Bonus Scene – Kase and Malin Sneak Off

I couldn’t resist writing the bonus scene in the Mist Thief where Kase and Malin are caught red-handed by Jonas after they, ahem, spend some solitude together. -LJ

The Nightrender

Breathless, I leaned against the wall. Gods there was nothing so invigorating as spilling a bit of blood. I did my best as king to see to it thievery and corruption and scheming still lived on in the Eastern lands, but battle against enemies—it was a forgotten pastime. 

At my side, Malin let her back fall against the stones of the elven palace. She laughed through a few heavy gasps, beaming. 

In these moments, it was damn obvious whatever powers lived in those mystical hells and great halls had crafted this woman for me alone—body, heart, mind, soul. Without a word, I knew my wife felt much the same. Like we both missed a bit of the danger that came from scrounging the streets of Klockglas, thieving and bartering and tricking our way for a few meager meals and a chance to meet the next sunrise. 

In truth, I never wanted my sons to face the battles we’d faced across the kingdoms, but this—gods, it was almost offensive how unprepared those damn elven were for the alver clans. 

“Skadi has won her crown.” Malin let her head roll to the side so she faced me. Her fiery hair was wild and had fallen out of her braid so wisps framed her face. 

Gods, she was stunning. All my life she’d been there, fighting for me, and I still woke every damn day thinking she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. 

I could not keep my hands off her for another moment. My palms trapped her face and I drew her mouth to mine. 

Malin grinned against my lips, her body arching against me. Her fingers dug into my hair and tugged. Blood heated in my veins like an inferno. Where mesmer was often cold and harsh, this woman, her touch, her skin, was like the roar of the lost Howl Sea. 

She consumed me and I needed more. 

I cared little if blood stained the corridors of the Dokkalfar palace. I cared little if this was not our land. I certainly cared nothing if Jonas protested. 

We’d caught that son of ours in undignified circumstances aplenty. Now, it was our turn.

I broke the kiss and gripped Malin’s hand, pulling her deeper into the palace. 

“Kase.” She tried to sound stern, but a soft snicker followed. “What are we doing?”

I wheeled on her, pinning her back to the wall again. My palms settled next to Malin’s face. I’d never tire of the flash of desire, of need, in those golden-green eyes.

“What are we doing?” I bent and pressed my lips to the frenzied beat of her pulse, kissing her there. “We are slipping into one of these fine rooms.”

Malin’s chest rose in a rough breath when I nipped at her skin. “Oh? For . . . for what purpose, Nightrender? Scheming are you?”

I turned my attention to the other side of her throat, the tip of my tongue tracing the edge of her jaw. “Always, Mallie.”

“What is the mark?”

“Mmm. My wife’s pleasure.” My fingertips tugged on the front of her trousers. I slid my palm down and cupped her over the fabric. 

Malin sucked in a quivering breath, eyes flashing. “Oh?” Her voice trembled. “And . . . and what are the roles I’m to play?”

I kissed her slowly, dragging my teeth over her bottom lip when I pulled away. “You know the rules, Mal. You don’t know the moves of a scheme until you need to know. On this one, I lead.”

A flush of heat deepened the freckles on her cheeks when I tugged her hand again and yanked her into the nearest chamber. I’d call it my skill for spotting a mark that the room was an actual bedchamber with silver satin coverlets waiting to be ruined, but I didn’t know where in this damn palace we even were. Luck would do for now. 

The door slammed shut at our back and frenzy took hold.

One breath and I had Malin’s back to the wall. 

Another, and my palm slid down the front of her trousers, until my fingers sank into her wet heat. 

My wife moaned, her head falling against the wall. Eyes closed, her body rocked against my hand, but her fingers went to work on my belt. We’d memorized each other for so many turns, there wasn’t a need to look. 

Soon enough my belt was tossed aside, my trousers half down my hips. With a touch of reluctance, I pulled away from her core, and licked the taste of her off my fingertips. 

Malin’s eyes fluttered open, hazy with desire, but a vicious sort of smirk teased the corner of her mouth when I yanked her away from the wall and practically tossed her on the bed. 

She chuckled. “In a hurry, Nightrender?”

I reared over her, biting at the pulse point of her smooth neck. “To get these horrid clothes off my wife? Always. To have my hands on your skin? No. I plan to take my time. All damn night if I must.”

Malin grinned and helped me shove her trousers down her long legs. She ripped my tunic off, nearly whipping my face with one of the leather straps still holding a few knives. I hardly cared and tossed it all aside. 

