Warrior (50 page)

His lips moved down to her neck

before he pulled away to stare at her

breasts. He slid the silk of the dress so

that her breasts peeked out from it.

“They did but as I told you, Varian

rescued her. Your sisters are safe.”

With a growl, he pulled one of her

golden treasures into his mouth. Jaisyn

closed her eyes and ran her fingers

through his wet, silken hair. As he

suckled her, his hand moved to the

juncture of her thighs and two fingers

slipped between her folds.

Groaning against her breast, he

suddenly lifted his head and a wicked

glint was in his eyes as he stared

down at her. His fingers pressed

against her opening. “I believe you’ve

really missed me, wife.” Thick digits

entered her, eased by the wetness that

flowed eagerly from her body. She

immediately cl
e
nched down on them,

riding his fingers as she would him.

Vulcan pulled his fingers from her

body and pushed off the bed. Her

eyes flickered to his in confusion,

following rapidly by understanding as

he pushed her dress to her waist,

leaving her long legs and curly fleece

visible to his gaze.

***

Pulling her to the edge of the bed,

he positioned himself at her entrance.

When his thick head grazed over her

button, she cried out loudly, and her

face twisted with want, dragging a

ragged groan from him. He pushed

against her slowly, gritting his teeth as

more of him slid into her. Looking to

her face, he saw that her gaze was

now centered on him. He pushed

forward slowly, feeling her take his

entire length into her quivering body.

Her legs crossed along his buttocks.

Buried inside of her, he eased down

over her body once more.

Her hands held him as he rocked

against her gently. Vulcan stared

down into her open eyes. “You’ve

never betrayed me?”

Her gaze hazy with passion, Jaisyn

shook her head and let him see her

heart. “Never.”

“Malcolm?” he asked, determined to

get that question from his mind.

Whatever she said tonight, he would

believe. Jaisyn’s arms went to both

sides of his face and she said firmly,

“Never. Only you.”

Vulcan released a deep breath and

nodded, leaning down to take her lips

between his again. He moved slowly

at first, sensuously caressing her as

she purred under him, and when his

need became too much, he pounded

against her, straining and moaning as

she pushed up to meet him, as she dug

her nails into his back, as her teeth bit

into his shoulder. Burying his face in

the curve of her neck, he shouted his

release the moment he felt her ripple

under him. They shuddered against

each other, happy to hold, happy to

be held, and basking in the emotions

running through their bodies.

***

In the aftermath, they lay in each

other’s arms. Jaisyn was beginning to

think her husband was asleep when he

suddenly shot up, causing her head to

fall softly against the bed, and stared

down

at

her

in

horror.

She

immediately went on the alert, looking

around the chamber for his sword, in

the case she was closer to it than he.

But then he grasped her shoulders,

and stared into her eyes.

“What about the baby?” he asked,

fear flickering across his handsome

face. She’d never seen Vulcan afraid,

and it took her a minute to understand

what her was saying.

“The baby?” she queried, moving

her hand down to her naked

abdomen.

“Did I hurt him?” he asked, and

Jaisyn felt the largest smile break out

across her lips. Vulcan did not find it

amusing in the least. He released her

arms and glared down at her.

“You think it funny that I am

concerned for the well-being of my

heir?”

Jaisyn immediately bit her lip and

sat up, so that she could be closer to

him when she spoke. Her hand

reached out for his and she pulled it

against her belly. “The baby is fine,

Vulcan. It is still early so you cannot

harm our child.”

His hand began to move on its own

and she removed her hand, enjoying

his touch as he skimmed her skin.

There was a soft swell, one she knew

he would recognize, as he knew her

body well.

“You will tell me when I can hurt

the baby.”

It was a command, and although

Jaisyn had a retort for that, she held it.

He was concerned, for her and their

child. She moved his hand away and

made her way onto his lap, wrapping

her arms about his neck as her legs

spread on either side of his hips.

Leaning forward, she kissed him

eagerly, and his hands came around

her back and she was held flush up

against him. His thick length lay

flattened between his belly and her

hips. She snuggled closer to him and

tilted her hips slightly, groaning into

his mouth when her pleasure nub

rubbed against him.

Vulcan grasped her buttocks in his

hands and slowly lowered her onto his

arousal. She held onto his shoulders

tightly as she pushed herself down.

She enjoyed the feel of him inside of

her body. It was a feeling of

completion.

Slowly, she lifted her hips before

sliding down onto him again. His

fingers threaded through her hair even

as her head fell back and she

continued to ride him. He leaned

forward and licked at the beautiful

arch of her neck, groaning as she

began to clench and unclench her

muscles around him. As if knowing

that it gave him such pleasure, she

continued her play until she felt her

own release approaching.

Instinct took over. She pushed

against his big body until he fell back

against the bed and with her hands on

his chest for leverage, she began

bouncing on him and dragging herself

back and forth.

