Lilith Enraptured (Divinity Warriors 1)

by Pillow Michelle M.

  And if Lord Sorin wanted her dead?

  Lilith trembled, missing the safety of an old library and dusty books as she studied and recorded historical facts. By the time she got there, her assigned dimension had been cleared by a tactical team, usually several of them, and was deemed safe.

  “I have to act,” she determined. “Survival first.”

  Coming up with a plan was easier than implementing it. The maids had left behind a thin linen cloth for drying after her bath. As she wandered the room, looking for her white gown, she realized that the linen was all they had left her.

  “Sera,” Lilith muttered accusingly. The servant probably thought she’d be helping Lord Sorin by stealing his sex slave’s clothes.

  After digging through every drawer and small trunk in her room to no avail, Lilith decided to check Sorin’s. She couldn’t very well wear the bed sheet or the fur coverlet downstairs. Wet hair stuck to the back of her neck as she slowly opened the door to Sorin’s room. All was silent, but she peeked in at the bed anyway. He wasn’t there. Disappointment filled her and she wondered at it.

  Put your mouth on me and taste.

  Part of her had wanted to do just that, but fear held her back.

  “Be brave,” Lilith whispered, stepping into the empty chamber. She went first to his trunk at the end of his bed and pulled back the lid. Neatly stacked clothes lined one side and pieces of armor filled the other. Lifting a black tunic with a red patch on the chest, she brought it to her nose. It almost smelled like him, clean and fresh, but lacking that very masculine quality.

  Not wanting to dig through his things, she decided the long tunic would work. She fitted it over her head, taking the first belt she saw to tie the waist like a dress. The shirt fell to her calves and bunched at the shoulders. She rolled the sleeves so her hands poked out of the bottom.

  With bare feet, she made her way from the room and down the tower steps. She took them two at a time. Confusion warred inside her and she doubted what she was about to do.

  Curse it! I need facts. How can anyone make a decision without all the facts?

  Her feet padded on the stone, making soft, steady noises as she quickened her pace. Then, seeing the end of her journey down the steps, she slowed. The sound of voices carried in from the main hall where the knights gathered. In the opposite direction, she heard the clang of metal and smelled the distinct aroma of baking bread.

  “Hey!” the whispered hush caused Lilith to jolt in alarm. A hand slipped over her mouth and pulled her to the side. Jayne appeared next to her, pressing close as they hid inside a narrow alcove behind the tower stairwell. Glancing down, Jayne chuckled, “Looks like we shop at the same store.”

  As the woman let go of her mouth, Lilith looked at Jayne’s clothes. She wore the exact same tunic, only Jayne had cut her sleeves to length instead of rolling them. Her hair had been pulled back into a single ponytail at the back of her head, tied with what seemed to be the excess sleeve material.

  “I overheard the maids talking,” Jayne said. “I was about to come up to the tower to get you.” She looked at Lilith’s bare feet. “Couldn’t find any shoes to steal? Follow me, there’s a laundry room this way. They have shoes.”

  Lilith didn’t know what to say to her. Jayne stared at her with pity and determination, but there was something else behind her gaze—fear. What had happened to her to make her look like that? Though smoothed back, her hair had a disheveled appearance to it. Had the men hurt her? Had she been claimed by someone with less self-control than Sorin? Lilith tried to think of the right thing to say to comfort the poor woman, but couldn’t come up with the right words.

  Jayne leaned forward and kept her voice low. She tugged on Lilith’s arm. “Come with me. I promise Lord Sorin won’t touch you again, but you have to make a fight of it.”

  “Wait.” Lilith refused to move. Jayne’s words confirmed her suspicions. Something terrible had happened to the woman. “What did they do to you? Did they hurt you?”

  Jayne glanced everywhere but at Lilith’s direct gaze. “No, they didn’t touch me, but I don’t want to give them the chance to.”

  “What are you planning to do?”

