“You-you w-were so…cruel…” I objected.
His gaze fell to the floor. Head hanging in clear shame. “I was, Mary.”
He lifted his head and those fierce green eyes landed on me severely. “Never again. There’ll never be a reason for me to be anything but what I want to be.”
“And what is that?”
“Next to you. Kind to you.”
“That’s what you want?” I blinked at him.
“It’s all I ever wanted. It was just impossible. If they saw how weak I was with you, they’d have eaten you alive.”
“Especially Tanya.” I agreed. Realizing the precarious position he’d been in. The thin line he’d had to walk.
Too cruel and they’d have crumbled.
Too kind and he’d have been too weak to lead.
It renewed my respect for what he’d done. For he’d been the Second in Com
I reached down and scooped his sack from over his pants. Stroking him with my fist around him and massaging there to see how he’d react.His body tightened and the cords in his throat jutted. He licked his lips, his mouth drying. “You have to stop, Mary. I’ll most certainly take more of your touch any other time. But I need you to stop now so I can focus on you.”I reluctantly dropped my hands from him.He resumed touching me where he’d left off. The outside of my arms. Caressing along them to rub my forearms. Stroking his thumb along the inside as he reached up to frame my wrists. Guiding my hands up by my head and setting them down on the floor. Flattening his hand above me in a gesture for me to remain as I was.Then his gaze dropped to my ripe, hard-nippled breasts. Enjoying the sight of them before he lowered his head and drew his tongue slowly along the surface of one before closing his lips around it and sucking it int
Realizing that small detail freed me.I no longer have to listen. It’s my choice.I reached up and caught at his back and shoulders. Pulling him down over me. My eyes widening as I told him what it was, I hungered for. “I want you Hawk, over me, on me, in me.”His green eyes widened then lit with fire. “As you wish, My Mary.”He reached down to fully free himself and caught himself in a fist to guide him toward me. Giving me a questioning look with his eyes.I knew what was in his mind. I could suddenly see it on his face. Fear that I would change my mind. Suddenly jump up and leave.I could. I could run away.But it was the last thing I wanted to do right now.***I had no more time to think. I felt the pleasant stretching of my flesh and knew the familiar intrusion of his body in mine. As my inner mouth consumed his length. Taking him in. Warm and wet. Savoring the feel o
I nodded sagely. “And what if you can’t find her?”“Our freedom is conditional. Warlord will only keep King Detry’s men from finding us as long as we are searching for her. Finding signs.”“Would he really turn us back over?”“He can be ruthless when needed. I think he’s capable of unbelievable goodness and unbelievable ruthlessness. He’s probably capable of just about anything.”“Then I guess that is what we must do.”“We’re also supposed to report any darkling creatures to him.”“Why?”“For the sake of letting the King of Creatures know where to hunt.”“I’ll help you, Hawk.”“I don’t need your help.” He said softly as he rolled to his side. Resting his cheek on one palm.“I just need you to stay.” He reached out and caressed a thumb over my
THE BEGINNING OF BOOK TWO: WARLORD'S WARDChapter One: Glimpsing DarknessI cowered behind the tree just outside my village. Crouched and covering my ears to block out the sounds of men, women and children dying.And the smell...The smell.I'd done as my uncle had told me and covered my pretty hair in mud and scraped my face with rocks and dirt. Tossing on one of uncle’s oversized tunics and cloak.Hide how you look. Uncle Tom had told me.I did.But I had returned and watched in horror as the sorcerer strolled through our village. Dressed in black and followed by licking black tongues of smoke.He lifted his hand, and a man running at him with a blade was thrown back an impossible distance until he slammed into a tree and slid up it as though lifted by an invisible man. Then his neck craned to the side with a loud snap and he dropped limply."Warlord." King
“Come.” He ordered me and despite myself, my feet were obeying him. Turning me around and heading me straight for that dreaded king.“What have you found me, Warlord?” The King asked.“Power…” He looked at me pointedly. Speaking fragmentedly, in his characteristic way.“Not much to look at.” The king’s lip curled up in contempt. Seeing mud and what might be darker things, caking my hair which hung before my face and smeared across my skin in clumps.I forced my eyes hooded to hide how large and doe-like I’d been told they were.By Clement.***Clement was the village boy. The only boy who’d shown interest in me when I dared sneak out at night.Really the only boy I’d known.Now he was dead in the village square. I’d seen the knights drag a sword through one of his shoulders and nearly sever his shoulder in half.
Entering the bailey was completely different to anything I’d known before. I was surrounded by the smell of fresh vegetables and baking bread.I inhaled deeply. Savoring the scent. I hadn’t realized I’d pause to tip my head up. Until I felt a hand grip my upper arm.I jumped and looked over. Stunned to see that Warlord was tugging me behind him. His head lowered so the brim of the large hat hid his face. Shouldering his way through the crowd of people at the booths.We walked a ways ahead of the mounted soldiers and the king but as they saw the steeds they spilled apart and silenced.Clearly Warlord wants no part of that attention.He wanted to be through the crowd and halfway across the bailey before they noticed.This was why people claimed to hardly ever see him.He was good at being inconspicuous when he so desired.I watched him with interest. Why would the most powerful mage in the
He walked over to a table that was scattered with tied bits of weed and herb and several stoppered vials. He swung off his black mage’s robe and slung it over the back of the chair. Leaving a smoky black haze in its wake.“Why does it do that?”“The haze?” He said absentmindedly as he took off his hat and put it on the corner of the chair before slowly beginning to unbutton his vest.I found myself easing to the far side of the room and trying to distract him with talk. “Yes.”“It’s not the robe. It’s me. My magic leaves a film. Like frost.”“Why?”He turned that blue gaze on me. “Do you truly care or you just buying time to put furniture between us?”I found those keen eyes inescapable. I swallowed hard.“Why am I here?”“For my pleasure.”“But you said-”“I said I wouldn&rsqu
I shook my head from within his grip on my jaw.His fingers tightened. Biting into my chin to hold it in place. "I don't think I was clear. You're here to be a pleasure hole for my cock. That is why I brought you here and that is what I will do to you."No.I had one hand covering my large breasts jutting beneath the chemise. Trying to hide the dusky nipples so obvious through the filmy white material. My other hand was clenching over the dark bit of hair at the nest of my sex. Also, as readily visible.He leaned back to trail his eyes down my form. Still clutching my chin."Away." He pointed with two fingers to my arms which dropped at his command without any conscious thought from me.I whimpered in objection as I fought for control of my suddenly disobedient body."It obeys me now." He murmured down to me.***There was something hypnotic about the dark blue of his eyes. Making the pupil seem like it