Nuworld: Claiming Tara

by Fitzgerald, Laurie

  Darius kissed her curved lips, sucking on her lower lip, then nibbled enough that she gasped at the tingles of electricity he sent through her with the action. She straightened her arms and collapsed onto her back, then reached for his shirt with her hands and tugged it up his torso. Darius pushed himself to his knees and pulled his shirt off.

  Her fingers immediately tangled through his dark golden chest hair. “Tell me Darius,” she whispered. His muscles jumped underneath her fingertips as she traced patterns down his chest to his pants. “Tell me what will take a lifetime.”

  “My lady, it will take a lifetime to show you all the love I have for you.” Darius flattened the lower half of his body against hers, preventing her from sliding her fingers into his pants. He lowered his mouth over one of her nipples.

  Tara gasped. The heat from his breath through the material of her shirt, and his words, brought her to her first quick orgasm. Darius smiled against her breast as she came.

  Tara grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, and smiled up at him when his eyes feasted on her breasts.

  “Do you love me, Tara?” Darius didn’t make eye contact with his question, but instead lowered his body until he rested on his elbows and began sucking on her nipple.

  “Oh.” Tara arched into Darius and held his head in place as he adored her breasts. “I… You… Don’t stop doing that.”

  Darius lashed her nipple with his tongue, rolled it gently with his teeth, then sucked the hardened nub until Tara contorted her body, heat saturating her.

  “Darius,” she whispered. “Please.”

  Darius moved away from her breasts. Her nipples were still damp from his attention, and Tara suddenly felt chilled and exposed.

  He began a trail of kisses down to her belly button. “I asked you a question,” he whispered into her belly button, sending shivers throughout her body.

  “You did?” Tara lifted her rear end off the bed and pushed down on Darius’ shoulders.

  He chuckled as he scooted lower on the bed, then placed a hand under each of her legs, lifting and spreading them apart.

  Tara kept her knees bent and reached between her legs with both hands to stroke herself while he watched. She touched herself, running her fingers over her soaked flesh until need swelled inside her again. She slid a finger inside herself, and then pulled it out, spreading the fresh wetness over her swollen nub, gasping as she did. Her muscles tightened and released. She watched Darius’ gaze fastened on the action of her fingers. She inserted a finger inside herself again, then pulled it out and extended it to his mouth.

  Darius sucked her finger readily, and she smiled.

  “Do you love me, Tara?” Darius asked when she pulled her finger free.

  When he stroked her soaked, tinder flesh, Tara almost leapt off the bed. Then he lowered his face between her legs and kissed her.

  Tara felt another explosion surge through her body, gathering inside her, increasing the swollen sensation. “Oh please,” was all she managed to gasp, as Darius teased her with his tongue. She heard his question, but her need to explode fogged her senses. She knew there was an answer but at the moment couldn’t find the words.

  Darius made love to her with his tongue until she thrust her hips into his face and grabbed his hair. Her orgasm tore through her.

  Darius freed himself and pulled away. Her vision blurred as she watched him strip. Finally, he stood at the end of the bed naked, his hardened erection dancing in anticipation.

  She didn’t say a word but simply watched as he positioned himself over her.

  “I need to know Tara, please.” Darius made no attempt to touch her, but simply knelt between her spread legs.

  She blinked several times and cleared her thoughts. “I never stopped loving you,” she whispered.

  Darius’ grin melted her heart.

  “My lady, I will show you that I deserve that love. If it takes a lifetime, I will show you that you never have reason to leave my side again.”

  “There will be no other women.” She knew his people didn’t view his horrendous act as a crime. But she did, and he answered to her now.

  “Tara, you are it for me. I promise.” His expression bordered on dangerous, his expression so intent.

  She prayed he meant what he said, but knew only time and his continual show of loyalty would convince her.

  “Then prove that to me now.” Tara reached for him, gripping his hardness in her hands, and stroked the velvety skin that moved over his harder than stone erection.

