Vengeance 03 - Believe In Me

by Lana Williams

  “When this is over...when we’ve succeeded in our mission...” He paused as though searching for the right words.

  Hope slowly built within her. When he shook his head, her heart squeezed with pain.

  “Nay,” he said. “I will not wait. I have learned the hard way that life is short. We must take every opportunity given to us or lose it forever.”

  She waited, unable to breathe, still not certain what he was trying to say.

  He took her hand in his and placed her palm against his chest. She felt his heart beating strong and sure beneath the soft linen of his tunic. Butterflies erupted in her stomach as she waited nervously for him to continue.

  “I love you,” he whispered, his gaze holding hers. “I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Joy swept through her, sending shivers along her body, chasing away her doubt and sorrow. “Oh,” she murmured unable to say more as a lump filled her throat.

  “I know I am but a simple knight with few prospects, but I swear I will protect you and provide for you. I will love you now and always. Will you be my wife?”

  She didn’t bother with an answer. Instead she kissed him hard, pouring all her emotions into the kiss. She shifted closer so every line of their bodies touched. When her tears threatened to overwhelm her, she drew back.

  He frowned, lifting a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “What is this?”

  “William, I—” she broke off, trying to work past the lump in her throat. “You have believed in me as no one else other than my mother ever has. You accepted my healing as though I am normal.”

  “You are normal.”

  With a smile, she put her finger over his lips to keep him from interrupting again. “Already you risked your life to protect me. I love you as well and I would be honored to be your wife. If we manage to survive this—”

  He lifted her finger and kissed it. “Hush. Of course we will survive. We have too much to live for to be anything but successful in our quest.”

  She grinned, happiness coursing through her down to her toes. “Indeed we do.”

  “These next few days will be a story we tell our children.”

  Her heart leapt at the thought of having a babe with William. That was a dream for which she’d never dared to hope. “Creating a family with you would be a blessing beyond measure.”

  “Then let it be so.” He whispered the words with such certainty that she had to believe them.

  William pressed his lips to hers, sealing their promises to each other and lighting her passion. An ember glowed deep within her, then burst into flames as he pulled her closer, holding her as though he would never let her go.

  The world fell away as he kissed her. His hand glided over her shoulder, along the edge of her breast to her hip, then to her bottom to pull her even tighter against his hard body.

  An ache began to build and longing pulsed through her. Her kirtle was twisted beneath her, the barrier it presented no longer welcome. She shifted to tug at it.

  “May I?” he asked with a smile. At her nod, he sat up, assisting her to sit as well before he knelt on the bed before her.

  He paused, his hands resting on his legs as though suddenly unsure.

  “I want to make love with you more than anything. So much that I ache with it.” He gently trailed a finger along her cheek. “My passion for you knows no bounds.” His heated gaze held hers, sending her heart racing. “But if you would rather wait to consummate our love until we’ve said our vows before a priest, I would honor your request. You deserve that and more.”

  Her heart grew even fuller with love. “You, sir, are a man of honor. That is one of the many reasons I love you.”

  She shifted until she knelt before him and placed her hand over his heart only to find it pounding fiercely. Then she lifted his hand and placed it over her heart which she knew beat just as hard. “From this moment, we are bound as one.”

  His gaze held hers, the intensity of it making her stomach dip. “Aye. We are one,” he whispered as he leaned forward and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers for a long moment then his tongue swept inside her mouth, invading her emotions as well. He eased back, his hand still warm on her heart, his other hand cupping her cheek. “I love you.”

  “And I love you. I don’t want to wait another moment before we become one in truth.” She shifted to remove her kirtle, her fingers suddenly clumsy as nerves sizzled along her skin.

  “Allow me, my lady.”

  With his heated gaze still holding hers, he lifted the bottom of her kirtle and drew it over her head, enveloping her in darkness. Her hands caught in the folds of her gown above her head, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed. Unable to see, she could only feel as his hand drifted down her thin chemise. Sensations she’d never felt before poured through, making her light-headed with desire.

  At last he pulled the kirtle free. He unbound her loosely braided hair, running his fingers through her long tresses. His eyes were dark with desire as he looked at her before lowering his gaze to watch the trail his finger blazed. He loosened the ribbon holding the top of her chemise to reveal the curve of her breast, then touched the sensitive skin there, dipping lower with each pass. Her nipple tightened in reaction and her breath quickened. Never had she realized desire could be such sweet torture. She wanted this feeling to last forever yet didn’t think she could withstand it for another moment.

  William drew a deep breath to rein in the passion raging through him. It seemed an impossible task.

  “You are beautiful,” he said, as he continued to touch her, enjoying the way her thin linen shift revealed the curve of her breast, the darkness of her nipples. “Your skin is so soft, so inviting.”

  He could see that his words and his touch moved her, which aroused him even more. He was torn between drawing out each exquisite moment and taking her now, fast and hard. But he refused to cheat either of them from the sensations that awaited their first time together.

  Unable to deny himself a moment longer, he reached out to brush her nipple through the thin fabric, and she jolted back in reaction.

