Chapter Nine

"You're not the only one who knows what it feels like to hold desires that come true only in dreams." ~ Cotton

After I had spent what seemed like hours crying into my pillow, my husband finally returned, still clad in his wedding garb. My dress was wrinkled as I sat up on the bed, my eyes burning from all my tears. "Cotton, you came home to me!" I cried out as I stood up quickly and ran into his arms. I held him so tight as if I could not ever let him go.

"I will always return to you, my love," he said as he kissed away the damp saltiness of my tears. "I love you so much."

"What happened out there?" I asked, my voice trembling in pain. "Mary said..."

"It's not for you to worry about, my dearest Anne," he said gently. "It is our wedding night."

"But... Mary said... Did you have to- have to kill anyone?"

"No, I could never..."

"But you have. Bridget and the others - the ones you thought were witches..."

"Let us not speak of that. No one died tonight. I promise you. Everything is fine... and everything will be fine. There was a problem... and I took care of it. I promise you, dear Anne, I took care of everything."

I looked into his eyes, searching them, and I saw only tenderness and sincerity. "You're sure?" I asked softly.

"Very," he said as he drew me closer, my body pressed against the hard length of his. "Now I must tell you something..."

"What is it?" I asked as I stared at the glittering green jewels which were his eyes in dying kerosine lamp light.

"I have had dreams of you... About us. Passionate dreams," he said, his voice changing. He sounded tortured as if he were a man in agonizing pain.

"I have had those dreams, too," I admitted, my cheeks heating up. The sudden images of our bodies tangling together in lust had returned to my mind's eye.

"You dreamed of making love to me?" he questioned.

"Every night since the one you touched me," I said softly. "You take my breath away. I desire you so much. I need you to be inside me, so deep... again."

As I spoke, I was entirely breathless. Without warning, my handsome husband pushed me up against the wall, hiking up the the long skirts of my wedding gown with his strong hands. "Cotton," I moaned as he ripped at my underclothing, tearing the fabric in his haste. "Are you... Ohhhh!"

All it took was another quick movement on his part. He had unfastened his trousers and then suddenly, his hard shaft was deep inside me. Fully and completely. My eyes rolled back in my head as arched my neck. His hot, seeking lips made contact with the smooth skin of my throat. I cried out in pleasure/pain as he nipped at my skin, his beard scraping along tender flesh. I was dazed; there had been no foreplay whatsoever and yet I was loving every second of his rough lovemaking. It was the greatest pleasure I had ever known and I found myself revelling in it. I could feel my magic growing. It appeared to be feeding on it - upon the passion of Cotton's every fierce thrust.

"I love you, Anne. I will always love you!" he declared as he spilled his hot seed deep inside my body. Thank the heavens he was too caught up in his own lust to see the gleaming of red within my witch's eyes. Had he seen my eyes, then he would have known - my handsome husband would have known I had deceived him - that I wasn't the sweet, innocent Anne he thought he had just deflowered. I was so much more! The unsuspecting reverend had fallen madly in love with a cradle witch.

I collapsed against the wall behind him, my legs nearly weightless. He caught me in his arms as I nearly crumpled upon the floor. He was holding me tenderly, carrying me to the bed that would now be ours. "My darling, I am sorry... did I hurt you?" he asked with concern. "I was so rough. I should not have been so careless."

"No, Cotton, it was perfect," I assured him as he lay me back against the pillows and caressed my unruly red-gold hair. "You didn't hurt me. There was so much pleasure."

"Did you climax?" he asked.

"I don't know," I replied in confusion. "I am not sure."

"It happened so quickly. Next time I will take you slowly. And I will make you cum again and again."

I nearly swooned at his words. My magic was surging through me, fed by the lust we had just shared. Could I survive another round of Cotton's intense and erotic lovemaking?

"Cotton..." I spoke, my voice faltering. "Do you think... Do you think we just created... a child?"

"A child?" he asked as he stared into my eyes.

I nodded, hoping the thought of a child would please him. I needed him to want a baby just as much as I did. I urgently needed his approval.

"Yes, Cotton. After what we just did, I might be carrying your child - our child."

A small smile came to his face. "A child," he repeated, seeming fond of the idea of a baby to love. "I'd love to have a child with you, Anne... boy or girl."

"Girl."

His smile widened. "A beautiful girl, just like her mother. That gives me so much hope."

"Hope," I said in a whisper. "That is what we'll name her. We'll name our baby girl Hope."

I curled up against him, wishing we were completely naked. I wanted to feel his bare flesh against mine. My mind was on our future ... on Hope, our little girl. I was exhausted. It had been a long day; such a long day. I could not stay awake another moment. I fell asleep in Cotton's affectionate embrace.