The Warrior's wager

by Mia Pride

  “You are…” he began to speak, then stopped, swallowing hard. Alastar’s voice cracked when he spoke again. “You are perfect. So beautiful in every way.” She licked her lips and watched as he lowered his head to her breast, flicking his tongue over one nipple and then taking her into his mouth with a long deep pull that made her head light with need. When he switched to her other breast and did the same, she yelped and bucked, needing something more, so much more.

  Scrambling to get him just as naked, she grabbed the hem of his tunic and pulled it over his head, sending his dark blond hair in all directions before a strong breeze came and blew it away from his face. His trousers were already partially removed, but she needed them gone. Using her boot, she pushed them down his legs and he allowed them to slip off his ankles.

  “Gods, I want to make love to you in nothing but those boots laced up your calf,” he groaned.

  But she was not focused on herself. She was staring at the entirely naked man leaning over her, using nothing but his elbows to prop himself up. His erection stood proudly and she reached out to run a finger along its length. It jumped at her touch, but she only continued the light teasing stroke until his eyes were squeezed tight, jaw clenched, and his hips were moving in a natural rhythm, clearly seeking the same satisfaction her own body sought.

  “I want to do so many things to you, but I need to be inside you,” he growled, adjusting himself into a kneeling position above her. She took in the entirety of his body and sighed. He was truly beautiful, and hard as stone all over. Years of training as a warrior had done that to him. She had felt the lines of scar tissue cutting down his back. War would do that, also. She longed to know his past, where every scar had come from, whether he had family somewhere else, and she silently scolded herself for wasting so much time. She should know these details about her husband, but she had time to ask them later. Right now, this moment was all about feeling and discovering, and she planned to do just that.

  His large calloused hands grabbed onto both of her large breasts and he squeezed almost painfully, but she found she liked it because it was proof of his loss of control. She drove him as mad as he drove her.

  Releasing her breasts, he moved one finger down her ribs, over her stomach, and through the curls just above her womanhood. Breathing became almost painful as she waited in anticipation for his next move. Still, she could never have been prepared for the feeling of his finger making first contact with her swollen woman’s flesh. The sensation sent her hips flying off the ground and a shocking gasp escaped from her mouth. “Oh gods, Alastar,” she murmured, feeling a sweat break out over her skin, despite the cold winter wind. He ran his finger through her folds one more time, then focused on one spot that made her jerk and moan. It felt so wondrous. It was better than she could have ever believed and, as he skillfully circled that one spot with the pad of his finger, it was as if a thousand stars suddenly fell from the sky all at once.

  She shuddered uncontrollably and locked eyes with him as the waves kept coming over her. His face was so serious and intense as he watched her reaction to the play of his fingers. Before she could even speak, he slipped a finger inside her, then another, and began working to stretch her. “You know this will hurt at first?” he asked softly, moving his fingers in and out slowly. She nodded, not caring if it would hurt. She just needed him inside her already.

  Then he did something so utterly shocking and delightful, she screamed at the intensity of it. He leaned forward and ran his tongue just once up her seam, groaning and licking as he tasted her on his lips. Her face flushed so red she thought she may die of embarrassment, but he smiled and licked his lips one more time. “So good, Lin. So good.”

  Then, he took himself in hand and leaned back over her, pushing himself inside her with little finesse. His urgency was written in the veins protruding from his neck and she could not be angry at him as she felt a sharp stinging in her core. It hurt terribly, but only for a moment and she loved this side of Alastar, watching him get lost in their love making. His movement gentled and he finally opened his eyes, flaring his nostrils while he thrust over and over. His primal gaze locked on hers and it was all she could do to bite her lower lip and focus back on his eyes, watching his pupils dilate with lust.

  Nothing in life had felt so right and suddenly she was grateful for her family pushing her so hard to wed. If they had not, she never would have been convinced to handfast with this man who was so gentle, yet strong. Giving, yet taking so much of her that she knew a piece of her soul had melded to his forever. It should frighten her to feel this way, but it only made her feel stronger. They were finally one and together, they were perfect.

  “You are so beautiful,” he murmured when he leaned forward and took her mouth with his, mimicking his thrusts below with his tongue. She could feel herself ready to give over to the pleasure once more. Her body was taut and quickly reaching a new level of pleasure she never knew existed. “You feel so good,” she heard herself groan as she clenched down, letting her body carry her away on a wave of ecstasy.

  His rhythm became frantic and Alastar began to push harder and deeper into her, grunting like a beast, his sweaty hair matted to his forehead. He roared his released and shuddered against her until he finally collapsed on top of her. Their sweat-slicked limbs wrapped around one another, holding on for life, as if at any moment they could be torn apart by the storm that had just shaken them, changed them forever. Her heart throbbed and threatened to crack beneath the pressure of her sudden emotion for the man hovering above her now, placing tender kisses on her forehead, cheeks, nose, and finally her mouth.

  “I have nay words for what just happened,” he whispered, kissing her shoulder softly. He was still inside her, she realized, and that intimacy alone was just as strong as the act they had just shared.

