Not waiting for her to answer, he skimmed a hand down until it came to rest on her flat belly. He gently kneaded the soft skin of her lower belly, and he met her eye once more.
“Even if it weren’t for our love, the matter would have been decided as soon as I read the part of the prophecy saying that I had planted my seed in your womb. You don’t seriously think I will ever let you go do you? I wouldn’t have before, but now that I know you are carrying my child, no force on this earth could convince me to let you go.”
Tears rolled down Eleta’s cheeks, and she laughed as her joy swelled and overflowed. “I never dreamed I would ever be this happy,” she sighed. “All those years while I was training for my mission, I thought I would hate you when we met. I dreaded giving my body to you. I never dreamed that I would love you or that it was even possible to feel so much joy.”
Rafe returned his attention to her plump breasts, caressing them in his heated palm as he smiled down at her. “What kind of training did you undergo?” he asked softly.
Eleta blushed hotly and turned her face into the crook of his neck. She nibbled her bottom lip, wishing she had been more careful of her words.
“Eleta,” he prompted with a low growl. “Tell me about your training.”
His commanding tone sent shivers of excitement down her spine. It reminded her of all the ways he had commanded her the previous night. He pinched one of her nipples hard enough to make it throb, and he held her startled gaze. “Tell me about your training,” he repeated.
When Eleta answered, her voice was low and shy. “I had to learn how to seduce you. I had tutors who taught me all about seduction and how to please you. They insisted I dress in seductive clothing so that I could overcome my inhibitions, and I had to practice with props and toys to perfect my technique. They were most thorough. The sensual arts have been the primary focus of my education for the past several years,” she said, trailing off uncertainly and refusing to meet his eye. She felt humiliated and hoped he wouldn’t think too badly of her.
She was startled when Rafe chuckled. He snared her surprised gaze and raised a teasing brow. He parted her thighs with his hand and began to boldly explore her womanly flesh. She was swollen and dripping with fluid. He chuckled as he caressed her knowingly.
“That explains a lot,” he said with a satisfied grin. “Ever since I met you, I have wondered how a supposedly innocent virgin knew so much about how to please me. And when you took me into your mouth last night…I’ve never had anyone give me that kind of pleasure. Remind me to properly thank your tutors.” Seeing her blush again, his grin deepened. “They have been most thorough in seeing to your education, and for that I will be forever thankful. And it’s obvious that you were a very gifted student.”
“Rafe,” she groaned. “You are so naughty!”
He merely chuckled again and began nuzzling her breasts. “Oh, and remind me to also give my compliments to your tailors. They deserve credit for showcasing your beauty so well.” He nipped at her lush curves and ran his tongue around her nipple, smiling when she arched to try to get him to suckle her breast. “Your clothing revealed the perfect amount of flesh to have me panting at your heels. I don’t think I ever admitted to you, but when we first met, I was dying to know what colour these were,” he recalled as he brushed a thumb over one nipple with an even broader grin.
“Really?” she asked with a laugh. “You must have seen hundreds of naked women. What was so special about me?”
“Everything.”
The stark sincerity in his eyes and voice touched her deeply. She swallowed against a lump in her throat and caressed his cheek.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Rafe’s grin was positively wicked, and he waggled his brows suggestively. “I know.”
He took her breast into his mouth and suckled deeply as he began to knead her bottom. Eleta could feel the ridge of his erection pressing against her lower belly. She moaned and arched her back, offering him better access. After paying homage to both breasts, Rafe straightened and flashed her a lusty smile.
“Now, my little seductress, show me what else you learned in school.”
Eleta couldn’t help but laugh, but she sighed with feigned exasperation. “Aren’t you ever satisfied, my wolf?”
“Never,” he growled. “I hunger for you constantly, and I can never have enough of you, my love.”
He proceeded to show her the truth of his words, while she proceeded to show him a few more of her techniques. The rest of the morning was passed in temporarily appeasing both of their appetites.
