by Eve Redmayne
***
Braum stood motionless in the stable as the realization hit him that she’d left. He was the bleeding prince! People didn’t just walk out on him without a by-your-leave.
He’d wanted to explain how everything he did was for her! His men were running themselves ragged with drills for her safety. He snuck treasures into the keep, hoping to make her smile. And he hardly slept because of wanting to sodding protect her.
He stormed out in her wake, blinking at the bright sunshine. Momentarily blinded, he looked around before spotting her, striding with purpose towards the gate. Did she actually think the sentries would let her out?
Prepared to enjoy her rejection, he backed into the shadows but gaped when instead of turning back, Jessica smiled at the two guards then laughed as though they’d said something hilarious. What the hell were they talking about? They mustn’t know he was nearby, else they’d never act so brazen.
Arms crossed over his chest, he leaned against the stable wall as his woman reached into her little basket and pulled out a bottle of wine. She motioned helplessly to the cork. One of the guards took the bottle from her, gripped the cork with his teeth, and jerked it out. Seeming delighted, she clapped her hands.
Braum’s eyes narrowed. He could’ve done that.
As a laugh burbled free, she reached out to touch the nearest man’s shoulder. Anger pumped through his veins while fury clouded his vision. Why did this woman affect him so? Fists pumping open and closed, he envisioned himself tearing her away from the two men, hauling her arse over his shoulder, and storming out of the keep while she squawked in protest. If he wasn’t so angry, he might’ve smiled at the thought.
Instead, he watched as the three passed the bottle companionably, sipping from it, in turn, their conversation easy. One of the men reached into his pocket, withdrew a small sweet, and handed it to her. Jessica smiled with genuine pleasure. Her teeth sank into the tiny treat. Eyes closed, she savored the confection. He’d bloody just told her he loved her, and yet, she chose to fraternize with his men?
Unable to take any more of the spectacle, he tore himself from the shadows. How dare that fool give his woman a gift! Teeth bared, he stalked across the courtyard.
Before anyone could react, Braum jerked Jessica away from the men. She cried out and fell to her hands and knees in the dirt, the bottle of wine shattering beside her.
He hadn’t meant to make her fall but couldn’t worry about that now as his fist was already smashing into the first sentry’s face. The crunch of cartilage and flowing river of blood brought momentary relief to his fury, but it lasted only a second. He shifted to the side, grabbed the other sentry by his leather chest guard, and flung him into the wall. The man hit the stones with a thud then collapsed at Braum’s feet.
He kicked the prone man in the stomach, not once, but twice. Blood surged through his brain, blocking any rational thought. All he could see was Jessica touching the guard and her lips drinking from the same spot on the wine battle, as theirs.
Chest heaving, he turned back to the first sentry, murder in his eyes. The man turned and fled.
Eyes crazed, Braum spun around until he spotted Jessica. He would fucking carry her off and damn the consequences.
Her eyes burned as she stumbled to her feet. A hole gaped in her skirt, and a hint of guilt crept up his spine.
For a second, he thought she’d run until she stepped forward and poked him in the chest with a sharp finger.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t just go around hitting people if you’re angry! Why don’t you climb back into the cave you crawled from?” she snarled and poked him again, her nail digging through his shirt. “You rejected me, remember?” With one final jab, she turned to walk away.
Somehow, she missed the incredulous look that swept over his face otherwise she’d have known not to turn her back on him. Before she’d taken two steps, he grabbed her by the elbow and wheeled her back, his face a mask of rage.
First, his woman socialized with his men and now she dismissed him as though he wasn’t worth her time? Nostrils twitching, he breathed deeply, trying to regain his calm.
“Let go of me!” she hissed, ripping her arm from his grasp.
“Braum, what’s happening?” Bessie asked breathlessly as she raced from the keep towards them, dog in arms. Tilly ran alongside, looking shame-faced.
