King of Spades (6 page)

“Untie me,” she said with as much force as she could, but her demand sounded as empty as the feeling behind it. “I have to relieve myself.”

For a moment he studied her then nodded. With a wave of his spade-tattooed wrist, her bonds were freed.

Alexi gave him a wary look as he helped her to her feet then gripped her upper arms for a moment. Her muscles ached from being bound for so long, and if he wasn’t holding her she probably would have fallen. She glanced down and saw that she had been lying on velvet. Somehow he’d managed to place a black velvet cushion beneath her.

“Listen, I’ve got to go really bad.” Her gaze darted to the nearby trees and back to Darronn. “Just give me a moment alone, all right?”

He nodded and she headed toward the bush, her stilettos wobbling as she walked over the uneven ground through an odd blue-green morning mist. Her head ached from not having her morning coffee and her knuckles throbbed from punching the big horny gorilla last night.

Once she positioned herself behind the bush she thought she’d pee forever, but it gave her time to think. She could sneak away and hide out in the forest before he had a chance to catch her.

Alexi finished her business, stood and started to move into the forest, her heels wobbling as she walked over the rough ground. She’d have to take the damn things off, she thought as she rounded a tree—

And smacked right into Darronn.

“The meadow is in the other direction,” he said as he caught her upper arms. “Did you forget so easily?”

Before she could answer, he grabbed her around the waist and flung her over his shoulder.

Alexi screamed and pounded her fists on his rock-hard ass. “Goddamn it! Let me go!”

But the man was amazingly fast. Next thing she knew she was lying on the black velvet cushion, strapped down and spread-eagle, with Mr. Dark and Dangerous Dick between her thighs again.

“Now where did we leave off, firecat?” Darronn pressed his erection even tighter against her slit as he raised his head and studied her with his fiery green eyes. “Did you consider my words? Will you obey me without question?”

“I’m not someone you can order around.” Alexi met his gaze straight on as her anger returned like flames devouring dry grass. Her voice rose as she hit her stride. “Do you get off on tying up someone smaller and weaker than you, and bullying them into submission?”

His expression shifted from sensual to hard in an instant. “It is clear you require more time to consider your lesson.”

Alexi’s stubbornness and pride kept her from shouting,
No! Don’t leave me here!

Instead she glared at him. “Go to hell.”

Darronn smoothed his hands over her stocking-clad thighs as he eased back onto his haunches. He studied her, his muscles flexing and his jaw tightening. His deep voice was tightly controlled as he spoke, “When you can admit what you most desire and fear…when you show that you both trust and respect me…you will be free in mind, body, and spirit.”

He backed away and stood, then waved his hand and the red shimmer filled the air again then vanished. Forest sounds and smells vanished again—he’d encased her in some kind of protective bubble.

Darronn began to shift into a tiger and Alexi couldn’t help but admire the amazing sight. It somehow made her feel small and insignificant, yet proud and powerful. When he was again a white tiger with black stripes, he studied her for a moment, and then she heard his voice in her head.
I am the only man who can make you whole. I am your Master.

With beautiful, fluid movements, he loped out of her line of sight and into the strange blue-green mist.

Emotions raged through Alexi, as they had since the moment she walked into her townhouse and knew something had changed. She wasn’t going to beat this man at his own game while strapped down and flat on her back. It was obvious he was just as stubborn as she was, and she’d have to change her game plan.

The beginnings of an idea glinted in the back of Alexi’s mind. Darronn had said he wouldn’t release her until she called him
Master
. All right, she’d do it, but once she was free, once she found the right opportunity, she’d get her revenge on him
and
escape.

Nobody
screwed with Alexi O’Brien.

Chapter Four

When Darronn approached his mate, it was late in the afternoon. The protective shield he had placed around her had ensured the sun would not damage her perfect pale skin, and the wind would not chill her naked flesh.

He dismissed the shield and stepped between her thighs and looked down at her.

