Strands of Love (8 page)

Wherever he touched her, he left her skin feeling hot and
sensitive and aroused. It was almost frightening how easily she responded to
him, but it was mesmerizing too. Her earlier awkwardness and shyness vanished
the moment he’d touched her to be replaced by an intense longing for something
she didn’t want to put a name to.

Instead of wanting things she couldn’t have, she
concentrated on enjoying what she did have—Jace on his knees in front of her
with his face buried between her thighs.

His tongue circled her clit before he captured it between
his lips and sucked. Sam cried out his name and burrowed her fingers into his
hair, pulling him closer. No way did she want him to stop now, not when she was
on the verge of an orgasm.

Strong, thick fingers trailed up her inner thighs before
delving between them. Sam knew what was coming and could hardly wait. He pushed
one inside her sheath and withdrew it. She gasped and tugged on his hair.
“More,” she demanded.

This time two fingers filled her, pushing deep before
withdrawing. Her entire focus was centered on what was happening between her
legs. Never in her life had reaching orgasm seemed so vitally important.

“Jace.” She didn’t know what to say, how to convey what she
needed.

It didn’t matter. He understood. He worked a third finger
inside her and sucked hard on her clit. A series of mini explosions seemed to
detonate within her, setting off a major one. Her entire body shook and she
cried out his name as she came. Her inner muscles clamped down hard on his
fingers. He curled them inward and found a spot that triggered another round of
spasms.

Sam fell forward but she didn’t fall. Strong arms caught her
and held her while she rode out the most amazing climax. A heavy heartbeat
drummed against her ear and a thick cock pressed against her side. Yet all Jace
did was rub his hand over her back and arm as he held her.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat and willed the
tears back. She had no idea why she was so emotional. It was just sex and she’d
had sex before. Granted, none quite this intense, but still.

Problem was it felt like much more than just sex. Sam was
starting to have feelings for Jace and his brother. How could she not? In spite
of everything, they treated her better than any men ever had, which was a sad
commentary on her life.

Determined not to be sad and to enjoy the moment, Sam turned
her face into his chest and kissed it. She could return the favor and bring
Jace some pleasure. But the moment she slid her hand toward his dick, he stood
and placed her on her feet.

Bewildered by his actions, she looked at him and cocked one
eyebrow, silently questioning him.

“This is all about you, Sam. Or should I call you Samantha?”

She shook her head. “Sam is fine.” She hesitated before
asking the obvious question. “Don’t you want me?” George had always been trying
to change her, encouraging her to wear the occasional dress and makeup. Even
though she thought it hadn’t, it had obviously left her with some insecurities.

He grabbed her hand and placed it over his erection. Even
though the leather of his pants she could feel his cock throbbing with need.

Jace removed her hand and carefully hooked a strand of damp
hair behind her ear. It was only then she wondered what she must look like.
Probably a slightly drowned rat. She hadn’t even combed her hair and it was
still mostly wet.

“This time is about you, about your pleasure.” Her stomach
chose that moment to growl and embarrass her. Jace grinned. It was so quick she
almost missed it and it made him seem younger and much more approachable than
usual. “And it is time to feed you.

“You still have almost two days here and I plan to make the
most of them.”

Sam didn’t know if that was a promise or a threat. Before
she could decide, Jace retrieved the towel and wrapped it around her.

“When you dry off there are clean clothes on the trunk in
the bedroom. I’ll be waiting in the hallway and when you’re done I’ll escort
you down to break your fast.”

He spun on his heel and stalked from the room, closing the
door behind him. Sam sagged against the wall and took a deep breath. Her toes
were curled, her skin tingled and her breasts felt swollen and tender. Not to
mention the throbbing aftershocks still echoing between her thighs.

Her stomach growled again and there was no ignoring it. She
grabbed the wet cloth from the tub and gently washed between her thighs. When
she was done, she found the comb and untangled her hair, quickly braiding it.
Thankfully, the elastic was still sitting on the edge of the vanity where she’d
left it last night, and she used it to secure her hair. Taking a deep breath,
she left the bathroom and entered the bedroom.

