by Sara Fields
“When we find the cause, will her memory return?” Darrius pressed.
“I cannot know. Ancient magic like that, it’s kind of a give and take. To have her memory return, she might lose something else.”
“Thank you, Shayla. I appreciate what you’ve done for me,” he said.
“Consider it returning the favor. Now we’re even.”
Groggily, Irena gazed up at Darrius, watching as he nodded at the witch.
“Wash the mud from her skin. It will remove the remaining traces of my magic from her aura. She’s going to be exhausted from her journey as well as physically weak. Take care of her. She’s going to need it.”
“I will protect her with my life.”
“Necromancer. There’s something you should know.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a dark spot ahead for the two of you. It was murky, as if the future is still uncertain. Be wary of who lies around the corner, as I sense danger and I don’t know which of you it’s going to target.”
“I will take your warning to heart. No one is ever going to hurt her.”
Strong arms lifted Irena off the table and she knew no more. Safe in Darrius’s arms, the only thing she felt was happiness. Blackness enveloped her, exhaustion taking over so that she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Five
Darrius took Irena back to his hut, where he bathed her of the magical herbs Shayla had painted on her body. Still asleep, he gently brushed her hair and tucked her into bed. It was dark by that time, so he built a fire to keep the chill of the night out from his cabin. He heard the quilt rustle as she turned in her sleep and stilled, hearing nothing but the crackle of burning wood behind him. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he gazed down at his charge. Pale blond lashes kissed her cheeks, still flushed pink from the events of the day. A stray hair fell across her forehead and he pushed it aside.
She looked so angelic, innocent, that he yearned to keep her in his arms forever. Sitting back, he brushed his fingers over his dark stubble. Despite the fact he’d only known the little hellion for just over a day, he felt like she’d been the one he’d been waiting for, the one he’d been meant to find. Unable to help himself, his thumb brushed across her soft lips. He craved to kiss her there, to show her what it meant to be truly his, but he knew that he could never force her to be with him. She’d have to choose to be his woman.
Until then, he would protect her for all he was worth, even if it meant reddening her pert little ass every time she disobeyed him. With a smirk, he remembered how her body had reacted, how wet her pussy became each time he asserted his dominance with her. Secretly her body loved it, but her mind had yet to come to terms with her reactions. He loved every second of it and wanted more.
It was so refreshing having a woman who didn’t shy away from him, or cower in fear every time he walked into a room. Instead, Irena looked at him with a sense of admiration and respect, as well as an eagerness to please and he loved that.
Smiling, he realized that the little miss was quickly worming her way into his cold heart. He’d been alone for so long living the life of a sellsword that he’d forgotten what it meant to truly care for someone.
Groaning, he stood back up and walked over to the fire. Watching the flames crackle and pop, he leaned against the hearth. He reached up along the mantel and grabbed his pewter cup. Pouring himself a hefty glass of wine, he took a sip of the hearty red flavor and sighed. Unable to contemplate going to sleep just yet, he slipped into his sight and perused the nearby surroundings. The land was quiet, nothing stirring except for the animals of the night. An owl hooted nearby and he finally relaxed.
He let his powers fall away and finished the rest of his goblet. Putting the cup down on the nearby table, he undressed and pulled on a loose shirt and pants to prepare for bed. He climbed in beside the small woman and couldn’t help but pull her close.
She fit against him like they were molded for each other. Her warmth took away his chill. Nestled against him, she wriggled even closer, pressing her curvy bottom back against him. His cock hardened for her, his balls tightening with impossible need, yet he did not act on his impulse. Instead, he decided he wouldn’t take her until she begged him for it.
And he would make her beg.
With a smile, he drifted off to sleep. That night, he had the best night’s rest since he was a little boy, calmed by the presence of a little blond woman curled up in his bed.
* * *
He woke before her with the morning sun, yet didn’t move for the fear of waking her. He watched her angelic face for a long moment before she began to stir. Pale blue eyes blinked sleepily back at him and he couldn’t help but smile at the sweetness shining through from within her. She was the prettiest thing he had ever seen in his life.
A blush came over her face and a tiny grin edged at the corners of her lips.
“Morning,” she whispered.
“I’m happy to see you awake, little dove,” he said. “You slept all night without any fuss.”
She lifted the covers and looked underneath at her naked body.
“And I’m clean again. I’m starting to think you just enjoy giving me baths.”
“And miss the chance to enjoy the sight of that naked body of yours? Definitely wouldn’t want to give that up.”
She giggled and the sound was like music to his ears.
“Not that you would let me fight you, mister bossy. Any time I try, I end up with a spanked bottom!”
“And don’t you forget it.”
He flipped the covers back and she shrieked with laughter. Quickly, he flipped her onto her tummy and she tried to cover her backside with her hands. He pinned her wrists on her lower back and lightly slapped at her bottom cheeks.
She snickered in response.
“How come you haven’t spanked me like this before? It might be more effective if it didn’t hurt so much,” she said, her voice light.
