Ellora's Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II (15 page)

The surrounding men laughed in low rumbles as many nodded their heads with approval.

“Best we finish this inside.”

* * * * *

She had to be in shock. Leah stood in the middle of a bedchamber and twisted a part of her skirt. What was she doing?

Howard had never kissed her like that! Well, for that matter she’d never really dreamed about Howard thrusting into her.

There was something wrong with her. There had to be. It must be wicked to think about a man’s…penis so vividly. It was sinful at the very least.

But it was making her wet as she stood there trying to figure out her new tendencies to daydream so vividly.

“Accept it, Leah. We are destined to be mated. The intensity is our calling to each other.” Aaron came back into the room and aimed his dark eyes at her again. His stance was arrogant as he folded his arms across his chest.

“That makes no sense to me.”

Her honestly pleased him. Aaron considered her a moment. “What I do not understand is that fabric covering your hair. Take it off.”

Leah reached for her cap but stopped as she realized she was jumping to his commands. His face tightened as her action displeased him. Leah smiled back at him.

She would not be his doormat.

“Aaron, stop bellowing at her like your warriors. You must learn to ask.”

A woman came around the corner and aimed a wide smile at Leah. She was the most exotic thing Leah had ever seen. Her hair flowed down her back and her dress was the sheerest of fabrics that was hooked together under her breasts and draped behind her as she walked. Her large distended belly poked out and the pants she wore rode low on her hips. The outfit seemed to praise and frame her pregnant state perfectly. Leah looked again at the bare rounded belly that her child rested in. She couldn’t imagine a more beautiful woman.

92

Looking Forward

“Myra, if you bend me to your will, Leah will reject me for being too weak. Have mercy on me today and go find your mate.”

Leah stared at Aaron in disbelief. His eyes had softened as he became the model of charming maleness. He rubbed the mound of Myra’s belly with a large hand while she gently stroked his cheek.

“A woman wants more than iron strength in her mate. Now be gone with you until Leah sends for you again.” Myra waved her hand and smiled at Leah as Aaron frowned.

“Myra…”

“What? You would have your mating night without giving your mate the chance to bathe? Crude. What is wrong? Do you doubt that Leah will send for you?”

Aaron did doubt it. Humans were not as accepting as Tailarmarians about mating.

The intensity of their mutual desire was all the confirmation he needed, but Leah might reject him out of fear. Staying with her now would prove the issue once and for all.

“What happens if I do not send for you?”

“You would have your choice of which warrior to ask into your bed.”

So that was what he had meant by choice. Leah looked into his dark eyes and straightened her spine. It was him. Could only be him. She couldn’t recall a single other warrior’s face because she had been drawn to Aaron. There was no reason to debate the issue with her conscience. Lying to herself would be just as grave a sin as wantonness.

“Go. I will send for you.”

93

Mary Wine

A completely different bliss captured Leah just five little minutes later. Myra pulled her across the room and through a doorway that led to a bathing chamber. A large steaming pool of water tempted her with its sparkling depths.

Leah hadn’t had a hot bath in months. Her skin suddenly felt the weeks of grime and dirt that the trip had left on her. Myra began pulling pieces of her clothing off and Leah was most happy to help.

“What have you done to your hair?” Myra was trying to pull the entire bun off her head and Leah felt like giggling.

“There are pins in it.”

“Well, it is a crime to hide your hair. Why do humans do this?”

“I don’t know.” Leah pulled the pins free and began to pull the braid out. She really didn’t know why clothing had anything at all to do with faith. But today she was happy to pull her dress off and feel the air slip over her skin. She was still warm but not unbearably hot.

Myra waved her to the water and Leah stepped into it with pleasure. The pool was big enough for both woman but Myra simply kicked her long pants off and playfully dangled her feet in the water. The woman had a tiny pair of panties on and near-nudity didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest.

“Do not do that.”

“Do what?” Leah watched Myra with guarded eyes. The woman raised a single finger and waved it back and forth.

