The General

by M. A. Abraham

  “T’Harris,” Gabriella’s voice flowed over him like a soft breeze, “I am yours, I cannot fight this feeling we share.”

  T’Harris could barely believe what he was hearing. His Gabriella was telling him she was choosing to claim him. Could this be real? He wound his hands around her shoulders as he drew her close and pressed his cheek against the top of her head. His eyes closed in ecstasy as he replied, “Gabriella, I am yours, do what you will with me.”

  “T’Harris, I will be there for you always. You are my rock, my Life Mate. As I am yours, you are mine,” Gabriella responded.

  “Gabriella, you are mine to hold forever more. I will always be by your side. I will guard your back constantly. Together we will share eternity.” T’Harris promised.

  “Together,” T’Harris and Gabriella continued in unity, “We are one.” As they finished speaking, their lips met, he picked her up. Cradling her in his arms, he carried her to the love nest he had created for them.

  As T’Harris walked towards the bower they would share, he spoke a drying spell so that they would be comfortable when they reached the bed. He could feel their bond connect, as it surrounded them in bright golden hues of light. He could tell what they shared was more than either of them could have begun to fight and he smiled to think his Gabriella had realized this. Most Light Elven Females would have tried to run harder before acknowledging this fact, but not his Gabriella. She had undoubtedly weighed all the pros and cons of trying to avoid the inevitable and decided it was a waste of time and effort. He loved her so much it hurt to think about it.

  Gabriella felt herself falling further under the spell she called T’Harris. Every touch, every kiss drew her closer and made her yearn for more. She had suspected being with him would be addictive, but this was more than she expected. She craved him in ways she never believed possible. She had a feeling that when this was over, she would never be the same again. Then again, she didn’t think he would either. This was nothing like she thought, but it was much too late to retreat. Then again, did she want to? The answer was no. She wanted this.

  T’Harris ran a string of kisses from Gabriella’s lips to the tip of an ear where he nibbled as he splayed his hands across her back. He needed to touch her, even as he kissed and licked her while continuously whispering her name.

  T’Harris was sure he would never get enough of his Gabriella. Slowly, tenderly, he caressed the satiny smoothness of her skin as he molded her body to his and guided her movements. He loved the feel of her lips under his, the touch of her hands against his chest and back. The sound of her voice, as she softly sighed, urged him on as he explored her body with his touches.

  A tiny cry escaped through Gabriella’s lips as T’Harris licked and suckled at her breasts. She curled her fingers into his hair as if to hold him in place while she arched to offer him better access to her body. She gasped for air, as it felt none existed around her, and her heart raced in time with his. Their legs entwined, as they moved restlessly and felt the burning need deep within them rise until it threatened to consume them.

  “More,” Gabriella begged, even as her hands spread across T’Harris’ back and trailed fire though his veins. She didn’t know what she wanted, only that her love wasn’t moving fast enough. Her body was about to go up in flames if he didn’t do something about it. She had the feeling he was the only one that could.

  T’Harris could wait no longer to possess his Gabriella. But first, he needed to know for sure that she was ready for him. He touched her parting, as she moved as if in invitation, and gave a groaning type of growl at the slick, hot wetness that greeted his touch.

  “Gabriella,” T’Harris moaned, as he positioned himself to enter her, then smiled as she gave a cry and raised her hips in an unconscious show of need.

  “I burn,” Gabriella gasped.

  “I know,” T’Harris replied in a voice that was thick with the sound of his own needs. “I will make this good for you always. I promise.”

  T’Harris shouldn’t have been surprised by the lack of a verbal response from Gabriella, even as he entered her with one quick and seemingly endless glide. She was not like most women to have issues with the speed of his penetration or have urged him on. He, however, didn’t have much experience to guide his actions, although it was slightly more than hers. Instead of using what little he knew, he considered what he had learned about using weapons. A quick stab was considered kinder than one that prolonged the agony. At the same time, he recalled his father’s words about how to treat a woman if she had never been intimate before.

  The only sound Gabriella made was one of protest, as T’Harris stopped to allow her body time to adjust to his invasion. Even then, it had amounted to no more than a gasp as their eyes met and hers filled with wonder. He couldn’t stop the swell of pride that filled him with the knowledge they were truly one. Her lips parted, and he reached for them with his, moving slightly from within her as he did. As he kissed her, she sighed, and he began to thrust into her once more with slow languid movements.

  Gabriella felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the world around them, yet she didn’t want T’Harris to stop whatever he was doing. The advance and retreat of his body within hers filled her with a burning need for something, but she didn’t know what. Her hips rose and fell to meet his invasion and she clung to him like a drowning person to a life raft. She needed more than this, but she couldn’t understand what or why.

  “T’Harris,” Gabriella gasped, when he released her lips from his.

  Gabriella wasn’t the only one that needed more, but T’Harris wasn’t sure what to do about it. Did he dare allow his feelings to guide him? Would he hurt her? He was a big man and she was so very fragile. Then again, he couldn’t continue to control his actions for much longer. He looked into her passion-filled eyes and then lost all sense and hope of continuing as he was.

