Love's Call (21 page)

Jorrin whistled. “You going to let her challenge you like that, Captain?”

“Oh, I’ll get her later.” Leargan winked.

Jorrin and Cera laughed.

Ansley’s limbs warmed and her cheeks seared.

Blessed Spirit, I hope so.

Chapter Nineteen

He was absolutely crazy. Officially lost his mind. Roduch sighed, tucking his free hand behind his head. He winced when he banged his knuckles on the wooden headboard. They smarted, but perhaps a little pain would do him good.

He shouldn’t be in this room.

She was fine.

His room wasn’t far.

Avril could stay on her own. At least overnight.

She was stronger now.

He didn’t
want
to leave her.

Staying was dangerous.

Roduch tried for the hundredth time to convince himself to leave—unsuccessfully.

Looking down at Avril sleeping peacefully, head on his chest, tiny fist tucked next to her cheek, he lost his resolve again.

His heart surged and ached at the same time. Although he’d had visions of her as his wife, Roduch never fathomed he could feel so much for her in such a short period of time. Just over a sevenday, and he was lost to her. Head over heels in love, as the lasses would say.

She wasn’t ready for that. And not touching her, not kissing her, was killing him.

The fourth night of him sleeping—or not so much—in her bed, with her
whole
body touching his, tested his restraint.

More
than tested it.

Roduch loved her. He wanted her. And he wanted to show her.

He stared at the wide arched ceiling, his body as tight as a bow string—one part in particular. No ability to sleep, despite the desire to do so.

He’d get knocked on his arse on the fighting yard in the morning.

Glancing at the chair he’d spent those nights in, he growled. The damn thing had the nerve to look inviting.

Or was it just amused?

Inanimate objects having emotions?

You
have
lost it.

Avril sighed in her sleep and nestled even closer. Roduch sucked in a breath as her bent knee brushed his erection.

He hardened even more, straining against the softest breeches he could find to sleep in. If he’d been in his own room, his own bed, he’d have been naked, as he always slept. That of course, wouldn’t work in his love’s bed.

Swallowing hard, he cursed himself to keep his thoughts coherent—above the waist.

“Hmm…Roduch,” Avril muttered.

He froze, heart fluttering. Roduch reached down, brushing her dark curls out of her face.

She smiled in her sleep.

Damn
, he wanted—no
needed—
to kiss her.

Roduch settled for touching his lips to the top of her head, smiling as he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair.

Blessed Spirit, he wanted her.

Sliding a hand down inside the sleeping furs to his pants, he shifted the material to alleviate some of the pressure, but his arousal only throbbed more. He groaned.

Avril lifted her head, blinking and fighting a yawn as their eyes met.

“I’m sorry, lo—lass, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Roduch bit back a cringe. He’d almost called her
love.
Again.

“Are you all right?” she whispered, voice thick with sleep.

He forced a smile and nodded. She was too sleepy to catch his slip, but he couldn’t exactly tell her what his
issue
was. “Aye. Go back to sleep.”

“Only if you do.” She gave a smile that had his stomach flipping.

“Are you all right?” He caressed her soft cheek.

She was sleep-warm and adorable. Roduch wanted her even more.

“Yes…why?” Avril asked, brows drawing together.

Do not kiss her.

“You said my name.”

“I…don’t…remember.” Avril’s face tilted toward his.

Roduch leaned his head down but stopped himself.

Her eyes widened. She’d not missed his intent.

She’ll pull away now
.

He couldn’t bear to see fear in her emerald eyes. Cursing himself to hell and back, Roduch winced, crushing his eyes shut.

When he opened them, Avril’s face was very close to his, her small hands gripping his tunic to haul her body closer.

Roduch’s heart sped up, as she tilted her lips, only an inch from brushing his. “Avril?”

“Don’t you want to kiss me?”

When he cupped her cheeks, she leaned in, closing her eyes.

Blessed Spirit, help me.

“Aye. But I don’t want to scare you.”

She met his gaze, full tempting mouth curving in a soft smile. “What if I want you to kiss me?”

