Bit by bit Lucian tended each burn on her hands and arms, and then he sat back and looked at her for a moment, knowing she would most likely protest his next action but determined to do so anyway. He reached for her and held Natalya’s head still, whispering for her to be silent in a soft calming voice, then bent forward and ran his tongue over the string of tiny burns across the tops of her breasts.
Natalya jumped when she felt his mouth upon her there. Her eyes flew open and Lucian stopped, looking up and into her startled gaze. “Be still. It will only take a moment. The flesh will get diseased if I do not tend to these.”
She nodded, hesitantly, and then closed her eyes again, squeezing her hands into fists as his tongue trailed across the sensitive skin of her breasts, his cool mouth searching out her burns, licking softly until each was but a memory, then moved to the few that marred her jaw line, lapping at the blistered skin until they were gone.
Again she shivered under his administrations. Lucian felt her shaking and wanted very much to hold her, to comfort her, but he wasn’t done, and he knew these next burns would be the hardest for her to accept.
Hoping that she simply kept her eyes closed and held her protests, Lucian began to raise Natalya's skirt so he could see to the burns on her legs, but she gasped and grabbed his hands to stop him. She knew in her heart that she couldn’t allow it. Not there. Not his mouth.
"Perhaps tis better if I tend to those myself."
"Perhaps you should not be so foolish. Let me see to them now. You are not yourself; I see the shock in your eyes. You are in need of help and I am here to do just that. Believe me, it is not my intent to ogle you or molest you."
His gaze held hers until she nervously lowered her eyes. She knew he was right but the modesty that had been a part of her for years was difficult to overcome. No one except her husband had seen her legs since she’d become a woman. It simply wasn’t done. It was an act expressly forbidden by Gypsy law. But... but she wasn’t there any longer was she?
"Natalya"
Lucian put his hand on her chin and raised her head up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.
"I am not going to ravage you. I simply want to help you. I know you're hurting, it’s best to let me tend you."
She furrowed her eyebrows and looked into his eyes, finally nodding her consent. With trembling hands, Natalya drew up the hem of her dress until it was mid-thigh, and then turned her head away as she bit her lip. No man but Danior had ever touched her so intimately for any reason and even he had never kissed her legs, let alone lapped at them with his tongue. Her brain screamed it wasn’t proper, but she knew she had no choice. Lucian was right. Burned flesh became diseased.
Lucian’s touch was feather light, but she still nearly jumped out of her skin when his hands began to caress her legs, and when his cool tongue met her skin she cried out both in shock and inner turmoil. Her hands flew to his shoulders and she tried to push him away, but he reached up and captured them in one of his, holding her firmly so he could continue his work.
He moved from one delicate ankle up her finely shaped calf, lapping at the burns, soothing them, licking and licking until they were gone, moving up to where the hem of her dress lay, and then pushing it higher to tend her thighs. There were but a few here but he was determined to finish the job properly and he refused to allow his mind to think about how lovely her legs were and how sweet she smelled, even now amid the smoke and burnt clothing. The only thing that kept his loins in check was the obvious pain she was feeling both inside and out.
Finally, he was done, and he allowed himself one quick glance at the beautiful picture that was Natalya, before lowering her skirt once more. He then went to the water barrel and dipped a cloth in the cool liquid and brought it to where she still sat in a daze.
Sensing him near once more, Natalya opened her eyes to come face to face with him and his troubled gaze unnerved her. She felt embarrassed, both because she had put up a protest when all he meant to do was help, and because he had seen her half bare.
"Lucian ... I"
"I’m all done. Now that wasn't so horrid was it?"
"No, I ... thank you." She wanted to rise but he was too close.
Lucian lifted the cloth intent on wiping the soot from her cheeks but instead leaned in and quickly whisked his tongue over the burn on her cheek, the tip darting about, lapping over the injury until nothing remained, then he sat back, but only a bit, and stared into her eyes, debating whether or not he should kiss her.