  “Oh,” she said with surprise.

  Her reactions to his touch were a delight. Slowly, he touched her again, increasing the anticipation for both of them. This time she arched, moving closer to his touch, seeming to revel in the sensation. He caressed her curves with both hands, and she moaned softly. With one move, he pushed down the top of her chemise and the garment dropped to catch at the tips of her breasts.

  His breath halted; he’d never seen anyone so stunning. Her creamy smooth skin begged for his touch. It would take a stronger man than he to resist. A brush of his hand sent the garment falling to her waist, revealing her breasts to his appreciative gaze.

  “You are amazing,” he murmured as he caressed first one, then the other.

  A rosy flush crept up her chest, stirring him as much as her gasp. Anxious to please her, to build her desire to match his own, he bent to lick her nipple once, twice, before taking it in his mouth.

  “Oh, William,” she said on a gasp, her body trembling.

  He pleasured himself and her by duplicating the action on her other breast, then raised his head to perform it again on her lips. He couldn’t get enough of the sweet taste of her.

  She kissed him back passionately, forcefully, making him steady himself else risk falling onto the bed. Her hands seemed to be everywhere at once, soon finding the bottom of his tunic to lift it. As she encountered his bare flesh, her touch grew tentative before quickly gaining confidence. Her fingers made the fire inside him rage. He removed his tunic, wanting nothing more than to feel her soft skin against him.

  Cristiana stared at his naked chest much as he imagined he’d stared at hers. Her heated gaze was nearly his undoing. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, trying to tamp down his desire before he lost control.

  He drew her closer, his breath coming out in a whoosh as her breasts pressed into his chest.<
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  “You’re so strong,” she said, her fingers never stopping their relentless roaming of his body. “So perfect in every way. Inside.” She traced his brow then the cords of muscle in his shoulder. “And out.”

  He almost laughed. “I would use those same words to describe you.”

  She drew back to look up into his eyes, her fingers trailing along his cheekbone, then his jaw line. She continued downward to his neck, pausing at the puckered scar on his shoulder that had nearly cost him his life. With a somber expression, she met his gaze for a moment, then pressed a gentle kiss on the scar. “I am so grateful you survived that ordeal.”

  “As am I.”

  Her lips continued their downward movement. His thoughts spun as she licked and suckled his nipple just as he’d done to her. When she moved to his other one, he grasped her shoulders, unable to bear any more of her torment.

  “What is it?” she asked with a wary expression.

  “Your touch undoes me,” he whispered. “I can only take so much or I might...”

  She raised her brow, obviously not following what he was trying to say.

  Giving up on words, he drew her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly. He eased her against the pillows, appreciating the way her long blonde hair fanned out across the pillow. He drew her chemise down to remove it completely so that he might admire the rest of her.

  And caught his breath.

  “Cristiana, you are perfect.” Her creamy skin was smooth, her curves more than any man could ask for. The narrowness of her waist, the flare of her hips created shadows and valleys that begged to be explored.

  “Closer,” she bid him, taking his hand to draw him nearer.

  He folded his fingers through hers and lowered to lie along her side, his chest covering hers. Her lips beckoned and he indulged, pleasuring them both. Down along the curve of her throat he explored while his hand sought the flare of her hip, the softness of her belly, the silkiness of her thighs.

  Her legs trembled as his touch grew bolder until at last he stroked her intimately. Her gasp pleased him, and he continued his caresses as he kissed and licked her breasts.

  When she reached for the fastening of his chausses, he sucked in his breath. Waiting was no longer an option. He rose to remove them and returned to her side.

  “Oh my,” she said as she stared at him, eyes wide. “May I...touch you?”

  He paused, wondering if he could bear it. Before he could respond, her hesitant fingers wrapped around his shaft. “You’re so soft, like the finest velvet, yet so hard.”

  The wonder in her voice nearly made him smile, but the sensations her touch evoked caused him to groan. The fire deep within him raged at her touch. Within moments, he removed her hand to wrap it in his. He could wait no longer.

  “I would make you mine,” he whispered, kissing her lips gently.

  “Aye, please.” She pulled him closer.

  He moved to brace himself above her, reveling in the feel of her warm and soft beneath him. He entered her slowly, giving her time to adjust to the feel of him.

  “William?” Her frown gave him pause.

  “A moment if you please,” he begged, wanting nothing more than to move, needing all his concentration to remain still as he encountered the barrier that attested to her virginity.

  But Cristiana deemed otherwise. She shifted her hips, taking all of him into her. “Oh! William?”

  The doubt in her tone gave him pause. He held still for as long as he could, then with a groan, he withdrew and thrust into her again, his body taking over. After a brief hesitation, her hips rose to meet his, her hands roaming over his shoulders, his neck, his nipples, torturing him with her clever fingers.

  “William!”

  Wanting nothing more than for Cristiana to find pleasure, he reached down between them, touching her very center.