He didn’t spare them a glance. Instead, he grabbed Jessica about the waist and, with a quick move, flung her over his shoulder. And just as he’d envisioned, she squawked angrily.
Jessica lifted her head and stared at Tilly who shrugged narrow shoulders in silent apology. “How could you?” she asked, then beat her fists against Braum’s back. “Let me go, oaf! In what universe do men actually pull this caveman move? Let me go!”
“Enough, woman!” he bellowed, shifting to keep her knees from hitting him in the face then demanded, “Open the gate!” The remaining sentry rubbed his head and opened the enormous gate without a word. In a fit of anger, Braum kicked the picnic basket, lying where Jessica had dropped it.
The occupants of the courtyard stared as their prince strode away with Jessica in tow.
When nobody volunteered to come to her aid, Jessica pleaded with every villager they passed, milking the scene for all it was worth. Braum pulled her down to chastise her, but the fire burning in her eyes told him to go to hell. Well, she was coming with. He threw her back over his shoulder and stomped passed his stunned subjects, paying no attention to the pitying looks on the women’s faces or the amused grins coming from the men.
“If you don’t let me go I’ll bite you,” Jessica hissed.
“You asked for this,” he growled, ignoring her threat, and charged over the already lowered drawbridge.
CHAPTER 7
Braum restrained a yell as Jessica’s sharp teeth bit down hard on his upper arm. He ground his jaw and shrugged free of her bite, never breaking his stride. At this moment, he didn’t give a damn about their safety, just needed to get her alone, so stormed into the forest, heedless of any danger.
Sunlight filtered into a small clearing, and birds skittered away in a flurry as they entered. Carefully this time, he set Jessica down, walked several paces away without acknowledging her, and roared to the skies, head flung back.
Still needing to release his ire, he rammed his fist into the nearest tree, a gnarled hundred-year oak. Despite the pain, he pulled back and hit it several more times, grunting each time he made contact. Both sets of knuckles came away ragged, yet he felt nothing.
Jessica walked over, but he refused to acknowledge her, simply stood, back erect, bloody fists by his sides.
“Look, I don’t want to upset you, but I also can’t do everything you say just because you say it.” She sighed. “I think it’s time I found a way back home.”
Braum grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her towards him. She stood stiff at first, then melted into his body, her cheek against his chest. He held her for a long moment, breaths ragged, wanting things to be good between them. Gods, he didn’t want her to leave.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. He hated hearing her say their relationship wasn’t working. Once she became his wife, he could finally protect her and would ravish her daily if that was her wish. She just had to marry him for it to happen.
He tipped her head back and considered her stormy eyes, but the irresistible lure of her mouth called to his own. As his lips slanted over hers—begging for forgiveness—his erection throbbed with unrestrained need, hard against the softness of her belly. The fight had left him ready to bed her into submission, but at the same time, affection pulsed through his body with every heartbeat. Without a doubt, she was his everything.
Over the weeks, he’d found himself seeking her out simply for her companionship. She was smart, sharp-tongued, and quick to laugh. She brought him joy the likes of which he’d never known existed. They spent hours discussing the landscape of Orygin; from how the
mountains were formed by earthquakes to why villages sprouted up where they had. And all the while he’d burned for her but couldn’t make her his.
He knew the stakes, hold off or lose everything. Of course, he hadn’t explained that to her. How could she know anything when he hadn’t given her the whole truth? She clearly felt like he denied them the next step in their relationship, and now he was losing her.
Unsure what to do, he considered punching another tree, but instead brushed his hands down her arms. She shivered, trying to remain distant, but he knew their fight had affected her more than she wanted to admit. Her chest fluttered, and he sensed her desire.
Unable to stop, his lips quirked up at one corner, and he kissed her ever so softly this time, their bodies just touching. If he made her want him desperately, she’d never consider leaving him again.
“I need more.” Her mouth ripped from his, gray eyes seeking understanding. “I want to make a real life with you, but it’s hard because you’re always turning me away, rejecting me.”
