“What troubles you, warrior?” she queried, managing to find the courage to ask. “Your spirit is...unsettled.”
He said nothing and rolled to his side, looking away from her.
“I can see you don’t want to talk,” said Rain. “By the way, you are traveling the wrong way if it is Jarna you seek.”
Thane sat up and shot her an intense look. “Now you decide to tell me after how many days?”He released an exaggerated sigh and rolled back to his side.
“I was going to tell you sooner, but I feared your reaction.” She twirled her blonde hair nervously, feeling again the ghosted eyes of the forest upon her. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”
“What?” he asked with surprise.
“I feel safe when I am close to you. Please, Thane. I have no one left. All that I once knew, my life, my existence, was taken from me.”
* * * *
He could relate to her feelings, having lost all of his comrades against the barbarian hordes. He too felt alone and isolated, without purpose. He nodded. “You are free to rest wherever you want.”
Without any hesitation she walked a straight line to him and placed one of her small hands on his cheek, and the other side she pecked with her soft lips. Her smile was whimsical and lifting. “I will never be able to repay the debt I owe you,” she whispered, “and I can never thank you enough.”
“You owe me nothing, Rain,” he countered. “I saw an unfair fight and settled it. That is all.”
“I owe you my life, warrior. It is no small matter among our people. A life debt can only be repaid by a lifetime of service, or, somehow, if I am able to return the favor by saving you one day. It is clan law.
“You would be my servant?” Thane asked skeptically. “For the rest of your life?”
She nodded. “If that is what you wish.”
“I am in no need of servants. I do, however, require a guide. If you lead me back to Jarna, consider all of your debts paid in full.”
When he finally eased his body down, Rain was right there with him. Her hand slid across his bare chest, and her head lay upon his shoulder. “Sleep well.”She sighed contently. Thane lay there quietly, his eyes wide open, aware of Rain’s desirable body pressed against his side. Her long blonde hair was brushing against his chin, and he could smell the earthy scents of her flesh. Subtle hints of pine and lavender wafted to his nose. Something about this woman stoked the fire that was slowly building in his loins. Was it the fresh, crisp smell of her body? Maybe it was the long blonde hair that lay across his cheek, or was it those childlike blue eyes that seemed to be pure and innocent? Whatever the woman did to him, he could feel his body responding even at the slightest touch.
He felt the beating of her heart and the warm breaths across his chest. She was sound asleep, but he lay awake fighting back his arousal. Just when he thought he had a firm grasp of his inner desire, her leg shot up to curl around his thigh, and her knee nudged into his crotch. He tried to gently shove the offending knee away, but it came back up to rest over his bulge.
Well...this was just great!
Thane gulped and inwardly cursed his decision to allow Rain to sleep next to him. With her warm body practically on top of him, it would be impossible to get any rest. Never in a million years did he see this coming—lost in the wilds with a beautiful she-wolf resting so comfortably in his arms. If he were back in Jarna and if he were to speak of this in the taverns, no one would believe him. He might even be labeled as insane.
If only he were back in Jarna.
* * * *
In the golden light of the dawn, Thane could not take his eyes away from the sleeping beauty. Her oval features were soft and pleasant, with plump lips, gently bowed, that were designed by the Gods to be kissed. The cloak was laid open to one side, and the curve of one small, perfectly molded breast was visible, peeking out at him. It was perky and firm, the thick nipple slightly upturned, beckoning to be tasted. His eyes roamed her body, past the deep impression of her navel to the bend of her thigh. He was relieved to see that the stitches held during the transformation from wolf to human. The stitches extended from the mid of her belly to the outside of her hip. He laid the fabric of the cloak open in order to see how the wound was healing. The stitches were uneven and would unfortunately leave scars, but at least he was able to save her life. It would be a shame though, for such a perfect body to be tarnished in any manner. Then he caught a glimpse of the precious folds at her center, parted like the tender petals of a rare flower. The sight pulled at his most primitive urges. Another intriguing discovery was that Rain was completely hairless, except for her long mane of hair that resembled spun gold and thin eyebrows. It was a stark contrast from her wolf form.
