Mica

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Mica

ISBN # 1-4199-0399-3

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Mica Copyright© 2005 Kate Hill.

Edited by Briana St. James.

Cover art by Syneca.

Electronic book Publication: November 2005

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Warning:

The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers.
Mica
has been rated Sensuous by a minimum of three independent reviewers.

Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (Sensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme).

S-
ensuous
love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.

E-
rotic
love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as

“fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature.

X-
treme
titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

KNIGHTS OF THE RUBY ORDER:

MICA

Kate Hill

Dame Sun drew a deep breath and tilted her face toward the dusky sky. Rain pelted her flesh and moistened her lips, but it felt good after so many weeks of hard work.

First had been the battles to defend the small farming village against an attack from a group of rogue Zaltanians who were trying to keep the war on. Then there had been the repairs. As a Dame of the Opal Order, a group of warriors and healers dedicated to aiding those in need, she’d been among those sent to help GreenTown through its crisis.

She’d spent the day helping to build a new wall around the village square and instructing farmers on the basics of defense.

In the morning a new group of Dames and Knights were scheduled to relieve Sun and the others who had secured the village. Then she could return to the Order where she spent most of her time training foot soldiers.

Sun loved her work. She enjoyed helping others and even liked fighting. At least it was a way to vent some of the anger boiling inside her since her village had been destroyed ten years ago.

Removing the strip of rope binding her heavy blonde hair at her nape, Sun shook out the rain-drenched tresses and thought how marvelous a long soak in warm water would feel.

She mounted her horse and cantered off to the hot spring caves located in the forest just outside the village. Moments later she arrived at her destination.

Hollows had been carved into the walls where torches rested. She lit them, bathing the cave in soothing firelight. Heat and moisture from the spring water warmed the air.

Sun removed her armor and piled it in a corner of the cave. Her white linen shirt clung to her perspiring body, molding to the generous curves of her firm breasts and fitting like second skin to her abdomen, back and arms. She peeled off the shirt and tugged off her trousers then placed them atop her armor. Sun was about to remove her fitted leather loincloth when a sound from outside the cave startled her. Instinctively, she reached for her sword.

“Show yourself.”

“Dame Sun?” a deep, masculine voice called.

One of the villagers, a tall, brawny young man with a wealth of curly blond hair, stepped inside. His handsome, smooth-shaven face appeared rather innocent in spite of how his blue eyes gazed at her with longing. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She lowered her weapon. “What do you want?”

He licked his lips and she could almost sense his nervousness. Sun nearly smiled.

She knew this man. He was from one of the village’s best families and promised to
marry a merchant’s daughter in autumn. This particular village took pride in keeping its men honorable until after marriage, so she had no doubts about this youth’s virginity. Still, lust gleamed in his eyes, hinting at what he’d come for.

“I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for our village.” He stepped closer, his broad shoulders nearly filling the cave’s entrance. His chest rose and fell with excited breathing. “I’ve never known women like you Dames of the Opal Order.”

“There are few enough like us, that’s for sure.” She grinned, placing her sword aside and approaching him.

“I appreciate all the work you’ve done. The way you defended us against the Zaltanians was admirable.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I…”

“Yes?” She stood so close that her nipples brushed his broad chest. His cock swelled, poking her hip. A pulse beat madly at the side of his neck. This boy was going to be easy. So easy. Perhaps such a big, strong youth was just what she needed. Few women wouldn’t find satisfaction with a stud of this caliber.

Sun placed a hand on his bare chest, relishing the thickness of his muscles beneath the dusting of honey-colored hair.

“I want you, Dame Sun,” he breathed, resting his hands on her hips, his thumbs stroking her flesh. “I want you so badly I feel as if I’m being ripped apart from the inside out.”

A slight smile curved her lips. Running her fingertips down his flat stomach, she felt the muscles twitch. Her hand slid down the front of his loose trousers and stopped just short of grasping his cock.

Panting softly, he gazed at her, his eyes dark with desire.

“You’re a promised man, Nicoly.” She tilted her face upward, her lips almost touching his. “I know the laws of your village. For us to do this would be wrong.”

“I don’t care, Dame Sun.” He grasped her upper arms and pressed his face against her neck. “Everyone knows my marriage has been arranged. I’ll spend the rest of my life with a woman I don’t want. Just once I will have a woman who excites me.”

Sun stared at him until she saw the fear of her rejection slip into his eyes. It wasn’t as if she was forcing him, and vows of chastity were wasted on her. She’d broken hers often enough.

“All right, but just this once. You owe me nothing and I owe you nothing.”

