A Dark Guardian (23 page)

“Hugh,” Cole said as he walked around the corner into the bathing chamber.

She instinctively hid her head, but she knew Cole could see her legs.

“What?” Hugh snapped.

“Ah,” Cole stammered. “Nothing. It can wait.” When they were alone she smiled up at Hugh.

“You really need to put a lock on that door.” She laughed and kissed his chin. “I’ll speak to Bernard about it.” The smile left his face as he pulled out of her body. She longed to call him back, but she knew he had distanced himself from her.

For the moment.

She watched as he gripped the wooden tub and wondered what thoughts were in his mind. But she was likely to never know. She moved to get off the table, and in an instant, he was there to help her.

His closeness was her undoing. She reached up and touched his sculpted chest, his heat scalding her. Her gaze rose until she stared into his dark brown eyes. “Don’t tell me you regret this.”

“That’s the problem.” Sadness radiated from him. “I’ve enjoyed it too much.” She smoothed the frown from his forehead. “If this is your expression for enjoyment I would hate to see the one where you are sad.” He grabbed her hands and stepped back from her. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t push me away.”

“We have so little time.”

“Exactly,” she said and stepped toward him to touch him. “Don’t throw away what little time we have together.”

When his hand came up to cup her cheek, she laid her head against his palm and closed her eyes. It was then she realized what could help ease his mind. She had to prove she was innocent by finding the blue stone and giving it to him. And she had an idea of just where to look.

Hugh’s thoughts were constantly of Mina. Even now as they were about to lock everyone in the dungeon, all he could think of was their time together in the bathing chamber.

Dusk had fallen rapidly and the hall was filled with the sounds of cries from the children and the worried voices of their parents. Hugh hoped and prayed that the dungeon would keep the villagers safe.

He and his men, along with a few of Bernard’s knights, were stationed in the castle to make sure the creature didn’t find the villagers.

“Everyone is inside,” Bernard said as he walked up. “I’ve checked the castle twice.”

Hugh nodded. “Good. We’ll see you in the morn then.”

“I’d rather be out here with you,” Bernard argued.

“The people need their baron. Keep your family and your villagers safe.” Bernard nodded sullenly and walked into the dungeon. Hugh nodded for Gabriel to lock the doors. It was a chance they were taking, but Hugh didn’t want to risk anyone trying to leave the dungeon.

He walked to Cole and Gabriel. “Is she inside?”

“Aye,” Cole said. “I watched her enter myself.” Hugh sighed. At least Mina was safe for the night. The scream of the creature let them know the long night had begun.

“Take your places,” Hugh bellowed as he ran to his spot behind the tapestry beyond the dais. It gave him the perfect view of the front of the castle and the stairway to the dungeon.

“Here it comes,” someone yelled from above.

Hugh braced himself for what was to come. He readied his crossbow and fingered the dagger at his waist. He might not be able to kill the creature with his weapons, but he could slow it down.

The flap of the giant wings could be heard as thunder rumbled in the distance.

Lightening flashed, lighting the outside for a brief moment, enough that he was able to glimpse the creature flying toward the front of the castle.

His heart raced with anticipation as his eyes focused on the door. He could just make out sounds above the thunder, but surely it couldn’t be the creature.

The castle doors slowly opened and the creature stepped into the hall. Hugh blinked and rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing correctly. The creature’s red eyes looked around the great hall. Its hands clenched briefly before stretching its long talons.

It walked toward the stairway that led to the dungeon. Hugh’s gut tightened in fear. But just as he was about to stand and get the creature’s attention, the creature turned and walked away from the stairway.

“What the hell just happened?”

Hugh glared at Cole. “What are you doing out of your spot?”

“I was on my way to distract the creature when it stopped. What made it turn away from the stairway?”

“I’m not sure,” Hugh admitted. “I think it doesn’t want to chance harming whoever is controlling it.”

Cole snorted. “That’s the whole damn village.” Hugh held up his hand to quiet Cole as the creature turned toward them. Its long tail swished behind him, and its claws clicked on the stone floor as it slowly made its way to them.

