Blaze (2 page)

Though she had returned to Femmeglen only three days ago, she already felt as if she had never left. Even her old herbarium in the Order's fortress had been kept for her, attended by young

trainees.

"Melody!"

A familiar voice broke Melody's thoughts and she smiled and waved at Dame Glenna who was purchasing an apple from a fruit cart. Glenna and Melody had been trainees together over twenty

years ago. Though separated by assignments, the women had remained friends and exchanged written messages as often as possible. Several times Glenna had even visited Melody on her island.

"I'm glad you decided to come today," Glenna said.

"I could hardly wait. I've missed these fairs, especially Dame Lucille's blueberry bread. Does she still have a cart at the festival?"

"She certainly does. Her bread is a main attraction."

"Who in the world is that?" Melody grinned, nodding toward the platform where a tall bearded man with a shock of brown and white hair danced to the accompaniment of drums and flutes. He

wore black trousers and a scanty vest. Muscles rippled in his torso as he tossed the daggers high in the air and spun, then caught the blades without missing a single beat of the music.

Glenna laughed. "Oh, that's just Sir Lock. He joined the Ruby Order several years back."

"Well he's a hoot."

"You don't know the half of it." Glenna glanced around, then leaned close to Melody and

whispered, "He was once a SothSea whore and a pirate as well."

"A SothSea whore turned Knight?"

"It's true. He's a pleasant fellow, though. He has a nice little wife and a couple of children."

"He's a good dancer."

"Yes, he certainly is." Glenna stared at the tall Knight's brawny chest, lust glistening in her eyes.

"But as I said, he's married."

"I didn't say I wanted him."

"Come now, Melody. You must want something after being stuck on that island for ten long years.

Unless you took a lover there?"

"If you remember, Glenna, we've both taken something called vows which, if I recall the dubbing

ceremony, include one of abstinence."

Glenna raised her eyes to heaven. "Oh yes. That. I'd forgotten about that one three or four lovers ago. You have been stuck away for too long. Follow me to the wrestling matches just over the hill.

There is a wonderful new crop of Ruby Order trainees who've just arrived—"

"Trainees?" Melody wrinkled her nose. "I'm probably old enough to be their mother. Besides, I'm not looking for a man. You're busy trying to fix me up, yet I see no ring on your finger."

"I like my freedom too much to tie myself to one man."

Still chatting, the women neared the platform just as, to the vocal disappointment of most of the female onlookers, Sir Lock's dance ended. Several Knights of the Green Sash faction, all wearing

black trousers and vests of forest green, stepped onto the smooth wooden stage.

They were a fine looking lot, most of them tall and handsome with athletic physiques. Melody had heard about the faction and occasionally seen some of its members in passing. She'd heard stories

about their leader, Sir Blaze. In her absence, he'd been promoted to third in command of the entire Ruby Order. According to his reputation, he deserved it. He was known as the most skilled healer

and hand-to-hand fighter in the Order.

Melody's gaze remained fixed on the stage as the martial arts exhibition began. She wondered if Sir Blaze was among the Knights performing. Each man moved with grace and power. Each carried himself with pride. Any of them would have made a fine commander. As they performed kicks, punches, and strikes, the musicians played in the background. The Knights' speed increased with the music's tempo until they became a stunning blur of motion. Several soared through the air

and back flipped while executing the beautifully choreographed exhibition of deadly movements.

Melody's thoughts faded as she focused on a tall auburn-haired Knight whose talent outshone the others. He moved with the speed of a whipcord and the grace of a leopard. Melody's breath caught

and her temperature rose just looking at him. His hair turned redder in the sunlight and it whipped around him while he spun and kicked. Suddenly all the Knights turned on him in a mock attack. He avoided blows from every direction. Leaping and twisting, his body seemed made of liquid steel. He was like a magician of empty-handed combat, the image of danger with a body gorgeous enough to steal a woman's breath.

Abruptly the music stopped. The performers dropped to their knees, forming a perfect circle on the stage. Melody stood close enough to see the rise and fall of their chests and hear the harshness

of their breathing.

The auburn-haired Knight sat close enough to Melody that she could clearly see his face. She stared at him, her entire body tingling with desire. Though not handsome, he was captivating. His

nose was on the large side, but all his features were completely overshadowed by the beauty of his eyes. They were large and perfectly shaped, tilting up slightly at the corners, and as blue as a

tropical sea. If an angel took human form, surely he would have such eyes.

His body, however, was anything but angelic. Every muscle was developed to perfection without appearing overly bulky. His limbs were long and his shoulders broad. Perspiration misted his face

and torso. The glistening flesh accentuated his sleek muscles.

Melody's nipples tightened beneath her brown tunic. Her pussy ached with unfamiliar need for something thick, velvety, and oh-so-masculine.

The auburn-haired Knight stood and approached a group of trainees leading three draft horses onto the platform.

A hush fell over the crowd as all the Knights but the auburn-haired one formed a pyramid across from the horses which were now lined up side by side. At the top of the Pyramid, two of the Knights held several boards. The auburn-haired warrior stood at the far end of the stage. His eyes slipped shut and he drew several deep, cleansing breaths. Suddenly he bolted, his long legs flying across the boards. He leapt, soaring over the horses, one leg extended in a kick that split through

the boards held by his companions. The crowd burst into applause when he landed gracefully on his feet.

Melody smiled and clapped. He was quite a performer. A real asset to his faction and the Ruby Order itself.

