In Flames, Destined Series Volume 1

by Elissa Daye

  “Lysandra?”

  “Hmm?” Her eyes were closed as she let the last bit of tingling energy tease her body.

  “I will never get enough of you.” Aiden rolled her onto her back and Lysandra did everything she could not to cry out. The welts on her back stung as she fell against the bed. She concealed the pain from him. He was so caught up in his passion that he did not notice her discomfort.

  She met him, the pace he set was wildly awakening and the calm that she had felt moments ago was replaced with a release so wicked her heart almost surged up to her throat. She rode wave after hot wave as Aiden’s body rocked almost violently into hers. She rejoiced in the heat of the moment, knowing that his desire was for her and her alone. She let go one last time as Aiden’s body collided into her. They reached a summit together and plummeted together into a warm, satiated cocoon as the fires of their desire died down. The fatigue of the day had finally caught up to her as she nested in his arms. They both slept peacefully together until the morning light slithered through the shutters.

  She felt Aiden’s eyes on her long before she opened her own. “Yes?”

  “Lysandra, I—”

  “Missed me too?” Lysandra smiled at him. She knew he had much on his mind and he was probably curious about what had happened while he was away. “I’m glad you’re home, Aiden.” She sat up and winced in pain as her back stiffened as she moved. She felt the small welts on her back as she stretched.

  “Turn around, Lysandra.” Aiden may not have noticed her discomfort during last night’s passion, but concern was suddenly etched on his face.

  “It’s nothing, Aiden.”

  “Damn it, turn around.”

  There was no brokering an argument with him now. She slid her body around slowly so that her back now faced him. She did not need to see his face to feel the anger course through him. She had always been empathic to those she had a strong connection to and she felt his emotions boiling beneath the surface. He touched her back gently to feel for any sign of serious injury. “Have you had anyone look at this?”

  Lysandra turned to meet his gaze. “What right did I have to ask? In the eyes of your people, I am just your chattel, Aiden. To offer help and go against the rulings of, well, no matter. To help would have been seen as a slight.”

  “Why didn’t you stop me? I could have hurt you more.” Aiden did not need her to tell him who had done this to her. He had already addressed it among his pack, but he could not tell Lysandra of this. Keeping the curse of his people secret was more important than any desire to protect her. No matter, he would be rectifying this situation immediately.

  “I would have hurt more had you not touched me.” Lysandra watched as Aiden moved from the bed. He turned to face her and she took her fill of his naked body standing before her. She could not help but stare at his magnificent body before her. From the dark curls all the way down to his feet that were planted firmly on the ground Aiden was a perfect male specimen. He had everything any woman could ever want or need and when her eyes drifted down to his groin she raised her eyes to his. “May I be of service?”

  Aiden chuckled. He was concerned with the welts on her back and here she was asking if he needed her help. “You are a minx.”

  “A very cold and lonely one at that. If only I had the warmth of my good Lord Aiden to comfort me.” She licked her lips with provocation.

  “I live to serve, milady.” Aiden walked back over to the bed and hauled her up to him.

  “What are you doing, Aiden? It’s cold in here.” Lysandra shivered against the drafty air that swirled around them.

  “Not for long, my dear. Not for long.”

  Aiden sat down on the bed with her in his lap and kissed her with so much force that her head started to spin. Moments in time shifted as she found herself straddling him as he lay back across the width of the bed, his legs still touching the floor. She felt a wildness growing within her as she rocked on top of him. His hips met hers and she felt the bliss of the moment blanket her much deeper than any warm fur ever could. When they finished both of their bodies were covered in sweat, but the cold room no longer sent shivers up and down her. It was the heady sensations of his fierce loving that coursed through her. If she lived to be a hundred she would never get enough of this man.

  Aiden sat up and kissed her soundly on the lips, their bodies still joined together. He helped her off of him and sat her on the bed gently. “Now, minx, it is time for me to begin my day. I will have Millie see to you. I’ll not have those welts scarring your perfect back.” He walked away from her, dressed in his dark breeches, and left the room.

