by Kris Norris
A Total-E-Bound Publication
www.total-e-bound.com
Healing Hands
ISBN #978-0-85715-007-3
©Copyright Kris Norris 2010
Cover Art by Lyn Taylor ©Copyright January 2010
Edited by Christine Riley
Total-E-Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2010 by Total-E-Bound Publishing 1 The Corner, Faldingworth Road, Spridlington, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 2DE, UK.
Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.
Enchanted Lovers
HEALING HANDS
Kris Norris
Dedication
To Shelley, Lisa, Andrea, and Carollyne. You ladies are amazing and I thank you for never asking me to stop talking about my books. I’m truly lucky to have such fabulous women in my life. Here’s to riding the old biddy bus together in years to come.
To my amazing family, who think I’m famous, just because I’m me.
To the talented and brilliant folks at TEB. Claire, Alexa and all the cover artists who make my work shine. I couldn’t ask for a better company to work for. Thank you for believing in me and always having time to answer my questions.
And a special thanks to Chris. I’ll never be able to show you how much I appreciate your wisdom and patience. You’re one-in-a-million and I can’t imagine ever working without your guidance and care. Guess you’re stuck with me now!
Prologue
Keegan fell to his knees with a harsh curse. He braced his weight on his hands, stumbling to rise, only to be knocked across the back. Pain splintered through his body, spiralling inwards, purging the air from his lungs in a loud hiss. Rough stone connected with his cheek followed by the warm trickle of blood down his forehead.
“Well, well. What have we got here?”
Sharp nails bit into his scalp, jerking his head upwards. Dark eyes glared down at him, the woman’s ruby lips turned up into a cruel smile. She wore a crown of red crystals and was dressed in the most erotic battle leathers he’d ever seen. They were tight to her skin, accentuating her overly large breasts and slim narrow hips.
“You wear the seal of the Kingdom of Garinth, do you not?”
Keegan could only nod, his throat too dry to speak. He moaned as the woman released him, pushing him back to the floor.
“Excellent. You’re just the type of man I’ve been searching for.” She laughed, a shrill sound that sent shivers down his spine. “How fortunate for me you decided to invade my land.”
His head snapped up. Invade her land? He’d done nothing of the sort. He’d merely stopped to seek shelter from a storm when he’d been ambushed and knocked unconscious. And if his memory served him correctly, he’d been outnumbered seven to one.
“No.” He choked the word out. By the Gods, he hurt. What in all the Heavens had they done to him?
“Are you implying Queen Vestna of Corand is lying?” The woman shot him a sly smile. “That could be considered treason. A crime punishable by death in my land.” She sashayed over to him and placed a cupped hand under his jaw, lifting his head until his eyes met hers. “But don’t worry. I have no desire to kill you…yet. As a matter of fact, I’m going to give you what every man dreams of. His very own virgin to tutor.”
She released him again, giving his head an affectionate pat. “You do like women, don’t you?” she taunted. “I’ve heard several stories about Garinthian men, and I’m not certain which one to believe. Either you have trouble fucking women in general, or you prefer men.” Her smile widened until her teeth gleamed. “Either one works for me.”
Queen Vestna waved her hand at the women standing at his side. Red flames flickered around him, flashing pain through his body until he collapsed. “Take him to the basement and chain him to the wall. Mira’s Rite of Passage doesn’t begin for two more nights, and I want him on the verge of death when we take him to her.” She laughed. “A fitting gift.”
The Queen strutted back to her throne, her attention now focused on the two men kneeling beside her ornate chair. They were dressed in tight leather pants with matching, open vests. She smiled as they bowed before her and began untying her clothes.
“Oh, and sisters, make sure our guest knows what’s expected of him. I don’t want to risk losing our magic.”
The women nodded, dragging Keegan back through the doors. He watched as the men bared the Queen’s thighs, drawing her legs apart and exposing her sex to their gaze. They were just beginning to feast on her when the doors to the room closed behind him and he descended into the depths of the castle.
Chapter One
Mira sat beside her window, wishing the mist slowly veiling the land would curl into her chambers and steal her away. Today was the beginning of her Rite of Passage, and in less than a week, she’d be forced to surrender to the Ritual of Sisterhood. And if Queen Vestna had her way, she’d still be a virgin when the Ritual began.
A shiver of fear tingled over her skin, making it bead beneath her modest dress. It wasn’t the threat of death that frightened her, but dying never knowing the touch of a man. Having her first coupling be her last. She huffed, wondering how the Queen would avoid providing her with a proper tutor as decreed in the sacred scripts. Not that any of the Kingdom’s tutors wanted her. They’d all made their revulsion for her uniqueness quite apparent. But breaking the oaths would shatter the spell cast on the Kingdom centuries before, robbing the Queen of the very power she treasured more than life. While Mira knew Vestna wouldn’t risk losing her magic just to punish her, there was no doubt the woman would go to extreme lengths to see Mira fail.
