DarykRogue (13 page)

As he crawled onto the bed, she asked, “I thought we weren’t
having complete sex.”

“We aren’t. But close to it. You tempt me too much.”

He spread her legs, wedged his hips between hers and propped
on his forearms. His cock touched her pussy, and she moaned at the sensation.

“What are we doing?” she asked.

“Close your eyes and feel.”

She did and he kissed her. His tongue took her with heated
thrusts. His cock slid over her pussy, teasing the wet folds and over her clit.
She gasped into his mouth, but his kisses muffled her exclamation. Moaning and
writhing, she lifted her hips and found a rhythm as he stroked her. She gripped
his shoulders as he moved her faster, harder, bringing her quickly to the top
until she couldn’t take anymore. Her pussy contracted and released as she
climaxed. She screamed, a high, loud call of mind-splintering ecstasy. With a
guttural roar, he stiffened and shuddered. White liquid spurted from his cock
in heavy streams and splattered on her stomach.

He hovered over her for a considerable time, and she opened
her eyes. His eyes were still closed, but the utter bliss on his face filled
her with awe.

When Rayder looked at her, his eyes had returned to their
dark brown mysteriousness.

“The red is gone,” she said quietly.

“Because the fire is extinguished. For now.”

He rolled away from her and left the bed. Bereft, she
wondered if the bliss she’d experienced would ever happen again. He entered the
cleaning room and returned a moment later with a wet cloth for her. When she
took it, he returned to the cleaning room and closed the door. Her mind awhirl,
a thousand sensations bouncing around in her mind, she cleaned herself. After
he returned, she went naked into the small room that served as a special place
to take care of personal needs, including another washbasin and a strange
device that trickled water like a cascade. She took her time, and when she
returned refreshed, he was in bed under the covers.

“You’re wearing clothes,” she said, surprised.

“To prevent temptation.” He put his hands behind his head
and watched her approach with obvious appreciation for her nakedness. “But you
may sleep naked if you wish.”

Still shaken by her experiences with him, still filled with
questions, she shook her head. “I need time to think.”

He smiled, and wickedness sparkled in his eyes. “You are the
most cerebral woman I know.”

She dressed quickly in the cool room. “I should hardly think
so. What about the other women on the ship?”

He held his hand out. “Climb into bed and I’ll keep you
warm. You need some rest.”

She did as he asked, and when her head lay on his chest and
his arms held her tight, the warmth of his embrace eased her into a sleepy
state. “It’s only morning and we’re lying abed.”

“People expect us to.”

“You’ve never impressed me as a man who does much because
it’s expected.”

He snorted. “You’d be surprised.”

“Such as?”

“Never mind.”

Exasperated, she sighed and then couldn’t suppress a yawn.
“You never answered my question. What about the other women? Yoanda? Phili?
They aren’t cerebral women?”

“I don’t know how intelligent they are. Best stay away from
Phili.”

“No need to worry. I can tell she can’t stand me.”

“She’s an imbecile if she doesn’t like you.”

His compliment took her almost as much by surprise as the
wild acts they’d just performed. “Sometimes I’m sure
you
don’t like me.”

“I wouldn’t have made love to you if I didn’t like you.”

“You don’t have women just to…”

“Have them? Yes, my needs are strong, but I can resist. If
I’m aroused after I fight, I just take my cock in hand and take care of my own
needs.”

She flushed. “Oh.”

He hugged her close and rubbed her arms, breathing in
deeply. “At least I could resist until I met you. With you…”

“Yes?”

“You’re my mate, and that means I can never have another
woman.”

Startled, she leaned up on one elbow and dared stare at him.
“Never?”

It was his turn to yawn, and his warm palms moved up and
down her back and over her arms. “It’s abhorrent to me.”

Amazed, she sank back into his arms. Guilt also surfaced
from an unknown place. Never have another woman? She didn’t’ know what to think
about that. When she left him to return to Magonia, he would never be with
another woman. But she would leave him. She must.

“I have no idea how to return to my previous state of mind,”
she said.

