The Taken Bride: A Medieval Romance

by McCormick, Kaley

  Sven ran to the guard and grabbed the dress. Anger filled his face as the guard struggled to find his words, “She was just gone, we looked Si… Sir we searched and she is just gone.”

  They stood in silence for several seconds before Sven said anything, “Alert the army, nothing else matters but finding my daughter. Call all the soldiers home and comb these woods until she has been found.” He had no idea at that moment that he was doing exactly what the king of Kigom wanted. He was giving his enemies time to build up their armies and attack him while his army was out looking for Zuzulla.

  Little did King Sven know he would never find her. Carden had returned with two rabbits for them to share and a few handfuls of berries. Zuzulla was thankful for the berries, she knew they would hold her over until the rabbit was cooked. Carden made a small fire and began making dinner for the two of them. He sat next to the fire close to Zuzulla.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go home,” he asked.

  He had thought about what she had said while he was hunting and he wanted nothing more than to take her back to the Highlanders. He knew that the two of them would have to go off on their own for a time, at least until the searching stopped but he wanted the Alpha to change her. To make her like him. He had not felt this way about a woman in over a hundred years and he didn’t want to lose her.

  “I’m sure,” she answered.

  That was all that Carden needed. He was going to make her his. He lifted the cloak off of her body exposing her pale skin. She shivered as the cold air touched her, but Carden took her in his arms sharing his warmth with her. He gently laid her down on the grass.

  “There is something I need to tell you,” he said, looking in her eyes and he held himself above her. She slid her hand down his thick biceps, “What is it,” she was completely focused on him.

  “You have two choices, I can take you to the King of Kigom and I don’t know what he will do with you. Or I can tell him I have captured you, but are going to keep you for myself. Your father will be distracted just as the King wants and you can go with me.”

  “I want to go with you,” she answered as she opened her legs for him allowing his body between them. Carden tugged at his pants, releasing his throbbing cock as if it was a caged animal. Zuzulla slid her hand up the length of his shaft and ran her thumb over the tip just as he had done her breast. Carden drew a deep breath as a growl grew deep within him.

  “If you want to go with me there is something you need to know. We will have to go to my people, then we will have to hide until your father stops looking. Once you join us you can never leave.”

  He could see the confusion on her face. He wished that he knew how to explain it better, but he could not focus. She had wrapped her legs around his waist and was pulling him toward her with everything she had.

  “I’ll never leave Carden,” she said, looking up at him begging him to take her with her eyes.

  “Princess,” Carden pulled back away from her and he could see the disappointment in her eyes, “I’m not finished. You need to understand, my people they are the Highlanders.”

  Her legs fell off of his waist as she looked up at him. Her mouth was open, but she was making no sound and her eyes darted back and forth as if she were trying to comprehend what he was saying.

  “Highlanders,” she mouthed without saying it. Carden sat up between her legs, he could see the wetness begging him to touch it, but he knew she was going to panic. There had been too many stories told about his people, they had taken part in too much horror over the years.

  Carden looked at Zuzulla as she rose up to meet him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back down on top of her. Her legs wrapped around his waist, she was giving her body to him.

  “I don’t care what or who you are. I want to be with you,” she whispered in his ear.

  Carden lowered himself down onto his elbows and placed his hands in her hair. He looked into her eyes for only a second and saw nothing but the truth lay in them. Carden pressed his lips hard against hers devouring her like an animal that had not eaten in weeks. It had been so long since he had felt the warmth of a woman wrapped around his cock he was almost shaking with anticipation.

  Carden moved his hips until his cock was in line with her entrance. He wanted her right then and nothing was going to stop him from making her his. He began to push into her slowly. He could hear her trying to control her breathing and knowing that he was causing her pain, he did not force himself inside of her.

  He was gentle and caring. Looking into her eyes as he entered her body. When he was completely inside of her he slowly began to withdraw his cock. He could feel her pussy walls, adjusting to him, stretching in order to contain him. Carden let out a deeper growl than before it was going to take everything he had to contain the beast within him. To remain gentle but he was determined. It was not long before Carden was ready to cum and she felt his hot fluid pouring out of him inside of her body.

  “It gets better,” Carden said once he had caught his breath, “the first time is the worst.”

  He began to feel bad about causing her pain, he had seen a tear drop fall out of her eye, but he knew that from that moment she was his. Carden slid his cock out of her and sat up. She slowly sat up beside him, obviously sore from stretching to accommodate his cock. Carden lifted her hand, “You’re mine,” he said.

  “I’m yours,” she said, smiling at him. Carden lifted her wrist to her mouth and bit it hard, sinking his teeth deep into her flesh. Zuzulla’s breath caught and then pleasure filled her body. It was almost as wonderful as the orgasm he had given her earlier. He slowly pulled his teeth out of her and licked at the wounds causing them to instantly heal.