***

His hands played with her breasts

and clenched her ass. He felt her

orgasm ripple through her before she

fell against him, spent. He continued

to move, stopping only when he too

was spent. His shaft was slowly easing

from her when she lifted her head to

stare down at him. Her eyes were still

hazy and she kissed him softly before

saying softly, “I love you.”

Vulcan’s eyes widened slightly as he

stared at her. It was the first time he’d

heard those words from anyone, let

alone his wife. He didn’t know how to

respond. What was love? Wanting,

needing, protecting? If that was love,

then he loved his wife. If love was the

fear that he’d felt when her cousin

had held that blade to her throat, then

he loved her greatly. But if it wasn’t, if

love was something else, saying those

words would be a lie.

He cared for her, and wanted to

keep her safe. Vulcan rolled her onto

her side before hauling her against

him. He leaned down and placed a

kiss against the smooth expanse of her

forehead.

***

Jaisyn sighed and nodded, feeling

herself close to tears. He hadn’t said

that he loved her. Perhaps it was one-

sided. Would her love be enough? She

blinked and tried to turn away from

him. His arm was unyielding, so

instead, she hid her face against his

side and hoped he wouldn’t look at

her. That would be too much; she had

no doubt she would break into

uncontrollable sobs, which she would

regret in the morning.

Chapter 14

The next morning found Vulcan and

Jaisyn heading to the camp that

housed his soldiers. He had been

alerted of the fact that the heir to the

Sulanese throne lay injured there and

had proposed that the Sulanese follow

his party to retrieve their prince. He

and Azarius had parted as allies, made

even stronger by the fact that Azarius

had returned his wife, and Vulcan was

now preparing to return his son.

When they entered the camp, it was

just before midday. The Sulanese

immediately went to their prince, who

was surprisingly awake, and in great

pain. They’d brought a carriage and

the Morden soldiers had assisted as

they lifted him into it. After the

Sulanese left their camp, Varian

reminded his brother of the Mitherie

soldiers, who were still being held as

captives, and the brothers, without the

accompaniment of the queen, headed

over to where they were being held.

They were seated on the ground,

their arms pulled behind their backs

and tied to trees. Vulcan approached

their leader, who glared at him as if he

would like to separate his head from

his body.

“Tarbin of Mitherie, it has come to

my attention that you had no wish to

do harm to Lytheria. That you were

deceived into an alliance with Kegan

Reinhardt. Is that correct?”

Tarbin stared at Vulcan for a long

moment,

silver

eyes

swirling

dangerously. As Vulcan’s patience

was about to give, Tarbin clipped out

his reply.

“Mitherie has always been a friend

to Lytheria. That goes back centuries,

before Morden had any knowledge of

the East or West lands. And you are

right about Mitherie’s relationship

with Kegan Reinhardt. He deceived

us.”

Vulcan nodded, pleased by the

response. He lifted his hands and

beckoned a few soldiers forward.

“If you are released, do you swear

to return to Mitherie and cause no

more strife for Lytheria and Morden?”

Tarbin seemed taken aback by the

question and replied angrily. “Mitherie

has not caused strife for Lytheria or

Morden. Morden made assumptions

about Mitherie, which turned out to be

wrong.”

Vulcan glared down at the man.

“Do you swear to return to Mitherie

and hold your peace?”

“I swear to return to Mitherie, still

an ally of Lytheria,” Tarbin began

easily. “But I would like Malcolm

Sudbury, if you haven’t yet murdered

him, to return with me.”

Grey eyes widened then narrowed

as Vulcan took a menacing step

forward.

Varian cleared his throat. “Malcolm

Sudbury remains a Lytherian citizen.

He has yet to answer to his king for

his betrayal.”

“From what I have heard, Prince

Varian, your king made sure that

Malcolm paid the price for leaving

Lytheria.” Tarbin held Varian’s gaze

for a long moment. Neither man

looked away, even as Tarbin turned

his address to Vulcan. “Allow

Malcolm to return to Mitherie. He is a

dear friend of the Crown.”

“Enough!”

Vulcan

snarled,

beckoning the soldiers he’d called

forward. The men hurriedly did his

bidding. “Untie them and fetch their

horses. Malcolm has yet to pay for his

actions and will be returning to

Lytheria, where he will be made

example of.”

Freed from the tree, Tarbin stood

and faced Vulcan. He was a tall man,

but Vulcan was taller by a few inches

and much broader.

“Name your price. Mitherie will pay

it,” he said tightly, his jaw flexing.

Vulcan’s glare was unwavering.

“There is no price for a traitor.

Malcolm will face the consequences

of his actions.”

***

Jaisyn had been shown to Vulcan’s

tent before he and Varian went off

together. Finding the tent sparse, and

finding herself not in the least bit tired,

she decided to venture around the

camp. As she passed, soldiers bowed

and nodded in her direction.