MOONDOCK (5 page)

“Where is your bravado, elamie?”

Her head slowly shook against the mysterious control he claimed over her. When he leaned down towards her, her eyes fell to his parted lips, fascinated and frightened in the same stilted breath.

Was she a sorceress? Defeating his anger with something more vital? Plundering the pink blossoms that his lips held captive was like touching the edge of enchantment. Awakened to what laid quivering in his embrace, Wylan wanted only to ravage the radiant beauty, seek and devour the sweet essence she valiantly protected.

Her resistance fell away like a crystal shield before a sweeping steel blade. Lips to lips, ah, the fire it lit. The tingling changed into a fierce hunger. One so wild, Melane swayed dangerously under its life force, whirling in a wave of pure sensations.

Her tiny whimper broke through the spell Wylan fell into. Drawing back, he looked upon the swollen evidence of his mark upon her. Miniature black wings of feathery lashes rested helplessly over the light blue jewels.

“What was that?” Was that husky voice her? Was he smiling? He didn’t look as fierce when his lips relaxed like that…such nice one, ah what their touch could do.

“Only a kiss, my elamie.” Wylan didn’t want to hear his own astonishment in the simple answer. Her head leaned back to one side as if contemplating the revelation. Wylan’s heart was going wild watching the innocent act. The way her hair fell to the side in a seductive curtain called forth a savage longing.

“A kiss? A Selam’s anger is vented in a strange manner.”

“Our battles will be devastating, little elamie.”

Leaning back to seek the flame in his eyes, awareness came like a chilling wind.

“Elamie?”

A cold panic rose over what she almost sought, vanquishing his devastating invasion upon her senses. “I must go.”

His hold tightened painfully to stop her from disengaging his hands. She pulled back trying to break the contact he maintained. “The council expects my return.”

“Enough! You try my patience.”
And more
. Wylan was furious over the admission, leveling it at the elamie that seemed not to know her own desires. Dragging her over towards the tree, Melane’s eyes grew enormous over his intent as he pulled the ropes from his belt. She dug her heels in, but her strength was no match for the male. “No!”

“Yes! You seem to have forgotten your vow to behave.”

“Behave? How dare you! I have no time for your games.”

Melane was stunned that the cords were fastened about her wrist so quickly. She tried to kick him when he pulled her hands about the tree, but his body just moved forward, pinning her back against the trunk. Holding her there, his great reach effortlessly tied her wrist together.

Ah, the fire still glowed hot in his blood for what wasn’t finished between them. Cupping her chin in his hand, he stilled her head from getting free. His kiss gentled her in a way no fetters could. Looking down at her, he took her lips again, deepening the taking until even her angry glare softened into passionate violet embers. “A kiss elamie is only one of a Selam’s weapons.” Leaving her to contemplate his veiled threat, Wylan gathered up his hunting gear.

The Rolley’s agitated pacing broke into his vision. Grinding his teeth together, Wylan cursed the hulking mass of red hair. “No game in its right mind will be within a day of you!”

Glaring back at her, her blue eyes held his in a haunting stare. Giving up the arguments pushing at him, Wylan took up the saddle. “Down!”

Reloading the beast he went back for the elamie. Untying her hands he picked her up, slinging her over his massive shoulder. “No game, no peace, I would rather face Tarra!”

Melane’s fist clenched against his back. Striking him would be as useless as everything she’d done so far. She tried to hold herself away from him and the power he ruled over her. A blow from his sword couldn’t have been more conquering than his touch. Even now, the weakness lingered. Did Selams have an invisible power over Nemows? Could Shemon control such a force?

Putting her before him on the beast Wylan pulled her back against him, locking his thighs about her own, daring her to object.

Closing her eyes, Melane silently pleaded for the strength not to display the havoc his closeness struck to life.

“The Kaymog, can he see at night?”

Through pressed lips, “Yes.”

“Then we should reach Moondock by morning.” Wylan’s arm encircled her waist bringing her closer still, noting how well she fit to his form. As if she was made for him and no other. The thought made him send the beast forward, needing the speed to cool the blaze she ignited.

