Soul Of A Man (The Dark Souls)

by Jamie Begley

  His lips found hers in a kiss of exquisite fire that drew all thoughts of the cold from her. While his tongue thrust deep as his fingers delved within her, his other hand burrowed into her hair, tilting her head back to give him better access to her mouth. When she couldn’t suppress her moans of want any longer, his lips found an already taut nipple, sucking it deep within his mouth before releasing it to gently bite her neck, leaving a red mark.

  Cara was sure she couldn’t stand his teasing any longer and pulled at his hair until he gave her what she wanted by returning to her aching breast and sucking the nipple deeper into his wet mouth. Before turning to give the other breast the same treatment, he placed another small bite on its peak, forcing a rush of liquid to escape her cunt.

  Her hand slid down his taut stomach, marveling at the strength his body displayed. She investigated every glorious muscle as she slid her hand down to grip a buttock, pulling his hips closer, needing him desperately inside of her.

  Jericho knew she was ready for him when she pulled him closer. He removed his damp fingers from her tight sheath and placed his cock at her moist entrance. This time, he didn’t try to go slow, pumping his cock inside of her with hard, firm strokes, giving her little time to adjust. Her moans of pleasure filled his mind as he pumped harder within her tight sheath. He looked down to see her biting her lip, so he leaned down and licked her lips until she started to hungrily return his kisses.

  “I don’t think I can take anymore, Jericho.”

  “Yes, you can.” He didn’t ask, he demanded. His strokes did not slow; instead, he raised her thighs until they now gripped his side tilting her hips upward at an angle to even further deepen his hard strokes.

  “Jericho.” Her voice had grown tight, hesitant.

  “Are you my woman?”

  Cara’s head thrashed back and forth on the sleeping bag, her stomach muscles tensed, her hands lifted to brace themselves on his slick chest. She realized he was breathing heavily while his features blazed with a savage, pagan beauty. He showed every sign of a man being tortured by desire; none of these signs had been present last night. He had been gentle, easing her into sex. Now, the mask he always wore was removed, showing what he expected of a woman that could hold her own as his lover.

  “Are you my woman?”

  Cara understood what he was asking of her. To trust him to know that he would not hurt her, but would she accept him past her comfort zone? He was asking her to be what he needed.

  “Yes.” Cara’s hand fell away to once again grip his buttocks and pull him closer within her tight depths.

  “Then take all of me.” With those words he stroked his cock even harder and further within her channel. Cara forced her tight muscles to relax and tilted her hips until she felt the full length of him sliding deep inside of her.

  He took control of her body, showing her how he enjoyed sex; what he expected of her if she was woman enough to give him what he needed. He liked it hard and deep. In return, he gave her the fuck of a lifetime, one that she would remember with a smile and a drenched pussy.

  Jericho’s thumb played with her clit until its exposed hood rested against his cock. With every movement, the friction caused a rush of wetness, which allowed him to slide within her at an even faster pace. Cara had always hoped that sex would be great, but this went beyond greatness. It was a pleasure so intense she wasn’t sure she could stand it. The harder he pumped, the harder she wanted him.

  The soreness in her pussy from last night left her tender, causing her to grip his cock tighter. She thought the small amount of pain would hinder her; instead, Cara was surprised at how it magnified her pleasure. Jericho could not go fast enough to suit her, so she started grinding her hips upward, meeting his strokes with a forcefulness of her own.

  A series of hard thrusts had Jericho groaning and Cara screaming as their orgasms reached a peak neither had felt before. Cara saw the brief glint of surprise in Jericho’s dark eyes before he lowered them.

  This time, when he rolled off her, it wasn’t to get dressed, but to pull her on top of him while grabbing the sleeping bag to cover them both.

  When Cara looked down into his face, she did not see love or even affection on his face, yet what she did see brought a tender smile to her passion swollen lips. The air of detachment that always surrounded him was gone. What she saw was a man exhausted from pleasuring his woman. For all of Jericho’s tough talk, he still had ensured that she had reached her peak before he had allowed himself to come.

