by Tina Gerow
“Damn!” Lerik’s woolgathering had put his consort in danger. Reaching over his shoulder, he pulled his long sword from its sheath and flicked the reins causing Stryder to spear forward. As he moved closer, he scanned the surrounding beach for any sign of the goblins.
Guttural grunts from the side were the only warning he had before three of them jumped at him, knocking him from his horse.
Years of fighting to survive allowed him to keep his sword in his hand and land without impaling himself, or injuring Stryder. He rolled as he landed, coming up into a fighting crouch and striking out with his foot, sweeping his three attackers off their feet.
Stryder reared into the air stomping one of his attacker into the sand.
“More fucking goblins!”
Lerik’s brow furrowed at the sweet female voice. Apparently, his consort could curse like a common serving wench. He turned his head to see how she fared, and the sight made him freeze with shock.
She kneed one goblin in the crotch, and when he crouched to grab his tender bits, she elbowed him in the face, causing a spurt of green blood from his nose. Meanwhile, Max had set about taking large bites out of any goblin ankles that came too close to his lady.
Pain sizzled through Lerik’s head and as if from a distance, he felt himself fall to his knees in the sand. Only years of hardened battle and instincts had him swinging his sword out in a wide arc until screams of pain accompanied slight resistance as his sword met goblin flesh.
He turned his head to check for more attackers, and the world swam in front of him.
Then Max was licking his face in large enthusiastic motions.
“Must heal Lerik, Astiria,” Max said in between slobbery licks. “Must leave Marsoon before more goblins come.”
Max’s words sounded very far away, even though the fuzzy warmth of the gargoyle pressed against Lerik’s chest.
“I don’t know how to heal him, Max.” Astiria’s words were husky and low making Lerik smile through his pain. “On the computer there’s a button I click to heal someone. Can we get him onto his horse like this?”
“Astiria must! She choose healer in game options. Here in Verrath, Astiria can heal.” Max’s weight moved off his chest and cool feminine hands settled over his forehead, beating back the pain. “Put hands on Lerik. Picture him healthy inside Astiria’s head.”
“Shit. Why couldn’t I have chosen something I actually know how to do in reality?”
Lerik’s lips quirked at the curse, and then she moved her hands over his skin leaving behind a trail of liquid heat that had nothing to do with healing. His erection strained against his already uncomfortable trousers and he groaned.
“Crap, Max. I hurt him.”
Lerik opened his mouth to explain, but no words came out, and she swam unsteadily in his line of sight.
She puffed out a breath fluttering her red mass of hair, then repositioned her hands and closed her eyes.
Lerik allowed his own eyes to drift closed as the familiar warm tingling of magical healing teased at his senses. It wasn’t the full healing rush he was used to from other healers—it was obvious this was her first time using her new powers. However, as his headache cleared, he was able to open his eyes without the world spinning.
His consort still knelt over him, her eyes closed, sweat beading over her forehead while her lips silently chanted unknown words. Lerik pushed himself up to a sitting position and grabbed her wrists.
Her green eyes popped open, widening as he dragged her forward into his embrace. A small squeak broke from her throat as his lips closed over hers.
Fissions of fire flashed between them as he dipped his tongue inside the plush paradise of her mouth. She tasted of ale and something he couldn’t quite identify.
Lerik swallowed her moan as she buried her fingers into his hair, dislodging his leather tie and spilling his hair over his shoulders.
Tentative at first, soon she met his tongue thrust for thrust and plastered each of her full curves fully against him.
A small growl from Max brought Lerik out of the haze of passion, as if he’d surfaced from a very deep lake. He reluctantly pulled away from her, holding her at arms length. When she opened her eyes, they were the color of the deepest green leaves in the enchanted Forest of Baltaise. Her well-kissed lips tempted him, but he quickly reminded himself that they would have a lifetime to finish such things.
“Thank you for healing me…Astiria.”