~*~

Thankfully the darkness didn’t slow their progress. She was as tense as he during the long night. Still she fought his touch, keeping her back rigid in order not to be in contact. Her exhaustion was obvious in the tiny quivers the continued effort generated.

Wylan’s temper cooled many hours ago. The admission came hard, but he did admire the elamie’s strength. There weren’t many Selams that could stand before his rage.

What had she called herself? A Nemow, Lamar captain? He felt his own arrogance rear to dismiss the outlandish call. And yet, the spark of doubt was ignited. If she was from this Cibrac, were there no Selams? How could that be? A race of elamies was too ridiculous to consider.

Denial raced through him, causing his body to shudder. The act brought his lips against her hair. Inhaling, he let her exotic scent invade his being. Essence of the night blooming starflower, whose intoxicating fragrance stole away a man’s willpower, clung to her. Ah, she did have such a power in her possession. A sorceress? She could be very dangerous. Also powerful. To have such an elamie would lend great resources to his kingdom. The warnings said she could use her magic to destroy him. Why hadn’t she?

Those priestess she spoke of obviously taught her to fight. Her skills were admirable, she only lacked the strength. Why hadn’t she used the force against him? Wylan was sure he wasn’t being tricked by her innocence. No knowledge of a kiss? It was unheard of. His male awareness of her, told him, she was an infant in the ways. Was she also a babe to her own powers? Had these rulers not trained her to their uses?

Dragon was the only sorcerer in Moondock’s realm. The man’s dark magic caused many problems in the past. Only Wylan’s power and control over the kingdom held Dragon’s evil at bay. As with his father, Cristare, the man feared the vengeful force that Wylan could unleash against him. Dragon would know how to unveil the elamie’s powers. An uncomfortable feeling come over Wylan. Something almost primitive took hold of him, telling him to keep that man away from her.

Protect her? Ah, but it was so and denials couldn’t diminish the increasing boundaries of that conviction. An urgency to speak to Tarra came over him. He’d warn her of what he suspected in the elamie. Maybe he should give her away and be done with the problem? Even before he contemplated the course, he knew he wouldn’t let her go.

~*~

Every muscle and bone protested her vigil against giving up. Leaning back into his firm chest would be so easy, so welcomed…
No!
She’d not let this unaccustomed weakness rule her again. Seeking another’s strength was forbidden, but Melane had all but exhausted her will against his pulsing hold.

Moondock, his kingdom, there she would defy the Selam and seek his ruler. Nothing would stop her from carrying out the council’s wishes. Once done, she could leave and be rid of the insolent male. Melane refused to listen to the growing doubts that she would not be free of him. Remaining any longer than necessary in this Wylan’s presence would be a danger she could not ignore. Fighting the Kibra seemed tame in comparison to the siege he rendered upon her defenses. Every sharp contour of his masculine body burned into her memory. She must break free, before he defeated her will to remain distant to his deceptive power.

Whenever she gave in to the weariness and closed her eyes, the oddest images would form behind her lids. Never had she held such vivid scenes. Many Selams were all around her, there were Nemows, but very few within the crowd. The Selams overwhelming height and breadth make her feel small and vulnerable, making it hard to breathe. Then he would dominate the image, overshadowing all others, filling her heart with a warm stirring that frightened and excited her in unfamiliar ways. Fighting the images, she broke free and forced her eyes open again, killing the dream. The effort to keep the visions away stole her strength more than the physical exercise of holding herself away from him. Fearing she’d not be able to fight the increasing allure, Melane was nearing panic when they topped the next rise.

Endless deep blue water stretched out to kiss the dawn’s pink horizon. The breathless expanse captured the matching blue eyes trying to take it all in.

Wylan’s great arm rose, sweeping across the vision. “Moondock.”

The name encompassed the great water and vast land below them. From their stand above the city Melane’s eyes opened in awareness. No minor village stood before the vast blue waters. The city meandered about the chalky banks and high impressive cliffs, ensnaring great lines of waves crashing and rolling against them in a conquering roar.

