TICEES (36 page)

Chelan felt warmth infuse back into her weary body, and with that warmth her eyes became unbearably heavy. Between her poor night’s sleep, all the stress of the day before, a healthy dose of hypothermia, and the protracted time spent in the gardens, it did not take her long to cascade deeply into slumber.

When she had stilled, Ticees pushed away from her slightly and held his breath. He realized that the angel in his arms had fallen asleep. All his concerns regarding her well-being melted away only to be replaced by a heightened awareness of what he held. He pressed his face into her neck and inhaled her soft, alien scent. Her hair was like silk, and her skin as fine and velvety as anything he had ever felt.

He splayed his fingers out over her slim abdomen, his hand easily spanning her entire torso, and he marveled at how small she was. To him, she was almost childlike, but the swell of her full curves reminded him poignantly that she was all woman. He felt the contour of her hip as he looked down into her tranquil face; her fine features were perfectly proportioned. He licked his lips, and he felt his mouth water. His breathing became labored, and he moved back from her slightly as his erection surged. Cautiously, he turned her to him.

She stirred momentarily, and his breath caught. He remained very still until she once again totally relaxed. He looked down between them to her breasts, and an involuntary moan escaped his lips. Her pretty nipples beckoned to him, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his face in her fullness and drown in her femininity.

Suddenly, she raised a hand to his chest and nuzzled closer to him. Her soft breath on his skin and her sensuous flesh pressed to his, nearly causing him to come. His penis pulsed with anticipation. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything but the fragile beauty draped against him. But instead, his senses took in everything about her. She was well conditioned, and yet she was so femininely soft. She felt delicate to his powerful body, and he dwarfed her. But most of all, he liked her rousing, exotic scent; her natural fragrance drugged him nearly senseless.

He could not help himself. His body was full on as his brain shut down. He allowed his hand to open and to feather down her long, slender back. He continued, his fingers eventually tracing over the curve of her firm, round buttocks. God, she was so perfect … so ripe for the taking.

Once again he felt her stir feebly, and he raised his hand to her serene face, his eyes intent on her supple pink lips. She murmured in her sleep and twisted slightly, her firm nipples brushing his chest, and his body leapt into flames.

He tipped her face up to him and held her jaw firmly as he tasted her lips tenderly. She moaned, and he slid his hand down her long neck and captured her breast. Never had he felt such exquisite fullness, such erotic softness. And when she arched subtly to him, Ticees was beside himself. Never in his life had he been with anyone so sensual, so fragile, and so utterly intoxicating. She was pure sexual paradise. Somewhere in his addled mind he knew he should slip away and leave her be, but he was beyond rationality, beyond hope.

He kneaded her breast softly, its heavy abundance overflowing in his hand, her nipple hardening to his touch. He wanted to taste her, suckle her, draw from her until she cried out his name. He rose up, and his lips traced over her jaw and down to her neck. Then he released her breast, and his hand traced back down over her flesh to her shapely bottom, and he pressed her into his aching need. Just the touch of her belly to his penis almost forced him to orgasm. Lascivious thoughts of her small size sheared through his brain and straight to his groin. She would be so divinely tight, and a tremor seized him. He could just imagine what Korba and Fremma had experienced as they pierced into her, her flesh stretching to its limits to accommodate them … and in turn, him. He had to grit his teeth to keep from exploding against her. And then he writhed. He was in ecstasy.

Chelan stirred, and through the mist of her deep sleep she became aware of somebody’s touch. Her body responded, and thoughts of Korba swam into her peaceful mind. God, how she craved his touch. He kissed her more firmly, and she reacted, the feeling of his hardness against her abdomen arousing her. She wanted him inside her, and she placed a hand on his chest, her nails coursing over him in seductive invitation. But suddenly, her eyes shot open as her palms encountered hair. Instantly, her mind cleared, and she pushed against him forcefully. “Sire!” she cried.

But Ticees had her immobilized, his colossal form pinning her firmly to the bed. She tried to say no, but his mouth was hard on hers, and she was rendered mute. His tongue parted her lips and entered her mouth, and Chelan was forced to comply, her tears beginning to form.

