A Kiss of Magic: A Kiss of Magic Book One (28 page)

“Then we have nothing more to discuss,” the large Kiltian said, moving to rise out of his chair.

“Gentlemen, please,” Colla said, her tone soothing and immediate. “Let us sit and talk like rational beings. There are many lives at stake if we do not come to some kind of agreement and we will not have that agreement if we waste time posturing.” She turned her attention to Sin, who was still half standing. “We can discuss the giving of land more thoroughly, but it cannot be of a size of the Triagle Territory.”

The burly Kiltian retook his seat fully.

The talks continued on in this manner for the rest of the afternoon. There was much arguing, many times when tempers flared. All the while Dendri kept the mask over the triumvirate’s true thoughts and feelings, keeping the Kiltian’s from knowing just how much the triumvirate was willing to give as they argued down to every last square mile.

They did this without a break for the entire afternoon, stopping only at the end of the day when evening came. The Kiltians left the room as a dynamic force, their presence overpowering all on its own. The relief in the room was apparent as soon as they were gone.

Triumvir Colla turned to her compatriots in the room.

“The fact is, we need their gold and gems as much as they need our land,” Colla said aloud, as though she had been in mid-conversation. Yasra realized that she had been in mid conversation. She had been having a mental discussion with Dendri and he had been relaying it to the other two triumvirs.

“Our coffers are in a very sad state, what with this war. He was right. War is expensive. As is the regular day to day business of life. The question is, how much land and how much gold. And what to do with everyone who will be booted off the land.

Dendri got slowly to his feet, his movement seemingly aching and awkward. He leaned his hands on the table, using it to support the weight of his upper body.

“You can give them bits and pieces of the country, but they will only want more eventually unless you give them enough to satisfy their needs. They are overpopulated. A country of mountains and hard living. They have the money to import food, and we have made a great deal in trade, but what they need is room. Room to grow,” he said. “But he is being honest when he says his people would be satisfied for generations to come if they were given lands the size of the Triagle Territory.”

“That is out of the question. What would we do with all of those people? What would we do without that grain and produce?”

The argument continued back and forth for several more minutes, but Yasra’s attention was not on it. Her full attention was on Dendri. He looked exhausted. Ready to drop in fact. When he went to straighten up, his legs seemed to suddenly give out beneath him. She was there in a flash, wedging her body beneath his arm and supporting his weight.

“Adiron, are you well?” Hittite asked.

“No he is not well,” Yasra bit out at them. “He is coming fresh from the fight with Delongo…and now you ask him to do this.”

The triumvir seemed taken aback by her ichor.

“I had not realized you were so injured by your encounter with Delongo. The only word we received was that he was defeated and you had made it back alive.” Colla eyed him carefully. “Dendri, we can easily get someone else to take your place.”

“No one as strong as I am,” Dendri said wearily. “One of his aids was the equivalent of at least a 19
th
level Aspano. If you want your true intentions to remain hidden, you will need me. There is no one else.”

“But you are dead on your feet,” Yasra said angrily. “Please, help me get him to the carriage.”

“First make certain the Kiltians are gone. I don’t want them to see me weakened and in need of assistance.”

“Stubborn, stubborn man,” Yasra muttered.

“He’s right. Any sign of weakness and the Kiltians will take advantage. You there,” Hittite called to one of the footmen. “Go and see if the Kiltians have left the grounds completely.”

“Yes Triumvir,” the footman said, his voice wobbling with the flash of anxiety the request gave him. She realized then that, though he had remained stoically in the room the entire time, serving wine and whatever else was needed, he had been afraid of the Kiltians.

The footman hurried off and Triumvirs Hittie and Felone took her place on either side of Dendri’s sagging form.

“Careful of his left arm. He has a nasty burn,” Yasra warned.

The footman returned. “They’re gone, your grace,” he told them.

“Have Adiron’s carriage brought to the front of the building immediately,” Hittite said.

“’Tis already there, your grace. It pulled up as the Kiltians left.”

“Very good.”

The two male triumvirs led Dendri out of the room and down the stairs.

“See to it he gets as much rest as he needs,” Felone said to Yasra. “We will postpone tomorrow’s talks for a day and give him time to recover.”

“No,” Dendri said sharply. “You cannot do that. The Kiltians are very strict about what they feel is worthy of their time. Being made to wait…they will take a delay as an insult. As a waste of their time.”

