Vaaden Warriors 1: Rheul

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  "Do you still want me fast and hard?" I asked, giving her a chance to change her mind.

  "Yes."

  With a grin, I gave her exactly what she'd asked for. I plunged into her hard and fast, sliding into her as far as I could go. With each thrust I went deeper and harder, each stroke faster and faster. She cried out as she came, but I wasn't done with her yet. I was enjoying this side of Darcy and wanted to prolong it just a little bit more, even if it was just for another minute or two.

  Her body began to relax, but I kept thrusting into her.

  "Rheul, I..."

  "Rub yourself again."

  Without asking any questions, she reached between her legs and pleasured herself. I could feel the tension coiling through her again and knew her next orgasm would be even bigger.

  "Darcy, I don't think I can wait much longer."

  She whimpered and pushed back against me.

  67

  Gripping her hips with both hands, I plunged into her as deep as I could, triggering her orgasm as well as my own. As we both leaned against the shower wall, panting for breath, I smiled, realizing that I had finally met my perfect match. No one had ever pleased me as much as Darcy, and I doubted anyone ever could.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  68

  Chapter Six

  I didn't get to see Darcy the next day because business called me away, but I was anxiously awaiting the night I would get to lie in her arms again. But before I went to the slave quarters, I stopped by Bastian's for a visit. I hadn't seen my brother in over a week, and I knew he'd noticed my absence.

  Bastian grinned when he opened the door. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten where I live."

  "Ha ha," I said sarcastically. "No, I was just busy."

  "With Darcy?"

  "Not exactly. We had some issues. Truthfully, I barely saw her for a week."

  Bastian frowned and walked into his study. I followed and sank into my favorite chair. I knew I shouldn't have said anything to him because he was going to analyze it, but at the same time I didn't want him thinking I'd fallen in love with my slave. He needed to know his plan hadn't worked.

  "What happened?"

  "We just had some issues to work through."

  "But things are all right now?"

  I shrugged. "They seem to be."

  "Maybe everything will be fine," Bastian said, trying to look optimistic.

  "Maybe. Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and see how you and Enid were doing."

  "We're fine. Enid's upstairs sleeping."

  69

  I frowned. "Already? Isn't it kind of early?"

  "She takes naps throughout the day. Being pregnant takes a lot out of her. The doctor assured me that it's perfectly normal."

  "Well, tell her I stopped by and said hello."

  "I will." Bastian rubbed a hand across his chin. "You know, your slave might just be feeling insecure."

  "What?"

  "She might be insecure. Maybe if you told her how you felt about her, it would change things."

  I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

  "Tell her that you care about her, you idiot."

  "Who said I care about her?"

  "You wouldn't have made her that ridiculous promise if you didn't. Much less plan to honor it. Just tell her that you care about her and see what happens."

  "Do you really think that will help?"

  Bastian nodded.

  "I'll try it and see. Assuming she isn't a shrew when I walk in the door."

  "Maybe you should wear body armor before you go to see her."

  I laughed and shook my head. "That might not be a bad idea."

  I took my leave, deciding I might as well get my visit to Darcy out of the way. The sooner I saw her, the sooner I would know what she was thinking and how she would react to me being away. And if things didn't go well, I still had Moira for a few more days.

  70

  "Darcy, I'm back," I called out as I walked in the door.

  She walked into the living room from the bedroom, her eyes rimmed in red and her face splotchy.

  I walked to her and wrapped my arms around her. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

  "You were gone."

  My shoulders sagged in relief. She'd been upset about my absence, but otherwise seemed fine. That was a good sign. "I had some business to take care of. I told you I couldn't always be here."

  She looked up at me, and I now knew for sure she'd been crying. I felt bad that I hadn't gotten word to her that I would be gone. She leaned into me and held onto my shirt as if she needed the extra support. I wasn't sure she was going to let go so I lifted her into my arms.

  Carrying her into the bedroom, I sat on the edge of the bed and held her. "I'm sorry I worried you," I said softly, stroking her hair.

  "I thought you'd gone back to the other slave."

  "No, Darcy. I just had some things I had to do. I can't stay here all the time. I told you that before."

  She nodded and buried her face against my chest. "That doesn't stop me from wishing things could change."

  Well, this was completely different from before. Once again, she had thrown me for a loop. But I had to say, I preferred this Darcy to the other one. I just wasn't sure how to keep this one around. Maybe Bastian's idea would work.

  I tangled my hand in her hair and tilted her head back so that she was looking into my eyes. "Darcy, I'm not going to 71

  leave you. Haven't I already shown you that I care about you?"

  Her breath caught in her throat. "You do?"

  I nodded and kissed her gently. "Yes, I do.

  "Rheul," she whispered. "I care about you, too."

  I watched a tear slip down her cheek.

  "I... I think I might..."

  I lifted a brow, waiting on her to continue.

  "What is it, Darcy? Just tell me. Remember what I said before?"