  “Karre and Paige have been taken south by a couple of the barbarians. With any luck, we’ll be able to find them. Paige seems to know her way around this backwater place.” Jayne again tried to pull her. “The timing is perfect. They’re in there having a party and getting drunk. It will be dark soon. We’ll find a way out of the castle and wait until nightfall. If we travel by dark, we should make it through the prairie to the forest. From there, by the grace of some miracle, we’ll find a trail to follow—”

  “You’re going to escape?” Lilith jerked Jayne back. She might not have known the woman all that long, but she was really the only friend Lilith had in the castle. Mutual circumstances made for a joint cause. “You can’t, Jayne. I’ve talked to a few of the servants. If we displease them, I think they might kill us.”

  “They didn’t kill Paige for running,” Jayne reasoned.

  “Yet,” Lilith asserted. “How do you know that’s not what they’re taking her south for? You heard the guard. Her master might delve out a harsh punishment.”

  Jayne paled. “What would you have us do? We can’t stay here forever, waiting for them to get tired of us. What if they try to philter us like the others—whatever that means. What if they make us take on more men? If you saw what I saw walking these hallways, you’d know we have to run. I can’t stay here and be a whore and that’s exactly what I think this place is. A whorehouse.”

  A whorehouse? Lilith wasn’t so sure. “I was told the philter is a drug to make you forget you’ve been here. They said those women from the cell with us were sent home because they were unsuitable.”

  “I don’t think that’ll work for us. We’ve been chosen to stay.” Jayne didn’t make it sound like much of an honor. If she thought this place was a brothel, Lilith could understand why.

  “I think we should stay in the castle for now. Sorin didn’t seem too keen on passing me around to all the men.” Lilith reached caringly toward her. “Are you sure you weren’t hurt? Did your man…? Did he make you…?”

  “Ronen? No. He didn’t try to pass me out.” Jayne shook her head in denial. “I would have ripped off his balls had he tried.”

  “I can learn more here in civilization than in the woods. If we keep our heads low and try to behave, maybe we’ll find a way home. I think we’ll have better luck here at a castle than in the wild. Besides, running is too big of a gamble. How will we survive in the wilderness? How will we eat? What kind of animals are in the forest? Poisons? Flora and fauna? Insects? What about the people the Starians are fighting? What’s out there could be much, much worse than what is in here. Paige seemed really scared when she spoke of the monsters.”

  “Paige could be lying. This castle could be a theme place and beyond the compound is a thriving society with technological advances. Whatever it is, I can’t stay here. I’m not scared of dying,” Jayne stated grimly, “but I will never live as some man’s slave. Please come with me.”

  Lilith looked to the main hall. The unknown outside these castle walls or Lord Sorin’s property? With one she’d have freedom. With the other she’d have shelter, food, protection and access to the castle grounds to look for a way home.

  “I can’t go with you,” Lilith decided. “I’m taking my chances here.”

  “Do you have a plan?”

  Lilith nodded, trying to look confident. “I think so. If I find a way to escape, I’ll do my best to let you know about it.”

  “And if I do, I’ll try to send word,” Jayne glanced down and smiled, “in a pair of shoes.”

  “Good luck to you then.” Lilith held out her hand.

  “And to you. Don’t let them break you. One way or another, we’re going home. I promise.” Jayne shook it briefly before disappearing down the hall the way she’d come.

  Lilith watched after Jayne feeli
ng very alone. All her prison buddies were gone, leaving her at the castle. She felt confident in her decision to stay and only wished Jayne would have remained as well. Traipsing across foreign countryside wasn’t a logical plan of action, no matter how badly she wanted to run away from the powerful Lord Sorin. Still, she respected Jayne for taking the risk.

  Lilith turned her attention to the main hall, trying to build up her nerve. She couldn’t do this, even if just thinking of him made her entire body tingle. Sorin was too big, kissed with so much aggression. Of course, with him being the aggressor, she wouldn’t have to do much by way of seduction.

  Be Lord Sorin’s vessel for release, do not resist, do not deny…spread your thighs and drain the ill temper from him.

  As arousing as the idea was in the theoretical, Lilith was frightened by the idea of the actual. Sure, the thought of Sorin would fuel any woman’s late night fantasies. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a big warrior man with alpha tendencies and the body of sheer perfection? Even now she felt the impression of his large cock against her stomach. The man had been trained to move and knew his body.