  Lifting her legs and spreading them at the same time, he knelt before her, pressing his hardness against her oversensitive entrance.

  Tara watched those smoldering gray eyes. His expression didn’t change when he shoved his steel hardness deep inside her.

  Fire ignited inside her, spreading with a fury she didn’t try controlling. Darius glided his massive shaft over her inner muscles, and she reached for him. “Darius. Please.” The words were hard to form. More than anything, she needed him to soothe an itch that was driving her mad.

  He spread her legs further while he pulled slowly out. When he plunged back inside, she screamed.

  “My beautiful Runner,” Darius growled.

  Tara managed to keep her eyes open. She watched when he threw his head back and pounded into her. Tara climaxed again and again. When she thought he would explode, Darius stopped and pulled out.

  “Roll over.” His voice sounded rough.

  Tara pulled her legs from around him and struggled to flip over. Darius helped her but then gave her rear end a sharp swat.

  “Ouch,” she cried, but she loved the sound of the spanking, and the brief warmth it brought to her rear end. Once she was on all fours, Tara arched her back.

  Darius slid into her easily, and the new position had him pushing against the most sensitive part of her insides. She kept her arms locked, pushing back against him. Sex with him had never been so good.

  Tara had no idea how much time passed as he moved her around and took her in every position they could master on the bed. She was numb and sated when he finally allowed her to collapse into complete exhaustion. The smell of their sex and body sweat filled the air of the room. Even though it was very cold outside, neither of them felt a need to find a blanket. She fell asleep with his arms and legs wrapped around her.

  “Darius?” a voice called.

  Tara jumped with a start as she recognized Torgo’s voice. She sat up quickly and reached for a blanket.

  “Are you awake yet?”

  “I’m awake, Torgo. I’ll be down in a second.” Darius rolled over and pulled Tara down on him.

  “Hurry. The candidates are starting to assemble.” Torgo’s voice cracked as he spoke.

  Tara imagined how much he’d grown. She pulled away from Darius and rose from the bed to walk across the room to the shower.

  “How do you plan to get from here to the arena?” He admired her naked body as she picked up her clothes

  “What did you say?” Torgo’s voice came from the hallway.

  “Go downstairs!” Darius’ voice boomed, and feet were heard scurrying down the hallway.

  “I’ll make it.” She smiled and shut herself into the bathroom.

  It was Syra’s voice Tara heard as she came back into the bedroom. She was on the other side of the closed door leading to the nursery.

  Her heart leapt as she also heard two small babbling voices. Her twins were content and happy. She heard an occasional squeal as one of them decided they deserved the toy the other possessed. Tara listened for a few minutes, anxious for the time when she would be sitting on the nursery floor, exploring the toys with her children.

  Finally, she crept to the hallway and back to her old bedroom. Darius was nowhere in sight, and she knew he believed she’d be able to sneak back out of the house. The house was completely silent, other than the noises from the nursery, and Tara assumed everyone had left to watch the test, leaving Syra to stay with the children.

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nbsp; Tara used the staircase by the kitchen and closed the back door silently behind her. She stood motionless in the yard for a moment, listening. Two guards stood on the far side of the house, laughing over something. Tara edged alongside the house in the opposite direction, and wondered if her new friend, Crator, had anything to do with her bike being parked where she had left it.

  “I don’t know who you are,” Tara whispered as she grabbed her handlebars and pushed her bike away from the house. “But if you are taking care of me, Crator, I really appreciate it.”

  Tara started her bike once she was away from the house, then drove over the rough countryside, around the town, and toward the clan site.

  Hundreds of bikes were parked in a lower field. After she left her motorcycle with the rest, Tara began to hike the incline to the arena. The clan site buzzed with activity, considering the early morning hour, and she pushed her way through Runner and Gothman until she reached a roped-off area. Four large poles had been shoved into the ground to form a square, and several ropes were wrapped around the area providing a fence for the arena. Stakes stuck into the ground created an opening for contestants. Outside this area, competitors were checking in at several tables. Tara headed straight toward them.