~~~
Gooseflesh marched over Astiria’s skin at the exotic pronunciation of her name from that sensuous mouth. Her thoughts were still so scrambled from the mind-numbing kiss, she was amazed she still breathed. As if of their own accord, her fingers reached up to trace the tingling warmth still lingering on her lips.
She considered herself an experienced woman. She’d dated extensively before marrying her asshole ex-husband. But, never in all those years had a man’s kiss affected her anywhere in the remote universe of this one. She allowed her gaze to travel over every inch of the man before her. The man who’d captured her attention and her hormones on the computer screen stood before her in the flesh. And oh, what a wonderful specimen of flesh he was.
“Come, we must return to my castle. We aren’t safe here.”
Castle? My God, I made myself a laird or some other type of clan leader. Which means he probably has an ego to rival his… Her gaze traveled down to the enormous bulge straining to be free of his pants.
Lerik turned a confused gaze toward Max. “Do you think she’s still weak from the healing, Max? I know it was her first time using her powers.” He looked back down at her. “She does speak our language, does she not?”
Astiria’s ire at being talked about in the third person pushed aside her still-raging hormones. “Of course I speak your language!”
Max wrapped his purple arms around Lerik’s leg. “More goblins, Lerik. Must take Astiria and go.”
Lerik, not bothering to reply to Astiria, nodded and reached down, hefting her over his shoulder like a giant bag of potatoes.
“Hey!” When, two steps later her view became Max sitting on a rounded black horse’s ass, she recovered her wits. “Damn it! I’m perfectly capable of sitting up.”
As if he hadn’t heard her words, the horse beneath them shot into a gallop, jouncing her breasts against Lerik’s muscled back with every pump of the horse’s powerful legs. She beat her fists against Lerik’s back. “I should have created you with some manners, you barbarian!”
Her behind stung as his large hand swatted her. “We can discuss all this later when you are safe, Astiria. And I’m no barbarian, I’m human. The barbarians are even worse than Marsoon, the Goblin Lord.”
“Let me down, you ass!” When she received no response, she turned a pleading gaze to Max who held on tight to two fistfuls of saddle blanket to keep from being dislodged. “Max, how do I get out of this place? How can I go home?”
Unmistakable hurt suffused Max’s features and Lerik’s muscular body stiffened beneath her.
“Astiria belong here with Lerik and Max. Earrath make Astiria sad.” Max smiled up at her wanly. “Here, Astiria be happy. Saile the Seer has ordained it.”
Max’s crestfallen expression coupled with the hard truth deflated her anger. Even before she’d met the asshole-ex husband, she hadn’t been happy. Not that she was ready to accept that this fantasy world was real.
However, if she could truly be happy here, why not give it a chance—even if it was only in her delusional mind? After all, if an overbearing man was the only negative—okay and groping goblins—what did she have to lose? She braced her elbows against Lerik’s back and endured the rest of the bumpy ride in silence.
Chapter Three
Lerik dismounted his horse with Astiria still thrown over his shoulder. She’d stopped yelling at him, but her silence unnerved him more. Especially since she’d asked Max how to get back home.
He clenched his free hand into a fist. Damn it all. This was her home, e
ven if she didn’t know it yet.
He strode past Oopec, noting the elf’s raised eyebrow. “Reward Max with all the bananas he can eat, and send some suitable clothing to my chambers for my consort.”
“Thank Lerik! Thank Lerik!” The scrabbling of Max’s claws sounded against the rushes strewn over the stone floor.
Lerik continued past gaping servants and muted whispers until he reached his chambers. Once inside, he closed the door and bent down to gently set Astiria on her feet.
She pierced him with a mutinous glare, and his fingers itched to reach out and touch the delicately pointed ears that peeked from beneath her tumble of fiery hair.
