Forbidden Magic (7 page)

"Then why dost thou flee?" he whispered with a smile, purposefully curling the fabric around his hand and drawing her closer.

To retain possession of the garment meant being pulled within his grasp, and though Jewel preferred not to unveil herself before his hungry eyes, she knew no other way to be free of him. Then remembering her mantle on the floor near the door, she elected to allow him ownership of the wrap in trade for her cloak, a garment she would seize to shield herself as she raced from the room. Surely he would not follow half dressed and reveal his failure with the woman everyone thought a whore. Biting her lower lip for courage, she let go of the cloth, spun around, and circled the end of the bed. Heading for the mantle and her escape, she failed to realize the lithe form she presented to him, nor did she see the pleased, lustful look in his eyes, for if she had, she would have recognized the foolishness of her venture. Instead, she hastened on, stooping slightly to pick up the garment as she ran. But as she started to whirl it around her shoulders, the knight sprang across the bed to cut her off, his muscular arms encompassing her tiny wast as he pulled her with him to tumble on the bed of fur pelts on the floor. She screamed, but the sound was lost amid the roar of thunder outside the room.

"Nay! Nay!" she cried, arms and legs thrashing wildly.

He paid her no heed as he rolled her beneath him and Jewel suddenly felt every inch of naked flesh pressed against her own. Frantic, she reached up to claw his face, the nails of her right hand drawing thin paths of blood down his cheek. He grunted, seizing her wrist, and easily twisted her arm above her head, holding both her hands in one of his, stilling her struggles almost immediately. Through tear-filled eyes, she watched him trace the wound with his fingertips and feared he would strike her in revenge. But to her astonishment and relief, a smile parted his lips as he looked down at her. Though she lay beneath hint, he braced his weight on one arm, disallowing any movement on her part but causing her no difficulty in breathing. He was forceful and at the same time gentle, something Jewel had not expected and felt certain would not last.

"I have fought many battles, little one, and never enjoyed an injury as much." He grinned, his green eyes sparkling in the firelight. "Gunther will have a merry time reminding me that a fierce knight was bettered by such a tiny enemy. But I will not mind, for I will tell him of the spoils I claimed in return. Well worth the spilling of my blood, I think." The smile faded as he lowered his head, his lips parted and seeking hers.

Jewel twisted her face away. "I will see you're beheaded for this. Will Gunther laugh then?" she challenged, fruitlessly trying to push him from her. He tightened his grip around her wrists, easily subduing her when a tremor of pain shot through her arms.

"Nay," he mocked. "He will see no humor in it. But I will not worry overmuch. By morning sun, I will leave you as I have all the others before you, with only a scar to remind me of this night. Our paths will not cross again, so Gunther's anger for the death of his friend will not arise. You will be spared his revenge."

"Spared?" she rallied, staring into his eyes. "I would welcome it knowing the price had been your blood upon the sod."

A chuckle sounded deep in his chest. "Such a brave one who threatens me while she lies stripped of all protection."

Jewel's face flamed with his reminder. "Methinks 'tis the only foe you can defeat, a helpless woman. And had I not been disrobed when you entered my chambers, your quest would have been much greater!"

"As your loss," he added. He grinned at the questioning look she gave him. "I would simply have torn your clothes from you and they, as well as your pride, would have been in ruins, 'Tis not a better lot at least, to save one?"

"I hate you," Jewel ground out between clenched teeth.

He pulled back as if offended. "'Twas not my intent to spur your love, only bed you. But have no fear, sweet one. I care no small amount for you either."

As if the heavens wished to verify his claim, a loud volley of thunder rumbled overhead and lightning flashed silver strips of light between the shutters, tight that spilled across the floor to fall against the couple. Jewel squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the vision, for at that moment she did not know if she feared the storm and its intensity more than the stranger who held her captive. When the tempest had subsided a degree, she opened her eyes and found him staring, a quiet, almost sympathetic, look on his face. But the compassion she saw faded and his lust again burned vividly in his dark, green eyes. Tears sprang to her own and a sob shook her.