Their lovemaking had never been more enjoyable. Now, their passion was infused with honesty, commitment, and hope for the future. No more lies or secrets stood between them. Their mutual love was confirmed by every kiss and caress. Each of them gave of themselves completely and thus received complete joy and fulfillment in return.
They possessed one another’s bodies and relinquished their hearts into each other’s keeping. When they finally reached the top of the mountain, they leapt into the flames together. They drifted into a sound sleep, riding the waves of bliss as they lay tangled together, replete with their love.
Chapter Fourteen
The Duke of Livius and his three hired henchmen entered the lodge on silent feet. With flintlock pistols drawn, they quietly searched the lower rooms, seeing evidence that someone had recently used them, but no sign of Queen Eleta or the Duke of Argyle. Motioning for even greater silence, they made their way upstairs. After searching the rooms closest to the stairs, Livius finally opened the door at the end of the hall, and he had to stifle an angry roar at the sight that greeted him.
The queen and the duke lay entwined in the middle of a massive bed. The covers had been pushed away. They were both naked and sound asleep. The duke lay on his back, and the queen was sprawled across his chest, with one arm around his waist and one ivory thigh resting intimately across his loins. One of the duke’s hands was cupped around her bottom, and his fingers rested between her thighs. The air was thick with the musky smell of recent sex.
Livius seethed, greedily examining every inch of the queen’s naked body. The insides of her thighs were slightly chafed. She had undoubtedly been ridden hard and often recently. Her bottom and the backs of her upper thighs bore several welts, obviously from a recent whipping. He scanned the room and saw a broken riding crop lying near the bed. He also noticed strips of red velvet tied to the headboard and the two posts at the foot of the bed. He could easily make out reddened marks around the queen’s wrists and ankles, and he wanted to howl in fury. How dare the little whore allow his enemy to debauch her so thoroughly! That was his job, as her future husband.
He would have his revenge. He would humiliate and debase her in every possible manner. He would torture her until she broke. By the time he was finished, she would be crawling on her knees, begging for him to stop.
He glanced at Justin and the other two men he had brought with him. They were standing beside him, enjoying the sights just as much as he was.
The duke’s eyes began to glow as an evil thought occurred to him. He fully intended to kill Argyle, but it might be fun to make him watch while Livius and his men gang raped the queen. Since she had already behaved like a shameless slut, there was no reason not to make her perform like one for others. He motioned for Justin, and waited until the other man had pointed his pistol at Argyle’s head before he cleared his throat loudly.
Rafe and Eleta came awake with a start, and Rafe would have leapt up, but Livius stopped him by pointing his own pistol at the back of Eleta’s head.
“Don’t move, Argyle!” Livius snarled.
Rafe froze and clutched Eleta to his side. He tried to protect her from the men’s lustful stares, but he couldn’t help that her backside was fully exposed. Eleta trembled in his arms.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Rafe demanded with a dangerous growl.
“What am I doing here?” Livius laughed, but the sound
held no humor. “I think the question should be what are you doing here with my betrothed?”
“Get out! We can discuss this when we are all suitably dressed,” Rafe ordered firmly.
Livius shook his head and grinned with evil delight. “What do you think, boys? Should we let my betrothed get dressed, or do you like her just the way she is?”
Justin was quick to answer with a lustful grin. “No, your Grace. She’s perfect just the way she is. You can plainly see that Argyle has been fucking her long and hard, so surely she’s not shy. Let us enjoy the view.”
The other two henchmen spoke up, emphatically agreeing that they preferred her in her natural state of enticing nudity. Eleta’s skin crawled beneath the lustful perusal of the four men standing around the bed. She buried her face in the crook of Rafe’s neck, and he growled his displeasure. He tried to hook the quilt with his foot to offer Eleta some protection, but one of the henchmen pulled it off the bed and tossed it aside.
“Get out!” Rafe roared.
“You don’t give the orders around here. I do!” Livius jerked his head toward his other two hired henchmen. “Seize him!”