Mira cursed as thoughts of the Rite tightened her nipples, rubbing the taut buds against her dress. How long had she dreamed of having a man touch her? Of teasing her body to life with his hands and tongue. For months she’d laid on her bed, imagining large, strong fingers caressing her body. They’d dance along her skin, making it quiver with need. She could feel them graze across her nipple, rolling it as his warm breath tempted her other breast. She’d arch into him, spear her fingers through his hair, lock him to her chest as his lips descended around her peaked bud, drawing it inside his mouth.
Her whimper drifted through the air as her fingers imitated her thoughts. She’d discovered how to apply just the right amount of pressure to send a bolt of desire straight to her sex. With every tweak, the feeling increased, building the moisture pooling between her legs until she felt it seep out, coating her velvety lips. It was all she could do not to lift her skirt and slip her fingers along her narrow slit, gathering the cream as she swirled it around the small nub just above her sheath. But it wouldn’t help. It’d only build the need until she’d be forced to lie on the bed, clutching her abdomen as the painful contractions of her womb spiralled through her. She needed a man to cure the curse…Hells, she needed a miracle.
Mira bit back another curse, allowing her hands to fall to her side. The last thing she wanted was to get her body even more excited. The pain had only grown worse over the past few days, and if she didn’t conserve her strength, she wouldn’t survive the next five days. She sighed and turned back to the window just as the door to her chamber burst open. A gathering of women filled her room, stopping an arm’s length away. She rose from the chair as they parted, moving aside one by one as the Queen emerged through the centre.
“Hello, Mira. How wonderful to see you.”
Mira stared at the Queen, her hands clenched at her sides, until one of her sisters hissed. She glared at the crowd, waiting a few seconds more, before lowering into a proper curtsy.
Queen Vestna smiled, seemingly pleased with Mira’s show of obedience. “As you know, today is the beginning of your Rite of Passage, and as decreed in the royal scripts, you are to be given a proper tutor to prepare you for the Ritual of Sisterhood.”
Mira’s mouth opened in shock before she had the good sense to snap it shut. She gazed around at her sisters, feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck, before finally settling on the Queen. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You seem surprised, Mira. Surely you didn’t think I’d risk the security of the entire Kingdom just to hurt you?” Vestna laughed and waved her hand towards the door. “No my dear. In fact, I’ve found the perfect specimen for you. Sisters!”
The Queen clapped her hands, the sound echoing off the stone walls. Mira looked over the woman’s shoulder just as a man was dragged through the door and dropped at Mira’s feet. He was dressed in what had once been a white, silk shirt and battle leathers, but they’d been reduced to mere scraps clinging to his skin. Long red welts covered his back and she could tell by the pale colour of his skin, he’d lost a fair amount of blood.
Mira’s stomach heaved in protest as she sank to the floor and brushed the long brown hair from his face. His features were strong and lean, nothing short of beautiful. Tears gathered, held back by her thick lashes, as she looked up at the woman she’d once called mother. “What have you done to him?”
“Whatever do you mean, my dear?”
Mira stood up, anger fuelling the power inside her. “He’s been tortured. That’s against Corand law unless our two Kingdoms are at war!”
“He trespassed on my land and injured four of my warriors. That justifies my actions,” snapped Vestna. “Besides, it’s nothing you can’t…” The woman scowled as she skimmed her gaze along the length of Mira’s body, “fix.”
Mira felt the woman’s hatred as she stepped back and smiled at the crumpled man at Mira’s feet.
“The text doesn’t dictate how your tutor’s presented, just that you receive one.”
“But…” Mira’s voice trailed off as she watched Vestna smile. It seems the Queen had found her escape after all. Mira took a step forward, no longer able to contain her power from surging forth, covering her skin in a pale blue light. The smile faded from Vestna’s face as the woman stared at her. Around the room, balls of fire sizzled to life, floating above the other women’s hands. Mira barred her teeth, wanting to extinguish their fire with a rain of blue light. But just the thought of inflicting pain on the women heaved her stomach again.
She clenched her jaw, unsure of her next move when a strangled moan drew her attention. She glanced down at the man, feeling his pain course through her body. He wasn’t going to last much longer.
Mira gave her mother one last glare before stepping back, allowing the colour to fade from her skin. Then she bent down, and ran a gentle finger along one brawny arm. “Does he have a name?”
Vestna merely smiled. “As you can see, he was most reluctant to speak to us. All we know is that he hails from Garinth.”
“Garinth!”
“Now, now, Mira. You can’t believe every rumour you hear.” The Queen laughed and headed back to the doorway. “I’m certain you’ll have better luck with him than we did. Despite the numerous sisters I presented to him, we weren’t able to get a response, if you know what I mean. You have five days to prepare for your Ritual. I suggest you make the most of them.” Vestna stopped, and glanced back over her shoulder. “It really is a pity you can only hurt us with your power. It might have saved your life.”
Mira watched the women as they filed out of her room, their smug smiles fading into the shadows. This was her punishment for being different. For caring. She turned back to the man, feeling his muscles tense beneath her fingers. Despite everything, he was still fighting.