His hands coursed over her soft curves as he consumed her. He raised her arms above her head and pressed his knee between her legs, parting her to him. Chelan’s tears flowed, his hard erection pressed painfully against her pelvic bones. Her chest began to heave in silent sobs as one calloused hand returned to her upper body, heatedly squeezing her breasts to the point of pain. Suddenly, he released her mouth as he tried to catch his breath, and Chelan cried out. “No!”

Ticees instantly released her and rolled from her, his ardor instantly snuffed. Chelan pushed away from him and sat up, frantically hugging the blankets to her. She drew her legs up and let her head fall onto her knees, her body trembling. “No,” she whimpered.

Ticees took several deep breaths as he struggled to contain himself. The reality of the situation crashed down upon him. No woman had ever aroused him so quickly, so feverishly, or so innocently, and he was shocked at his indiscretion. He had acted as if a demon possessed, and indeed he had been. He shook his head, clearing his senses and banking the embers of his lustful desire. He sat up and touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Chelan,” he whispered. “I apologize with all my heart, my Lady. I betrayed your trust in me.”

Chelan cringed to his touch. She winced at the pain in her breasts. Gathering herself together, she glanced at him. “Please,” she pleaded. “I belong to Korba.”

Ticees hung his head. “I know,” he whispered despondently. He moved off the bed and dressed torpidly. Then he returned to her and knelt before her. He tilted her face up. “I’m sorry, Chelan.” He hesitated, looking deep into her eyes. “It’s just that I crave you so. I’ve never been so affected so fast by anyone, and I gave in to my desires.” He took a deep breath. “But I will respect your ways, my Lady, and your loyalty. I will not touch you again.”

Chelan swallowed the lump in her throat and attempted to control her trembling. She heard the sincerity in his voice, yet she did not trust this man. “May I go now?” she asked hurriedly.

Ticees hung his head in disappointment. “Yes, my Lady,” he answered weakly.

Chelan leapt from the bed and grabbed her gown. She pulled it on quickly and then ran across the room, seeking her escape. She stopped momentarily at the door, catching her breath, and she looked at him as he stood. “Thank you for the tour, my Lord,” she uttered. But before Ticees could respond, she bolted from the room.

Chelan ran to Korba’s quarters and burst through the doors, her frantic need to shower devouring her.

“Chelan!” Korba shouted, her violent entrance startling him from his rest. He rose from one of the lounges, his eyes wide with concern.

Chelan skidded to a halt and clutched at her chest, panic at his unexpected presence seizing her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes falling on her ashen features.

“Yes,” she uttered breathlessly. “It was just a surprise to see you back so soon. You startled me.”

Korba cautiously approached her, knowing full well that she was lying. His anxiousness grew as he watched her take a step back from him.

“It was very cold outside,” she explained. “I need a nice warm shower.” And she turned and hustled toward the washroom.

Korba bristled; all her body cues vividly betrayed her desperate attempt to hide from him. He lurched into action and ran to her, catching her arm and turning her to him.

Chelan remained very still as his ice-blue eyes coursed over her while his strong grip held her at arm’s length. Then he took a step toward her, and Chelan cowered.

“Kiss me?” he demanded quietly.

“No!” she shouted, losing control of herself. She tried to pull away from him, but he yanked her into him and buried his face in her slender neck.

“No,” she cried in anguish, and her knees buckled.

Korba caught her, his body and soul suddenly consumed with grief. “Oh, my Lady,” he moaned, clutching her close. “I should have listened to you.”

Chelan went limp in his arms and continued to cry, unable to speak.

Korba began to rock her, his heart in tatters. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice broken.

“No,” she whimpered dishonestly, her arms automatically hugging her bruised breasts.

Korba drew her back and looked at her as her sobs began to subside. His hands stroked her soft cheeks as he struggled with his emotions. He searched frantically for words while his eyes scanned her for damage.

But Chelan spoke first. “Please do nothing,” she pleaded. “He did not take me, and he promised not to touch me again. It was all a misunderstanding.”

Korba’s pain turned suddenly into seething rage, and Chelan was terrified by the look that overtook his piercing eyes. She grabbed his hands tightly. “I believe him, Korba,” she said frantically. “He won’t touch me again. Please don’t confront him. It will only make trouble in the future.”

