How The Warrior Fell (Falling Warriors series Book 1) (4 page)

“There’s nowhere to run, Leawyn. That door is the only way out. You can’t escape me.”

Leawyn closed her eyes, his meaning clear. This was going to happen, and nothing she could do would stop him. Swallowing against the bile and fear choking her, Leawyn gathered her strength and wrenched open the door—sealing her fate.

Leawyn sat on the large bed staring sightlessly down at her hands. She was still wearing her wedding gown, and her hair still had the small braids woven through it in the style of an Izayges.

She raised her head at the sound of the wooden door opening, standing when her husband’s hulking frame came through. He stared at her as he closed the door behind him, the sound loud in the quiet room.

They stood staring at each other; the only sounds were the crackling of the fire Leawyn had lit and her shallow breathing. She trembled as he took slow, measured steps towards her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Xavier stopped a breath away from her. She stared at the door behind his massive shoulders, avoiding his gaze.

It was when he reached up to untie the knot holding her dress together that she tried to run from him.

Leawyn screamed as Xavier wrapped his beefy arm around her waist and hoisted her up. Her legs kicked out wildly as she struggled in his grasp. Xavier threw her over his shoulder and onto the bed so that she landed on her back. He laid on top of her, wedging himself in-between her legs. Leawyn lashed out at him, bucking her hips to try and dislodge him as her dainty fists aimed for his face.

Xavier reached up and grabbed her hands in his, holding them high above her head so it made her back arch. Leawyn screamed again as she struggled against his hold, sobbing.

“Enough!” Xavier barked, jerking her hard enough to make her head slam back into the pillow as he glared down at her.

“You will accept this, Leawyn,” Xavier growled menacingly as he used his other hand to untie the knot and jerk her dress down her body, leaving her breasts bare.

Leawyn cried, shaking her head, still struggling against him. She let out another loud sob as his hand trailed down her hip until it reached the underside of her thigh. He grabbed a fistful of her dress and pushed it up so the material bunched around her waist.

“No!” Leawyn sobbed out, trembling with her fear. Her blue eyes were wide as she looked at him pleadingly. “Please don’t do this! Please! I’m not ready!”

Xavier glared at her, a snarl on his face as his eyes flashed furiously. “You are my wife. You
will
accept this, and I will take you,” Xavier promised, his voice laced with steel. “You knew this would happen.”

Leawyn cried. Fat tears rolled from her cerulean eyes as she stared up at him fearfully. He traced one of her tears before dipping his head and catching it with his tongue. He turned, burying his face in her neck, inhaling the scent of her. He tilted his head so his lips brushed her ear with every word he whispered.

“I can tie you down if you would prefer, or we can do this the easy way and be willing.” Leawyn choked around another sob, her tiny form trembling as she felt his arousal through his breeches brush against her thigh.

“Either way, I
will
claim you Leawyn.” He nipped her ear lightly, ignoring when she tried to jerk away from him. “And I’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

Leawyn let out a low moan, the sound resembled what a wounded animal would make. She jerked in his grasp, her one last attempt to try and escape. To protect one of the only parts of herself she had left. It was futile.

“Do I need to grab my rope?” Xavier growled. “Choice is yours.”

“Willingly,” Leawyn whispered numbly.

“Good girl,” Xavier praised before his lips claimed her own in a possessive kiss. He reached up and ripped her dress completely off with one hand, while the other jerked down his pants.

Leawyn had just one moment to close her eyes before he gripped her thighs with both hands and wrenched her legs apart, spreading her wide open so he could nestle between her.

“Mine,” Xavier hissed out. He slammed his hips forward with a brutal thrust that made Leawyn cry out in pain as he tore through her virginal barrier with a swiftness that brought tears to her eyes and made her body seize in agony.

Xavier groaned again when Leawyn clawed at his shoulders, her nails leaving little crescent marks on his skin. He pulled out halfway, and Leawyn winced at the feeling before he slammed his pelvis forward and entered her once again, each thrust more powerful than the last.

“Please!” Leawyn cried in pain, the burn of him breaking her innocence only intensified with each movement of his hips.