Taking in a calming breath, he turned away, ashamed of the sinful thoughts streaming through his mind. Trying to push the lustful images to the side, he placed a single finger over the raised stitches of her lower abdomen and felt along the edge, checking for any flaws or deviations of his work. It was almost shocking how much he dwarfed this woman. He saw that his hand, from wrist to mid-finger, was every bit as wide as her waist. He leaned down a little further to smell her hair again and to get a better look at those irresistible bowed lips. He could feel the blood already rushing into his cock and he sighed, trying to stave off the inevitable.
* * * *
Rain’s long lashes fluttered open, and she felt the tickle moving along her belly. She saw it was Thane and wished right then for his finger to trail further south—to touch her where she needed it most. She had wanted a piece of this massive man since the day he saved her, since the day he did the naked sword dance in front of her, since the day she first saw his...She had to take a chance, the need was building between her thighs. As expected, Thane recoiled his hand when he noticed she was awake, but she captured his wrist, forcing his hand flat over her stomach.
“I was checking your stitches,” he said defensively.
“I know you were,” she replied in a husky tone. “No harm in that.” She pulled his wide hand further down until his thick fingers were resting against her entrance.
His eyes widened and his strong chin shifted to one side. “Wha...what are you doing?” he stammered, his lips trembling.
“What I wanted from the first day. If you don’t want this just speak the words.”
The mighty knight from Jarna was speechless. He looked as if he were the prized buck looking at the sharp end of a hunter’s arrow. Rain believed his silence, astonished expression and eyes darkening with lust, was confirmation. Gripping the back of his neck, she dragged his large head down until their mouths connected and she thrust her tongue between his lips. He opened for her in response, his wet heat dousing and overpowering her much smaller tongue.
It felt amazing, but she had never been kissed like this, with such forcefulness. A moan was drawn from her throat to reverberate across their swirling tongues. The warmth of his huge palm was still cupped over her raised pubic mound, but the hand failed to move. She would soon change that. As their kiss intensified, she rotated her hips against his palm, a little nudge to remind him he should be doing something else.
His calloused thumb grazed her clit, and two thick fingers began caressing her outer folds. It amazed her how gentle he was, treating her delicately for such a large man. She believed then that this would not be an ordinary mating session.
His soft strokes burned her inner depths as his tongue lanced across hers. She could feel the desire leaking from her, could feel her lower lips swollen to the point of aching. Rain rotated her hips against his fingers once more for added friction, but he simply palmed her pussy and held her still. It was clear to her who was going to control this, the tempo and the rhythm. She instigated the whole thing, but he took over.
It was a constant aching to have something so close to entering her body only to have it taken away or slowed. She had enough of the teasing. After shoving his jaw away, she brought up the other hand to slap his shoulder. “What are
you doing? I...I can’t take much more of this.” Why did that sound so damned desperate to her?
He laughed aloud and a broad grin crossed his features. “Patience, my sweet. A beauty like you deserves to be savored and celebrated.” He slid the tip of his middle finger into her sex, and she shuddered beneath him. “Don’t worry, beautiful. I will finish what you started.”
As his finger slid deeper into her wetted cunt, he trailed tiny kisses down the length of her torso, all the way to her pubic mound. He slid back the sheath of her clit with his lips, and her hips trembled. A groan of pleasure escaped her throat, and she fisted his long hair, inadvertently tugging his scalp. His tongue was against her now, assaulting her, laving her clit until completely swollen, ready to burst.
“Goddess of the heavens.” She grunted. “Help me!” Her hips sporadically swung into Thane’s open mouth, and she was close to release. Hooking his thick finger around the curve of her G-spot, he caught her clit between his pursed lips and suckled delicately. The result brought a wild, primal curse from Rain followed by a guttural sound much like a dying quail. Leaving his finger in place, planted deep inside her, he lapped at the residual moisture that escaped her pussy that seemed to pour from her.