“I would rather take that risk than sit in another day of talks with you only at half strength, Adiron,” Hittite said brusquely. “One day. We’ll give them plenty of entertainment in the meantime. Perhaps we will satisfy their sensual natures for a day. Ply them with our best wines, women and amusements.”

“What will you give as an excuse for the delay?” Dendri asked dubiously.

“We will say one of us is ill and we cannot negotiate without all three. Ariana perhaps we will say it is you since they already view you are the weakest link in our chain.”

“No,” Dendri said with finality. “Let it be Hittite. Raja Sin is fascinated by Triumvir Colla. I would venture to say he is attracted to her. A woman of power is very enticing to him. If you want to keep him happy and content with the delay, then Ariana must be there to sweeten any suggestions of spending the day in pursuit of entertainment rather than business.”

“Surely you’re not suggesting that I---with that barbarian!”

“No, of course not,” Dendri sighed. “But you can play hostess. Keep Felone and a few guards by your side the entire day, but remain temptingly within reach. Trifle with him. Tease him. Stroke his ego. Divert him by dangling yourself just out of his reach. But make certain his majji who is able to read thoughts is left behind or he will know you are a liar. Bring another Aspano with you for protection just in case there is another, but I only sensed one in the delegation.”

“Which one?” Colla asked.

“The red haired fellow,” Dendri said.

“How do I separate him without seeming obvious?”

“You’ll think of something,” Dendri assured her.

They reached the carriage and the men helped Dendri inside.

“Will you be able to get him into his villa?” Triumvir Hittite asked her as she settled into the barouche right next to Dendri, allowing him to lean against her.

“There is help there,” she assured them.

“All right then. We’ll see you both the day after tomorrow at noon Adiron,” Hittite said.

“I’ll be here,” Dendri promised them.

Hittite shut the door to the barouche and, after what seemed to be an interminably long time, the carriage started forward with a jerk.

Chapter Twenty-Three

As soon as the carriage was on its way, Dendri shifted in the seat until he was on his back across it, his head settled in her lap. Worried, she combed fingers through his hair, pulling strands of it free of its clasp in the back.

Dendri released a long, decompressing sigh.

“They shouldn’t delay the talks,” he said wearily. “Not on my behalf.”

“Dendri! You’re exhausted! You would be of little use of them tomorrow like this.”

“I could just—“

“Enough!” she snapped out harshly. “You’re resting tomorrow and that’s the end of it. It can only help to show the delegation some of the city and its pleasures. If they are in good spirits afterward they will be more likely to come to the table relaxed and at ease.”

He looked up at her, amusement on his weary features. “Very well then. A day of rest.”

“Be glad it is not a week I have demanded of them,” she said huffily.

“Yes, my lady,” he said, his jewel green eyes filled with humor.

“It isn’t funny. I’m very cross with you,” she said.

“I can see that,” he said with a chuckle.

“Dendri!”

He subsided and caught up her hand, toying with her fingers just as he had done the entire day in the negotiations. “Can I help it if I find you and all your moods delightful and warming?” he asked. “Yasra, you give me such pleasure in so many ways.”

She felt herself coloring warmly as he looked up into her eyes. They still bore the angry red of having overtaxed his mind, but his gaze was still the most intense she had ever been regarded by.

She looked away from him and out at the passing scenery of the city. The streets were all cobbled or paved in stone, so the clip clopping of the horses’ shod hooves were almost as loud as the sounds of the city itself. The roadways seemed so busy, the sidewalks and shops teaming with people.

She thought of what they all might think of the talks that had been going on that day. She knew that to give any land away to the Kiltians would be an unpopular choice. But the triumvirate will negotiate in good faith then propose the agreement to the members of the Heddah. Those members who would end up losing their commonwealths would be the most offended. The triumvirate would have to find some way of mollifying them. Some way of justifying any agreements they made. They would not wish to cause civil unrest.

Though each of the triumvirs had large armies at their command, which was the very reason why they held their powerful seats, they would not wish to pit an army of Sarens against Sarens themselves.

They would do what was necessary to negotiate a peace between the two countries. It was either that or more years of war as the Kiltians took the land they wanted one piece at a time, paying for it in lives and blood.

