Tamsin's Conquest

by Mary Auclair

  Tamsin almost gave in to her impulse to run away from him but stopped in time. He was scary, with blood splattered all over his features and his face twisted in rage, but he was still Jareth.

  “In the transport, now.” Jareth extended his hand to her as the transport stopped right over his head.

  The journey back to the Marusha castle was spent in a dark, creeping silence while Jareth piloted the transport. His face was set in stone and his knuckles were holding the controls so hard they glowed a pale yellow. The only indication of his true feelings was a vein that pulsed steadily at his temple, like a drum thudding a war beat. Tamsin stayed quiet after Jareth ignored about a dozen of her questions but it didn’t stop the swirl of insecurities that spiraled inside her mind.

  Had Jareth finally decided she was nothing more than a desert rat and changed his mind about her? The thought made her chest tighten with pain. She didn’t want to go back to Earth, not anymore.

  Too scared to ask another question, Tamsin kept quiet until the transport hovered over the highest tower of the Marusha castle.

  “Stay inside the transport.”

  Jareth didn’t wait for her answer, instead jumping the twenty feet or so that separated the craft from the landing platform.

  He didn’t spare a glance at her but his tone said it all. She didn’t have a say in the matter and beware if she dared disobey. Tamsin sank deeper in her seat, pressing her lips together at the sound of feet hitting the stone landing. Another male voice rose, mixing with Jareth’s but their words were lost under the black cloud of her anger. Who did he think he was? She’d helped him, she was sure of it. Her intervention distracted the attackers and as a result Jareth had disposed of them easily. He had no right to treat her like she’d done something wrong. As the new voice rose in a throaty laugh, she fought the strong desire to jump into the pilot seat and fly away. There was no chance she would actually escape but it would serve the purpose of spiting Jareth. High-handed, ungrateful bastard, that’s what he was.

  Moments later, the transport began to lower and she found herself nose to nose with the golden-colored jerk. He was holding a large blanket open in his impressive arms and it made her realize her wet summer dress hugged her skin so closely she was as good as naked. She’d forgotten it in her anger but now it made sense.

  “Bend over so I can wrap you in,” Jareth ordered, after sending a vicious growl over his shoulder at whoever might be watching. “I am not going to share the vision of your body.”

  “I’m of the same opinion.” Tamsin leaned in and the fabric whispered over her body. It was soft and warm and it slid over her skin as smoothly as silk.

  Jareth didn’t answer but his arms tightened around her as he cradled her to his chest. He looked straight in front of him as he walked and she had to wiggle her head to be able to see where they were going. They were headed toward a familiar long corridor, with what felt like a whole legion of warriors lining the walls, standing straight at attention as their king strode by them.

  The idea of Jareth being a king struck her as if it was new information. Since he had thrown her over his shoulder and carried her away, Claiming her, he had only been Jareth to her. He’d told her he was king but it was a faraway fact, something so out of proportion she pushed it to the back corner of her mind. It was now an undeniable reality.

  “Sire, the royal wing is secured.”

  A large male approached, then brought his arm over his chest and bowed deeply. He straightened with a calm dignity and Tamsin got the sense he knew Jareth and had not only his trust, but his respect as well. Jareth nodded to him and the man strode at his side, sending a curious glance her way. A low growl escaped Jareth’s throat and the male quickly looked away.

  “Send word to my brother, Isov. We need the Eastern army to prepare for war.” Jareth stopped and turned to face the other male. “We need to contact the Tigrine too.”

  “Lord Arga has already been advised. He’s on the holographic screen, waiting for you in the communication room. The Vallerisc’s heir is also here.”

  “Creel is here?” Jareth stopped and turned to Isov, an expression on his face that would be cold enough to turn lava to ice. “Where is he now?”

  “He’s waiting for you in the command room, with the captains.” Isov’s voice didn’t hide his disgust. “He arrived this morning, with a delegation from the Western provinces.”