  “And to think, we’ll be working together by tomorrow. You haven’t noticed any competitor that you think could beat me, have you?” The voice caught Tara off-guard.

  “I don’t know all the Runners that are fighting. I’ve only seen the written tests. Can’t really judge a person by what they write.”

  The second voice belonged to Darius, and Tara turned to see where he was. But that first voice, she knew that first voice. Who was it? She spotted Darius. His guards blocked her view of the other man. She continued moving through the crowd toward the tables.

  “That’s true. Drink with me to victory, my lord.”

  “It will definitely be a day to remember.”

  To whom did that first voice belong? Tara turned again, and this time she saw him. The man talking to Darius was Kuro.

  She’d almost forgotten him. Kuro…her first love. How unimportant he seemed to her now.

  They had met as teenagers, and at eighteen winters he’d pressured her to marry him. They were madly in love, completely inseparable. But she thought she was too young to marry. She wanted the Age of Searching. He wanted to rule the Blood Circle clan by her side. She’d refused his proposal, and in anger and humiliation, he’d left the clan.

  That was five winters ago.

  Now, here he stood, talking to the papa of her children, the man who had claimed her, and the man whom she loved as a woman.

  It made sense that he’d return now. Here was his chance to do what he’d always wanted to do: rule the clan.

  How had he met Darius? Had they become friends? And what was Kuro saying? He obviously assumed he would win the Test of Wills.

  If he still possessed the warrior skills she remembered, it would be a challenge fighting him. Darius must have known she would fight him. Why hadn’t he said something to her?

  Suddenly she wondered what Kuro might have told Darius about her. Had he mentioned knowing her growing up? And if so, what else had he told Darius?

  Kuro turned at that moment and caught sight of her. He gave her a distant look. Then, his eyes widened and he looked at her again.

  Darius turned to see what he was looking at and both of them caught her eye.

  Tara turned and disappeared into the crowd. She scanned the row of tables, and approached a Runner she didn’t recognize.

  “You here to check in for the Test of Wills?” he asked, as he grabbed an armband.

  “Yes. I’m Leetha with the Blood Circle clan.” Her heart pounded against her coat as she was given a white cloth to tie around her arm.

  “Bordo, with the Kill Water clan.” A booming voice next to her announced his arrival.

  Tara glanced at the man and shuddered. His arms were thicker than her waist.

  “And he’s going to win!” A shrill female voice announced this information loudly, and several other Runners surrounding the large burly man began to cheer.

  Tara was forgotten and shoved to the side, as Bordo’s supporters pushed their way to the tables.

  “Oh Crator, I’m doing the right thing, aren’t I?” Tara mumbled. She wrapped her coat around herself tightly and hurried back through the crowd.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  IT WAS only a matter of time before someone recognized

  her. The best thing was to remain in earshot of the arena, but find an isolated spot to wait—and hopefully remain unnoticed. Tara moved to the edge of the clan site, doing her best to avoid any Runners she recognized. Once in the trees, she climbed to a large branch and got comfortable on her perch. She would wait here for the competition to start.

  Tara realized she’d been dozing when she heard Patha’s voice boom through the sound transmitter. She’d dreamed of the old lady. Tara had sat next to her at the campfire in the desert. The old lady had kissed the white cloth tied around Tara’s arm.

  “Crator will guide you to victory. Have faith in Him.” Then she’d disappeared. Tara balanced on the large branch and blinked herself awake. “Number eight and number three will present themselves at the side of the arena,” Patha announced. “The Test of Wills is about to begin.”

  The crowd exploded with cheers, and everyone began moving at once. All those who had been standing and visiting now hurried to get the best seat to watch the fights. Rows of wooden benches surrounded the arena and the dull thumping of people climbing to an available spot vibrated through Tara’s tree branch.