None of that mattered to Yasra at the moment. She was more concerned with Dendri’s well being. She watched his face relax as she stroked his hair soothingly, the dark silken locks feeling cool and smooth as they slid through the spaces between her fingers. She felt the incredible warmth of his scalp against her fingertips. Her stroking was as soothing to her as it was to him.

She wasn't sure when he fell asleep exactly, but as he did all the pain and exhaustion of the past day fled from his strong features. There were shadows under his eyes. The tension in his body took a lot longer to settle than his mind did into sleep.

When they reached the villa the driver opened the door and looked in at her.

“Fetch help please,” she said softly to him.

Tudman, and Wil came to help Dendri into the house. With one of them on either side, the brought him directly into his room and lowered him onto the bed. Haner was there immediately and went about undressing Dendri and they put him to bed naked, rather than in a nightshirt. It allowed them access to the bandage on his burned arm.

They gingerly removed the bandage from the arm, the unguent they had used had been meant to keep the bandage from sticking. It worked for the most part, but there were places where it stuck nonetheless and Dendri cried out with the pain as bandage and burned skin were torn away. Once the bandage was removed, the wound was gingerly cleaned and then once again left open to the air.

Then, before he could fall asleep again, Yasra ordered a tray sent up with some good, hot food on it. At first he tried to turn the food away, but Yasra bullied him into eating. In the end he only did so if she promised to eat with him.

Then, finally, Dendri was left to rest. To sleep.

Yasra watched over him until exhaustion from the long day overtook her as well. She climbed into bed beside Dendri and fell asleep too.

Yasra awoke the next morning to the feel of a soft touch gliding down her cheek and throat. The touch continued downward over her breastbone and then circled around her right breast. The touch skied up the slope of her breast until it was scraping gently over her nipple, which immediately puckered under the sensation. The nipple was plucked at, pulled gently. Then the touch gave way just as a warm wet pressure surrounded it.

Yasra’s eyes fluttered open and she beheld Dendri’s dark head bent over her, his mouth sipping gently at her nipple. She let out a sigh of stirred contentment, her fingers sliding into his hair at the nape of his neck. She felt the strength of his muscles flexing beneath her touch as her opposite hand drifted over his shoulder.

Then she remembered that he was not supposed to be exerting himself. That the intention for the day was that he should rest.

“Enough,” she murmured to him, her fingers tightening in his hair and pulling his head back away from her body by the thick strands.

He lifted his head, his hand on her clothed belly. She had come to bed dressed in her nightgown, but he had unbuttoned the front of it almost to her navel, moving the fabric aside and giving himself access to her breast. He looked up at her and cocked up a dark brow.

“Enough? I’ve only just begun,” he said huskily.

“No you haven’t,” she said firmly, pulling her nightgown closed and rebuttoning it quickly.

He just as quickly began to unbutton it again.

“Dendri! Stop it,” she said, wanting to swat his hand away, but not doing so since his working hand happened to be on his burned arm. She was afraid of hurting him.

He surged up and kissed her mouth, his tongue parting her lips with an expert sweep, kissing her until she was breathless and flushed a blushing pink. His fingers had found her right nipple again.

“I’m not stopping until I’ve had you,” he said, his voice still rough with sleep. He must have only just awakened himself. It had not taken him long to find interest in her body.

“You’re supposed to be resting!” she cried as his mouth broke from hers and returned to suck on the peak of her rosy pink nipple.

Dendri pulled back the bedclothes with a powerful jerk, exposing her in a rush of cold air. She shivered violently, but she didn’t know if it was from the chill or from the feel of his hand sliding up beneath her nightgown and up along her thigh.

“I’ll rest,” he assured her. “After I’ve had you.”

“No. Absolutely not!”

She wriggled away from him, stumbling out of the bed and onto her feet.

“Why not? I’m more than up to it,” he said, indicating the rampant state of his body. Her eyes widened and she struggled to keep her thoughts coherent. Good god he was so good looking. So delicious. So desirable. But she drew her fortitude around her.

“Perhaps later,” she said as a way of placating him for the moment. “But first you need to break your fast and you desperately need a bath.”

He laughed at that. “Am I that offensive?”

“No it’s not that. But…you haven’t bathed in days. Surely you must want to be clean.”

He didn’t have to think about it. He conceded the point quickly.

“Then you and I will bathe together.”

“Not together,” she countered sharply.

“Yes together,” he countered back. “How else will we warm my bath water?”

