Dragonvein (Book Two) by Brian D. Anderson

will not be able to know them unless you allow it.”
    “But you said…”
    “I will know your pain. But not what caused it.”
    “I would not want that either,” he said.
    “Don’t worry. Healing scars does not require as much as healing wounds. I will only need to touch your spirit ever so slightly. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
    Markus could feel his heart beating in his ears. He wanted to refuse. But he couldn’t. He closed his eyes again and felt her gentle touch. At first it was warm and soothing. Then, slowly, the heat increased until it bordered on being painful. The air filled with a strange sweet scent that reminded him of lilacs. After only a few seconds the heat began to recede and he felt her remove her hands. The absence of her touch was oddly disturbing.
    As he opened his eyes he could see that tears were streaming down Lylinora’s face. Her lips trembled and her arms were hugging her torso.
    “I’m…I’m so sorry,” she said in a half-whisper. “I had no idea.”
    Before Markus could even speak, she fell to her knees and began weeping openly. He knelt down and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. His heart ached from the pain he knew he had caused her.
    “Are you all right?” he asked.
    Lylinora did not answer for a long moment. Then she looked up at Markus and cupped his face in her hands.
    “Forgive me,” was all he could say.
    She gazed into his eyes, her expression a mixture of sorrow and longing, then pulled his face to hers and kissed him – at first in a gentle and tender way. But as her tears soaked his skin, the kiss became deeper and ever more passionate. Her hands slid around his neck. Markus could feel her breasts pressing against his chest. He pulled her harder to him, his manhood swelling and his desire burning fiercely. The heat radiating from her body sent his mind reeling.
    For a moment their lips parted and he looked again into her eyes. There were no more tears, only yearning and lust. The absence of her mouth was more than he could bear. He tightened his hold around her waist. In response, she rubbed her hips hard up against his, moaning softly.
    The invitation was clear. He eased Lylinora to the floor, running his hand over her shoulder and parting the top of her robe before raising himself up to gaze down at her. Her flesh was flawless; her breasts perfectly shaped. Touching her nipple he felt it instantly harden and she craned back her neck, eyes shut, lips parted and breathing rapidly. This sent even more violent waves of passion coursing through him. Never had his manhood ached and throbbed with such desire. Never before had he wanted a woman so completely. He gently moved his hand downward, the cloth of her robe falling away to either side as his fingers traced the curve of her stomach.
    When his touch was mere inches away from her most intimate place, Lylinora’s eyes suddenly popped wide open. She grabbed him firmly by the wrist, preventing any further movement. He looked at her with utter confusion. His mouth opened to speak, but no words would at first come out.
    Her voice was almost inaudible. “No,” she whispered. “I can’t do this.”
    His hand was now trembling and his heart pounding like a blacksmith’s hammer. “I – I don’t understand,” he stammered.
    “I can’t do this,” she repeated, this time more forcefully.
    She closed her robe with her free hand and shifted from beneath Markus.
    “Did I do something wrong?” he asked. “I didn’t mean to…”
    Scrambling to her feet, she began straightening her robe. “You should go.”
    He stood and took a step toward her, but she quickly backed away.
    “What’s the matter?” he asked. The warmth of her body still lingered on his flesh and feelings of desperation and panic filled his chest.
    “I said go!” she snapped. “Go now!”
    Markus stared at her pleadingly for a desperate long moment, but she refused to meet his eyes. Finally, she turned away from him completely.
    Only