Lady Vixen (16 page)

For
just a minute Nicole allowed a feeling of pleasure to run through her as she
admired the quiet, almost arrogant beauty of the house. But she wondered at
Saber's presence here. Did he have such easygoing wealthy friends that he could
call on them at will? Or had he, somehow by iniquitous means, acquired the
house himself? And because she was suspicious and wary, she was able to conceal
any admiration she might have felt.

Even
the black-and-white marbled floors of the huge main hall, the slabs laid out in
a lovely diamond pattern, aroused no comment from her. Stiffly she stood at
Saber's side as he talked in an undertone to a tall, slender negro dressed in a
severe suit of dark cloth, the blackness of his skin intensified by the
startling white of his shirt. She paid no attention to their soft conversation,
but stared blankly down the hall, hearing nothing, seeing nothing. So lost was
she in her efforts to appear indifferent that Saber's light touch on her arm,
as he piloted her in the direction of the imposing front door, came as a shock,
and she gave a start of surprise.

Smiling
down into her upturned face, he said coolly, "Nervous, m'dear? Don't be. I
assure you I have no intention of falling upon you like a starving wolf."

Nicole
took no comfort from his mocking words, but then she suspected she wasn't meant
to either. Pulling herself together, she cast him a look of undiluted hatred.
Saber laughed, and his hand tightening around her arm, he propelled her out
onto the downstairs gallery. Ignoring her obvious reluctance, he continued to
force her in the direction of one of the staircases. At the bottom step they
were met by a smiling young negress, her head wrapped in a gay red-and-white
bandana. Saber greeted the girl with pleasure, and Nicole, sourly watching the
black face light up with enjoyment at his easy words, wondered how he was able
so effortlessly to charm whenever and whomever he wished. Well, he certainly
wasn't charming
her,
she thought nastily!

He
glanced down at her and, as if guessing her thoughts, said lightly, "I'm
sure you'll overlook my servants' pleasure at my return, but they for some, I'm
sure you'll agree, odd reason happen to enjoy working for me. They haven't your
clear-sighted view of my character."

With
bored nonchalance she said, "My dear sir, your relationship with your
servants is none of my business. All I care about at the present is my bed and
bath!"

"Then
you will no doubt enjoy the services of Galena. She will be your maid as long
as you remain here. Be sure," he added in a hard voice, "to let her
know if there is anything you require."

"I
intend to!" Nicole purred sweetly.

Saber
grinned; then he strode away in the direction of the overseer's office, a small
brick building that was situated just beyond the plantation's kitchen.

As
was typical of the houses in Louisiana, the kitchen was a separate building
behind the main house; then came the overseer's office, and behind it the
dovecotes, and beyond that the two rows of small brick cabins that comprised
the slave quarters. In the distance behind the slave cabins, Saber could see
the green fields of sugarcane and just barely the tip of the sugar mill. For a
moment he spared a thought for the family that had lost all this wealth merely
on a throw of the dice, but he promptly forgot them as he pushed open the door
to his overseer's office.

Nicole
wandered around the large pleasant bedroom in which she found herself,
wondering how Saber came to find himself in such luxury. It was a marvelous
room —soft woolen carpets covered most of the gleaming wooden floor; an
enormous carved mahogany bed with cheerful yellow silk hangings was against one
wall; small inlaid tables were placed here and there; a few chairs covered with
excellent damask were arranged near the fireplace; and above the mantel a
majestic gilt mirror reflected the entire room.

Turning
her back on the fireplace, she walked over to one of the long, narrow windows
hung with drapes of satin in the same shade of yellow as the bed hangings and
stared out gloomily. Life was the very devil, she decided unhappily. This time
yesterday she and Allen had everything in the palm of their hands and now . . .
Saber had blasted it all to hell! She stood looking out at the green expanse of
lawn in the fading light and tried to imagine how she would feel this time
tomorrow . . . after tonight!

Silently
she watched the sun sinking and wished as it disappeared slowly behind the
towering oaks and cypress swamp that it was already tomorrow and that this
evening were behind her. But in spite of an inward shrinking Nicole was not a
coward and she had made a bargain. That she would like to change her mind was
true, and as Galena bustled around in the background and laid out a robe of
some silky material in a shade of deep green and a gown of a lighter shade, but
not any less transparent, she had a wild urge to flee from the room and plead
with Saber to forget her earlier foolish words. Yet the thought of Allen's fate
stilled the motion. She knew that whatever plans Saber may have had for Allen,
her intervention had changed them, and Saber would hold her to her word.

