Conquering the Dark Axe (34 page)

She beamed at him. Had he died right then, Rourke swore
he'd be the luckiest man to go out with such a breathtaking sight welcoming
him.

Rourke could not resist and winked seductively at
her. She turned crimson and his soft laugh erupted just as the servants, their
chore complete, closed the chamber door. His hellion had a right to blush after
the wild passion she had shown and drawn from him last night.

“Come here, Alexa.”

He pulled her onto his lap and she struggled to
wriggle free.

“Rourke.”

“Hmm,” he nuzzled her neck

“Last night was strenuous enough for you. We cannot
push it.” She tried to sound firm, but it didn’t come out that way.

He nipped her shoulder. Alexa felt heat blossom
within her and hot shivers shook her form as he planted more warm kisses along
her jaw. She soon squirmed her bottom against his hard length.

“Are you not hungry?”

“I would think that was obvious” Rourke’s hand
covered a soft breast. Alexa covered his hand with her own.

“Not that. I meant for food.”

“Later.” Rourke said chasing her mouth

Alexa, finally managed to push him away and put
enough space between them.

“I can hear your stomach barking, Rourke. Come. I
made something special just for you.”

He groaned when she climbed off the bed out of his
reach. He grumbled, “What?”

Alexa giggled at the disappointment in his tone. When
her eyes met his, he winked at her again and she felt the blush feather her
cheeks. His hungry gaze made her want to do things to the wanton things she’d
done to him last night. She flushed deeper remembering how he felt in her
mouth. She blinked the memory of their explosive passion away they would have
time for that later. Now he needed his strength and needed to eat.

“Come see.” She coaxed him further and waved her
hand over the feast.

Rourke, still groaning his displeasure, left the bed
and came over to the table, naked. She tried to ignore him and smiled with
thanks that he was momentarily distracted by the food. A good sign that his
appetite had returned as his eyes and hands roamed the filled platters for her
treat.

She waited.

His sigh came quickly and he smacked his lips in an
over the top loud manner.  He reached out and pulled her against his side
again. He planted a deep kiss on her open mouth. Alexa was still trying to
catch her breath when he pressed a warm chocolate wafer against her lips.

She bit into the decadent treat.

Rourke groaned as he watched her chew.

Alexa took the thin wafer from his hand and fed a
bite to him. Rourke took the whole thing along with her finger into his mouth.
She gaped at him. Her breath came in short hot pants, eyes growing bigger as he
sucked her finger and slowly withdrew it from his hot mouth.

Last night came rushing back again and she could
only stare at him. The sensual moment had her belly and limbs on fire. This
carnal desire he ignited within her was dangerous.  His green eyes blazed
brightly and she read his intent. It mirrored her own.

Nonetheless she said breathlessly, “Only after we
eat first.”

“Maybe,” Rourke’s hot whisper fanned her face.

Alexa backed up, but he reached out and drew her
back, his fingers already sliding the shift off one shoulder.

“Rourke. Rourke.” Her protests sounded even weak to
her.

“A few bites, hellion, is all. I promise.”

Alexa’s laughter was smothered by his passionate
kiss as he lifted her and drew her and the furs down to the floor.

Later, with most of the platters empty and scattered
across the floor around them and both their belly’s extended, Alexa lay back,
satisfied in the crook of his arm. One of his big thighs draped over hers. Now
was the perfect time to tell him about the babe. Her heart beat faster and she
took a few deep breaths. When his light snores reached her ears, she nudged
him. He groaned and his arm tightened around her.

“Are you well?” his warm breath tickled the hairs on
the side of her neck.

“Aye. Are you?”

“Hmm. Very.”

Alexa took a deep breath. She needed to face him to
tell him her news. Aye, that would be best. She moaned when his hand slipped
off her shoulder and hit the pillow.

Alexa turned and let out a frustrated sigh. He was
dead sleep and his snores filled the chamber. He had over exerted himself
indeed.

She could not help but laugh as she chastised
herself-she was partial blame. She had been quite insatiable in her need for
him. Oh well, her news would keep until later. Right now she would have her
bath and get the day started.

Her chance did not come later as Rourke took it upon
himself to do all and began his duties again as lord of the manor and heard the
villagers and their complaints in the great hall.

Alexa went about her own duties before heading back
to the hall later in the eve to check on him. 

She walked in to see a middle aged woman, a village
serf rise from her knees and kiss her husband's hand.  The look on
Rourke’s face was unreadable. When the woman rushed from the hall with two men
carrying large bundles behind her, Alexa saw tears streaming down her face.

She waited until the last of the villagers had
presented their issues to him, before she inquired about the woman. The
anguished look in his eyes floored her. Alexa felt her mouth drop open as she
followed after him outside into the yard. The same woman was in a cart with two
smaller boys and turned back to wave at them. Alexa waved when Rourke returned
the woman’s farewell. He spoke without looking at her as she stood by his side.

"She is the mother to the young soldier who
lost his life during my capture. Her grief was too great and she asked to
return to my other holding that we took them from. Her only wish…to work in the
castle. She lost her son. Yet she thanked me for being kind to him and for
being there when he died. I will give her whatever ‘tis that she wants."

Alexa slipped her hand in his and felt him flinch
before his fingers closed tightly around hers. They stood quietly together just
like that until the cart and riders disappeared over the grassy knoll.