Korba worked his jaw while Ticees’ scent on her skin assaulted his senses. “He needs to be taught a lesson!”

Chelan lunged for him, hugging him savagely. “No, just leave it be! Please! Just don’t ever leave me alone. Please don’t ever leave me alone.”

Korba clutched her to him, calling on every bit of his Imperial training to calm himself for her sake. But the fact that she pleaded with him never to leave her alone belied the fact that she knew she was still in peril despite the Emperor’s assurance.

Chelan remained in his arms a while longer, and when she felt Korba relax, she pushed away. “I need a shower,” she whispered, and Korba released her.

Chelan stood and slipped out of her gown, keeping her back to him in case her breasts were visibly bruised. Immediately, she scurried into the warm water. She scrubbed herself vigorously, attempting to wash away Ticees’ assault and the acrid smell of his lust.

Korba watched her momentarily before he walked back into the bedroom, his mind contaminated with so many powerful and savage thoughts he thought he would go berserk. Then his guts twisted. He paced in an effort to contain himself as he removed his gloves and jacket, all her earlier words playing mercilessly through his agitated soul.

Suddenly, he recoiled at the thought of a man she hated touching her, and his rage took flight. Breaking into a dead run, he crashed through the entrance doors and down the corridor to Ticees’ chambers.

Korba slammed into the room, overwrought with fury as his violent obsession with Chelan’s protection consumed him. Ticees sprang from his chair, his powerful chest heaving as he registered Korba’s scathing advance.

Without speaking, and with no warning, Korba hurled his war-hardened body into Ticees’ midsection, sending the Emperor crashing to the floor. The two men’s arms locked.

“I did not hurt her!” Ticees shouted.

“You touched her,” seethed Korba through clenched teeth.

Ticees tried to shake Korba’s unyielding hold, but his efforts were futile. Finally, in one powerful motion, Ticees flipped Korba to the side. But the Warlord refused to be pinned, and he used Ticees’ momentum to continue the roll, placing the Emperor masterfully on his back

Normally the two men were evenly matched, but the fury ignited in Korba by vengeance over the violation of his woman was giving him the upper edge, and for the first time, Ticees thought of using one of his knives. But he squelched the idea. Ticees blurted, “God, Korba. I never took her. I stopped when she said no.”

Ticees finally got a leg hooked around the Warlord and began to lever him over, their legs a tangle of black, their upper bodies beginning to shimmer with sweat.

“She’s my mate!” Korba boomed. “She is not Iceanean.” Then he realized that he was going to be immobilized, and he released Ticees and arched back, flipping onto his feet in a single motion.

At the same instant, Ticees pushed off with his hands, casting himself away from Korba and landing in a crouch. The two men squared off.

“If you wish to challenge the Let,” Korba growled, “you do it by our laws. You do not seduce her behind my back!”

Ticees kept his eye on his opponent, trying to anticipate his next move. “The Let implies no fidelity, my friend,” he countered. “If Chelan chooses—”

“Chelan does not choose you!” raged Korba. “You challenge me directly!” he seethed, pounding his bronze chest with his clenched fists.

“I have no intention of challenging you!” shouted Ticees. “I wish her as a bed partner, not as a mate.”

Korba dropped to his hands, coiling like a cat as he whirled his legs around, catching Ticees at knee level and dropping him to the ground. Ticees went to counter, but Korba was on him instantly, knife drawn. He slammed Ticees’ head to the floor and placed the blade at his throat.

Ticees was stunned. No one had ever taken him before, and his own death at his friend’s hand seemed imminent.

“You take only willing women,” hissed Korba, his body straddling Ticees’ waist. Korba’s fist clenched Ticees’ hair tightly, keeping his head pinned to the floor and his neck exposed.

Ticees let his body go limp as his last defense. He looked up into Korba’s face, the Warlord’s ice-blue eyes glazed with nearly unfathomable fury. “I have no wish to fight you, my friend,” pleaded Ticees quietly. “I took her to the gardens, and upon our return, she succumbed to the cold. I brought her here because she was deep in hypothermia.” Ticees swallowed hard, straining for breath as Korba’s weight crushed his lungs. “I could not bathe her, as she would be in pain, so I stripped her and placed her in my bed.”