The Wind Dancer

by Iris Johansen

  She looked at him in surprise. "I didn't think you would. Giovanni never took my mother more than once a day."

  "Then I fear your lot will not be as easy as that of your mother." He moved back to the hearth to stare into the depths of the fire. "I told you I was different."

  And she was learning those differences, she thought drowsily. He gave pleasure as well as took it and, since she was to become his leman, she was glad it was so. Perhaps after she learned the way of it she could perform this duty as well as she had the tasks she had been given by Giovanni. It was important to have pride in your work.

  Sleep persisted in closing in around her, but she forced her lids to remain open to ask, "I did not displease you?"

  He was silent a moment, gazing into the fire. When he spoke his voice was muffled. "No, you didn't displease me."

  "I'll get better at it." Her eyes closed and she turned and curled up on her side. "I learn quickly. Show me how and I'll find ways to please you. Show me..."

  She had drifted off to sleep. Lion didn't have to turn his head to know she was no longer with him. His senses were still so acutely attuned to her physical responses that he believed he was aware of the actual second when she slid from the state of wakefulness to the depths of sleep. Why in Hades should this be so when he had never been similarly attuned to any other woman? Yet, in some mysterious fashion, he had experienced her pain when he had robbed her of her virginity, he had felt her yielding and then the first stirring of response. It was as if he had somehow absorbed her into himself. Sweet Mary, it was all madness.

  Show me, she had said. His lips twisted in a mirthless smile as he remembered the plea. There would be no question he would show her all the ways a man could take a woman. Even now he was stone hard and yearning to be back in the tightness that had cradled him and made him never want to leave. He desperately wished to wake her now and move once more between her thighs. There was no reason he should not do it, he told himself. She wanted to please him. She would not complain if he used her a score of times this night.

  She would not complain because she was not free to complain.

  She wanted to please him because to please him was to survive.

  He whirled and strode back to the bed. He lay down beside Sanchia, stretching out full length, careful not to touch her. He stared straight ahead, his muscles locked, his groin aching and heavy. Perhaps the soreness she was feeling would be gone in the morning.

  He would lie beside her and think of all the ways he would take her tomorrow.

  For he knew well that he would not sleep tonight.

  "Solinari." Caprino's brow furrowed in a thoughtful frown. "You're sure he said Solinari?"

  "I'm sure." Giulia turned and lifted the lid of the exquisitely carved ivory box on the table and dropped the five ducats into the velvet-lined interior. "I seldom make mistakes when it means ducats."

  "You waited long enough to tell me. I may not even be able to use the information now."

  She avoided his gaze as she seated herself beside the table. "I was busy."

  "Or soft?" Caprino suggested silkily. "It couldn't be that you wanted your ducats and to give Andreas his chance too?"

  "I was busy," she repeated. Her gaze lifted to his face. "You know who is lord of Solinari?"

  "Yes, and so do you. Francisco Damari. You should remember the name. We did some business with him some nine months ago."

  "Oh, yes, I remember Damari, it was the name of his palazzo I'd forgotten. You handled the negotiations and the transporting." She grimaced. "If I'd known it was Damari, I might not have summoned you at all. You promised me he'd send Laurette back in six weeks. It wasn't easy to replace her."

  "Accidents happen." Caprino shrugged. "You knew there was a risk when you let him have her, but he paid enough for his pleasure to persuade you to take that chance."

  "I notice you didn't send him one of yourwhores."

  "Damari wanted only the best, as is common in these condottieri who raise themselves up from the peasantry. He would have been insulted if I'd sent him one of my women. Besides, I had none so uniquely qualified as your Laurette. Most women are regrettably squeamish about having pain inflicted on them."

  "He had no right to kill her. As you say, she was unique." Giulia made an impatient movement with her hand. "But I suppose there's no way to force him to recompense me now. Solinari is where you sent her? I knew I'd heard the name before."

  Caprino nodded. "Solinari is his palazzo, but he has lodgings in Pisa as well. The question is where to find him now." He was silent a moment, thinking. "I'll send Santini with a warning to the palazzo first, but if he isn't there, tell him to go to find Damari in Pisa."