Then, just as suddenly as it had flown in, the creature screamed and flew out of the castle. Hugh and Cole came out from behind the tapestry.

“That was close,” Cole said.

“Very,” Hugh agreed.

They raced up the stairs toward Gabriel. “It is flying away,” he said as they neared.

“Where?” Hugh asked.

“Northwest.”

“The forest,” all three men said in unison.

“We’ll head out there tomorrow,” Hugh said as they walked back to the hall.

“Unlock the dungeon, but we need to keep watch to make sure the creature doesn’t return.”

The quiet hall vanished as the sounds of the villagers once again filled it. Hugh stood back and watched Mina and Bernard as they helped their people. Theresa sat on the dais with her arms crossed over her chest.

It had been a long day and exhaustion had its hold on Hugh. He nodded to Cole and made his way to his chamber. A few hours to rest was all he needed.

“Maybe we should tell him,” Aimery said as he paced the throne room.

“Nay,” Rufina said.

“If we do then he won’t learn that there is more to life than instincts,” Theron said.

“He asks so little of us,” Aimery argued. “I’ve never before had him ask me such a simple question.”

Theron shook his head. “We cannot meddle with their lives.”

“We do it every day.”

Rufina rose from her chair and walked to Aimery. “I understand. Many times it would have been so easy for me to just tell a human what they wanted, but their lives are based on learning.”

“And it is high time that Hugh learn to trust with his heart,” Theron said.

Aimery turned toward his king and queen. “And if Mina is the one controlling the creature. Do you know what that will do to Hugh?”

“It will destroy him,” Rufina answered. “I hate that she is unreadable to us.”

“We must find a way to see who has the blue stones.” Theron shook his head. “If only it were that easy, Aimery, we would never have needed men like Hugh.”

“You know what is blocking our vision don’t you?” Aimery waited for them to answer, and instead they turned away. Which was all the answer he needed.

Mina waited until the last villager was settled before she made her way toward the stairs. She smiled at Cole and Gabriel and wondered where Hugh had disappeared. Her feet were quick as she walked to her chamber. Maybe Hugh was there waiting for her.

But when she opened the door all she found was a dark chamber. She lit the candles and then sat to unbraid her hair. It was still damp from her bath and hasty dressing. She looked to the bed but found she wasn’t sleepy.

She briefly thought about trying to find Hugh but realized that was foolish.

Instead, she sat in her chair and stared into the empty hearth.

The candles were almost gone when a knock sounded on her door. She jerked in surprise and was about to rise when the door opened and in walked Hugh.

“I saw the light under your door and just wanted to check that you were all right,” he said.

She nodded. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“And your arm?”

“Just about healed. Gabriel’s medicines are wonderful.” He glanced at the bed. “Why aren’t you asleep?” She shrugged and rose from her chair. “I couldn’t sleep. Why aren’t you abed?”

“Same

reason.”

She stood in the center of her chamber and waited. Silence reigned as they stared at each other. She was about to give up when he dropped his chin to his chest.

“I knew I shouldn’t have come,” he said. Then he raised his head and stepped inside. The door shut behind him, but he didn’t move from it.

She stayed where she was though she longed to run to him. “Why did you?”

“I had to see you.”

A glimmer of hope burst from those five words. “And now that you are here? Do you wish to leave?”

He pushed away from the door and walked to her. “I don’t think I could leave if you asked me to.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“The more we are together the harder it will be when I leave.” She gave him a small smile. “Don’t think about that now. Think about us. Right here, right now. We’ll deal with the tomorrows when they happen.” He reached up and smoothed her hair out of her face. “So wise for one so young.”

She stepped into his arms and lifted her face for the kiss she knew would come.

He didn’t disappoint her. His mouth moved slowly, seductively over hers leaving her flushed and wanting more.

“You are teasing me.”

“Nay,” he said and kissed her eyelids. “I’m going to show you how you should have been made love to.”

