Dark Warrior

by Alexis Morgan

  "Tell me about her." She tugged Ranulf toward the sofa. "What was her name?"

  "Berta."

  Although he stared down at the polished silver piece in his hand, Kerry had the feeling that he wasn't seeing it at all. He'd obviously loved the woman, and at that moment he was back in his past.

  "How did you meet her?"

  There, that was better. His mouth softened at the memory playing out in his head.

  "Berta was a chieftain's daughter, used to every eligible warrior vying for her hand in marriage. She ran them all in circles, trying to curry her favor."

  She could just imagine his response to seeing other men hovering around the woman he wanted. "Somehow I can't see you putting up with that."

  His chuckle sounded wicked. "I didn't want to stand in line on the chance she'd finally take notice of me. Instead, I ignored her. Her father approved of my suit, so he helped make sure that I was around their home enough so she'd notice that I didn't act like those other lovesick fools. My indifference didn't set well with her, not at all."

  "Obviously the ploy worked."

  "Yeah, it did. We were married as soon as I could make the necessary arrangements."

  "Did she ever figure out what you'd done?"

  "She was smart, my Berta, and fierce. She forgave me eventually. I think the matching bracelets helped."

  Kerry knew better. If his Viking bride had been that strong in her own right, she would have wanted a man whose strength had been a match for her own. Mere trinkets wouldn't have bought the chieftain's daughter's love. Kerry felt an unexpected kinship with the woman who had held Ranulf's heart all those years before.

  "What happened to her?" She had to know.

  His eyes dimmed to a pale gray as he stared down at the necklace. "She died while I was on a raiding voyage with her father."

  He looked up, the blue in his eyes flaring brightly again. "You remind me of her. She was fierce in protecting those she cared about, and didn't tolerate fools well." He startled her when he reached out to fasten the torque around Kerry's neck.

  "Ranulf, I can't wear this…"

  "Not in public, no. There's a chance someone else would recognize it. But here, on my mountain, wear it for me."

  Then he kissed her, burning away all thoughts of his past or their future, leaving only the now— and it was enough.

  Chapter Thirteen

  His hunger for her was flame hot and spicy sweet. Ranulf's arms closed tight around her as he dragged her up onto his lap. She couldn't draw a full breath, but she'd never felt more alive, more real in her life.

  She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him close as he seduced her with a single kiss. There were so many reasons this shouldn't happen, but at that moment she couldn't think past the frenzied heat washing through her. This was no gentle enticement but an all-out assault on her senses, with the battle being waged with touch and taste and scent.

  Skin, she needed her skin on his. Her efforts to rid him of his shirt met with only limited success until he broke off kissing her long enough to peel off the layers that kept them apart. When he pulled her close again, she moaned with the sweet feel of her breasts pressed against the rock-hard muscles of his chest.

  It still wasn't enough, and maybe never would be unless she figured out some Kyth mojo that let her sink into his very being.

  In a surprise move, he flipped her off his lap and onto her back on the sofa, following her down. The pillows cushioned her against his weight, but she wouldn't have cared. Right then, the need for full body contact between them outweighed small concerns like breathing or a few bumps and bruises.

  He tasted desperate as he plundered her mouth. Between kisses he murmured words of desire, of wanting, some in English and some not, but their meaning was clear anyway. Finally, he pushed himself upright long enough to strip her jeans down her legs.

  "I can't wait long enough to take you to my bed," he told her, the flames of desire burning bright in his indigo eyes. His wolfish smile might have frightened a lesser woman, but she was feeling pretty primitive herself.

  "We'll get there eventually," he promised as he shoved his own pants down far enough for his erection to spring free.

  "Take me here, lover. Take me now," she demanded, her body so very ready for his.

  He did as she demanded, burying himself deep inside her in one powerful stroke. The invasion stretched her almost to the edge of pain, but that didn't matter, either. She didn't know where this sense of desperation came from, but they were both feeling it. He rode her hard, bracing his arms on either side of her as he pounded his cock deep inside her again and again.

  She loved the sheer power of her warrior lover. With each stroke he drove her higher and harder until the energy flowing between them burned with crystalline clarity. Then he stroked her just the right way to shatter them both.

  Kerry screamed and thought maybe he did, too, as his climax pulsed and shuddered hot and deep inside of her. He collapsed beside her, all his tension and strength melting away as he held her close.

  Ranulf closed his eyes and cursed himself for a fool. He'd taken Kerry with too much power and too little finesse—not that she was complaining. But he'd also come inside her without protection. They'd have to talk about the possible consequences, but for the moment, he wanted to hold off facing reality as long as possible.

  Kerry stayed tucked in the crook of his arm, her head resting over his heart as he toyed with a strand of her hair. He didn't think she'd fallen asleep, but she was awfully quiet. Finally, he couldn't stand the silence any longer.

  "Are you all right?"

  She lifted her head up high enough to kiss his chin. "I'm more than all right."

  "I didn't wear protection. There wasn't time." The words slipped out. But even if he was too blunt, it was the truth. They'd gone from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. All he'd been thinking about had been claiming her.

