Daring Damsels

by Domning, Denise

  Edward whispered in his ear, his voice so quiet it was almost silent. “They know the direction she went. We must follow them, to find her. Once found, we will tear them apart.”

  Alexander nodded, knowing this was the best course of action. There were three men, and seven of them. The men ahead split up in different directions, and the seven of them split up as well, two men to each of their one, and Alexander would move ahead, hoping to find Chloe first.

  They dispersed, Alexander letting them know that as soon as she was found, all three criminals were to die.

  Every nerve in Alexander’s body was one fire, every sound was Chloe, and he shook his head to gain control. He would be no help to her, if didn’t have his wits about him. He strained to hear any sound that could be human, and his sensitive ears didn’t miss a beat. Drawing his sword slowly, he turned Hero in the direction of the sound. It had been faint, like that of a whimper.

  “Chloe?” his voice was quiet, but broke the silence. There was no answer, but the whimpering he heard stopped.

  “Chloe, if you can hear me, it is Alexander.” He stopped moving and waited.

  From behind a large brush pile he could see movement. Chloe’s angelic face came into view, skeptical at first, and then jubilant. She jumped from the dense foliage, dressed in a barely there film of fabric, and ran to him. He dismounted quickly, sheathing his sword and ran to her, catching her in the air and swirling about. His heart felt like it was going to burst with joy. He actually felt what might be tears stinging his eyes. All he could do was squeeze her to him.

  “Chloe, I thought I would never find you.”

  “Oh, Alexander, it was so terrible, just hold me.” Her voice, usually so loud and opinionated, was tiny and scared. She shivered in his arms.

  “Let me look at you,” he said, putting her at arms length. He frowned as he looked at her torn nightdress, her bloody feet. He gasped at the bruise on her face, kissing it tenderly and then the tender rope burns on her wrists and ankles. “They have hurt you,” he growled pulling her to him again, the tenderness of his touch offsetting the roughness of his voice.

  “Only a little. These bruises will heal.” The strength in her voice impressed Alexander.

  She was trying to be strong for him. He smiled on the top of her head, and then grasped her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a hungry, furious kiss. The kiss of a man who had almost lost his love. She kissed him back just as hungrily, her hands snaking around his waist, gripping him just as tightly as he held her.

  He pulled away from her and gazed into her eyes. “They haven’t hurt you anymore than what I see?”

  She must have known what he meant, her cheeks blushed with shyness. “No, Alexander.”

  “My poor little angel.” He stroked her face until she looked back up at him. “I love you, Chloe.”

  “I love you, too.” His lips brushed hers once more and then he led her to his horse.

  “You’re shivering. I believe one of my men has a blanket for you.” They mounted, with Chloe sitting in front of Alexander, his arm encircling her waist. He wore no armor, and let his heat envelop her.

  He had to issue the call to let his men know that he had found her. The six who stalked the heathens would exact their executions, and meet him with the other men. Chloe shuddered when she heard him make the sound.

  “What was that for?”

  “'Twas for my men. I let them know that I had found you.”

  “Your men are with you?”

  “Only twenty of them.”

  “Only twenty,” she teased, turning to place a kiss on his cheek.

  He chuckled with her, beyond happy that she was in his arms. The men answered his call. Edward broke through the brush.

  “The villains have been spotted, my lord. Lowell and Eugene are stalking them now, but we thought you might like to do the honors yourself. Let me take the lady back to camp, so you might exact the punishment yourself.”

  Alexander thought for a moment, not wanting to let go of Chloe now that he’d found her. But he still seethed with rage, and felt that if his men carried out his ire in deed, then he would not feel the satisfaction of closure.

  “Aye.” He turned Chloe’s face up to his own, kissed her gently on the lips. “Go with Edward, you will be safe. I will meet you back at camp within moments.”

  Fear glazed over her eyes and she begged him not to, but Alexander silenced her with another kiss. “Trust me, love.”