Soft fingers brushed across his cheek, down around the curve of his lips, and passed his jaw, to rest over his heart. “I know there’s something here, but you’re fighting it which means you’re fighting me.”
How could he explain it to her? Jessica’s human blood complicated the marriage rites for them. For him to eventually claim the dwarven throne he had to marry a dwarven woman. And that wasn’t even the complication.
He didn’t understand how it worked, but fae magic manipulated human blood—likely to keep humans out of Orygin. A human’s race changed upon marriage to that of their spouse, so long as the couple followed the sacred rites. Chief amongst them, chastity prior to the speaking of the binding spell. At least that’s what legend said. And while he wasn’t a religious man, he’d seen enough in his lifetime to not purposely muddle with something as important as his marriage and royal accession.
Far from an expert on the subject, he’d only seen a few turned people in his life, but he’d known instantly they weren’t human but were changelings. Though they still appeared human, there’d been a hazy aura about them, revealing their changed identity.
And as much as dwarves liked to disregard magic, and were deeply suspicious of it, the binding spell was one he had to use if he was to make Jessica his dwarven bride. It drew its strength from the deep yearning a couple felt for one another—drawn from the agony of abstinence—ancient magic at work.
“I want to be with you, there’s just—” he began then paused as pain clouded her eyes. She really thought he was rejecting her, which was preposterous considering he could barely keep his hands off her. The difficulty was, she refused to marry him without even hearing about the… complication. She wanted him to court her, which only prolonged their suffering. How could he stop preparing his men to fight for her and live normally, when at any time the elves could take her away? Unless she was his wife. But she was only a human and didn’t know this.
How could he explain that, by marrying him, she would lose her humanity? Shards of ice sped through his veins at the thought of her leaving him. He bit the inside of his cheek and wrapped his arms around her. “I swear, if it was possible, I’d be cock-deep in your right this minute,” he rumbled, lips buried in her neck.
She inhaled fast at his crude words. If possible, her reaction made him harden even more.
Instead of pulling back, he placed a hand across the juncture of her thighs and pressed against the rough fabric of her skirt. She looked at him sharply, and he came undone as lust raged through him. “And trust me, love,” his voice roughened with desire, “as soon as I’m inside you, I’ll never leave.” He rubbed firmly over her plump folds until he drew shallow gasps from her.
She moved against him and he ached to give her more.
“But we have to be patient.” He brought his hand to his nose and inhaled deeply. “The scent of your desire maddens me.”
Her eyes dimmed, and with a shake of her head, she shoved him away. “Christ, you just keep jerking me along, and I follow like an idiot.” A sneer marred her face, but before she could say more, a sound came from the woods, and she glanced behind.
Fear gripped his heart, but when he didn’t hear anything further, he figured it must be a creature searching for food in the dappled glen. His panic reminded him of earlier when Tilly had run headlong toward him, worry in her brown eyes. He’d instantly expected the worst, that somehow Wycliffe had captured Jessica and taken her, right from under his nose. Then to his relief, she’d invited him to nothing more threatening than a picnic.
They couldn’t keep living like this and there was only one solution. Only one way to keep her safe from her own fool self and from the goddamned elf.
His mother had urged patience, sensing his growing agitation while reminding him of the importance of abstinence. She wanted the whole royal wedding for her eldest son and nothing less would do. Blast! Why had he heeded her for so long? It was the simplest thing for a dwarf to wed. Instead, he should’ve listened to his instincts from the very beginning.
But he knew Jessica wasn’t ready. According to her, people on Earth courted for several years before marriage. While she wanted him to woo her he also knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. But they were running out of time, and he would wait no longer.
CHAPTER 8
Just a deer, Jessica thought, her shoulders dropping. She glanced into the woods surrounding them, but the sensation of someone watching lingered. Then Braum’s tease rekindled her fury and she pushed aside her fear. Anger bloomed in her cheeks and she raged, “That’s it? All I get is, ‘sorry, baby, we just can’t.’” Mimicking him wasn’t kind, but the asshole just stood there silently, not reacting.