She looked beautiful in spite of the soot on her cheeks. Her face was flushed, her silken hair had come loose from its twist causing it to tumble around her shoulders, and her breasts rose and fell with every nervous breath she took. The fear in her eyes turned them into huge deep pools and he wanted to kiss the fear away. He leaned in closer, drawn to her. He couldn't resist her any longer, just one kiss. It went against what his Master wanted, but he had to have one kiss.
Natalya emitted a frightened squeak and lifted her hands but she couldn't bring herself to push him away. Her mind was a mass of confusion. Was this what she wanted? She was certainly attracted to him, but the whole idea still scared her. She shook her head.
"Lucian"
"Yes Natalya? Tell me what you want. I won't force you." He whispered the words, lips just inches from hers.
She nodded her head and he closed the final distance between them, letting his lips delicately brush hers. Natalya let her eyes close and tilted her face up, welcoming his kiss, finally giving in to what she had been longing for. Lucian brought his lips to hers again, more insistent but still feather light. He didn't want to scare her. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek, to run his fingers through her silky hair like he had been longing to do on so many of their long nights together and savored each second of her sweetness.
The kiss was lazy, tender, and magical, and it seemed to go on and on. They were both caught up in the moment, her heart beating frantically, totally engrossed in each other. When the sound of Alliana’s shrill cries pierced the air and yanked them back to reality.
"Alliana. She must smell the smoke." Natalya quickly exclaimed as she pushed Lucian away. How stupid she was. Some of the smoke must surely have reached the corridor. She had forgotten that the door was open and that anyone, including Alliana or Lord Arcos himself, might come upon them kissing or discover what a mess she’d made.
"Everything will be fine, Natalya. You go to her. I’ll summon your servant.” Saying the words, Lucian remembered Hannah and where he had been when the morning’s disaster had befallen the girl’s Mistress.
“Thank you.” Natalya started to rise but Lucian placed a hand on her arm.
“What happened here, Natalya?’
“I... I don’t know. It twas a tonic I make time and time again but it simply exploded in the kettle.”
“Did you use different herbs?”
“No, they were all the same. Everything was where I left it.”
“Which one caused the fire? Where is it?” Now more suspicion was churning in Lucian’s head as he looked at the woman before him and the destruction around him.
“I think it was the Bayberry but that makes no sense. I use it in many of my potions and never have this effect. As to where it is...” Natalya gestured at all the shards of pottery upon the floor. The herbs were scattered everywhere, and they were burned and mixed with the soot and pools of tonic. It would be impossible to tell what was what.
“There you are. Oh Natalya! Are you all right? Look at you. What happened?”
“I’m fine, really, come with me to my chambers so I can clean up.”
“Are you hurt?”
“I’ll be fine, Alliana. Lucian tended me.” Natalya blushed as she said the words and Mikhal’s eyebrows went up as he shot a piercing look at his first in command. There were definite answers that needed to be had here, and they needed to be had right now.
“Alliana, go with Natalya to her rooms and send for a servant to see to
her needs. Call me for anything she requires that can’t be had by them. In the meantime, I shall discover the root of this mayhem, and return to you later.” He kissed her cheek, looked Natalya over again with great concern, and then turned his gazed back to Lucian who knew he had some explaining to do. That wasn’t a bad thing though, it was time to tell the Master of the castle just what he thought might be afoot.
Chapter Seventeen
Hannah had lain in bed sobbing and shaking after waking, her mind not able to form coherent thought for the longest of time; then self-preservation finally kicked in and cleared her head.
As she hugged herself to stop the trembling of her body, she decided that she couldn’t lay here waiting for fate after all. It would simply serve to get her killed or worse. No, instead she would go running to Natalya. She would tell her Mistress what she had told Lucian, would look at her with all the earnestness she could muster, and plead with her to believe her, and if she were lucky, she would get away with her ruse. The Gypsy wasn’t stupid, but she had a human’s heart, one that could hopefully be appealed to.