  Cara lay her head down on his shoulder and snuggled closer to his warmth. If he hadn’t cared about her, he wouldn’t have been concerned if she had been satisfied. Cara’s hand traced softly across his tight stomach then lower until her fingers moved through the curls at the base of his cock before taking his still semi hard erection in her hand. His hand caught hers and moved it to his chest.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Jericho grumped.

  Cara smiled against his shoulder and wondered if he realized he had placed her hand over his heart.

  ***

  Fate turned toward her sister. “Don’t push it. You came close to interfering.”

  Destiny shrugged. “I couldn’t resist the temptation.”

  “You’ve resisted until now. Don’t let your hatred of Rocque lead you to make a stupid mistake.”

  Destiny turned away from the star-studded night to study Fate’s features. “Is that a warning?”

  Fate turned toward her sister and shrugged. “It’s more than you gave me.”

  Chapter Ten

  Thor sat at the head of the huge table and looked around him. His warriors were as bored as he. They had drunk enough ale that the minor offense of knocking a chalice of wine over had led to a free-for-all brawl. Benches were thrown and food went flying in the pandemonium. Thor had to find something to keep them busy soon or he wouldn’t have a table sturdy enough to sit at. When one warrior pulled a hank of her opponent’s hair out, leaving a bloody patch of scalp, he’d had enough.

  “Cease this fighting and leave me.” He did not have to raise his voice, he was immediately obeyed. As the warriors filed passed his chair, lustful looks were thrown towards him. The women were taking their boredom out in the bedroom. Working their frustrations out on him during sex had provided them with an outlet and him with a sore cock. He needed something to distract him and provide fresh meat for the Valkyrie.

  Thor walked out to his stone balcony and called the one woman’s name he had sworn never to utter. “Fate.” He stared at the darkened sky. It wasn’t long before the hair on the back of his neck rose.

  “That didn’t take long.”

  “I have been waiting for your permission to speak to you.” Fate tried to keep the reprimand out of her voice, yet was unsuccessful.

  Thor turned to face the powerful Moirae with a raised brow. Fate lowered her head in deference.

  “My father asked me to give you an audience. Don’t make me regret my decision. What is it you wish to speak to me about so urgently?”

  “I humbly ask that you retrieve my daughters from the portals they were forced into when they were attacked.”

  Thor leaned back onto the balcony and looked at the woman’s tired face. Thor couldn’t remember when she had ever looked less than perfect. The worry about her daughters must be eating her alive because she was unable to help them.

  “Why ask me? You know I would never do anything to help you. I think it is fitting that you have now lost the only things that held any importance in that cold heart of yours.”

  Fate’s voice softened, “I love all my children.”

  “Tread carefully, Fate. I am in no mood for your games.” Thor’s face hardened further. Fate’s heart nearly burst with pride. She had created this warrior and he was a sight to behold. His golden beauty was stamped with a male arrogance that merely enhanced the muscled body which only a Valkyrie was permitted to touch.

  “I can understand you not wanting to help me, but, Thor,
they are your sisters, and whether you want to admit it or not, you are the only one who can help them.”

  Thor turned once again to study the sky. As much as he really did not want to help his mother, he would not allow his sisters to be harmed. “Very well, I will go to Broni first. Her danger is more imminent than the others.”

  Thor started to gather the thunder in which he would travel when Fate’s sharp voice stopped him. “No, you must first go after Cara. She must be returned here at once.” Fate pointed to a portion of the sky that Thor had not noticed, a dark cloud was insidiously advancing towards Cara and was almost within reach of touching her.

  Thor turned to look at Fate, surprise in his eyes. “I see why you are a master at your work, Fate. I did not see the threat advancing so quickly toward Cara. What about Broni?”