Later as they were preparing for bed, Alexa watched
his strained expression and movements as he rose from the tub. She came to him
with the linen towel and dried him off. He gave her a weary grin. Once they
were settled in bed, she folded her legs under her and pulled him back against
her chest and started to massage his broad shoulders. His sighs of relief and
the tight muscles in his neck told her the day had been taxing on him. He had
remained longer after the villagers had left to talk at length with Goran and
she’d heard Raven’s name mentioned again.

She could have told him about the baby, but she
chose instead to ask him about this man that plagued his thoughts night and
day. Maybe this time he would see to tell her more.

"Will you not tell me of this Raven? What made
you his enemy?"

His muscles bunched beneath her fingers and Alexa
held her breath as she waited.

She expelled the breath she held when he reached up
and squeezed her fingers.

"He was...is an evil soul. He wrought naught
but evil wherever he set foot. He and Darc Renald had the same mother. William
barely tolerated him. Raven was an exceptionally trained and skilled knight.”
He patted her hand before dropping his back to his side where she watched him
ball it into a fist. “Aye, he taught me my trick with the axe, but I perfected
it, on my own. This I know is something that may bother you. But ‘tis a matter
of life or death on the field.” 

Alexa remained silent and nodded her head even
though he could not see it. Her fingers continued to massage the muscles of his
shoulders and neck.  Some of the tension left him. She did not want to say
anything that would give him pause.

Rourke went on. “’Twas later rumored not only had
Raven murdered their mother, but Darc's wife. On the night we searched for him,
he and other traitors to the crown ambushed me and used my own weapon on
me."

Alexa gasped and her fingers stilled but a moment.
His scar.

Had she been another sort, Rourke knew they would
not be having this conversation. Admiration rose in him again over her
strength. Sharing the harsh realities of his life with her, the side that was
not so pretty reinforced their relationship he believed. Rourke flexed his
shoulders under her soothing touch.

"Had it not been for Darc, he would have been
successful. William gave the order. For his crimes, Raven’s sentence was death.
This was to be carried out by his brother. I helped Darc hunt the rabid dog
down again and a year later, we cornered him. They fought and he went over the
cliff. We erred. We should have made sure that bastard was dead."

Rourke turned and pulled her around onto his lap,
his hard gaze locked on hers.

Pain, grief and more shone in his emerald gaze. She
was glad he had shared this with her. It was a part of him. Alexa licked her
lips and asked, "You do not think he still lives after what happened to
you?"

"I will not believe he is dead until I have
carved and strung up his body myself."

The coldness in his tone did not frighten her. 
She knew what he meant and he had every right to want his revenge. She wanted
hers too.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered
near his ear. "If he does live, he will beg for death by the time you and
I both finish with him."

Rourke hugged her to him hard before pulling back to
press a heated kiss against her parted lips.

FORTY-ONE

The next morning Alexa made a promise to herself to
steal him away from his duties to tell him about the babe. She was surprised
he’d not noticed already as her breasts had grown slightly bigger as had her
waist thickened. Not much, but noticeable enough to her anyway. 

She didn’t understand why she was so nervous now
after all that had happened over the past few days to tell him the news.

She’d already forgiven him for his painful words
that day long ago when he’d thought her barren.

They had come a long way since then. Yet, she could
not still the flutters of uneasiness in her stomach. Even now sitting beside
him at the lord’s table with the noonday meal barely touched in front of her,
she waited for her chance to take him by the hand and lead him away for a bit
of privacy.

He turned to her with furrowed brows, a look of
concern on his beautiful face. His face had healed nicely and not one scratch
or bruise remained. His golden-hair and the jagged edges had grown back and
smoothed out and now hung almost down to his shoulders once again.

“Are you not hungry?” he asked.

Alexa swallowed the lump in her throat. His eyes
gleamed and she grew even more nervous. Did he suspect?

She searched his gaze and could not read him.

She licked her lips and lifted a sliver of bread
crust. “I am well. Just a few bites of this filling meal have done it for me.
Did you enjoy your meal?”

His lips lifted at the corners and his eyes dropped
to her belly. Alexa stopped breathing.

The frozen moment was interrupted by a shout from
the hall entrance.

Both she and Rourke looked to see Goran stumble
toward their table. Alexa’s stomach dropped as the color drained from Goran’s
face. The strangled sound that came from his throat had Rourke on his feet and
around the table at his friend’s side in seconds.

Rourke's thunderous shout filled the hall.
“Goran!” 

"Rourke- a…a gu-guest." Goran gasped out.

Alexa frowned and stood, worried. She would have
gone to Goran too had her feet not remained frozen where she stood when the
couple entered.

A woman, dressed in a fine purple gown and matching
gloves and possessing a beauty none the like Alexa had ever seen before entered
the hall. Her tall willowy frame dwarfed the short distinguished looking
nobleman that walked beside her. Alexa thought herself tall, but this woman
stood toe to toe with Rourke.

The woman’s big violet eyes rested on him and
twisted Alexa’s heart even more at the look in them. Rourke’s reaction only
intensified the sensation tightening in her chest.  He’d had gone as white
as Goran for a moment before fury crossed his face and Alexa watched the red
crawl up his thick neck.

"Rourke Thorsson." The woman’s sultry
voice of honey filled the all too quiet room and Alexa wanted to retch. 

Then she knew.

The black hair pulled back from the beauty’s oval
face, showed flawless skin, high cheek bones with plump lips. A full bosom. A
waist smaller than her own and long legs that seemed endless carried the siren
forward to stop in front of them.

Raw jealousy ignited in Alexa’s veins.

This was the woman that had caused him to hate all
women.