Honor Bound

by Michelle Howard

  “Wait,” she yelled. “There’s more to it than this.”

  Vaan studied her expression. Her mouth turned down at the corner and her lids narrowed. He decided the timing right to give her a lesson for bed play with a Kabanian. “A true bride remains unmoving to allow her warrior to take his pleasure without disruption.”

  She squawked and a fist punched his chest. He reached up and pushed the offending appendage from him. Did she not understand how he honored her by explaining his actions when he fairly shook with need for her?

  “Does she at least get a kiss?”

  Vaan paused. He sensed the sarcasm in her question but considered her words seriously. She wanted to mash her lips to his now? “It serves no purpose. A warrior does not kiss. We will make young without your kisses.”

  Green eyes glared up at him as she stilled. “Fine. Be quick.”

  Vaan hesitated as his blood pulsed through his veins. He could not imagine what he said to anger her, for the glare she aimed up at him made no secret of her feelings. “Agreed.” He harbored no reason to linger over the act. There bed play would get him a strong son. With that though in mind, Vaan thrust his hips forward. Tightness wrapped around him as he slid his toqa deep into her moist channel.

  The cool flesh softened as he worked over her. He’d never bedded a woman that wasn’t hot in her woman’s region. The difference in sensation pleased him. He liked the firm grip she had on his toqa. It reminded him of the times he’d been reduced to taking himself in his fist when no female availed themselves.

  Mikayla kept her eyes closed, her face turned to the side. Her arms rested palms up by her head. Long black hair splayed about her head. The graceful lines of her neck arched on the pillow with his strokes. His woman represented him well with her beauty.

  Vaan braced up on his forearms and grunted. Her breasts bounced with each driving lunge. The sight was too much. He closed his eyes as fire shot up his spine. His sac lowered, sending vibrations from his loins to his toes. With a shout, he released his seed. Shudder after shudder racked his frame until he’d emptied himself in her womb.

  His mate muttered something but Vaan was too far gone to care. He reached beneath the pillow her head rested on and the familiar touch of his dagger reassured him. Vaan let his eyes close as his hand wrapped around the hilt. He’d rest but a moment then mate with his bride again. Need pounded in him and he planned to work off the rest of the heat from the session with his men. After he sated his body’s hunger for her, he’d join the others downstairs to eat and satisfy his physical hunger.

  ***

  Miki pounded the mattress in frustration. Sex was not as she had imagined. She’d almost felt something in the end but he’d finished and fallen asleep. Again. She pushed at his chest and his firm flesh slipped from her core. Miki shivered and wiped at the moisture there. She’d have to bath again before going down to dinner.

  She shoved again at her mate’s heavy form and he rolled to the side, a slight snore escaping. “Arggg,” she growled and climbed from their bed. The covers tangled about his waist but she determinedly kept her eyes to the side.

  Pulling on her clothes, Miki glared at the bed and her mate who’d yet to move. On her way to the door, she spotted his sword. In a moment of pique, she kicked the harness and blade. Brief satisfaction filled her as it skittered along the floor to land half under the bed. Her mate was big and powerful but he could use lessons from a Raasa on how to please a woman.

  Chapter 9

  The first time Mikayla came up behind him and touched his shoulder, he’d grabbed her arm and placed his knife at her throat. When he realized who he held in the dangerous grip, he’d eased his hold.

  She’d taken one look at his blade and squeaked. When he released her, she flushed and wrapped her arms about her waist.

  “S-sorry,” she stammered and lowered her eyes. The toes of one slippered foot twisted in the dirt. Her red tunic sported gold thread trimmed along the edges. The sleeves fell short of her elbows. Argan, who’d been occupied with Marin, approached and reached to grasp the hilt of his sword. Vaan stopped him with a firm shake of his head.

  Vaan tried to fathom a reason for her actions but came up empty. “Is something amiss?” Perhaps, she wished to complain of his Warlords. None treated her as harshly as Kavan had during the circle but they stayed out of the way and ignored her.

