“Lord Merivic,” the closest attendant—a sturdy older woman—stated with a bow. “So good to have you stay with us again, My Lord.”
“Thank you, Rya. It is certainly good to be back.” He turned to Anya as he eased her forward. “May I present Lady Anya, my future wife.”
Rya’s face lifted into a smile. “Lady Anya,” she nodded, respectfully. “It is an honor indeed. Might I show you to your quarters so you may wash up before dinner?”
Anya glanced to Merivic.
“Absolutely. Please, Rya, see she has everything she needs. I will have her baggage brought up at once.”
“As you wish, My Lord. The cook is awaiting your choices for the meal.” She looked pointedly at the tall, older man next in line. “Come, Lady Anya. Let me show you the way.”
*****
Anya’s skin smelled of flowers, and her hair the scent of fruit. She had been shocked by the vast array of bathing soaps and could not decide for herself which smelled better. Finally, Rya had to choose for her, or she would have certainly been late to dinner.
Anya fussed over her gown as she followed Rya down to the first floor.
“Do stop fidgeting, Lady Anya. You look lovely.”
“Thank you, Rya. I appreciate that.”
Anya stopped at the foot of the stairs and glanced around to ensure they were alone before quickly smoothing a hand over the low, sweeping neckline. She was sure she would eventually get used to the flattering cut of her various gowns. Especially since she knew how much it pleased Merivic to see her dressed as such, which in turn, pleased her to no end.
“Lord Merivic is awaiting you in the dining hall. This way, please.”
Rya led her down a long hallway and eased open the door at the end, gesturing Anya inside before closing it behind her. The flickering light of the candles frolicked around the room and lit up the table in a dazzling display. She had never witnessed such a gorgeous setting for a meal; twinkling crystal glasses, shiny porcelain plates, and the candles…so many candles!
“Anya.”
She turned and saw Merivic standing by the window, holding a snifter of brandy, and looking at her with an amused expression.
“It is so beautiful,” she gushed, unable to resist the urge to glance at the table once again as she stepped toward him.
Merivic watched as she turned her head, drawing his attention to her long, graceful neck leading to the gentle slope of her collarbone. His chest tightened as his gaze continued to drag down over every curve, wrapped in a flowing golden-yellow gown. The hue of the dress seemed to glow as the satin fabric hugged her bodice, and the contrast against her bronzed skin was startling.
“No, Anya. You are beautiful.” He encircled an arm around her waist, pulling her close for a soft kiss. “Please. Have a seat. Dinner awaits you.”
The simple meal was a delight to Anya—roast and potatoes, comfort food Merivic knew she would enjoy. They kept the dinner conversation light, and it mainly consisted of Merivic telling colorful tales of his previous trips to Silktree. And they continued their discussion long after the dishes had been cleared away, and their wine glasses refilled.
Anya was taking a sip of her wine when Merivic stood and held his hand out to her. “Dance with me.”
She set her glass down and leaned her head to the side. “But there is no music.”
“No, not in the traditional sense.” Merivic took Anya’s hand and pulled her to her feet, drawing her away from the table. “But you have to use this,” —he placed his hand over her heart—“and this,” he concluded, kissing her forehead.
Anya melted inside as she leaned into him, and they began to dance. It was not the flowing style of a ballroom dance, but one that spoke of tenderness, love and intimacy—two people moving as one in a swaying embrace, cheek-to-cheek, heart-to-heart.
“I love you, Anya, with everything I am. You cannot imagine how happy you make me,” Merivic whispered, his mouth close to her ear.
Anya wanted to return the sentiment, it felt like the right thing to do, but she wanted to be true to him, and to herself.
She tensed slightly with her indecision.
“It is all right if you cannot say the words,” Merivic murmured, sensing her distress. “I know you care deeply for me, and are happy by my side. And that, I am sure, you would readily agree to.”
She nodded as he pulled back a measure, cradled her face, and locked his eyes on hers.