“There is hot water plumbed into the bath,” she said with exasperation.

“Yes but it won’t stay hot for long and I want a long bath,” he said as she crossed the cold floor and rang the bell pull. “I want to be pink and clean and shiny for you…so that you’ll let me touch you. And anyway, with both of my arms injured, how will I bathe myself?”

“You know you’re perfectly capable of—“

“Yasra…don’t make me beg,” he said softly.

Yasra fell silent at that. She bit her lip indecisively. The man was so damned stubborn! He had been given a day to rest. He should be taking advantage of that.

“I’ll help you bathe,” she relented. “But no sex!”

“Oh there’ll be sex. And plenty of it,” he promised her hotly. He reached down and pulled the covers up to his waist only moments before the housemaid came into the room.

“Andra, have a breakfast tray—“

“Two breakfast trays,” Dendri interrupted.

“Have two trays sent up,” she said with a sigh. “The usual for him and I will have pancakes with nuseberry syrup.”

“Yes miss,” she said, then hurried away.

The trays came up quickly and they ate in almost perfect silence. But it was clear that what wasn't said was noisy between them. It was shouted out every time he shot her a smoldering look.

Finally, she laughed aloud at him.

“You’re absolutely incorrigible!” she declared.

“Yes. I have an abiding desire for you, sweetheart. I cannot help myself where you are concerned. I should be thinking about the talks with the Kiltians, what I might advise the triumvirate about, but I find all my thoughts are strictly of you.”

He arose from the bed after moving his tray aside and then did the same for hers so he could take her hands in his and pull her from the bed.

They went down the hall and into the bath, which they’d had drawn for him. Steam arose from the water. Dendri turned her toward him and unbuttoned her nightgown once more, pulling it over her head after the first few buttons were undone. It left her standing there naked and exposed. He had wrapped a sheet around his hips for the trip down the hall and now let it drop to the floor. He stepped down into the tub and held out his hand for her. She put her hand in his and he helped her in. Together they sat in the water.

Dendri could not put his left arm in the water, it being too hot for his burned arm to tolerate, but using his right he maneuvered her hips between his thighs and settled her back to his chest. As she sat back against him, she could feel the aroused state of his body.

His breath was hot against her ear, tickling her as he draped the long braid of her hair back over his shoulder. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, sending shivers of heat swirling through her. He wanted her, and he was making no secret of it.

“Bathe me,” he invited her.

“I can’t while facing this direction.”

“Then turn around. But go no further away from me than you are right now.”

A thrill shot through her at the warning intensity of his words. She reached to the side of the tub for soap and a sea sponge and, turning around to face him, she began to lather it up.

“Shall I start in neutral territory, or shall I go right for the heart of things?” she asked impishly.

“I’ll let you decide,” he said, sounding breathless to her ears.

“Right to the heart of things,” she murmured. She plunged both hands beneath the water and reached to grasp his erection in her hand. She stroked him for a moment, almost in an introduction, and then brought the sponge into play. She glided the soapy sponge all up and down his shaft, swirling about the head, dipping down to swish soap all around his testicles. He groaned out soulfully, lifting his hips into her stroke. She continued the brutal torture until Dendri could no longer bear it. She had him so hard he felt ready to burst.

He reached beneath the water to still her wicked hands.

“Enough,” he said. “Now for neutral territory before I say to hell with the bath and take you right now.”

“All right,” she said, a self-satisfied smile curving over her lips. She did as he asked, bathing him from head to toe as thoroughly as if he were doing it for himself. Then she began to soap her own body, rising up on her knees as she stroked the sponge over her skin, his famished eyes following every touch…every caress.

“Come onto me,” he said hoarsely when she was finished.

She didn’t need to ask him what he meant. She dropped the sponge into the water, letting it float away as she touched one hand to his chest and moved up to straddle his thighs. She took his erect flesh into her hand and brought him to the cusp of her body, slowly lowering herself onto him.

“Let me do all of the work,” she told him huskily.

He could only nod in mute agreement. She flexed her thighs, and lifted herself up, the hot, wet glove of her body competing with the heat and wet of the bathwater…and winning. There was nothing like the feel of her. And as she raised and lower over him again, Dendri began to realize he was in a significant amount of danger. Watching how erotically beautiful she was as her head fell back and her eyes slid closed, he began to realize just how much he had come to need her in so very short an amount of time.