  She looked at him in surprise. "A warning? When have you ever given a warning that was not paid for?"

  "Since you gave me no time to negotiate." A snarl edged Caprino's tone. "I'm not going to forgive you for that, Giulia."

  "If you have nothing to gain, why bother to send a messenger?"

  "Oh, but I do have something to gain. Damari will be in my debt, and it's always valuable to have a man who is on the rise in the world owe you favors."

  Giulia laughed. "You trust Damari to honor a debt?"

  "Perhaps." He smiled. "But if he doesn't, I'll still win if he captures little Sanchia. And you'll win, too, Giulia. Rumor has it that you weren't pleased about your hulking lover's acquisition of my little thief. What do you think Damari will do when he lays hands on her?"

  Giulia knew very well what a man of Damari's perverse tastes would do to a woman who angered him. For a moment she felt a remote sympathy for Lion's slave. The anger Giulia had felt toward Sanchia had vanished when she had set aside her attachment for Lion. One emotion could not exist without the other, and she would allow neither to get in the way of what was important to her. "You hate her so much?"

  "Hate?" He looked astonished. "She's not worthy of my hatred, but she must be made an example. If word got out that she'd bested me, it would cause endless trouble in the streets. I'm not like Damari, who loves punishment for punishment's sake. For me, revenge must have purpose or it's not worthwhile." He turned away. "I bid you a profitless night, Giulia, and may the man to whom you give your favors have the same tastes as Damari. I'm not at all pleased at your delay."

  "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the man who occupies my bed tonight is gentle as an untried boy and trembles at my every frown." She smiled sweetly as she stood up. "And in the morning he will gift me with a jewel that will make you drool like a street mongrel in front of the butcher's shop."

  "Very different from Andreas." Caprino opened the door. "How fortunate for you."

  He shut the door behind him, and she stood there a moment before moving her shoulders as if shrugging off a burden. Caprino was right--she was very fortunate to be free of Lion Andreas.

  She strode briskly to the bellpull and gave it a sharp tug to alert her maid to send Messer Gondolfo to her chamber.

  Chapter Six.

  No!"Sanchia sat bolt upright in the bed, her arms flailing wildly. "Cristo!No, don't--"

  "Santa Maria, what in Hades is wrong with you?" Lion raised himself on one elbow, a frown darkening his face. "Are you ill?"

  Sanchia gazed hazily around the room. This chamber was firelit and clean, not dark and vermin-infested. She raised her arms and dizzying relief soared through her. "I still have them."

  "Have what?"

  "My hands." She held her hands out before her, flexing the fingers. "I thought they were gone. I thought they'd caught me stealing and thrown me into the Stinche and chopped them off. But they didn't..."

  "A dream." Lion's voice was gruff as he lay back down again. "Go back to sleep."

  "A dream," she repeated. She obediently lay down, but she didn't want to release the warmth and safety of wakefulness and return to sleep where those hideous nightmares stalked. She lay there, conscious of Lion beside her. How strange to be in bed with a naked man. She supposed she would get accustomed to
it in time. If she was given time. Who could know how long Lion would choose to fornicate with her? Nothing stayed the same in this world.

  "Do you often dream of having your hands chopped off?" Lion asked in a low voice.

  "Yes, I told you I wasn't very brave."

  He was silent for such a long time, she thought he'd fallen asleep. "You cannot help your dreams, and it's not cowardly to be afraid of danger. It's intelligent."

  She laughed shakily. "Then I must be as wise as a seer. I'm almost always afraid. Ever since I saw a thief thrown out of the Stinche, his poor, bleeding stumps of arms waving as if begging someone to--"

  "It will not happen to you."

  "I hope not," she whispered.

  "It will not. I must have the key, but no harm will come to you."

  He was angry. She should try to placate him, but she was suddenly too weary to make the effort. She turned on her side. "I'm sorry I woke you, my lord."

  "Lion."