“But even if you cannot say it aloud, I can see the love you have for me. You show it in your actions and reactions—to me, to my touch.” He swept his lips against hers. “My presence soothes your mind, my touch quickens your heart. And when you look at me as you are now, your breath thickens and becomes shallow. That is love, my precious Anya, or at the very least, the inception of it.”
Overwhelmed by his words, and rendered speechless, Anya ran her hands across his shoulders and drew him into a kiss. There was no gentle introduction to this kiss, no tender brushing of their lips, no testing slides of their tongues. It was a flash of passion and a burst of hunger laced with barely-restrained urges—all of it immediate and all of it consuming as their eager mouths fused together.
Anya banded her arms around him as he shifted, his hot breath washing over her neck, and his tongue teasing a trail down its length. She moaned from the contact as he ignited fires hidden within—her inexperience heightening the sensation.
Merivic held tight, his lips pressing harder, her sounds of approval driving him deeper into his urges. “Your innocence only proves to feed my hungers for you, Anya,” he murmured as he lit a trail across her collarbone. “Such pleasures I wish to give you, for you to experience for the first time under my hands, my mouth.”
Anya gasped, then quivered with desire. “But you said we cannot—”
“I do not speak of making love with you. There are other pleasures to be had.” Merivic moved down, cradling her back as his tongue skimmed across the top of her breasts, darting into her cleavage.
She held her breath and froze in every way possible—her body, her mind, even her heart.
Merivic sobered immediately from Anya’s response and slowly drew away from her. “I fear I have crossed the line.” He caressed her shoulders, and ran his hands down her arms to grasp her fingers. “I apologize. I will never again do more than what you are ready for. You alone will set the pace.” He brought her fingers to his lips. “When you want more, I will give you more. When you want less, I will adjust to suit your needs.”
Anya stared at him with wondrously large eyes, and she stepped closer, their hands clasped between them. “I want more.”
Merivic stared hard, his questioning hazel eyes seeking answers in hers. He pulled her body tight against his as he whispered in a husky tone, “Then you shall have it.”
Chapter 13
Merivic draped his arm around Anya’s shoulders as he led her down the long hall. She felt light-headed as she floated on softened footfalls at his side, her mind immersed in a surreal world where only she and Merivic existed.
As they rounded the landing at the base of the stairs, Merivic looked down at Anya. His eyes bore into hers in serious contemplation, and exuded a raw wanton thirst that only her body could quench. His arm held tight while a shudder of need racked her body and settled as a simmering quiver in her belly.
When they ascended the first step, a voice called out, “Sire!”
Merivic’s jaw clenched as he turned to address the unwelcome interruption. The soldier came to an abrupt halt in front of them, his head bowing as a shield against Merivic’s glare of sheer annoyance.
“My apologies, My Lord. But this has just arrived urgent by messenger.” He held out a wax-sealed envelope, continuing to stare at the ground.
Merivic snatched the message out of his hand and tore it open. His eyebrows knitted as he scanned over the parchment, and Anya was struck for a moment by his anger.
She had never before witnessed him as anything but calm, and it
was almost a comfort to know he was capable of losing control. And, she had to admit as she watched the lines of his face harden, it made him all that more attractive to her—the restrained fury certainly giving him some deliciously rough edges.
Merivic snapped his head up and stared at the soldier whose head was still bowed. “Gerhard.” He practically growled his name. “Show Lady Anya to her room and stand guard.”
Anya’s lips parted to protest when Merivic’s steel-gaze darted her way. She quickly closed her mouth and looked down in face of the visual assault.
Merivic sighed, tipping her chin up with a finger. His voice was soft as he explained, “I must see to this immediately, but I will come back to you.”
She nodded her understanding, but still did not look him in the eye.
“Anya, my truest love.” He nudged her chin up a little more, until she finally met his gaze. “Forgive me for being rude to you. It will not happen again.”
