“Then stay down, and try to keep out of the fighting.”
“I can use magic to help you.”
Hendric glanced at her briefly. “If you think you have enough control.”
They entered the forest. The trees were huge, with trunks wider than her arms could reach across. The underbrush was thick, and they made plenty of noise as they walked through it. Hendric’s hand tightened on hers briefly, and then he released her. He withdrew two daggers and flung them as he turned.
There were two dull thunks and a cry of pain. Sylvia dropped, to keep out of Hendric’s way. Three men charged him, and he drew his sword, running to meet them. Sylvia dug her hands into the dirt, her eyes on the closest of the assassins, as she whispered a spell. Shock crossed his face as he suddenly sank to his knees. He let out a strangled cry.
The other two assassins slowed, looking between Hendric and their comrade who struggled to free himself from the ground.
“Who sent you?”
One of them snarled and raced for him while the other tugged on the assassin in the ground. Swords clashed. Sylvia flinched. She started to murmur another spell, but before she could finish, the assassin she’d already buried broke free with the help of his companion. They both faced Hendric. He slashed across the throat of the man who’d attacked him already. The other two didn’t hesitate—they turned tail and ran.
Hendric snarled under his breath as the man he killed dropped to the forest floor. Bile rose up in Sylvia’s throat, and she had to remind herself that he had been there to kill them.
“We’ll have to take the long way back to camp, to make sure they don’t try anything,” Hendric mumbled as he cleaned his sword. He came over to her and knelt, looking over her worriedly. “Are you alright?”
Sylvia nodded silently. She wasn’t, not really, not when she had just been reminded that this wasn’t a pleasant stroll through the forest. But she wasn’t hurt and that was what Hendric was asking. He stared at her for a moment longer, reaching to touch her face. She flinched, and he withdrew, turning his face away.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Sylvia didn’t ask what he was sorry about this time. She wanted to apologize—why had she flinched? —but only nodded. When Hendric started to move away, though, she grabbed his hand. She remained holding it as they started off again.
***
“Finally!” Warmund glared at the two of them as they came into camp. “What the hell took you so long?”
It was well after dark. Sylvia shivered with the cold and hurried to the fire right away.
“There was a little bit of a problem,” Hendric grunted as he opened the bag of food they’d bought. “It’s been resolved now. We’ve got some fresh vegetables. Who wants a carrot?”
Sylvia could have sworn that guilt crossed Warmund’s face as he stomped back to the fire. She sat next to the flames, holding her hands out to the warmth. As she watched Hendric, she started to feel more at ease. He was so loving with his son; right now, he was trying to convince Avas to have a small bite of carrot, as he’d never tried it before. More often than not, he ended up carrying Avas while they walked, and yet, he never slowed. When Warmund got into his moods, Hendric was able to pull him out of them. When Myleesa had hurt her ankle, he’d been gentle as he bound it.
And he was, technically, her husband. Sylvia glanced at her ring, banded by blue magic. It might not be fully binding yet, but he was her husband. Of course, her family wouldn’t accept it as a true marriage, but there was always the option of having another wedding on Earth… if that’s what they wanted.
The thing was, Hendric was exactly the kind of man she had always wanted. Kind, protective, smart, funny. She did care about him. A lot.
It would be very, very easy for her to fall in love. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for that yet… but as he sat down with Avas cradled in his arms, Sylvia couldn’t help but think she was already halfway there.
Chapter Ten
Hendric
Hendric stretched on the ground next to Avas. His son got his bedroll since there wasn’t enough room for them both to be in it, and Avas was more susceptible to the cold since his fires hadn’t fully developed yet. The night was chilly, but with his internal fire and the fire that Warmund was now adding some wood to, he’d be fine.
Myleesa and Sylvia were on the other side of the fire, adjusting themselves to be more comfortable. At least, Myleesa was. Sylvia, on the other hand, had her chin propped in her hands and stared at him with a conflicted expression on her face.
He gave her a small smile, trying to reassure her. The violence from before had really shaken her. He wished she hadn’t seen it. But when their lives were in danger, he wasn’t going to take any chances.
Abruptly, Sylvia got to her feet. “Hendric, I need to go to the bathroom. I don’t want to go out into the dark forest by myself.”
Even though he had just gotten comfortable, Hendric got up. He didn’t want Sylvia to go out into the forest by herself, either. They headed through the brush, Sylvia determinedly pushing through the bushes even after they had gotten far enough away. When the campfire was nothing but a soft orange blur, she nodded and stopped.
Hendric started to turn away, but she caught his hands.
“I don’t actually have to go to the bathroom. I just said that because I wanted privacy to talk.” Her hand ran lightly up his arm and she let out a soft sigh. “Or maybe not talk.”
His breathing hitched. “Sylvia...”
Her eyes glittered in the moonlight as she pressed herself to her toes and brushed her mouth against his. “I want you,” she whispered. “I want...”
It would make breaking their marriage harder once they were back at the palace. But Hendric didn’t care. She knew that, he knew that, and anyway, the more he got to know her, the less he wanted to break the marriage at all. When she started to tug on the ties of his shirt, he reached to do the same on her dress.
