Dreams of a Wild Heart

by Danube Adele

  “Control your woman, Tabron,” Draxton demanded.

  “Or what?” I demanded. “You’ll kill me, too?”

  “Or I’ll challenge your man.”

  Tabron snarled, “Done. Terms. If I win, you are exiled from this palace.”

  “If I win, I take the woman.”

  “Agreed.”

  What? Did that mean me? I looked around with sudden apprehension and saw the seriousness of the situation. Bruner stepped forward to witness the terms. Then he called out, “Are there any here who would not abide by these terms?”

  No one said a word.

  “These terms are set in stone. Choose your weapons.”

  “Tabron?” I shook my head, horrified. “What’s happening?” How could you wager me?

  He looked down into my eyes. “This is a warrior society, Ceci.” Please trust me.

  “Did I cause this?” I whispered. Tears welled up as I saw that he was pulling his sword from its casing across his back. “Can I make this stop? He’s a cheater. He won’t fight fair.”

  “Don’t worry, Ceci. My job is to protect you. Besides, I’m ridding the world of one more monster,” he stated gruffly. On impulse I grabbed his head and pulled him down for a kiss. The salt of my tears made it taste bitter.

  “Let’s begin,” Bruner called.

  “It’s going to be all right,” Krevier said coming up beside me. “He’s one of the most skilled warriors here. They don’t call him merciless for nothing.”

  There were five dozen or so warriors on the field. They formed a large ring. Tabron and Draxton stood in the center, facing each other, with Bruner seeming to be some kind of referee. Krevier took my arm and began leading me down the short steps, bringing me to the field and forcing me to be part of the circle. Their barbarianism was so ritualized.

  “Begin!” Bruner shouted, then backed away.

  Tabron and Draxton circled each other. Draxton feinted one direction, causing Tabron to pause, but then did nothing. Tabron suddenly charged. His sword arm thrust quickly, taking Draxton by surprise, forcing him on defense. Their swords clashed and held over their heads.

  “She’s a beauty.” Draxton smiled. “I’ll enjoy playing with her in front of your eyes.”

  Tabron shoved him off and began circling Draxton again, looking for his weaknesses. “Where did you bury the young women, Draxton?”

  “The same place I threw the young Sunan. Over the cliffs.”

  “Was it difficult to subdue the women? Did you have to tie them up?”

  Draxton grinned coldly. “That’s half the fun. Your woman will love it.”

  A sudden thrust and charge from Tabron opened a shallow wound in Draxton’s side, and I was pleased to see blood. Unfortunately, he jumped away before the blade cut deep. He didn’t see the kick coming. Tabron’s long leg shot out and pegged Draxton in the gut, sending him crashing to the ground.

  An angry growl issued forth and Draxton threw dirt into Tabron’s face. The momentary blindness gave Draxton the ability to launch his own attack, and though Tabron was able to defend, Draxton’s sword found flesh.

  “How is that legal? He’s cheating!” I looked up at Krevier.

  “There are no rules” was the reply.

  The fight went on. Brutal attacks and the sound of steel clashing against steel filled the courtyard. The setting sun reflected off the metallic weapons, and a thin film of dust filled the air, mixing with the sweat pouring down the men’s bodies. Tabron leveled a fury of thrusts that disarmed Draxton, but then he tossed his own weapon aside in favor of using his hands.

  The warriors cheered as punches were thrown. I winced at the punches Tabron caught, but it wasn’t long before he was beating Draxton to the ground, punch after punch that finally ended in a powerhouse that landed Draxton in the dirt. He was not getting up.

  “Tabron is the victor!” Bruner called out. “As to the terms of the challenge, Draxton is now exiled. He is no longer allowed to be within the boundaries of Dragmore, and if he is spotted, he will be killed. Our warrior code is clear. Our honor is paramount. Are there any who will not abide this outcome?”