  A hint of red tinged her cheeks. She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “All is well.” She hovered a moment longer, leading him to believe she would talk. Finally, she let her arms drop to her side and his eyes followed the full thrust of her breasts. “All is well,” she repeated and fled to the hall.

  Over the next few days, Vaan became used to the unexpected fluttering touches of his bride. The next time she caught him unaware outside while he knelt on the ground with Ramar and Tolan in a competitive game of Dilek. He’d learned to recognize the light fall of her feet on the dry, crackling grass. The sweet smell of the Zanni berries she devoured at morning meal lingered in the air. Vaan stiffened when she reached for the coil of his braid but managed not to draw his weapon. Kneeling on the ground as he did provided easy access for her nimble fingers. She tugged slightly and he realized she unraveled the length and worked it free.

  A muffled gasp sounded over his shoulders as his hair drifted down his back. Vaan held still awaiting her next action. She made no effort to hide her fascination. His skin tingled sending nerves to pull tight as Mikayla scraped his scalp with her nails. His toqa stretched and Vaan rose to his feet. Tolan and Ramar groaned, reading his sudden move correctly. The throb between his legs could not be ignored.

  Her hands fell to her side. She took note of the look in his eyes and tripped backward. Vaan caught her wrist before she could fall.

  “I need to finish helping Assa in the kitchen.” With a determined pull, she freed her hand and once more Vaan watched her flee as if her life depended on it.

  “Her behavior is odd,” Ramar noted as they watched her disappear around the corner of the building.

  Vaan handed the red cubes to Tolan ignoring the rare feelings of regret at her leaving. There would be no bed play if she hid in the kitchen. “Everything the Raasa do is odd to me.”

  Tolan accepted the cubes and rubbed his firm middle. “Odd or no, they have good food.”

  Vaan grunted. His Warlord spoke truth. “You have next play, Tolan.”

  When Mikayla came up beside him at the evening meal, he jerked back as she attempted to give him one of her kisses. Her mouth missed his and brushed along his cheek. He growled low in warning. The thought of having those fangs and her venom so close to his mouth, still made him wary.

  Vaan turned to counsel her on her insistent attempts but his gaze met wounded green pools of hurt and disappointment. Her mouth formed a small frown. The look caused his stomach to tighten but she forced a tremulous smile, nodded at his men at the table and took her leave.

  He spared a moment thinking of Mikayla’s determination to kiss him and shook away his thoughts.

  At night, Mikayla never resisted his bed play. Occasionally, she squirmed beneath him and he had to remind her to hold still with a firm hand at her waist. She glared up at him while he took his pleasure and he found himself closing his eyes to avoid the feelings of guilt he could not explain.

  He’d been with many females and none made him feel as low as his bride did. In an effort to appease her, he tried to finish quickly each time. Despite his brevity and consideration, she often responded with a harmless fist to his shoulders when he rolled off of her.

  ****

  “Something is wrong with the food, Mikayla.”

  As usual, Miki found herself staring at the man she’d mated. Today, he wore his hair loose about his shoulders. It‘s gleaming length tempted. Unable to resist, she reached out and stroked her fingers through a section.

  He jerked away initially but to her surprise, held still, though he watched her with suspicion. The softness caressed her fingertips enc
ouraging her to linger. His eyes lit with an inner fire and Miki’s breath caught.

  The glow suffusing his face reminded her of the expression he wore when he wanted to bed her. She shifted in her seat, her body leaning in his direction. His nostrils flared.

  “Overlord, I will meet you out front.” Argan’s words interrupted the heated moment and Miki reluctantly pulled her hand back.

  Vaan’s gaze broke from hers. “I will join you shortly.”

  Argan gave Miki a brief bow, his expression carefully blank and left the hall.

  The potential tenderness of the earlier moment lost, Vaan aimed a utensil at his food and returned to his conversation. “This does not taste as it did before.”

