Strands of Love

by N. J. Walters

  Darian stilled behind her while Jace was coming, but the hot pulse of his thick shaft would no longer be denied. The second Sam released Jace, Darian hammered his cock in and out of her slick core. Her pussy ached and throbbed. She needed to come. Badly.

  Jace dropped to his knees in front of her and captured her mouth. She knew he could taste himself on her lips and that was incredibly arousing. Jace stroked her breasts and played with her nipples while Darian continued to fuck her hard.

  Sam pulled away from Jace’s mouth and let her head fall back against Darian’s shoulder. She cried out, her body clenching hard. Spasms shook her as her orgasm overtook all her senses.

  She heard Darian cry out, felt the flood of wetness between her thighs, the ripple and pulse of his cock and knew he’d come too. The only thing keeping her upright was Darian’s arm around her waist and Jace’s hands on her breasts. Sam relaxed completely, knowing they wouldn’t let her fall.

  Pleasurable aftershocks rocked her, leaving rivers of delight in their path. She felt completely boneless and totally relaxed.

  Strong arms lifted her. It was a sign of how much she was getting used to the Hunter brothers that it didn’t even seem strange anymore to have one of them carrying her.

  “Can you swim?”

  She opened her eyes and stared at Darian through a haze of post-orgasm lethargy. Could she what? Swim? “Yeah.” What an odd question to ask her at a time like this.

  “Good.” He grinned at her and then she was falling. Sam gasped and managed a half scream before her naked body hit the water. She had the presence of mind to close her mouth before the water enveloped her. The freezing lake cooled her heated body and snapped her senses back. He’d pay for that.

  She broke the surface just in time to get soaked again from a large splash alongside her. Sam tread water and watched Darian surface. The moment his head rose above the water, she jumped at him, shoving it back down again.

  But he didn’t go down alone. At the last second, he caught her around the waist and dragged her down with him. She opened her eyes, surprised at how well she could see beneath the water. Darian grinned and kissed her, stealing the last of her oxygen just before they surfaced.

  Gasping for breath, Sam held onto him, letting Darian do all the work to keep them afloat. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

  He shook his head, sending droplets of water spraying everywhere. “No, I’m happy. Thank you, Sam.”

  The teasing was gone and she felt the import, the weight of his words. “You’re welcome.”

  Sam glanced back at the shore. Jace was standing there, arms crossed and a slight smile on his face. He looked far too alone for her liking. “Come and play.”

  He hesitated and looked around. She realized he was scouting for hidden dangers. “Is it safe?” She shivered and the water seemed suddenly colder.

  “It is safe,” Darian assured her. “We are deep in Hunter territory. No one will bother us here.”

  “Then join us.” Sam issued another invitation to Jace. She hated seeing him so aloof, so alone.

  Jace hesitated and Sam was sure he was going to decline. Suddenly he gave a huge war whoop and jumped. Water sprayed over her and Darian in a huge wave. Sam laughed and then yelled as she was playfully pulled underwater. Jace’s strong arms wrapped around her and yanked her back to the surface. Then his lips were on hers, driving back the cold.

  Darian sprawled across a bed of wildflowers enjoying the heat of the sun as it seeped into his bare skin. The day was wasting, but he felt no urge to move. Sam lay sprawled between Jace and him, the three of them naked and exhausted. After making love to Sam in the water, they’d all crawled out of the lake and collapsed. It was well past lunch and he was hungry, but not enough to end this interlude with Sam.

  She stirred and shivered slightly. Darian sighed, knowing it was time to get dressed and head back. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch a chill. She was accustomed to a much warmer environment. He put his arm around her and pulled her into the cradle of his body.

  “You’re always so warm. Both of you.” Her words were sleepy and content. His heart ached at the thought of losing her. She fit perfectly in his arms.

  Jace sat up and began to haul on his pants and boots. “It’s time to get dressed and go back.” His brother stood and strapped on his sword, which was lying on the ground beside him.

