He jerked awake, jumping to his feet, sword drawn, his hand clenched tightly around the handle. Kathryn’s cry seemed to echo in the air around him. He was painfully aroused, his erection pulsing heavily.
“A dream.” He shook himself, stumbling over to the table and pouring himself a cup of water. “It was only a dream.” He downed it in one gulp.
A strange scent caught his attention and he raised his hand to his nose.
“Impossible.” He sniffed again and sure enough, the smell of musk, honey and flowers drifted up from his fingers. His cock flexed and he swore, loosening the ties of his pants to alleviate the pressure.
He shook his head and raked his waist-length brown hair back from his face. “It’s all the thoughts of Christina and Jarek that made me dream of the tapestry.” The hairs on the back of his neck were warning him of danger but he couldn’t see anything out of place in the room.
He lowered his sword, placing it back in the scabbard at his side. It was only then that he realized he was no longer wearing his vest. He glanced around the room but it was nowhere to be seen.
* * *
Kathryn cried out, bolting upright in the bed. A large hand covered her mouth, drowning out most of her scream as the light on her bedside table came on. Tienan and Logan, both looking disheveled, were seated on either side of her, concern in their eyes.
Tienan slowly lowered his hand. “Are you all right?” Her eyes darted around the room, assuring her that there was no one else beyond the three of them here. “I’m fine. It was just a dream.” Logan gave a rough chuckle. “Dreams can be pretty powerful things.” He shifted on the bed and it was then she noticed his erection. She took a quick peek at Tienan and noted he was in the same condition. Her own body pulsed and ached and she could feel liquid release between her thighs. It had been one heck of a realistic dream.
It was only then that she realized that the straps of her gown were down around her elbows, exposing her breasts and the bottom of it was bunched around her waist.
Thankfully, the blankets were covering her but her shoulders were still bear. Both men were watching her carefully and she could see the heat of arousal in their eyes.
She cleared her throat. “Yes, they can. Sorry if I woke you.”
“That’s okay. I was dreaming too but it ended abruptly.” Tienan’s gaze narrowed as the cover slipped down one arm. “What the hell is that?” He grabbed the blanket and shoved it aside.
Kathryn cried out and tucked the cover around her exposed breasts. “What is the matter with you?”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Logan’s soft words were tinged with anger and sadness. She glanced at him but he was looking at her arm.
She swallowed hard, realizing that the bruises from today’s interrogation were fully visible. They were even worse than earlier—dark and ugly. “It’s nothing.”
“I’m going to kill him.” There was no need for either of them to ask who Tienan meant. They all knew that General Caruthers was responsible.
“No.” Reaching out, she cupped his face in her hands. “That’s suicide and I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” She looked at Logan. “To either of you.” Letting out a rough breath, Tienan rested his forehead against hers. “I cannot let him live. I have sworn to protect you. You risked everything for me, for us.”
“You can let him live. For now, anyway. All that matters is finding a way for all of us to escape the city and get beyond the Gate.”
“All of us?” Logan sat very still beside her.
Releasing Tienan, she turned to him, licking her lips. She had the weirdest feeling that she knew what his kiss would taste like, what both their kisses would taste like.
That was one heck of a realistic dream she’d had. Forcing it to the back of her mind, she focused on the task at hand—keeping all of them alive.
“All of us. I can’t stay here. Not now.”
“There is no safety for you beyond the Gate.” Tienan took her hand, wrapping his fingers around hers. “You should stay here.”
Kathryn shook her head. “I’d rather die out there, than stay in here and be party to more atrocities.”
Logan started to protest but she held up her hand. “My mind is made up. Either I go with you or I go alone.”
“With us,” Tienan declared. “You will not be alone.”
“Okay then, it’s time to try to get some sleep.” She tugged at the straps of her gown, pulling them back into place. Reaching down, she pushed the fabric back over her torso and legs. Her hand hit something and she frowned as she dragged it from under the covers. “What the heck?” A large, leather vest emerged from beneath the blankets, held tight in her grasp.
Logan frowned and then his eyes widened. “The dream.”
“What do you mean?”
Tienan’s eyes narrowed and he scowled at the garment before shooting Logan a look that she couldn’t interpret. “We’ll talk more in the morning. Now is not the time.” Logan nodded once and then turned out the light, plunging the room back into darkness. She expected both men to return to their pallets on the floor. Instead, they stretched out on either side of her in a protective barrier.
Kathryn pulled the vest close to her chest and inhaled the masculine scent. She had no idea how it had gotten in her bed. Maybe it actually belonged to either Tienan or Logan. She didn’t think so, but then, she didn’t know what was in the knapsack they’d brought with them when they escaped.
Had she found it in the attic and brought it down with her? She was so distracted these days that anything was possible. Maybe she’d wanted the fictional Marc to be real, so she’d used this prop to try to imagine it.
Yes, that must be it. Her emotions and thoughts were all a muddle the past few days and that was no surprise. The stress and tension must be getting to her worse than she thought. Still, she pulled the leather close to her heart before she snuggled beneath the covers. With her protectors on either side of her, she slept.