  She nodded. "I did a lot of thinking while you were gone, and I realized something, something that scared me."

  I nearly groaned. Not again. A scared Darcy was not something I wanted to deal with. "Darcy..."

  "I think I might love you."

  I stared at her in shock. I hadn't expected that. We'd only spent a few days together, and most of that time had been with her giving me the cold shoulder. How in the hell had she fallen in love with me during all of that? "Darcy..."

  She shook her head. "I know it doesn't make any sense. I know that things were less than ideal before, but I was scared, Rheul. I swear that isn't me. But when you left and didn't come back, I worried that I'd done something wrong.

  At first I thought I was crying because of that, but then I realized I was crying because my heart was breaking."

  I swallowed the knot that had formed in my throat. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear this. The last thing I wanted was for my slave to love me. That just made things messy and 72

  complicated. It was one thing for her to care about me, but love... Love was something else all together.

  "I know you don't love me back," she said softly, "but I wanted you to know how I felt. I wanted you to understand why I was so upset when you came back today."

  "Darcy, if you love me, then what I'm about to tell you isn't going to be easy to hear."

  She stiffened in my arms.

  "I have to take a trip in two days, to the other side of Vaaden. It only takes a few hours to get there, but I'll have to be there for a few days."

  "Are you taking me with you?"

  I shook my head. "You have to stay here. Slaves aren't allowed to travel."

  She paled. "So you'll have to... you'll be..." A tear slipped down her cheek. "You'll have to visit one of the harems over there."

  I nodded. I didn't want to hurt her, but she needed to know the truth. It wasn't like I wanted to be with anyone else. After being with her the past few times and seeing how passionate she could be, I could honestly say that I didn't want to be with anyone other than
her. Using the harems would only be out of necessity and not for enjoyment.

  "It isn't something I'll like doing, Darcy, but it can't be helped. I'll be gone for at least four days. I'd die before I could get back to you if I waited."

  She nodded. "I know. It doesn't make it hurt any less, but I know. It isn't like you owe me anything, Rheul. I'm just your slave."

  73

  I hugged her tight to me. "Darcy, you're more than that. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I can't change the way things are. It would be different if you were my wife, but that isn't going to happen."

  My statement was a hundred percent true, but I didn't want to get her hopes up. Obviously Enid lived with Bastian, and I knew of two other slaves who lived with their owners in their homes. But since I planned to take a wife in the future, it was better for Darcy to remain in the slave quarters.

  "I understand," she said quietly.

  "We don't have to do anything tonight. Just let me hold you."

  "I think I'd like that."

  I set her on her feet and undressed. I reached for her and lifted the tunic over her head, dropping it on the floor. She was every bit as beautiful as I remembered, and my body instantly responded to her. Her gaze fell to my cock and she blushed.

  "It seems I can't control my body around you, but I promise I'll only hold you tonight."

  She nodded and we got into bed. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, running my fingers through her hair. I wanted to ease her fears, but I wasn't sure how.

  What could I possibly say to her? It wasn't like I could just cancel the trip. It was business and had to be done. Maybe if I brought her something back it would make things a little bit better. Not that I could think of a single item I could buy that would make up for me having sex with someone else. I knew 74

  it was breaking her heart, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

  "When do you leave?" she asked.

  "The day after tomorrow. I can spend tomorrow with you, but tomorrow night I'll need to be home so I can leave early the next morning."

  I felt her tears on my shoulder, and I wished there was something I could do. I didn't know how to make her stop crying or how to make things better. There wasn't anything I could say or do at this point to make things right.

  "I'll miss you."

  I kissed the top of her head. "I'll miss you, too."

  "May I ask you something?"

  "Of course."

  "The day we met, when you brought me here, we met at your brother's house. There was a woman there. Enid said she'd been in the slave quarters before."

  "Yes, she has been."

  "Why wasn't she still in the slave quarters?"

  "That actually isn't very easy to answer. Enid and Bastian have a unique situation. My brother fell in love with his slave and refused to take a wife. He made special arrangements with the Prime Minister to move Enid to his home."

  "Does that happen often?"

  "I only know of two instances. One of them being Bastian and Enid."

  She nodded. "Is that why you said you had to take a wife?

  Because your brother didn't?"

  75

  "Yes. Bastian may love Enid, but he'll never be able to marry her. They're going to have a baby, but it isn't the same as marrying and having a Vaaden child."

  "Rheul... I... What's going to happen when you marry?"

  "I'll spend most of my time at home and come see you a few times a week."

  She curled into me even more. I knew it wasn't what she wanted to hear, but I wasn't going to lie to her. It was better to prepare her now. "You don't have to worry about that right now, Darcy. I don't plan to marry for a few more years."

  "That could be even worse," she whispered.

  "Why?"

  "I'll be used to having you all to myself, and then I'll suddenly have to share you. It will tear me apart."

  "Let's worry about it when the time comes. Until then, let's just enjoy our time together."