  She nodded solemnly and he transferred her to Edward’s horse. Without a backward glance he called to his men who whistled back. As he approached, he could hear the panic in the three devil’s spawn’s voices. The bird calls scared the piss out of them, and they were now worried that the unseen forces surrounding them were that of the Lucifer and not men in the flesh.

  Alexander broke in on them, and the three turned on horseback to stare in horror as he charged, his sword raised with both hands, his knees clutching the sides of his horse. He could nearly see himself reflected in their eyes. A death warrior come to exact their executions. The idiots didn’t even have time to flinch as he beheaded one, and then with a swift turn to the left, sliced the second across his chest. The third gaped in open mouthed horror, his hands coming up.

  “No, please, no,” he begged, crossing himself.

  But Alexander gave no mercy as he imagined those same words coming from his beloved’s own mouth when they abducted her. With one more arc of his sword, the man fell to the ground from his horse, no breath of life left inside him.

  By the time they all reached camp, it had become dark. The moon glinted off of the armor of the knights, comforting Chloe. One of them came forward with a blanket and Alexander, newly bathed and smelling enticingly like a wild spring, wrapped it tightly around her. His eyes were cloudy, and his mouth creased into a frown. Chloe dismissed his countenance. They’d just been through hell. Exhaustion crept through her, but she wouldn’t allow herself to close her eyes until they were back at Hardwyck.

  She was thankful she’d been able to escape and more than thankful Alexander had found her. Then it hit her like a tree falling along a forest path she traveled. Alexander had come for her. He had returned from the king. What had the king said? She had to tell him about his father!

  “Alexander, your father—”

  “Hush, love. I know.”

  Chloe turned her head up to look at Alexander. “No, you don’t understand. He is the lord.”

  Alexander gazed at her a moment, and she actually saw when what she’d said dawned on him. He looked horrified. “My father… killed Nicola?”

  “He and his men.”

  “Oh, my, God! Chloe, my love! The man will pay for what he’s done to you, to your maid. I swear by all that is holy, we will exact swift punishment on him.”

  Chloe nodded. His father truly deserved to be placed in the dungeon for all eternity. Then she remembered what else she’d been dying to find out.

  “You have returned from your visit to the king. What happened?” she asked bluntly, not wanting any frilly detail.

  “Ah, my lady, so enchanting you are. Not one to beat around a subject are you?”

  “Alexander, I must know!” She turned around and poked him in the ribs.

  “We will be married when we return to Hardwyck, and the king has given us his blessing.” As he said the words the dark cloud enveloping his face disappeared.

  “We shall make camp for the night here. It is dark, and we are still three or four hours away from the keep.”

  As Alexander ordered the men about where to set up camp, Chloe reveled in how well they all worked together. Alexander dismounted behind her and then plucked her easily off of Hero, cradling her in his arms. He carried her like that to a small stream, where he sat her on the bank.

  “I have to clean your feet, Chloe. Those cuts could become infected.”

  She smiled at him tenderly and stroked his face. “When did the fierce dragon become so docile?”

>   “When he met an angel like you who tamed him.” He kissed her lingeringly on the lips. The soft caress left her lips tingling. Their gazes locked for a moment, a hunger passing between them that left them both shaking with wanting.

  Alexander broke their gaze by looking down at her feet as he tenderly washed the blood and dirt from each bruised appendage. When he was done, he tore a piece of his undershirt and wrapped each one, then picked her up and carried her back to camp, her head resting on his shoulder.

  “Brendan, bring food to my tent,” Alexander ordered as he carefully placed Chloe inside.

  She looked at him wide eyed. “Alexander, won’t the men think it odd that I am in your tent?”

  “No, my love, they know we are to marry. My men obey me, and they adore you. No one would ever think less of you.”

  Moments later Brendan entered, nodding and smiling in Chloe’s direction. He placed two trenchers on the ground of the tent. Each was filled with cheese, bread, apples and smoked bacon.