  Fate stiffened her spine and ignored the ache in her heart at the pain Broni would have to brave, but she was her mother’s daughter and she would survive, whereas if Cara wasn’t helped soon, she would be beyond their reach forever.

  “Broni would be the first to insist that you go after Cara. She will understand. I will provide her with what assistance I am allowed.”

  “Very well.” Again Thor raised his hand to gather the thunder. As the lightning grew closer and the thunder louder, he turned to look at the woman who gave him birth. “I do this for my sisters, never for you. And know this, Fate, whatever deal you struck with my father, I will see that it is met.”

  “I agreed to Odin’s demands. I will not go back on my word.”

  “What if she doesn’t want to leave her human?”

  “Kill him.”

  ***

  Cara and Jericho headed back to the cabin at nightfall. He kept her close as they walked through the forest, straining to listen for any sound that would betray an assailant waiting in the dark forest. When they reached the cabin, Jericho made her go through each room with him, not wanting to leave her alone as he searched.

  “It’s all right; whoever took that shot at you is gone. I didn’t think they would be waiting for us here, but I wanted to make sure.”

  Cara shivered. “Do you think whomever it was will come back?”

  Jericho gave her a hard stare. “You tell me? Whoever it was, they were shooting at you. Do you have any idea who it could be?”

  Cara shook her head. “No, the one who tried to destroy my sisters and I was an immortal. Who shot at us today was obviously human. They want to hide their identity from those watching us and want their identity to remain secret. They know my family will retaliate as soon as they find out who tried to harm us.”

  “What do you mean, those watching us?” Jericho looked around the room as if they were surrounded by invisible entities.

  Cara laughed at him. When he turned his cold expression back to her, she guessed he had no sense of humor. “No one is in the room with us, but my family can look at us from time to time. Sort of like your reality TV.”

  “Is there a way to turn it off?”

  Cara couldn’t help laughing once more. “No.”

  “Were they watching when we were having sex?” Again, he looked around the room as if he could see those watching them.

  “There is an unspoken rule allowing us privacy at such times, but,” Cara bit her lip to keep her laughter contained, “we do have the occasional voyeur.”

  “Tell them to cut it out.”

  Cara spread her hands out. “How do you propose I do that? I can no longer communicate with them.”

  “Well, think of something,” Jericho ordered her.

  Cara silently looked at him, noticing the faint blush that covered his cheeks. It was dawning on her that he was uncomfortable. “Are you embarrassed?”

  “Why shouldn’t I be? You just told me that several immortals are watching every move we make, including those of a private nature, and I am supposed to be okay with that? Can I ask what made you assume that I am an exhibitionist?”

  Cara tried, she really did, but she couldn’t hold her laughter back any longer. She doubled over when his affronted expression became too much for her to bear.

  “Well, I can see that you are in no mood to be reasonable, so I’m going to bed. If you’re hungry, you can forage for yourself. Goodnight.” He was almost out of the room before Cara could gather herself.

  “You mean you are going to your room? But I thought…” This time it was Cara’s turn to blush.

  Jericho didn’t even turn around, the arrogant jerk that he was simply kept walking out of the room. “Until you can figure a way to keep prying eyes away from my bare ass then our show has just been cancelled.”

  Jericho woke the next morning to the smell of frying bacon, and unless his twitching nose was mistaken, he also sniffed the odor of biscuits. He was thirty-five-years-old and had never woken to the smell of a cooking breakfast.

  He pulled a soft pillow over his face, blocking out the smells. The inept girl was probably getting ready to burn down his cabin. The food couldn’t possibly taste as good as it smelled. She was taking over his cabin as if she was going to be staying, as if she belonged. He was going to set her straight. Right after he tried her breakfast.

  Cara fumbled with the frying pan, wincing as the popping grease struck her hands. The cooking show hadn’t shown that there was going to be popping grease. If they were going to give a cooking demonstration, then they at least should be accurate, you would think. Especially if it could involve the possibility of pain.