When he didn’t respond, she turned her back on him. This is hopeless. Either he wanted her, or he didn’t. Too exasperated to wait, she stormed away in a flurry of green skirts.
After she’d marched several paces, and he hadn’t stopped her, she glanced over her shoulder and stumbled to a halt. There he stood, eyes cold, just watching her go. Well, maybe it was time she figured out how to get the hell back home.
She stomped through the forest, all the while listening for his footsteps. What’s taking him? He wasn’t just going to let her keep going, was he?
Despite herself, confusion and anger battled within. It hurt that their relationship—blossoming as it was—would end and for what? She blinked to clear her vision from the tears streaming down her cheeks.
The path, cluttered with loose rocks, banked abruptly. More than once she slipped, landing hard. Jagged branches reached out to snag her hair and whipped across her face, leaving welts.
Her hands, already blistered from yesterday’s attempt at using stinging nettle with Whipple, now bled freely from catching herself on sharp pebbles.
As the path led deeper into the woods, it tapered, becoming increasingly overgrown until it was naught but forest. She’d clearly chosen the least-traveled way on the mountainside. After a time, her stockings hung in tatters around her ankles, and her soft suede shoes had ripped to shreds.
Was she willing to marry the bastard, or wasn’t she? Damn it! She didn’t know. Why did they have to wed so soon? What was the rush? Surely, they were safe in Grayweather. Besides, he couldn’t just order her about. She was an American for Christ’s sake!
Not watching where she was going, she stumbled over a ledge, hidden by shrubs, and found herself tumbling down a steep embankment. She landed hard and cursed Braum for existing as dirt and rocks rained down on her.
She sucked in a breath and fumbled with her skirts, exposing torn flesh. Then with gritted teeth, fished out several stones embedded in her knees. “Ow, dammit!”
A noise came from the distance, and her head jerked up. “Braum?”
The sounds of pursuit grew closer. Unable to tell how far away he was, she stood. Obviously, he wasn’t having any difficulty tracking her. Hadn’t she seen the look in his eyes as she walked away from him, for th
e second time, today? The only thing that would satisfy him now was her blood. Perhaps the open wounds that’d once been the soles of her feet would appease him.
Blinded by panic, she turned and ran only to crash headlong into a bramble patch. She bit her tongue so as not to cry out and used her hands to cover her eyes. After several spikes pierced her skin, she stopped moving. There was no way out unless she wanted to rip her skin to shreds, and Braum was thrashing through the foliage in the near distance.
It had been stupid of her to lose her temper and run. Unable to stand the thought of facing him just yet, she sat down where the thorns were fewest, pulled her knees up to her chest, and buried her face in the filthy green gown. This was probably the best hiding place she’d find until she was ready to come out and talk.
Her body began to shake from pain as well as adrenaline. And she tried to still her ragged breathing by clasping her chilled hands together in her skirts and willing herself calm. Tears warmed her cold cheeks as she wept for the life lost on Earth and for the dwarf who’d stolen her heart.
When the woodland sounds picked up after a few moments, the chatter of squirrels and the shrill call of birds, she realized she could no longer hear Braum.
Unsure of her location, she decided to stay put, then when the stars came out, she’d figure out north from south and make her way back to the keep. Thank goodness for Whipple and his teachings.
***
“You appear lost, love.” Braum’s voice rumbled like quiet thunder as he watched her.
Something about his soon-to-be-bride huddled amidst a bramble patch caused a vise-grip to clutch his heart. He’d frightened her, but gods above, she’d frightened him! Her trail had been easy enough to follow until she’d fallen from that bloody ledge. He’d panicked, thinking he’d lost her, until he’d spotted where she’d crash landed.
Jessica jerked up only to hunker back down as her back scraped along a barb.