  Sam sat up and stretched, giving another shiver as she reached for her pants. “What time is it anyway?”

  Resigned to leaving, Darian stood and dragged on his pants. He looked up, squinting at the sun as he noted its position. “About midafternoon.”

  Sam stood and shook out her tunic before slipping it on and tugging it down around her hips. Her hair was damp and slightly tangled. Anyone who saw her would have no doubt as to how she’d spent the past few hours.

  Darian smiled and motioned her to come to him. She ambled toward him, stopping when she was in front of him. “What?” she asked.

  He shook his head, leaned down and kissed her. “It was too long since I last kissed you.” He took hold of a length of her hair and tugged. “And you need help with this.”

  Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink, making him laugh. Darian spun her around and raked his fingers through her hair, smoothing it as best he could before he braided it. He’d braided many a horse’s mane and made swift work of the task. It was only when he was done he realized he had nothing to tie it with. The holder she’d used in her head was lost somewhere among the wildflowers, never to be found again.

  Jace had anticipated that and held out a short strip he’d sliced off one end of the ties of his pants. Darian wrapped the small piece of thin leather around her hair and tied it off. It would do.

  “Come.” Darian held out his hand and waited until Sam took it. Jace was pulling back from them again and Darian knew his brother’s actions were confusing Sam.

  “So who’s the older of the two of you?” Sam asked.

  When it was obvious Jace wasn’t going to answer, Darian did. “Jace is the older by three years.” He motioned to the thin braids on either side of his brother’s face. “The braids show that he is the eldest. It is the same with every family.”

  “What kind of crops do you grow?” When Darian gave her a questioning look, she shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a farmer.”

  Darian launched into a brief overview of Hunter Keep, including the crops they grew, the herbs and flowers they harvested from the mountain and the animals they kept. He wanted her to understand exactly what they were offering her and was pleased by her interest. That had to mean she was considering staying. Didn’t it?

  He refused to believe otherwise and wanted to kick his brother’s ass for being so silent and withdrawn. Now was the time to engage Sam, to let her learn more about them.

  “Wow, that’s quite the operation you have here.” Sam glanced over at Jace. “So you’re in charge of it all?”

  Jace nodded. “I am the head of the family, the firstborn. It is the way it is done.”

  Sam nodded. “My brother would have inherited the farm if he’d lived.”

  As though a curtain had been drawn, sadness descended on Sam. Darian felt it like a living, breathing entity. “I am sorry for your loss, Sam.” He stopped and pulled her into his arms. “You could have a new start here. With us.”

  Maybe he shouldn’t be pushing her, but Darian was willing to do whatever it took to get Sam to stay in Javara.

  Jace shook his head. “Sam doesn’t want a new start. She just wants to go home. Isn’t that right?”

  Anger hit Darian like a lightning bolt and for the first time in his life he wanted to punch his brother. Was Jace out of his mind? He was practically telling Sam he didn’t want her to stay.

  Sam faced Jace and frowned. “What’s wrong with my wanting to go home?” She waved her hands at the surrounding woods. “I hear lots about women coming here, having to leave their homes. What do you give up? What do the men here
sacrifice? Nothing. It’s easy to judge me when you’re not giving up anything.”

  Darian stood back, wondering how Jace would answer her accusation. He didn’t have long to wait.

  “We don’t give up anything?” Jace marched straight to Sam, grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up until she was balancing on her toes. He leaned down until they were nose to nose. “If you don’t stay, we give up the chance at ever having a family of our own, children to pass our legacy on to. After having you under my body, after being inside you and tasting your uniqueness, we give up the chance of ever having you again. We give up the chance of happiness and love.”

  Darian had never seen his brother so angry. Usually Jace was calm and in control. This was totally out of character and told Darian just how deeply his brother felt about Sam. “Jace.” It was a warning to back off and one he hoped his brother heeded.