“Easy…” What was she supposed to call him? Milord? Captain? Heavens, he could be a King for all she knew.
A sigh feathered over her lips, making them tingle. There was no mistaking her body’s need, but she’d be damned if she’d force a man to prepare her. Besides, from the rumours she’d heard, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Garinthian men were supposed to possess some sort of mystical restraint that prevented them from coupling with just any female—or as some of the stories went—males. If none of her sisters could get the man’s shaft to harden, she doubted she’d fare any better.
Another long, low moan drew her attention back to his face as she watched his lips twist into a grimace. They were full and pink and she would’ve given anything to taste them. Feel their velvety softness surround her breasts, suckling her nipples into his mouth. Revel in their warmth as he kissed a path down her body, skimming across her plump nether lips. But the poor man was just a stone’s throw away from death, and if she didn’t act fast, he wouldn’t be alive to lust over.
Mira pulled at his shirt, removing the torn scraps from his body. More welts crisscrossed his lower back and cuts and bruises covered his chest. She considered removing his pants, but couldn’t seem to take that last shred of dignity from him. There was just something about him that radiated respect, and she wasn’t going to be the one to shame him.
She looked at his massive structure and decided dragging him to the bathing chamber wasn’t an option. Instead she fetched a bowl of warm water, and spent the next several minutes cleaning his wounds. By the time she was finished, blood flowed from several cuts and more had been uncovered from beneath a layer of dirt.
“Filthy witch,” she cursed, feeling disgust well inside her. They’d tortured him on purpose. Not just to sway his feelings towards her, but to mock her gift.
She shook her head and laid her hands on his chest. Then she closed her eyes, allowing the power she’d quenched to surround her, moving through her body and into his. The pale blue aura glimmered to life again, swirling in the air as it crept over his torso. He groaned as her magic began weaving his battered body back together. Wound by wound, cut by cut, until the worst of his injuries were nothing more than a pale scar. One hour turned to three, as she dug deeper, knowing she couldn’t rest until the very blood her sisters had spilled once again pumped through his veins.
His body twitched beneath her hands as her strength began to wane. She allowed one last surge of power to flow into him before pulling back and watching the last remnants of blue flicker across his skin. A small smile touched the corners of her mouth as his expression eased, his face no longer contorted in pain. He mumbled something she couldn’t quite make out, then drifted off, his luscious lips turned up slightly at the edges.
“Sleep,” she said, finding just enough energy to toss a thick blanket over his body before collapsing on the floor beside him.
* * * *
Keegan rolled to his side, a strange feeling prickling along his neck. He eased his fingers down his side as he reached for his sword, only to find it gone.
Hells!
He slanted his eyes open, his body primed for battle, as he looked around the small chamber. It was made of stone, the grey colour shadowed in the setting sun. He tried to stand, when images of the past two days tumbled through his head, making the room dip and sway. They were nothing more than scattered fragments, but he remembered enough to know his life was in danger. If he didn’t escape
soon, something warned him he never would.
He growled and pushed to his feet, heaving a woollen blanket off his body as he braced his trembling weight against the wall. He needed to get back to Garinth, before his captors staged an attack. With his eldest brother, Gareth, still entombed in a witch’s curse, only Roland stood at his father’s side. And the lad was still more boy than man. Keegan couldn’t allow the bloodline to die, not before one of the brothers had seeded an heir, though he’d had little success at that.
Keegan shook the doubts away, looking over his shoulder, drawn to the figure curled up on the floor a few feet away. The woman was small and curvy, nothing like the other women he remembered. They’d all been tall and strong, with a beauty best described as dangerous. But she looked so innocent he found it hard to believe she’d ever hurt anyone.
He cursed, knowing he couldn’t leave her behind. Not before he knew she’d be safe. He knelt down beside her, brushing her hair back from her face with a gentle finger. It was long and curly, the golden colour shimmering in the waning light. Her skin was pale and smooth, and he felt a strange stirring inside his leathers. He gazed down her body, taking in the gentle swell of her breasts and the lush curve of her hips. Everything about her spoke of warmth and tenderness, and he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of lover she’d be? Was the innocence only on the outside?
The sound of voices broke the spell, and he snapped from his thoughts with a strong shake to her shoulder. Night was dawning, and he needed to leave with the setting sun. She sighed, and her lids fluttered. What breath he had hissed out through his teeth as he watched her deep green eyes stare back at him. A primal growl sounded in his head, and in that instant, he knew he was lost. She blinked once, and darted her tongue out to moisten her lips. He watched the slow progression and had the sudden image of her luscious lips wrapped around his cock, the pink colour stretched around his darker flesh. Somehow he knew she’d take him gently at first, just teasing the first few inches with her velvet warmth. Testing his smooth skin as if she’d never tasted a man before. She’d move slowly, licking and kissing until her need matched his, and she’d sink lower, swallowing as much of his length as possible, drawing on him with such sweet suction he’d have no other choice but to fill her pretty mouth with his seed.