  “That little piece of troublemaking shit is trying to take advantage of the situation.” Jareth’s voice swelled until he was effectively yelling. “They’re threatening our lands, asking me to put aside my Ajena. What they’re asking, it’s impossible!”

  The male named Isov paled, perhaps at the mention of Jareth putting her aside. Jareth and Isov stopped in front of the large door and Isov pressed his hand on a metal panel. There was a clicking sound and the door lifted, revealing the royal wing. Jareth stepped inside without hesitation followed by Isov. He walked Tamsin to the bedroom door, then put her down, still wrapped in the blanket. He stepped beyond her and walked around the room, searching for whatever hidden threat might be lurking in the familiar shadows. When he was satisfied with the state of things, he walked toward the door, again not flicking a single glance her way.

  “You will find more suitable clothing in the closets. Cover your body.” Jareth paused in the doorway, his straight back framing his beautiful, muscular shoulders to perfection. “I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

  Jareth turned to leave but Tamsin jumped after him and grabbed his arm.

  “You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?” she queried. “I want to go with you.”

  “You have to stay here. It is not safe.” Jaret’s face softened. “There is food and drink on the table. I will come back for you as soon as I can.”

  “Let me come with you. I can help.” That last part wasn’t entirely true but anything was better than staying locked up in the royal wing all by herself.

  Jareth looked down at her a long time and his hand cupped her cheek. She saw the hesitation on his face. The moment didn’t last, however, and he shook his head.

  “This is the royal wing. Those rooms are the most secure in the castle. You will be protected here.”

  She opened her mouth to protest but Jareth took possession of it before she had a chance to say a word. He kissed her long and deep, then his lips lifted and by the time she opened her eyes again, he was out of the room.

  The door sealed shut and she was alone.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next few days passed in a lonely boredom, Tamsin locked up inside the royal wing all day and Jareth coming back late at night, only to sleep, and only for a few hours at a time. Some nights he didn’t come back at all. Most of the nights when he came back, he dodged her questions and answered something vaguely comforting before crashing on the bed. His usually golden skin was marked by darker circles under his eyes and fine lines of worry bracketed the corners of his mouth. He was tired and angry and he spoke to her only in veiled words. She knew he was hiding things from her, important things, things he should trust her enough to share. They didn’t have sex again after their coming together at the waterfalls and Tamsin was beginning to feel both frustrated and resentful.

  The only other person she had a relationship with during the long hours where Jareth was absent was Isov and that didn’t count for much. The male, who was indeed Jareth’s oldest and most trusted friend and captain, was often in charge of her safety, and stood outside the door to the royal wing.

  She spent her days walking around the rooms and no matter how many times she asked Isov for it, he wouldn’t let her out. She had grown quite accustomed to the stoic captain of security, the only other person, male or female, allowed to speak to her. He was a closed-mouth son of a bitch who didn’t answer to humor, insults or even threats. The most she could get out of him was a polite salutation and inquiries about her preference for the next meal of the day. Hell, she even yelled in his face one time, just a
wordless, wild scream, to vent her feelings at another living being. Isov blinked a few times and his eyes widened in shock but his only reaction had been to bow, then take his leave.

  On the fifth day, when it was time for her last meal, Tamsin had had her fill. She stared at her full plate of food, then pinched her lips together. She couldn’t bear the solitude anymore and she was fed up with being treated like some delicate flower who couldn’t stand the harsh truths of the world. A resolute frown on her face, she stomped to the door and opened it to reveal a carefully neutral-looking Isov. He stood, his back proud and his eyes fixed straight ahead, looking a good foot over her head. His lips were closed shut and she knew he wouldn’t talk to her.

  She didn’t know what set her off. Maybe it was the way his orange skin shimmered with a faint layer of sweat, indicating he’d spent some time under the sun while she was locked in her room like a child in a time-out. Maybe it was the way his gaze brushed the top of her head but never met hers. Maybe it was only the smell of the forest emanating from his clothing.