  But Jace wasn’t done yet. “We give up everything while you go back to your home and forget us.”

  “I won’t ever forget you,” Sam fired back. “Ever.” Her voice dropped and a lone tear rolled down one cheek.

  “Enough.” Darian put a hand on each of them before either of them said something they would regret forever.

  “I just want to go home. Is that so wrong?” The pain in Sam’s voice was Darian’s undoing.

  “No, Sam, it’s not wrong. I just wish you wanted to stay.”

  “I wish she could go now if she wants to so badly.” Jace’s harsh words made Sam flinch and Darian knew his brother regretted the words as soon as they were uttered, but there was no taking them back.

  The air around them thickened and began to shimmer. Darian had only felt the sensation twice before. The tapestry.

  “It’s only been a day and a half.” This was not normal. Darian turned to his brother. “What have you done? You’ve wished the tapestry into being.”

  Jace jumped in front of Sam, pushing her behind him, but the tapestry would not be denied. Darian grabbed Sam’s arm as Jace reached for him. The three of them were connected by touch when the world around them exploded. They were sucked into black void. Darian struggled to hold onto Sam, terrified what might happen if he lost her in this world between worlds.

  Then everything went black.

  Chapter Ten

  Sam groaned and grabbed her aching head. What the heck had happened? One minute she’d been arguing with Jace and the next…

  The tapestry. The tapestry had come back. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but bright blue sky. No mountains or trees or clouds. Bolting upright, she stared at an unending sea of brown, brittle hay. Heat surrounded her, rising like waves from the parched ground. There was no other place on earth like this. She was home.

  But had she come alone?

  Sam swallowed hard, ignoring the ache in the vicinity of her chest. It was only because she was glad to be home. The fact she might never see Jace or Darian again had nothing to do with it.

  Dry hay crackled off to her left. “Darian? Jace?” She hurried toward the sound and almost stumbled over Darian as he pushed himself off the ground.

  “Where are we?” he asked as he drew his sword and turned in a slow circle.

  “Texas.”

  Darian slowly lowered his weapon and sheathed it. “Then your wish has been granted.” He looked around. “Where is Jace?”

  Sam could hear the fear in his voice and felt her own rising. Had something happened to Jace?

  “I’m here.” The deep voice came from behind her. She spun around and watched as Jace rose from the field like some mythical god. He swiped at the dust on his pants and squinted into the sun.

  Sam was unsure what to do next. Where was the tapestry? Shouldn’t it be taking the men back home to Javara? “So what happens now?”

  Jace shook his head. “Unless the tapestry returns we are trapped here.”

  Trapped. Not exactly words she wanted to hear. Sam thought about their mother and all the people at Hunter Keep who were dependent on them. What would happen if the brothers never returned home?

  “I’m so sorry.” She wanted to reach out to Jace, but he looked so aloof, so hard and unapproachable standing there with his hands on his waist, peering across her fields. “Weren’t you supposed to come with me?” She was a little fuzzy on how the whole tapestry thing worked.

  “No.” It was Darian who answered her. “The tapestry has always brought the women to Javara, never the other way around. Not until now.”

  Crap, this couldn’t be good. “But it will come back for you in three days, right?”

  Jace shrugged. “Maybe a day and a half or a little longer since you weren’t in Javara for quite a day and a half.” He paused and, if possible, his expression grew even grimmer. “Maybe never.”

  As bad as she felt for them, she couldn’t help but point out how their situations were similar to the one she’d found herself in. “Now you know how I felt.”

  Jace shook his head. “No, you always knew the tapestry would return in three days and bring you home. This is unprecedented. We may never see home again. It is not the same thing.” He turned his back and stared across the dry vista and she knew he was imagining the lush mountain forest around his home.

  Well there was nothing to be done about it. She wished they could go back to Javara but only time would tell. In the meantime, she had to get to the house. Sam turned, orienting herself easily enough. She’d walked and ridden her family’s land since she was old enough to walk and knew the way home.