"Nay, m'lord, please," she begged, cursing her fleeing courage.

"I will not hurt you if you do not fight," he whispered against her cheek as he buried his face in the softness of her hair.

Her breath caught in her throat when his lips softly caressed her ear and the flames of passion sparked anew. "I would be ... a whore if... I did not. Please!" Frightened of her own responses to his kiss, she jerked one hand free and struck her fist against his shoulder. "Nay! Unhand me!"

She raised the fist again to strike a second blow to his head but gasped in pain when he caught it in his hand and dragged it beneath her. Trapped, she arched her back to push him from her and managed only to impassion him further when her naked breasts pressed full against the hard muscles of his chest. She opened her mouth to scream her loathing of him, but her words were smothered when his lips hungrily crushed down on hers. His touch branded, her, left her feeling suffocated, and her head began to spin, for she knew her fate would soon be sealed. Panic rising, she tore her lips from his and jerked up, her shoulder connecting with his jaw. He straightened sharply, only slightly stunned, and smiled almost evilly at the horrified look in her eyes. Then without a word or warning, he lifted himself from her, her wrist still seized in one hand, and yanked her to her feet with him.

Her shame heightened when she realized she stood naked before his consuming gaze, and rather than allow him a moment's pleasure, she brought back her free hand to slap his face. But sensing as much, he merely leaned back to miss the attack and in doing so, Jewel simply spun herself around and found herself trapped in two strong, unrelenting arms as he crushed her to him. Lifting her from her feet, he effortlessly carried her, kicking and screaming, to the bed, there to heartlessly throw her upon it. The unexpected jolt when she landed knocked the breath from her and she lay gasping for air until her eyes focused on the man hovering near. He had stripped himself of the loincloth and stood unmoving, as if proud of the display he presented, a wicked, satisfied grin kinking one corner of his mouth.

"Oh, dear God ..." she whimpered, twisting to escape the feathery softness of the bed.

But before she had traveled an inch, two powerful hands caught her ankles, pulled her down, and forcibly rolled her onto her back. She screamed, arms flailing and eyes clamped shut. In the next instant, she felt his weight on the bed, a knee thrust between her thighs, and Jewel was beset with a torrent of sobs. Blindly, she thrashed out at him, connecting only twice before he fell against her, pinning her arms at her sides. His mouth took hers again in an urgent, searing kiss, his tongue brutally parting her lips to explore inside. Her breathing accelerated as she strained to free herself and every muscle ached from the useless effort. Her strength fading, she unwillingly relaxed, praying for some hidden reserve to see her through, until his kisses moved to the silky smoothness of her neck, lingered at the hollow in her throat, then eagerly traveled to the fullness of one breast. His mouth open, warm and moist, he hungrily captured the firm mound of flesh, teeth nibbling, tongue teasing its peak.

"Nay!" she screamed, struggling with renewed strength, tears streaming down her face.

As if he had heard, he lifted his head to look at her, but she knew in that moment he only intended to fulfill his reason for seeking her out. Shifting his weight, he placed both knees between her thighs, one hand behind her back, the other at the nape of her neck, and slowly lowered himself upon her. His mouth covered hers again, this time passionately, demanding, somewhat hurtful, and Jewel was helpless to stop him. Neither angry words nor heartfelt sobs had swayed him before, and she knew that within the next few moments he would take from her something she truly did not wish to give. Tears flooded between the thick, dark lashes. And she didn't even know his name.

Suddenly his manly hardness touched her. Her eyes flew open and she sensed the pain she would suffer. She fought beneath him, frantically trying to wiggle free, but it only seemed to sharpen his desire. In one final effort, she rose up to push at him just as he thrust his manhood into her. Her scream of terror was muffled against his lustful kiss and her body withered in his embrace as a burning fire seemed to spread within her. Yet it did not end there as she prayed it would, for he moved faster, deeper, his ragged breathing falling hot against her neck when he buried his face in her hair. She lay stiff, afraid to move lest he tear her apart with his passion, and she felt the thunderous pounding of his heart against her naked breast, the iron muscles of his body pressed to hers. When she thought she could endure no more, he let out a long, raspy sigh and withdrew to fall exhausted at her side.