He chuckled, and the sound rumbled under her cheek. She
adored the feeling, the sense of protection and comfort and complete safety
with him holding her. “Why do you have to return to your previous state? Every
moment of every day we’re altered by our experiences. By our desires.”

She smoothed her palm over his chest, continuing to marvel
at his strength. “This experience isn’t what I expected.”

“Oh? What did you expect?”

“Pain. Disgust. Something…awful.”

He sighed. “We haven’t had full sex yet. You’re no longer a
virgin in one sense.”

She pulled out of his arms and sat up. “Why?”

“When I had my fingers inside you, I broke your virginal
seal.”

“Oh.” She rubbed her hands together. “The little pain I
felt.”

“But it’s gone now. You can have sex without pain. No matter
what your scribes or parents or Chronicles of Magon say.”

Mockery in his voice made her rebel. The thought of her
parents filled her with emotions too sharp and haunting. She turned a scornful
look on him.

“What’s wrong now?” he asked.

She turned away from him, lay on her side and pulled the
covers to her chin. “You expect me to simply take your derision as if it were
all true?”

He sighed, the sound unusually weary. “I spend so much time
with thieves and brigands I sometimes forget a woman needs a finer touch.”

Disgruntled, she kept her back to him and clutched her
pillow. “I don’t need a finer touch. I need honesty without ugliness and
respect as a human. All Magonians are not the same, and no matter what you may
have heard, you don’t know everything about our continent. There are many
beautiful things about Magonia.”

He turned on his side as well, but didn’t touch her. He
stayed so silent for so long, she thought maybe he’d fallen asleep. “You’re
right.”

The man never ceased to surprise her. “I’m right?”

He laughed. “I’ve never been to Magonia.” His fingers
tangled in her hair gently, like a caress. “Perhaps you’ll show it to me
someday.”

“No, I wouldn’t. That could never be.”

“It will be.”

The conviction in his voice sent her hackles up. She wanted
to refute him, to argue with him and realized she’d never spoke with such challenge
to any man before she met Rayder Tyrus. And each time she did, her connection
to him appeared to grow deeper and stronger. Despite what she’d experienced in
his arms, the amazing ecstasy she’d felt, she couldn’t remain his wife. He’d
never agree to her returning to Magonia without him. And she couldn’t live
knowing that Taris Elian had gotten away with destroying her family.

But he was dead now and that soothed some of her desire for
revenge.

Rayder’s assertion he couldn’t have another woman or that
he’d see Magonia with her kept her mind awash in uncertainties. When she
reached Dragonia, she would escape him. Besides, she could never prove a good
wife to Rayder even if she wished to. He wanted children to repopulate
Dragonia.

She could never give him children.

Chapter Nine

As Rayder and Xandra stepped outside the cabin later that
day into the clear sky and bright sun, Xandra surveyed the immediate area with
suspicion. Several men worked on the deck. The work they did meant little to
her—she’d never learned much about ships. Now was her opportunity.

Two of the men looked her way, and the interest in their
eyes made her flinch.

“Take my arm.” Rayder offered her his arm and she obliged
him.

At that moment she understood that she’d lied to herself.
She feared exploring the ship after the ceremony and the wondrous experience of
lovemaking. People would look at her differently now, knowing that Rayder had
taken her. Holding his arm gave her security, and she didn’t like that idea.
Depending entirely on this man didn’t sit well with her on so many levels. If
she was to escape, she couldn’t rely on him.

His forearm bunched a little as she touched him, and she
smiled. She recognized how she’d affected him and power filled her. Power over
a man was something she’d never experienced before or imagined that she ever
would. Uncertainty still filled her thoughts around him. He’d been gentle with
her, but she sensed his ruthlessness.

This man could be cruel when required. She never wanted to
incur his wrath, for she knew it would be a terrible thing to behold.

Her fingers slid from his forearm to biceps, and when his
muscle bunched, the strength under her touch sent wild thrills through her. If
nothing else, last night had proven she must be on guard against further seduction.
What happened had torn her off her foundation and shown her something about
herself she’d never known existed. Shaking off the thought of physical
pleasures, she walked with him, and he provided details on the ship.

