Merlin's Kiss

by Stephanie Burke

  "Are you harmed?" Kerian demanded as Zorn took off like a cannonball after the brown menace. "Are you well?"

  Kerian knelt at Brieana's side, blade held in readiness as his sharp eyes scanned the area for more of the little pests.

  "That rabbit tried to kill me?" she said, her words sounding incredulous even to her own ears. She lay in a stunned pile of leather and legs as she watched Zorn disappear after the rabbit. She turned wide eyes to Kerian. "It leapt for my throat."

  Kerian said nothing as he ran his hands along her legs and arms, checking to see if she damaged anything in her fall. He grunted at the feel of how tiny her limbs were, than he began to get angry.

  "I warned you about the dangers of rabbits but you refused to heed my warnings, Brieana, and almost got yourself killed. We were very lucky today. I told you rabbits hunt in packs, and if that one had not been a lone straggler, we might be fighting off a pack of wild hungry rabbits! This land may appear tame, but there are a lot of hidden dangers here."

  He rose to his feet to glare at her. Then he realized that he was shaking, and not out of anger. He was shaking out of fear.

  Fear was an emotion that he had never thought to feel again, because fear made you vulnerable. He did not want to be made vulnerable because of this woman! He had to get Zorn home and repair the damage that Zorn had done to their treaty, and then he had to find out where this woman came from. Then send her home!

  "Rabbits eat vegetables," she insisted. "They do not eat meat." She was still in shock.

  "Not in my generation, nor in my father's, father's generation, nor his father's, father's generation, Brieana. And not after the Great War!"

  "Great War?" Brieana questioned as she got to her feet, feeling a little unsteady, but fine. "Where has Zorn gotten off to?"

  Kerian turned her to face him when it looked as if she might try to run after the purple beast.

  "Dracks eat rabbits," Kerian replied. "And the Great War was a cataclysm of destruction. It almost ended man."

  "What? Did Arthur misuse Excalibur?" she questioned, shocked that Merlin would let the fool do something so, well, foolhardy.

  "There was no sword involved, Brieana. Our ancestors lived in great castles with large paved roads and used powerful machines to do their work for them. They are the ones who created now-clear-air weapons. They destroyed everything, leaving few survivors in its aftermath. They say that it took hundreds of years for the air to be clean again."

  Brieana shook her head in denial. He had to be making up some fantasy to scare her! Nothing has so much power that it could wipe out all of mankind!

  "It is true, Brieana. All know of the tale. It is true."

  "But if what you say is true Kerian, then I must have been enchanted for hundreds of years! That is not possible! I have only been asleep for a short time."

  She shook her head from side to side as if she meant to defy the truth. What he spoke of could not be real! If it was true, then there was no way for her to go home and reclaim Excalibur and her queenship! If he spoke true, then the world had changed without her, and there was no place for her in this new one.

  Seeing how upset she was, Kerian decided to change the subject. What he was thinking was surely impossible. But if that were true, then she was from Earth's past and not from the Dark Isles. If it were true, then there would be no way to send her away from him and all of the unsettling emotions that she had awakened inside of him. The thing that scared him most—he was beginning to enjoy them.

  "Leave it for now, Brieana," he soothed after she looked as if she would break into tears. "Let us continue on our way. We have a long journey ahead of us."

  "Zorn!" She called out to remind him as he started to walk away. "We cannot leave him!"

  "He will find us," he assured her as she paused to wait for the drack.

  The sun was now rising over the mountains and filling the land with light. Exposed by the light of day were the dim shadows—outlines of the boulders that peppered the trail. The shadowy mountain that rose majestically before them still had to be conquered. Yet, Kerian took in the beauty of his land awakening to a new day and wondered, as he watched Brieana in the midst of this waking miracle, why her presence made the day more beautiful.

  Brieana turned to face Kerian, the rising sun casting his face in shadows and giving him a golden aura that surrounded his whole body. He was her port in the face of the storm that had become her life. He was her mate, chosen by destiny, her equal in all things, as predicted by Merlin. Yet, he was so distant from her. And the feelings he created within her!

  She decided to ponder these thoughts later. For now, they had some hard traveling to do and she did not want to make any more mistakes. She would listen to this man, until she found out her purpose for being here. Then she would move on to fulfill her destiny, with or without him.

  Chapter Eight

  I need to have sex! Kerian thought to himself as he eyed Brieana examining her feet for blisters. "If I find the sight of a female inspecting her toes arousing, it has been far too long."

  He ignored the look the drack was giving him and tried to remember his last sexual encounter.

  "I know it was before the chum sheering last year, or was it after?"

  He simply could not remember the last time that he had indulged in the carnal act!

  He shook his head in dismay, deciding he needed a break from camp and some time away from his little mystery woman.

  On quiet feet, he walked out of their makeshift night camp and into the shadows of the mountain. When he reached a wide ledge, he decided to sit there and observe the moonrise. Nothing was as beautiful as watching the moon fill his land with its pale white light. The nightly illumination made his home look magical as it outlined the walls of his castle and made the surrounding land glisten like a field of diamonds. His breath caught at its beauty. He needed this land as much as it needed him.