Leawyn tried desperately to leave his grip, pushing against his shoulders and arching her back to try and crawl away from him, but it was no use. Xavier simply reached up and grasped her hands, pinning them down onto the bed again with one hand while the other held her thigh closer to his body.

“The more you fight, the more painful I’ll make it,” Xavier snarled down at her, his eyes alight with his lust. He continued his pace, pulling out and slamming back in with quick succession. The sounds of his flesh slapping against her flesh reverberated in the room.

“Please . . .” Leawyn sobbed her last attempt to reach out to whatever humanity Xavier had left.

Xavier paused, and before Leawyn could hope for much, he pulled back and simply flipped her over, forcing her onto her stomach. His hand gripped her around her neck as he forced her face down onto the pillow, holding her still while he wrapped his arm underneath her stomach and arched her hips up so she was on her knees.

“I gave you a choice,” Xavier hissed into her ear, then he thrust into her so hard and deep, Leawyn felt his balls rest flush against the crevice of her skin.

The pillow masked her screams and caught the tears that ran down her cheeks as the flight left her completely. She lay beneath him, defeated.

Later that night, Leawyn lay stiffly in bed with Xavier’s arm thrown possessively over her waist. Even in sleep, he controlled her. Possessed her. She tried desperately to hold in her sobs.

There was no going back after tonight, no escaping him.

She was his.

Forever.

And Leawyn cried.

She cried for the freedom she lost, and the life she was forced to have.

She cried for her home, and she cried for the pain he made her feel.

But most of all, she cried because when she closed her eyes, she saw the hazel ones that belonged to the one she will miss the most.

The sun shone bright above, causing the ocean’s blue and green hues to sparkle from the reflective rays. The sound of seagulls squawking high overhead did nothing to diminish the tinkling sound of a child’s joyous laughter as she chased after the waves.

Her blonde hair glowed bright as it caught the sun. The imprints of her feet marked the sand before the waves playfully drew them away, continuing the never-ending game of catch.

Leawyn giggled to herself and stared down at her feet as she squished her toes into the wet sand until they were buried. She watched in fascination as the water came and rinsed the sand away.

She should be back at her village with her caretaker, who was probably very upset with her for sneaking off, but Leawyn wanted to play, not do chores.

Growing tired of her game, she walked over to the dry part of sand and flopped down onto her back. She watched as seagulls flew overhead, gracefully gliding with the wind and occasionally dropping down into the water to catch a fish.

Before she even realized she was tired, she fell asleep right there on the sand.

It was quiet when Leawyn woke.

She could no longer hear the seagulls squawking overhead, and the beach wasn’t as warm because the sun had long since set, and in its place the moon shone brightly.

Leawyn shot up with a gasp, looking around her in panic. She scrambled to her feet, wiping the sand off her hands using her long skirt.

Brees was going to be so mad at her!

She gathered up her skirts and ran as quickly as her six-year-old legs could take her towards the hill that would lead back to her village. Leawyn’s panic grew; everything was dark. Without a torch it was hard to navigate. Soon she was horribly lost. Sliding down a rock slick with moss, Leawyn pulled her knees to her chest and began to cry.

“Why are you crying?”

Leawyn jerked violently sideways, her wide, blue eyes opening to see the pale face of a boy with a mop of curly, dark brown hair standing a few steps in front of her.

He couldn’t have been more than a few years older than her, standing at about four feet tall, his dark eyes staring at her with curiosity and concern.

“I ran away from Brees, and now I don’t know my way back.” Leawyn sniffled, using the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. The boy’s lips pursed as he took a step forward and knelt down in front of Leawyn.

“Why did you run away?”

She sniffled again, her crystal eyes puddled as she answered. “I wanted to play, but she wouldn’t let me.”

“Why couldn’t you play?”

“Papa doesn’t like it when I play,” Leawyn whispered sadly.

It got quiet between them, the boy lost in his thoughts and Leawyn wishing she would have listened to her caretaker.

Her small shoulders shook as the beach carried a strong breeze. She jumped when a cloak was suddenly draped over her. Leawyn looked up at the boy as he stood, pulling her along with him.

“I will take you home.”