Rain’s eyes rolled to the back of her skull as the orgasm struck her like lightning, sending waves of blinding energy through every cell of her body. She felt her inner walls pinching the finger that moved inside her, keeping it prisoner inside her womb for a few glorious seconds.
Rain wrapped her fingers through his dark hair and coaxed him back toward her lips with a gentle tug. Tasting the saltiness of her own she-wolf perfume, she cleaned his mouth, licking the wetness from his chin, and drove her tongue against his. “That was incredible.”She sighed, still in a mindless daze after such a riveting orgasm.
“You are incredible,” he corrected. With his knee-high boots still on his feet, he wiggled out of his trousers. Rain loosened his belt, anxious to help him out of his pants.
Once he freed himself, Rain froze at the sight of his colossal erection. Long and powerful, it seemed to be expanding with his every breath. A clear liquid was vigorously leaking from the head to slick the top of her hairless mound. She took hold of his wide base, and her fingers could only wrap halfway around his girth. Right then she panicked, realizing that he was much larger than the three brothers. She wanted to accept this man into her, every energized cell of her body screamed for it, but was it physically possible?
The knight once again took over and guided himself against her tender sheath, his head still spewing clear fluid to slick the outside of her tiny cunt. As she spread her legs wide, preparing for the penetration, his hand went up to take hold of her hair. Having such a muscled man in a dominant position on top of her had primed her body once again, and she was ready to feel the sweet swell of his cock inside her.
Slowly he rocked into her body, seeking out her inner sanctum, his throbbing cock vying for entry. She held her breath knowing that something was wrong—horribly wrong. The massive head of his cock was stuck at her entrance. Her folds were splayed back as far as they could go, and still he could not slide into her body. A lump caught in her throat, and in desperation she flung her pelvis forward trying to squeeze him into her heated pussy that was begging to be filled. A wave of pain stung her senses as Thane easily controlled her hips with one hand, stilling her movements.
She stubbornly struggled beneath the giant trying to force the penetration. The head sank a little further into her warmth, and she gasped.
“Rain,” he said soothingly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
She gulped and wanted to cry. “Hurt me,” she eked out. “I can handle it.”
His weight against her and lack of movement told her that he was done. She wasn’t done though—not by a long shot. He gave her an amazing orgasm, and she wanted to do the same for him. Reaching down, she gripped him at mid-shaft and pulled him forward until he was forced to kneel over her, his knees at her side. A string of fluid trickled down from the tip of his cock to drizzle over her breasts. She collected some in her right hand and began stroking his length slowly from base to crown. Using both hands to encase his shaft, she moved back and forth, feeling the throbs of his length pulsate against her palms.
His head reared back, thrusting his hips against her hand motions. “Rain,” he grunted, sealing his eyes closed.
She held him tighter as his thrusts became needy against her hands. She rolled her thumbs under the crown of his head where she believed he was most sensitive, taking delight in his distorted facial expressions.
“That’s it,” he urged. “I am going to...to…harder!” he shouted.
Cinching around his girth as tight as she could, his cock still slipped through her pre-cum-laden fingers. And then suddenly, his entire body convulsed, and his cock twitched with immense power, sending streams, thick globules of hot seed, across her chest and stomach. She continued stroking his length through his orgasm, watching the reaction of his trembling cock. It was amazing to her that he released with such violence and power.
With a satisfied smirk, he dropped to one elbow beside Rain and claimed her eager lips once more. “What is it that you eat?” she asked, bewildered at how much his cock expelled. It was probably more than the three brothers combined. “I thought for a second you were going to drown me.”
He glanced down at the white pools that covered Rain’s chest and streaked down the sides of her body, and smiled. Her body was drenched with his lust. “I must apologize for the mess. It has been many months since I felt the touch of a woman.”
