The sensation was foreign but it was arousing. She could feel his thick finger where no one had ever touched her before. “Marc,” she panted, not quite sure if she wanted him to stop or continue.
He took the decision away from her, pressing his finger farther into her ass. Her breasts swayed as she moved with him, wanting him deeper and harder. He continued to fuck her pussy with his other hand. Pressure built within her until it couldn’t be contained any longer.
Orgasm hit her hard. Her legs trembled as she came. Cream slid from her slit, coating his hand with each contraction. “That’s it,” he encouraged. “Give it all to me.” Gripping the horse, she rode out the waves of pleasure, moaning in disappointment when Marc carefully withdrew his fingers from her ass and pussy. Before she could give voice to her frustration she was spun around.
Marc’s eyes blazed with a combination of longing and lust as he cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her. Her legs twined around his waist automatically and she tilted her hips, rubbing against his thick length.
Her back was shoved up against the thick plank wall at the back of the stall. The fabric bunched around her shoulders cushioned her slightly. Marc leaned into her, holding her with the weight of his chest as he unlaced his pants.
“Hurry.” She buried her hands in his hair.
He stopped long enough to plaster his lips against hers in a desperate, breath-stealing kiss. His tongue claimed hers and his mouth stole the very air from her lungs.
Breathless, she kissed him back so hard their teeth clinked together. Her hands fisted in his hair as she held him to her.
How could she leave him?
The thought intruded, threatening to steal her pleasure. Then it was gone. Shoved away by the feel of Marc’s hard flesh against her slick, tender folds. He positioned his cock at her opening and thrust hard, pushing every last solid inch inside her.
The horse nickered softly behind them but no other sound intruded. There was only the two of them, joined together, their breath mingling as they gasped for air.
She cried out as her body adjusted. Pleasure and pain warred briefly but pleasure easily won out. Gripping his shoulders, she hung on as he lifted her slightly. His fingers curved around her ass, holding her tightly as he sucked one taut nipple into his mouth and then the other. Back and forth he went, giving each puckered nub equal attention.
It wasn’t enough.
“I need you to move.” She tried to lift and then let her body fall back on his shaft.
She only moved about an inch but even that sent tendrils of pleasure rippling through her. When he paused, she tugged on his hair, bringing his face up to hers. “Fuck me!” she demanded.
He growled low in his chest, his face almost feral in the dim light. But she wasn’t afraid. She wanted him to lose control. She wanted him to take her hard and quick.
All thoughts about what was to come faded. Kathryn no longer cared if anyone walked in and found them. She didn’t care that they were in a horse’s stall in a stable.
Nothing mattered but the physical and emotional connection between her and Marc.
Hitching her legs over his arms, he began to fuck her. Hard. His hips pumped faster and faster. She felt impaled by his thick length with every thrust. All her being focused on the heat building deep within her. Her thighs quivered and her hands clung to his neck and shoulders. His chest brushed her turgid nipples with every stroke of his cock.
Both of them were straining now. Reaching for it.
“Kathryn!” He cried her name as he rammed into her. His desperation was hers and she clutched him tighter, working her hips in rhythm with his thrusts.
“Marc!” She screamed as her entire being exploded. Stars danced before her eyes and her vision dimmed. Her body jerked, her hips grinding against his as a wave of heat filled her. She felt his cock swell inside her just before the flood of his hot essence filled her. She held on tight, wanting to feel every second, every sensation.
When it finally subsided, her head fell limp to one side and a bead of sweat rolled down her temple and into her eye. She blinked as it began to sting. Her hands slid from his slick shoulders and she hung there in his grasp.
Her senses gradually returned, making her very aware of the sights and sounds around her. The plank was hard against her back, her tunic a tight band around her upper chest. She was covered in sweat and her thighs were wet and sticky. When she shifted she felt a trickle of cream in the cleft of her behind, a reminder of what Marc had done. She’d found it incredibly arousing when he’d touched her there, pressing his finger past the tight opening of her ass.
The smell of sex surrounded them, hot and pungent. It mingled with the aroma of man, woman, horse, straw and leather. Kathryn knew she’d never forget it as long as she lived and that it would haunt her dreams for years to come.
Shifting her head slightly, she saw the horse in the far corner of the stall. The beast was watching them with its dark, soulful eyes. She shivered as a light breeze wafted over her, reminding her of their precarious position.
Marc raised his head and stared at her, his lips parting as if he wanted to speak. The horse whinnied and shuffled. Marc swore and slowly withdrew from her. Now that he was only partially erect, it was easy, yet her inner muscles grasped and clutched at him, trying to keep him within her.
The muscles in her thighs protested as she straightened. She was grateful for the wall behind her because she didn’t think she could stand on her own. Her legs were like jelly.
She heard the voices then and they were getting closer. The fear of discovery propelled her away from the wall. Marc had already laced the front of his pants and run his hand through his hair. He looked the same as always except for the satisfied gleam in his eyes.