Her heart fell to her feet when he bent down and picked her up to carry her to the bed. He stood her beside it and turned her around to unlace her gown. With each string he unlaced he placed a kiss where it had been.

Chills raced down her spine at his feather light kisses. When he pushed her gown over her shoulder he twirled his tongue on her shoulders and neck. Then, he turned her to face him and knelt to pull the gown from her arms.

She had dressed so hurriedly that she hadn’t bothered with any underclothes and as the gown came off her shoulders it bared her chest to him.

His eyes heated at the sight of her breasts. Her loins clenched and her heart raced at the look on his face. He wanted her, and if that was all she remembered of their time together, it was enough.

Slowly, he lowered her gown over her hips until it pooled at her feet. She was about to take her shoes off, but he stopped her and did it himself.

When she was naked he kissed her ankles and ran his hands up her legs and over her hips to circle her waist. His mouth kissed and teased her stomach and hips. Her hands plunged into his hair and held onto him.

In the next heartbeat, he had picked her up and laid her on the bed. She watched as he pulled off his green tunic, his muscles flexing with each movement. He sat on the bed and took off his boots, then stood and faced her. His fingers slowly unlaced his trousers.

She bit her lip as inch by inch his skin was exposed to her. When his manhood popped out and stood straight and tall all she could think about was holding his velvety, hot rod in her hands. When he had shed his trousers and laid beside her, her hands instantly went to his body.

“You are so hard and solid,” she said as her hands roamed down his bulging arm to his hip.

He nuzzled her neck. “And you are all softness and curves.” When she reached between their bodies for him, he stopped her and pulled her arms over her head.

“Tonight, my lady, I am going to make love to you.”

“You’ve already made love to me. Twice.”

He shook his head. “That wasn’t making love. At least not how it is supposed to be.”

She gave up trying to argue when his lips claimed hers in a kiss that made her toes curl. He stroked her tongue and plundered her mouth fiercely, but lovingly. His hand moved over her arms, down her side to her hip.

But he didn’t release her arms.

He held them firmly as his kiss moved from her mouth to her neck and down to her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it bringing to a hard bud begging for more.

Mina cried out and moved her hips against him. Her breasts swelled until they ached for his touch. He moved his other hand up to cup her breast and fondle her nipple while his tongue continued to tease the other one.

The pleasure was so intense she didn’t know how she was going to survive it.

She moved her hips against his abdomen and felt a spurt of desire at the contact.

“I have to touch you,” she said.

He let go of her hands immediately and they moved to grip his wide shoulders.

His hard, hot body pressed against hers and she felt every move he made. He slid his hands across her skin awakening her body with his touch.

She closed her eyes and lost herself in the power of his touch. While in his arms she felt beautiful, as though nothing could stand in her way. In his arms, she had the missing part of her world.

He rolled over and she found herself straddling his hips. She smiled down at him and ran her hands up his abdomen so her fingers could curl in the black hair that littered his chest. His hands reached up to cup her breasts and she let her head fall back.

Her hips began to move and his hands attempted to stop them. She stopped and looked down at him.

“I want you too desperately, Mina,” he whispered.

Her heart ached for him. How lonely he must be, maybe as lonely as she was.

She leaned down until her nipples brushed his chest. He gasped and stiffened. She bit her lip to keep from smiling as she realized the control she had where she sat.

She moved from side to side rubbing her breasts against him. He tried to stop her, but she shoved his hands aside and wielded what little power she had. He didn’t allow her much time before he rolled over and pinned her with his body. His weight on her was exquisite, and she relished the feel of him.

His manhood pressed into her stomach and she knew by his darkened brown eyes that he wanted her. Her stomach felt as though it had butterflies flying around inside.

She opened her legs for him and he easily moved until the tip of him rested against her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him against her. Slowly he filled her completely and she gasped at his fullness.

Hugh thought he would spill his seed right then. He had wanted to make slow, sweet love to Mina, but she brought out the passion in him like no other woman ever had.