Desert Prince

by Constance O'Banyon

  Sabinah sat silently watching him, bewildered by the change that had come over him.

  Julian removed the hood from his hawk and sent it into the sky. Removing his protective glove and tossing it on the bench, he cleared his throat, turning his attention to Sabinah. “First I want to apologize for not taking your warning to heart. I have come to believe you were trying to help me.”

  Julian waited for a reaction from her, but she merely stared at him. “I am saying I believe you.”

  “I am glad you have finally discovered the truth and understand the danger you face here in Egypt.”

  He halted in front of her. “I ask your pardon for the way I treated you.”

  The smile she gave him almost took his breath away. “You had every right to mistrust me.”

  He sat down close to her but not touching. “How could I have forgotten how honorable you were, Sunshine?”

  Sabinah was so choked up she could not speak. He had called her Sunshine, and she had thought he never would again.

  Julian watched her face color before she turned away. She was young, innocent in the ways of the world, and he was about to use her for his own ends. “I have decided to take you back to your home.”

  “Nay,” she protested. “Please let me stay with you. I will not be any trouble.” Julian did not respond, he did not even look at her. “There is something you are not telling me.”

  He chose his words carefully. “I need information about Tribune Vergilius’s movements, and I have no way to obtain it.”

  Sabinah’s eyes widened. “I understand. You believe I can make him confide in me.”

  Julian turned away, wanting to hit something. “Aye,” he ground out between his teeth.

  She did not hesitate. “You have only to tell me what you need of me.”

  He had expected her to refuse, and there was a part of him that had hoped she would. “Why are you so willing to do this?”

  “If I can atone for the wrong my stepsister did to your family, I do so gladly.”

  Julian stood, putting some distance between them. “I do not hold you responsible for Bastet’s betrayal.”

  “I do this to repay a debt to your grandmother.”

  Julian fought a battle with himself. Just the thought of Sabinah being in the same room with Vergilius angered him, and yet he needed her help. “Before you so readily agree to do this, Sabinah, allow me to explain that you will be in danger if the tribune discovers you are helping me. If this does not feel right to you, I want you to refuse and nothing more need be said.”

  Sabinah watched him closely as he paced. “Tell me what you need to know.”

  “Find out, if you can do it without raising suspicion, what Vergilius knows about my family. Discover whether he believes Caesarion is still alive, and whether anyone is searching for my cousin at this time. I need to know if Vergilius plans to move against the Badari, and if so, when and where.”

  She nodded slowly. “I believe he will confide in me.”

  Julian stopped in front of her. He stared up at the sky for a moment before he could meet her gaze. “I have changed my mind. I do not want you to do this. Forget what I said.”

  “Julian, it is a good plan, and I am the only one who can do this for you. Allow me to help you.”

  He felt his heart beat faster, and he resisted the urge to take her in his arms and protect her. He was stunned by her bravery and humbled by her willingness to aid him. Never had he known anyone like her. “If you promise to be careful,” he conceded.

  Sabinah stood. “You need not fear for my safety. The cook is a friend, and I have a loyal maid who will help me if the need should arise.”

  “Apollodorus has managed to place one of my Badari women in your stepmother’s kitchen—her name is Rafta. If you need help at any time, or if you feel frightened in any way, tell her, and she will get word to me or Apollodorus.” His eyes narrowed. “What of your stepmother?”

  “I will tell her I could not survive on my own. She will like that. I will need the clothing I wore when I left home. She will become suspicious if I return in a fine linen gown like this one.”

  Sabinah stood before him with an earnestness that twisted Julian’s heart. “Explain to me how Tribune Vergilius treats you,” he said.

  She saw no reason to tell Julian that she was afraid of Vergilius. “He is sometimes overly friendly, but I manage to keep him at a distance. He has asked me to be his wife—I have refused. He is not a man who gives up easily.”