True to his word, Jace wasn’t there and there was a bundle
of clothing on the trunk. Excitement and hunger warred inside her as she
hurried to get dressed and join Jace.

The clothes Sam was wearing were really comfortable. She’d feared
the clothing Jace had left her might include a dress much like the one Edwina
had been wearing when she’d met the older woman. Really not her style.

Instead, she’d found a pair of leather pants, which she
cinched tight to keep them from slipping over her hips, a pair of boots that
fit rather well and a long-sleeved tunic that fell to just below her hips. What
she wasn’t wearing were panties or a bra, both of which had been missing from
the room along with the rest of her clothing.

As promised, Jace had been waiting in the hallway for her.
He’d taken her hand and led her downstairs to the large room she’d seen
yesterday. A long table sat at one end with some plates and bowls of food.
She’d thought he’d join her. Instead, he’d left her with his mother, which was
a little awkward considering she’d had sex with both the woman’s sons.

“Have you had enough, dear?” Edwina asked. Like yesterday,
the older woman was wearing an ankle-length dress, this one a bright yellow.
The cloth appeared to be somewhere between a cotton and a linen and was
embroidered with tiny flowers around the neck and cuffs.

“Yes, thank you.” Sam pushed aside the bowl of porridge
she’d just finished. Her stomach was nicely full. She’d had the porridge, two
slices of thick grainy bread and several slabs of a mild yellow cheese that was
absolutely delicious. And she’d washed the works of it down with a mellow apple
cider, the taste of which reminded her of Jace’s earlier kiss.

Edwina picked up her wooden mug, taking a sip of tea before
placing it back on the table in front of her. “I know all this must seem
strange to you,” she began.

Sam hesitated, not wanting to be impolite to the older
woman, but there was no getting around the fact that she was somewhere she
didn’t want to be. Great sex aside, she had a life. Might not seem like much of
one to some folks, but it was hers. “I really want to call home and check in
with my friend.” Tim would be worried sick considering she was supposed to have
shown up for dinner last night with him and Mary.

Her cell phone had disappeared along with her clothes,
something she was definitely going to ask Jace about when she saw him again.
He’d disappeared so quickly she hadn’t had time to question him about it.

Edwina appeared concerned, wringing the poor mug between her
hands. “I’m not sure what you mean by calling home.”

Sam studied the older woman. It didn’t seem as though she
was lying. “You know, use the telephone.” She held her hand to her ear and
curled the middle three fingers inward before motioning with her pinkie and
thumb like she was using the phone.

Edwina sighed and stood. “Come, let me show you something.”

Sam dropped her hand and pushed out of her chair. Fine with
her. She obviously wasn’t going to get a straight answer from their mother. It
was time to find and confront Darian and Jace again.

“This way.” Edwina led the way out the front door of the
castle, pausing on the wide stone steps. “Look around you. Everywhere you look
is Javara. This is not your world, child. You must come to some acceptance of
that fact. Denying it will not change it.”

“Look,” Sam began. “I honestly think you believe what you’re
saying, but I can’t.”

“Then how do you explain your being here?”

“I can’t.” She wasn’t about to mention her theories about
being drugged. Strangely enough, she didn’t want to upset the older woman who
was not responsible for her sons’ actions.

Edwina sighed and shook her head and Sam knew she’d
disappointed the other woman. “If you’re looking for Jace and Darian, you’ll
find them in the training ring this time of day.” She pointed beyond the
stables. “Look around if you like. None will stop you.”

Sam nodded and started down the stairs, suddenly gripped
with the need to see both brothers. She was halfway down when Edwina called out
to her.

“Samantha.”

Sam paused and turned.

Edwina squared her shoulders and met Sam’s gaze. “Be careful
with my sons. You hold their hearts and their futures in your hands.” With
that, Edwina turned and went back inside.