  “Is it always like that?” she asked in wonder, still panting to catch her breath.

  He shook his head and his usually playful features stayed straight and seriously. “Nay. That was…” his voice trailed off as he tried to think of the right words. “Unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life.” Alastar rolled off her and ran his hands through her hair.

  “Tis freezing out here. I need to get you back to the house, Lin.” With the loss of his heat and the end of their love making, the cold of the night finally hit her like a wall of ice. Something else that felt very much like despair roiled inside her. She didn’t want this moment to end and she closed her eyes, promising to remember every moment.

  When he took her hands and lifted her to her feet, he picked up her cloak and shook it out before wrapping it around her body. She knew it would take longer to get into her hide dress and lace it up again than necessary and the cloak kept the cold at bay. Quickly redressing himself and gathering her dress in his hand, he whistled to Branwen who had been happily busying herself chasing her reflection in the black mirrored surface of the lake.

  They walked back swiftly and silently holding hands, but Aislin could not stop the thoughts from spinning wildly around in her mind. What had just happened between them? It felt life altering. Any thoughts she had clung to about leaving this arrangement when the year was up no longer seemed realistic. One night in his arms, one night of seeing just how accepting he was and she was rethinking everything she had even known. How could a lifetime’s worth of conviction have suddenly been replaced with this overpowering desire for something bigger? Something better. Alastar had shown her tonight that she could have it all and be fulfilled.

  ***

  When they arrived home, Alastar opened the door for her and immediately began tending the fire as she shivered beneath her cloak. There was a strange new tension in the air, he could feel it vibrating all around them and the longer the silence stretched, the more intense his apprehension became.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked, watching him poke at the fire with an iron rod. She must have felt the same shift in their circumstances as he did, and he heard the anxiety in
her voice. He stood up straight and turned his body toward hers, his eyes skimming over her shivering body.

  “I am better than all right, Lin. Are you all right?” He stepped up to her, and ran his hands up and down the length of her arms. She was still naked under the cloak and now it gaped open in front, revealing her body to him again, except this time there was no darkness to mask her nudity. The hearth fire blazed in front of her, illuminating her flawless skin. She was the daughter of one of the Sisters of Danu, daughter of King Garreth who was a descendant of ancient High Kings of Ériu, descendant of Dana, the legendary faery who escaped the Otherworld to live amongst humans, and the blood of the goddesses Ériu, Banba, and Fodla ran through her veins. In this moment, he wondered how none of that had ever truly crossed his mind before.

  To him, she had always just been Aislin, the beautiful woman with curves that drove a man wild and a mind to match. But she was so much more than that and now that he had finally had her, he found that once was not enough. He would always crave more. Her emerald eyes searched his and she licked her lips unconsciously as his hands slid up to her shoulders and slowly down again toward her breasts. They were much more than a decent handful, heavy in his palms as he tested their weight. Each was tipped with perfectly rose-colored peaks that puckered as his thumb grazed over their surface. Gods, he wanted her again.

  His cock roared to life once more and if it were not for his trousers, it would be aiming straight at her, ready to nestle into her sweet curves again. She had willingly come to him and it made those torturous nights worth every moment to have her succumb to her own desires. He had not built those targets or given her Branwen for any physical reward.

  He thought about the dagger he gave her and felt a pinch of guilt in his heart. Blast him and that cursed wager. Giving her the dagger felt like the best way to clear his conscience. She could benefit from its use and he would no longer have to be reminded of that foolish wager. Though he wished to tell Aislin the truth of why Àdhamh gifted it to him, he felt it a much wiser idea to let the entire situation go. If she knew he had so carelessly placed wagers involving his ability to wed her, it could make her question the truth of his feelings for her.

  He cared for her, more than cared. He was achingly in love with this strong-willed woman standing before him in naught but her cloak.

  The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them down. Their relationship had only just started to turn in the direction he desperately wanted it to and he did not want to push her too hard. Yet, he was a man of action who had never once in his life hesitated to take that which he wanted most. Her chest began to rise and fall as he continued to silently fondle her breasts, and he knew she was growing aroused again as she began to squirm beneath her cloak.

  Unclasping the intricate gold pin around her neck, the cloak fell to the ground in a heavy pile of thick wool and fur. Gooseflesh covered every inch of her small lithe body, but she straightened her shoulders and stood proud, unashamed of her delicate curves.

  His hands slid lower to her hips and around, where he gripped the perfect curves of her backside, pushing her pelvis into his. Her eyes widened at his sudden show of aggression, but she stayed silent, wrapping her arms around his neck for support.

  “I want you again, Lin. So very badly,” he croaked. “But if you are too tired or sore…”

  She answered him by placing the softest of kisses on his lips. “Can I…”

  Her voice trailed off and he quirked a brow to encourage her to continue. “May I share your bed tonight?” she asked hesitantly, clearly afraid of being rejected. Was she mad? He would have been sharing his bed with her from the start had she shown any willingness to do so.

  “I want nothing more in this world than to be your husband in truth, Lin. I wish to share everything with you. Most especially my bed.”

