The Gladiator Prince (18 page)

The plea stabbed at Thane’s heart, and he drew her mouth to his, devouring her lips. Charges of lightning flashed through his body, his rod grew painfully erect and caution fell away from his judgment like so much flotsam.

Her lips were moist, hot against his, her breath short and wanton. He found her tongue, small and delicate, and caressed it with his own. Her piquant redolence saturated his senses. Without loosening the kiss, he reached to her shoulders, grabbed the material of her tunic and pulled it down in one tug until it fell around her feet. Phaedra gasped against his mouth.

He twirled her around and sat on the log, pulling her soft flesh against his body. It screamed with need, but he would not rush this. Breaking the kiss, he put her at arm’s length, holding her curved hips.

Her chestnut hair fell tangled and mussed in long wisps over her shoulders. He touched a strand. Her eyes were dark, almost black, and yet they sparkled in the dawning light. Sweat kissed her face. Pants came out of her swollen open lips. He wanted to crush them again with his mouth, but he controlled himself. Beneath the hair her two breasts peeked out, the nipples hard, the wide red areolas bumped with need.

Reaching up, he brushed the hair away and pulled her to him. She kept her hands at her sides and arched her back to him. He could hear her heart beating, quickened by her need.

Pushing out his tongue, he licked the small bud of her left breast delicately. Phaedra threw back her head and opened her mouth to let out a startled breath. Thane sucked the bud into his mouth and ran the tip of his tongue over it slowly. Phaedra’s knees buckled, but she grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. Working the tiny nub beyond his teeth, he brought them down gently and the nipple swelled in his mouth. A moan escaped Phaedra’s beautiful red lips.

He repeated the act on her other nipple and finally went back and forth between them, bringing the quiet moans to a charged groan.

Phaedra brought her eyes back to him when he stopped, and without saying a word, slithered her hands down his arms to kneel before him.

When she tilted her eyes up to him, his heart quickened and his phallus twitched. Without looking away, she lifted his tunic from his lap and swiftly untied his loincloth. Once undone, she slowly pulled it forward until it hung between his legs. His rod shuddered again when it met the cold air.

She lowered her eyes, and her mouth cracked open when she saw it. Lifting one hand, Phaedra wrapped her small fingers around the shaft, pulled the skin away from the head and drew it forward to her mouth. She put her mouth on the head and ran her soft lips back and forth twice. Thane had to tighten his muscles to keep it from erupting at her touch.

Glancing once more into Thane’s eyes, she wrapped her mouth around it and ran her tongue along the ridge, sending him into an ecstasy that blinded him to everything else. His ears rang with pleasure.

Thane pulled the cloak off his shoulders and threw it on the ground, then did the same with his tunic. Grabbing her shoulders, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the ground where the cloak lay and set her down on top of it.

Leaning in, he kissed her again. “Do you want this?” he whispered.

She touched his chest and let her fingers trail down to his erection, caressing it gently. “Do you have to ask?”

Thane bent down to kiss her again. “This will be painful for you, at first.”

Phaedra furrowed her brow, but her lips were still smiling. “I know.”

“You must tell me if I am hurting you.”

She put her hand on the back of his head and brought it down to her lips to kiss him. “I know you will be gentle.”

He closed his eyes for only a moment, willing his baser instincts to calm. Immersing himself in her presence, he lowered her against the fabric with her head resting on his arm. Kissing her, he started a ritual that he had perfected long ago.

How many virgins had he brought to womanhood? There were so many, he had lost count. Mothers who brought their daughters to him to take their maidenhead, young women who could not attract a mate, wishing only to savor the act once, girls who had pooled their money to lie with the famous gladiator prince, all of them danced behind his eyes. Now he knew why the gods had brought them to him. They were nothing more than preparation for this moment, this woman, his woman.

Using just his fingers, he started at her shoulder and moved them down her dark skin, every touch shooting pins of passion through his nerves. When he came to her left breast, he released her lips and kissed down her neck until he reached it. Taking it into his mouth, he again bit it gently then sucked it hard into his mouth. Phaedra’s back arched, and her fingers found his arm, the nails digging deep into his flesh.

Leaving his mouth to torture her breasts, he moved his full hand now down her belly. She raised her hips up to meet it. In a quick move, he thrust his fingers between her legs and pulled them tight against her moist center. Phaedra moaned.

Letting her breast go, he rose and moved between her legs. Watching her face, he snaked his hands beneath either thigh and opened her. Trembling skin rippled beneath his hands, and he knew she was not cold. He placed the legs on top of his thighs to keep them open and rested on his haunches.

She brought a small hand down to touch herself, but Thane only smiled and lifted the hand away. With his two thumbs he gently pried open the folds of hot flesh and watched her writhe in pleasure, knowing his timing was good. Placing his hands quickly under her hips and lifting them to his mouth, he flicked his tongue once across the folds.

The startled gasp from her made his rod spasm. He licked again and again, each time having to control her as she bucked in his hands, each time opening her wider. Fortunately, her small frame fit perfectly in his hands, and he was able to lift her easily.

The folds were very wet now and opened to him. He could see the hymen covering the entrance like a half opened door. Setting her down, he carefully put his finger to the hole and pushed it into her slowly. It stopped against a small gate of skin, and he was relieved; the hymen was very small and would not cause her too much pain.

He thought he would prepare her, but knew a distraction would work better, so he leaned down and took the small nub at the opening into his mouth and sucked it. Phaedra pushed herself down on his finger, and it slid in easily, breaking open the door.