Roduch swallowed hard. She
wanted
him to kiss her? “Well, I suppose I’d have to oblige, since my lady wishes it.” His voice was too husky, making his jest fall off a bit.

“Kiss me, Roduch.”

Slow.

It was what she needed
.

Tender. Careful.

He needed to treat her like the innocent she truly was. Show her what he felt for her. Show her what real intimacy was all about.

Intention and thought fled when his lips touched hers. Soft and so sweet he had to have more. Roduch had to have
her.

Groaning when she opened for him, he slipped his tongue in her mouth without hesitation.

Avril didn’t hesitate either, which only made his blood run hotter.

She kissed him back fervently, their tongues dueling, then melding, and she slipped her arms around his neck to move closer, slanting her mouth even harder against his.

Small, firm, perfectly round breasts flattened against his chest as she lay completely on top of him, and Roduch wrapped his arms around her. He caressed her back, then followed the curve of her firm bottom.

His manhood pulsated; there was no way she couldn’t feel him against her.

Roduch squeezed her rear end, shifting her so she straddled him.

Her sleeping chemise rose up around her waist. Her thinly covered sex landed on his. He rocked under her, hands shooting down her thighs and calves.

Skin was soft, smooth and warm. He needed more.

Avril moaned into his mouth, and his hands shot up her back. He buried his fingertips in her mess of curls, tugging her even closer as his grip settled at the back of her neck.

He devoured her mouth, but she was right with him, kissing him hard.

He had to get inside her.
Now.

Roduch’s pulse thundered in his ears as she rocked in his lap, and his spine tingled like he was about to orgasm.

Small hands on his stubbled cheeks jolted him. Her touch burned him, but he craved more.

So real.
Felt so good.

Fighting a tremor, he gripped her waist. He needed to flip them, needed her beneath him so he could get inside her like he had so many times before.

Wait.

This isn’t a dream. This is
real.

He was in Avril’s bed in the guest wing of Castle Aldern.

This was their
first
kiss.

She wasn’t ready to make love.

What the hell is wrong with you?

Roduch was no better than her bastard former husband. He broke away.

You are the worst kind of wretch
.

He lifted her gently off him, setting her on the bed. Roduch panted against the headboard, struggling for breath and coherent thought. “You taste better than in my visions. You feel better in my arms,” he blurted.

“Then what’s wrong?” Avril’s emerald eyes wide. Her small breasts rose and fell as she too panted, her gorgeous ivory skin flushed with color, lips kiss-swollen. Her nipples were peaked, pushing against the material of her chemise.

“Nothing…” Roduch groaned.

“Why did you stop?”

“Because, love…” He flinched. No way he could avoid the term of endearment after what they’d shared. She
was
his love. “I want you.”

Confusion flickered in her beautiful eyes, then rolled over her expression. She averted her gaze. “I’m not a virgin.” Wringing her hands on her lap, Avril worried her bottom lip with her teeth. Her tone dripped shame.

He cursed. Sucking in a breath that did nothing to calm his roiling anger at her bastard former husband, he cupped her face and forced her to meet his eyes. “But you
are
, love.”

Her eyes clouded with tears and she shook her head. “I…I’m not. I’m…damaged goods.”

“Avril, no!” He would
never
let her think she’d been ruined.

She was perfect. She was
his
.

“You have never
willingly given yourself to a man, so you
are
innocent, and I’ll treat you as such. I won’t pressure you into anything you’re not ready for.”

Avril’s tears spilled over, and he thumbed them away. “So…you’d want me anyway? Even though Tynan…”

Roduch growled and silenced her with his lips.

Avril clung to him, balling his tunic as she moved her mouth under his, pushing closer until he wrapped his arms around her.

He kissed her deeply and thoroughly, ignoring the insistent throb of his body. He wouldn’t take her tonight, even if she said she was ready.

She sighed when they parted, but stayed close. “Roduch?”

“Aye?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Saying you want me.” Avril settled against his chest.

He rubbed her back in large soothing circles, nestling their bodies down under the thick sleeping furs. “I do want you.”

It’d probably petrify her if she knew just how badly.

“I…” She looked down, but then took a deep breath and met his eyes. “I want you, too.”