  Chloe tore into the food like she hadn’t eaten in weeks. The struggle she’d gone through over the past few days, and with nothing but the vile brew, left her body ravenous. Alexander laughed lightly at her, and she looked up at him.

  “Why do you laugh, my lord?”

  “You eat with less manners than my knights.” He leaned his head back and laughed so hard tears came to his eyes.

  “Oh, you think this is funny? Make fun of the poor girl who has been through hell. You’ll pay for that, my lord!” With that, she rose to her knees and shoved her apple right into his wide open laughing mouth, falling into a fit of giggles with him.

  Alexander grabbed her about the waist and pulled her down into his lap.

  “You are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he crooned into her ear.

  “And you, my lord are without a doubt, the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.” She poked him in the ribs, and tried to hide her laughter.

  “Opposites attract.”

  “Aye, and I am very attracted to you.” She winked at him then lowered her lashes.

  “You little tease,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck.

  “A tease for a tease,” she whispered back, letting her neck fall to the side to give him better access.

  “You have no idea what I have been through. I thought I’d lost you. I nearly lost my mind.” His mouth moved upward to her ear as his tongue slowly flicked out to tease the sensitive skin there. Her body shuddered with pleasure, her skin prickling with anticipation.

  “I never thought I would see you again, and all I prayed for was that I could escape, and come back to you.” Chloe’s words were breathless. His touch took the air from her lungs. With her fingers, she made lazy circles on his shoulders.

  “Never will I leave you again.”

  His mouth came down on hers as she whispered, “Never.”

  The kiss was soft, lips on lips, just lazily caressing, their noses rubbing one another as they stared into each others eyes.

  “I love you,” Chloe moaned into his mouth, her eyes closing as he deepened the kiss. His tongue teased the corners of her mouth until she opened her lips, welcoming the soft velvet heat of his mouth into hers. She’d been through hell on earth and now was traveling into heaven.

  The scent of Alexander enveloped her, pure male mixed with nature. The groan that escaped his lips made her shudder in reaction, knowing that she was the reason behind such a carnal sound. His fingers were butterfly soft as they slowly stroked her arms, sending fire along every nerve in her body. Her breaths came in quick little pants and all she wanted was for him to touch her and her to touch him. He gently laid her back against the thick blankets lining the floor, and then lay down next to her, all the while still kissing her softly and deeply. She trailed her fingers along his back. Slowly, he lifted the hem of her nightdress to stoke her legs. She moaned at the feel of his fingers as he massaged her calves, her thighs and then back down again.

  White hot pleasure coursed through her at his intimate touch, and her kiss became fiercer, demanding. All of the emotions of the day broke through her as she grasped him to her. She’d almost lost him forever. The dreams of their future together had nearly dispersed in the air, like dust in a wind storm. He growled low in his throat sensing her urgency and echoing it with his own.

  Their kissing became savage as their mouths took possession of the other. Their hands became more demanding, she pulling on his tunic, nearly ripping it from his body, and he tugging her nightdress up around her waist. His hose and boots came next until he lay naked beside her. She pulled away from his mouth long enough to look dreamily at his body. Alexander’s muscles rippled with pure raw strength, and his arousal pulsed with desire.

  He reached toward her, but she pushed his hand back, grinning at him. His lips curved into a provocative smile as Chloe removed her nightgown. She sat before him, blessedly naked and loving the feel of his eyes hungrily devouring her body. He stared at her long legs, her flat belly, and the triangle of dark hair at the apex of her thighs. She watched him gaze at her, mesmerized by the hunger sparking in his heavily lidded eyes. So masculine, so possessive, so hot.

  He pulled her toward him, kissing her rosy plump lips, her cheeks, and trailing tender kisses down her neck. How long had she been waiting for this one moment? Lord, it seemed like forever. She moaned as he lowered to press his lips against her shoulder softly, and then the other.

  The outside world was all but forgotten. The sounds of the camp diminished with the rushing of blood flowing through their veins and the music of their love making filled the tent.