  As gentle night breezes whipped loose tendrils of his hair around his stoic face, he thought of the threat to his people. He had been receiving warnings of a Dark Isles invasion and the thought of war troubled him. No one had ever met a person from the Dark Isles before, and he worried about the abilities that they possessed.

  Again his thoughts turned to Brieana. Was she of the Dark Isles, a spy sent in to reconnoiter and report their weaknesses? He didn't think so.

  As they hiked over rough terrain, he replayed Brieana's words in his mind. She claimed only a man equal to her strength and wisdom could have freed her from her stone prison, and he was the man to emancipate her. Was she his destined mate? He had always felt different from his people. Women either shied away from a leader with his strange powers, or they wanted to sleep with the living curiosity who spoke to dracks and proved that he would kill to protect them. However, Brieana was different.

  She could understand the language of his special friends and she was a warrior like none that he had ever seen. She fought like a seasoned veteran of war, yet managed to look so delicate and fragile while doing it. She was a mystery and he was afraid that she could awaken emotions long since beaten out of him.

  He looked over his land again, his amber eyes looking sad and a bit lonely. He was destined to be alone and to protect. That was what great leaders did. He would use his abilities to protect all of his people and not for his own selfish gain. That trait had cost him much before.

  Brieana walked softly across the gravel and rocks of the plateau where they camped. She noticed Kerian rise and leave the comforts of their fire and wanted to know where he was going. She quietly followed him and now hung back in the shadows as she watched him look over a view of his land. He seemed so sad and lost that tears almost came to her eyes.

  "I know you are there, Brieana."

  His low voice startled her for a moment, then she boldly stepped forward to sit beside him.

  "How did you know it was me?" she asked as she examined his still profile.

  "Your smell, Brieana. You smell like wildflowers
."

  "I do?" She could hardly contain the pleasure in her voice, but she managed to keep it hidden.

  "Yes. It is a dead give away of your location to your enemies. In the future, you should endeavor to refrain from using perfumes."

  Her eyes widened in shock and then anger as she took in his words.

  "I do not wear perfume, Oh Great Leader of Men. I wash with the same soap as you!"

  "I meant no offense!" he quickly added, knowing that his harsh word would hurt her feelings. "It is just that I can track your scent easily. It is a different scent than what I am used to." Like the scent of female flesh, his treacherous mind reminded him. How long had it been since he smelled that particular scent?

  "That is fine, Kerian." She acquiesced, noting his suddenly sullen expression. "I am glad that you can track me easily. If I get lost I know that you will find me."

  He felt his heart melt a little at her confidence in his abilities, but he quickly tried to shore up the breach.

  "What is it like?" Her words interrupted his thoughts.

  "What?" he asked, forgetting that he was supposed to be remembering all the reasons why he needed to find a place for her and why he needed to harden his heart towards her.

  "What is it like to rule all of this, to have your own kingdom?"

  "This is not a kingdom, Lady. This is a clan. And I am ruler here by virtue of right and might. Mirage is the largest of several clans that make up the Light Isles. I am ruler only here and no place else."

  "But what is it like to rule?" Her eyes watered a little at the thoughts of her lost kingdom and her unjust treatment. "What is it like, to have people follow your every command?"

  "It is a lot of responsibility, Brieana. These people depend on me to be strong and just. They know that I will provide protection for them and their families, so they serve me well. I need them to tend to my chums and my farmland. Without them, this place, Mirage, would cease to exist."

  He continued, "There is a balance here, Brieana, and I do my best to keep it maintained for the good of us all."

  He seemed to feel the weight of his castle on his shoulders at that moment. He looked like he was in so much in pain that Brieana had to reach out and caress his face. Surprised at her touch, he turned to face her, and caught his breath at the picture she presented, all soft and feminine, and with concern for him shining in the depths of her green eyes.

  "You sacrifice a lot for them, do you not?" She examined his still face and wondered what had hurt him so.

  "I have sacrificed everything, Brieana. I have nothing left to give."

  His amber eyes shone with longing for a moment, his steely control cracked and she caught a glimpse of his hungry soul. Her lips parted at the sight, her eyes filling with tears for him.

  "Don't!" he cried out, seeing the moisture gathering and clouding her eyes. "Don't waste your tears, Brieana. I am not worthy of them."

  He started to turn his head away from her, to jerk away from her painfully gentle grasp, to deny her tears, her trembling hands, and her feminine smell, but her small hands restrained him.

  "You are worthy, Kerian. If you were not, I would not be here now."

  Her heart broke for the pain that he must have endured during his life. But she could admire the results of his struggles. Kerian was a quiet, intelligent, compassionate man. Everything that she respected and strove to be.

  "Brieana," he began in a warning tone. "I am losing myself and I don't know how to find the balance within. You make me dream of impossible things." Like a life filled with happiness and joy. Like children who would love and respect him and a land filled with everlasting peace. "I am not good for you, no matter what your magician has said."

  "I make decisions for myself, Kerian," Brieana began just as heatedly, her hands still holding his head in place. "I am a grown woman and I know what is best for me."