Chapter Three
As he strode down the steps to the great hall for breakfast the next morning, Marc was still unsettled by the realistic dream from the night before. He could feel the smoothness of feminine skin beneath his fingers, taste her sweet lips and smell the perfume of her arousal. “Kathryn.” He whispered her name, savoring the sound of it.
He hadn’t slept much last night, instead tossing and turning as he relived every single moment he’d spent with her over and over again. His cock began to stir and he groaned. He’d been forced to give himself some relief during the night but it certainly hadn’t helped beyond the moment. He was still aroused and hungry.
The only problem was that the woman he wanted was only a figment of his dreams.
He still hadn’t found the missing vest but was trying not to dwell on it. Maybe he’d taken it off before he’d fallen asleep in the chair and a servant had sneaked in and taken it to be cleaned. That was the logical explanation. He had several vests, so there was no need for him to be concerned. It had been a dream. Nothing more. The tapestry had already been here twice in this generation and that was one more time than was normal.
Wanting his dream woman to be true did not make her so.
Although he still didn’t understand why there had been two strange men in the dream. If he’d had his way, he’d have been alone with her. But, dreams were what they were. The men had probably been there because, in Javara, no man had a woman to himself, so he expected to share her. That was enough of an explanation to suit him for now.
Jarek was already seated in his customary chair at the head of the family table, which was on a slightly raised dais with all the other tables perpendicular to it. Extra tables had been added for the three-day feast. Last night was just the beginning. There would be competitions and food aplenty for the next two days.
Christina spotted him first as she placed a large platter of food on the table and waved him over. “Come sit and talk with us.”
He strode toward her and offered her a smile. “Good morning.”
Bending down, he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. Sliding into the seat beside hers, he helped himself to a slice of the thick, brown bread and slathered it with honey. He wasn’t really hungry but knew that not to eat was to invite unwanted questions.
“I’ll just help Mara in the kitchen.” Christina shot him a worried look before hurrying off. He knew then that there was no escaping the coming confrontation with his brother.
“Marc,” Jarek began. “You have not been happy these past months.” He stared at Jarek, trying to figure out a way to explain how he felt that would not make his brother feel responsible in any way. Jarek was dressed as he was, in leather pants, boots and vest. They both wore thick bronze arm and wristbands and a four-foot sword sat in a scabbard at their waists. They were similar in build but their coloring was different. Jarek’s hair was black, while his was dark brown. His brother’s eyes were brown, while his were more golden in color. But the differences were more than just physical. In the past six years, Marc sensed a deepening contentment in his brother that had not existed before Christina came into his life. He was happy for his brother but he felt a growing restlessness inside himself.
“I have not been unhappy,” he began.
Jarek slammed his fist down onto the table in a rare show of temper. The plates and cutlery all shook and clattered and Marc had to grab the cup in front of him to keep it from falling over. “You are my brother. Do you think I do not know that you are feeling restless and unsettled? Do you think I have not noticed that it has been a year since you sought out Christina and our bed?”
Marc shook his head, setting the cup back on the table before facing Jarek. “I cannot.” It was as simple and as complicated as that. “I do not belong there. Christina is yours. She has always been yours.” He held up his hand to silence his brother. “Do not deny what is the truth. Christina has feelings for me but they are the feelings a woman has for a brother, not a lover. Everything was fine at first but changed when she gave birth to Baron. We both know he is my son.” The boy’s coloring was exactly as Marc’s—
brown hair and golden eyes.
The words Marc had never spoken were now there in front of them. Jarek sighed and nodded. “I know,” he whispered softly. “But he is the son of my heart. He is mine.” Marc nodded, forcing himself not to rub his chest as the old ache arose. “I know but I will not have another child I cannot claim.”
He heard a stifled cry behind him and whirled around in his seat. Christina stood there, her hand over her mouth, her face white. “Christina.” He pushed out of his chair and came to his feet, taking a step toward her. “There is nothing for you to be concerned about.”
“Nothing for me to be concerned about?” She repeated his words back to him, a frown forming on her face as she fisted her hands by her side. “How can you say that? I know you’ve been unhappy for such a long time now. How can I make it better?” His heart began to pound heavily in his chest. How he adored this woman. In fact, he loved her, but not in the way he had when she’d first arrived. Now he knew she was his brother’s woman. Surprisingly, he’d come to terms with it quite easily. It didn’t make being alone any easier but it was what it was. None of them could change how they felt.
“Come here.” He opened his arms to her and she gave a small cry before flinging herself into them. Closing them around her, he hugged her tightly, lowering his head so he could whisper in her ear. “You cannot change the fact that you love Jarek. No,” he held her in his grip when she started to pull away. “It is the way it is supposed to be, Christina. You were never mine.” He paused. “Well, maybe you were mine for a few months but that is all. And now the way I love you is different. I know you understand.”
This time when she pulled away, he let her. Her blue eyes were luminous with unshed tears and one of them trickled down her cheek. She dashed it away with the back of her hand. “I don’t know what to do.”
“There is nothing to do. I want you and Jarek to be happy. You have three healthy, beautiful children and you will have more. You will raise them and I will be their doting uncle.” He offered her a smile before looking over her head at his brother.