Hannah knew that if Natalya and Alliana believed her and wished for her to be protected; then the Master would have second thoughts about hurting her. Marishka had told her many times of the mating bite and its effects. Had ranted about it actually, and then screamed out her frustration at the curse that had turned out so very badly, crying incessantly over the loss of her brother to his Gypsy whore, so Hannah knew well that the Master would care if his wife said leave the serving girl be.
If she were lucky, they would even hide her from him, and she wouldn’t have to face the terrifying interrogation from Mikhal the Merciless at all. Yes, that was it, she had to go to Mistress Natalya and plead for her understanding and belief in her innocence. Filthy Gypsy or not, Natalya was her only hope.
Hannah rose on shaking legs, straightened her skirts, but did nothing to wash the dried streaks of tears on her face. She wanted Natalya to be shocked by her appearance. Her lies depended on hitting the other woman straight in the heart and appealing to her sense of caring. It was on a mission for her after all, that she said she’d been on, so Natalya should do all she could to protect her.
She opened her door just a crack to peak into the hall, making sure the way was clear, then slipped out and ran full speed down the corridors and steps towards her new Mistress’s chambers. The strong smell of smoke assailed her nostrils before she rounded the last corner, and she slowed her pace, hope and trepidation filling her heart. Had Natalya made her morning potions already? Was she dead?
She peeked around the corner and saw that the hall was empty, and the door to Natalya’s cooking chamber was standing wide. Cautiously, ever so quietly, she tiptoed towards the chamber where she hoped to find a dead or dying Gypsy.
All was silent as she got to the door and looked in, had she known that only minutes ago Lord Arcos, Lucian, Natalya, and Alliana had all been in this very place, her heart would have frozen in fear, but now she was simply curious. The room was empty but it was clear there had been an explosion. Where was Natalya and why hadn’t they sent for her, but most of all, what should she do now?
If Natalya were dead or dying, barging into her chamber could be suicide because she surely wouldn’t be alone. If however, only Mistress Alliana were there with her friend, now was the time to seize her only opportunity to beg for leniency.
Hannah had heard the tales of all Mikhal the Merciless had done to his wife and knew she must harbor some mistrust and hatred for him, so finding the Mistress of the castle alone, grieving and vulnerable, would be the perfect time to plead her case. But what if the others were there as well?
Unsure of what to do, knowing she couldn’t remain in the hall forever, Hannah finally went to Natalya’s chamber door and took a deep breath, listening for the voices within. What she heard through the partially cracked door gave her hope. It seemed that the Mistress was inside, as well as Natalya. While it was true that Marishka wanted Natalya dead, considering the turn of events and Hannah’s possible capture and torture, this was the best option as far as the serving girl was concerned. It wasn’t that she welcomed Marishka’s wrath, it was just that she had to take one crisis at a time.
She paused for one more moment, then, without knocking, letting out a huge sob, Hannah burst into the rooms and ran to the bed, throwing herself to her knees at the side where Natalya had been resting, causing the red headed Gypsy to sit straight up in shock and confusion, as Alliana let out a shriek from across the room where she had been wringing out a cloth in the water basin.
“Mistress you must help me. They are going to hurt me. Please Mistress. They will surely kill me if you do not protect me. They… He looked at me with those eyes and I know he will surly tear me to pieces but I am innocent.” Hannah grabbed for Natalya’s hands and held them in a vice like grip, squeezing as she pleaded for safety, her eyes filling with all the true terror she felt, masking the lies that she was about to tell.
Natalya, still confused, wincing as her still tender hands were brutalized, but feeling a wave of compassion and fury wash over her at the poor girl’s obvious terror, pulled Hannah up onto the bed and wrapped her arms around her, hushing her cries, rocking her until her sobs subsided, then holding her back and wiping the tears from the girl’s cheeks.
“There, there. Tis all right now. I’m here. No one can harm you. Tell me what troubles you Hannah. Who is trying to harm you? The beasts in this castle were instructed not to touch you. I’ll summon Lord Arcos at once if anyone has hurt you.”