"Quite good, aren't they?" Glenna asked.

"Excellent. The one with the auburn hair is simply amazing."

"He ought to be. He leads their faction."

"That's Sir Blaze?"

"I forgot you've never met him. He's quite strange, but he knows his profession, that's for certain. Now, back to more important matters. How about getting some of that blueberry bread and

meeting the new trainees?"

"I told you, they're too young." Melody's gaze fixed on Sir Blaze as he and the others completed the exhibition. "You go. I'm staying here for a while."

"Wait a minute." Glenna smiled. "I remember that look. Has Blaze caught your interest?"

Melody glanced at her friend from the corner of her eye. "He is fascinating."

"One of the wives of a member of his faction is a good friend of mind. I'll have her introduce you to him as soon as he's finished performing."

"Well—"

"You can't say he's too young. He is odd, though."

"How so?"

Glenna rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes. "Maybe he is good for you after all. Few men would understand your gift but—"

Melody's smile faded. "Don’t mention that to him right away, will you? Unless I explain it correctly, it scares many people off."

"That's just the thing. Blaze has a similar problem, or gift. He communicates with the dead."

"You're joking?"

"I swear it's the truth. That's why he's so difficult to understand. To tell the truth, the one time I met him he made me nervous as hell because I didn't know what in the world he was talking about.

It has something to do with the dead talking to him. I think it's rather creepy."

"I would like to meet him." Melody's heart pounded with anticipation. Drawing a deep breath, she stared at Blaze who was engaged in a grappling exhibition with another member of his faction.

I must meet him, she thought to herself.

When she reached deep inside to that place where the spirits mingled and stirred her dreams, they guided her toward the auburn-haired Knight, a man who just might understand her after all.

Chapter Two

Brushing locks of sweat-soaked hair from his eyes, Blaze stepped down from the platform, followed by the other members of his faction. Several of them commented about their performance and laughed amongst themselves. Blaze felt proud of his faction after such a fine exhibition. Of course they had certain combinations that needed improvement. Learning and perfecting their art never ceased. Master Etah had certainly instilled that lesson, and Blaze believed it was a good one.

"That went well." Sir Colt, a sandy-haired Knight, fell into step beside Blaze.

Blaze's lips turned up in a slight smile. "Take care with self-satisfaction. It breeds complacency."

Colt laughed. "No member of your faction can be complacent."

"Keep that in mind."

"Sounds like he's giving you a warning, Colt." Sir Crag joined the men, his gaze drifting toward his wife, Lily, who approached with two Dames.

One of the Dames nabbed Blaze's attention and sent his pulse racing. A feeling of warmth and desire enveloped him simply from looking at her. Petite with a wealth of curly brown hair, she possessed the largest, most trusting brown eyes he'd ever seen. Though she carried herself like a

young woman and her physique was trim and supple, he guessed her to be close to his own thirty nine years.

"You were all wonderful!" Lily said to the Knights. Slipping an arm around her, Crag kissed her mouth. She turned to Blaze. "Blaze, this is Dame Glenna. I believe you've met her before, but this is Dame Melody."

Blaze nodded in Glenna's direction before fixing his gaze on Melody.

"That was an impressive exhibition, " Melody said. How her voice fit her name! Soft, gentle, and musical. What had the spirits said earlier? Sweet music. Now their words made perfect sense.

"Thank you," Crag replied since Blaze's tongue seemed useless.

"I've never seen your faction perform before," Melody continued, staring at Blaze.

"You are strange to my eyes as well."
Come on, fool! You can think of something better to say than that!
"Are you new to the Order?"

She smiled, the expression so charming that Blaze's belly tightened and his cock twitched. This woman filled him with lust that was a complete contradiction to the purity of the emotions she inspired within him.

"Old, I'm afraid. I've been on assignment for the past ten years. I've only returned to Femmeglen a few days ago."

"I see." Blaze's heart thrummed. Rather than cooling after the exhibition, his body temperature seemed on the rise just from looking at her. "Would you…"

"Yes?" Melody stepped closer, her body nearly touching his.

Swallowing hard, he resisted the almost magical pull between them. By the Spirit, he wanted to cover her delicate lips with his and find out if she tasted as sweet as she looked. "Would you like an escort for this assembly?"

"I'd love one."

"I will bathe and change, then meet you back here?"

"I'll be eating blueberry bread under that tree." She pointed across the field.

Once she and Dame Glenna walked away, Blaze became aware of Crag, Colt, and Lily staring at him with amused expressions on their faces.

"Glad to see you decided to join the festivities after all," Crag said.

Lily teasingly slapped Blaze's arm. "It seems you're something of a flirt, Sir. I never would have imagined."

"A man does not ignore a rosebush in spring and expect to enjoy it in winter," Blaze said, translating the words of the tall, thin scholar who had suddenly appeared in front of him. The spirits were pushing him towards Melody—not that he needed any help. Never in his life had he

been struck by such a wonderful feeling as when he looked into her beautiful, soul-melting eyes.

A smile tugged at Blaze's lips and warmth enveloped his heart as he strode toward the woods a short distance from the fairground. In a clearing, there was a pond that the Knights often used for bathing. A swim in its cool water was exactly what Blaze needed before meeting with lovely Sweet Music.

As he neared the clearing, the sound of splashing water mingled with a man's deep laughter and a woman's giggles. Sir Lock and his wife, Sparrow, chased each other in the water. The tall, brawny

Knight caught her in his arms and planted a smacking kiss on her lips.