  "I forgot." Oh dear, he did sound fiercely impatient. Perhaps it would be better to return to the uncertain threat that lay waiting for her in sleep than face his displeasure. "I'll try to remember. Forgive me... Lion."

  His only answer was a low imprecation.

  She didn't fall asleep for a long time, but as she finally drifted off, she realized Lion still lay rigid and wide awake beside her.

  "What are you smiling about?" Lion snapped at Lorenzo as he lifted Sanchia onto her horse.

  "Why should I not be smiling?" Lorenzo asked innocently. "It's a bright, clear spring morning and I've had a good night's sleep. You should not be churlish just because you can't say the same. I'm sure you had compensations I didn't enjoy."

  Lion didn't answer as he swung onto the saddle and spurred the stallion into a gallop that left the stableyard of the inn behind him in seconds.

  Lorenzo sighed. "I foresee a day like yesterday on the horizon. I had hoped for something better after Lion had appeased his lust for you." He kicked his horse into a trot. "Come along, Sanchia, or he'll be half way to Solinari before we catch up with him."

  Sanchia nudged her mare into a trot. "How did you--" She stopped. "You must know him very well."

  "Well enough to know he'd reached the end of his patience last night when I left you." Lorenzo gazed at her objectively. "Lust can be a strong tie to bind a man, and you'll need that bond to keep you safe at Mandara."

  "Safe? Why should I not be safe?"

  A faint smile touched his lips. "The situation there is complicated. Lady Caterina will not be amused at your arrival."

  Sanchia tensed. "Caterina?"

  "The Lady Caterina Andreas, Lion's mother. She's a virago when she's displeased."

  "Oh." Sanchia thought about it. "Then I'll have to find a way to please her, won't I?"

  He chuckled. "You'll find Lady Caterina a challenge. There are still stories told of the way she defended Mandara when Lion and his father were away fighting in Tuscany. Nicolino, a condottiere who decided Mandara was a rich plum ripe for the picking, laid siege to the city. Lady Caterina rallied her troops to repel the attacking army, then led a foray into the enemy camp, captured Nicolino, and brought him back to Mandara. She stood on the battlements and called down to Nicolino's second in command that if they didn't give up the siege she'd hang Nicolino. Unfortunately, the officer didn't believe she would do it and renewed the siege."

  "What happened?"

  "She hanged Nicolino. Then she lowered his body by a rope to dangle from the battlements in full view of his condotti. The army retreated at dawn the next morning."

  A sinking feeling fluttered in the pit of Sanchia's stomach. It wasn't enough she had to please Lion; now she'd also have his warrior mother to worry about. "She sounds very strong."

  "Yes." Lorenzo glanced at her. "But you have your own strength. She'll respect you, if you don't give in and let her ride over you." He smiled. "And if you do give in, you deserve to be trampled and Lion will be well rid of you."

  "I won't be trampled." Her brow furrowed as she considered this new factor complicating her life. "For some reason you want me to fight her, don't you? Will you help me?"

  "No. I merely position the chess pieces on the board; I don't interfere with the play itself."

  "Never?"

  He met her gaze. "Never."

  Sanchia's hands tightened on the reins. She felt very much alone. "He may not even take me to Mandara. He's angry with me this morning."

  "It's not anger. You'll have to learn to read him better." Lorenzo's gaze shifted to Lion's broad back several yards in front of them. "He suffers the same malady that afflicted him last night. It's not a horse he wants to be riding right now."

  "You mean--"

  "Exactly, my dear Sanchia." Lorenzo's tone was definitely more cheerful as he kicked his horse into a lope. "Which gives me hope that we may stop before we reach Solinari after all."

  They halted at noon beside a tiny brook twisting through a forest glade.

  One moment Lion was riding several hundred yards ahead of them on the trail, and the next he was wheeling Tabron and galloping back to them. "We'll stop here until the sun is less hot," he said curtly.

  "I hadn't noticed that it was the sun that was hot," Lorenzo murmured. "But I'll accept any falsehood, if it will get me off this animal."