“We arrived in Dragonia a few minutes ago,” he said, even
though she’d recognized the sensation of the ship coming into a dock. “We’ll
head to the other side of the ship so you can see.”

Excitement curled in her belly. Despite her fear of Dragonia
and what may lie ahead, part of her wanted this experience with a force that
refused denial. “What part of Dragonia?”

“Closest to Grimnald Castle. We’re several miles from it,
but it’s the closest civilization.”

“Are you from this castle?”

“No. I was born and raised in Felican Castle, which is near
the border between the Ithaycan desert and the Tarrian jungle.”

“There aren’t any castles in Magonia. I’d like to see one.”
They didn’t move from their place on the deck, and she turned toward him with
curiosity. “Is it safe to come to shore here? Won’t the authorities take the
ship?”

He laughed softly, the sound more deadly than amused. “They
wouldn’t dare. There’s one thing about this ship you have to know, Xandra. We
do what we want when we want, and the Daryk Ones haven’t been able to stop us.
With Drakus Fina on our side, we’re powerful.”

Disconcerted, she tightened her grip on his arm and they
started walking. Fear started a slow and creeping rise inside her. So many new
things had happened, and her situation seemed perilous. She had to stay strong
if she wanted to survive.

From this point forward she’d plan her escape. “How long
will we dock here?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps a day or two. It depends on several
factors.” He gestured to the sails on the ship, obviously wanted to turn the
discussion in a totally different direction. “Come, let me show you around.
This ship is heavily gunned and a first-rate.”

“First-rate?”

“It has over one hundred guns.”

He gestured as they walked, using quite a few words to
describe the ship that meant nothing to her. Mizzen mast, poop rail, topmast,
futlock shroud, spritsail, outer jib and inner jib, fore topsail and main
topgallant sail. The list went on. Beyond the technicalities, she admired the
brutal beauty of the
Beast
. She’d never imagined a ship this large before.
The passenger ship was five times smaller than the slave ship, and that said a
lot—the
Hydrasoseles
had dwarfed most others at the dock. This colossal
craft dominated the water, and the way it handled a storm proved its worth. The
open gallery and balcony and elaborate woodcarving gave the ship a splendor she
admired.

They stopped near the admiral’s cabin above the upper
gallery. “I’ve never seen anything like this ship before.”

“There’s only one of us. We’re the largest ship sailing in
the ocean right now.”

Right then the admiral’s cabin door opened and Aramus
emerged. Tension snaked up her back at the sight of him.

“My lady,” Admiral Aramus said as he took a formal bow.
“Tyrus.”

Today Aramus wore a scruffy shirt with stained lace on the
yellow front. Wrinkled trousers and a bleary expression caught her attention.

Aramus’ bored expression slid over her chest. The cretin
couldn’t get enough of her breasts, it seemed. “I take it married life agrees
with you.”

“Of course it does,” Rayder said before she could respond.

From behind him, Yoanda exited the admiral’s cabin. Her
right eye was black and blue.

“What happened, Yoanda?” Xandra asked without thinking.

Yoanda smiled, but her eyes swam with tears. “Nothing. I
tripped and fell into a table.”

Phili came out behind her, a brilliant red dress making her
as striking as a bird. “She’s clumsy. Always has been.”

Tension tightened the muscles in Xandra’s back.

“Wife, shall we see Dragonia?” Rayder asked.

Excitement made her eager. She would ignore Phili in favor
of seeing Dragonia. They left the others behind. After what seemed forever
walking to the front of the ship past Aramus’ quarters, they reached the
chest-high wood railing. Her mouth popped open at the same time her eyes
widened.

A wide, blinding-white sand beach stretched out before them.
“How beautiful. I’ve never seen sand this pristine before.”

Rayder smiled. “Everything about our land is beautiful and
awful. We’re a study in contrasts.”

Beyond the beach, at least fifty yards away, lay a thick
jungle. From that jungle came strange animal screams and twitters from amazing
beasts she couldn’t imagine. The air even seemed different here, a thickness in
the humidity that made breathing more problematic. She drew in a deep breath.