  Miki spooned fruit into her mouth, avoiding eye contact. Vaan and his Warlords took an inordinate amount of pleasure in the food served. The vegetables received the same treatment and were devoured as fast as the meat the cook prepared. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  His lips curled down and he moved the plate to the side. A quick glance and she realized that the other plates around the table remained half-full. She sucked her tongue and clicked her teeth to keep from laughing. Apparently, the Warlords were not enjoying their food any more either.

  “The taste has changed. It is no longer pleasing.”

  Going in to her second week as a mated woman, Miki determined that she needed to force the issue between them or their True Union was doomed. She couldn’t handle much more of the lack of intimacy with the man who was her mate. The food represented her first effort. “It tastes fine to me.”

  “Something is amiss. You will talk to the cook.” He shot her a glare.

  “Can you give me more to tell her?” Although Miki knew exactly what he found wrong with the food. As of yesterday, she’d told the kitchen workers to prepare basic meals with no seasoning for the Warlords. They shared looks of puzzlement but agreed.

  “It lacks flavor.” Vaan rose to his feet and Miki heard his stomach growl.

  Poor Overlord. “Flavor is frivolous, mate. Food is but fuel for the body and pleasing flavor serves no purpose.”

  He stopped with his back to her. Miki held her breath and waited. But he made no further comment and left to train with his Warlords in the courtyard as he had each day before. Miki finished her fruit and sighed. Her noan came in from the kitchen, his plate piled high with food. It smelled delicious. Clearly, he’d spoken to the cook.

  Miki moved over and he sat beside her. She kissed his wrinkled cheek. “Am I going about this the wrong way, Noan?”

  “The question is what will you do if he resists your efforts?”

  “I don’t know,” Miki sighed. Leave it to her noan to ask the important questions. “It is not too much to ask for my mate to kiss me in greeting each morning tide and again at night. Such small touches create the intimacy that builds the bonds of a True Union.” And Miki craved the intimacy. Wanted the bonds so much, she’d protect it like a snarling tarka wolf if given the chance.

  Eran smoothed a hand down her hair. She soaked up the comforting touch. “Here is a better question. What will you do if he does not?”

  She didn’t understand. She wanted Vaan to get along well with her.

  Eran began to eat his food and chewed carefully. Miki waited. Many times when she was a youngling, he gave her similar deep questions and inevitably paused before offering the answers.

  “If your Overlord conforms to your wishes, are you prepared to be the mate he needs and not just the mate you think you should be?”

  ***

  Argan cornered Vaan as soon as he came outside and headed toward the section of the yard where his Warlords put the men through training. The Raasa agreed to increase their fighting skills once they knew what was on the line. There was a lot of work to be done but they were coming along nicely. “Have you made amends?”

  Vaan looked at him in surprise. “What?”

  Argan rolled his eyes and cursed. “Vaan, have mercy on all of us and make amends with your woman.”

  “We are not at odds.” Vaan thought of the night before and how she’d lay quietly while he took his pleasure of her twice. Things were going well. He just needed to remind workers to seal the window she seemed determined to perch on whenever they took to their room.

  Argan studied him closely and laughed in his face. “You have no idea.”

  At Vaan’s frown, he laughed harder. “Ramar, Tolan, Balal come. Kavan watch the recruits and the others.”

  Vaan tensed as his Warlords came to his side. “Tell our Overlord what you all have noticed in the last two days.”

  “The food is bad.”

  “She punishes us for your actions.”

  Only Balal asked, “has he made amends?”

  “She deliberately ruins the food?” Vaan couldn’t identify the purpose for his mate to do such.

  Tolan took mercy on him. The stocky Warlord was the only one among them who‘d had a bride until the sickness took her. He settled his scarred hands at his waist and shook his head at Vaan. “It is a woman’s weapon. They are weaker and must find ways to grab our attention and hold us to their whims.”

  Vaan tried to recall what he’d done to cause such a reaction. Suddenly, her words when he departed made sense. “She wants kisses. He chuckled, remembering how she used his words against him. But he’d paid her no heed because he hadn’t been able to decipher her meaning. Foolish woman.