  “You’re marked,” was all he said. Intuitively Zuzulla knew the double meaning those words held. She was marked on the outside, and now his on the inside as well. They sat by the fire and ate their dinner. Once they were full they realized how exhausted, they were. They walked into the cave still completely naked and completely unashamed, curled up on the floor of the cave together and fell asleep, his protective hand resting on her stomach where his seed had taken root.

  THE END

  The Cowboy Soldier’s Knocked Up Email Order Bride

  Chapter one

  “I don’t know how you do it, Avril. You’re constantly in the kitchen and you’re making these new dishes all the time. The papers rave about you, but critics can’t get enough. It doesn’t seem to matter to anybody that the menu doesn’t stay the same on any given week. I came to work with you, specifically because I helped you with your success and I want to learn from the best. I try to get here early in the morning to beat you to the punch, but you’re always here. It almost makes me think that you live here.” Timothy was my right hand man and if I didn’t have him, I probably would’ve sunk into a pit of depression.

  What I didn’t want to tell him was that my work visa had expired. I was going to be shipped out next week back to Nigeria. Not something that I missed or wanted to return to. I found the solution on the internet by becoming an e-mail order bride. The guy I got in touch with turned out to be a regular at my restaurant.

  Timothy was the one that told me that I had a gift and that I should pursue it and give the world a taste of what I had to offer. It wasn’t lost on me that he had a crush on me and that he looked at my caramel skin and wondered what it would be like to be with me. I might’ve been a little overweight, but it was nothing, as far as most were concerned. I was 5’10, 180 pounds and most of that was up front and in back.

  “I’m just glad that you convinced me to do this. I never thought that you would want to join, but I’m more than happy to have you. This whole thing was mostly your doing and it would be a damn shame that you lose out on some of the accolades. I’ve only been teaching you for the past two weeks and already I see potential to become a chef in your own making.” I stood there and admired him from behind, trying to bring about some kind of attraction that might turn things
from something friendly to something even more explosive.

  If I didn’t have my chef outfit on, I might have taken matters into my own hands. There was no denying that Timothy had a body that just wouldn’t quit, but his attitude towards women didn’t exactly make him something that I wanted to try out myself. Maybe if I could gag him and stop him from making these insane remarks that put women down, I might be able to see clear about giving him one moment of bliss.

  “I think you know that he’s out there waiting for you. He ordered the Beef Wellington. He always gets the special and I think he might have a thing for you.” I knew exactly who he was talking about and this guy was a bit of a mystery wrapped up in a paradox. I saw him on several occasions come in and he wouldn’t say much, but he would constantly look at me and make me feel like he was undressing me. I had no choice and I had to throw out a proposition of marriage.

  “Holden Reynolds is a very accomplished businessman with a checkered past. He came back from Iraq and instead of wallowing in self pity; he opened up his own security agency. He has his own farm right here in Texas and I think his penchant for hard work and discipline comes from the navy. I’ve done my own research on the Internet and I found out that he was quite instrumental in bringing some of those very sought after terrorists to justice.” He wore his suits impeccably and there wasn’t a crease to be seen. Any time that I went out to see him to make sure that his food was good, he would only smile and nod his head politely.

  I probably wouldn’t know that he was even interested, except for the fact that he kept looking at me. I saw him in the mirror, stopped cold with his fork poised in the air about to go into his mouth. I think he was drooling a little over my posterior and wondering what it would take to ask me out. He found out that I was the one that approached him.

  “You really should go out and see him. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen you admiring the man and not do anything about it.” I didn’t even know that he noticed that, but it didn’t bode well, because if he did, then everybody else probably saw it written across my face in bold letters. “I think that I can handle things back here. When I’m done, I’ll close up and then we can compare notes tomorrow morning. I have a date and let’s just say that my hopes are up for breakfast in bed.” I was glad to see that he wasn’t pining after me. It did make me feel a moment of jealousy, but I had no reason to be. He had every right to date whoever he wanted and besides, I wasn’t even interested in him in that way.

  If I was going to approach him, then right now would be the right time and the right place. If I didn’t do it now, he would walk out and I probably wouldn’t see him, until next week. I didn’t know if I could go that long without doing something about this obvious attraction and heat between us. The arrangement of marriage had been made between the two of us, but he thought that was all I wanted…silly boy.” I had a delicious cheesecake that was to die for. It wasn’t even on the menu, but I had made it in hopes that he was going to come in tonight. It was getting late and he was always the last one to leave.

  I saw him dabbing his mouth with a napkin and I wondered how that would feel between my legs. I had to stop thinking like that, or at least give him a reason to see me, as more than just the chef behind the scenes.

  My sister was a bit of a handful and she was now working with me, as an accountant. She was good with numbers and I had to admit that she had found ways to make my life less of a problem when it came to government taxes. She used to be big into drugs, but she had recently cleaned herself up and I just hoped that she was going to keep it that way.

  My parents guilted me into hiring her, because they were worried that she was going to fall off the wagon. I had that same sinking suspicion and if she didn’t have something to do that would occupy her time, then it was possible that she would turn to old habits.