“The trouble”—she sat up when I tore her tunic over her head and kissed the top of my scarred shoulder— “I think we have two sons and a daughter in this palace”—Malin let out a rough gasp when I covered one of her pebbled nipples with my lips. She sighed and held my head to her chest— “and . . .and we might want to . . . check on their wellbeing.”

I pulled back with a loud pop of my lips from her skin and held her stare. “The boys are alive, and Skadi is terrifying all those Ljosalfar sods with her mists as we speak. They’re well enough. I’m concerned about their mother.”

A heat flashed in her bright eyes. “Liar. I saw those shadows in your eyes, Kase Eriksson. Tell me the whole the fight you were not trying to keep all three of them in your sights.”

One side of my mouth curved up. It was no secret, nothing I’d ever hide, how much I loved my sons, and now our own elven daughter-in-law. 

Still, in this moment, they could all bleeding mind to themselves like the grown sods they were and let me please my wife. 

“I kept watch,” I admitted, pressing one palm between Malin’s breasts until she laid back on the satin quilts. “Which is why I know they are alive and well. Now, stop talking about what is going on out there, Malin. The only sounds I want from your lips are screams.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Nightrender.”

“Careful, Mal.” I dragged the lobe of her ear between my teeth. “Such talk might get your tongue cut from your head.”

She snickered. “I’m not frightened of you.”

Her body bowed when, without warning, curled two fingers deep inside her core again. “Good. These hands are yours, and I plan to prove it now.” 

I gripped her chin and devoured her. Tongues, teeth, and hands claimed each other until Malin seemed to sink into me, like becoming an extension of my body. 

Her fingers dug into the rough scars across my back, clawing at the puckered flesh like she wanted to open each wound again and again. 

All at once, I pulled back, leveraging to my knees. I yanked Malin’s hips forward, watching her knees part. 

Her throat was bared, her body flushed in heat and marks from my kiss. “Kase . . .”

Three hells, I wanted more of that—my name said with more reverence than her soft prayers to the imaginary gods. Breath stuttered over her lips when my fingers dug into the bones of her hips and I settled between her thighs. 

Malin reached between us and palmed my swollen cock, guiding the tip to her entrance. In a rough thrust, I filled her, deep and hard.

Her spine arched. I didn’t pause for a moment. As though all the rush of battle, the need for more of this woman, and a frantic sort of passion collided, I pounded my hips into hers again, again, and again. 

Rough pants rolled over my lips. Malin’s fingers curled over the satin. She whimpered and writhed under me, pleading for more. 

I quickened my thrusts and leaned forward, taking one of her nipples between my teeth again. Malin lifted her head and bit down against my shoulder to muffle the cries of her release. No doubt to keep our whereabouts hidden a little longer. 

Pleasure boiled low I my gut. Sweat dripped off my brow. I adjusted my angle again, arching her hips up, striking a new depth until I came. Hard. Enough sight blurred, and I could hardly keep my head upright. 

I muffled my groans against her throat, taking a bit of pleasure in the way she dug her fingers into my hair, tugging as though she had to hold firmly to something lest she topple off the mattress. 

I let my body slump, half over her, half on the bed, then eased out of her. 

Malin kept her knees bent, but let her head roll to the side, a grin on her lips. The back of her hand fell to my chest. “How long . . . do you think we can get away with staying in here?”

I chuckled and kissed her, slow and sweet. One palm on her cheek, I pulled back, absently tracing the freckles on her nose, a habit I’d crafted after turns of her at my side. “I think we can find ways to stay in here the whole of a month if we wanted, Mallie.”

“Oh? How’s that?”

“We’ll alternate attacks. You take the memory of anyone who tries to enter, to the point they cannot even recall where this room is. But should anyone slip through and open the door, they’ll be greeted with whatever sight they fear the most.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “In truth, I’m convinced we can remain holed away for the better part of a turn before anyone figures out our scheme.”

She laughed and hooked one leg over my hip, curling against me. “I like this plan of yours, Nightrender. But I fear we may soon have a new elven queen who might desire a bit of guidance from her regal father-in-law.”

I scoffed. “Then she is foolish. I will see to it she is hardly royal and knows nothing about propriety.”

Malin kissed me, then traced the edge of my jaw. “Perhaps you’re right. You’d do nothing but influence her poorly.”

“They’ll figure out their steps well enough together,” I said. 

And I believed it. Jonas and Skadi had shaped into a formidable pair. Bonded by affection and love and loyalty. It was all I’d ever wanted for my sons—a love like I had with their mother. 

Malin let her cheek fall against my chest. One of her palms slowly crept down my body, my middle, lower and lower. “In that case,” she whispered, her fingers curling around my hardening cock. “I think we have a bit more time.”