Her words shook Sam to her core. Edwina was mistaken. No way
was she in any way responsible for either man’s heart. They’d had sex. That’s
all it was. Three consenting adults engaging in some sexual fantasies, nothing
more.

She ignored the way her breakfast curdled in her belly and
the pang of regret in her heart as she hurried toward the stables. The familiar
whinny of horses teased her ears as she passed. She had a quick peek and
promised herself she’d check out the equine inhabitants a little later. Sam
missed having horses on the farm.

There were several men working just outside the building and
they nodded at her as she hurried by. She nodded back, but didn’t stop. She
did, however, feel their gazes on her. Her spine tingled and it was an
uncomfortable sensation.

She turned the corner of the stables and slammed to a halt
like she’d hit an invisible wall. Both Jace and Darian were naked from the
waist up, except for those wrist- and armbands they wore. Both were wielding
extremely large, and what appeared to be extremely sharp swords.

Darian’s weapon cut through the air, heading toward Jace’s
heart. All the blood drained from her face and she felt lightheaded as Jace
countered at the last second. The two blades struck and one slid along the
other, leaving a shower of sparks.

“Almost got you, old man,” Darian taunted.

“Old man, my ass. I’m only letting you think you have a
chance to beat me. Wouldn’t want you to become too discouraged,” Jace fired
back.

Sam leaned against the corner of the stable and watched as
the two fought. These were no recreational warriors. The blades were an
extension of their arms, cutting and hacking through the air, always being
struck aside at the very last second before either of them could lose a major
body part. She was afraid to speak, afraid to distract them. And she was utterly
mesmerized by the display of swordsmanship.

Sam took a deep breath and forced her gaze away from the
Hunter brothers. There were a few other people around, mostly men, although she
did see the occasional woman. In the distance she could see more people working
in the fields and tending animals.

What she didn’t see were power lines or telephone towers.
Come to think of it, there weren’t any electric lights or even outlets in the
castle. It was all like something from several hundred years ago.

She swallowed hard and looked back toward Darian and Jace.
Sweat shone on their broad chests and shoulders as they continued their deadly
dance. She thought about the weapons they had—knives and swords. She thought
about the tapestry she’d seen yesterday morning floating in midair in spite of
the dead heat.

Oh God. It was true.

All of it was true.

She really was in another place, another planet or
dimension. She wasn’t quite sure which. Another world was probably the best
place to put it. Javara. They’d all told her as much but she hadn’t really
believed it. But this place, these people. It was too much of an elaborate
setup to be anything but real.

There was no way they could have taken her somewhere else so
quickly, not somewhere like this without leaving the country. And, really, why
would the Hunter brothers turn up in the middle of nowhere Texas and kidnap a
penniless farmer? It didn’t make any sense. There was nothing in it for
them—certainly not money.

Feeling slightly nauseated, Sam slid down the side of the
barn until she was sitting in the dirt. She lowered her head and sucked in a
deep breath. She really was in another world.

Worry hit her hard. Would she ever see her farm, her home
again?

“Sam?”

It was only when she heard her name she realized the clang
of metal had ceased. She looked up to see both men staring down at her with
concern in their eyes. They really were in earnest when they said they wanted
her to stay here and marry one of them.

Sam thought of the pledge Darian had already given her,
offering himself, his life and his brother’s, offering her love and devotion.
But he couldn’t love her. Neither of them could. They didn’t really know them
any more than she knew them.

Her breathing was getting faster and it was getting harder
to take in enough air. Her vision dimmed.

She was plucked off the ground and into a strong pair of
arms. Neither man seemed to notice her size and weight and carried her around
as though she weighed next to nothing. She knew without looking that it was
Jace who held her. Amazing how quickly she’d come to know each man’s touch.

Darian stood beside his brother. “Breathe, Sam. Take a slow,
deep breath.” His voice was low and soothing. She wished she could tell him she
wasn’t losing her mind, just coming to accept what should be totally
unbelievable.

