The Succubus (3 page)

The priest finally dismissed Daniel, saying an active young man needed exercise, and Daniel gratefully fled from the hall. He walked about the inner ward and studied its layout. The inner curtain formed a diamond shape with round towers at three points. At the fourth point, double towers sheltered the gate. The walls and the turrets that rose above the towers were all crenulated giving the impression of a fortress easily defended.

The great hall and kitchen house filled all the space along one wall. A residence hall abutted one corner of the great hall and ran along the adjoining curtain. Both of these buildings were of stone. The other buildings scattered along the remaining wall space were half-timbered but they did have slate roofs that would be difficult to set afire should the castle be attacked.

Daniel was surprised by how few people seemed to inhabit these buildings. Two soldiers polished swords in front of a building that must serve as the armory, and a few others could be seen on the walls near the gate. A servant was working at the well near the kitchen house. Otherwise, the inner ward seemed as quiet as the great hall had been.

He had been given a room on the second floor of the residence hall, but as far as he knew he was the only person sleeping there. In his experience castles were crowded places, with retainers and guests and even wayfarers crowded into them for safe shelter.
Could the dearth of people be due to the “economies” my uncle practices?

He crossed into the outer ward and found more activity. Clanging came from the blacksmith's anvil, and horses neighed and stomped in the stables.
But why were the stables here?
If the outer ward should fall, the knights in the inner ward would have no way of mounting a counterattack.

Then he noticed all the wooden buildings leaning against the outer curtain and their thatched roofs. Attackers could easily set fire to these and the smoke would blind the defenders on the inner curtain.
Were these poor defensives due to ignorance or more of his uncle's “economies?”

He headed for the stables concerned over the treatment Jasper might be receiving. A familiar whicker led him to the right stall. The warhorse lowered his head and flicked his ears, and Daniel obediently scratched behind them. “Are they treating you well, boy?”

Jasper gave a contented snort. A check of the feed manger and the stall floor showed Daniel his horse was being well cared for.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see a young knight who had been at the banquet the night before.

“Hello,” the man said with a friendly smile. “That's a fine looking horse. Is he trained for combat?”

“Oh, yes, all of the warhorses at Bettany are. Don't you do that here?”

“Well—we train them to rear onto their hind legs and not to bolt at loud noises, but here horse flesh is considered too valuable to risk with any training considered dangerous.”

“But in combat,” Daniel said, “an untrained horse can be a danger to their riders.”

The young knight shrugged and turned away.

Daniel followed him out of the stable eager to talk with the only man of rank he'd so far met at Tewsbarrow who was near his own age. “Sir—I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten your name.”

The man stopped and turned toward Daniel. In the sunlight, Daniel saw an unlined face probably a few years younger than his own. With dark brown curls, large brown eyes and upswept eyelashes he looked almost feminine although his muscular build was that of an active soldier.

“Sir Robert of Kent,” he said and then grinned like a mischievous boy. “A bit in your cups last night, were you?”

Daniel grimaced ruefully. “God, I don't know when I've been so drunk. Certainly got off to a bad start in making a good impression on my uncle, didn't I?”

Sir Robert chuckled. “Well, if it's any consolation we all enjoyed your welcoming feast. We don't have many celebrations here.”

“It does seem a quiet place,” Daniel said.

“Tewsbarrow suffers from the curse of peace. We're not near any threatened borders, the barons hereabouts have all bowed to the king's authority, and Lord Kendrick is more interested in books than war.”

Daniel nodded. “He spoke to me this morning about believing in economy, but looking about in his solar, I decided that didn't apply to books.”

Robert looked as if he might agree with Daniel and then changed his mind and shrugged.

As they strolled back to the inner ward, Daniel asked. “Does your family have a connection with my uncle?”

“Hardly. Your uncle is such a recluse he's called the Unknown Baron in court circles.” Then Sir Robert quickly added, “Not that I mean any disrespect.”