  “Kisses?”

  They looked at him askance. “The pressing of lips. Raasa men and women do it as a sign of affection.”

  “She wants to poison you?” Argan reached for his weapon.

  Vaan shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “No. I can not explain.”

  “Is it dangerous for you to give her this…kissing?” Ramar asked.

  Vaan frowned, remembering her explanation. “She says not.”

  “Then make amends. The men are starved. If the evening meal is the same, we will slaughter one of the animals pinned in the back and roast it ourselves.”

  Vaan needed to think on this. He could not have his mate thinking her games brought him to heel. Waving the others off, Vaan motioned Argan to follow. “I will think on this but we need focus on things of more importance.”

  “Agreed.” Argan walked at his side and they stopped next to a familiar Raasa.

  Vaan thought the poor youngling would jump from his skin. “Su-Su, I mean Overlord.” He stumbled over his words and made an awkward bow. The sun beamed on his hairless head. “How may I serve you?”

  “Your name?”

  “It is Elson, Overlord.” Green eyes skittered away from Vaan.

  “Mikayla says you are in charge of the stores. Take us there.” Vaan wanted to know how they were for supplies. His compound in Kaban could feed his compound for a tri-month if under attack. The Raasa holding needed to manage the same if they were to make it their new home.

  They went to a smaller building nestled alongside the main hall. Detailed amber and gold stonework mirrored the main building and a similar red tiled roof graced the top. The youngling used a large metal key worn around his neck and let them in. Vaan admitted to the space being organized. Rows and rows of bagged vegetables lined shelves on both sides of the narrow space. Fruit crated in stacks lined the back wall with handwritten dates. Further in the corridor, meat piled high in the ice box with its glass front doors. “The food is plentiful,” Vaan commented.

  “Yes, Su-Su expects no less. It is my responsibility to account for the food.”

  Argan and Vaan shared a look. If Mikayla maintained her food wares this well, she had an idea of what it took to run a home. It pleased him. “What of the cider?”

  Elson grinned and led them to the back. He pulled a circular ring mounted in a section of the floor. The door lifted to reveal unstable steps and more shelving. Large barrels and jugs filled the space.

  Argan chuckled. “Your Mikayla has it all in order. Not much you could do here.”

  “A
greed.” Vaan helped Elson close the hatch and asked. “What of weapons? Are you this well set?”

  They left the storage building and Elson assured him that the Raasa were accomplished archers. Vaan immediately ordered the guards on the gates to be armed with the bow and arrows. They would never be equal to warriors with swords but this would balance the odds a little in their favor. Elson ran off to communicate Vaan’s wishes.

  “You think to be ready for Thenl?”

  Vaan nodded. “Mikayla says he will return in short for her answer to his demands.”

  “I do not think he will wait.”

  Vaan frowned and headed back to the rough ring they’d created for the men to use for training. Standing on the sidelines while Ramar walked a Raasa through a wrestling move, Vaan considered Argan’s words. “We need to send a scout out. Too much time has passed. I want to know what he is about and if Kaban stands in as bad shape as my bride predicts.”

  “I will send someone this even tide, Vaan.”

  “Do not tell any one and warn the others to keep it from the Raasa as well.”

  “And your bride?” Argan appeared curious.

  “She need not know.”

  ***

  Miki brushed her hair until it flattened and pinned one side up with a silver clip depicting a small flutter bug. Sera, who’d helped her get ready, spun in a circle and threw herself back on Miki‘s bed.

  “Tonight will be so much fun, Su-Su.”

  Miki giggled at Sera‘s theatrics. “I‘m excited, too.” She turned to the side and admired her reflection in the mirror. The dress fit as lovely as ever, displaying the curves of her body nicely. “Do you think he‘ll like it?”

  Sera sat up and perched on the edge of the bed. She tapped her finger against her lip before answering. “The Overlord will love it.”