  Alexander gazed at Chloe in wonder, her soft white skin creamy and glistening. Her nipples perfectly pink and perked up from his kisses along her flesh. He bent down and took one into his mouth, flicking his tongue over the pearling bud. She tasted so sweet, and felt even better. He pulled her tighter against him never wanting to let go. He’d nearly lost his mind with fear for her, and having her now in his arms, was a blessed treat. She arched her back and ran her hands through his hair, moaning as he moved from one breast to the other, giving each due attention.

  “I want you,” he whispered into her ear, nibbling on the soft flesh.

  “Yes, please,” Chloe answered breathlessly.

  “Are you sure?” They were not yet wed, and even though he’d like nothing more than to bury himself deep within her velvety walls, he wouldn’t if she resisted.

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you.” She looked him deep in the eyes, and grasping his hand, placed it on the dewy mound he coveted so much.

  The warm feeling between Chloe’s legs grew. Sparks fluttered through her body from his touch, and she bent to place kisses along his neck, her nails gliding gently up his back. Alexander growled deep in his throat, as his fingers threaded through her moist curls and he dipped to capture her mouth in a searing kiss as his fingers sank into her sheath.

  Chloe’s hips rose to meet his plunging fingers. The feelings coursing through her were so exciting, she wanted to be closer to him, wanted to feel his weight on her. He seemed to know what she wanted without her telling him, and he slowly eased on top of her, his mouth never leaving hers. Her hands were doing their own exploration down his back until she cupped his buttocks in her grasp. His body was so much different from hers. His skin rougher, and his muscles hard yet supple beneath her fingertips. He gasped at the feel of her fingers as they massaged his muscles. He took his hand from between her thighs replacing it with his thick, heavy length, pressing against the very heat of her. He dragged his mouth from hers, lowering his head into the crook of her shoulder, his breathing ragged.

  “You feel so good,” he moaned against her skin.

  Her insides quivered as the pleasure he brought her carried her closer and closer to the edge. Chloe lifted her hips and widened her legs in silent invitation. He jerked his hips at the intimate touch and a flash of pleasure teased at her nerves. She
moved her hips upward again and again, wanting to feel more of the exquisite sensations. He swiveled his hips, pressing his rigid length against her folds, his mouth finding hers and hungrily taking what she offered. She writhed beneath his sinewy body.

  “Please,” she begged, clutching him to her tightly, running her hands up and down his back.

  Alexander grasped her hips, holding her still. One hand moved gently between their bodies as he felt the very heat of her, and the other grasped her hand in his, moving it to touch the rigid flesh of his sex. They both moaned into each others mouths as they stroked and rubbed at the very heat of each other. He was so large and firm. His fingers gently stroked, and then he eased his digits inside her once again. She arched her hips again, not able to help it, she wanted more. He pulled her hand from him and his hand from her, again grasping her hips. His sex came to rest in the very spot that his fingers had just been, and Chloe wiggled against him.

  “I love you, always,” he said as he gently pushed inside her.

  She lifted her hips beneath him, welcoming him, the mixture of pain and pleasure confusing. He paused a moment, his mouth meeting hers as he pushed deeper inside, filling her. She gasped against his lips.

  “Just a moment, my love, the pain will not last long,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck, and leaning further down to take her nipple into his mouth.

  With his gentle ministrations, her pain was forgotten and only the feelings he was giving her with his mouth and his hard length consumed her. Alexander’s hands stroked her everywhere, increasing the flames that already licked at her insides. His tongue teased her flesh. She yearned for the pleasure she knew he could elicit. She wanted him to move, she wanted him to thrust into her again and again.

  Lifting her hips underneath him, she wrapped her arms around his back, tucked her head into his shoulder, gently licking and nipping at his skin, urging him to thrust deeper. Without much provocation, Alexander slowly withdrew his arousal and pushed back in. Her body quivered from the simple movement. Moaning, she tightened around him, rocking her hips with his thrusts.