Daniel smiled back at him. “None taken. This is my first meeting with him.”

“Really?”

“There was some kind of break between him and my father before I was born. So how did you end up here?”

“Oh, my father and Sir Alfred were squires together. Father respects his judgment. I was fostered at one of the king's castles, but, as soon as I won my spurs, my father insisted I come here. To tell the truth, he thought I'd get in trouble if I stayed at court, and we tend to argue when I'm at home.”

Daniel nodded as he looked around the sleepy ward. “Not much trouble to get into here.”

“You can say that again. So what about you? Have you seen any action?”

“I served with the troops Bettany supplied during the Welsh uprising.”

Sir Robert's eyes lit up. “How I envy you. What's it like to actually ride into battle?”

“The Welsh don't follow the knightly rules of combat. Most of the time, I was looking over my shoulder hoping I didn't get one of their blasted arrows in my back.”

“I've heard of their longbows. Are they as deadly as people say?”

There was nothing Daniel liked more than talking weaponry with a fellow soldier. He and Robert strolled over to a bench that stood in front of the barracks and talked in easy comradery.

At dinner that night, Daniel limited his ale consumption and listened attentively to what his fellow diners said. When his uncle asked for his early impressions of Tewsbarrow Daniel picked his words carefully and spoke of his favorable impressions only.

The meal, far simpler than the feast of the night before, was over quickly. Kendrick invited Daniel back to the solar and challenged him to a game of chess. While Daniel had no intention of beating his benefactor, he quickly realized Kendrick was an excellent player and took great pleasure in winning. Kendrick celebrated his victories in a jovial manner, but still made it apparent he considered Daniel an unworthy opponent.

Daniel was relieved when Kendrick decided to retire after three short games. He gestured to a servant who brought a tray containing an earthen jug and two cups. Daniel vaguely remembered seeing the same tray the night before.

“Let us have a nightcap before we're off to bed,” Kendrick said.

Daniel waved his hand. “None for me.”

“Nonsense.” Kendrick waved at the servant who poured the liquor. “I send to France for this brandy. It's made by monks and is sure to give a man a good night's sleep. I have a small amount every night before retiring.”

His uncle handed him a cup and Daniel didn't see how he could refuse. After all there wasn't much of it and he needed a good night's sleep. He drank the tart brandy and bid his uncle a good night. By the time he'd walked through the great hall, crossed the ward to the adjoining building and climbed up the stairs to his chamber, he did feel quite relaxed.

* * * *

Daniel awakened to the creak of a floorboard. He peered through partially opened eyes and saw the succubus standing beside his bed. She removed her cloak, letting it drop to the floor, and orange flickers of firelight displayed her trim waist and generously rounded hips. She reached out to him and her hands were not as cold as they had been the night before. Then she quickly climbed on the bed and straddled his body. Her touch, both from her fingers and her lips, bounced along his chest, his jaw, and his mouth.

He wasn't as leaden as he'd been the night before. Apparently consuming less ale allowed a much quicker response to her touch. His cock jumped to attention even before Daniel was fully awake. His other limbs weren't as lifeless either. He probably could have pushed her away, but her touch felt so good that he hesitated. Then she moved down to kiss his nether regions and any thought of stopping her fled. As her tongue performed magic unlike any he'd known before, he could only hum encouragement at her.

When she rose to cover him, his hands gripped her full, firm thighs. He guided her down to encase him and then complemented her up and down movements with upward thrusts of his own. She began to make small mewing sounds and Daniel felt her tightening around him. He held her hips firmly and thrust harder. If the devil had sent her, Daniel would send her back fully satisfied.

She leaned forward, bracing her hands on his chest. Her thick hair fell on either side of her face and brushed against his skin. Her mewing turned to sharp cries and her body lurched in a frantic search for release. Just as she melted around him, his cock exploded and he pounded his juices into her.

She wilted onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, determined to keep her. She nestled against him, as though perfectly willing to stay in his arms forever. When he regained his breath, he hoarsely asked, “Who are you?”

