Thief's Desire

by Isabo Kelly

  Vic sauntered into the washroom. Humming to herself, she pumped first hot then cold water into the marble tub. The room fairly steamed with the heat. The only full baths she’d managed previously were ones paid for at bathhouses and inns. And there, the hot water had been hand carried most of the time. This luxury of a private bath with hot water at hand was almost as intoxicating as Jacob’s kiss. Well, not quite.

  Submersed to her chin in honeysuckle-scented water, she closed her eyes and tried not to think. The horrors of the night before seemed a distant shadow. An incident from years earlier. A dream.

  Her eyes popped open when she realized she was being watched. “How long have you been standing there?”

  Jacob leaned against the doorframe, a strange smile touching the corners of his mouth. He hadn’t donned a shirt yet and her gaze moved once more across the hard muscles lining his torso. He pulled away from the door and knelt next to the tub.

  “A few minutes. Breakfast will be here soon.”

  “Good. I’m starving now.” His expression was so odd and unreadable, she frowned. “What?”

  “Nothing. Sorry. I was just thinking.”

  “Worried about the magicians?”

  His gaze shifted so subtly, she wasn’t sure she’d seen the change.

  “Yes,” he said after a moment.

  His tone made her doubt that had truly been the topic occupying his thoughts. She decided to let his misdirection go. “You have to talk with your guard and General Thack this morning?”

  “Um hmm. I’ve already sent word to the general to meet me here after he’s breakfasted. I’ll have to talk to a few people in town, as well.” He frowned and his brow wrinkled.

  She almost laughed. “Don’t worry, General. I have to sneak off on my own for a bit, too. We can arrange to meet later. Then I can finish repaying my gambling debt by letting you buy me a dress.”

  “You read my mind now, too?”

  “No. I understand the necessity of secrets.”

  “If they were mine to divulge, Victoria, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

  She studied his eyes and almost bit her lip as she realized the meaning behind his declaration. “You trust me?”

  “With my life. You find that so hard to believe?”

  “Yes.” Trust wasn’t common on the streets.

  A knock from the sitting room stilled his response and announced the arrival of breakfast. Before he rose to answer the door, though, he placed a tender kiss on her lips. Vic watched him leave, swallowing around the lump in her throat.

  Chapter Thirteen

  They were just finishing breakfast when General Thack knocked. “Ran into the king already this morning, and he’s told me most everything,” Thack said without preamble. “Queen Sara said the magicians should be ready for an attack tomorrow night.”

  “Good.” Jacob offered the general a seat, but he refused with a nod. “I’ll set up spies in the north today.”

  “This mess with a missing magician makes my shoulder ache,” Thack said, rubbing his massive shoulder. “I just hope we track her down before the raid. No telling what one loose in the city could do.”

  “Agreed. You’ll see to the men today?”

  “Aye. One last thing. Our patrols haven’t spotted any more of those damned goblins in the city. Seems they’ve all but vanished from the forest as well. None of our patrols have seen a sign of their ugly, green faces.”

  Jacob’s brow furrowed. “Damn, that’s strange. But since we have more pressing things to worry about… Thanks for seeing me here, General.”

  “No problem. Wife had me up at the crack of dawn to feed the baby.”

  Thack shook his head tragically, and Vic almost laughed aloud at the large man’s martyred expression.

  In town, after being shown the dress shop where they’d meet later, she left Jacob to deliver her message. She detoured long enough to change into the wine velvet dress, a better daylight disguise than her blacks. Then she worked her way to the Goddess’s shrine.

  The tall stone pyramid had a single entrance through which only women could pass. The theological school and monastery provided places for men to worship, but the shrine itself was reserved for women. The pyramid was the only shrine to the Goddess in all of Karasnia. Worship was generally a private thing, done without the confines of walls. But this place was special, built centuries earlier by the warrior queen, Breanna, thought to be a favorite of the Goddess.