  Within moments, T’Harris’ thrusts grew faster and harder. His hands clamped onto Gabriella, as if to hold her still, and her legs wound around his hips to draw him in deeper. Even as their eyes continued to hold their connection to the other, he continued to possess her as if the world centered upon this moment. There was nothing beyond togetherness that bound the. No sound could penetrate the pounding of their hearts as they beat as one, not even the sound of their passion-filled gasps. They both knew, however, that when this was over, neither of them would ever be the same.

  Gabriella’s eyes widened as she felt her body begin to fly. Was this the way it was for everyone? No wonder Cambria had spoken so fondly about sharing her body with her lovers over the years. She had even mentioned once that it was much better with a Life Mate. Gabriella had never been tempted to find out for herself, not until she met T’Harris. She felt her body grow taut and then shatter as he continued to fill her and ride the gamut of their passion onwards towards his fulfillment. In doing so, he carried her along with him. She felt one orgasm after another take her over the edge, until there was nothing left in her world but T’Harris, and the feel of his burning seed filling her womb before the world spun out of control and turned dark.

  T’Harris could never remember feeling anything as perfect as this before. He had given every last bit of himself to Gabriella until he couldn’t support his own weight any longer. It was all he could do to remember to roll to the side, so he would lie at her side instead of smothering her with his body. As he continued to hold her close, he spoke a quick cleansing spell, then another for healing, so she wouldn’t be sore. He pressed a kiss against her brow, then succumbed to sleep, knowing that when he woke, they would repeat what they had done all over again.

  CHAPTER XIII

  Gabriella woke to the feel of T’Harris’ feather-light touch on her face the next morning. The moment she opened her eyes, he smiled, even as he admitted, “I never meant to wake you, not yet. However, I couldn’t lie here and not touch you. I needed to make sure my dream was real.”

  A soft smile crossed Gabriella’s sleepy face,
and she reached up to hook her fingers around his neck to guide his face closer to receive her kiss. She was having the same problem believing this was real, although she was willing to live in the dream if it wasn’t. Being in T’Harris’ arms felt like a magical illusion. You knew it wasn’t real, but it sure felt like it. This, however, was definitely real.

  Time and again their lips met and merged. The kisses began soft and tender, then blended in lengthy exchanges that left them both breathing heavily as their limbs grew restless with need. Neither was inclined to rush the moment but were content to languish in their shared feelings.

  Gabriella shook under T’Harris’ touches as his hands brushed lightly over her body, he left no part of her untouched. Where his fingers traveled, his lips followed, making her gasp in pleasure and reaching to return his touch. It was the first time in their lives when no thoughts of duty to the Elven Empire intruded on their actions. There was only the two of them in their bed, and they were devoted to the bond they crated.

  “I will never get enough of you,” T’Harris exclaimed, as Gabriella parted her legs to invite him in.

  “Nor I you,” Gabriella admitted, as she felt him become one with her. “I never believed anything like this could exist for me.”

  “You will never question the possibility again,” T’Harris promised softly, as he thrust into her with slow intent. By the time they reached fulfillment, his love would understand the depth of their feelings for each other. She would never wonder if this ecstasy were real or not. He would find a way to make her realize that what they shared was only the beginning of what was to come rather than only an interlude.

  It was as they lay entwined holding each other in the afterglow of their loving when T’Harris received a summons from King Gerolth. He looked at the knowing light in Gabriella’s eyes even as he sent his refusal to respond. He was not going to leave her, not now, not ever. He would stay at her side to guard and protect her until the day he died. He had promised this and he intended to stick to his word.

  Gabriella ran the back of a forefinger across T’Harris’ jaw as he answered his King and he heaved a heavy sigh. She didn’t need to say anything to let him know she understood what was going through his mind and the fight he had to resist the need to respond to the call of his King. He, like she, was at the beck and call of their rulers, and it was his duty to obey. She gave him a kiss of farewell and smiled.

  “We may not like it, but when duty calls, we have no choice but to answer. When you return, I will be waiting,” Gabriella promised. She, however, doubted if it would be here. If his King were summoning T’Harris for duty, it wouldn’t be for a frivolous reason. King Gerolth didn’t do things like that to his Guardians. They wouldn’t know how long it would be before Lariel would call her back to action either, and she also would be bound by honor to answer. Her instincts told her something was happening, and they were about to be caught up in the middle of it. They were seldom wrong.

  “How can I keep my promise to you if I am not at your side?” T’Harris reasoned, giving Gabriella an excuse for his need to loiter.

  “How can you keep your honor if you refuse to rise to the call of the King of the Guardians of the Empire?” Gabriella returned. “One must always come before the other, for in their own way, they are one and the same. As you serve the Empire, you keep your promise to me. I am not sure if that will help you to deal with your dilemma, but it is the way of things. If it were not, the High Lord General Gabriel Eagle Claw could never have led his troops into battle when the time came upon him to do so. He would have been bound to the side of the family he had created.”