Alexi tilted her head and eyed him squarely. “Please free me now…” She swallowed, her throat working as though to choke back a name she felt more suitable to him than the one she must speak to free herself.

Darronn quirked one eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. “Yes?”

The pain it caused her to say what she must, was evident in her expression and in her tone. “Please free me,
Master
.” She said
Master
in a way that sounded more like
bastard
, but it pleased him nonetheless.

For this woman, such an admission was worth far more to him than any wench who threw herself at his feet and begged for his cock.

But he merely gave a single nod. “You have earned your freedom from your bindings…for now.”

She bit her lip, her teeth white against the plump red flesh, as though trying to hold back a furious response. While he knelt between her thighs, her aqua eyes shot daggers at him—if they had been real, he would have been slain many times over.

Taking care to guard his bollocks, with a wave of his hand Darronn freed her using his magic, sending her ties and the stakes back to the château.

The sudden freedom took Alexi by surprise—she’d almost expected him to leave her there for another night. She didn’t dare take her eyes from Darronn while she brought her aching arms down from over her head to her bare belly. Her bracelets were still melded together like manacles, and she was sore from being in the same position for almost an entire day. The only time she’d been up had been to pee, and that had been maybe ten minutes at the most.

“What are you going to do with me now?” she asked as he touched the bracelets with one finger. The gold separated, leaving her jewelry intact and whole as they had been before.

Magic. He can do real magic.

“You will come with me to my château.” Darronn rubbed her wrists with his strong fingers and worked his way up her arms, and she wanted to melt into his touch. “There we shall sup and continue your training.”

Rather than arguing with him, she braced her arms at her sides to push herself up, and he helped her to a sitting position. Now that she wasn’t lying flat on her back, and wasn’t dying to go to the bathroom—not as much, anyway—she got a good view of where she was. It was gorgeous, and reminded her of one of Annie’s paintings. Better yet, that scene from
The Sound of Music
where the step-mom and all those kids were climbing over the beautiful mountains and singing.

Good grief. My mind has melted for sure.

Her heart dropped to her belly as she realized the magical mirror that she’d come through was gone.

She turned her gaze to Darronn and saw that the black eye she’d given him was even darker than before.

Ha. Serves the bastard right.
If she had the chance she’d blacken his other eye, too.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she asked.

Darronn shrugged, but the movement seemed anything but casual to her. “You are my destined mate.”

“I don’t belong here.” Alexi winced as he massaged her aching muscles. She hated to admit it, but his hands felt wonderful. “And whatever you may think, I don’t belong to you.”

His expression remained calm as he continued to work her body with his magic touch. “This is your home, firecat.”

“Damn it. You don’t understand.” Alexi’s head ached from not having her usual I.V. of caffeine and it took effort not to shout at him. “I have to find my sister. She disappeared a year ago, and if I don’t go back home, I can’t continue my search for her.”

In a fluid movement, Darronn eased behind her and began massaging her neck and shoulders. “One day I will help you find this sister of yours.”

Alexi couldn’t help relaxing into his touch as he kneaded away the knots in her muscles. “At this point it will likely take a miracle to find Alice, but I won’t stop until I do.”

He paused for a long moment, his hands warm against her bare skin. “I am certain you will again be with your sister, firecat.” His voice was firm and matter of fact, as if he believed what he said. “But first you must complete your training and realize your place is with me.”

“Give me a break,” she grumbled. She knew it was no use arguing the point with him. Not now, anyway.

After Darronn had finished massaging Alexi’s muscles, he helped her to her feet. Her legs trembled and she wobbled on her heels. She would have fallen if he hadn’t been there to hold her up. For just a fraction of time she allowed herself to lean into him, her naked breasts pressed against his clothed chest, his erection hard against her belly, his hands holding her hips.

His warm, earthy scent filled her senses and her pussy ached so badly that moisture seeped between her thighs. She clenched her hands in his tunic and raised her face to look into those hungry untamed eyes of his. Damn, but she wanted him, and Alexi O’Brien always went after what she wanted.