“It depends on what kind of result I want, little girl. You just haven’t been well behaved enough to earn a good girl spanking yet, now have you. You’ve been awfully naughty and needed to be punished. Isn’t that right…” he said, all the while grazing his palm over the skin of her backside. Already she was beginning to respond. Almost imperceptibly, she was raising her hips to meet his touch, and he chuckled quietly at his luck.
“Tell me, Irena, does the idea of your naked bottom being punished by my hand excite you? Remember, I expect you to be honest with me. Be truthful and I shall reward you. If you lie to me, I’ll take a switch to this pretty backside of yours.”
Her entire face flushed bright red and her mouth opened wide with shock.
“You can’t mean to ask me that!” she exclaimed, yet he could see a sense of hopefulness in her eyes. He smirked and spanked the right side of her ass hard enough to leave a pink handprint on her pale skin and she yelped in surprise.
“Okay! Okay! I, umm… I did kind of like it… sir.”
“I like it when you call me sir.”
“Then I’ll do it more often then. But only when you deserve it… of course.”
“Cheeky girl… Guess I’m going to have to redden this bottom of yours much more often to quench such bratty behavior,” he chuckled and her bottom tensed, but she giggled as well.
He peppered her bottom with spanks then, turning her cheeks a pretty pink before she began to yelp at the sting he knew she was beginning to feel. When he eventually stopped, she was gasping for breath and her thighs parted slightly. He saw a glimpse of wetness there and he drifted his hands up her thighs. She gasped at the feeling of his touch.
Irena tensed a little when he brushed against the slick folds of her pussy. She surprised him when she arched her back, giving him better access to her body. She even spread her legs further for him. As a reward, he delved deeper and found her very wet, throbbing clit. At this exciting discovery, his cock hardened and his balls tightened with need.
He wanted her but she had to
want him too.
As he circled her needy bud, she moaned and it felt like someone had shot a lightning bolt straight to his shaft. Taking a deep breath, he continued and her thighs began to tremble with need. He wanted to make her come.
Pressing harder, he grinned when she bucked under his touch. His other palm smacked against her left cheek and she moaned. He could feel her body tensing further and he spanked her again. He picked up the cadence, paddling her bottom lightly, but firmly enough to sting just a little bit. His fingers continued to massage her clit and she shuddered beneath him. Her passion was clear in every nuance of her body, the way she gripped the bedsheets so that her knuckles whitened and how her legs tensed and her toes curled. Even her slender back tightened and arched toward him and he groaned at the sight. It was the sexiest thing he had ever seen.
Her limbs finally relaxed and she breathed a sigh of relief. He removed his hand slowly, almost reluctant to stop touching her intoxicating skin. She rolled over onto her back, curling against him, her arm up bent over her head. He smirked, seeing a happy, well-satisfied woman in his bed.
“I like that feeling,” she whispered, her features nothing but a very pleased glow.
“That’s just the edge of the forest, little one. There’s so much more I can teach you about your body that will leave you begging for my touch.”
Gooseflesh prickled across her skin and he had to hold back a bout of laughter. There was no question. She certainly looked forward to his attentions. She smiled gently back at him and surprised him with the words she uttered next.
“I hope you show me more of those things sometime, sir,” she said softly, lowering her eyes demurely to the bed. He reached forward and brushed a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes, his heart melting for the young trusting soul in his bed. Now that he had found her, he didn’t want to give her up. Just the thought of returning her to wherever she came from tore at his heart and a fierceness within him surged forth.
Without a doubt, he wanted to make her his woman. More important, he wanted to be her daddy. He swallowed roughly, stunned at the thought. He gazed back at her, realizing how right that thought was.
“I will teach you everything I know, I promise,” he growled warmly. “Come, let’s get you dressed. I want to show you the village today and purchase you some new dresses of your very own. How does that sound?”
“I love shopping,” she squealed and he had to laugh at her enthusiasm. She was incredibly adorable and he couldn’t get enough of her. He climbed out of bed and helped her to rise as well. She lightly stepped on the hardwood floor beneath her, and tiptoed into the adjoining bathing room. She poured some water in a basin and dipped a white cloth into it. Washing her face, she giggled back at him. Her cheeks were rosy and full of life. Bright eyes turned toward him and a look of insecurity passed over her features.
“What is it?”
“Will you please brush my hair? I liked it when you did that yesterday,” she murmured, her voice soft and sweet. He smiled and nodded in response. He loved that she was already looking forward to his taking care of her.
He grabbed the hairbrush on the nearby counter. Then, he led her back into the main room of his cabin and pulled out a straight-backed wooden chair. Placing it in the center of the room, he took a seat and patted his knees. Warily, she moved toward him, her eyes glued to his thighs.
“What are you thinking, little one?” he pressed, as he turned her around and situated her between his legs. Her pert round bottom, still pink from the attention it received this morning, rose just above his thighs, shaped just like a delectable apple. He yearned to once again turn her naked over his knee and spank that naughty backside of hers. After those curvy cheeks were nice and red, he wanted to bend her over the bed and take her bottom hole, showing her once and for all that she was truly his.
He vowed that that day would be on the night of their wedding.