  Lysandra knew that he did not want her to read anything else in his sentiments. He was a tough egg to crack, but she knew he sent Millie up to take care of her back because he was worried about her, not worried that she now had some imperfection on her body.

  Millie entered the room quietly. Several maids walked past, toting hot buckets of water that they poured swiftly into the bathtub in the adjoining room. Lysandra got up from the bed and walked over to the bath. The hot steam beckoned her tired muscles. When she sank into the water, her back was to Millie. She almost jumped at the intake of Millie’s breath. “Is it really that bad?”

  “I’m so sorry, mistress. I wish I could have stopped that evil woman.” The concern was quite clear in her voice.

  “Not to worry, Millie. I imagine with the proper herbs and oils, my skin will bounce right back.” When Millie did not respond, Lysandra clucked her tongue at her. “Millie, fetch a proper healer and let poor Layla help me with my bath.”

  Millie returned with one of the other ladies from the keep. Oils and herbs were mixed into a healing poultice that would be applied to her back several times a day. Lysandra resigned herself to her fate. She would be stuck up here for a few more days until the wounds had healed enough to leave the room. She would send out positive healing thoughts to the universe to speed her recovery along.

  Chapter 20

  Lysandra stayed within the room, unsure of whether or not she should leave the safety of its walls or stay hidden away for yet another day. She stared out the window into the bailey below as boredom invaded her mind. She saw that the men were practicing their battle moves and was not surprised to find Aiden amidst the flurry of blades. She watched his muscled biceps flex under the strain of the large sword he carried and wondered why he did not wear the practice armor like the other men. He was wearing black breeches that hugged his legs tightly, but his long brown tunic cut below the tight curve of his bottom. As she continued to watch, she soon found that none of the others could master him in combat. She sucked in her breath when one blade came too close to his body, but saw how he used it to his advantage by pulling the man closer to him and knocking his head on his shield. The man fell to the ground and reached for his head while the rest of the men chuckled loudly at him.

  Soon the fighting was finished and the men put away their weapons before they headed to the great hall for a mid-day meal. Aiden turned to face her window and saw her peering out. He nodded his head in her direction, then turned toward the great hall. Lysandra walked away from the window and sat on the bed, deep in thought. Should she go down to the hall to eat? Would it be expected of her? When she had halfway decided to go down, Millie knocked on the door, and then entered the room.

  “Lord Aiden requests your presence in the main hall.”

  Lysandra breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness! She hated the thought of eating alone in silence up here in this room for one more day.

  Lysandra took a quick look in the mirror. She was wearing a light blue cotton dress with peasant sleeves and white embroidered lace that teased the bodice. It was not fitted well for her body, for while it was a young girlish design, it was quite clear that the body beneath was all woman. Her bosom was tightly confined and straining against the fabric. She moved the hair away from her face and created a small braid that lay lazily against the long waves that flowed behind her head. She
tied it off with a blue ribbon that matched her dress and took another look. She looked young, but the depth of maturity behind her eyes hinted at the passion that lay beneath the surface.

  She pulled a length of hair from around her shoulders and let it lay tantalizingly near the breasts that swelled ever so close to the top of her bodice. She almost did a double take, for the woman in the mirror looked so much like the woman she had idolized her entire life. The curved lips, the gentle tilt of her head, the rosy cheeks, and the delicate chin all haunted the mirror in front of her. She smiled softly and said a silent prayer to her dear mother before turning away.

  She followed Millie out of the room with a slight hop to her step. She did not know why joining Aiden created a serene happiness within her. Most of the emotions he created within her were tumultuous at best, but there was a part of her that hoped her appearance might spark some kind of reaction from him. Would he notice the way her hips swayed saucily underneath the cotton? Would his eyes light up when they saw how closely the dress molded against her body? Did he find her as attractive as she found him? A flash of his hard, chiseled body entered her mind and she closed her eyes to linger in her memory a little bit longer. When the tip of her foot caught on the tiles of the floor she forced her eyes open.