  “Darn it!” The pan slid crazily as she tried to maneuver it off the hot burner.

  “Having problems?” Cara looked up to find Jericho standing in the doorway.

  He had expected a mess; to see flour strewn everywhere and burnt food. Instead, the table had a platter of biscuits waiting, a heaping bowl of scrambled eggs and the bacon was sitting on the counter. She had also set the table with plates and silverware. Beside each plate sat a glass of orange juice. Jericho felt his throat tightening.

  “How did you do all this?”

  Cara gave him a cheeky grin. “Did you know that there is a TV channel that shows you how to cook?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Have a seat. It’s all ready.” Cara smiled at him. He could see the flush of accomplishment on her pretty face. There was no way he was going to sit at that table.

  “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.” He turned to leave the kitchen.

  “I don’t understand. You have to be hungry since you haven’t eaten since yesterday.” The smile was leaving her face and hurt was entering her eyes.

  “When I get hungry, I’ll fix myself a sandwich.”

  “So it’s because I fixed this food that you don’t want it?” Cara’s confusion had Jericho almost ready to relent until his eyes found the small glass of flowers she had set on the table.

  Angry, Jericho pointed to the table. “Why did you do all this?”

  Her confusion deepened as he took a step back from the table. Cara stared at the table that was making him so angry. “I thought you might be hungry.”

  “No, that’s not why you did it.” He looked at her with fury in his eyes. “You are trying to make more out of this than there is.”

  “More out of what?”

  “Us. What you may believe happened yesterday in the cave. You are trying to find a place here as if you’re going to stay. As if you think we are a couple now with all the happily ever after bullshit.”

  “And my cooking breakfast says all that?” Cara watched as he nodded his head.

  She turned off the stove and moved towards him, noticing how his eyes slid down her body. She hadn’t bothered to dress. Her body had seemed to finally become acclimated to the environment and she had simply cooked in the t-shirt she had put on to sleep in. The thin white shirt only came to the tops of her thighs and showed that she wore no underwear. He took a step back as she stalked toward him.

  “So we’re not a couple, but it was you who wanted to know if I was your woman yesterday. What w
as that?”

  Jericho shrugged. “It was a moment of adrenaline, us responding to the danger around us.”

  “That was it? So, let me get this straight. You want to fuck me when you want to with no strings attached?”

  Anger darkened his eyes. “It’s called friends with benefits.”

  “Well, I’m learning all kinds of useful information from you, Jericho. I just can’t express my gratitude at you guidance.”

  Jericho tried not to notice how her breasts strained against the thin t-shirt. How her anger was making her breasts jiggle with her quickened breathing. His hands clenched into fists to keep himself from grabbing the firm mounds of flesh.

  He watched as she turned to walk over to the pretty table she had set. “And since you don’t want to eat the breakfast I cooked because I might misinterpret what it means, let’s see if you can figure out what this means.” With the speed of a striking snake, she picked up a glass of the orange juice and flung the cold contents into his face.

  Stunned, Jericho was motionless for a second until he saw her reach for the bowl of scrambled eggs. Quickly, he moved forward until he could reach her arm holding the eggs. “Put them down,” he ordered.

  “My pleasure.” With a twist of her fingers, she let the eggs slip out of her hand. The bowl with the hot eggs landed on his bare feet.

  “Damn, that hurt.”

  “Good.” Cara moved to grab the biscuits.

  “Stop it, Cara!” Jericho tried to stop her, but slid in the eggs, barely managing to catch himself from falling on the floor by grabbing the edge of the table for balance. Cara helped by pushing his head forward into the platter of biscuits. Not content with only doing that, she used all her strength while he was off balance to smash his face into them.

  “Cut it out!” Jericho finally managed to get his balance in the slippery mess, barely able to breathe. He also managed to extradite himself from the enraged woman’s hands. “Have you lost your mind?”