Nine 
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

He didn't hesitate to react and pulled her into his arms as if it was the most natural calling of his body, as if he had already anticipated that she belonged exactly within the confining bands of his strong limbs.

And Izzy sunk into him with a stutter that escaped her lips as a tremulous moan as every corded inch of his frame met hers. Kaede was bent over her, his lips opening upon her mouth with hungry appeal, and she tipped her head back, ready to accept him. She clung to the lapels of his coat, unsure if she were using him for support or attempting to pull him further down to meet her, yet she found she couldn't care. Right then, in the shadowed little alcove in Ravensfield, Isabella Hawkins was so consumed by the fiery need rampaging through her body that she rather believed she was a moment away from climbing the body of the male who was the cause of it.

His arms swept across her lower back, pulling her flush against the unrelenting muscle of his chest, and the feel of his long fingers splayed against her spine sent a shudder rippling under her skin. Everything about him felt overwhelming- from his size, his height, the massive solidity about him... Izzy felt marvellously petite in comparison, something that rarely ever befell her. And when he boldly pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips, testing her response, he found no resistance.

With a gasp, she parted for him, the feeling of his slick tongue claiming her mouth had her sucking in a breath, caught in her lungs as she marvelled at all the frenzied sensations he was evoking.

Beneath her chest, his muscles flexed and contracted, a gruff sound caught between their lips. She felt him shift, her skirts lifted and a cold draft met her stockinged ankles before something warm and silken wrapped around her calf, sliding tightly towards her thigh.

Through the sensual haze fogging her mind, she realised the caress to her leg was his tail, and a shiver ran through her at that. Wicked, wicked male...

Kissing Kaede was like being swept up in a wave and carried along in the current, his lips an endlessly provocative dance as they moved and teased hers with playful nips that soon deepened into heady, open-mouthed claiming. Izzy had admittedly kissed a fair number of men but none of them had ever made her respond quite in the manner this specific male was. Every slide of his tongue, every whisper of his breath against her cheek, every stroke of his fingers against the curve of her back, she felt so keenly her skin came alive for it.

When he parted from her suddenly, she followed his mouth with a wordless sound of protest, straining towards him for yet more, but then he was pivoting. She spun in his arms, the band of his tail loosening and retreating from her thigh and calf, and then Izzy was pressed against the wall.

His body followed hers with a breathless, "Shush," whispered in her ear. His hand snaked up her waist, his fingertips brushing over the curve of her breast, and then the column of her neck until he pressed his index finger against her lips.

She was caged between his body and the stone wall, an abrupt shadow cast over them making her realise that he had sense enough to pull the gauzy draping that framed the alcove closed, secluding them within and affording them privacy unless someone should part them... which, it eloquently dawned on her, could become a very concerning possibility if the muffled voices drawing nearer were any indication.

She stiffened at the sounds that filtered through to her muddled conscience, and turned her head, but Kaede caught her as soon as she did, pressing his body into hers and shielding her. Her throat constricted, knowing that he had heard whoever was coming down the passage long before she had and was doing everything in his power to protect what he thought was her worthy reputation.

As the sound of footsteps drew closer, the identification of their unanticipated intruders became easily known.

"Where do you think they made off to?" Addilyn Holt was saying, her voice pitched with curiosity. "Do you think we should instigate an estate-wide search for them?"

An indelicate snort accompanied that query and Izzy could almost imagine Millie rolling her eyes at Addy's suggestion. "Please refrain," Mildred Adams said dryly. "Ravensfield has endured enough scandal to last a lifetime. What with trying to keep speculation at bay regarding my very own dragon-marauding sister, the last thing I need to deter is rumours that Beastkeepers are stealing away innocent country misses from the estate."

"Do you think Kaede stole Miss Cotton away?" Addy sounded genuinely convinced of the notion, and behind her Kaede stirred, tension rolling from his body into hers. The last thing Izzy wanted was for him to feel that any of this would reflect badly on him- if anything, it was all her doing that they were in this predicament in the first place. Oh, how whimsy her sensibilities were indeed that a few stolen kisses from a handsome young male could make her lose all rationality of mind... but even as she thought it the feel of his warm, hard chest leaning into her back made her shiver, the ardent result of his arousal pressed into the softness of her backside making her bite her lip to restrain the sordid thoughts rippling over and nudging the sensible ones firmly to the side.

"If he did," Millie went on darkly, "rest assured it won't only be his tail that is docked."

Izzy's cheek was turned, pinned against the cold stone wall, the skin of her lips sensitive and pricking at the evocative stroke of his fingertips. Behind her, Kaede's breath tickled the slopes of her ear and neck, his nearness only serving to charge the space they occupied, and awareness arrowed through her core.

God help her, but she couldn't possibly be more wickedly aroused, even with the near-certain possibility that they could be caught at any moment.

Millie and Addy drew closer, the noise of their footsteps clattering against the floor of the passage reaching a pinnacle, their voices louder than before.

Silently, Kaede's tail slid over her skirts in a tantalising manner as he manoeuvred over her thighs, almost as if he was securing her to his body. It provoked an unconscious movement from her, enticing her to press back into him, and his fingers flexed into her waist when she rocked against the hard rod searing her flesh.