  Julian took her hand, measuring it to his—hers hardly covered his palm. “One day, I will ask you to forgive me for putting you in danger.”

  Her fingers clamped about his. “There is nothing to forgive.” Sabinah was distressed as she met his gaze. “When this is over, there will be no debts between us.”

  The sun was setting, casting the garden in a crimson glow. He touched her cheek, gazing into her eyes.

  The sensual glitter in his eyes and the seductive curve of his mouth beckoned to her. Julian was everything a man should be, and she wanted him to know how she felt.

  “I honor you, Julian. I always have.”

  He stepped away from her, not feeling very honorable at the moment. “Perhaps you should return to your bedchamber now,” he suggested.

  He seemed to be struggling with something, although she did not know what. Sabinah watched Julian’s gaze become intense as he stared at her with an unfamiliar expression. There was a question in his eyes as if he were silently asking her something. Heat stirred the air about them, arcing between them. She felt warmth lick through her body and moved closer to him, unwittingly answering Julian’s silent plea.

  Before Julian guessed what she was doing, she stood on tiptoe, pressing her mouth against his. At first he stiffened, and then shaped his mouth to those silken lips, his arms slowly enclosing her. Her skin was smooth to the touch; her hair smelled of sweet oils.

  He was dazed as his body came alive with desire. Pressing her against him, he heard her sigh. Julian pulled back, thinking to put her away from him, but the hunger between them grew stronger, and he wanted more.

  Slowly he lowered his head, his passion unleashed. He heard Sabinah sob, and it fired his blood. Lifting her into his arms, he saw surrender in her eyes. With hurried steps, he carried her toward his bedchamber. He wanted more than to touch his mouth to hers. He wanted to sate the fire that raged inside him.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Slowly lowering his head, Julian riveted his gaze on Sabinah. He flung his headdress off, his lips settling on that tempting mouth that trembled beneath his.

  Sabinah’s head fell back as she surrendered to him utterly and completely. Julian lowered her back against his bed, his hand moving down her neck and leisurely pushing the gown off her shoulders, exposing her naked breasts. His hand moved slowly from her shoulder downward to touch her breasts, to caress, to lightly stroke.

  Sabinah’s eyes widened in wonderment, and then closed in ecstasy. “Ohhh,” she moaned softly. She could hardly breathe as he leaned toward her and laid his head against her breasts. With a groan, she buried her fingers in his ebony hair while his breath teased a nipple and he flicked it with his tongue.

  Sabinah dug her fingers into his back, trying to keep from crying out. His mouth was warm as it closed over the swollen nipple, and her body jerked, needing something more.

  Wondrous excitement tightened inside her. “Julian,” she whispered as a strange sweetness swept over her. When he raised his head, his eyes seemed to glow with green fire. The emotions building in Sabinah were so strong she could hardly endure them.

  “Give yourself to me, my own Sunshine.” His voice was raspy. “Will you give yourself to me, my heart?”

  It took her a moment to find her voice. “I have always been yours,” she admitted, feeling as if she were floating. Her only anchor was the man who kept her fixed firmly to the bed with the weight of his body.

  “I think I have always known that somewhere in my mind.
” He brushed his mouth across hers, filled with the revelation that had just come to him. “Even in Bal Forea, thoughts of the kiss we shared lingered in my mind. You have been constantly with me although I did not realize it until this moment.”

  Sabinah was trying to think rationally, attempting to perceive the meaning of his words, but it was difficult when her body ached for his touch.

  Julian’s gaze was intense as it fell on her breasts. He watched them rise and fall with each breath she took. Gently, he kissed first one, and then the other.

  “Sabinah,” he said, tearing his mouth from her breasts and taking a deep breath. “If it is your wish, I will stop.”

  For her answer, she laced her hands through his long hair and pulled his face down to hers. “I want to be with you.”

  Julian’s fingers trailed down her arm. “It might be that once I have taken you, this insatiable hunger that drives me day and night will be satisfied—then I may no longer want you so much it tears at my insides.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “Or it might be that one lifetime will not be enough. I do not know.”