  “If his displeasure doesn’t kill me, his body just might.” Lilith took a deep, shaky breath. “By all the gods worshiped in all the parallel universes, please don’t make me regret this.”

  Chapter Five

  Sorin stopped listening to his brother as all senses went on alert. Ronen didn’t talk about anything important, just words to add fuel to their mutual drunkenness and gloom. Normally, if they were upset, they’d volunteer to ride out and face the enemy whether the enemy engaged them or not. There was nothing like a hard and vicious fight to drive the demons away. But because of their idiotic decisions, they couldn’t even find the sanctuary of battle to leave them in exhaustion. No, instead they were stuck at Battlewar with seductresses sent to torment them.

  “…pray for an attack…” Ronen was saying. Sorin nodded in agreement, not hearing the whole statement.

  His skin tingled and the nerves pulled his attention toward the hall floor. Instinct told him Lady Lilith had to be near. Jealousy and mistrust caused his eyes to scan the main hall floor, searching every knight, every filled lap and busy pair of arms.

  “…it is better to die in battle than…” his brother continued.

  I’ll kill the wench before I let another woman embarrass me again, Sorin swore. I will not be cuckolded. I will not be dishonored.

  Bianka’s faithlessness had been a huge blow to his masculine pride and reputation. His honor would not recover a second time.

  Sorin’s vision blurred slightly, as his gaze traveled once more over the main hall. It had been a long while since he’d drank to such excess. Seeing blonde hair, he stiffened, ready to pounce. The woman straddled Gregor’s lap, wiggling brazenly as she kissed his neck. The man pulled on the blonde waves, jerking her face toward the ceiling. Sorin blinked hard, bringing her into sharp focus.

  “Margaret,” he muttered. The blonde was Gregor’s wife.

  “What of her?” Ronen inquired.

  “What of who?” Sorin pretended not to understand.

  “Margaret?” Ronen persisted.

  “What of Margaret?” Sorin grumbled.

  “I thought…” Ronen’s words tapered off. “Never you mind. I’m drunk and hearing voices. The woman has ridden me mad.”

  There. Lilith.

  Sorin caught his breath. He’d found her. Lilith waited in the doorway, watching the hall with a mixture of trepidation and determination. She gripped the stone, her body hidden from view—all but her lovely face, a black covered arm and one bare foot. Her eyes darted to his briefly before looking to the floor. Her foot pulled back, as if she would hide.

  Sorin held still, watching to see what she’d do. Wide blue eyes captured his once more, looking nothing like the near black pits of Bianka’s soulless gaze. From the very beginning, Bianka had an air to her. She charmed everyone, being exactly what they wanted her to be. Well, at least at first she had. All Sorin had wanted was a mate, someone to share life’s journey with. Bianka had never been that.

  His heartbeat quickened and he gripped the stem of his goblet tight. Was he mistaken or did Lilith try to smile at him? Her lips parted, drawing his full attention, and her fingers curled as if to call him toward her. Liquid heat swirled inside him, blazing down his chest to lift his cock in thick arousal. He forgot the hall and his chatty brother. Thoughts raced, but the hesitance of his mind didn’t stop his body.

  Sorin stood, leaving his goblet on the table. The cup was empty anyway. The more he consumed, the longer it took the maids to refill his drink. Or perhaps, he simply drank faster. It didn’t matter now, with her standing there, staring at him, and beckoning him with her very presence.

  Lilith stiffened, coming more into view as she faced him. He half expected her to run, but she held firm. Did she know how she affected him? Surely women were born with such knowledge. She had to know that licking her bottom lip only made him look at it with longing. She had to know that her eyes, wide and beautiful and clear, caused his chest to tighten with the urge to hold her against him and protect her from all things. Her loose hair made his fingers flex to run the entire silky length.

  What was it about women that could make men fall to their knees and forget everything?

  Fool.

  Idiot.

  Weak.