“I understand. Obviously it is of great importance.” She gestured to the paper fisted in his hand.
“It is. But that is no excuse.” He kissed her on the cheek before turning to Gerhard. “Take her up. I will return.”
Anya watched Merivic as he strode away, then shifted to Gerhard. She scowled when she recognized him to be the soldier who ordered her back into the carriage.
“Milady,” he stated politely, sweeping his arm in an act of condescension toward the stairs.
“I do not require you to accompany me. I am quite capable of finding my own way to my quarters.” She pulled up the hem of her gown as she stepped up.
“If Lord Merivic wishes me to escort you, then that is what I shall do.”
Anya scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She could not put her finger on exactly what it was, but something about his manner raked on her nerves. “You are not going to hover outside my door, are you?”
“It is what I am instructed to do.”
“I cannot relax knowing you are the one out here. I hardly feel safe under your caustic eye. Go find someone else.”
“No.”
Anya turned when she reached her door and stared him down. He returned her glare tenfold, jutting out his chin in defiance. “You would rather stay just to annoy me?”
“I am required to stay and not leave you alone. In order to find someone to relieve me, I would need to abandon my station. And that, I will not do.”
She exhaled a frustrated sigh and opened the door.
“He is right. You are headstrong,” Gerhard murmured, positioning himself to the side.
Not sure if she heard him correctly, she said, “Excuse me?”
“It was nothing, Milady. Have a pleasant evening.” The tone he used clashed with the meaning of the words, and it all came together as a patronizing sendoff.
Without a word, Anya slipped into her quarters and slammed the door. She let out a groan as she paced her large room, trying to work off the fury Gerhard easily elicited from her. Taking slow and measured deep breaths, she attempted to concentrate on Merivic and the perfect evening they had managed to create earlier.
Indignation gave way to apprehension and then, eventually, exhilaration as she dressed for bed. Sinking into the plush mattress, she pulled the blankets tight and stared out the window at the stars while she waited for Merivic’s return. But when minutes stretched to an hour, and then two, her lids got heavy and she could no longer combat the fatigue. Fighting it every step of the way, she fell into a deep slumber.
*****
The dream holding Anya captive was unlike any she had ever had before, save for one exception—the dream she had of Merivic the day he proposed.
Usually she could tell when she was dreaming, the effects fanciful enough for her mind to have that cognition, but just as the one before—despite the peculiar quality of it—it felt convincingly real.
As she had done so often in her past, Anya laid in the meadow watching the clouds float by. The lush green grass beneath her was as soft as a bed of silk, conforming to her body and cradling her frame. She studied the sky intently, snuggling deeper into the warmth of the earth, as she sunk away from reality and became swept up into the vision before her.
From Anya’s vantage point, the clouds appeared to be floating on the surface of a pale blue sea, their frayed ends constantly changing with the tide as they drifted along their lazy, pointless journey. She was so focused on this imagery that it was not long before she began to feel their movements herself, a gentle swaying to and fro. She closed her eyes and allowed the motion to take her, and to keep her.
When Anya opened her eyes, she found herself floating amongst the clouds, the cool water vapor tingling her skin as it coated her in a glossy sheen. She watched through a drowsy haze as the billowy masses surrounded her.
Small tendrils broke free from the abstract setting, curling and weaving toward her face. She caught the scent of something sweet, something seductive, and she yearned for more. Easing her face forward, Anya inhaled the thin wisps. They slid into her nose and mouth, chilling a path down her throat and into her chest.
Anya’s will was no longer her own as she gave control to another—to the gods, the fates, the powers that be? She did not know, nor did she care. All that concerned her was the here and now, to the sensations washing over her skin and through her body as the chill turned to heat, as the tingles morphed into waves of pleasure.
“Anya.”
Her name was a whisper on a warm breeze, tickling her ear and beckoning her from the depths of the concealing veil.
She whispered a moan in response as she felt a gentle pressure on her belly, her hips, her lips. Something of substance pressed against her side and a feather-light touch grazed her temple.