  Tamsin decided she’d had enough. She turned around and walked back to the table, then picked up her full plate between her fingers and thumb. Without giving Isov time to react, her hand went flying, sending the plate of food all over his face. Greasy sauce dripped down his stunned face and pieces of roasted meat and vegetables clung to his previously impeccable chest. He was a mess.

  Instinctively, he took a step back. It wasn’t much but it was enough to give her time to squeeze past his massive body and slide into the hallway.

  “Wait! Lady Tamsin, you cannot do that.” Isov caught up to her in no time at all. “His majesty will be upset.”

  “Let that golden bastard upset himself ’til his face turns red. I’m not staying in this room any longer.”

  Tamsin stormed down the corridor, drunk on her own boldness. Each step she took outside the royal rooms sent a feeling of elation through her and she walked faster, determined not to be stopped by anything until she confronted Jareth.

  Isov followed her, pleading at every step for her to return to the royal apartments. Well, unless he planned on physically restraining her, it wasn’t going to happen. She had won her bet. No Tellurian male would dare lay a hand on her. She turned her head to see Isov wiping sauce off his shirtless torso. It seemed the Tellurians’ reluctance to cover the top half of their bodies has finally proved their undoing. Her mouth stretched into a bitter sneer. She would make sure it wasn’t the only thing that upset a Tellurian, especially a tall, handsome, golden-colored jerk.

  Isov walked at her side, barking orders to stunned-looking males who rushed to secure her path. She had no idea where she was supposed to go but they didn’t know it. Wait. All she had to do was follow the line of guards in her path to find her way to Jareth! The Marusha castle was beautiful, built in the solid white stones that seemed to be the signature building material in Havlan. There were large glassless windows along one side, and if she wasn’t so damned furious, she would appreciate the glorious view of the capital below.

  After a few more minutes’ walk, Tamsin arrived in front of a large door where two dumbfounded guards stood to attention. One look at her and the skin on their light-orange bodies turned a few shades paler. Good. They were mortified to see her out and about. This might turn to her advantage.

  “Open the doors.” She stood as tall as she could and glared at the two men. They both had at least a foot and almost a hundred and fifty pounds on her but they were the ones looking uncomfortable under her stare. They weren’t used to dealing with females, even less with angry ones. “Have you not heard me? Open those doors or I’ll pound on them until my fists bleed.”

  “Just do as she says, Maak.” Isov spoke from behind her.

  “Very well, Captain Isov.”

  Maak looked at him, then bowed, and the two guards pushed open the solid stone doors. She glared as it swung silently on its mighty hinges. She would’ve never been able to make it budge an inch by herself. Tamsin turned to lock eyes with Isov and found the sass to raise her eyebrows at him. She knew she was being a bitch but the high-handed yellow bastard had kept her under wraps long enough.

  “Jareth, we need to talk!” Tamsin immediately regretted the tone of her voice when six tall Tellurian males turned to meet her gaze, every one of them frowning at her as if she’d just spilled their mother’s ashes from their urn. “Please.”

  “Tamsin! What are you doing out of the royal wing?” A familiar golden figure stormed toward her from the far end of the room. “Captain Isov, out now!”

  Jareth quickly covered the distance and grabbed her by the upper arm before half dragging her out of the room and into the hallway. At his vicious growl, the guards hurried and closed the door on the stunned males in the room.

  “Why did you get out of the royal wing?” A vein throbbed in Jareth’s neck and his eyes were as hard as stone. “Why did you let her?” He jerked his head to Isov, who paled several shades.

  “There is no excuse, my king. I abide by your punishment.”

  With that, Isov bent his knee and bowed his head, waiting for something. Jareth glared at him as if he was going to rip his head right off his shoulders with his teeth.

  “You acknowledge your failure?” Jareth’s voice was so cold Tamsin barely recognized him. “And the sentence that goes with endangering a female?”

  “Yes, my king.”

  “Then your honor will be preserved after you meet the Gods.”