  I took a deep breath, steeled myself for the approach and then I walked out there with the cake in hand. “Excuse me, Mr. Reynolds. I was wondering if you had time for something a little sweet and decadent. I promise that it will be worth getting your teeth into something like this.” The obvious innuendo was probably lost on him, but he motioned for me to sit down with him.

  Each time that I came within spitting distance, I was almost putty in his hands. This was the kind of guy that looked like a gentleman, but you could see underneath that there was something forceful and demanding working just within the recesses of his mind.

  His body was like a work of art and I had to keep glancing away, because I just couldn’t stop staring at his baby blue eyes. He had this slight scruff, which only exasperated the issue and made me swoon for him in a more profound way. I constantly had to cross my legs, just so that could scratch that itch that was getting a little bit too hard to take.

  He had a buzz cut and there was just the shadow of hair, but he had the weight of at least 200 pounds of pure muscle to pull it off. His shoulders were huge and I wanted him to sweep me up in his arms and become my knight in shining armor. Wait he already did that by agreeing to marry me for convenience. His chest was massive and I could tell that years of practice in the gym had given him a regiment that was worth its weight in gold.

  “I was just about to leave, but I guess I have time to try something that’s not on the menu, especially since it is from my wife to be.” I wasn’t sure, but maybe he was getting the general idea that I wanted more than just this give and take flirting. “There seems to be a bit of a storm.” I followed his gaze and leaves were now splashing up against the window. The rain was teeming and then there was the strike of lightning. Thunder boomed and made the entire place shake with the dishes on the table making this clanging racket that caused me to grab it. I made sure that it didn’t fall to the floor.

  The cake danced across the table, but it did not reach its final destination. “That was pretty close. If that had gone on the floor, it would’ve been a damn shame. I’m really looking forward to finding out what you think of this latest creation. It’s a four fruit cheesecake.” I didn’t realize it, but he had instinctively reached out and grabbed my hand. His finger was stirring up something to the surface and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to react to something like that.

  “I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be this forward. I would take my hand away, but I really don’t want to. I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, Avril. I know that this marriage is not going to be real, but maybe I want it to be.” He was staring at my breasts, which were pressing up quite obscenely against the uniform. It was probably because I’d taken off my bra and let the natural wonders speak for themselves.

  “Normally, I would love the attention, but my eyes are up here.” I was only teasing and I loved that he was taking an interest in my more prominent assets.

  ’I just never met a woman quite like you. You not only carry yourself with confidence, but you cook like someone that has been doing it all of her life. I just wish that I had found this place a long time ago. After my wife passed, I’ve been eating mostly takeout and you can imagine how old that gets in a hurry.”

  “I do hope that you coming here is not just because the food. I would hate to think that all of this flirting was for nothing. I would like some kind of payoff for paving the way for us to be together. If I’m not getting my point across, then let me be perfectly blunt. I would like to fuck you and leave you wanting more.” He almost choked on the cheesecake, sputtering little bits onto the plate. He stared at me for some time and I wondered if he would make a move, when suddenly the lights flickered and then went out.

  Chapter two

  The only light was the brief flashed of lightning. For the most part, it was complete darkness and then I felt a hand touching my breasts from across the table. “If that’s not you, Holden, then whoever it is better be prepared to get a swift kick in the balls.”

  “I’m just having my cake and eating it too. I love that I can touch you and eat this cheesecake at the same time. It’s almost too decadent for words. I know that you don�
�t normally do this with your clientele and I feel kinda special that you would even give me a moment of your time. Marrying me is like the icing on the cake” I was going to give him more than that and the way that he was rubbing my nipple had certainly opened my eyes to the possibilities. “I just want you to know, Avril that I’m seriously considered investing in you. This is not sexual and I’ve seen your success and I want to be a part of it.” I’d never even considered taking on investors, but now that he had brought up the topic, it could be something to pursue.

  “I think that if you continue what you’re doing that I might consider your proposition. After all, you know that sex sells. We’ve all seen it on television, in the movies and even on the Internet. I would call my creations better than sex, but since I haven’t had a good orgasm in quite some time, I can’t really compare the two.” Again, he started to choke and it was at that moment that a strike of lightning showed his face and the way that it was beaming with anticipation. “I’m glad it was you that I found and not some dirty old man with only one thing on his mind.”

  “You really do have a mouthful…I mean, you really said a mouthful.” This was my time to be embarrassed. “I’m not talking about your body, although there is more than enough to go around. I just think that it’s time that you think about opening up a new restaurant. I have a place in mind and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to pull the switch on the deal. It has everything that you’ll need to make it a growing concern within the community. I’ll even foot the bill for advertising, although I doubt that you’re going to need all that much when they get a load of what you can do in the kitchen.” If he was trying to heap praise on me and I had no problem letting him.

  I got up even though I couldn’t see where I was going, I followed the emergency lighting of the exit sign leading towards the kitchen. I had him in hand and his other hand was now cupping my ass and squeezing it.