  No one stepped forth. Draxton sat up, his face bloody and beaten. There was a sneer on his face. “This is not over.”

  “Be gone from here, Draxton. The king will be made aware of your transgressions.”

  “You think the king doesn’t know?” He stood and looked around. “He watched. I’m not leaving until the king tells me to leave!”

  “The mandates are clear, Draxton,” the king called from the stairs. We’d all been so immersed in the fighting, we hadn’t seen him. “Everyone was in agreement, including you. Be gone. You brought this on yourself.”

  Draxton didn’t know what to say. He took a step toward the king, but all the other warriors lined themselves in front of the king, protecting him.

  “If I see you again, I will kill you,” Tabron promised.

  “You will see me again.” Draxton snatched his sword from the ground. “You won’t know where and you won’t know when.” He left the courtyard, and a sense of jubilation hit me along with a feeling of dread. Those hadn’t been empty words.

  The men swarmed Tabron with congratulatory pats on the back, but he was making his way steadily toward me. When he reached me, he was dripping sweat and blood, his aquamarine eyes asking me a silent question, even if he didn’t know it. Would I accept him now that he’d fought for me?

  His thoughts were on his sleeve, confusing thoughts that were laid out for me to see. He was dizzy with exhaustion but mostly, feeling relieved that I was safe now. Worried I might reject him for this other man who was always in the background. Hot and aroused, wanting to explore what my skin felt and tasted like, and flooded with strong feelings for me, even though emotions scared him.

  My answer was to reach up and pull his face down to mine. I took his lips as my prize, pouring all of the fear, the angst, the relief into remembering his taste and feel. The men erupted in more cheers and catcalls. “I need to be alone with you,” I whispered against his lips.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “You should get clean.” My voice came out breathy. I was amazed by my own sense of purpose and determination. I wanted this big warrior stripped down naked for me to have my way with. He was breathing harshly from the battle, and his muscles were still tense, making my mouth water. Just thinking of his big hands on my body had my feminine folds growing warm and swollen.

  I wanted to have my night with him. We’d been thwarted at the restaurant. I’d felt ready to see where this desire would take us then, what would be the difference now? No more turning away. No more denial of want and need. How I came to be here, his part in it, just didn’t matter right now.

  The knowledge of my intent was in his eyes, like he could see inside my mind. They gleamed with predatory directness. “Come with me, Cecilia.” The way my name rolled off his tongue made me shiver, but I had a plan.

  “I’ll meet you there. I have arrangements to make.”

  His eyes flared with heat.

  Anticipation built, and I loved how it felt inside me. My body hummed. It was like his energy was wrapped intimately through me, touching me in new and exciting places. I hurried to grab supplies from my medical room. On my way back to my own room, I found Tayla in the kitchen and asked her to keep two plates warmed for us once the dinner hour hit.

  “I can leave them outside your door.” She smiled gently.

  A flush rode high on my cheeks. What was about to happen was no secret to anyone. “That would be perfect.”

  I had time to walk up to my room and lay out the supplies I would need for his first treatment before he stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his towel tied around his waist.

  “Why don’t you have a seat,” I motioned to the chair
. “I can clean up your injuries.”

  He sat where I’d directed him and leaned back, waiting. Deliberately trying to be provocative, reminding him I was in charge of this little scenario, I knelt between his outstretched legs and let my fingers walk over the beautiful muscles in his lower abdomen. They moved under my fingers, and I smiled with the power I had over his body. The few cuts he’d sustained weren’t deep and would only need antiseptic and a bandage. With a delicate touch, I dabbed at open flesh, but then pursed my lips to blow over the skin. Then I put a length of gauze with surgical tape to hold it in place.

  His eyes never left my face. His lips were parted, his breath growing more shallow.

  I did the same with his other cuts, finally moving up to his face, where he’d taken a few hits. There was swelling near his eye, and a cut at his brow. Dabbing at his cut once again, I put a butterfly bandage on it to keep it closed before my lips touched on it lightly. They skimmed over his cheekbone, take a nibbling bite of his ear, which had him audibly drawing in his breath, before working my way to his lips.