  Tara slid to the ground and headed to the arena. She was number three. She would be in the first fight. Was it good to be the first fighter? How had they determined who would fight first? “Quit worrying and have faith,” she muttered quietly. Crator will guide you to victory. You have faith that He’ll do that, don’t you? She knew that she did. He’d proven his abilities. Whatever He was, He wanted this for her, and she would not let Him down. If it hadn’t been for the dog woman, Tara wouldn’t be here now. There was no better way to honor her memory.

  Tara had to fight her way to the arena. The crowd was thick, and no one seemed interested in letting her pass. Her toes were stepped on, and more than one elbow jammed into her by the time she removed her coat and entered the arena.

  A neutral Runner she didn’t recognize c onfirmed her armband number, and grabbed her hand and the hand of the other contestant. “Round one of the Test of Wills shall begin.” The woman yanked Tara’s arm and the other Runner’s arm into the air.

  Multitudes of bodies tested the strength of the ropes surrounding the arena. They screamed their encouragement at the neutral Runner’s words.

  “Let the fighting begin.”

  Tara looked at her opponent for the first time. “I guess you’ll do for warm-up,” the tall, thin young man

  said. His pale green eyes mocked her through his headscarf. The man lunged at Tara. She responded with a hard blow to the side of his head, and he flew backwards, crashing to the ground.

  His head fell back and hit a rock. He lay motionless.

  Tara stood tall over the fallen Runner and secured her gloved hands together behind her back. The crowd cheered, and she waited for the next contestant to enter the ring.

  The next two fights were similar to the first. The fighters would aim one blow at Tara before she flattened them. A hard punch to the abdomen, a kick in the face, each caused the other fighter to fall, defeated. The third fight lasted for several punches.

  A young, stocky woman came after her with full vengeance. She knocked Tara backward and punched her twice before Tara regained her balance.

  Tara came back at her with several kidney punches, and the crowd groaned as they felt the woman’s pain. As her opponent struggled to regain control, she once again stood still with her hands behind her back. The crowd screamed for her to attack again. Tara looked at the crowd surrounding the ar
ena. It was not a fight to the death, and she refused to hurt the woman any more than necessary.

  The woman finally pulled the white cloth off her arm and threw it to the ground, indicating her surrender. Part of the crowd moaned. Apparently, she’d been a favorite of one of the clans.

  In between the following fights, Tara scanned the crowd. The Gothman were sitting on one side of the arena, and she spotted Darius easily enough. One of his guards was talking, and Darius was listening intently.

  She caught his eye when he looked at her, and he smiled. She glanced away first and looked at the crowd of Runners. For the first time, she laid her eyes on Patha. He was staring directly at her. It was harder to pull her gaze away from him.

  Did he recognize her? Of course he would, she decided. Then Tara noticed Reena sitting next to him and also staring.

  Suddenly Reena’s hands went to her mouth. Patha steadied her, putting his hand on her arm.

  She watched as Reena looked at Patha and said something. He nodded and they both turned and looked at her again. Reena started to get up, but Patha pulled her back. He then leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest. His face wore no expression.

  Tara was forced to pull her attention away from Patha as she took on the next contestant. After several more fights, Tara’s adrenaline soared. She ignored the crowd now and focused on each contestant. By the tenth fight, she began to feel more evenly matched. She and one fighter, a large burly man, fought for almost an hour.

  Nothing she did would make him fall. He was thick as a tree trunk. His punches served only to increase her drive to fight. At one point, he grabbed her from behind and slowly began to squeeze the life out of her. With sheer determination Tara managed to reach behind and grab him by the neck. A hush fell over the crowd as she slowly turned until his neck cracked and he slumped, lifeless, to the ground.

  A sense of battle took over all of Tara’s thoughts. She no longer cared that Patha or Darius watched. She was a merciless machine, and each contestant who entered the arena felt her fury. Tara lost count of how many contestants she’d eliminated. The noise of the crowd came back to her when Patha’s voice exploded over the sound transmitter.