Rafe fought them as they tried to haul him up. The three men were large and heavily muscled, but Rafe was the more skilled man in a fight. One of the henchmen pointed his pistol at Rafe, only to have it knocked aside. A shot rang out, and a small hole appeared in the wall beside the fireplace.
Rafe continued to fight, and he may have been able to win his freedom, except Livius grabbed Eleta as she tried to flee the bed. He held her on her knees on the bed, with her back against him, his arm around her neck, and his pistol aimed at her temple.
“Enough! Stop, or I’ll shoot the little slut!” Livius roared.
Rafe, and all three of his attackers froze. Rafe and Eleta locked gazes, and his eyes sent her a silent apology as the three henchmen lewdly ogled her body.
Her skin glowed in the sunlight streaming through the windows. The fire had long since burned down to embers, leaving a definite chill in the room. Her nipples reacted accordingly, standing erect and dark pink atop the lush globes of her breasts. Her breasts heaved with her agitated breaths, and the men’s eyes greedily watched every quiver.
The moments stretched out interminably, and Eleta finally let out a frustrated screech and tried to pull free. Livius held her firm against him.
She would normally have broken free using one of the many maneuvers she had learned to defend herself. However, it was more difficult with a pistol pointed at her own head, and another one at Rafe’s. If only she could convince Livius to release her, Rafe might also have a chance to get loose from his captors, especially since the bulk of the men’s attention was focused on lewdly ogling her.
“You’ve had your fun, now let me go Livius!” she ordered imperiously.
Instead he gave an evil chuckle. “No, your Majesty! My fun is just beginning. You see, I don’t like being made to look like a fool. I haven’t spent months bowing and scraping to win your favor just so you could behave like a little slut and allow my enemy to enjoy that which is mine!”
“I am not yours!” Eleta spat furiously, struggling once again to win her freedom.
Livius tightened his hold around her throat, squeezing until she began to see dark spots in her vision. He leaned close and spoke directly in her ear, but his eyes were locked with Rafe’s.
“Of course you are mine!” When Eleta ceased her struggles, he eased his arm slightly, and she sucked in a tortured breath and started to cough. “Your delightful little body has been promised to me since our betrothal. I certainly never intended to share you with Argyle.” Livius assessed her carefully, noting all the various marks that Rafe had left on her body, and his lips compressed in a nasty sneer. “In future, you would do well to remember that you belong to me.”
“I’ll never belong to you,” she croaked, glaring at him. “I’m calling off our betrothal, now that I know what a black hearted devil you are. You have been deceiving me for quite some time, making me think that Rafe was responsible for the terrible raids on my lands, while all the time it was you.”
Livius chuckled with genuine amusement. “Ah yes, the raids. I admit that I have enjoyed watching you fume at my enemy. And of course, it was just an added bonus that I could offer you my assistance in your time of need.”
“You are evil!” Eleta spat, her eyes flashing angry sparks as she glared at him. “You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of my subjects, not to mention the women who have been raped by your men.”
Livius glanced at his three henchmen and laughed. All of their eyes were trained on Eleta’s nude body, and they were practically drooling. Each one of them sported an obvious erection, and one of them was stroking his absently as he watched the proceedings.
Livius chuckled again, and he nibbled at Eleta’s ear and spread open mouthed kisses down her neck. She squirmed, trying to avoid his lips, and that only made him laugh harder.
“Yes, my dear. I do admit that my men have a penchant for rape. In fact, I find it rather amusing myself. And I see no reason not to reward my men for their faithful service.”
Eleta shuddered with revulsion. When she spoke, her voice vibrated with hatred. “You’re worse than an animal. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth!”
Livius looked entirely unaffected by her threat. “Oh yes you will,” he said softly. “You will not only marry me, you will do anything and everything I demand from now on.” He used the tip of his pistol to trace circles around one of her nipples, and she began to struggle again. “If you don’t, I will kill your lover. Is that what you want?”