Grimly,
like a gladiator preparing for the arena, she let Galena unbind and wash her
hair, and submitted with the same resigned air to a bath perfumed with the
scent of jasmine. Closing her eyes, she willed her tense body to relax in the
warm water and was surprised when she did so. She left the bath with regret and
was enfolded in a large fluffy towel and coaxed over to the bed." Galena's
soft hands massaged her body, and Nicole felt all stiffness leave. A lightly
perfumed oil evocative of jasmine and honeysuckle was poured over her and
smoothed into her skin. Numbly, she slipped into the flowing gown and robe,
wondering where her will to fight had flown, and then reminded herself that
there was to be no fight—she was to be
willing,
it was her own bargain.

That
same numbness was so strong that not even the appearance of Saber in a heavy
gold silk robe that rioted with black Chinese dragons could shatter it.

Acting
as if it were a common occurrence to receive gentlemen in her bedroom, she
watched impassively as Sanderson, the slender negro to whom Saber had spoken
upon their arrival, set up a small table and proceeded to. serve them dinner.
It was a meal worthy of royalty, but for the pleasure she derived from the
succulent shrimp, the
filet de boeuf aux champignons,
and the wild rice
and oysters, she might as well have been eating black dried bread crusts. A
deep red Burgundy was served with the main course and Nicole emptied her glass
as quickly as it was filled.

Saber,
lounging leisurely in his chair and savoring an after-dinner cigar with his
brandy, smiled as she defiantly tossed down another glass of wine. She looked
to Sanderson, but he, intercepting the decisive shake of Saber's head,
pretended not to see and, correctly interpreting the glance his master sent
him, quickly cleared all signs of their meal. Leaving only a decanter of brandy
for Saber, Sanderson departed.

With
dismay she watched him leave, and then rashly deciding attack was the best
defense, she took a deep breath and demanded, "And now?"

Saber
flashed her a lazy grin, but then after he stubbed out his half-finished cigar,
his smile vanished and he said thoughtfully, "And
now,
little
vixen... we find out just how much of the truth you have been telling me!"

The
words hit her like a blast of icy wind. Frozen, she watched him, her eyes dark
with emotion, as he rose from his chair and approached her. For a moment he
stood beside her and looked down into her face, his eyes gliding lightly over
her faintly agitated features—eyes nearly black with turmoil and a full,
inviting mouth. The gleaming, dark fire hair tumbling about her shoulders and
framing her face gave her the look of some wood creature-—a wild creature
untouched by man. His eyes lingered for a moment on that half-parted mouth, and
then they slid down to the gentle swell of her breasts, staring as if bewitched
at the increased rise and fall of her bosom beneath the misty green veil of her
gown.

Nicole
had never been so conscious of her body, but then she had never worn such a
transparent excuse for a garment before nor, and more importantly, had she ever
been the object of Saber's sensual interest.

She
felt a queer sense of detachment—almost as if this were happening to someone
else. Even when he pulled her up into his arms, the feeling persisted. It
wasn't her he was kissing, his lips warm and passionate against hers, his arms
holding her pressed next to his tall, lean body, it was some other girl, and she,
Nicole, was merely an onlooker.

Saber,
feeling her lack of response, and aware of her air of insularity, raised his
mouth from hers. He could feel it in the slim body, so close to his, and in the
indifferent softness of her lips under his. Speculatively he looked at her, his
gold eyes narrowed and hidden by the thick black lashes. Perhaps she was as she
asserted—a virgin—but he doubted it. And because he thought she was stooping to
trickery, he wasted little time in preliminaries. Grasping the low neck of her
gown in one quick downward swipe, he tore it from her body.

Nicole
stood naked and unmoving before him, her slender body bathed in candlelight.
Gazing at her slim beauty—the high pointed breasts with the soft coral nipples,
the narrow ribcage resting above a slender waist, the flat tautness of her
stomach, and the dark lovely triangle between her long legs—Saber's breath
caught in his throat, his desire erupted like a blazing volcano. Sweeping her
up into his arms, he carried her to the bed.