“Are you certain about this?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time.”
Her cool, small hands pressed against his naked chest once she had tugged his shirt up and off. They greedily explored him, and Hendric took a moment to stop his own exploration of her body to simply enjoy the sensation of her hands on him. She let out a small moan and tugged on his belt. Hendric took the opportunity to finish unlacing her. He pushed her dress off her shoulders and it dropped to the forest floor, leaving her only in her shift.
Soon, that, too, was on the ground, leaving her utterly exposed in the moonlight. Her skin gleamed pearly-white. Hendric cupped one of her breasts with his hand as she won her battle with his belt.
“What happened to being in love for your first time?” Hendric asked suddenly, needing to know that she was truly thinking this through.
“I never said I had to be in love,” Sylvia replied. “Only that I had to care about him. I never expected my first to be my only, you know.”
She tugged his pants down, and he stepped out of them. She remained on her knees, staring up at him. It was difficult to tell in this darkness, but he thought that he saw a faint blush in her cheeks. Of course. She wouldn’t know the specifics of what to do from here on out. Hendric knelt as well, drawing her into his arms. The ground was mossy—probably by design on her part—but it was still rather rough. He drew her over him as he laid back.
“Oh!” Sylvia giggled. “You want me on top?”
“Here and now, yes. I don’t want your pretty skin to get marked up from laying on your back.”
“What about your pretty skin?” Sylvia shot back, her hands starting to caress his skin again.
“I’ll manage.”
He grinned at her, grinding his hips upwards gently. Her eyes widened, and her mouth rounded as she made a little, “Oh!”
Hendric let his hands trace her body, being gentle as he explored her. While part of him wanted to simply roll her over and take her right then and there, he knew that
wasn’t an option. She had never had a man inside of her, he needed to take this slow. It was going to be difficult, especially when she started grinding back at him. His fires roared as his loins tightened.
He grunted, letting his eyes close as Sylvia continued to grind against him. He knew when she hit the right angle for herself when she started making soft, almost catlike noises every time she rubbed down on him. It was hard for him to remain still and let her have control here, but he made himself move only slowly. His eyes opened again, and he watched her face, twisted in concentration as she bent over him, her palms resting on his chest.
“Oh!” she suddenly snatched her hands back and straightened. “Sorry.”
“Sorry? For what?”
“Leaning on you like that. I know I’m too heavy.”
Hendric almost laughed, except he could hear the embarrassment in her voice. He let out a soft sigh as he found her hands and twined his fingers through hers. He knew on Earth there was that ridiculous notion that girls as curvy as Sylvia were somehow undesirable. It was only natural that she would feel self-conscious about her weight. He drew her down over him and traced a light kiss over her shoulder.
“You’re not too heavy to lean on me,” he whispered in her ear, then nibbled on her lobe. He was rewarded by a shiver. “Now, hold yourself up a little so I can find that sweet little clit of yours.”
Sylvia made a choking noise, whether from surprise or desire he wasn’t sure. In any case, she obeyed him, raising herself up higher on her knees. Hendric reached with one hand to hold her shoulder so she could lean on him without feeling so self-conscious. With the other, he reached between her thighs. He quickly found the little bundle of nerves he was looking for. Sylvia’s head fell back with a soft cry as he began to stroke her.
Hendric loved watching her as he pleasured her. Even as he stroked her, and she started rocking her hips, he couldn’t help but imagine everything else that he could do with her body. The ways he could make her pale skin turn red with pleasure, the way he’d make her cry out again and again for him. He hardened, half because of the pleasure he saw in her face right then and half because of his imagination.
That would have to wait, though, until she was more used to sex. She bit her lip as a shiver started to make her writhe above him. He tested her with a finger, grinning when he found that not only could he easily slip the one into her, but two and then three went in with no difficulty. It showed him just how excited she was to have him.
“Easy now,” he grunted as she took him in her hand.
She released him at once. “Sorry!”
Hendric laughed softly. “No, that’s not—I was telling you to go easy on yourself. Here, let me...”
He lined himself up with her entrance, then encouraged her to slowly lower herself. Sylvia let out a soft moan as she sunk halfway down on him, then winced. Hendric held her up with one hand until he was certain she was ready for more, then eased himself up a little higher.
“How does that feel?” he asked once he was fully inside of her.
Just being inside of her was enough for him to almost forget how to think, but he forced himself to concentrate. This was going to be good for her, or it wasn’t going to happen.
“It feels… wonderful.” Sylvia sighed. She started to rock her hips again and let out a soft squeak. “I didn’t think I’d feel you all the way through me. It feels… amazing. Like I’m full of you.”
Hendric smiled. He gripped her hips, encouraging a circular motion. All his muscles began to tighten, and his fire leapt through his body, making him feel like he might burst into flame at any moment. Sylvia’s lips parted as she stared down at him, her expression mingling surprise and pleasure. Her movements became harder, faster. Soon, they were both grunting in tandem. Sylvia clamped down on him. Her arms gave out and she collapsed, letting out a cry. Hendric clamped his arms around her, thrusting up wildly as shock waves overtook her.