  A bucket of ice water poured down Tamsin’s spine as she understood Jareth’s implication. Her chest constricted and she wondered if her heart had stopped beating, because she didn’t feel her body anymore. She stared at Isov’s bent head, his skull shining softly under a cover of sweat. Isov was every bit the ultimate Tellurian warrior. He was so honorable, so filled with his ridiculous sense of duty that he was ready to forfeit his life for a little mistake. When she pulled her gaze to Jareth and saw him unsheathe his longsword from its scabbard, reality snapped back into place and she rushed to place herself between Isov and the blade.

  “Are you insane?” she screamed. “You’re not killing Isov because I walked in the hallway!”

  “He failed in his duty to keep you safe while I could not.” Jareth lowered the sword but didn’t re-sheathe it. “Step out of the way, this does not concern you.”

  “The fuck it doesn’t!”

  Jareth winced at the profanity, but he could wince as much as he wanted. She was past caring. She wasn’t allowing him to murder Isov, period.

  “I tricked him to get out of the wing. I betted he wouldn’t touch me, not even to bring me back, so I kept going.”

  “Nobody touches you but me.” Jareth growled so viciously Tamsin was tempted to take a step back but she didn’t, because she was sure Isov would pay for it if she showed the slightest sign of weakness. “Every male knows that.”

  “Can we talk, just talk?” she pleaded and tried to smile but she wasn’t sure how it looked, because Jareth kept looking like he was going to sink his teeth into somebody’s throat. “You have been shutting me out and I deserve better. I deserve to know what’s going on. Keeping me in ignorance isn’t protecting me.”

  Jareth glared at her then swallowed hard. He sheathed the sword then straightened and nodded. There was her opening and she knew there might not be another one. She moved and put her palms on his chest. Jareth looked down on her hands, so small and pink on his large golden chest that they looked like a child’s. His jaw unclenched and his muscles relaxed and when he looked up at her again, his eyes were softer. She smiled and stepped even closer. His warmth traveled through her light clothing and she suddenly felt the urge to kiss him, pull him close to her and feel his hard body inside hers. She hadn’t realized it before but she was starved for his touch.

  “We need to talk.” She controlled her voice enough that it sounded steady but not too harsh. “I deserve as much.”

  “You are right, my Tamsin,” Jareth brought up hi
s hand and cupped her face. “I have neglected you. I am truly sorry.”

  “You will not harm Isov? He’s been a good guard, always polite and inquiring about my well-being.” Inspiration struck and she added, “And I won’t be able to live with myself if you kill him because of me.”

  Isov got to his feet and stood at attention. She sneaked a look at him out of the corners of her eyes as he watched Jareth and her with attention and she would be damned if there wasn’t a slight twist to his lips. Isov’s intense gaze went from Jareth to Tamsin and she could swear she saw something there. Yes, she thought, he understands where I’m going with this. He knew Jareth would relent if her well-being was mentioned.

  “I will not end Isov’s life if it will cause you pain.” Jareth’s gaze flew to his captain. “You are free to resume your post, Captain.”

  Isov bowed and when he locked eyes with Jareth, she saw relief on both men’s faces. Jareth had known Captain Isov for years. They’d grown up together and he was about to kill Isov for allowing her to walk in the hallway. Tamsin knew Jareth enough to see the tension slipping from his body. It would have cost him but he would have done it. This was light-years past insane.

  “I can’t come with you to the royal wing right now,” Jareth said, returning his attention to her. “But I promise I’ll be there within the hour. We’ll eat last meal together and talk.”

  “You’re going to tell me everything this time?”

  Jareth smiled and lifted her chin, then placed his lips on hers for a short, passionate kiss. Tamsin closed her eyes to better savor his taste on her lips and couldn’t stifle a moan of frustration when he withdrew. With one last tender finger down her jaw, Jareth turned and the guards pushed open the doors for him. He didn’t turn back before the doors closed on him again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tamsin waited at the dining room table, a feast fit for an army congealing in front of her eyes. She had been waiting for over two hours and everything was long since cold and unappetizing. Her stomach coiled in hunger but she refused to eat. Jareth said he would be there and she was going to hold him to it. Still, with time passing, she began to doubt Jareth was even going to sleep with her tonight.