  When she smiled in response, he scooped her light body up into his arms and walked over to his bed, placing her down gently. She looked like a true goddess sprawled out on his bed with naught on but a smug smile and her still tightly-laced boots. He slowly untied her boots, grazing every inch of her calf as he unwound the leather ties. He preferred her this way best. Fully exposed. Her red waves framed her face and covered his sheets.

  Her fingers came up and smoothly tugged at the tie of his trousers. He wanted to take it slow this time. Though he still felt the need for urgency and wondered if he always would where she was concerned, he was desperate to prolong his release, to tease every inch of her body torturously until she begged and writhed beneath him.

  And this time, he did just that, touching, teasing, and stroking until she groaned and a sheen of sweat coated her skin. When he could not take any more of her soft mewling sounds, he leaned forward and took her mouth with his, slowly pushing inside her entrance as their bodies rocked together in perfect rhythm. This was making love. She consumed every part of him. He could smell her desire mixed with her natural floral and honey scent, feel her on every inch of him as if she had reached inside and stolen his very essence. The sounds of the fire popping and hissing were the perfect backdrop to his low groans and her small whimpers. She was a naturally sensual woman and he felt beyond grateful that it was he she had decided to share herself with.

  This time, when their bodies peaked together, it was as if they were soaring above themselves, becoming one body. One heart. One soul. He pumped into her sweetness frantically, feeling himself give way to his desire for his wife. He knew it then. It would never be enough. He needed her always by his side. He couldn’t allow her to walk away from him. That thought made a small panic coil in his gut, but now was the time to savor in their post love-making glow, not worry over the future.

  Aislin rolled over, molding the front of her body to his, running her hands through his hair, then over his back as she searched his face. He rested his hand on the womanly dip between her waist and hip, spinning soft circles on her creamy flesh with the tip of his finger, leaving gooseflesh in his wake.

  “How did you get these scars on your back?” she asked innocently. But when his finger stopped grazing her skin and his body pulled taut, her face grew contrite. “Och, I am sorry, Alastar. I did not mean to ruin the moment or cause you pain over your past. I just do not know anything about you really and I long to know. But if—”

  He placed a finger over her lips to stop her nervous chattering. “I got these scars in the same attack that lead to the deaths of my mother, father, and twin brother,” he said in a low voice. He wanted to open up to her, to tell her all, yet it hurt so deeply to say the words out loud. He had never shared these words, and never told the story. The only people who knew of his past were those who had been there and never had they spoken of it. The words ripped from him painfully, and yet, if he were to share this story, Aislin was the one he wished to share it with.

  She gasped and clutched his back as if she wished to heal his wounds simply through the power of her touch. Amazingly, he found that she could. He would always miss his family and mourn their loss, but having this strong woman by his side, in his bed… in his heart, he felt as if he could speak of it for the first time in almost ten years.

  “It was a surprise attack from one of Elim’s enemies. My father was one of his loyal warriors. He was a good man. I never knew why he believed so much in Elim, but he was loyal to a fault. When the attack happened, my father raised the call and we all went to battle. I watched as my father and twin brother lost their lives. I was helpless. I reached my brother’s murderer too late and I finally cut him down, but not before he left me these scars to remember that moment of loss forever.”

  He went silent and found that he was clenching Aislin’s hip in what must have been a painful embrace, but she allowed it as tears dripped down her nose. He released his grip and wiped away her tears. “Do not cry for me, love.”

  “I am so sorry Alastar. I never knew.”

  “I have never told a soul. Only Jeoffrey and those from our camp know of my loss and
I have not seen any of them for a long while.”

  “You seem so pleasant all the time. You smile, laugh, and jest. I would never have known.”

  Alastar shrugged and frowned. “What does walking around with anger and resentment do for one’s soul? I have scars from my past, but I promised to not allow them to turn me into an angry, bitter man. Life is short. Laughter heals. Besides… would you have agreed to wed with me if I scowled all the time?”

  A small smile graced her lips. “I am not certain. Perhaps not.”

  “Then, there you go. Every smile was worth the price.” He kissed the tip of her nose and felt soothed when her nails began to scratch up and down his back rhythmically.

  “What of your mother?” she asked carefully, clearly needing to know all but afraid of hurting him further.

  He scowled and clenched his jaw. “I ran home after slaying the bastard who slew my brother. I found a man violating my mother as she cried for help. Before I could save her, the man slit her throat before my eyes. I killed him, as well, and I am not sorry.”

  She was quiet for a long moment, more tears streaming down her cheeks and her shoulders shaking with repressed sobs.

  “I am sorry, Lin. I do not mean to upset you.”

  “Do not apologize. I cannot believe what horrors you have lived through. I am the one who is sorry for all of your loss.”

  “Hush now, wee wife. You are the only thing that has made me truly happy in my entire life. Never apologize for the things we cannot control. I am a happy man and even more happy now that we are here together,” he smiled sadly and ran a hand through her tangled hair.

  “I kept my distance from you all this time,” she whimpered.

  “And I allowed it.”

  “Aye. I never knew why. Most men would have forced their wife to perform her duties. You asked nothing of me. Why?”