  Lion ignored him as he dismounted and strode over to Sanchia. "Get down." He reached up, his big hands encircling her waist. "Hurry."

  The urgency in his tone surprised her until she saw his face. Her eyes widened and she suddenly lost her breath. Lorenzo was right; it hadn't been anger driving him. The expression on Lion's face held the same intense hunger she'd seen last night.

  He almost jerked her from the saddle before setting her down quickly. His hands on her waist kneaded her flesh through the soft fabric of her gown. The heat of his body reached out to her, claiming her. "You wish to--"

  "Be quiet." His voice was hoarse as he backed her against the mare. "Don't talk. Just give me what I need." He jerked her gown from her shoulders, baring her breasts.

  She gasped and then collapsed back against the mare as his mouth enveloped her left nipple. He sucked avidly, strongly, his teeth pressed against her while his hand cupped her other breast and began to squeeze rhythmically. The same liquid burning she had known last night tingled between her thighs. Her eyes closed as her throat arched back, her head resting against the mare's saddle. "Here? But Messer Lorenzo--"

  "Is politely averting his eyes," Lion muttered as he lifted his head. Color flushed the tan of his cheeks, and his nostrils flared with every breath. "And is more than pleased." He grabbed Sanchia's wrist and pulled her away from the horses, striding from the trail and deeper into the forest.

  "Where are we going?" She had to run to keep up with him.

  "Not far."

  He stopped a few yards farther into the forest and pushed her against the bole of a tree.

  Rough bark pressing against the soft velvet of her gown, the pungent scent of earth and leaves and the leather of his jerkin...

  His fingers worked frantically beneath his jerkin at the points of his hose until his aroused shaft sprang free. "Don't fight me," he ordered as he lifted her skirts and undershift to her waist. "Do as I tell you." His palms were cupping her buttocks, raising her, adjusting her body against his manhood. "Put your legs around my waist."

  Her thighs obediently encircled him. "I won't fight--" She broke off as he entered her with one wild, urgent plunge. Her head sank back against the rough bark of the tree as she felt every ridge, every inch of the wild, hot length of him.

  He cried out and stopped, flexing within her. His face held a pleasure and relief that was nearly unbearable. "Dio! Yes... yes." Then he was driving, plunging with a force that rocked through her. Her shoulders were pushed back against the bole of the tree as he took and took and took...

  She should have been frightened by the violence of his hunger, but she wasn't afraid. She was somehow aware that he didn't
want to hurt her but was driven by that voracious appetite of which he had warned her.

  "Give..." He muttered. "Hurry. Give."

  He wanted her to give him not only her body but the response she had shown last night, she realized dimly.

  He reached between them and pressed, his thumb and forefinger plucking at her. She cried out and arched up to him.

  "Now," he groaned in a guttural tone. "Now." He plunged deep.

  She gave him what he wanted, what she was helpless to deny him. She bit her lower lip to keep from screaming as wave after wave of pleasure radiated through her.

  "That's right," he gasped, his hot cheek resting against her temple. "That's what I wanted."

  She had pleased him, she realized hazily. How fortunate that in pleasing herself she could also please him.

  His hand was awkwardly stroking her hair as his other arm held her bound to him, even now refusing to let her escape his possession.

  After a moment he slowly stepped back and lifted her off him. "I didn't mean to be rough. I waited too long," he said haltingly. Then, as if regretting the half apology, he added, "But you must get used to my ways, and now is as good a time as later." He quickly tied the points of his hose before straightening her gown. "When I need you, then you must take me into you. There will be many occasions when I won't be able to wait until we find a bed."

  "I understand."

  "Good." He turned away. "Refresh yourself at the brook and then let's be on our way. I want to be at Solinari well before nightfall."

  Lorenzo was reclining lazily beneath a tree beside the path and pulled a face as he saw them coming out of the woods. "Already? You were hotter than I thought, my friend. I was hoping for a longer respite." He rose to his feet, meticulously dusting off his gray velvet jerkin. "But perhaps we'll have another rest later." A ghost of a twinkle glinted in his light eyes. "It's such a very hot day."