Bruised and hurting. Jewel lay still and drained, willing her courage to return as she choked back her sobs. Now that he was finished with her, she would wait only, long enough to regain her strength before she rose and dressed herself. Although the storm, continued its fury outside the room, oddly she found she desired its cleansing rain to wash away the scent of this man from her body. She felt dirty, used, and filled with shame. If there had been a slight chance Amery would marry her, it had vanished when this stranger had entered her chamber. All that was left her now was to return to Harcourt to bid her family farewell, seek forgiveness from God, and live a life of seclusion. A rumble of thunder crescendoed within the walls of the small room as the crisp bite of the night air chilled her, and Jewel opened her eyes, determined to clothe herself as quickly as she could. But when she started to rise, a broad hand caught her shoulder and pushed her back into the fur pelts of the bed. Fearful, she slowly looked at the man who shared the space, her chin trembling when she discovered he had propped himself up on one elbow and was brazenly feasting on her nakedness. Blood rushed to her cheeks, warming them, and she averted her eyes, thinking the gesture would make him disappear.

"Thou wouldst not flee so soon?" he mocked, toying with an auburn curl resting against the pillow. "'Twould please me if you remained."

"'Twould please me more if you threw yourself out yon window," she muttered, surprised at her own mettle, for suddenly she did not care what might happen to her if he were to take offense at her words.

He laughed heartily. "'Twould be the easiest method to rid yourself of me. But, alas, I am afraid your prayers will remain unanswered a while longer. The night is cold, my body longs for rest, and the room is paid for." He fell back against the mound of pelts beneath him, wrists crossed behind his head. "I shall be staying until dawn and so shall you."

"I shall not!" she barked, springing upright to scoot across the bed. But before her feet could touch the floor, he had bounded after her, caught her around her narrow waist with one arm, and dragged her back to the center of the wide bed. "Nay! No more!" she shrieked, arms crossed in front of her as she fell into the thick cushion of fur. His laughter bounced off each vertebra of her spine.

"Methinks you are the liveliest-vixen I've ever bedded. And since the storm forbids us leave without threat of soaking and I have not grown bored with you, I have need to keep you by my side." With his eyes locked on hers, he ran one hand down the velvety smoothness of her hip and thigh, grinning when she tensed. "And now that I have sampled the sweet nectar of the flower as well as felt the prick of its thorn at my cheek, I find I have not had enough."

"Please, m'lord, do not hurt me again," Jewel begged, knowing if he did she would surely perish from the abuse.

"Again?" he laughed in disbelief and pushed himself up. "Show me the injury except to your pride, for I think you play with me." His gaze swept the length of her, then froze, and an angry glare distorted his handsome features as he saw the bloodstains darkening the white flesh of her thigh. His head jerked back to glower at her. "A virgin?" he demanded loudly.

Fearing his wrath and confused by such an outburst from one who earlier professed his hatred of women, Jewel quickly came to her knees, fur pelts hugged to her chin, and began to inch away. She trembled with her fright and she bit her lower lip to still her tears.

"What finds you here?" he bellowed, then a new thought struck him. "A trap? Dost thou seek a husband so greatly that you would spread your skirts with any man, then cry deflowered virgin heavy with his brat?"

"Nay! I do not!" Jewel rallied in defense. "I am innocent of any wrong doing. 'Twas . . . 'twas you!"

His face contorted in rage, he shot out a wide hand and grabbed her wrist, yanking her back down on the bed beneath him. Though he held his voice to a whisper, his tone revealed the strength of his meaning. "I say you practice the womanly art of deceit. But beware, little one, I am not fooled. I bed any woman I want, then leave her just as easily and with no more thought to her yearnings than a stallion his mare. You have served me ... nothing more, and when night has fallen again, I will have found another to replace you." Angrily, he lifted himself from her and left the bed to go to the hearth. Resting on one knee, he banked the fire for the night with logs stacked off to one side of it. His back was turned to Jewel, allowing her a moment to consider him.