  Against the wall opposite the entrance, a large garden grew with remarkable tenacity. Only rarely did a plant die inside the shrine. Light flooded the garden from a single window set high in the pyramid wall. In the midst of the greenery, a tiny waterfall’s quiet tinkling was the only sound. The rest of the shrine remained an empty open space, save for a scattering of mats on the stone floor. The air inside the pyramid remained cool in the summer and warm in the winter. No one quite knew why. Several women sat along the walls or near the garden, lost in silent meditation.

  Vic walked on soundless feet to the edge of the garden. There, ribbon-wrapped rocks were piled in small pyramids. Each rock was an offering to the Goddess, a prayer, a giving of thanks, a loving acknowledgment. Near the far left of the garden, the rock pyramids stopped. Vic took her offering to this side. Inside the yellow ribbon neatly tied around a smooth black stone was the message she’d written to the Hole. She set the rock beneath the front leaves of a large fern. A woman from the Hole checked that spot every day for messages. As long as the note was left after the garden had been tended, the Hole received it.

  Vic knelt and offered a silent prayer to the Goddess, thanking Her once more for the necklace she still wore. She stood and left just as one of the silent mediators knelt to the right of the garden, the woman’s eyes full of relief and contentment. The shrine had that effect, Vic mused as she walked back into the bright light of a cloudless, autumn day. Few walked out of that solitude without feeling refreshed and revived.

  By the time she entered the small dress shop a few streets back from Upper Market, Jacob was already waiting. He chatted affably with the head seamstress, a small, round woman in her late fifties. Vic didn’t miss the undisguised looks of adoration on the faces of the seamstress’s three assistants every time he spoke.

  When he noticed her, he flashed his sexy smile and strolled to her, gaze running along the lines of her dress. He kissed her in greeting, much to the audible dismay of the assistants.

  “All done?” he asked.

  “Yeah. You?”

  “A couple more things, but only one is business. First.” He took her hand and led her to the head seamstress. “Victoria, this is Nola Letrow, finest seamstress in all of Dareelia. Nola, this is Victoria.”

  Nola studied her for several minutes, then a smile split her face. “Pleasure to meet you, Victoria. Jacob has left thorough instructions. We should have both dresses suited to you in no time.”

  “Both?” She looked up at Jacob, her eyebrows raised in question.

  “One is for the masquerade. Nola helped me pick the perfect dress to go with the mask.”

  He looked very pleased with himself. “You’ve bought me a mask? Already?”

  “Um hmm.”

  She wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or annoyed. “What does it look like?”

  Nola produced a white silk-covered eye mask. The edges came to points and swept up to meet small plumes of white and black feathers. Silver sequins lined the eyeholes, and black and silver sequins ringed the outer edge of the mask. The long handle was wrapped in black and white ribbon.

  “It’s beautiful,” she breathed, taking the mask from Nola to examine it closer.

  “I’m glad you like it. Wait ‘til you see the dress.” Jacob kissed her cheek then, giving her hand a squeeze, said, “I’ll be back soon. Take good care of her, Nola.”

  “As you say, General.”

  Vic and the dressmaker’s three assistants watched him leave.

  “Now, Victoria,” Nola said, calling her attenti
on. “Let’s get to those dresses before the shoemaker arrives.”

  As Vic had requested, one dress was purple, a deep violet satin trimmed with lilac lace and an underskirt of deep jade. The second was white samite silk interwoven with silver thread over an ebony underskirt. To the black trim at the neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves, Nola promised to add silver trim and black feathers. At Vic’s scowl, she assured her that the hoop worn under the white gown was necessary for the style of the dress. The shoemaker appeared to take measurements of her feet shortly after Vic had slipped into the white dress. She returned moments before Jacob with a pair of silk slippers to match each gown.

  When Jacob walked through the door, Vic was standing on a raised platform for the final hemming of the violet gown. She was trying not to tap her foot, but she couldn’t hold back her sighs. His admiring gaze wiped away her impatience in an instant. “You like?” she asked, holding up her arms to reveal the short trains on the sleeves.