“As I was trying to say when you tossed me over your shoulder without a word, I’m perfectly capable of sitting and walking all on my own.” She crossed her arms just under her generous cleavage, stretching the thin fabric tight against her breasts and displaying her large coral areolas to perfection. His mouth watered at the sight. When he raised his gaze to hers, her sculpted brow rose in accusation.
The edges of his lips twitched as he covered a sheepish smile at being caught staring. “My apologies, Astiria. Your portal entry put you in danger. My only intention was to save your life so we would have a chance to discuss the niceties at our leisure.” He crossed to the table beside the fireplace and pulled out a chair. “Would you like to sit and we can talk? Or would you like something to eat?” He resisted the urge to stare down at her nipples again.
The intensity of her glare increased to lethal and she humphed before crossing to the chair he still held out. “If I recall correctly, I healed you, therefore saving your life, so I don’t appreciate being treated like a bag of potatoes.”
Stunned, Lerik opened and closed his mouth as he realized the truth of her words. As a master warrior, he was extremely hard to kill, but with the entire force of Marsoon, it was definitely possible, and if she hadn’t healed him, he was sure Marsoon and every goblin available would’ve taken advantage of the opportunity. “It seems I spoke too hastily. My apologies again, Astiria.” He bowed at the waist.
She shot him a suspicious look from under her lush lashes. “First let’s start at the beginning, like how I got here?” She sat and studied him expectantly.
Lerik took the chair opposite her and drank in her beauty. He would’ve welcomed her no matter if she looked like Oopec’s backside. The seer sought him a consort as a soul mate, not as a trophy. Besides, physical beauty was as fleeting as the blacksmith’s sober spells. Lerik had spent his life having beautiful women throw themselves at his feet, but the contents of their minds and hearts had been as lacking as their beauty was abundant. However, in his consort, he’d found both, and he was grateful to the universe for its abundance.
When she cocked her brow at him again, he realized he’d been staring and hadn’t answered her question. “Forgive me. I’ve imagined you for many seasons, but to finally gaze upon your beauty is a fine treat indeed.”
She huffed out a quick breath, her beautiful green eyes narrowing. “Cut the crap and tell me how I got here.”
He wasn’t sure why she seemed so irritated at the compliment, but offered her a comforting smile. He must remember that she’d been thrust into a strange world. Surely, she was frightened and confused, and it was his duty as her consort to help her acclimate. “You were brought here through a portal between Earrath and Verrath. Certain places in both our worlds overlap and in the right circumstances allow people to cross over whose destinies lie in the other plane.”
“Great, my insanity leans heavily toward the overdone sci-fi novel.”
“Sie Fie?” His brow creased at her strange words.
She waved his question away. “Never mind, just thinking out loud. How does Max figure into this? I’ve had him for four years, and he’s been my constant companion. How does he suddenly become a major player in this world?”
Lerik’s fingers itched to reach out and touch the creamy smooth skin covering her long neck, but he held himself in check—for now. “Max volunteered to go into Earrath to find my consort. He befriended you, protected you, and brought you to me when the time was right.”
She leaned back in her chair as even white teeth gently bit into her ripe bottom lip. The succulent flesh pillowed around her teeth and he had the sudden urge to run his tongue over the bite, to sooth it.
“Look, Lerik. Can I be honest?”
“Always, Astiria. There will never be anything but truth between us.” He leaned back in his chair, mirroring her, happy she seemed to finally be accepting her situation.
“Great, good to know.” She laid both her palms on the table and leaned forward as if taking him into her confidence. The actions pressed her large nipples flush against the thin cotton. “My sister, Amy, and her husband bought me a vacation to Fantasy Quest resort. One minute I’m playing an online game, and the next, I’m sitting on an actual beach here in…” She paused as if searching for the right word. “Verrath,” she finished. “When the game asked me to create my consort, I created you.” She made a sweeping gesture from Lerik’s head all the way to his boots, pausing at his groin.
She’s just as affected as I am. She just won’t admit it. Such coyness in a consort… He smiled at the thought of breaking through her barriers and burying himself inside her lush bounty.