"Well then where do you think they could have gotten to?" Addy was saying. "Perhaps it was foolish of me to allow them the time alone, even if we could account for their whereabouts from the house. Oh dear, do you think..."

Millie paused and there was a slight falter in her steps, but then she scoffed gently, a delicate chuckle at what she considered so unfathomable it could be construed as something to laugh at. "Inconceivable. Miss Cotton running off for a private moment with Kaede? You'd sooner see my sister compromised than her."

"Hmm," Addy mused, and their footsteps began to take them away from the secret alcove, "though I am inclined to think you may be correct, I can't help but believe that there is something surprising about Miss Cotton."

"Everything about her is surprising," Millie agreed, "and I hope she realises simply how much she belongs here. I've grown rather fond of trivia and anecdotes during tea and mealtimes."

At that, Addilyn Holt laughed softly. "My dear, you simply desire all the world to reside at Ravensfield where you may take care of us all."

"Not true," Millie protested with an inherent haughtiness, "there are some people I simply can't abide."

Their voices gradually faded away, along with the last glimmers of light from the day as night rolled through the passageway and darkened the alcove. His hips undulated gently into her soft backside, and she couldn't prevent the hiss of breath that slipped from between her lips, the pool of need liquifying her stomach.

It was singularly the most erotic moment of her life and she didn't want it to end.

If her soul wasn't already damned, and she couldn't even be certain she prescribed to that denomination, she would pray for its redemption.

Once they were surrounded with nothing but the sounds of silence and the hammering of her heartbeat, only then did Kaede drop his lips to whisper a reverent kiss to the side of her neck, just below the sensitive lobe of her ear.

A whimper left her, the sound unbidden, and she felt her neck tip to the side, offering her skin to him, as if begging him for more.

"What is it about you that has enraptured me so?" he murmured against her. "Every one of my senses comes alive by you..." his nose dipped, brushing against her ear, "you smell of books and flowers and-" his tongue dipped against her neck, making her gasp, "taste of sugar and salt."

Never had such words been spoken to her before. Isaac had been courteous and had shown romantic interest in her... but not like this. There had never been passion in their coupling, never anything quite some overwhelmingly powerful quaking her body with heat and need.

And it frightened her how quickly she could succumb to it, as if her body was acquiescing easily to a preordained outcome her mind couldn't yet readily come to terms with.

He urged her around once more to face him, quickly pressing his body into hers and imprisoning her against the wall, his tail snaking under the skirts of her gown and wrapping sensuously around her ankle and calf once more. "What will it take to make you stay?" he asked, his voice roughened and soft as he leaned forward, brushing his nose against hers. His eyes, though shadowed, were imbued with an ethereal sheen- metallic and silver- that shimmered even in the gloom surrounding them.

At his imploration, the feelings of guilt rushed to the surface with a force that almost choked her. "I cannot," she told him, shaking her head.

"Grant me one more day," he pleaded. "A single day of your time... I won't ask it of you again but allow me this time with you before you depart, if you are so adamant for it."

Her hesitation was palpable, freezing the miniscule space between their faces. His eyes bored into hers, so wide and appealing and sincere. His fingers stroked soft circles at her waist, a caress that was equal parts arousing and comforting.

And Izzy knew that rationally she shouldn't relent to his request, that she ought to take her leave of Ravensfield immediately, but there must be something inherently selfish stalling those sentiments from taking over.

Because she found that she didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to deny herself the opportunity to spend more time with him, even if it was to be bittersweet and destined with expiry.

Unless...

Unless she told him her truth, revealed all before him and prayed that he understood her reasons, prayed that the inevitable rejection wouldn't come.

Perhaps, if she stayed, she would be brave enough to confess her deceptions.

And even if he did not wish to pursue her further, then at least it was early enough in this budding infatuation she was developing for him that it would be easier to sever her feelings for him.

Surely?

Looking up at him now, his endearingly handsome features shadowed and softened by a smile that came so naturally to his wide lips... Izzy wasn't certain that would ever be the case.

But she found herself nodding, her throat constricting and her heart hammering a staccato as too many conflicting emotions swarmed under her skin. "One day," she breathed, and her heart puttered at the full, boyish grin that swept over and crinkled his cheeks, deepening the lines at the corners of his eyes. He looked at her with earnest fondness and kindness, as if she was the sole cause of his happiness, and she wondered if she would survive the moment when he chose to no longer look at her in such a way.

"One day," he repeated, agreed, and brushed his lips lightly against hers in a caress that made her breath catch, "you have given me something precious. I shall cherish it for what it is and what it means for you to issue it."

Before she could allow the guilt to stab her chest for any longer, or for something scandalous to further occur, Izzy raised on the tips of her toes and pressed a quick, searing kiss to his lips.

And then she slipped from the confines of his body, pushing aside the drapery that covered the alcove, and fled.

Tomorrow, she resolved... tomorrow she would reveal all of herself to Kaede C'lainn.

But for now, she would return to her rooms as her cowardice took over. For a few more hours, she wanted so badly for him to believe she was worthy of his adoration.

Because deep down there was a niggling feeling of doubt that Kaede could ever accept the lies she had been harbouring at Ravensfield, no matter her intentions behind them.