  She brushed his hair back from his face with a gentle touch. "I know, but I think we should be all right. If not, I'll deal with it."

  "Alone" was what she meant, as if he'd have no part of any decisions concerning the future of her child—no, their child. He closed his eyes, not wanting her to see the temper burning there. She had no reason to think he'd stick around; he'd told her that from the beginning.

  But he was feeling pretty damn possessive, and not sure he liked the sensation. What kind of father could he be, much less a husband? And if Judith was right about Kerry's imminent role as Grand Dame of the Kyth, the idea of him as Consort was laughable. Most of their kind avoided any contact with him at all. Kerry wouldn't be able to function as their leader if no one trusted her choice of Consort.

  Which brought him back to Sandor. He could just picture the sneaky bastard standing at Kerry's side with a child at their feet. His child. He abruptly rolled off the sofa, tugged his jeans back up, and reached for his shirt.

  "Ranulf?"

  Kerry sounded puzzled rather than hurt by his sudden departure. When he didn't immediately respond, she covered herself with an old quilt he kept on the back of the sofa. He hated the sudden unease in her eyes, as if she'd been embarrassed being naked while he was dressed.

  "I thought I'd fix us something to eat." Piss-poor excuse, but it was the best he could come up with.

  "I see." But she clearly didn't. "I'd like to take a shower, if that's all right."

  Are you in a hurry to wash my scent off your skin, my seed from your body? His fingers dug into the palms of his hands to keep for reaching out to her. "The bathroom is off my bedroom."

  "You don't have a guest room I can use?"

  Son of a bitch, he really had offended her. "Nope. You already know I don't like sharing my space."

  "Then why am I here?"

  She managed to look haughty despite being wrapped up in that old quilt, her hair a mess, and with a good-sized love bite on her neck. But she was like a kitten swatting at a full-grown lion.

  "You're here because it's where
I wanted you to be."

  She marched toward him. "Yeah, right. And that's why you're being so charming right now, you big jerk."

  Her display of temper canceled his out, making him grin. Big mistake. She went on the attack.

  "Okay, Ranulf. I don't know what your problem is, but you brought me here, so deal with it! You kissed me, and that led to what just happened on the sola. We were careless, and that worries you. Fine—I got that. But you need to lose the attitude."

  When she poked her finger at him, she sent a bolt of energy shooting straight at his chest. A lesser being would have found himself flat on his ass on the floor: even he staggered back half a step before he caught himself. The amazing thing was she was totally unaware of what she was doing.

  "Judith was right." He reached out to cradle Kerry's hand with both of his.

  "About what?" At least she didn't try to pull away.

  "You have the same ability she has to use your energy to control Talions."

  She hitched the quilt up higher on her shoulders. "If I have all these secret powers, why haven't they shown up before this? It's not like I haven't met other men who made me mad. You're just better at it."

  He couldn't hold back a grin. "I'm glad you think I'm good at something."

  A wicked gleam sparkled in her eyes as she gave him a slow once-over, pausing for a long time just south of his belt buckle before continuing on. "Oh, I can think of another thing or two you're good for."

  If that look had been any hotter, his jeans would have spontaneously combusted! Maybe eating wasn't such a bad idea. He was going to need to keep up his strength.

  "Go on and shower while I fix us something to eat. Then we'll have that talk you've been nagging about." He gave her the barest hint of a smile so that she'd know he was teasing.

  "All right. Give me half an hour."

  "How do you like your steaks?"

  "Rare."

  "Good choice."

  He couldn't let her walk away without holding her again. She read his intent as clearly as if he'd announced his intentions out loud. And gutsy woman that she was, she met him halfway, letting the quilt fall to the floor. As soon as he touched her bare back, his hands slid south to cup her bottom. If he wasn't careful, they were going to end up right back on the couch.

  It took all his considerable willpower to keep the kiss slow and easy; the embers were merely waiting to be fanned back into a full burn. When he broke away from her, she grinned up at him.

  "Chicken," she teased.

  "I need to keep up my strength if you're going to tempt me with your feminine wiles."

  "All right, old man," she taunted him. "If you need time to rest up for the next round, I'll give you a break. And next time I get to be on top."

  She flung the quilt around her shoulders like a cape, and as ridiculous as it looked, still managed to leave him standing there with his tongue hanging out.

  Passion, anger, resentment, amusement, and desire all spun through him. He was on a roller-coaster ride that was out of control, but he liked it.

  Time to get those steaks defrosting. Then he'd show her just what this old man was capable of.

  "Want to go for a walk?"

  Kerry looked up from the dish she was drying. "I'd love to."

  "As the sun starts to go down it will get chilly. Let me get you something to keep you warm." He grabbed one of his flannel shirts, liking the idea of her wearing something of his.

  She was waiting for him out on the porch. "It really is beautiful up here."

  And she looked so at home there that it hurt. He held out the shirt and tried not to laugh at the way the sleeves hung down to her knees.

  It didn't seem to bother her, though. She rolled them up and then held out her hand, and they walked in peaceful silence until they reached the game trail along the creek. As always, the quiet burble of the water was a balm for the stress of the past few days.

