “But you do have me prisoner my Beauty. The bed belongs to you, and I am bound to the bed.” He gathered her small hands in his larger ones and cradled them near his chest. “My life is in your hands.”
    Keri’s mouth formed an “O” and tears sparkled in her lovely dark green eyes. “I don’t want to keep you prisoner. If we found a way to free you, what would you do?”
    Alistair’s voice was a low growl when he answered, his words roughened by emotion. “I’d go home. My family are waiting for me there, my life is there.
    When I return home I will gather my family together and we’ll hunt down Cora and destroy her, if she still survives.”
    Keri spoke so softly her words were more breath than sound, “I’d miss you.”
    Her next words were rushed, as if she were trying to talk over what she had just confessed “If there’s a way to free you, we’ll find it. I don't know anything about magic or daemons, but I will help anyway I can. And this is the first time you’ve been free to go over the bed without someone interfering. Maybe we’ll find something that was missed before.”
    “Aye, maybe we will.” Back in control of his emotions, Alistair gave her a grin. “But before we worry about breaking enchantments and such, I’ll need to be stronger.” Amusement and desire gleamed in his eyes as he stared into Keri’s. “Do you think you can help me with that?”
    Keri laughed and twined her arms around his neck. “Oh, I imagine I could. Just how much stronger do you need to be before you can try to free yourself?”
    His grin grew wicked and he lowered his lips to hers, punctuating his words with heated kisses. “Much, much, much, stronger. It could take ages to get there.”
    “Such a hardship this will be.” She laughed in answer.
     

 
    ***
    CHAPTER 5
     
    Keri was in her kitchen taking stock of her morning’s work: bacon, eggs, fresh cured ham steaks and hash browns had all been prepared in the hour since she’d woken up. Feeling achy and well loved, she’d left Alistair sleeping and grabbed a hot shower, basking in the heat as it eased muscles she hadn’t known she had until last night. She was full of energy this morning, despite getting only a few hours of sleep between rounds of the most amazing sex she’d ever had. When not even her singing in the shower had woken her sleeping lover she’d decided to cook him breakfast.
    “I think you got a bit carried away.” She laughed at herself as she eyed the counter full of food. She’d also brewed coffee, adding to her energy level as the caffeine hit her system.
    Not sure how daemons preferred their coffee, she tossed milk and sugar onto the tray and went to lift it, then set it back down. “Well hell, that’s not going to work.” She pondered for a moment and then grinned and headed for the bedroom.
    She entered quietly, and then smiled as she noticed him watching her from beneath dark lashes. “Good morning.”
    Alistair left the bed, gathering her up in his arms and kissing her senseless. “Now it’s a wonderful morning.”
    It took her a moment to register anything other than the rush of heat that flowed through her the moment his lips touched hers, but as he lifted his head to let her catch her breath she took in his height, stunned to realize he towered over her five foot three frame by more than a foot at least. He made her feel positively petite as he held her.
    As her fingers smoothed over his chest she also realized he had gotten dressed. “How—where did you find clothes?” She leaned back to see him better and saw that his shirt was fastened with ties, not buttons and his pants were a soft fabric she didn’t recognize.
    His lips curved into a smile. “There are advantages to being a daemon.”
    “I’ll say there are. So can you dress in anything you can imagine? Or are you