  Only when he neared did he take note of her clothes. The dark red of his family crest stared out at him, branding her as his. She’d grabbed his battle tunic, the shirt he wore when he led men to war. It identified him as a leader, and her wearing it only publically declared she thought herself above him. Sorin glanced behind him, wondering if anyone else saw. A few of the knights frowned in her direction, shaking their heads.

  “My lord,” she said, her voice trembling.

  Sorin grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the archway before anyone else noticed her clothes. “What are you doing, Lady Lilith?”

  “I came down to…” She motioned weakly to the stairway, then to the hall. Her gestures made no logical sense. He let go of her arm, crossing his over his chest. She pulled back from him as he towered menacingly over her.

  “What is the meaning of this?” He pointed at his tunic.

  “I…” She looked down her body. “The servants…”

  By all the bloody sword blades, if she didn’t look sexy in his clothes!

  “The maids took mine and I didn’t have anything to wear and I wanted to come down here and…” She picked at the coat of arms on her chest, flicking the edge of the embroidery with her fingernail.

  “And?” he prompted, aware of how hard he sounded.

  “And,” she repeated.

  “Well?” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, placing his hands on his hips.

  “This.” Lilith shot forward, arms rising toward his head. She brought her face quickly forward.

  Sorin automatically defended himself, easily capturing her wrists and jerking them to the side. Her body slammed into his chest. When he looked at her face, her eyes were closed and her lips were puckered, as if she’d been about to kiss him. Her forehead bumped into his chin, knocking hard.

  She made a small noise of pain. Lilith’s eyes opened in shock at his rough hold and her lips pulled tight against her teeth. “Oh, I, ah, I’m not any good at… Okay, sorry, you can let me go now. Go back to drinking. Forget I came down.”

  She struggled to pull her hands free. Sorin tightened his grip. Without hesitating, he swooped in for a kiss. His lips met hers. She gasped and he took it as an invitation for more. Who was he to turn down such sweetness? Mindlessly he kissed her, delving his tongue into the very depths of her mouth.

  Sorin let go of her wrists, only to wind his hands along the small of her back to hold her closer. The tunic slid beneath his touch, revealing a smooth texture underneath. She wore no undergarments to hamper his discovery. He rocked his hips, reveling in the pressing heat of her stomach. His cock ached, urgi
ng him on. With the way he felt, he could love her all night and all morning. Hard, soft, fast, slow, he didn’t care how or where. He burned to be inside her.

  Lilith lifted her hand to touch his jaw, sending light, feathery caresses across his cheek. The willing exploration threw brush on the dangerous inferno of his greedy passions. His kisses became aggressive as he nipped at her mouth, drawing her bottom lip between his teeth.

  She made a weak noise and twisted her head to the side. The sound of her ragged breath beat against his ear. Sorin kept kissing, devouring her jaw and neck, nipping and licking wherever his mouth could reach. The feverish rhythm of her pulse drummed along his lips. She felt it too, this deep passion, she had to.

  She tasted like honey and sweet berries. His hands worked along her back, urging the tunic up. Sorin groaned, not caring who heard him. The people of Staria were not shy about their passions. Why should they be? Having sex was as natural as breathing and infinitely more fun than war.

  “Not here,” she breathed heavily into his neck. “Please, not here. I can’t if…”

  Her words caused him to look around. His cock screamed in protest, declaring that here and now was perfect. Almost confused, he looked for a place to take her. The wall? The stairwell? The floor?

  “I can’t in front of the others. Please, don’t make me. I don’t want them watching.” She shivered in his arms, glancing meaningfully at the main hall. Sorin studied her face, done in by the way she bit her lip.

  Anything my lady desires of me.

  Sorin stiffened. The thought wasn’t like him. He was not a man to bend to the will of others. “Where would you have me take you?”

  Fool.

  Idiot.

  Weak.

  “May we go back upstairs?” She said the words, but her eyes didn’t look as certain. He wondered at the change in her, but didn’t ask. Her lush lips reeled him in and he captured them with his own. Moaning, he lifted her off the floor, letting her feet dangle as he carried her upright toward the stairwell of the Black Tower.