She was tall, but he was a good foot taller than her, even with her wearing stilettos. A rumble rose within his chest as Alexi reached up and slid her arms around his neck and tried to pull his head down to hers while she stood on her toes. She wanted to kiss him.
Needed
it.

He didn’t budge. He only studied her with that intense gaze of his.

Alexi scowled and turned away. “I’ve got to pee,” she said as she stomped off and found another bush. It ticked her off even more that he followed her, but what else could she expect from the bastard who had kidnapped her?

After she relieved herself, Darronn led her back to the meadow. The stakes, the cushion, her scraps of clothing…all of it was gone. Apparently he’d used his magic again to get rid of it all.

Darronn raised his head and gave a sharp cry—like a call of some sort. In the next moment she heard a thundering sound, and then a creature tore from the depths of the forest. It was a beautiful silver beast—like a horse, but different. Its muzzle was much narrower and its coat had a lustrous sheen to it, like a pool of liquid silver. As it galloped toward them, its movements were as smooth and fluid as Darronn when he was a tiger.

When the creature reached them and came to a stop, he lowered his head and butted Darronn lightly on the shoulder.

Darronn rubbed his knuckles along the creature’s muzzle. “My good friend Tok of the
jul
, I have a favor to ask of you this day. A ride for my mate Alexi and me, if you please.”

Fascinated, Alexi watched the beast toss his head and murmur a reply in a tone that was almost human.

“Many thanks, Tok.” Darronn inclined his head and released Alexi’s waist. From out of nowhere he produced a satiny black saddle blanket along with a black leather saddle—like magic—and settled both onto Tok’s back.

He moved behind Alexi and gripped her waist. Before she even had a chance to think, he was lifting her into the air, and she gave a small shout of surprise. As if she was light as a doll, he easily placed her on the saddle, close to Tok’s neck. The leather saddle felt exciting and erotic between her naked thighs and against her smooth slit. Tok’s fine hair was like silk to her fingertips as she gripped his silver mane, and he smelled of warm buttermilk biscuits and honey.

Her stomach growled.

After he helped Alexi mount Tok, the horse-like beast that he’d called a
jul
, Darronn swung up behind her. He pulled her toward him so that her back was snug to his chest, her ass tight between his thighs and his hard cock. His arms were around her waist, the spade tattoo on his wrist seeming to almost glitter in the sunshine.

“We will dine as soon as we reach my château,” he said.

Alexi allowed herself to relax against Darronn’s muscular length as the
jul
began to move in the direction of the waterfall. Blue-green mist that had been there in the morning had apparently burned away like San Francisco fog on a sunny day. The sun clung to the mountaintops, its golden light spilling over the top of the forest.

This place and this man must be getting to her, because it felt like the most natural thing in the world to be wearing only her thigh-high nylons and stiletto heels. Not to mention being positioned between Darronn’s legs with her thighs spread wide, while riding a silver horse called a
jul
. It was kind of like riding her Harley, only naked.

Yup. She was losing it all right.

Wind chilled her nipples and her exposed folds, and Tok’s rolling gait didn’t help the ache in her pussy any. Alexi shifted, tempted to slide her fingers into her slit and take care of that ache right now.

“You feel perfect in my arms,” Darronn murmured near her ear, his coarse stubble brushing her skin and causing a thrill to skitter through her. He moved his hands over her breasts and she couldn’t help but moan as he pinched and pulled her nipples, making her even hotter than she already was.

Alexi slid her fingers down to her pussy and into her core and damn near came at once.

“No, firecat.” Darronn brought his arms all the way around her and captured her wrists in his hands. He leaned back, bringing her wrists behind her and then magically fastened her gold bracelets together again. “You may not climax without my permission.”

“Damn you,” she muttered as he pulled her against his chest, except this time he had her hands trapped between them. Yet even as she cursed at him, she felt hornier than ever.