Isabel made shushing sounds and covered his lips with her fingers. She didn't want anything to interrupt the wonderful sense of contentment she was feeling. All the anxiety building in her since Sir Daniel arrived at Tewsbarrow had this night climaxed into a glorious sense of release. She could finally understand why people made fools of themselves over sex.

A niggling thought told her she should be worried that Sir Daniel had responded more tonight than he had the night before. But she didn't care. If his response had led her to spiral through the stars as she just had, then imagine what she might feel if he were fully awake.

No, no, that wouldn't do.
He'd already asked who she was, a question she could not answer, for no matter what Kendrick said, she didn't think an honorable young knight would approve of what was going on here. She carefully removed her fingers from his lips. He didn't speak again and the steady rise and fall of his chest made her hope he was once again in a deep sleep.

Then she heard the dragging steps outside in the hallway. Kendrick was pacing up and down, impatient for her to come out. She didn't want to leave this warm nest, but heaven only knew what Kendrick might do if she kept him waiting much longer. Reluctantly, she edged away from Daniel's body and climbed off the bed. After putting on her cloak, she schooled her features into a slight frown. Instinct told her she better not let Kendrick know she had enjoyed herself in Daniel's bed.

* * * *

The next morning, Daniel awoke alone. When he went to break his fast, he answered his uncle's solicitous inquiry about how he had slept with assurances he'd had a restful night.

“I told you the brandy would help you sleep well,” his uncle replied with a smug smile.

“And you were right.” Daniel didn't know what was going on here, but one thing he was sure of, the woman in his bed last night had been real. He had touched her, smelled her, tasted her. Either his uncle wasn't aware of what was going on or was involved in some weird scheme, perhaps even a test. Whatever it was, Daniel had decided to keep his own counsel until he figured it out.

On this day he was sent on a tour of the castle and its many outbuildings. Master Ambrose, the seneschal, led him through the weaving room, the smithy, the armory, the dairy, even to the kennels and the dovecote. He listened to another endless stream of figures about how much food must be stored to fill Tewsbarrow's needs for the winter.

Daniel knew he should be overjoyed about being his uncle's heir, but he found the prospect of spending the rest of his life worrying about how many barrels of salted meat and bushels of grain were stored in his cellars decidedly dull. The only thing he'd found exciting so far at Tewsbarrow was the mystery woman. He had to find out who she was and why she came to him.

He was so determined to be fully alert if she came to him again, that when his uncle brought forth the special brandy after the evening meal, Daniel pretended to sip his until Kendrick was distracted and then poured it into the rushes.

* * * *

Isabel was ready when Kendrick came for her that evening, but she carefully hid the anticipation she was feeling at the prospect of spending another night in Daniel's bed. She sought to make small talk, asking how the dinner went and if Daniel had taken the brandy. Kendrick, as usual, criticized her for dawdling, telling her to hurry along so they could get this over with and he could get some sleep tonight.

When she opened the door to Daniel's room and looked inside, everything seemed normal. She removed her cloak, draped it over the back of a chair and moved to the bedside. Daniel wasn't under the covers as he usually was and he still wore his brais.
Why had the servant failed to help him into bed properly? Had Daniel fallen asleep so quickly that the servant hadn't bothered?
She hoped the continued use of Wanda's potion wasn't making him more susceptible to its affects.

She considered what to do about the garment that blocked her. Kendrick wore them too, but his manservant always undressed him. There seemed to be an opening within the loose folds of the linen, perhaps she could free Daniel's cock there. Then she noticed laces tied at the waist.
If I untie them, could I move all of the cloth aside so there would be nothing between his body and mine?
She liked that possibility more.

As she reached for the nearest tie, a heavy hand grabbed her wrist. Isabel froze in shock and fear. She flicked her gaze toward the head of the bed, and she saw Daniel's eyes open and a stern frown fixed on his face. “You're awake!”