Jarek was watching them, concern etched on his face but Marc sensed the resignation as well. Good. He wanted them both to accept his feelings and embrace their life together without worrying about him.
A noise drifting in from the entryway had him stepping in front of Christina to shield her from whoever was coming. The guests had set up large, ornate tents in the courtyard for their comfort and privacy, as the castle could not accommodate all of them. The voices became distinct as the Bakra brothers and their wives came into view, followed closely by the Fairmount brothers. The day was starting and the guests were arriving for breakfast. The quiet family time was over.
“I’ll go tell Mara we need to start serving our guests.” He turned his head but Christina was already on her way to the kitchen.
Appetite gone, he shot his brother a look.
“Give her time. This situation is not easy on any of us.” Jarek rose from his seat to meet his guests. “She feels as if she has failed us somehow.” Pain shot through Marc. “There is no need for her to think that. This is no one’s fault.”
Jarek nodded. “I know. But that does not make it any easier on any of us.”
“I’m going riding. I’ll be back in time for the competitions later.” With that, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, calling a greeting to his friends and their wives as he left.
He went straight to the stables and saddled his horse. Man and beast were as one as they galloped over the countryside but no matter how far they ran, a growing restlessness filled Marc. Something was coming but he didn’t know what. He could feel it in his bones.
By the time he returned, the courtyard was filled with men and women enjoying the various skills competitions that had been set up as entertainment. Many of the men called to him, taunting him good-naturedly as he strode into the castle. His brother was engaged in a sword fight but made quick work of his competition when he saw Marc.
Saluting his fallen opponent, he accepted the congratulations of the men around him.
Marc knew his brother would be close behind him, so he took the stairs two at a time and hurried to his room. He just needed a moment alone before he joined the crowd. He’d barely shut the door behind him when there was a low tap. It couldn’t be Jarek. His brother wouldn’t bother to knock.
“Come,” he called as he plucked a leather thong off the mantle and began to wrap it around his hair at the nape. He needed it out of the way if he was going to compete.
The door was pushed open and Christina stood just outside, a tray in her hands. “I thought you’d be hungry. You didn’t eat much breakfast.” She looked beautiful as always, with her waist-length blonde hair flowing free and a dark blue gown clinging to every curve. As a man, Marc could appreciate her beauty but it no longer did anything for him sexually.
“Thank you.” He motioned her inside, not liking the way she hesitated. “There is no need for you to knock at my door, Christina. You are always welcome.” She gave him a tiny smile and came forward, placing the tray on the table in front of the fireplace. “We’re okay, aren’t we?” She shifted from one foot to the other and plucked unconsciously at the lacing on her dress.
Hair tied back, Marc came forward and cupped her face in his hands. Christina had a beautiful spirit. His brother was a very lucky man. “Yes.” He kissed her forehead.
“There is nothing to be concerned about.”
He knew his brother was standing in the doorway watching them. Raising his head, he nodded slowly. Jarek nodded back. They knew that everything had changed but they would be fine. They were family.
“What’s this?” Christina pulled away from him and walked over to the end of the bed. She gasped and began to sway. “No, it can’t be.” He could hear the horror in her voice as he rushed toward her.
Marc reached her side just a step ahead of Jarek. A dus
ty bundle sat atop the fur coverings of his bed. He put his hand out.
“Don’t touch it,” she yelled before burying her face against her husband’s chest.
“It’s the tapestry.”
“Impossible.” Marc picked up the fabric and shook it out. “It’s probably just an old tapestry from the castle. Although I don’t know why it’s here.” His voice tapered off as the image came into view. Before his very eyes, the tapestry changed, the dust disappeared and the jewel-toned colors became crisp and sharp. Castle Garen was easily recognizable, along with the lone man standing in front of it. Him.
“Marc?” He could hear the edge of terror in his brother’s voice. Asking the question none of them dared to speak aloud. Had the tapestry come to take Christina away?
“Get her away from here.” Marc strode to the far end of the room, his eyes still fixed on the tapestry, which was changing again. He could hear Jarek and Christina calling to him but their words were lost as he became enthralled with the piece of fabric in his hands.
The image distorted and the castle disappeared, replaced by a large home unlike anything he’d ever seen. It was made of wood and brick and didn’t look very sturdy to his eyes. The image was dark and the world around it a dangerous place. In the center of the fabric was a woman. But not just any woman.
Her. His woman. The woman from his dreams.
Her red hair was tucked into some kind of knot but the color shone through. The longer he stared at the tapestry, the more sharply it came into focus. Her eyes were a brilliant green and he could see the intelligence in them. Her skin was flawless and her lips begged to be kissed.
A low growl came from the back of his throat as the figures of two men coalesced beside her. The men from the dream. The men who wanted her as much as he did. No!
No one could want her as much as he did.
“Take me to her,” he ordered the tapestry before holding it close to his heart. Jarek stood in front of Christina, sword drawn, ready to fight. He could have told his brother there was no need to worry. The tapestry had not come for Christina.
Threads of Destiny t-4 Page 3