When she pierced him with an expectant glare, he nodded to show he’d heard her. “Correct. The Fantasy Quest resort is one of the portals on the Earrath side others before you have used. However, you and I have been destined to be together long before either of us walked our respective worlds. When I became of age, Saile, our seer asked me to describe my perfect consort, and I described you.”
Her gaze turned icy. “No doubt you specifically requested the red hair, stripper boobs and all,” she muttered.
His brow furrowed. Why would she be concerned if he requested certain things? And what exactly were stripper boobs? “Actually, I requested no specific physical attributes at all. There were many other qualities I held essential beyond hair color and a lush body, even though I’m quite happy with the ones presented.”
A sudden flush darkened Astiria’s cheeks, and she appeared almost sheepish.
He smiled at her obvious display of guilt. “So, tell me, Astiria.” He leaned closer and let his gaze roam over her full lips before meeting her green gaze. “What attributes did you request in me?”
~~~
The temperature in the chamber suddenly rose dramatically, and Astiria was sure it was due to the sudden fire in her cheeks. This irritating man actually made her feel shallow.
She squared her shoulders and leveled her best glare his way. “Let’s just say the only ones the game actually came through with were the physical ones. You’re obviously lacking all the important attributes I requested.” There, see how you like it tossed back at you!
Amusement lit his dark chocolate gaze, and he leaned forward to capture her hand in his. “So, my looks please you, then.” He made it a statement.
Damn, he had her there. She’d just admitted that physically, he was her ideal. Double damn. She refused to give him that much power—especially since he wouldn’t be looking at her with quite so much unbridled passion if she’d popped through the portal in her real body.
Won’t anyone ever want me for myself?!
She sighed. Even as her pride smarted, she acknowledged that she didn’t want to blow this chance. For once, she actually looked beautiful, and there was a slavering man around who thought so too. What was the harm in enjoying this reality until her mental breakdown healed enough to drag her back to her regular life and body?
“Are you having that much of a problem deciding?” An adorable dimple winked at the side of his sculpted lips that threatened to melt her into a puddle of boneless goo. He stood and held his arms out at his sides. “Take another look to help you decide.” He turned in a slow circle, allowing her plenty of time to admire her…creation.
He stood before her, well over six f
eet of muscular perfection. His form-fitting leather pants did wonderful things to such sculpted anatomy, and her mouth literally watered as she imagined tasting every inch of skin hidden by them. She swallowed hard before meeting his gaze. “You’re reasonably attractive, I guess.” It wouldn’t do to feed his ego too much. She was all too familiar with pretty-boy men.
He laughed, the full rich sound reverberating all the way to her core. “I like you already, Astiria. A woman who isn’t daunted by my looks. Someone who can stand up to me and be my equal.” He grabbed her hand and laid a warm kiss inside her palm, causing gooseflesh to march over every inch of her. “Someone worthy to be my consort.”
She shook her head as his final words seeped through her sexual haze. Someone worthy…in other words, a matching good-looking bookend. In her real body, she was sure she’d never hear those words unless the man had an ulterior motive. The asshole ex had taught her that lesson well.
Tears burned behind her eyes, and she blinked them away furiously. For now, you are the attractive woman, Astiria. What will it hurt to see what life would’ve been like if you’d been born gorgeous?
The idea took root, and her lips slowly curved as she imagined all the things she would do as someone who knew they were irresistible to the man before them.
“That’s a dangerous smile you’re wearing, Astiria. What thoughts are passing through your mind?” Amusement danced in his gaze as he studied her.
“I’m thinking if you can stop treating me like the damsel in distress, I might enjoy being your…consort.” She stood and took a few steps forward until only a whisper of a breath remained between them. “What exactly is involved in being each other’s consort?” She allowed all her fantasies to blossom inside her mind, and the passion and excitement to show in her expression.
Lerik’s gaze turned molten as he slowly leaned down toward her.