by Lily Thomas
Ler slipped on a shirt. “None have been reported to me as missing, but I can double check.”
“Do that and still gather some warriors. I want the camp checked, and I want the surrounding area searched as well.” Daerrin paused. “But only warriors who we can trust to find Roxanne without slyly slitting her throat and letting her body degrade in the forest.”
Ler nodded, before heading off to gather the men.
Daerrin headed off to the tent of one particular fire giant. Ruiz. The man who’d attacked her and then been knocked out. If there were one person out there that would have done her harm, it would have been him.
He burst into the other man’s tent. “Have you done anything with her?”
Ruiz bolted up from where he sat on his furs. “Daerrin. Of what are you speaking?”
“Where is she?” Daerrin growled. “I’m losing patience waiting for you to gain your tongue.”
“The human?” Ruiz raised a hand to his head. “I haven’t touched her since you made your intentions clear.”
“Intentions?” Daerrin had just had sex with her. He wasn’t claiming her as his.
“Your revenge…” Ruiz spoke slowly.
“Yes,” Daerrin shook his head. He needed to stop jumping to conclusions. “Yes, indeed. Have you seen her at all?”
“I only went out of my tent briefly this morning to grab some food. I swear I didn’t see or hear anything about her.”
Daerrin stared into the other man’s eyes and was satisfied with what he saw. “Let me know if you see her.”
“Will do.”
Daerrin stepped out to see Ler approaching him.
“We’ve found no sign of her yet. It doesn’t look promising.” Ler frowned. “I hate to bring it up but you might have to consider that she left the camp while you were sleeping.”
“And no one saw her?”
Ler shrugged.
“We need to talk with the scouts.” If she had fled, he was going to be royally pissed with his guards. “They should have spotted her. If a lone human woman could sneak out, then a trained soldier would have no problem sneaking in.”
“It’s been uncommonly foggy,” Ler said in defense of the scouts.
“That’s no excuse.” Looking around Daerrin shook his head as he realized how stupid he truly was when it came to last night. “She tricked me.”
“What?”
He glanced over at Ler. “I said she tricked me last night.”
“Should I even ask?” Ler raised his eyebrows.
“I found her waiting in my tent naked after dinner.” He shook his head, embarrassed how she’d duped him. “I should have questioned why. Unfortunately, my cock had been the one driving me last night.”
Ler snorted.
“If she did walk off, she wouldn’t have gotten far. Have the men spread out from all angles of the camp and find her.” Daerrin growled. Maybe Ler would have to stop him from killing Roxanne. She was dimwitted to wander away on her own and stupid to fool him with seduction. If she thought he was an ill-tempered fire giant, just wait until he got his hands on her.
Ler nodded. “You and you!” He pointed at a couple of men standing around. “Search North of the camp. You other two, search West of the camp.”
Daerrin was trying not to lose his cool about this, but he’d been made a fool by her. It was not a feeling he liked, and he was sure to give her hide a sound whipping when he found her.
“Ready?” Ler came up to stand beside him.
“Yes,” Daerrin growled, as he stormed South of their camp.
As they walked through the forest, Daerrin found his patience running thin by the minute. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to contain his raging emotions when he got to her.
“Will you glower and not speak, my friend? Or will you tell me what plagues your mind and get it off your chest?”
“She tricked me. Made me into a fool.” Daerrin spat.
Ler arched a brow and thoughtfully puckered his lips. “How so? By presenting herself to you on a platter? What man could have looked at her naked curves and resisted?”
Daerrin glanced over at him.
Ler held his hands in the air. “She’s attractive, even if a human, I will admit that, but don’t worry. I don’t want her. I have my eye on woman back at Stryme’s castle.”
“She used her wiles on me, and like a fool, I succumbed.” He grumped.
Whistling low, Ler clapped Daerrin’s back, earning him a scowl.
“Come now! You aren’t the first man to walk blindly after a pretty female, and you surely won’t be the last. Don’t fret over it.”
“My family would hate me for this betrayal.”
Ler snorted. “You slept with a human female who had nothing to do with their deaths. It was her father.”
“His spawn.”
“How did you ever get her between the sheets with that kind of talk?”
“We didn’t talk much.”
“Ah, that would explain it.” Ler shrugged. “Still, I think you exaggerate your family’s disapproval. I knew them for a long time, and they always seemed to be the accepting type. They would understand she had nothing to do with their deaths.”
“Enough!” Daerrin barked. “All your incessant talking will alert her to our presence if we get close.”
Ler raised his hands in surrender, and Daerrin was finally pleased when his friend and commander shut his mouth for good.
They ended up going back to camp empty-handed to Daerrin’s frustration.
“Let’s hope the other groups fared better,” Ler grunted. “We’ve been searching for so long, and my feet are killing me.”
“Are you a soldier, or a child?”
“Depends on when I was fed last.”
“I’ll admit she surprises me. I wouldn’t have expected to get too far.” Daerrin glanced around the camp impatiently. “Where are the other men?” Daerrin asked as they walked into the middle of the camp.