  Her cry of release proved his undoing and he poured himself into her. A torrent of feelings and emotions raged through him as his heart overflowed with love. Never had he thought to share such a moment with anyone. He wanted only to hold tight and never let her go.

  After a long moment, he rose up on his elbow to shift some of his weight off of her. Brushing soft tendrils of hair from her face, he gazed into her eyes. “I love you. Now and always. From this moment on, you are mine.”

  Tears filled her eyes, her expression one of wonder. “And I love you, William. Now and always.”

  He kissed her, letting happiness and contentment permeate him, body and soul. Settling beside her, he pulled her close, wishing they could stay there forever.

  ***

  Cristiana sat at the table beside William later that morn, making certain some part of her always touched him. Yet that didn’t seem to be enough. Deep inside, she was terrified that his love for her was merely a dream, that it would be taken away from her at any moment.

  More than ever, she wanted them to run.

  She wanted the three of them to leave Longsbury and find a place far away where they could live in peace. What she and William had was far too precious to risk losing. The chances of winning against Bishop Duval seemed impossible. Why put everything they had, including their very lives, at risk?

  Yet here she sat once again around the table in the cottage, trying to focus on a plan that would return them to the bishop. The very idea of it ruined her appetite. She set down the piece of bread Henry had provided, her cheese still untouched.

  “We can’t simply walk in and confront the bishop,” Cristiana said, still not convinced revealing the bishop’s wrongdoings was their only option. “I tried that to no avail. We need someone to aid us. Someone in a position of power.”

  “There’s something we should tell you.” William took her hand in his. “Henry and I visited Abbot Clarke recently.”

  Henry ran his hand over his face. Cristiana knew him well enough to know he was upset. She clenched her other hand into a fist, her fingers biting into her palm, wondering what William was about to say.

  “Father Charles’ body was discovered in the abbey pond.”

  “What?” Shock and horror filled her as she thought of the kind priest whose bones had ached. “That can’t be. He was leaving.”

  “He was leaving because he had a disagreement with the bishop,” Henry added. “Remember?”

  “What are suggesting?” She couldn’t wrap her mind around what they were telling her. Yet she remembered how distraught Father Charles had been when she’d last seen him.

  “His neck had marks around it. Stones were tied to his legs.”

  “He was murdered?” She glanced back and forth between the two of them. Their somber expressions were her answer. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to overcome her shock at the news.

  “We believe the bishop decided he knew too much and had him killed.” William squeezed her hand.

  “That is why we came to get you,” Henry added. “We realized you were in even more danger than we had thought.”

  “And Abbot Clarke? What does he think?”

  “He felt there was enough evidence of the bishop’s deeds to bring them before the archbishop. He’s traveled to speak with him.”

  “When will he return?”

  “Not soon enough,” Henry said. “If all goes well, the journey will still take him three days.”

  “Our concern is that the abbot is not completely convinced of the bishop’s treachery,” William added. “Therefore what he tells the archbishop may not be convincing either.”

  “But with the evidence I have of the bishop’s involvement in the death of my mother—”

  “We should have enough to prove his guilt.” Henry slammed his fist on the table with an expression of satisfaction.

  “Once Abbot Clarke returns, we can give him the additional information you have. He can confront the bishop,” William suggested. “That would keep us out of the middle of the situation and hopefully out of harm’s way.”

  Cristiana breathed a sigh of relief. The idea of returni
ng to the bishop’s manor was terrifying in light of the news of Father Charles’ death. Hope filled her that they could keep their distance from the bishop. Perhaps they had a chance of success after all. “I only met Abbot Clarke once, but he seemed very kind. He knew my mother.”

  “He is intelligent as well. What we told him came as a shock,” William said. “But as we discussed it, he realized there were other situations that caused him concern.”

  “Shall I go to the abbey and see if there is any news of his return?” Henry asked, rising from the table.

  William shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. The bishop will have men looking everywhere for us. We should remain here.”

  “Perhaps we can send someone else with a message,” Cristiana suggested.

  “You write the message and I’ll find someone to deliver it.” Henry took his bread with him and closed the door behind him.

  “Shall we pen the message?” Cristiana asked.

  William smiled and winked at her. “I believe it will take Henry some time before he finds just the right person to deliver it.”

  “Oh?” Cristiana couldn’t miss the passion in William’s eyes. It sparked an answering need within her.

  “Come here,” he demanded with open arms.

  She gladly complied, sinking into his kiss and basking in his love.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Three days passed in bliss while they awaited word from Abbot Clarke. Unfortunately, no one at the abbey had news of the exact date of his return.

  Cristiana didn’t mind. Spending each moment of the day with William was nothing short of amazing. This morn she had tidied the cottage, straightening their few belongings like any good wife might do. Henry had brought her some dried lavender. She’d bound it and hung it from a rafter and its sweet fragrance permeated the air.

  William often stepped outside, telling her that he wanted some fresh air. But she knew he walked the woods that bordered the cottage to make certain no one lurked there. Several of the villagers had noted their presence, and some had come to speak with them. They appeared to be friendly enough.