  “We should go back to the house.” She reached toward her back pocket only to discover she was wearing the leather pants, tunic and boots they’d given her. There was no sign of her cell phone or jeans. Oh well, she had plenty more jeans and could probably swing a replacement for her phone.

  Sam started walking, very aware of the two large, bare-chested men behind her. They said little and she felt their concern deepen with each step they took. It was all too easy for her to imagine Edwina staring out a window, watching for her sons who might never come home.

  Crap. She spun on her heel and faced them both. “I’m sorry this happened to you and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you get home.” She started to turn back around, but Darian stopped her. His hands were firm, yet gentle on her shoulders. Both men were very aware of their strength and were always careful to temper it whenever they touched her.

  “Thank you, Sam.” Darian grinned, but it was a faint imitation of his usual one. “I will use my time here trying to convince you to return to Javara with us.”

  Sam ached for all three of them. If she’d been able to get her hands on the sorceress who created the magic tapestry in the first place, she would have given the woman a piece of her mind. Playing with people’s lives like this was downright cruel. All of them were hurting and there was no way for anyone to win.

  She placed a hand on his chest and felt his heart beating heavily against her palm. He was one determined warrior, but she couldn’t give him false hope. “This is my home.”

  Darian shook his head. “This is where you live. Home is where the people who love and care for you reside. Where are those people, Sam?”

  His simple question cut her to her very core. All her family was dead and she was alone.

  “Enough.” Jace’s harsh voice silenced them both. “Sam has made her choice.”

  Darian spun around to face his brother. “Actually, you made the choice for her when you called the tapestry into existence. Sam never had the full time to make her decision. There is still time. Until the tapestry returns this is not over.”

  Sam’s head pounded, she was hot and thirsty, and wanted to get home. She wasn’t up to getting between the two brothers if they started fighting. Home was only twenty minutes away and the sooner she got there, the better. She started walking again and assumed they’d follow her. For a few moments she heard nothing. Then she heard muttering and the crunch of boots hitting the dry grass.

  First thing she had to do after she got a
shower and changed was to go over to Tim’s place. He and Mary would be worried about her because she hadn’t shown up for dinner last night.

  Her life had changed so much since yesterday morning. Not quite a day and a half, but her life would never be the same. She glanced over her shoulder. Darian was studying the surrounding area. She could have told him there was nothing to worry about, not here. The worst they could run into was a snake and they were most likely seeking out shade this time of day. Jace, on the other hand, was staring straight at her.

  Angry pale-blue eyes met her darker-blue ones, but Jace said nothing. Sam swallowed hard and looked away. She might not have known them long, but both brothers meant a great deal to her and the thought of not seeing them again deeply hurt her. But the thought of them being trapped here, of them never seeing their mother or home again hurt her worse.

  No, as much as she’d love for them to stay with her, she’d do everything in her power to make sure they got home.

  Sam stopped and shaded her eyes when she saw movement in the distance. Just beyond the house there seemed to be a bunch of vehicles, including the sheriff’s truck. “Oh shit.”

  Jace and Darian flanked her immediately, both with swords drawn.

  “Put those down now.” She shoved Jace’s hand, but she might as well have been pushing against a concrete wall. It didn’t move and the sword remained in front of him, and after seeing him practice, Sam knew that Jace sure knew how to use the lethal weapon.

  Sam tried again. “Those men have guns, weapons that can kill you from a distance.” She grabbed Jace’s arm and shook it, or at least tried to. “If they see you holding a four-foot sword they might shoot first and ask questions later. They don’t know you and will most likely assume you’re threatening me.”

  She turned to Darian, hoping to reason with him and was relieved to see he’d already lowered his sword. “What do you want us to do?”

  Sam released a sigh of relief. “We need to hide your weapons.” Both men looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, but she pushed onward. “No, listen to me. We can come back for them later, but you need to hide them for now. Just until I can get rid of the sheriff.”