  For the second time in five minutes, Kerry looked as if she wanted to say something but then thought better of it.

  "I can't answer questions if you don't ask them."

  "I don't want to pry."

  He chuckled. "Sure you do. You're just not sure how to go about it."

  "Okay, you caught me—but you must have questions about me, too. Turnabout will be fair play."

  "It's a deal. Ask away."

  She watched the water for a few seconds. "What do you do for a living?"

  He hadn't been expecting that one. "Besides my duties for the Dame, you mean?"

  "Yes. Surely your Talion job doesn't take up all that much of your time."

  "The Dame pays all of her Talions enough to live on, but most of us have other sources of income. I'll never make the World's Richest Men list, but I've done all right with my investments. I also make jewelry to sell. Besides, my needs are simple."

  "Okay, now ask me something."

  "What was your childhood like? I'd like to know more about your family."

  She went from relaxed to rigid in a heartbeat. He instinctively moved closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to his side.

  "I already told you that I was adopted. My parents were unable to have children of their own. By the time they adopted me, they were already in their early forties. I know they did their best to love me, but I don't think they realized how much energy raising a child takes. They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn't have a lot left over for me. It didn't help that I wasn't cuddly, like little kids are supposed to be."

  That hadn't been her fault. Kyth children raised by normal humans had a hard time because of their energy needs. "I bet you were adorable."

  "If you like skinny kids with braces and perpetually skinned knees from doing everything at a dead run, I guess I was."

  "So leaping without looking first isn't a new development in your life." He gave her a gentle squeeze. "I'd love to have seen you back then."

  His words brought a soft smile to her face. "I've got pictures, if you want to see them sometime. And I bet you drove your poor mother crazy with all the mischief you got into."

  He stared off into the trees, searching back across the years for a story to share with her. "My father was a bear of a man, probably outweighing my mother by almost double, but there was no doubt which of them was in charge. She was tough, but what I remember is her laugh. She'd play chase games with me but let me win. Then she'd grab me and we'd tumble to the ground in a fit of giggles and watch the stars in the sky. I miss them both still."

  "Is losing people the worst part of living so long?"

  There were no words to describe it, so he merely nodded.

  "And what's the best part about being around this long?" She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a quick hug.

  It was a time for honesty. "Meeting you."

  Feeling a bit crowded by his own admission, without warning he swung her up in his arms, then stepped onto a large rock in the stream. Kerry squealed but then settled trustingly against his chest as he stepped from stone to stone. Once they reached the safety of the other side, he was reluctant to put her down. To delay that as long as possible, he shifted her around so that he could kiss her.

  He loved the way she melted into his arms. Her mouth softened and then opened, enticing him to deepen the kiss as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  The scent of the surrounding firs mixed with the perfume that was uniquely Kerry. If the day had been only a few degrees warmer, he would have lain her down in the grass and taken her right there. Instead he did an about-face and headed right back across the stream. In his haste he almost slipped, barely keeping them from landing in the water.

  Kerry giggled as he headed straight for his house.

  "What's your hurry?"

  "I want to get back inside… you."

  Her eyes widened, then she kissed him long and hard. He moaned and gently pushed her back against a nearby tree to free up his hands to remind himself
of all his favorite places on her body. "Damn, woman. Keep kissing me like that, and we're not going to make it to the house."

  The little tease nipped his ear. "Would that be a bad thing?"

  "Sorry, babe, but I'm not into bouncing around on this rocky slope, not even with you. It's hard on the knees, not to mention your sweet little ass. I wouldn't want it all bruised up." He gave her bottom a gentle squeeze.

  She kissed her way along his jaw. "That wouldn't be a problem since it's my turn to be on top."

  "That makes it even more important to use my bed. I spent too many nights sleeping on the cold, hard ground when I was a young man to find it romantic."

  "I bet I could make you forget about those nasty rocks." She rocked back and forth, putting pressure right where he'd get the most pleasure out of it.

  "Maybe, but we'll save that little adventure for another day." He slowly lowered her to the ground, loving each second their bodies rubbed against each other. "The house is just over the next rise."

  "I'll race you!" She broke free and took off running.

  He could have easily caught her, but it was more fun to let her win. She stopped on the porch to make sure he was right behind her before she bolted through the door and went straight for his bedroom, shedding her clothing as she ran. He caught a glimpse of a bare breast and a shapely leg before she disappeared around the corner.

  She stole his breath away. Not just with her beauty, but with the way she made him laugh and with the warmth of her touch. There was heaven waiting for him in his bed and he didn't know what he'd done for the gods to grant him such a blessing, but he was boundlessly grateful.

  "Are you coming?" She sounded a little exasperated.

  "Not yet, but we both will be soon enough," he promised and reached for the top button of his shirt.

  When he finally entered the room, he'd stripped off his clothes. She loved the sight of his warrior's body, with all its scars and the jutting arrogance of his thick, powerful arousal making it clear that he was there to claim her in the most elemental way. She wanted it hard and fast and right now.