“Are you complaining or complimenting me?” he asked.
“Complaining.” Her voice was soft…almost trembling. She looked up and met his gaze.
Eryk noted her caution. The warrior in him liked her soft, wanted her compliant to whatever he did next. The honor in him demanded he back away.
He compromised. “There is something potent between us, pretty one.”
Alarm brightened her eyes. “You imagine things.”
He smiled and leaned in until he could press a soft, barely there kiss just on the left side of her neck. She drew in a sharp breath. Oh Draconus. Yes, that was good.
“Daryk Ones know when a woman wants them. When she needs them to slake desire. I’d always heard Magonian women are dry vessels with no passion. I can see that isn’t true in your case, Mia. There is heat inside you. When you want me to show you pleasure, let me know.”
He drew in a deep breath and allowed his gaze to take in her body and felt the raging need rise higher within. She stood as still as an animal hiding from a hunter. Mia trembled on the brink of a discovery she feared as much as she longed to experience. How he knew this, he didn’t understand. He wondered if it was wishful thinking, if he wanted her so much he was willing to create things in his own mind that didn’t exist.
Her female scent rose until Eryk burned inside to take her. He clenched his fists. Whether she understood it or not, she was wet for him. He whispered close to her ear, “Your beauty ensnares me and makes me want things. I ache with it.”
He gently brushed his fingers over her cheek and her eyes went wide and her lips parted. Her cheeks flushed.
“There,” he said. “Feel that?”
“No.” But her words were breathless.
“Perhaps you’d like but a taste of what I could give you.” His own breathing picked up speed and his cock was as hard as rock.
He cupped her face in his palms and leaned into her. She gasped again and trembled. When she didn’t pull away he dared to brush his lips over hers. Her trembling increased but he kept his touch so light he could barely feel her moist mouth under his. He sipped for but a second in time.
A raging need gathered force in his groin and the power within it drove his restraint to the brink. He’d never force a woman and he didn’t want to frighten her. He drew back before he could go further than he meant to. Eryk half expected her to protest, to scream and run from him. Instead she stayed immobile.
“I won’t touch you again tonight. You can sleep on the bedroll without fear. I’m a Daryk One and do not harm women nor take anything from them they are unwilling to give.”
Anger poured into her eyes but it made his desire grow rather than dimish.
“You are delusional,” she said with low scorn.
Ah, sweet Mia. You are angry with yourself for feeling something.
“You want me. I can feel it. And you’ll surrender to me one day, I swear it.”
As he turned and walked back to the pallet, he also trembled. Why had he spoken to her that way? How could he want a Magonian? It shamed him as much as it burned inside him with undeniable truth.
Chapter Two
Mia stared down at the sleeping Eryk as he lay on the bedroll beside her, face less fierce in sleep but with an edge she couldn’t deny. Remembering the way he’d nuzzled her throat, tasted her mouth and vowed to seduce her made Mia’s blood run hot. She’d never experienced a kiss with a man that she’d wanted so much. As afraid as she’d been when he’d touched her so intimately, she’d felt compelled to experience his kiss to see if it was different than she expected. And indeed it was. Even that gentle touch had made her want to act in ways she’d never imagined she would.
No, he hadn’t said he’d seduce her. He’d told her that she wanted him and that she’d surrender. A mention of surrendering infuriated her. She was finished surrendering to what men wanted.
She’d awakened some time ago and didn’t want to move. He was too warm and his strength made her feel unexpectedly safe.
Oh Magon, it was true. She hated it. She did want to learn the secrets of making love and she yearned to follow the heat that moved through her blood. She shouldn’t, of course. Not because her upbringing said women shouldn’t have desires and certainly shouldn’t make love outside of marriage but because she didn’t know him. She trusted him not to harm her but she didn’t trust him in any other way. A man like this could prove dangerous. She’d follow him to Bardannia and then discover a way to reach Grimnald.