  “You know what you’re inviting?” His breath feathered across my lips.

  I gave his lips another teasing lick, my smile naturally forming into a come-hither look, my hands trailing around his shoulders to clasp behind his neck. “I know.” But it turned out, I really didn’t. Not by a long shot.

  His attack was savagely sensual. His large hands wove into my thick mane of hair, grasped the locks firmly, and tilted my head back with a tug that startled me into a gasp. His lips captured mine in a sizzling heat that immediately had me moaning and holding him tightly. Firm and strong, they plundered over and over again, his tongue sweeping the inside of my mouth like it was his to know, his to mold. Fierce sensation swamped my womb with liquid heat making my inner muscles clench with delicious need. I whimpered, helpless to control my reaction, unable to get close enough, taste enough, touch enough.

  He learned my taste, my texture and wouldn’t let me move my head until he’d satisfied himself with his take. I wasn’t driving this car, and the vulnerability of being in that position was so goddamn hot. Moisture seeped from between my legs and holding my thighs together let me keep the building heat. When is he going to touch me there? Would he put his big fingers inside me?

  Soon. Very soon.

  The tension was building, the need taking over.

  “I want to feel your skin.”

  Without waiting for permission, he peeled my shirt off and gazed at my breasts, his own arousal pressing my stomach through the towel. He pulled the bra cups down, which only served to prop my breasts up more. They felt so full, the nipples erect and aching. A sense of shyness came over me.

  “I haven’t done this so much,” I admitted softly, my voice quivering.

  His eyes blazed heatedly into mine, his hands cupping the mounds possessively in his rough hands. “Good.” It only took having his thumbs run over my aching nipples, circling them, pinching at them, before I was crying out again, unable to stop the wild, desperate storm that was beginning to rage within my body. My hips writhed involuntarily and his hands went back to my ribcage to lift me up, pull me over his lap so I was straddling him, his steely length pressed smack dab on my swollen sex.

  Immediately, the seam of my jeans rubbed against my full clit. Automatically, my hips rolled against him, and a hiss escaped between his clenched teeth. Was he feeling as crazed as I was?

  “So fucking pretty.” His deep voice rasped before lifting one of my nipples to his lips and sucking hard.

  “Ah!” It was a direct conduit of heat to my core and more moisture came out of my sex, dampening my panties. Voice shaking, I whispered, “That feels so good. So good.”

  “Are you wet?”

  “So wet.”

  “Let’s get you wetter.” He alternated sucking with nibbling and flicking with his tongue, first one breast, then the other. I was a slave to his touch, moving on him, trying to get more of what I needed, rocking my sex over his erection that had only gotten harder and bigger.

  “Please,” I begged, not knowing what I was begging for, but wanting so badly to get it.

  “Let’s see how wet you are.” He looked into my eyes and with a hand under my bottom, stood and walked to the bed. Unceremoniously, he tossed me down and followed after me, kneeling between my legs. “Unclasp them.”

  With shaky fingers, I undid the button and zipper. He pulled them off me easily, and all I had left was my black lacy thong underwear. He ran his fingers over my mons and pulled aside the fabric to delve into the wet heat of my sex. I’d never been so wet in my life. He swirled his finger inside of me, and watched as I moaned with pleasure, trying to grind on his hand. More liquid heat dripped.

  “Thank the spirits you’re fucking ready.”

  His fingers hooked the top of my panties and they joined my jeans on the floor. Now I was completely bare, open to his lust-filled gaze. He took off his towel, and the size of his cock had my eyes widening. It was beautiful and ready for me. I reached out to grasp it, but he caught my hand. Gruffly, he said, “Not this time.”