With a deep swallow, he straightened his shoulders and began to brush her wavy golden locks. It made him happy to fulfill her needs and he grinned upon hearing a soft sigh escape her lips. He sincerely hoped that one day, this small female would accept him for who he was and even when she learned the truth about him, she wouldn’t run away from him for good.
He’d have to earn her love and he wouldn’t rest until she was his wife.
Chapter Six
Irena thoroughly enjoyed Darrius’s attentions, especially as he brushed her hair. She felt like he was her protector and her caretaker all rolled up into one and she loved it. She wouldn’t change a single thing. He was so gentle in his touch that she felt entirely comfortable even though she was still naked. She couldn’t help but think about him sitting in that straight-backed wooden chair.
It seemed almost as if she could get a spanking at any second. She felt her thighs begin to quiver as the telltale moisture dewing on her folds began to drip down between her legs. Startled, she jumped when his rough hands brushed against the sensitive skin of her backside.
“This sexy little ass of yours is so tempting. It just makes me want to put you over my knee every time I see it so that it’s always some varying shade of pink.”
She giggled in response and turned to look back at him.
“You’d spank me every day?” she asked, feeling a flush come over her face and more liquid heat gathered between her thighs. She tried to press her legs together, but it didn’t help to alleviate the ache that was developing deep in her core.
There was something about the threat of being spanked by him that warmed her heart and made her pussy wet. His palm always made her bottom sore, but even with the sharp initial sting, it always faded into something amazingly pleasurable.
“I’d spank you every hour if I could,” he said, his voice light and amused. “If you were my girl, I’d paddle this bottom of yours, day and night. In fact, it seems to be losing its color right now. Let me fix that.”
He grasped around her hips and easily lifted her clear off the floor in a matter of seconds. Before she knew it, she was facedown over his knees and looking down at the floor. She yelped when his broad palm smacked against her bottom cheeks, enough to sting a little but not hurt. He spanked her quickly yet firmly, and not long after, she was squirming and kicking, trying to avoid his impeccable aim. Despite her efforts, she didn’t evade a single swat.
The spanking was over before she knew it, leaving her breathless with need. Deep in her core, desire was building to insurmountable levels and she wanted him to touch her there again. His fingers trailed across her skin, causing shivers to race up her spine.
“Open your legs for me,” he said firmly, yet with warmth. She knew that he expected her to obey and she knew that if she didn’t, the spanking would turn into a punishment. Much as she had enjoyed this attention, she didn’t want to disappoint him. Without any fight, she parted her thighs for him and was rewarded with his touch. His fingers glided across her wet lips and she quivered in anticipation.
“I think you rather enjoy the thought of having a red bottom, now don’t you, Irena,” he mused and she felt herself flush. Unable to help herself, she arched her hips toward his fingers, hoping he would touch the throbbing bud that was calling for his attention. She wasn’t disappointed.
“Yes, sir,” she whispered. She shuddered under his control, perfectly happy bare bottomed and freshly spanked. He circled her clit and she moaned with pleasure.
She was so turned on and so completely aware of her body’s reactions to his dominance. She loved it and wanted more of it. Every time he touched her, it felt as though her body was like a volcano, seconds away from exploding.
“Such a good girl. Look at how wet you are for me,” he whispered as he leaned in close to her ear. Shivering, she moaned as a tidal wave of ecstasy overtook her entire sense of self. Her hips rocked in tune with his movements as her orgasm ricocheted through her body. Trembling with pleasure, her body finally stilled after a long moment. Left breathless, she sighed with her happiness.
“I definitely can get used to this,” he said happily and she nodded against his throat.
“I could too,” she sighed contentedly.
He carried her to the bed and placed her down on the soft mattress. He grabbed the brush again and quickly tidied her mussed hair. She watched him dress in a pair of black cloth pants and an off-white cotton shirt. He shrugged on a well-worn burgundy overcoat and sat down by the table to pull on a pair of leather boots. Even she had to admit he looked rather handsome. After he was finished, he helped her into her underthings, patiently instructing her in the order of how she should dress properly.
Adoring the attention, she listened and took in everything he told her.
“Who would have thought that getting dressed was so complicated. It’s so hard to believe I can’t remember such trivial things.”
“Maybe you just ran around naked all the time,” he teased and she giggled.
“Some wild woman running around in the forest, huh?”
“Maybe. Who knows,” he chuckled.
Not long after, she was fully clothed in the dress he’d given her yesterday and ready to go. Taking her by the hand, he led her outside and she dutifully followed. He saddled the horse and she watched while petting the beast’s large nose. He helped her onto the horse before swinging himself up beside her. This time, she wasn’t nervous at all, instead feeling much more comfortable riding the big horse with Darrius behind her. She curled backwards into his chest and his big arms surrounded her as he took the reins.
With a gentle kick, the horse took off down the road.
She squeaked with delight as a gentle breeze met her face and smiled, feeling secure with her current situation. No longer scared and nervous, she was comfortable with this man and knew that deep within her heart she was starting to like him. She even thought that he must care for her as well since he took such good care of her.