  They continued to walk in silence, for Lysandra did not want to risk Millie being shunned by the rest of the keep for being more polite than her station required. When the doors of the great hall opened all eyes turned to her. She held her head high and walked toward Aiden at the head of the table. She looked askance of him and curtsied politely before him. “My lord.”

  A smile lit his face as he gestured for her to sit next to him, but there was fire hidden beneath his eyes as he looked over her dress. “Sit, Lysandra.”

  She returned his smile and sat as gracefully as she could next to him. She felt several pairs of eyes on her and almost regretted her choice in clothing. She did not want the rest of the keep to view her only as the harlot that their master brought home with him. Lysandra had been so much more than that before any of this mess had occurred. She was the sole heir to Elkliss and would have been the lady of the house when her parents had passed it rightfully on to her. These past few weeks had not changed this. She would not let the people of Blackwolf make her feel inferior to their lot. She might not know what glue held them together, but she would work hard to become accepted within their folds as long as Aiden needed her. She held her head high and kept her voice calm as she answered him. “Thank you.”

  When servants came by to bring food to her plate she nodded politely to them and made sure to thank them for their thoughtfulness. Eyes stared at her from all around the room, as if they had never thought to thank the women for bringing their food to the table. Anna sat across from her and sniffed with disdain, muttering something about servants eating at the table.

  Lysandra did not let Anna bother her, for it was more important to acknowledge the hard work of the people of Blackwolf any chance she could. Each daily menial task was an important cog in the wheels that turned every day at Blackwolf. When one of the serving girls almost spilled wine on to Aiden’s lap she turned to him to see how he would respond. She was pleasantly surprised to see the merry twinkle in his eyes. He shooed the poor girl away after thanking her for his drink.

  It warmed her heart to see Aiden treating his servants well. It was essential to keep everyone happy within any keep. Lysandra’s mother had trained her as best she could in the womanly arts of housekeeping, sewing, cooking, and cleaning while telling her that each of these skills was what a woman did to help provide for her people. She had once told her that while men often expected their servants to fulfill those roles it was Lysandra’s duty to understand the tasks that everyone performed within the walls of Elkliss. Humility was a trait best learned young. Lysandra had spent what seemed like half a lifetime working elbow to elbow with the ladies of the Elkliss, earning their respect and loyalty with every bead of sweat that fell on her face.

  When another servant dropped a cup filled with wine on one of his men, Lysandra watched in silence. The young man turned to pull her back to him, his voice clearly raised in frustration. A warning sounded from Aiden’s throat and when Lysandra looked at his face she saw the dangerous flash of his eyes. The man released the girl and thanked her for his drink. Each time they were served after that, the men began to thank the women for their food. It was clear that this was not a common expectation within Blackwolf Keep because the serving girls were flustered by the extra attention. Their eyes lit up with the praise, making them appear quite youthful and almost carefree. Lysandra looked over to Aiden and saw the amusement hidden beneath the depth of his eyes.

  “It seems we could learn better manners.” Aiden’s voice could be heard over the ruckus around the room.

  “I’ll not be learning manners from a harlot.” Anna’s head slanted in her direction, the blackness of her stare not missed.

  “I think it takes one to know one.” Lysandra smirked as the man sitting next to Anna choked on his mead and then looked at Lysandra with merry eyes. Lysandra could not help but continue. “How much did he pay for you?”

  “Excuse me?” Anna picked up her drink and threw it in her face. “You wretched slut. How dare you?”