She hadn’t planned on a shipwreck and losing her pack with her money and other small possessions. She rubbed together her fingers, touched her bare earlobes. She had nothing but the clothes on her back. Well she’d known this journey would prove difficult. She tried to take a deep breath and failed as misery tore through her.
She’d fallen asleep almost the moment she’d lain down last night, despite Eryk’s disturbing presence. Why hadn’t she cried then? Why now? Tears spilled down her cheeks. Angry with herself, she stood and went to the back of the shelter.
As she watched Eryk, she sighed with exhaustion. That made her angry too. She’d slept like death but still wanted more rest. The fire hadn’t gone out. He must have checked it through the night. Beyond the mouth of the cave and the low fire, jungle sounds continued without pause. Strange animal sounds she couldn’t identify called through the dim morning light. Chills rippled up and down her back. The sounds made her wonder what lurked outside. Whether she liked Eryk Gauth or not, she’d tolerate him and hope he tolerated her for the journey. He was infuriatingly right. She couldn’t traverse this place without his help. Frustration at her situation wouldn’t help. She wiped her eyes and determined she wouldn’t allow fear to rule.
She closed her eyes and remembered how his touch had felt, his strength and power. Tingles of awareness prickled along her body and became stronger and stronger. She heard a clatter and jerked to awareness. Logs on the fire rolled out of the pile and sparks glowed. An image of Eryk holding her close, his hands running up and down her body, froze her to the spot. Heat flushed through her. Another log rolled from the fire and she twitched in surprise. She wondered if her emotions could have caused the reaction but then dismissed the idea. She hadn’t moved anything with her mind in an aeon.
She felt a presence behind her and whirled. Eyrk stood watching her, his expression caught between grim and fierce.
“If you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work,” she said.
“Why not?”
“I haven’t gone through a shipwreck to give up now. I won’t allow a man to derail my plans.”
He crossed his arms and that disarming smile emerged again. “You’re different.”
Heat filled her face. “So everyone tells me.”
“Everyone?”
“Almost. I do not fit in with the average citizen. I have too many desires, too many wants, too many questions.”
He nodded, his gaze steady upon her. Did admiration fill his expression or did she imagine it? Did she want to take the chance he wouldn’t believe her if she told him the truth? Dragonia was the land of freedom and opportunity, she should tell the truth and maybe ask questions of her own.
“Are you an honorable man, Eryk Gauth?”
He blinked. His gaze stayed steady, as if she hadn’t asked him a shocking question. Internally she cringed at his answer. “Depends on who you talk to.”
“Do women think you’re honorable?”
“Some do, some don’t. Depends on where I meet them and the circumstance.” He chuckled. “I’m damn sure there are some who think I am utter scum.”
She sighed. Perhaps he demanded truth but never gave it. “Are you one of those people who directs others to do one thing but then doesn’t apply it in his own life?”
“Never. I’m a simple man, Mia.” He held his hands out. “As open as one of your Scribe books.”
She grunted softly. “There is nothing open about those books.”
When she didn’t elaborat
e, he continued, “I have never cheated a woman out of her money, or broken her heart, or promised her anything I couldn’t deliver.”
Her head throbbed again and the persistence of it made her want to scream. She drew in a deep breath and held her hand to her forehead. She closed her eyes.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I have the foresight. I can also heal.”
“Healing?” His voice held scorn.
She opened her eyes, wishing she hadn’t blurted out her capabilities. “Sometimes I know things about people I shouldn’t, or I know when something is going to happen before it does. I don’t use these skills in Magonia because it is forbidden. If anyone knew I could be executed. I thought perhaps such a skill would be useful in Dragonia.”
Anger flashed in his eyes like a lightning storm. “Perhaps to some but not to everyone. We have a few so-called healers and foreshadowers in Dragonia, and most of them are frauds and cheats.”
Disconcerted, she wished she’d never said anything to him concerning healing. “You said you hate liars. I’m telling the truth.”