Eleta instantly went still, and her eyes locked with Rafe’s as she blinked back tears. He was struggling once more against the men holding him, but Justin cocked his pistol and pressed it to his temple. Rafe gave a frustrated howl and froze once more. Once again, Rafe’s eyes met hers, and his were beseeching.
“Don’t listen to him, Eleta. He’s going to kill me anyway.”
Eleta felt an eerie calm settle over her as she stood there naked and vulnerable. She couldn’t let them kill Rafe, no matter what it cost her. A faraway look settled on her features. It was as if she raised a shield over her thoughts and emotions. She took a deep breath and relaxed in the duke’s arms. She no longer struggled. In fact, she leaned back against her captor in a submissive pose.
Eleta looked calmly over her shoulder at Livius. “If I agree to go through with the wedding, will you let Rafe go?”
Rafe began to protest bitterly, but she ignored him as she and Livius stared at one another. Rafe began to struggle once more until Livius cocked his own pistol that he held to Eleta’s head.
“Be still, or she dies,” Livius said without emotion and without looking away from Eleta.
Rafe immediately froze once again. Livius still held Eleta’s gaze. He gave her an evil grin.
“You don’t understand, my dear. The stakes have changed. It’s not enough for you to agree to marry me. Before this, I would have treated you kindly, as a proper husband. I would have given you the respect and deference due to a queen. But now that I know what a dirty little slut you are, you will serve my own pleasure as well as anyone else that I choose to share you with.”
His eyes dropped to her breasts and his grin widened. “I may as well make the best use of your rather extensive talents as a whore. I understand your education in that arena has been quite thorough. As your husband, I will expect complete obedience from you, in absolutely everything.”
He whirled her around in his arms and pulled one of her own arms up high behind her back. She gasped with pain as he pulled it higher still. She was forced to arch her back, thrusting her naked breasts up toward him. Livius eyed her lewdly, but Eleta surprised him by not struggling in the least.
“And if I agree to give you my absolute obedience, will you let Rafe go?” she asked calmly.
Livius grinned with obvious glee and his eyes began to glow with an e
vil light. “Of course, my dear. Agree to marry me and acknowledge that you belong to me completely. Swear to obey me in all things, and I will release your lover. He will be set free and no harm shall come to him. I give you my word of honor.”
Rafe struggled frantically. “Don’t believe him, Eleta! He’s lying! He’s going to kill me anyway!”
Once again, she ignored Rafe’s impassioned plea. “Agreed, your Grace. I shall honor my word just as you honor yours,” Eleta said, raising her chin to a lofty height. “Now release him!”
Livius shook his head as if scolding a wayward child. “Not so fast. First, you have to make me believe that you are ready to do all I command.”
Eleta stretched up to wind her free arm around his neck. She could hear Rafe cursing and yelling, but she ignored him completely. She pressed her body against Livius and kissed him passionately on the lips.
Livius took full advantage, cupping and kneading her bottom while he savored her mouth. Rafe’s captors hooted and made obscene and bawdy comments. This seemed to encourage Livius, and he cupped one of her breasts and tweaked her nipple. Eleta moaned as if she were enjoying his attentions.
Livius broke off the kiss and laughed. He spoke to Rafe but never ceased looking at Eleta or toying with her breast. “I can see you have trained the little whore well, Argyle. Perhaps I should thank you for breaking her so thoroughly to the saddle.”
“Let her go, you bastard! Do anything you want with me, but release her. She is your queen, for God’s sake! Have you no respect or decency?”
Livius chuckled. “Oh no. She forfeited any claim to respect or decency when she decided to play whore for you. And besides, look at her. Clearly, she is enjoying my attentions.”
Eleta was certainly giving every impression that she was responsive to his touch. She had arched her back, thrusting her breast more fully into his palm, and she was moaning with apparent appreciation.
The Fall of The Wolf (Historical Romance) Page 25