  “Yeah, I like.” His dark eyes smoldered as he looked her over slowly. “You look beautiful.”

  She grinned. The final adjustments were easier to take. “Did you do what you needed to do?”

  “Um hmm.”

  “What are you grinning about?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “I bought you something.”

  “Something else? What?” She frowned, still suspicious of his cat’s grin.

  He produced a short, thin sheath and dagger. At the top of the black leather sheath, two thin gold handles looped out and down. The dagger’s hilt was gold and encrusted with dark emeralds.

  “A breast dagger,” Vic exclaimed. “It’s beautiful.”

  “I thought it would go nicely with your new look.”

  He eyed the dress and pointedly rested his gaze on the curve of her breasts just above the neckline.

  She extended a hand for the dagger. Locking gazes with him, she slid the sheath inside the gown’s tight bodice until the golden handles hooked on her corset. A quick glance confirmed that the hilt was completely hidden. She met Jacob’s heated gaze again with a slight smile, fighting the urge to bit her lip. Nola hummed around the hem of her gown, politely ignoring their exchange.

  With the final touches completed on the gown, Nola promised to have the black and white dress delivered before the masquerade. Vic bundled her velvet gown while Jacob collected the mask, then they walked lazily back to the castle arm in arm.

  ***

  “Wait here.”

  Jacob sat her near the fireplace in his sitting room and disappeared into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Natural curiosity had her rising the instant the door closed, tempted almost beyond her ability to resist peeking at what he was up to. Before she could talk herself into spying, a knock called her to the door.

  She opened it to the face of a large, round table. The table entered, revealing the servant who carried it. Behind came four other servants, one with a large tray of food, one with a bottle of wine and two goblets, one with a set of chairs and one with a cloth for the table and a small candelabra.

  They quickly set up the table before the bay windows, served the food, and lit the candles. Outside, the sky had darkened and a mist was settling over the courtyard below. They left with pleasant good evenings to which she could only grunt in reply.

  For several minutes after closing the door, she stood with her hand still on the latch. Then she went to inspect the table. The wine was a deep ruby, probably his favorite. The meal was an elegant arrangement of some meat she’d never seen, a portion of potatoes shaped like roses, and an assortment of carrots, green beans and beets. A bowl of bread and a plate of shell-shaped butter chunks completed the table. The plates were china, the utensils gold and the wineglasses crystal with a gold rim.

  When had he had time to arrange all this?

  She’d grown up on pub food and vendor goods. On occasion after a particularly good hand of cards, she’d even been able to afford really good pub food. But she’d never seen anything like this.

  The bedroom door opened while she still gaped at the table. She turned to find Jacob standing in the doorway, smiling. Her mouth almost dropped open.

  He wore a pair of snug tan breeches and a short, navy tunic, cut to fit his torso perfectly. His hair was combed smooth and tied with a leather thong into a low tail. She’d never seen him wear anything more elegant than his uniform, and she didn’t remember seeing these clothes in his wardrobe. He took her breath away.

  “Jacob,” she whispered. “You look magnificent.” Her heart rate leapt when he chuckled and moved toward her.

  “Thank you, Victoria.”

  He stopped in front of her, forcing her to drop her head back to look into his face.

  “Shall we?” he asked, indicating the table.

  “You want me to think about food? Now?”

  “Yes, love. I have a special evening planned and it begins with dinner.” He moved around and pulled her chair out.

  Vic sat, but her pulse raced. “The table is lovely,” she said, to distract herself.

  “I’m glad you like it. Wine?”

  She nodded. His smile never left his lips, even when he raised his own glass for a drink. With an effort, she pulled her gaze away from his face to sip the wine. “This is your favorite? The wine we had at the Winnow?”

  “Yes. Try the steak. It’s marinated in a mushroom sauce.”