  When Anna launched herself across the table at Lysandra all eyes were glued to the spectacle before them. Lysandra stood with quick grace and dodged the blows Anna aimed her way. She stepped to the right when Anna swung at her. When Anna’s fists got closer, Lysandra grabbed her head and pushed her toward the floor with all of her might. “Stay down, Anna. I would hate to mess up that pretty face. Who would want you then?” The threat in Lysandra’s voice was real.

  “I’m not afraid of you. No whore could best me in anything.”

  “But I already have, Anna. You really are no match for me.” Lysandra turned her back on Anna and almost missed the flash of metal that headed toward her face, but she turned in time to capture the hand holding the sharp blade before it could do any damage. She twisted Anna’s arm and the dagger fell harmlessly to the floor. With one hand holding Anna’s arm and the other pinching the back of her neck she wrenched Anna toward the table, forcing her to sit next to Aiden. “She’s all yours, my lord. I’ll not be party to this one any longer.” Lysandra’s chin jutted out defiantly as she moved away from the table. If he was going to sit there and do nothing while this woman tried to attack her, then she was not going to stick around to see what he would allow next. This was the same woman who had ordered her whipped and then had her tossed in the dungeons.

  “Lysandra!” Aiden’s anger was clear in the bellow that echoed across the hall.

  Lysandra’s step faltered for an instant. The anger she heard in his voice was more than a challenge. It was a deadly command. If she did not follow it she was sure there would be consequences. It was then that she reminded herself that she was still property in the eyes of his people. Property must follow all the master’s commands. She turned as sweetly as she could and curtsied half-heartedly to her master. “Yes, my lord?”

  “I believe that the Lady Anna owes you an apology.” Aiden glanced at Anna at his side and the threat in his eyes was clear.

  Anna sputtered before him. “I’m sorry.”

  Aiden grabbed Anna’s arm and gestured for her to move. “You will leave this hall, Lady Anna, until you can act with some kind of decorum. It’s clear that you need me to define Lysandra’s place in this keep. We’re to be married on the morrow.”

  Twin gasps echoed across the hall. It was difficult to tell who was more surprised, Anna or Lysandra. The men of the keep started a rousing rendition of some congratulatory song that Lysandra had never heard as they raised their tankards and swatted each other on the back.

  Lysandra walked toward Aiden as she fought to keep her emotions free from her face. She did not know what to think right now. Should she be happy that Aiden had decided to honor his intentions toward her? Or should she be angry
that he had not consulted her? Did property have the right of an opinion? If she were to wed him, would she be more than his chattel? Would he consider her his partner in life, the way her father had treated her mother? She continued the walk that seemed to take a lifetime, knowing that all eyes would be on her. She sat down quietly at his side and did her best version of the happiest smile she could muster in the confusion surrounding her. Lysandra was sure of one thing—life was going to change yet again and she still was not sure if it would change for the better.

  Aiden could tell that the smile on her face was a pretense as it did not show in her eyes. There was confusion in those depths and, to be honest, he was confused too. He did not know what had made him make that announcement. One minute he was admiring her grace and poise with the people of Blackwolf, the next he was admiring her fierce spirit as she rapidly dispatched Anna before any harm could be done. When she had walked away he knew that he needed her by his side. If the only way to keep her there was to bind her to him, he would do it.

  It had been a long time since he had pondered marriage, since Selia had been taken. His eyes shuttered over as he shut out the memories of the day Selia had disappeared. He shook them away and did his best not to let it cloud his day. His people knew that he was long overdue for a life mate. They may not accept her thoroughly, but he was sure her charm would grow on them.

  Chapter 21

  The rest of the day passed in a total blur to Lysandra. The ladies of the keep were putting together as much food as they could for the next day. A huge wedding feast was planned and the great hall was decorated with ribbons and flowers. Lysandra found it hard to believe that there was little protest in the air. The ladies were working their magic on the great hall and Lysandra pitched in where she could. She did not know what else to do and it felt right to assist the women of Blackwolf. Since she was marrying their lord she would need to be on good terms with them.