  He ran the mushroom tip along the slippery seam of my aching sex, and then he was pushing in. The stretch and sting lasted only moments, and then he was all the way in and I just felt full with his pulsing heat. Slowly, he pulled back and pushed in again, and my hips met his thrust. He did it again and my inner walls clutched at him.

  “You’re so tight.”

  “It feels good.”

  “I can’t hold back.”

  “Don’t.”

  And then he was thrusting, hard, and our cries filled the air as the heat built, the need wound tighter, had a stronger grasp on us. Our hips thrust together, and together we fought for the release that was just out of reach. Then his thumb and finger pinched at my clit and I exploded with a shattering of heat that cascaded over my entire body, my sheath clenching his shaft until his own guttural shout hit the air. He laid over me, bracketing my face with his elbows, his lips nuzzling my neck and still deeply connected, still moving gently within me.

  He was finally able to catch his breath and pulled out gently before rolling off to the side. But then he pulled me into his body, sheltering me, skin to skin, and this felt good, too. With some humor, I remembered the last time I’d done this had been less than thrilling; two teenagers fumbling around for the first time, just barely getting the parts in the right places. This was nothing like that. Tabron had owned me.

  His hand moved up my ribcage to cup my breast, and just that alone made my sex clench with renewed heat. I let my ass brush his cock, and it gave an answering stir, poking at me, but he quickly held my hip still with a low growl against my neck.

  “You need to feed me if you’re going to use me like this.” I felt his smile against my neck.

  “Good thing I plan for the future.” I turned over, taking a moment to enjoy the feel of his hair-roughened thigh that he pressed between my legs. “I asked Tayla to leave two plates outside the door for us.”

  “You did?” He ran a hand over my hip, cupping my ass. “So I don’t have to dress and venture below.”

  “You don’t. Do I get a reward?”

  His eyes went smoky. “I’ll have a reward for you, Beauty. Just wait.”

  The way he said it promised naughtiness to come. Then he was out of bed, and my eyes ate up the curve of his ass and movement of his muscles. Now I knew what I’d been missing all this time.

  “Venison,” Tabron came back to bed with two plates on a tray. There was wine, bread, cheese, a form of squash that was grilled and seasoned, and the succulent meat. “The herds of deerling are coming south. Usually, they would stay in herds to the north, far out of our territory, in among the Sunan. In the past, our hunters would have had to hunt in stealth to bring back these meats because much of our surrounding is desert flat
s, but they are now finding their way to our small forests.”

  Pulling the blanket up under my arms, which earned me a frown from Tabron, I took a bite of my food and savored the flavors. “Mmm. However this happened, it’s very good. How in the world does your cook know how to make such delicious food?”

  “She’s worked at the palace all of her life. I think the old king sent her to Earth as a young woman so she could learn.”

  “Why can’t anyone be sent now to learn and bring back new skills?”

  “Until recently, we’ve had no access to mylunate, which is what allows that kind of travel. Frank Grayson found his way to Ral’e a few years ago. For some reason, he has access to mylunate. I don’t trust him or the men who’ve come with him.” He thought about it, a mild frown marking his face. “I don’t know where he comes from, but Ral’e calls him friend. In any case, we aren’t sure how it works yet, though I’ve been given a small amount. Ral’e has plans for us.”

  “Something having to do with the mylunate?”

  “I’m sure of it.”

  “You don’t have mylunate in Brausa at all?”

  “No. The ore can only be found in the north.” He took a bite of his food. “The old king was building our nation. He was tired of the wars. I think he even managed to build a bridge with some of the Sunan, which was our first introduction to Earth and its many wonders. I’m sure we even had trade with the Sunan for some time. Small trade.”

  “And then the king and his wife died.”

  Tabron nodded.

  “And the Sunan were blamed, and it all went to hell.”

  “That is exactly what happened.”

  And the people continued to be reminded of the tragedies because it never ended. They were forced to live like animals, scavenging for whatever they could get. Starvation. What a painful way to die. Unnecessary.