  Kerian felt the rough calluses on her hands and the small delicate bone structure that lent them such amazing strength. Her very touch burned his face. Within her grasp, he felt something that he had never before experienced with a woman, and that was dangerous. She was making him start to believe in happily ever after and in a future that seemed impossible for him. He had to let her go, but before he did, he decided he must have something else to tide him over for the rest of his solitary life.

  "I'm going to kiss you, Brieana. Now."

  His low husky words sent a jolt of mingled fear and desire throughout her body. But she stood firm. She wanted to feel his lips on her, to carry the taste of him within her memory to replace the unmanly fumbling of Arthur and the demanding dominating touch of Merlin.

  Gently, as if she were a delicate treasure, he cupped her face and drew her close. Her eyes closed, shielding her bright green orbs as he slowly lowered his lips to her slightly parted mouth. She gasped at the first brush of his lips, almost questioningly across hers, getting to know the feel of her.

  He quickly breathed in the gasp she let escape, the very life breath of her, and savored its flavor. He again lowered his head, tilting a little to the side, as he firmly pressed his lips to her softer, more delicate ones.

  Fire exploded along her nerves at the gentle brush of his lips. It started a quaking deep within her body. Soft tingles down her chest, causing her nipples to tighten and her to moan softly. In an attempt to deepen the kiss, she parted her lips and tugged on his face. Responding to her needy gestures, he pulled her closer and accepted the invitation by gently thrusting his tongue into her mouth.

  Her eyes widened for a moment, before they closed on a groan and she lost herself in the magic of his kiss, of his tongue invading her, of his flavor exploding in her mouth. This was like nothing that she had ever felt before, something that she could quickly get addicted to.

  Softly, she brushed her tongue against his and delighted in the return of the tingling. She tentatively thrust her tongue into his mouth and almost cried out at the heat that she felt.

  Kerian felt his control slipping. His little Brieana was like fire in his arms. She caused his senses to heat up and his passion, once dormant, to rise to the surface. One taste was not enough. He had to have more of her, more of her special taste, more of her softness. Then, she tried to take over the kiss by invading his mouth!

  Kerian lost his battle for control. In a flash, he tore his hands away from her face and gripped her small waist. Never breaking off the kiss, he lifted her, making her straddle his lap, so that he could deepen the kiss. His hands, large and rough, began a gentle exploration of the soft skin protected from the cool night air by her tunic.

  Brieana sighed as she felt his fingers creep up over her stomach and caress her back. Never had she been touched quite like this and she wanted it to go on forever. She leaned forward to deepen the kiss, and trembled as her tightening nipples rubbed against the soft leather of her tunic. What would they feel like brushing against his rough hands, his stiff vest, his bare chest?

  "Kerian?" she panted, breaking off the kiss and sighing as he began to pepper her face with little glancing touches of his open mouth.

  "Yes, love?" he answered, still lost in a fog of need for this woman.

  She buried her hands in his hair, marveling at the silky texture of it, lazily running her fingers through it, causing him to growl his pleasure.

  "Kerian," she began again. "I…"

  We eat, when? a loud voice complained in both of their minds, causing them to guiltily move apart and stare at each other in disbelief.

  Hungry, I am! Zorn complained as he padded around the corner to stare at the couple still entwined and wearing twin looks of surprise and alarm. "Rations, we eat, yes?"

  "Uh, Zorn, go away!" Brieana stuttered out as she attempted to find a graceful way to dismount Kerian. "You have no sense of timing!"

  Not time for mating, this is! Time for dinner! the exuberant purple lizard again cried out as he sat down beside them, an attentive audience to their little passion play.

  "You are really bec
oming a nuisance!" she declared as she finally got off of Kerian's lap and turned to face him, cheeks flaming red. But what she saw on his face caused her to lose all color.

  "This can never happen again, Brieana," he said, his deep voice filled with some inner anguish.

  "Kerian?" she questioned, feeling his deep emotional pain and not understanding it.

  "I will only end up hurting you, Brieana, and I cannot live with that!"

  He rose to his feet and stalked off, disappearing into the darkening shadows, as if she never existed.

  "Thank you so much, Zorn!" Brieana cried, turning to the youthling with tears in her eyes. "He will never want me again!"

  Worry too much, you do, Lady. Come to you, the Warlord will, when the time is right. Not the night, was tonight.

  Brieana's tears instantly dried up. Did this drack know something that she did not?

  "What do you know, Zorn?" she asked stalking towards her purple protector. "What do you know about Kerian and I?"

  Speak to Gren, you must! the drack said as he cautiously backed away from his Lady. The answers you seek, Gren has!

  "Tell me, you rotten purple…menace! Tell me what you know!" She took another step forward and Zorn took off with a flash of purple skin.

  A good night for hunting, tonight is! he declared as he took to wing. Many rabbits tonight. For rations, no need!

  "Coward!" Brieana called after him, standing in the small clearing, arms akimbo and a scowl on her face.

  "I guess I eat rations alone tonight!" she muttered to herself, walking back to camp.

  Once there, she sat in a huff by the fire then smiled as she realized what her drack, her special, beautiful, wonderful little drack had said. "Kerian will come to me when the time is right!"