A wave of black washed over his vision as all his tense muscle released. Shock waves of pleasure overtook him. He clutched Sylvia tight as they both moaned and panted, zings of pleasure and desire making them writhe.
It took them several moments more to regain their senses enough to smile and start kissing each other gently again. Hendric didn’t want this moment to end, this perfect moment where it was just him and her, bodies entwined and forever meant to be together.
But it had to end, and when Sylvia’s shivers became from the cold rather than pleasure, Hendric put a stop to their lovemaking. The blue light around their wedding bands had solidified into gold. Everybody would know what they did—although, honestly, the smell would be a giveaway. He grimaced, wishing that there was a stream nearby that he could wash Sylvia in to save her some embarrassment. She grinned widely at him as they redressed.
“Thank you,” she said, a hint of a flush in her cheeks. “That was much better than I expected for my first time. I tell you, having a partner is much better than doing it by yourself.”
Hendric laughed. “Agreed.”
They held hands as they headed back to camp. Avas and Myleesa both slept soundly. There was no sign of Warmund, but a messenger hawk perched on a log, head tucked under its wing. Its message lay on the ground near the fire. Hendric snatched it up, noting the royal symbol—that had already been broken. Warmund must have read the message.
When Hendric read what was written, his stomach dropped. The message wasn’t in the king’s hand, but given the contents of it, he doubted that Warmund considered that.
Return to the palace, the message read. Leave my traitor son to die.
“Dammit,” Hendric breathed. This was Warmund’s worse fears confirmed—or so he would think. The bird must have been intercepted. There was no way Indulf would be so cold toward his son.
But now Warmund was out there, away from the group. Vulnerable to attack and not moving any closer to safety.
Sylvia glanced over at him. “What is it?”
Hendric threw the fake note into the fire. “Get some sleep. Everything’s okay.”
He smiled at her. There was no use in worrying about this right now. He’d tell them in the morning, then take them into town where they could at least have walls and other people to form a buffer between them and the assassins. Not ideal, but he couldn’t look for Warmund and protect them at the same time.
Dammit, boy. Your father loves you… why can’t you see that?
Chapter Eleven
Sylvia
Sylvia shivered as she stood in the window of the inn looking down to the street below. She wished that Hendric was there with them, but in the early hours of dawn, he’d woken them all, explained what was happening and brought them here while he went in search of Warmund. Now they were in this strange place, the three of them alone, and they’d spent the last of their gold to get here.
“It’s only another two days before we get to Byrelmore,” Avas said. “Once we’re there, Papa will be able to get help from the guards at the outposts. We’ll be back at the palace before you know it, Miss Sylvia.”
“I’m sure we will,” Sylvia agreed, even though she privately didn’t think it was going to be that easy. There was no need to worry Avas about it, though.
Myleesa frowned as she turned down the covers on the bed. A disgusted expression twisted her face, and she made a small choking noise. “Bedbugs. Of course. Well, nothing a little magic won’t take care of.”
Sylvia turned, eager for something to take her mind off her worries. “I can help.”
“Uh… thanks.” Myleesa shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, though. With your magic still as untamed as it is, you’d probably end up burning the inn down.”
Sylvia opened her mouth to protest, but it was probably true. She frowned as she turned back to the window. That message had obviously been meant to isolate Warmund from them. Now Hendric was out there, tracking him down when he didn’t want to be found. Anything could happen. And she was left here, being useless. No
t even able to get rid of some damn bedbugs!
Her eyes tracked a man unclearly as she took off her glasses to clean them. They were getting quite scratched up—if she had contacts… but then, she didn’t have the solution to soak them in overnight, so that point was moot. She would just have to get new glasses once she was back to Earth.
A cold ball of dread filled her stomach. What if Hendric didn’t come back?
The man looked up as she put her glasses back on. Her breath caught in her throat. With a yelp, she jumped back from the window and yanked the curtain over it. Both Avas and Myleesa jumped as they turned toward her. Myleesa’s eyes were wide. Avas’s lip trembled.
“I just saw—on the street!” Sylvia shuddered, her breathing coming in quick gasps. “One of the men that attacked us yesterday. He’s down there, and I think he saw me.”
Myleesa rushed to the window. “But why would he still be coming after you?”
Avas wrapped his arms around himself and started to shake. “What if they killed him and they want to remove witnesses? Because if we can identify them—”
“Hush.” Sylvia quickly moved to his side and wrapped her arms around him. Though her heart pounded, she tried to keep a calm exterior. The man might not have seen her, and even if he had, maybe it wasn’t the same man after all. Why would he be here when Warmund was still out in the forest?
Unless Warmund is dead. And Hendric?
That was too horrible to even think about.
Myleesa leapt over the bed and grabbed a wooden chair, jamming it under the door handle. “That will slow them down, at least. If we open this window, then we can climb down to the street and—”
“And try to fight our way out?” Sylvia shook her head. That wasn’t going to work. Even if someone came to their aide, who was to say they’d get there in time. “Maybe I can freeze the door shut…”
“With what exactly?” Myleesa snapped. “If we stay here, they’ll break in and—”
The Dragon Beast's Virgin: A Paranormal Romance (Separated by Time Book 3) Page 6