  “You are my Life Mate,” T’Harris reasoned. “I cannot leave you to face danger on your own.”

  “Can you think of anyone more capable of handling a situation, if one should arise? There is no danger here, only beauty,” Gabriella pointed out. “Go to your King. I will rest for a while and then go on to whatever needs to be done here after.”

  T’Harris smiled, as he noticed the slight sign of shadows that lingered under Gabriella’s eyes. They stood as witness to the numbers of times he had woken her through the night to reignite their passions and he blamed himself for her being tired. She needed sleep, but he doubted if she would take this time to get any while he was gone. It was something he could help her with, and he would. He gave her one last kiss as he placed a sleeping spell over her, then rose and left. He took one last moment to hover over her to memorize every line of her face. He then pressed another kiss to her forehead and covered her so she wouldn’t be exposed to the elements. And then he left.

  Gabriella sighed in her sleep state, as she felt T’Harris’ lips touch her one last time. Even through her dreams, she knew he was gone. If he hadn’t put a spell over her to make sure she wouldn’t rise immediately, it would have been exactly what she would have done. Instead, she curled up on their makeshift bed and murmured a sleepy thank you to him for dressing her before putting a small illusion around her to help hide her presence.

  Even with Gabriella’s blessings to part from her, T’Harris felt there was something wrong about his leaving her alone in the forest. He had made sure he had scouted out the area before shifting to his Dragon form, but took note of how Thrax seemed equally unhappy about the situation. A second, sharper summons from King Gerolth settled the matter. Gabriella was right. They had no choice but to answer the call of their Kings. He was going to make sure that whatever needed to be done would be accomplished in record time. He was not going to be separated from his bride for any longer than was absolutely necessary.

  King Gerolth wasn’t surprised when half of his Guardians showed up in foul moods. It was no less than he expected. None of the Life-Mated Elves wanted to be separated from their mates, and he couldn’t blame them. He hadn’t expected the same from T’Harris though. He could, however, see signs of his newly bonded state and knew what was bothering him. It was unfortunate, but he still had no intention of rescinding his order, even though he knew this particular Elf would be uncharacteristically difficult to deal with over the next while. He was sure T’Harris could handle this. To make sure things didn’t get too far out of order, he figured he would have to be careful about how he approached the now-volatile male. He sighed as he wished things were different, more for this Guardian than any of the others. Of all of them, T’Harris was the one that could handle his Dragon the best. However, despite this, he was the deadliest in either form.

  It was Anders that got all the answers from T’Harris about the state of things with him and then passed them on to King Gerolth. Yes, he confirmed, the bonding had happened only the day before and, as expected, it had been to High Lord General Gabriella Eagle Claw. He had left her sleeping under compulsion before flying to answer King Gerolth’s call. He hadn’t heard from her since then and several hours had passed. It was not a good situation, considering the circumstances.

  Despite everything, King Gerolth decided to keep his squad members sequestered on the islands they called their base. It was time they learned what he knew and what he wanted them to do about it. He watched, as the bonded men seemed to gather around T’Harris as if to offer him support as well as to welcome him into their circle. Those who had yet to meet their Life Mates seemed to look at him with a combination of awe and wistfulness. He didn’t need to be told what they were thinking. They were showing signs of jealousy that he had found his Life Mate, and that the Elven Female involved was not only a Light Elven Female, but also Gabriella Eagle Claw. He could understand where this was coming from. In their shoes, he would have felt the same way. It was something they would lose when they found their own, for then they would think their Life Mates were the perfect women for them. He knew this, because he had Ninain in his life.

  The moment the Guardians settled, King Gerolth began. “In case you believe I don’t have a valid reason for bringing you together, you will soon figure out you were wrong to think this. I have several, beginning with the news that we will not
be moving anywhere in the greater Elven Empire.”

  King Gerolth looked for any signs or sounds of surprise from the Guardians to see if there was any noticeable discontent amongst them. There was none, not that he had expected any. The group was very close and kept each other informed about things happening around them. He would have been more shocked to find any of them balking at what they probably felt was inevitable. He decided to let them know what this was going to be, “We have been informed that our people from the Elven Empire are about to be sent back to where we came from. This will happen when those in the Valley are safe from harm and not before.”

  “Kestriel told us some of what happened when Ilénè and he were in the Elven Nation,” Verich stated. “We figured he either left information about that trip out of the telling or was forbidden to pass it on, because their stories seemed incomplete.”

  “Incomplete?” King Gerolth questioned, “What gave you that idea?”

  “There wasn’t much of it, and we both know if there is a story to tell, Kestriel will be the one sharing it. Neither he nor Ilénè told us much about that land.”

  King Gerolth nodded as he added, “Not that there was much to begin with, from what I was told, but more information is coming to light about that land all the time. As we speak, there are plans for the move being put into effect. Most has to do with the actions you have seen the Tratchars involved in concerning the movement of Sentinels from the Empire.”

  “They will have their work cut out for them,” Tethak noted. “There is an uncountable number of Sentinels in the Light Elven Kingdom alone. How do they think they will be able to move all of them?”