  She put knife and fork to the meat, suddenly all too aware of her lack of table manners. Her shoulders hunched when the knife scraped loudly across the plate. She met his gaze as she put the bite of steak into her mouth. He was still smiling and hadn’t seemed to notice her lack of etiquette. She took a relieved breath and let herself taste the food that melted in her mouth.

  “I’ve never tasted anything so wonderful.” Suddenly, she was ravenous. With a great deal of effort, she didn’t wolf down her food. But only barely.

  When the meal finished, Jacob poured her a second glass of wine and stood. “I’ll be back in just a minute.”

  She watched him disappear into the bedroom and return carrying a small red box. He held it at her eye level and opened the lid to reveal a tray full of chocolate truffles. Her grin grew. Unconsciously, she bit her lip as she selected a dark chocolate. “I can’t remember the last time I had chocolate,” she said, staring at the sweet like it was a precious jewel.

  He set down the box, and when she still hadn’t taken a bite, he took hold of her hand and brought the sweet gently to her lips.

  She closed her eyes, biting the chocolate with a heavy sigh. The rich flavor melted between her tongue and the roof of her mouth. Before she opened her eyes, Jacob’s mouth closed over hers. But when she would have deepened the kiss, he pulled back.

  “Would you like to dance, Victoria?”

  “Now? There’s no music.”

  “We don’t need any.”

  She bit her bottom lip again and looked at her lap. “I don’t know how,” she whispered.

  He raised her chin with one finger. “Then I’ll teach you.” He pulled her gently to her feet. “Relax,” he said, placing one hand at the small of her back and clasping her hand in his other. “Follow my feet.”

  Slowly, he began moving her around the room in gentle circles. She watched his feet, but after a few moments, he pressed her tighter against him, hiding his feet from view.

  “Look into my eyes,” he whispered.

  Meeting his dark gaze, she forgot to worry about her feet or his. She melted against him, trusting him to guide her, losing herself in the depths of his eyes. He sung quietly, a song she didn’t know, but his deep baritone was rich and enchanting.

  “You could have been a bard,” she murmured.

  “If I’d been a bard, we might never have met. And I couldn’t have lived with that.”

  Her heart slammed against her ribs. The lump in her throat prevented any response. Jacob continued to sing softly, spinning her around the room, until she was dizzy from the blood pounding in
her veins. When they stopped, she clung to him to keep her feet beneath her.

  “Would you like more wine?” he asked, leading her back to the table.

  “I don’t think I should.” At his quizzical look, she said, “I feel quite drunk already.”

  He arched an eyebrow and gave her another sultry smile. “Perhaps another chocolate?” He plucked a truffle from the box and placed it against her parted lips.

  Keeping her gaze locked with his, she ran her tongue along the confection before taking a slow bite. She took the rest of the chocolate into her mouth along with the tips of two of his fingers. She sucked gently, running her tongue around the tips. She released her hold only when she heard him groan.

  “Dinner was marvelous,” she said through a half smile. “The chocolates were decadent.” She ran her hands slowly along his chest, her gaze following their movements. “Thank you for teaching me to dance.” When her hands wrapped around his neck, she tipped her head back to look into his dark eyes. “Now, make the night perfect. Make love to me.”

  His hands slipped to her waist. His mouth dropped to her upturned face. As his lips brushed against hers, he whispered, “Promise me something, love.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t take any more unnecessary risks. It would kill me to lose you now.”

  “You won’t lose me, Jacob. No unnecessary risks. I promise.”

  The time for words over, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom, moving unbearably slowly. Setting her on the edge of the bed, he did no more than kiss her for a long time. Vic ran her fingers along his neck to loosen his hair from the thong. She could taste the rich wine on his lips and the scent of leather and musk surrounded her. Her body screamed for him, but her mind savored their slow pace.

  When his hands moved up her sides, she pulled her body back and moved his hands to cover her breasts. He kissed his way down her neck to the swell of her bosom just above the neck of her gown. His tongue traced intricate patterns as his hands kneaded her aching skin. Tangling her fingers into his hair, she dropped her head back and moaned softly.