Thoroughly disgruntled, she frowned at him as she searched for her pants. Spying them, she bent down and grabbed them, barely stifling a shriek when he patted her on the behind. She shot him a dirty look as she shoved her feet into the openings and tugged her pants over her legs.
Whipping her tunic down, she finger-combed her hair as best she could, though she knew it was a useless endeavor. Anyone with a grain of sense would know what they had just done. Kathryn was sure she looked as if she’d just been tumbled in a stable.
What was done, was done. And besides, she wasn’t ashamed of what had just happened. It was just awkward. She didn’t want to meet someone she knew, having them speculate on what she and Marc had been doing.
As if sensing her unease, he smiled at her, stroking her hair from her face. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She glanced at the open door of the stall. The voices were almost upon them.
“Wait until the coast is clear and then head back to the castle. You could use another bath.” He plucked a strand of straw from her hair. She had no idea where it had come from. Before she could agree or disagree, he planted a rough, quick kiss on her mouth and was gone. He strode from the stall, pausing long enough to grab his sword.
She stood there, her fingers touching her lips. She could feel the heat of his mouth on hers and it sent a sweet pulsing to her core. “Stop it,” she muttered under her breath.
That’s what had gotten her in trouble in the first place.
The men hailed Marc and she heard the low rumble of his voice returning their greeting. Creeping over to the door, she sneaked a quick peek. Two of the men she’d met yesterday—the head of the castle guard and the stable master—were talking with Marc. As she watched, he nodded and motioned to something outside.
When they finally began to move off, she heaved a sigh of relief. Something hit her shoulder and she whirled around. Destiny was right beside her, poking his large head out of the stall. “They’re gone, which means I have to go to.” Unable to resist, she stroked the horse’s head one more time. Sighing, she patted his side and slipped from the stall, closing the door behind her.
The men were barely beyond the doors of the stable but their backs were to her.
When she finally made it into the cooler, darker depths of the castle, she sighed with relief. She could hear voices in the great room but figured she could slip up the stairs unseen. It would be close. As she passed the opening to the room, she glanced inside. Jarek and Christina were talking with Tienan and Logan. As if sensing her presence, Tienan looked right at her, his sharp green-eyed gaze missing nothing of her disheveled state.
Kathryn shivered. Wrapping her arms around herself, she hurried up the stairs, not stopping until she closed the door of her room behind her.
Chapter Fourteen
Marc was still reeling from his sensual encounter with Kathryn in the stables. He could still taste her sweet essence on his tongue, still feel her heat wrapped snuggly around his cock as he thrust into her.
With a muttered curse, he brought his attention back to the men beside him, ignoring their startled gazes. He’d sensed Kathryn hurrying from the stables and while he understood her reticence at being caught making love in the stables, he resented it all the same. He wanted everyone to know she belonged to him.
One thing was certain, she would never forget the first time she saw a horse.
He chatted a bit longer and then headed to the castle. His long legs ate up the distance, his boots raising puffs of dust as he went. His first instinct was to seek out Kathryn but he knew she would want some time to compose herself. Besides, he would have forever with her. Right now, he needed to spend time with his family. As of tonight, they would be lost to him.
He swallowed hard at the thought of never seeing Jarek, Christina and his nephews again. Then there was Mara, his friends and all the men and women who were part of his daily life. For the first time, he understood the sacrifice that the tapestry brides made when they chose to remain in Javara. He admired their tremendous courage. To leave behind all that you knew and face the unknown was indeed a challenge. But it was worth it for love.
Tienan and Logan were seated in the hall along with his family. His nephews, Baron and Derrik played quietly on the floor beside their father’s chair, their wide eyes never leaving the men. Marc felt a pain in the region of his chest and rubbed it absently.
He would miss them all more than they would ever know.
He straightened his shoulders and strode forward, determined to spend the rest of the afternoon soaking up every single moment with them and storing it away in his memory for the years to come. Only for Kathryn would he leave them behind. They would miss him but they would be fine without them. Kathryn, on the other hand, needed him. And he needed her.
Acting as normal as possible, he joined the conversation. Jarek gave him a searching stare but Marc gave a small shake of his head. His brother bowed his head briefly before turning back to Logan. Christina gave him a quizzical look but he merely offered her a smile and a shrug. Then Mara called out to her, informing her that the baby was awake and demanding to be fed. She excused herself from the group and hurried off to feed her daughter.
Marc watched her leave, glad that she was here for Jarek to help ease the pain that his leaving would cause. He and his brother had always been close. A tug on his pant leg interrupted his dark thoughts. Baron leaned into his leg, watching him.
“Uncle Marc, what’s wrong?” The boy had always been sensitive to the moods of others and saw way more than a child his age usually did.
Marc crouched down beside his nephew, who was really his son, and ruffled the boy’s hair. “There is nothing wrong. I have a lot on my mind.” Pain filled him at the thought of never seeing the boy grow into manhood, never seeing him swing a sword or ride a horse on his own. Baron had just begun to ride a pony and had taken to it with a natural ability. Marc’s chest had almost burst with pride the first time he’d watched the boy trot around the courtyard on his own.