  "I know you said you'd just hold me tonight, but... I don't want you to just hold me."

  "Darcy... sweetheart, I don't think that's such a great idea.

  Not after everything we've talked about tonight. I told you a lot of things I know you didn't want to hear, and I can only imagine how it made you feel. I don't want you doing anything just because you think we should."

  "Please, Rheul. I need you."

  "Darcy..."

  She shoved the sheets out of the way and straddled me.

  Leaning down, she kissed me. She took me completely by surprise, and I didn't react at first.

  76

  "Kiss me, Rheul," she whispered against my lips. "Make love to me."

  I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her back, unable to deny her request. I still wasn't sure that making love to her right then was the smartest thing to do, but I wasn't going to stop her. It was obvious that she was going to take what she wanted regardless of what I had to say about it. It was actually rather thrilling to have a woman take charge.

  When her tongue swept into my mouth, I groaned and pulled her closer. I wasn't sure where this brave, adventurous woman had come from, but I was going to enjoy every minute of our time together. Her fingers dug into my shoulders, and she pushed away.

  With a wicked look in her eyes, she lifted her hips and slowly sank onto my cock, taking me all the way inside of her.

  I closed my eyes and hissed in a breath. When she picked up my hands and placed them on her breasts, I opened my eyes and looked up at her in surprise.

  "I want you to touch me," she said softly.

  I caressed her while she rode me, enjoying the heat of her pussy around my cock and the silkiness of her skin against my hands. Suddenly she stopped, and I waited to see what she was up to.

  "Rheul, I want to feel you deeper."

  I grinned at her. "Does that mean you want me to take over?"

  She nodded and started to move, but I wrapped an arm around her and flipped her onto her back. I shifted so that I slid into her as far as I could, and she closed her eyes.

  77

  "That feels so good," she purred.

  "Wrap your legs around my waist."

  She did as I said, and I thrust into her, drawing a gasp from her. She was wetter than she'd ever been, and I knew I wouldn't last longer than a few minutes. I only hoped it would be enough for her.

  I used long, slow strokes, wanting to please her. This would be our last night together for a while, and I wanted it to be memorable for her. It would have to last her until I returned from my trip.

  "Rheul, please... I can't take any more."

  "I want to please you, Darcy. I don't want this to end too soon."

  "Then make love to me again later, but right now I need to feel you come inside of me."

  Her words were enough to push me over the edge. I plunged into her deep, taking her hard and fast. The moment I felt her climax, I allowed myself to let go, giving her what she wanted.

  "Happy?" I asked.

  She gave me a contented smile. "Very."

  Kissing her, I pulled her into my arms. I'd give her time to rest, and then I'd make love to her again. I was going to make the most of our last night together.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  78

  Chapter Seven

  My trip had taken longer than I'd thought, and I was anxious to see Darcy. Since I'd been gone a week, I was sure she was worried. There had been no way for me to get word to her, or anyone, that I would be gone longer than expected.

  Long distance communications had gone down the day I'd arrived, and they still weren't back up when I'd left. I was sure she had been thinking of worst-case scenarios. I just hoped I could make it up to her.

  When I reached the slave quarters, my gut clenched. The door stood partially open, and there was damage done to it.

  What had happened? I stepped inside, hoping Darcy was okay. "Darcy?"

  Frantically I se
arched the apartment, but I couldn't find her. There were signs of a struggle, and I was terrified that something bad had happened to her during my absence. If someone had taken her, I'd never forgive myself. I needed help, and Bastian was the only person I could think of who might be of some assistance.

  I rushed to his house, hoping he was home.

  When I knocked on his door, he opened it almost immediately. "Rheul, where the hell have you been?"

  "I had business on the other side of Vaaden. I went to see Darcy, but she wasn't there. It looked like someone had broken into the apartment."

  "Someone did."

  I swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What happened?"

  79

  "You're lucky I went to check on her for you. When I got there, someone had forced their way into the apartment. I thought you had better security than that, but apparently it failed altogether. The guy had her pinned to the wall when I walked in. Rheul, he'd thrown her across the room."

  I felt sick and horrified. "Where is she? Is she all right?"

  "I took her to the doctor. They reset her broken bones and said she's fine." Bastian looked away.

  "What? Tell me!"

  "It isn't my place to tell you."

  "Damn it, Bastian! Tell me what's going on!"

  "She's pregnant, Rheul."

  I felt as if all the air in the room had suddenly left.

  Pregnant? Darcy was going to have my baby? I hadn't thought of having kids anytime soon, much less with my slave. "Are you sure?"

  Bastian nodded. "The doctor is the one who told us. He discovered it while he was doing his exam. He ran a bio scan while she was there."

  "Where is she?"

  Bastian nodded toward the stairs. "She's upstairs in the guest room. The Prime Minister allowed me to bring her here.

  I explained what was going on. He also gave you permission to either move her to a more secure location or take her to your home."