He
slid onto the bed beside Nicole as she lay motionless on the scented sheets,
her hair spilling out like a cloak of fire around her shoulders. Lying on his
side next to her, barely touching her, he leaned over and leisurely, in spite
of the driving urgency of his body, he kissed her, again evoking no response.
With a frown of displeasure, he propped himself up on one arm and stared down
at her face.

Gravely,
the feeling of detachment fading only slightly, she stared back at his harsh
bearded face. An animal desire emanated from him, further disturbing her
calmness.

"Look
at me, Nick," he commanded quietly. Capturing her chin, he forced her to
meet his eyes. His voice betraying his rising anger, he snarled, "When I
kiss you, damnit, I want to know I'm kissing a
woman
not a stiff-lipped
spinster!"

He
crushed her mouth with his, forcing her lips to open. Plundering and searching
her mouth, holding her chin firmly in his grasp, allowing her no respite from
his hungry assault. Shaken by the naked urgency of his mouth, Nicole was
helpless against a sudden surge of frightening desire that struggled into life
throughout her body. Unable to help herself, her lips became soft and
responsive under his. Feeling her surrender, Saber released his hold on her
chin, his fingers gently caressing her jawline and neck before his hand slipped
down her shoulders and spine, leaving a tingle of awakening awareness in its
wake.

Nicole
felt as one possessed, as if another creature, a hot-blooded, sensual animal,
had entered her body. Her arms reached out with a tranced will of their own to
embrace Saber. Her hands, commanded by her own need, caressed the dark head and
then daringly slid down to explore his long, lean body, the broad back with its
scarred ridges and the arms with their iron-smooth muscles. His own hands were
like tongues of fire as they skimmed delicately over her, his mouth no long
plundering, yet still hungry and demanding as it wooed her into desire. She was
sinking in a sea of new sensations, no longer thinking sanely, only filled with
a fiery longing that was burning brighter and more vibrant with his every
touch. His hard body seemed to drive her deeper into this yearning for
possession—the fine rasp of his chest hair against her breasts, the strength of
his legs as they pressed to hers, and the symbol of his very manhood between
them, warm and throbbing.

As
his growing desire blotted out coherent thought, Saber was no longer in control
of his emotions. No longer could he only lightly touch and explore the silky
flesh so near his. Forgetful of her possible virginity, his hand blindly sought
the satin softness between her legs; his fingers thrust without warning within
her.

At
that first ungentle touch between her thighs, Nicole's whole body stiffened
with shock. Memories of Saber with other women suddenly flooded her mind, and
she knew she couldn't go through with it. Her thoughts banished the passion
that had so recently engulfed her, and tearing her mouth from Saber's, she
squirmed away, managing to evade his hands. Half lying on the bed, half
kneeling on the floor, she stared back at him as he frowned at her, his eyes
still glazed with desire. Earnestly trying to explain to him the motives behind
her sudden reversal, she stammered, "I—I—can't! Please understand!"

Her
words seemed to stun Saber, and for a long minute he stared at her, obviously
unable to take in what she was saying. But then he remembered her possible
virginity and his whole manner changed; his eyes were suddenly warm and
compelling as they rested on her apprehensive face. "Hush, sweetheart.
Come to me and let me teach you. I won't hurt... I promise. Ah, God, Nicole,
let me love you," he said huskily, and disarming her with gentleness, he
gathered her unresisting body next to his. For several seconds they lay together,
Nicole conscious of the hard length of him next to her naked body, and when he
kissed her, his lips moving in soft sensual rhythm across hers, she felt
herself again slipping into the intoxicating headiness of desire. His hands
explored the slender curves and hollows, this time slowly, maddeningly,
caressing her, touching her gently. Giddily she tried halfway to fight free of
the web he was spinning around her, but her body was already trapped in the
awakening desire he so skillfully wrought. A small feverish moan escaped her
when his lips left her love-bruised mouth and slid slowly to her hardened
nipples. She was not prepared for the delicious pleasure his teeth created as
he gently bit the tender flesh, sending a shiver of pure animal desire down her
spine. His hands moved with sensual power over her skin, gently fondling the
nape of her neck, down her spine and over her hips, luring her beyond the point
of rational thought. He pulled her to him so that they lay side by side, her
breasts brushing the coarse silk of his chest, and deliberately he made her
aware that he was full and ready for her. Swiftly he took her hand and,
ignoring her startled protest, guided it to him.