“Yes. Yes.” He panted, sliding down her body and taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He sucked and laved it. Sun wound her fingers in his hair and gazed at the spring. Though her nipple hardened and bumps rose around the areola, she didn’t feel that thrill other women spoke of.

“Sun, Sun. Beautiful,” Nicoly murmured, his big, rough hands rubbing her breasts, stomach and hips, his motions more clumsy than arousing.
This boy needed lessons and Sun loved being a teacher. Rather than gaining her pleasure in the throbbing, explosive physical thrills that usually accompanied sex play, Sun received her pleasure from keeping control of her partner. She liked having a man beg her for more. She enjoyed lording power over him, of holding him trembling and writhing on the brink of fulfillment, then deciding whether or not she would give him what he most desired.

Too often men controlled women. They used their bodies to hurt and force, but not with Sun. Not ever again.

After years of living in fear of her sexuality, she’d tried facing her dread like she faced just about every other difficulty in her life. Taking lovers whenever she wanted to, she proved she could bed a man and still keep control. Yet making love was simply a string of motions to her. Other women spoke of affection for their lovers, but Sun felt nothing.

“You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met,” Nicoly breathed, dragging Sun back to reality. His hand slipped between her thighs, caressing gently.

“On your back.” Sun shoved Nicoly onto the damp ground by the edge of the spring. Gazing at him, she ran her fingers over his powerful chest and grasped his hips.

“You have a fine build.”

“As do you.” He reached for her breasts, but she eluded him by kneeling between his hard, hair-dusted thighs.

She clasped his balls in one hand and the base of his cock in the other. Leaning forward, she spoke close to the ruddy crown of his erection, her warm breath fanning the sensitive flesh. “Just relax.”

He groaned as if to say how can I relax when your soft, wet lips have just enveloped my cock head? Sun’s tongue rolled over the smooth, velvety flesh. She sucked hard and fast then drew him in so deeply that his cock brushed the back of her throat.

“Ah. Goddess.” Nicoly panted, clutching her head with trembling hands.

Sun almost smiled to herself. This boy was so inexperienced she wondered if he’d last another ten seconds. She continued sucking then ran her tongue from the base of his cock to the tip. The scent of his arousal and the harshness of his excited breathing filled the small cave. Sun moved her hand from his sac to the ultra-sensitive flesh of his perineum. With a lustful cry, his hips lunged upward and Sun grasped his bottom cheeks.

A noise outside the cave reached her warrior’s senses. She drew back, his cock popping from between her lips, and reached for her sword.

“Why did you stop?” he gasped, raising himself on his elbows and gazing at her as she stood, her long blonde hair hanging wildly down her back.

Every muscle in her naked body taut, she stared at the mouth of the cave.

“By the Goddess.” The young woman who stepped inside covered her mouth with her hands.
Sun shook her head. Just her luck. Nicoly’s betrothed had come to visit.

“How could you?” the girl snapped at Nicoly then turned her glare to Sun. “You have infringed upon my rights, Dame, and I will see that you pay for it.”

Sun raised her eyes to heaven. “Sorry, hon, but it’s not as if I forced him.”

“Angeline.” Nicoly jumped to his feet and struggled into his clothes while approaching his fiancée.

“I don’t want to hear it.” She stomped out of the cave, Nicoly close behind her.

Sun shook her head and stepped into the spring, allowing the water to soothe her.

She’d just spent the past few minutes with a hot young stud and felt not even the mildest disappointment that he’d gone. While his touches hadn’t offended her, they hadn’t aroused her either. It seemed she would never feel the utmost pleasure with any man, nor would she feel love for one, except for the familial affection for some Knights of the Ruby Order who had managed to befriend her. Thanks to General Mica of Ademene, her emotions were as dead as her womb.

She floated on her back, gazing at the torchlight dancing on the rocky ceiling. She’d better enjoy herself now because once Nicoly’s little fiancée complained about tonight’s incident, Sun would most likely be punished by the Opal Order. Seemed a pity, especially since she had derived no real pleasure from the experience.

* * * * *

“Sun, you know why you’ve been called here,” said Dame Neila, leader of the Opal Order.

A tall woman of late middle age with braided silver hair, Neila possessed an aura of quiet strength that Sun had always admired. It was her controlled self-assurance that made Neila a trusted leader who knew when to use force and when to negotiate. Sun tried to be more like her, but the young woman’s temper often blinded her to diplomatic solutions to problems.

The two women stood in Neila’s private chamber in the Opal Order’s Fortress in Femmeglen. Sunlight poured in through five large windows cut into the round stone walls. A spring breeze wafted inside, carrying with it the scent of wildflowers, damp grass and food cooking in the kitchens below.