  His cryptic words chased away all other emotions, leaving Sabinah to contend with a deep dark fear. “Nor do I know what the future holds. Can we not be together for this one night, Julian?”

  His eyes softened as he gently touched one breast and trailed a tan finger to the other one. “I would kill any man who tried to lay a hand on you. I would never allow any man to take the liberties I take with you now.” He pulled her to him, gritting his teeth to gain control over his runaway passion. “You belong to me.”

  “As does your horse and your hawk,” she said, smiling, not knowing what to make of his confession. There had been times she’d thought he despised her. Now he spoke words that went straight to her heart. He was a complex man.

  “I would not care if another man rode my horse”—his nostrils flared—“but I would not allow that same man to touch even one hair on your head.”

  Like a sword of flames, his touch moved through her body. “Julian,” she whispered.

  His eyes darkened with a feral light. “Little seductress, I doubt that I will ever have my fill of you.”

  Sabinah could stand the wait no longer. She wanted to feel his bare flesh against hers. She reached up and touched his face, feeling the throbbing in his throat. When she placed small kisses there, Julian threw back his head.

  “If you continue to do this, I will not be able to restrain myself.” He took her face between his hands. “I want you—all of you.” His gaze probed hers. “Do you trust me?”

  “With all that I am,” she answered, closing her eyes. “I have always trusted you above all others. Even as a child.”

  A sudden vision of her as a child flashed through his mind, and he stilled. She had been so adorable then.

  Every time he had seen her, it had warmed his heart and made him smile. Now she was a woman, and his feelings for her had grown much deeper. He softly touched her cheek, and then his finger drifted to her mouth. “I doubt I am worthy of such devotion.”

  She swallowed twice as he pushed her gown past her hips.

  His eyes feasted on every silken curve, and Sabinah could not think clearly.

  “Why do you hesitate?” she asked innocently.

  His lashes veiled his eyes. He touched the crown of her head, allowing his fingers to drift into the red curls. “Because I have never been on fire for a woman as I am for you. And because this is your first time, is it not?”

  “I have never known a man,” she admitted. “I have been waiting for you.”

  His eyes seemed to darken as he pushed her gown all the way off, then tossed it to the floor. “After this night, you will be bound to me, Sabinah. Let no one say you do not belong to me.”

  Sabinah’s only covering was the long hair that fell across her breasts. She had yearned for Julian too long for modesty to bother her.

  The depth of Julian’s feelings was unsettling to him.

  He was fire.

  He was flames.

  “There is an inferno burning inside me, yet I do not want to hurry this night. You are paradise,” he muttered against her ear. “I want to savor each moment before I partake of your body.”

  He paused to look at her, feeling a flush of renewed passion so strong it left him trembling. Her eyes were heavy with passion, and in her innocence she knew precisely how to capture him. When her hand moved over his chest, he threw back his head, baring his teeth.

  “Aye,” he said in a voice that shook with emotion. “I need you to touch me.” He untangled his body from hers and slowly stood, unhooking his belt and allowing it to fall to the floor. He ripped his tunic off and tossed it aside, his eyes on Sabinah.

  She feasted on his beauty. He was muscled, his stomach flat, his shoulders wide, his chest smooth. Her gaze took a downward path from his navel. She gasped when she saw the maleness of him.

  Without thinking, she slid off the bed, stepping close to him, gazing into his eyes with uncertainty. His hand closed over her silken breast, and when he watched Sabinah’s tongue flick out to moisten her lips, it almost took him to his knees because his legs had gone weak.

  Together they drifted onto his bed. For a long moment, he hovered above her, holding her gaze. “You know what will happen between us.”

  “The servants talk. I know some things.”

  Julian brushed her hair off her forehead and laid his face against hers. He touched his lips to her cheek, his hand taking a downward path until it rested against her thigh. “Tell me this is not a dream.”