He was surprised how quickly it gave way to him and Phaedra grimaced, but her face settled quickly. Careful not to hurt her, he pushed his finger in further keeping his mouth on her. When he pulled out, there was very little blood.

Putting the finger back in her, he began to push it back and forth, in and out. Each time he entered her, she moaned, making his body surge with lust.

Finally, after many thrusts, she put her fingers through his hair and pulled his head up to see her. “I need you,” she breathed.

Thane smiled at her and got back onto his knees. He knew she was wet enough to accept his rod, but he would do it slowly.

Spreading her legs, he took hold of his rod and guided the head to her opening. Again, watching her face to make certain she was not hurt, he slid in just the tip. Phaedra’s eyes grew wide and she gasped. Thane started to pull out, but she grabbed his hair in both hands, pulling his ear to her mouth.

“Take me,” she demanded in a husky voice.

He glided himself into her slowly, knowing that she was as prepared as she could be. Every inch he put inside her materialized on her stunned face, a mask of pain and pleasure mixed together making the sight the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

The opening was tight, tighter than he thought it would be, but he moved in, keeping the pressure constant. When he was in as far as he could go, he stopped to let her adjust to him. He put his lips on hers and kissed her long and slow before he stirred in her. She returned the kiss, but he could tell she was concentrating on the pressure inside her. After several minutes, he pulled almost out of her, and her grip on his hair loosened.

In and out, over and over, he took her virginity. With each plunge, she relaxed more and more until finally, a moan escaped her lips, and he knew it was time. Taking a nipple into his mouth, he thrust himself into her, and she met him with a strength that took his breath away. Four more times he pushed in. Ecstasy broke over him in a wave of release, every muscle in his body seized painfully, and he spilled his seed inside her as her muscles squeezed around him repeatedly.

As they finished, the sun broke over the trees, and he collapsed into her arms to sleep.

* * * *

Sometime later, Thane woke up with the sun in his eyes. When he rose to his elbow, shielding them, he looked over, and Phaedra was not there.

He leapt to his feet, scooping up his tunic and cloak.

“Phaedra!” The only response was a flock of birds scuttling out of a tree. Turning in a circle he found both Phaedra and her clothes were gone.

Chapter XIX

Phaedra could not stop crying. She plowed through the forest trying to find something, but she was not certain what that was. Her head spun, her heart ached and deep inside her, a fire burned brightly against her cool head. The loss was too great. How could she have done it?

No longer a virgin.
The words echoed again inside her head making her nauseous. She wanted to vomit, but there was nothing left inside her to expel.
Only Thane’s seed.
She could hear Althea’s voice inside her head.
Do not give yourself to a slave like…

No! She would not let her mind travel to that place; it was too much.

A clearing opened in front of her, and she saw an old abandoned structure off to her right and a well-traveled trail to her left. Not knowing why, she headed down that path, hoping to find the wagon. She knew it was hopeless. She was lost.

The path turned a corner and just on the other side was a great cobbled road. It must be the Roman
Iter III
. She stopped, confused. Where was she?

A sound just within her hearing gave her an instinctual desire to turn and run. Halfway up the path, the sound was now distinct: horses running. Her heart hammered loudly in her ears and she dived into the ramshackle house, knowing she had heard the ring of that tack before. Romans.

She squatted beneath a window frame and heard the sound follow her then stop outside.

“I swear to you I saw someone. They ducked into here.”

“Where?”

“Down this path.” The jingling tack got closer, and Phaedra crouched down as far as she could go.

“Take the right,” said a commanding voice, one she knew instantly. “You take the left. They are probably gone. Damn it, if I do not come back with someone from the raid, we will all be flayed. I know the bandits have a lair somewhere around here.” It was the Roman officer who had tried to buy her from Thane. She put both hands on her mouth to keep from crying out.

Phaedra listened as the tack of the horses and their hoof beats faded into the woods. She did not move for a very long time. Her heartbeat sounded wild in her ears, and she was certain they could hear her ragged breathing.

She slowly lifted her head to the sill of the moss covered window frame and peered outside. The clearing in front of the house was empty, and the only sounds were the birds in the trees and buzzing insects. She rose to her knees, still watching, then to her feet. Sidling along the inside wall, she slid to the doorway and examined the clearing; still nothing.

She blew out a relieved breath.

Two steps out of the door and something caught her from behind and tackled her to the ground.

Flailing her fists, legs and teeth, she fought against him, her nails finding purchase in soft flesh. A howl filled her ears.

The man pinned her arms and legs to keep them from doing any more damage. She reluctantly opened her eyes.

The Roman officer glared down at her. He had raven black hair and deep brown eyes.

He adjusted his body to sit on top of her thighs so she could not move her legs, then grabbed her arms and pinned them to the ground with his knees. Sitting back, he shot her a leering smile.

“Well…” He wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of his hand. “You are a regular wild cat.” Gingerly touching a long scratch on his cheek, blood stained his fingers, and he brought them to her face. She tried to turn her head away from him, but he took hold of her chin and made her look up at him. Smearing the blood against her lips with one hand, he grabbed her hair with the other. “You are going to pay for this, little one.”

The other two men came out of the woods leading their horses, and Phaedra’s heart stopped in her chest. She was alone in the woods with three Roman soldiers beyond any help. The thought petrified her.

The officer lifted up her cloak and ripped it off her head, tossing it to one side as the others crossed to him. Every inch of her body trembled, which seemed to excite him; his eyes were like crystals above a lascivious smile.

“What do they call you, girl?”

She struggled to get out from under him, but he was too heavy. The terror forced a scream out of her throat, and he clamped a rough hand over her mouth to silence it. Taking a knife from a sheath at his side, he held it to her throat.