He would also miss watching the other children grow and change and he would never see any other children Jarek and Christina might have.
“It’s about the woman, isn’t it?” the boy persisted.
“Aye, it is.” He patted the child on the shoulder as he stood. “But there is nothing for you to worry about.” Taking him at his word, Baron went back to play with his younger brother. Marc leaned against the wall and watched them in their innocent play until he became aware of Tienan’s presence beside him.
“They are beautiful children,” Tienan remarked.
“They are.”
“The eldest is your son.” It wasn’t a question. Marc inwardly cursed the fact that both the strangers from Earth were blessed with a keen intellect and eye.
“He is of my body but he is my nephew. Jarek is his father.” Tienan crossed his arms, his legs spread wide. There was nothing relaxed about his posture. “That must be…difficult.”
“It is, but it is our way.” He turned to face the other man. “I know what I am leaving behind when Kathryn chooses to leave but he will be loved and cared for by his parents.”
“She is not going back there,” Tienan stated calmly under his breath.
Marc shook his head. “I would prefer she stay but she is determined to go back. She feels responsible for her father’s actions, for what happened to you and Logan.”
“That is ridiculous,” he insisted, voice even but green eyes snapping in anger.
“That is fact.” Sighing, Marc pushed away from the wall and shoved a hand through his hair. “Do you not think that I wish she was less courageous, that she didn’t feel as much responsibility as she does?” Dropping his hand back down by his side, he faced Tienan, understanding the other man’s frustration. “But if she did, she would not be Kathryn.”
Tienan swore. “It is not her place. Not her fight.”
“You don’t have to return either. You could stay.”
A look of pure longing came over Tienan’s face but disappeared almost immediately behind a mask of indifference. “That is my world and those are my people.
I have heard rumors that not all the other alphas were terminated, that some of them actually made it out alive. I have to find them. Together, maybe we can fight the government and find justice for those outside the Gate.” He swiveled his head, his gaze pinned on the stairs as Christina descended with Kathryn by her side. “Besides, she is your woman.” Marc started to protest but Tienan’s hand slashed through the air, stopping him.
“Logan and I both know it. Yes, she cares for us but it is not the same. She loves you.” His eyes narrowed. “And if you hurt her, I will find a way to travel through time and come back here and cut your heart out.”
“She will not stay,” Marc insisted. He’d seen the determination in her, seen her resolve to return.
“We will see.” Tienan strode across the hall to greet them. Marc watched Kathryn’s eyes light up with pleasure as the other man took her hand, leaned down and brushed a kiss on her cheek. From his vantage point, he could see the light blush creep up her face as she laughed and joined the group.
The afternoon was pleasant enough but everyone’s mood deteriorated as time ticked by. The castle guard trickled in to sit at the long trestle tables that the servants had assembled but even their conversation was kept to a minimum.
By the time the evening meal was served, they were a quiet, morose group.
Everyone knew what was coming, what the night would bring. The tapestry would appear and choices would have to be made. No one knew for certain what the outcome would be.
Mara had herded the children upstairs to their room after they’d said goodnight to all the adults. Marc had held each boy overly long, hugging them tightly, knowing that this was goodbye.
Jarek sat in silence, his actions getting tenser by the moment. Christina said nothing, sitting quietly beside her husband. Kathryn picked at her food, not eating much at all.
“Does your stomach bother you?” Marc hadn’t thought to check with her to see if the foo
d was acceptable. There was a thick beef stew, fresh bread, baked chicken and vegetables, as well as platters of cheese and fruit.
“It’s all delicious, I’m just not hungry.” She sipped the tea that Mara had placed in front of her. Marc wished he’d thought to thank the older woman for her thoughtfulness. She’d been taking care of the occupants of the castle for so long that all of them, including Mara herself, took it for granted.
“Try to eat a little bit more.” She was still far too thin for his liking. Kathryn projected a confident, controlled facade to the world but physically she was delicate to the point of being fragile. He knew it was because of all she’d been through in her lifetime but especially the past few months. He only wished there had been time enough for her to get healthy before they returned. The past few days had only added to the problem, pushing her even further toward her physical limits.
She took two more spoonfuls of the soup before pushing the bowl aside.
It wasn’t enough but time had run out.
Marc pushed his chair back from the table, ignoring the food still piled on his plate.
“It is time.”
Tienan and Logan stood, their expressions grave as they thanked Jarek and Christina for their hospitality. Christina started to stand but her husband put his large hand on her arm, stopping her. “They must do this alone.” Christina nodded but Marc saw the tears in her eyes as she hugged Kathryn. He knew she believed Kathryn was returning to her own time and that he would be left alone. His sister-in-law had no idea he planned to go with them.
He reached down and gave Christina a gentle squeeze. “All will be well. Jarek loves you and so do the children.” She jerked her head back, her eyes searching his face. He could see the worry there and was sorry for it.
Jarek stood and, heedless of the audience watching them, yanked Marc into his embrace, hugging him tightly. Marc knew he had to get away before he disgraced himself with tears. He thumped his brother on the back, released him and turned away.
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