“Months?” she repeated. “How many...how many women have you been with?” She knew the man was no virgin, but still, she hoped he had only been with only a few other women.
A sly grin crossed his square visage, and he went silent as if calculating some astronomical figure in his mind. “If I must put a number on it, I would say around two hundred.” She glared at him with his answer, and he laughed. “A feeble attempt at humor. I have had only a few lovers in my day—nothing at all inspiring. You are the only one that has inspired me. What of you, sweet Rain?”
“How do you know I am sweet?”
“It is not hard to tell such things. You have a large heart, and in a cruel world such as this it is a trait to be proud of. Unlike you, my hands are soiled. I have killed many men under the gold-and-white banner of Jarna. All in the name of freedom and justice. Your heart is pure, Rain, this I know—this I can sense.”
Lifting her easily into his arms, he then carried her to a pool of water, stepped in, and began reverently washing her body. No man had ever washed her before or had treated her with such care. She felt like a princess in his arms. Now more than ever she wished she could have accepted him into her body. “I am...sorry,” she said at last.
Thane gave a bemused chuckle. “What could you possibly be sorry for?”
“I was...”She gulped, swallowing hard. “I was unable to please you properly.”
His wry grin grew into a mountainous smile, and it melted her heart. “I should be the one to apologize. I was far too anxious, and I did not relax your body properly.”
The kind words eased her internal strife, her frustrations, and inadequacies, but she was still determined to fit that thing inside her at any cost—and soon.
That afternoon they talked for hours about their differing customs, their hopes, and to a certain extent their dreams. It was during their conversations that Rain realized she possessed very strong feelings for the human—outside the obvious physical attraction. The raw emotion running through her body when this man was next to her was frightening. She could not tell right now if it was actual love or an elevated lust that coursed through her veins. It was profound and meaningful, whatever she felt. For once in her life she found happiness, abounding joy that filled her spirit and enriched the heart.
Then as quickly as the euphoric sensations swelled, it disappeared without a trace. Deep in her mind she knew Th
ane was a human and that his only goal was Jarna. When he reached his destination, he would leave her. She just knew it. This was far too good to last. Werewolves and humans don’t mix. She could see that now. Would he abandon his life to live in the forest with her? Or would she be able to leave the forest and adhere to his ways—the human lifestyle?
It could never work. She would never be accepted into human society.
Never.
Chapter 8
Arran and Toria watched the action intently from the front row of onlookers. The entire village of Clear Water was in attendance to witness who would claim the title as alpha.
It was down to the final two combatants, Zurk and Rander. Both seemed to be tired from the previous fights, but they circled each other on the dirt floor of the makeshift arena. Both brothers were in wolf form and panting heavily. Zurk’s right shoulder was pouring blood from the close victory over Tragon, Colcu’s eldest son. Rander’s nose was slightly off-center and spewing blood that flecked his chest.
Rander made the first move. Using his body as a battering ram, he cannoned into Zurk’s ribs sending them both sprawling to the ground. Zurk seemed dazed as he scrambled back to all fours. Zurk’s eyes grew cold, and he snapped at his brother, biting down deeply into his hindquarters. Rander yelped, limped away, and spun to deliver yet another strike to Zurk’s already torn shoulder.
Arran had no desire to watch the horrific scene and wished the fighting would cease. He cared for his brothers and did not want them dead over a title, an ancient rite of passage that mattered little to him. He could see the pain etched on their faces, and it stung him to bear witness to this butchery.
Toria’s hand encircled his in a comforting grip, and she smiled wanly at him. “Don’t worry,” she said softly, in a manner to console his. “Zurk will not kill him.”
Arran returned a weak grin. It was not Zurk he was worried about. Rander was the one that had an evil side to him, a malicious counterpart that was empty and cold, void of normal emotion. Rander would do anything to get what he wanted, and he had a deep desire to be alpha—to be the leader. He would end Zurk in order to obtain what he wanted.
Last Knight of Jarna (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 5