Before she could move he snatched her into his arms and covered her mouth with his hand. Her protest was muffled. “Muff are youv doiwng?”
“Shh,” he hissed in her ear and pulled her into a deeper spot hidden from the mouth of the cave. “Rogues. Stay quiet. I don’t want to fight them for you.”
Voices moved toward them, far away but definitely clear enough to identify as men’s. She couldn’t hear what they were saying. Fear sliced a new place inside her. Her heart did a frantic dance in her chest as her breath sawed in and out.
Fight them for her? If these rogues were as ruthless as he said they might overpower Eryk and take her. If they did, Magon only knew what they’d plan for her.
Pressed into the hard wall, she moved against his hold, furious and confused. Every hot inch of his powerful muscles impressed upon her his strength. Fear overwhelmed sensual awareness and she stilled.
“Gauth, you bastard, are you in there?” a loud male voice said from the mouth of the cave.
Under her touch, his biceps tensed.
“Come on out!” another male voice called out.
Eryk released her slowly and held his index finger to his lips to indicate that she should stay quiet and hidden. As he left her view, her heart thudded heavily in her chest. Apprehension rose. She hated the fear, how uncontrollable and paralyzing it felt.
“I’m here,” Eryk said as he walked out to meet the men. “What do you want?”
“We heard you were out here patrolling for rebels,” the man who’d first called him out said.
“Yeah, we figured we’d meet you head-on.” The other man’s voice was higher pitched. Whiny.
“Dougreg and Morgreem. I thought Dracus Fina already hanged you.” Eryk’s voice was almost jovial.
“Stupid shite,” the man with the deep voice said. “Don’t think insults will get you anywhere but dead. We know you’re out here patrolling.”
“I’m minding my own business and so should you. Let me pass and we’ll call this even. I’ve no use for killing today.”
“Killin’?” Whiny voice asked. “If there’s any killin’ to be done, it’ll be us.”
“Shite.” The deeper voice sounded closer. “Doesn’t matter. Dracus Fina said to kill any Daryk Ones we found. Less to worry about later when war comes.”
“We aren’t at war now?” Eryk asked. “Could have fooled me.”
The sound of two blades leaving scabbards came to her ears. She flinched. The men’s voices receded, as if they’d stepped closer to the mouth of the cave.
The whiny man said, “Step outside and we’ll talk about why we shouldn’t kill you.”
A second later she heard the clash of metal against metal. She flinched and pushed against the cave wall as if she could melt into it. Fear grew large, surging up her throat.
Swords clashed again, men grunting and straining in battle piercing her ears. Her breath rasped in her throat. Magon, help me.
Then she heard a sound she didn’t expect.
Low, throaty and threatening. An animal’s warning to anyone who dared cross his path.
A man’s scream tore through the cave. Gruesome. Sharp and filled with terror. She couldn’t stand it. Mia looked around the corner. Bloody gore littered the cave entrance. A dragon tore a man’s leg from his already dead body. Eryk lay on the ground several feet from the dragon and his meal.
Eryk didn’t move.
Her stomach felt hollow, her heart scored by a sensation both powerful and horrible. She couldn’t imagine him without life coursing through that powerful body. The dragon looked up. Unlike the other dragon they’d seen in the jungle, this one was almost beautiful. An explosion of blue, red and green stripes cascaded over the animal. Its wings were small. She doubted it could fly with them. Sharp talons tore at flesh as it ate, its thin, pointed head filled with razor-sharp teeth.
A strange calm came over her. She knew what she had to do, even though she hadn’t performed this feat in a long time. Not since she’d paid the consequences all those years ago. What choice did she have?