Alliana had come to the bed as well during this exchange and was staring wide eyed at the terrified girl, her heart breaking, surely the servant had been accosted by one of the evil things that roamed the castle, but the girl’s next words made a cry catch in her throat.
“Tis the Master’s first in command, the one they call Lucian. He... oh Mistress Natalya. He is going to tell the Master that I have lied and done horrid things. He thinks me guilty of treason. They are going to hurt me. I know they will. Please Mistress you must help me. Please. I know what they do to women. I am so frightened. If they take me below I know they will make me confess to things I have not done.”
Natalya was shocked to hear that the culprits in the girl’s terror were none other than Lucian and the Lord of the castle himself. What had transpired to cause such uproar? Why Lucian had been with her just an hour ago, and the Master, well she knew he had been with Alliana. Still, the girl’s terror seemed real. She looked at Hannah closely, and could clearly see the servant was frightened out of her mind.
“You must slow down and tell Lady Arcos and I why you think this. Whatever happened tonight, I want her to hear it too.”
“Please, I....” Hannah clutched at her again but Natalya put the girl off, firm in her decision that Alliana should also hear her tale and not willing to believe her accusations about Lucian just yet.
“Lady Arcos is a kind and fair woman, Hannah. No harm will come to you if you speak against her husband. Now try to remain calm and gather your thoughts. The Mistress and I wish to hear all the details.”
“She is right, Hannah, I do wish to hear it all, but please Natalya. You must lie back in bed. Your Mistress was injured this morning, Hannah. She is not well.”
“I’m fine Alliana, truly I am. The burns are all but gone. Twas a shock to be sure but I am fine now.” Again a picture of Lucian filled her head, sending her mind swirling with all that had happened between them that morning. How could such a tender man instill such fear in the girl before her?
“That is simply the elixir working its magick, sweetie. You were injured and need to be abed. Go on now, Hannah. I don’t wish to overtax Natalya but we do need to hear you out.” Hannah rose from the bed in her rumpled gown and began to pace in a small circle, a small smile forming on her lips as she did so. Things were working out well. If she were lucky, she would soon have the protection of the most powerful women in the castle, and while she knew Mikh
al the Merciless did as he wished, she also knew he could feel the wrath of his wife’s anger. Feel it, and respond in an effort to appease her.
Hannah knew if she were able to manipulate the situation to where Lady Arcos became so upset that the Master feared for her health or couldn’t abide by her fury and hatred, then perhaps she herself just might survive. Her life also depended on getting away before Mikhal the Merciless could question her though, because Hannah knew her own feelings would be transparent to him as well, and she couldn’t count on her terror to mask her deceit. All in all her chances of survival were slim, but it was all she had. Facing her audience once again, she did her best to look as stricken as she would feel if she were in the presence of Lord Arcos, and opened her mouth to tell her tale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Hannah began to spew her lies to Alliana and Natalya, Lucian was walking through the door of Mikhal’s chamber to report on the night’s activities. Mikhal had been silent during their walk from Natalya’s cooking room, and Lucian could tell that his Master’s mood wasn’t the best. He wondered briefly if it were purely because of what had happened to Natalya, or if perhaps things had gone poorly while they were walking that morning, then dismissed the thought, knowing it was none of his business. While it was true he found Mikhal’s concern for Alliana, a human, rather peculiar, it wasn’t his place to question it, and having never had a mate himself, he also couldn’t truly judge if his Master’s actions were sound or not.
Closing the door behind him, Lucian walked to where Mikhal had taken a seat before the hearth. His Master looked weary, there was no doubt of that, and Lucian wondered if he’d been up all night.
“Tell me what you think of this mornings debacle, Lucian. I need to find out just what happened to my wife’s companion.”
“Yes, Sire. I will, at once, but there is another matter, one that may be just as urgent, possibly related in fact, that I must discuss with you.”
Beneath The Shadows of Evil... Torn Page 23