“Trust yourself and do not begin worrying about tonight. Aaron is a fine match. If he offered for you, he is quite taken with you.”

“How would you know that?” Leah might be willing to admit they both seemed to want each other physically but emotions had never even entered her thinking. “We just met two hours ago.”

“Ah… But warriors are very quick when they find their mates. It is a man’s way, as my father told me.” Myra reached for a small cake of soap and rubbed it over her feet.

“Besides, if he doesn’t please you tonight, you can choose another warrior tomorrow.”

Leah raised her startled eyes towards Myra. “What do you mean?”

“Um… I forget you humans are different. You do things backwards. How can you swear pledge to a man before you have mated with him?”

Leah didn’t know what to say. She still wasn’t sure what Myra was talking about.

“Myra, do you mean you have relations with a man before you marry him?”

94

Looking Forward

“No, goose. You have sex. How else do you know if he is the man who can drive your body to pleasure’s edge?”

Well, that was clear enough. Leah watched Myra as the woman began to idly stroke her belly. She was exotic and sensuous. She just looked free. Leah envied her. The other woman wasn’t awkward with her body. There was a grace there that Leah suddenly realized she’d been longing for her entire life. Myra had the ability to simply enjoy being a woman, without apologizing for the feelings that went along with her gender.

“Come out now, so your hair can dry. Don’t make Aaron wait too long, there are only so many hours in a night.”

Myra said it gleefully as she held a large piece of thick fabric up for Leah to dry herself with. There was an excitement about the coming night reflected on the girl’s face and she simply didn’t have any problem discussing sex. Leah’s sisters back with the Fellowship would have passed out from sheer shock just because of their nudity.

Myra led her out into the main bedchamber again. Leah let her eyes rest on the bed this time. It was large and wickedly inviting. Thick covers were spread over it with pillows in the center. Myra giggled before pulling Leah along toward the fireplace.

“You see? Aaron has made a good choice. He knows what you are thinking about.”

A deep carpet of some type was there and Myra pushed Leah down onto it. More giggles floated into the room as two women appeared in the doorway.

“Here are Faye and Syria.” The two women immediately crossed the room and sat down. They both wore similar dresses with pants that left their bellies open to view.

Myra began pulling a brush through Leah’s hair as the two new arrivals took her hands and began shaping her fingernails. No one seemed to care that Leah was still as bare as the day she’d been born.

“Lucian is so envious that you chose Aaron over him.” Faye sent Leah a naughty smile before the girl reached for a small jar and started to apply a colored paint to Leah’s fingernails.

All three women continued to groom her as if it were the most natural of things.

Leah simply let them. They painted her fingernails a deep gold color and then did the same to her toenails. Myra pulled the brush through her hair with endless strokes until it dried in silky wisps that hung down her back.

Myra began applying color to Leah’s lips, but no one offered her any clothing. But then again, her skin was rosy and warm from the fire. Her breasts still tingled and Leah found her mind wandering to Aaron’s body again. Howard had never let her touch him during sex; she wondered if Aaron would demand submission as well.

Leah didn’t want to lie under Aaron without moving. Besides, she’d always thought Howard’s rules very selfish. Why was she not allowed to touch? Howard often touched her breasts but she was forbidden to let her fingers wander over his chest.

A secret smile lifted her lips as Leah remembered the sculpted perfection of Aaron’s arms. The way he’d moved that arm across her breasts sprang to mind and she watched her nipples draw into tight little buttons with just the memory.

95

Mary Wine

Her companions giggled in response as they sat back to survey their work. They pulled Leah to her feet before they each embraced her.

“Welcome, sister.”

“Be happy.”

“And swear you will tell us everything tomorrow morning!”

Myra shepherded Faye and Syria out the doorway before she sent Leah a smile and departed the chamber. Leah was instantly aware of the slight crack and pop of the wood in the fireplace as it burned. She took small steps and noticed the chill of the stone floor as she left the carpet behind.

Her body was so very alive with each and every sensation. Suddenly she felt a surge of her own power and walked into the bathing chamber again. Large polished mirrors were mounted onto the walls. Stepping forward, Leah looked at her body with open curiosity.