Roduch’s breath caught.

What?

Had she just said she
wanted
him? After what she’d been through?

“Avril, I…” He swallowed hard.

She presented a shy smile and pressed her lips to his. It was sweet and much too short. “I’m nervous. It’s new for me. But it’s honestly how I feel. If my body burning and aching for you is
want.
”

Roduch nodded. “It is. That’s desire, love.”

“Then…I want you, Roduch.”

His admiration for her shot up. Avril was the bravest woman he’d ever known. He kissed her forehead, gathering her closer. “Tell me when you’re ready. I’ll be here. Waiting for you. Always.”

A brilliant grin bloomed and she nodded.

Roduch’s head spun. The smile was reminiscent of his visions. “I’ll do anything for you, Avril.”

He bit his tongue to keep
I love you
from tumbling out. She wasn’t ready for that, either.

“You really had visions of me?” Avril’s whisper was low, her tone as curious as her expression.

“Aye. Since I was a lad of about seven.”

“Seven? I was much younger when I had my first vision.”

“What do you think that means?”

“I’m not sure.” She cocked her head to one side, green gaze boring into him. “I sense nothing from you.
Nothing
. I’ve always been able to sense magic.”

“Perhaps we should ask Lucan what he thinks. One of his gifts is understanding the nature of magic. I swear to you, I’ve been seeing you most of my life.”

Avril winced. “Looking at Lucan hurts.”

“What do you mean?”

“I see auras. His is so bright, he hurts my eyes. Makes my magic ache. He’s so powerful. I’ve never met someone with so much magic.” She sounded fascinated, and it made him frown.

Roduch chided himself. He was jealous of a lad of four and ten?

She smiled and it had his heart tripping all over again. “He wants to be a knight so badly. I hope he succeeds.”

“How do you know?”

Looking away, she frowned. “I didn’t invade his privacy. I promise. It’s just…” Avril met his eyes. “He wants it so badly my magic just picked it up. I didn’t have to concentrate to see or anything.”

“I’m not mad, love.”

“I won’t use my magic to hurt anyone.
Ever.
But sometimes I see things. Not only about people, but…I…see
things.
”

“Things?”

“Premonitions. Sometimes I know when something will happen.”

“That’s happened to me a few times in my life.”

Brows drawn tight, she scooted closer, studying his face. “When?”

“Once when I was a page, I dreamt of a rockslide where a lad was hurt. It happened the next day. I felt terrible for not telling anyone. Other times it’s just been a sense, or a flash, nothing solid. I also dreamt of Lord Varthan killing Lady Cera’s family before it happened. I acted, but we were too late.”

Her eyes clouded with tears, and Roduch wiped them away.

“I saw that as well. Tynan believed me, but didn’t care. I wanted to tell
someone
. I…couldn’t do anything about it.” Avril shook her head, frowning. “I suppose the Blessed Spirit punished me. I couldn’t sleep for over a sevenday. The visions haunted me.”

“Neither could I. I had the same dream over and over again.”

Avril blinked. “Tell me.”

Roduch explained as much as he could remember about the dream of the dark man and his shades. All dead now, and the better for it.

The dream had been flashes of rage, fire, rape and magic. And death. Visions of blood and the deaths of good people. All for a magic sword and lust for power.

She gasped. “Mine was the same. To the last detail.”

“We had the same dream? Over and over again, no less. How could this even be?”

“I don’t know. Can you call on your magic? Force a vision?”

“Never. I’ve tried many times to see you.”

“I don’t know anyone who can’t use their magic when they want to.”

“I only ever wanted to see you. Other than that, my so-called magic never mattered to me.”

Avril cuddled closer. “I think we need to talk to Lucan. You’re right about that.”

“Aye, love.”

Meeting his eyes, she smiled. “I like when you call me
love
.”

“Good, because I like calling you
love
.”

Chapter Twenty

The lad’s face scrunched up even though his eyes were closed, and his fingers around Roduch’s hand tightened. Sweat broke out on his brow, and his dark hair was damp all over. His already-glowing skin increased in radiance and Roduch had to squint to keep looking at him.