“Anya.”
She opened her eyes as Merivic’s mouth brushed against hers, and when he retreated, she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him back. The scent of the dream still swirled in her head, that sweet intoxicating fragrance, while his hand fisted at her hip and his lips teased hers.
“You have finally returned to me.” He looked down at Anya, his mouth curving as he lay casually next to her. “I have to admit, I was hoping for another fantastic rousing like that day in the meadow.”
“Hmm. You can have that, but this time while knowing I am wide awake and taking what I want.”
Anya eased Merivic close and took his mouth with hers. The mood quickly altered and ignited as he changed the angle of the kiss, their tongues dancing in a seductive embrace as his hands tangled in her hair. He held her firm as he took her deeper.
Her head swam from the contact as his hands swept down her neck and across her shoulders. She arched her back as he took her breasts in his strong hands, teasing her nipples with his thumbs over the sleek material of her nightgown. He moved to her neck and she let out a gasp of breath as his lips released hers.
Merivic’s busy hands ran down her belly and slid under the hem, hiking the material up to expose her for his use. He caressed a breast as his mouth enclosed over the other, flicking his tongue against the taut peak. A shiver traveled the length of her frame, rocking through her as she wavered under his heated touch.
Merivic’s own breath caught as she shuddered under him, fueling his craving to give her pleasure, whetting his appetite to consume her, body and mind. He gripped her sides to anchor himself before he slid down, trailing his open mouth across the swell of her belly. His fingers hooked the edge of her undergarment, and tugged it down.
Merivic felt her muscles freeze, heard her breathing cease. He wanted her relaxed, to enjoy and savor what he would give her. And, of course, he wanted to be sure this was what she truly desired. He lightly bit her hip as he asked, “Do you wish me to stop?”
Her response was breathless. “No.”
“Do you trust me?” He eased up, taking her breast in his mouth again.
“Yes,” she whispered, squirming under his lips.
That was all he needed to hear.
Merivic slipp
ed a hand between her legs, gliding over her and sliding his finger into her warmth. Anya inhaled sharply, her back arched and nails bit into Merivic’s shoulders. Her head hazed over as she fought to control the sensations warring within her, pulling her one way then banking hard in another.
“Feel me, Anya,” Merivic murmured as his mouth trailed down again, his hands continuing to explore her before gripping her hips. “Feel this.” His face lowered between her thighs as his tongue darted out.
Anya bolted upright from the intimate contact, bracing herself into an inclined position. Merivic ran his hands up her arms and slid them out from under her, easing her back down before giving her tender breasts a gentle squeeze.
“Let me give this to you.” His lips swept against her. “I want to give this to you.”
Anya whimpered as his knowledgeable mouth closed over her. She was helpless under his touch as he took what he wanted, stroking and caressing with his hands and tongue. The world around her swirled as the sensations stacked up, threatening to topple and bury her under.
Her breath hitched with each rise, and shuddered out as he pulled back to tease. On and on he drove her, riding an anxious wave of indulgence only to dip her in torment to bring her back again. Her desire rose higher and higher until she felt her sanity could take no more. Then, suddenly, Merivic pressed hard to shove her over the edge, and she cried out as she fell into a blissful oblivion.
Anya’s breath wheezed as Merivic lowered himself next to her. She rolled into him, knotting her hands in his shirt as he wrapped his arms around her. Squeezing her tight, he kissed her hair, her forehead, her cheek as she molded against his firm body and waited for her heart to stop hammering.
“That was…” Anya trailed off, realizing she had no proper words to describe what he had done to her, the gift he had given her. Merely thinking about it sent her nervous system into overdrive, causing her to instinctually press even harder against him.
Anya heard Merivic’s heart thundering as she held her ear to his chest, and came to the quick understanding of how aroused he must be himself. Her nervous system sparked again as she twisted to kiss his neck.
Impending Reprisals Page 9