She had never seen her entire body nude before. Curiosity made her turn to consider herself. She really didn’t look so very different from Myra. Well, except for the pregnant tummy of course.

But that could change. Leah actually felt her face turn red as she considered just how she might go about getting into the same condition as Myra. She looked at her flat stomach and remembered the rather vivid picture of Aaron thrusting himself into her body.

The color on her face actually bled down her neck and onto her chest. Leah watched her breasts swell with just the idea of the man. She didn’t know him but there was a deep awareness of the man inside her head.

Of course he’d said he was empathic. Which made her imagine some very naughty possibilities. Leah giggled because she didn’t think she’d been considered “naughty”

since she was five years old. But, well, the idea of sharing…intimate ideas through just her thoughts was…naughty.

It was such a tempting idea. Leah wandered away from the mirrors and back into the bedchamber as she battled her better judgment. Her entire life had been correct.

Proper. Her few acts of boldness had always been kept tightly leashed inside her mind.

Now she’d met a man whom she couldn’t hide those thoughts from. Leah moved closer to the bed and ran a hand lightly over the covers. All she had to do was summon the man.

“Your thoughts have already done that, Sister Leah.”

96

Looking Forward

Leah almost shrieked, but tightened her lips to contain the sound. Her fingers ripped the top cover off the bed and pulled it in front of her body. Finding enough courage to be nude with the other women was one thing. With Aaron it was far more exposing.

He didn’t like her decision to cover her body. Leah felt his disapproval as a small wave that brushed through her mind and had to fight the urge to laugh. Howard had
never
wanted to see her…bare! In fact he just might be turning in his grave at the mere idea that Leah was considering dropping her shield because Aaron didn’t like it.

Her amusement confused him and Leah considered the way he held his jaw. He’d changed and bathed as well. His dark hair was pulled back from his face but still hung around his shoulders. He was the very image of strength. Leah considered his sculpted arms again as she found herself impatient to discover what his chest would look like.

His huge hands moved and her eyes followed them. The ties on the front of his vest took exactly three seconds to undo before he tossed the garment aside. Leah couldn’t keep her gasp to herself. Instead she raised her eyes towards his face and caught his grin. She couldn’t look at his bare chest. Really…she just didn’t dare. Being bold was one thing. Foolishly flinging herself into utter madness was another.

Leah suddenly felt very stupid standing with a blanket gripped under her chin. The problem was, she had no idea what to do about it. She could wrap it around her body but that just seemed rather cowardly. She recalled the way Aaron had raised that dark eyebrow as she’d retreated from him and Leah decided she didn’t like him thinking her spineless.

So she would just drop the thing and be done with it. Gravity made the action mercilessly quick. The second her fingers released the fabric, it dropped soundlessly to the floor.

Time became still and Leah listened to her own breaths. Each tiny movement made her skin tingle as Aaron took his time looking her over.

He stepped around her in a decreasing circle that made her heart rate triple. It reminded her of a lion as the animal hunted.

“You must be the boldest human I’ve ever met, Sister Leah.” He was behind her and Leah turned to face him as she felt that same twist of betrayal from the Fellowship members.

“Don’t call me sister. I’m not their sister any longer. My name is Leah.” She watched his huge hand touch her hair and slip along the strands before his dark eyes rose to hers to demand submission.

97

Mary Wine

“Don’t resent their decision. It saved me from having to take you. I much preferred your acceptance.”

“Take me?” There was far too much strength in the man. Leah felt her heart frantically pound as he twisted her hair around his fist and closed the gap between their bodies. She had been insane to think she could deal with a man like him. He was too big, too commanding. Too arrogant. But the trap was closed now as Aaron pulled her against his body and captured her mouth with his.

His hand controlled her head as his lips demanded complete surrender. He pushed past the remains of her restraint to explore her mouth as he caught her taste. His hand in her hair kept her submitting to the kiss as his other arm bound her to the hard length of his body.