“There.” Ler pointed to the other side of the camp, where six other warriors were waiting.
Daerrin plowed through the camp. “Did you find anything?!”
The men jumped to attention, and their eyes widened as they shook their heads. They probably feared his temper, since they had no results for him, but this was his fault, not theirs.
“What next?” Ler came to stand beside him.
“She couldn’t have gotten that far.” He grumbled to himself. “Ready my horse.”
As Ler set off, Daerrin strode over to his tent and donned his armor and grabbed a couple of swords. He was going to find her, and he was going to scare her witless. He didn’t need her doing this again.
Ler had the horse already in front of Daerrin’s tent, as he exited. Ler might annoy him with unnecessary talking, but at least he was a loyal commander and a good friend.
“Keep camp here, but have the men ready to go for when I get back with Roxanne. I don’t want her delaying us for too long.”
“Good luck.”
“Wish her luck.” He slipped his helmet over his head.
“I was.”
Daerrin pushed his heels into the sides of his war stallion sending them both shooting off into the forest.
“Try not to do anything you might regret!” Ler called after him.
Within minutes the fog crept back into the forest hindering his search. Daerrin grumbled as he tried to see through the milky haze. Pulling back on the reins he slowed his stallion.
Then he brought his horse to a stop. The fog was just too thick, and Daerrin didn’t want to break his stallion’s ankle on any unseen holes in the ground. It was a real threat.
Dismounting, Daerrin led his horse over to a tree and tied the reins to a branch. It was time to walk on foot. He didn’t need his horse twisting an ankle or worse breaking a leg with the fog covering any hidden obstacles in their way.
He cursed the weather, but he wasn’t about to let it slow him down. His legs sent the fog swirling, as he marched his w
ay through the imposing forest.
Roxanne should just be glad he needed her for revenge, or he would be tempted just to let her rot in the forest by herself. She deserved any trouble she got herself into. Only a moron would run into unfamiliar territory and believe they could survive.
With a couple more hours gone and a lot more of the forest covered, Daerrin finally saw a form lying on the forest’s leaf-covered ground. He could only make out the outline, but it had to be her.
Who else would be lying stranded in the fire giants’ forests?
Watching where he placed his feet, Daerrin made sure not to let the fog trip him up. There were too many hidden branches, and it would be foolish to lose his head in anger and break his own ankle.
As he neared, the fog lifted from around the shape, and he saw it was indeed Roxanne. Reaching down Daerrin took hold of her arm and yanked her to her feet.
“Napping out in the open is not a wise decision on your part. I could’ve been a predator.” He snapped at her as he shook her arm roughly.
A hiss escaped from between her lips, and he watched her wince as she attempted to pull away from his grasp. Her jade eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“What is wrong with you?” His other hand whipped out to grip her jaw so she would meet his eyes. “I’m not gripping your arm that hard.” But he lessened his hold on her anyways.
Her green eyes just stared at him in stubborn silence, as she didn’t answer.
“Tears won’t get you far with me Roxanne.” He watched the glistening tears in her eyes build.
Something was bothering her. Maybe she’d just been startled by his sudden appearance and saddened that her escape had been thwarted so soon.
“Fine then.” Daerrin turned and began to drag her behind him. “If you won’t answer I’m done wasting time.”
Roxanne screamed. “Please stop! Stop! You’re hurting me!”
Whipping around he demanded, “What is wrong with you?”
Letting go of her arm, he watched as she collapsed to the ground in a heap.
“Roxanne. Will you not tell me what is wrong with you?” Daerrin bent down next to her. His hand came out to caress her face gently. She was causing him to worry about her.
Damn her.
He was supposed to be yelling at her, bending her over his knee and spanking her stubborn ass, not worried that something might be wrong. Not caring about her. She was just his enemy’s spawn, nothing more, yet every time she let out a pained gasp his heart twisted.
“My ankle.” She pointed at it. “I snagged it on a branch last night.” She rubbed it but winced.
Frowning Daerrin scrubbed a hand down his face. If she had indeed twisted her ankle, he would have to carry her back to his horse, and here he’d been hoping to drag her back.
Gently, he lifted her offending ankle and moved it a bit as he felt it.
She sucked in a hard breath.
“I’m certain you twisted your ankle, but I don’t believe you broke it.”
“Is that bad?” Her long red hair swung behind her head as she gazed down at her foot.
He shook his head. “It will just need some time to heal, which means no standing on it.”
She nodded her head.
Getting closer Daerrin placed a hand behind her back and under her knees and scooped her up.
“What?! What are you doing?” Her jade eyes flew wide as her arms swooped around his neck.
“I’m carrying you. Unless you prefer to walk?”
“Well, no, of course, I don’t want to walk.” She looked up at him. She was close enough that he could pick up her sweet, delicate female scent. It called to his cock which began to twitch in his pants. He’d never be able to wear armor again with her around.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would walk if I could, but I can’t.” She kept blabbering.
“Then it is decided. I will carry you.”
“I guess so.” She mumbled under her breath.
She was so ungrateful. Again he wished he could just leave her to rot in the forest, but he found himself unable.