The dragon lifted its head and stared at her with the chilliest, most lifeless eyes she’d seen. It gulped the last chunk of flesh and her stomach flipped with disgust. She held up her right hand and concentrated. The horror inside her threatened to undo her but she took a deep breath. She concentrated, tried to reach into the dragon’s small mind and twist it to her bidding. She pushed hard to enter the reptile’s skull and fell into the murky instincts that ran the primitive creature’s brain. She calmed the animal’s rage and bloodlust, its desire to feed fading as she soothed it.
“Leave us,” she said out loud.
The dragon backed away and left the cave, its grisly meal strewn along the cave opening. As the dragon retreated she dropped to her knees. Weakness threatened but she rose to her feet and hurried to Eryk. Blood stained the side of his head and his eyes were closed. She dropped to her knees beside him. The steady rise and fall of his chest assured her that he lived. Still, he could be seriously injured. She had to work on him quickly.
“Eryk, can you hear me?”
She touched the side of his head that wasn’t bloodied and closed her eyes. Again she directed her thoughts, her life, her energy toward him. Energy flowed from her fingertips in a tingling rush that spilled into him and created a halo of light across his body.
He gasped and bolted upright as his eyes flew open. He grabbed her wrist and the pain made her yelp.
“Eyrk!”
He released her immediately as his eyes focused. “What the…” He leapt to his feet, his gaze wild as he took in the situation. “Draconus!”
She stood on wobbly legs. “Wait, it’s not complete.”
“What isn’t? What the hell happened?”
“One of those men must have hit you.”
“No, the dragon came in and attacked Dougreg. Morgreem ran.” He rubbed the back of his neck and winced. “The dragon clipped me with its tail.”
Discomfort creased his forehead. She reached up and cupped his cheeks. Energy flowed easily and swiftly from her fingertips into his abused skull. He groaned as her healing light suffused his body. Hot tears burned her eyes as the pain in his head transferred to her. She sagged against him, grabbing onto his tunic as his arms went around her.
“What happened?” He held her up. “Are you injured?”
She sighed in relief as his pain extinguished. But the contact didn’t break one hundred percent and a new feeling rushed through her body in a wave. She felt as if she might burst into a thousand pieces of light. She needed…she needed to run. She tore from his arms started for the cave entrance, the energy bouncing within her delightful. When was the last time she’d felt so incredible? This certainly hadn’t happened to her the last time she’d healed someone in secret at the Scribe school. Usually she was drained. Damaged by her own ability to take on another’s pain.
Eyrk glared at the sight, his mouth popping open. “What in the million levels of hell…”
Power surged from her and Eryk’s pack on the floor begin to spin, spin. “No.”
The pack spun faster, tossing items onto the cave floor.
She headed for the cave entrance again, almost certain she understood what was wrong. “I must leave. I have to get out—”
“No!” He grabbed Mia and pulled her into his arms again. “You can’t go out there. Stop.”
She struggled in his hold for a moment, eager to experience the power of her renewal. She felt better than she had in ages but also out of control. Prickly. Willing to do things she wouldn’t have before. But then new feelings caught hold.
Lush pleasure pulsed to life in her groin, sending arousal to every corner. Her lower belly warmed as her pussy clenched. Her nipples beaded. The contact consumed him at the same time it did her. His eyes flamed, turned red. She gasped half in fright and half in amazement. Eryk pushed his hips against hers and his thick erection was a long, hot bar against her belly. She shivered as unwanted pleasure traveled from her loins to the rest of her body. Beyond even the sensual pleasure, she felt a burgeoning strength from his touch. Astonishment held her motionless.
She tilted her head back and sighed as a bright, hot pleasure started to pulsate in her groin. Magon, it felt so good.
“No.” He rasped the word as he jerked back from her. “What did you do to me? How did you move that pack?”
“Healed you. Moving objects is something I can do sometimes, but it is mostly out of my control.” Her voice sounded throaty, thick with desire, but the relentless energy that had gripped her moments ago dropped away. “I drove the dragon away and then healed your head wound. It wasn’t serious but—”
Daryk Warrior Page 3