There must be thousands of people living in so many buildings. Already she could see many tiny forms moving about the streets as the city came to life under the morning sun. She wished she dared to turn and see his face, sure of the pride she would spy in those masterful ebony stars. She could not fault such feelings, not when facing his grand home.

Melane’s appreciation mounted the closer they came to the high fortress walls seen during their decent. The high massive gates they passed through confirmed the fears she held to concerning this male. Nearly every Selam they rode past hailed the man at her back. Adding to her dismay, she couldn’t shake the nagging suspicions forming, concerning Wylan. The crowd of Selams increased, following Rolley’s progress through the cobbled streets.

Worse, was the shocking sight Melane couldn’t keep her eyes from following until her head would whip back to yet another male…child! Little Selams raced beside the large males or were carried about the massive shoulders. “So many…”

Wylan heard her breathless exclamation. The panic he felt shimmering through her small frame caused his arm to tighten about her waist. The fact she failed to notice the contact, past her enraptured concentration, bothered him even more.

Clamping her teeth down, Melane tried to silence the shivers overtaking her. Not only were there male children, but the surrounding males were as imposing as the one holding her. Only she knew it wasn’t wholly true. Wylan was a head taller than most and none touched his commanding bearing. Their shouts to him echoed the admiration and respect she saw in their own strong features. Hearing the shocking truth they shouted overwhelmed her, making all her prior bravado desert her. “King…King Wylan!”

Yes, those were the hails for her captor. Her own actions against him made her eyes squeeze shut for the travesty she committed. Insulting their king! How could she have been such a blind fool?

Numbed by her horrible error she wasn’t prepared for the hold that pulled her from Rolley. Defensively her fist rose to strike, halting in mid air before the fierce glare of his black steeled eyes. It was only a moment, but enough to make her own gaze fall shamefully away for the first time. When his hands set her down and released her, she felt sure she would fall at this male’s feet, calling on the last of her strength she remained upright. She saw an unfamiliar light in his eyes just then. It wasn’t the well known anger. No, something deeper, something that frightened her beyond all his prior fury.

Keeping her eyes down, Melane struggled with her feelings. None of the other people around her mattered. He was the one she came to find, but suddenly the reason seemed only a shadow beneath the flames of encompassing emotions that he ignited.

Wylan didn’t believe her bold courage faltered because she now recognized his standing in Moondock. Wylan wished he had not brought her here, wanting the elamie he found at the pool to be standing before him. Dismissing her beast, his hand took hold of her unresisting wrist. The absence of her strength made him realize how tired she must be. An unwanted relief came over him. She was only weak from the journey. Once rested, he hoped he would have her back.

The great halls they walked through were amazingly beautiful, an exquisite assault against her unstable emotions. Blue marble walls against white polished floors. No windows prevented the cooling breeze filtering off the sparkling waters she spied past the large pillars on the veranda. Wylan’s palace sat high upon the cliffs, overlooking both his city and the endless moving waves.

So drawn was she by the vast open waters, her steps faltered upon an open corner that allowed a full view of his kingdom.

“Elamie?”

“What is it called? The water that goes forever.”

“An ocean. Do you like it, elamie?”

Her answer came without thought. “It is like you…free, without boundaries.”

Her words had an unsettling effect upon Wylan. When she swayed this time he didn’t hesitate to lift her up in his arms.

“I didn’t realize…how can you ever forgive me?”

Forgive? The thought never occurred to him. How did you forgive that which brought life and vitality into your existence? “You’re tired.”

“I am ashamed.” The admission made her turn her face into the warm sheltering shoulder, wishing she could somehow steal a small bit of his endless strength.

Wylan had little time to cherish the rippling feelings her action ignited.

“Ah, my son, back so soon from…What’s this?”

The elamie didn’t see the mirth in his mother’s dark eyes upon her, but he felt her fingers clench against his chest.

“The forest has certainly changed its ways, to deliver such fair game, my son.”

Wylan saw his mother’s brows draw together in concern over the elamie.

“Is she hurt?”

Shaking his head. “No mother, just exhausted, we’ve been riding day and night.”

“Such haste needs answers.”