Roxanne didn’t know what to do with herself. It was a strange position to be in his arms with nothing to do but gaze up at him. Giving in, she rested her head on his shoulder and relaxed in his arms. There was nothing else she could do.
His warm masculine scent wafted up to her nose, and she sucked it in greedily. He might be a fire giant, but he made her heart thunder with lust. Flashbacks from their night together flew through her mind, and she felt her cheeks heat. Not from embarrassment, but from her desire. She craved him between her legs again.
“It’s kind of you to carry me, after what I did.” She was sure his wrath would come in time though.
“It’s not like I had much of a choice. It was either carry you and continue my revenge or let you rot in the forest until wild animals eat you.”
“You would never let that happen.” She refused to believe he could be that black-hearted. He might try to put on airs, but she was slowly starting to wonder if there was a heart of gold in that fire giant chest of his.
“Wouldn’t I?” Daerrin raised an eyebrow under his helmet as he glanced down at her.
For now, he just had to get them both back to the camp. Then she would see just how far she could push him. She glanced up. His mouth was set in a firm line. She couldn’t tell if he was angrier at himself for being fooled or her for fooling him.
“Thank you for finding me.” Roxanne tried again.
“I still need you for revenge, so stop thanking me. It wasn’t like I would have done this if you weren’t the spawn of my enemy.”
Roxanne shrugged. Fine then, if he wasn’t going to be civil, then she wouldn’t thank him. “You could do away with me at any time. My father will continue to believe you have me in your possession.” It wasn’t like she was telling him something that he didn’t already know.
“Be quiet, while I decide on your punishment.”
She glared at him. “Don’t you think the twisted ankle is enough of a punishment?”
Daerrin’s crimson eyes looked down at her from behind his helmet. “Will it be enough to prevent you from escaping?”
Roxanne pursed her lips. “Until it heals.” Which meant she was stuck with him for the foreseeable future since she had no idea when she’d be able to walk on it again. In other words, she’d fucked it up.
“I can’t believe how harebrained you were. Maybe it’s an affliction of all humans.” Daerrin shook his head. “Marching off into the fog had been a foolhardy idea.”
“You aren’t leaving me much choice, now are you?” She growled. “I was left to desperation.”
He did his best to keep his war stallion from jostling her ankle, but throughout their ride, he heard her take in sharp breaths. Every single time his heart lurched at those delicate sounds, and he reminded himself that this was all her fault.
They rode into camp, and Daerrin pulled up on the reins. His horse snorted in protest, rearing a bit. Daerrin quickly got his stallion under control before the beast caused Roxanne any more pain.
“Ler!” He barked.
“Yes?” Ler stepped out from around a tent and strode towards them.
“Take her, but don’t let her foot touch the ground.” He commanded as Ler pulled up beside them. “She injured herself in the fog.” He informed his friend.
Daerrin passed her down to Ler, who cradled her against his chest. Daerrin dismounted, and then took Roxanne back into his arms.
Ler motioned another man to come forward and take care of Daerrin’s horse.
Heading over to his tent he shouldered open the fur entrance and laid Roxanne down on the pile of coverings.
His commander followed him inside. “It’s her ankle?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will get the supplies we need.”
Daerrin watched him leave the tent, before turning his attention back to Roxanne.
“I just…” She trailed off as she saw
the expression on Daerrin’s face.
“I don’t want to hear what you have to say,” Daerrin growled as he leaned down, his face invading her space. He still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his troublesome human. Although her twisted ankle would prevent her from further escapes and was its own punishment, he still felt like he should tan her hide.
She opened her mouth, so Daerrin covered it with his hand. “Not another word from you, Roxanne.” He wasn’t ready to hear any lies from her beautiful lips. She’d already lied and tricked him on the previous night with her naked body. “I’m hanging onto my sanity by a thin thread.”
Daerrin had never thought for a second that she would use her body to trick him. He hadn’t been prepared for it, and it troubled him. He had actually enjoyed the spread thighs of a human female and had wished for more from her the next morning.
Now he was the fool because he’d given in to his desires and his need for someone to sate his lust with, but he wasn’t going to fall for it again. If they shared a bed ever again, then he would leave his emotions outside the tent.
Once they arrived at the castle, he would turn Roxanne over to Elizabeth, wiping his hands clean of the troublesome woman, and then travel back to the border so he could war with the humans. She’d be out of sight and out of mind.
Rising suddenly, he left the tent and took a deep breath of refreshing air to calm himself. He didn’t like the fact that she was hurt, but he was also still annoyed with her actions.
“What happened out there?”
Daerrin turned to find Ler standing beside him with a medical kit in his hands. “The fog got the best of her, and she twisted her ankle on something.”
Ler tisked. “Of course. She probably hasn’t experienced such tricky fog on the plains.”
Daerrin cracked a smile. “True.”
“What else is on your mind?”
“What makes you think there is anything else on my mind?” Daerrin asked as he schooled his facial features.
“We’ve known each other since we were boys. I know when there is more on your mind.”