  “This is no dream.”

  His mouth plundered hers, stirring her blood and rendering her his willing slave. Looking past the veil of dark lashes, Julian saw surrender in her eyes. Sabinah’s arms slid around his waist, but he gently pushed her away so he could suckle her nipple.

  The power of his unleashed desire tore through him. He explored her body, his hand moving lower. He heard her take in a quick breath when he tested her moistness.

  Unable to contain his torrid passion, he slid between her legs, nudging them apart, giving her but the beginning of his length. Slowly easing forward, he tore through the barrier, and her softness closed around him. Julian’s eyes drifted shut. What he was experiencing was so acute he wanted to savor the moment of their joining. His body quaked and trembled. He sought her lips, partaking of their sweetness while trying to control his movements, to still his heartbeat.

  Sabinah’s eyes widened in wonder as he slid farther inside her. She watched Julian bare his teeth, and she stared into those wonderful green eyes, feeling as if she had just become a part of his body. She moaned against his shoulder, allowing her instincts to take over. She arched against him, drawing him deeper, and heard him whisper roughly against her lips.

  “My Sunshine, this is the moment for which we were born.”

  She sighed—he took a deep breath. With a moan, she felt his hot seed spill into her.

  For a long moment they remained as they were, neither wanting to move. He touched his mouth to her ear. “You are magnificent.”

  She turned her head so she could see his eyes. “I was inexperienced.”

  He laughed, rolling over and bringing her on top of him. “Not any longer.”

  Sabinah cuddled her head against his chest, listening to the thundering of his heart. “I do not want another man to touch me.”

  Julian suddenly jerked her to him. “No man had better try to take you to his bed. You are mine.”

  Sabinah realized he had spoken of belonging and need, but nothing of commitment. Certainly he could never offer her marriage; she had not expected it of him.

  For a long while they lay with him holding her. Then she felt him swell against her, and he made love to her once more.

  Afterward he turned her toward him, pushing a sweat-dampened curl from her face. “You stole my breath.”

  “It was—it was like nothing I could have imagined,” she admitted. “I wanted to cry because it w
as so beautiful, and I never wanted you to stop.”

  Julian traced her arched brow with a finger and drew it down to her swollen lips. “You have given me … so much more than I expected,” he admitted, pulling her head against his shoulder; he was too choked up to go on.

  Her hand moved to his chest, and she felt his heart accelerate.

  His laughter was warm with delight as he drew her to him.

  The night was magic. He made love to her again, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Chapter Twenty

  When Sabinah awoke there were still shadows in the room. Blinking her eyes, she tried to remember where she was. When she turned to her side, her body ached, reminding her of the night she had spent with Julian. She reached out her hand, and the place beside her was empty.

  Julian was gone.

  Sabinah swung her legs off the bed and watched as weak light strained through the open window. Standing, she flinched at the ache in her lower body but smiled because of the reason.

  The bedchamber clearly belonged to a man. Bows and arrows competed with spears and shields for wall space. She could feel Julian’s presence, and it brought tears to her eyes. Moving to the window, she saw that clouds covered the sky, and it had begun to mist. But even the weather could not dampen her spirits—last night she had been in Julian’s bed, and he had made her body his own.

  The door suddenly opened, and she turned expectantly, managing to hide her disappointment when she saw it was not Julian.

  “Mistress, I was told to bring you this clothing. Shall I help you dress?” Tanita asked shyly.

  For the first time Sabinah realized she was naked. “You may put those on the bed and leave.”

  The young girl bowed out of the room.

  After Sabinah had washed her body, she quickly dressed and fastened the beaded belt about her midriff. She slid her feet into stiff reed sandals and picked up the homespun head covering.

  Sabinah was struggling with disappointment. With a heavy heart she realized the words Julian had whispered to her in the thralls of passion meant nothing to him in the light of day. Even so, she had no regrets.