She followed his instructions as best she could and was
grateful when her vision cleared.

“Bring her inside,” Darian ordered, but she shook her head.

“No. Outside.” She always did better outside than in. She
was afraid if they took her inside the castle walls might close around her.
“This is real,” she managed to get out. “All of it.”

Jace’s arms stiffened around her. “You finally believe.”

She nodded, not sure what else to say. It was all too
strange, like something out of a book or movie. Not the kind of thing that
happened to an ordinary woman like her.

Darian took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “The
tapestry brought you here for a reason, Sam. The magic only brings a woman who
has the potential to thrive here. It’s up to you if you stay or go.” His
expression darkened. “There is only one chance. Three days and you must choose.
There is no changing your mind once it is done, so be very sure.”

In three days—no make that two days if the time counted from
when she’d first found them on her land—she’d go back to her farm and they’d
remain here. She’d never see them again. Her heart ached and she trembled. She
had to go back. She didn’t belong in this world where the people lived like
something out of a medieval tale, except for the whole “sharing her bed with
two men” deal. She really didn’t think a ménage à trois had been commonplace
back in Medieval England, but who really knew.

“I need to walk.” When she had something on her mind it
always helped her to walk. Back when they’d still owned horses, she’d ridden.

Jace set her down, but she felt his reluctance, the way his
arms tightened briefly before he released her. “We will go with you.”

She didn’t argue with him. She didn’t know this world and
what potential dangers lurked beyond the walls of the castle. Sure as she was
standing here, they didn’t train with those lethal swords for nothing. She
nodded. “Okay.”

Darian touched her arm and nodded his head off to the right.
“If we go this way, you can see the fields. There is a lake just beyond.”

The farmer in her was curious to see what they were growing.
“Lead on.”

With Jace on one side of her and Darian on the other, the
three of them headed toward the lush fields and the men working them.

Both men fell in beside her as they walked. She sensed their
awareness, the way they scanned their environment constantly monitoring it for
danger. That was something ingrained in them, totally natural, like breathing.

Warriors. Both men truly were warriors.

It was hard to wrap her head around their culture. “Don’t
men fight over having to share a woman?” The question popped out before she
could stop it. Usually she liked to brood and think when she had stuff on her
mind. Of course, this wasn’t a normal situation.

“Our history tells of a time when there were as many women
as men, but something happened. No one quite knows what, but there were less
and less girl children born each generation.” Darian brushed her hand with his
before twining their fingers together. “Men fought. Brothers killed brother,”
he continued. “It was a bloody time in our history.”

Two of the male workers in the field called out to the
brothers and they waved. Sam wondered what crop they were growing, but didn’t
ask. She had other questions she needed answers to first.

She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for
brothers and friends, all wanting the same woman. And the poor women. It had to
have been hell for them too.

“What happened to change that?” How did a society evolve to
accept a ménage à trois as normal?

“Survival.” It was Jace who spoke. The low timbre of his
voice sent a shiver of desire through her. “It was a matter of survival. Too
many of the young men were dying in the fighting over the women. The most
powerful families got together and came up with the idea to allow one woman to
be claimed by up to three brothers. She had to marry one of them and only he
can claim her children as his own, but they might very well belong to his
brothers. As well, each brother has at least one night each week alone with the
woman. That way no one is left out and everyone is happy.”

They left the open fields behind and entered the woods. It
was darker here, the sun not penetrating the thick growth as easily. Sam felt
the cold seeping into her bones. Neither man seemed to notice even though they
were both bare chested.

“That’s a lot to ask of a woman.” Physically it wouldn’t be
easy to keep up to three men satisfied. Emotionally it would be even more
difficult. How did a woman choose? And what if she really didn’t like her
husband’s brothers?

Darian gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We understand
and respect that fact and treat our women well.”

“The decision was a long, long time ago and women are raised
to expect it, just as we are.” Jace’s voice was flat and matter-of-fact. “Our
history is divided into the time before the tapestry and the time after.”