PROLOGUE
New
Colony, Mauri Isle
April
1580
Sauda
snuggled her dark naked body against her husband’s pale naked skin
before placing a gentle kiss to his shoulder. Her beloved
Englishman, Lord Claire, had risked all to love her and because of
it, she would spend every day of the rest of her life living to make
him as happy as he made her.
Ethan,
an excommunicated royal of Queen Elizabeth's court had been stripped
of all properties and titles, save one, his knighthood. His
mentor, Sir Francis Walsingham, head of the queen's secret service,
had held firmly against the Queen's Council and quarreled for
Ethan's right to remain a citizen of England.
It
only seemed fitting for he had duly been a loyal subject in the
naval services and tendered great wealth and goods from foreign
lands to fatten Queen Elizabeth’s coffers, but he had created a new
colony for his family and others like them that willed to live and
love freely without titles and class associations.
“Ethan…”she
began. Her fingers swirled wide patterns in the light brown
hair upon his broad chest.
“Nay, not again, my love,
for thou has exhausted me to the verily ends,” he
groaned.
Sauda playfully slapped
his chest. “I am not
speaking of lovemaking, Good Husband. Thrice in one day is
gluttonous at best.”
“I know of what you utter
Sauda and that is why I say nay.” His pleasant voice
held a warning. “Now
lovemaking is a subject in which I am a most willing
participant.” He patted
and squeezed her round bottom.
“Ethan--”
“Come come my love, speak
no more of serious matters and fill my ears with lustful things,” he
rudely interrupted. One
by one he placed nibbling kisses to her fingers as he brought her
hand up to his lips.
“Three times you have
distracted me,” Sauda pointed out. Her traitorous female parts
were already responding to his sucking on her finger.
“I believe thrice buried to the hilt inside thee,
with my man-sword, is ne'r too much.” He kissed the top of her
hand and held it palm side down over his heart beneath his.
At the sound of his long
tired sigh Sauda felt the sudden change in his demeanor knowing
instinctively where his thoughts had wandered. His next words confirmed she
was correct.
“I was plagued by many impotent years before I met
thee, Wife. I bid thee to not seek to place limits on my bed
games.” He spoke the words in a jesting manner; however she
knew that the abuse at the hands of his Turkish capturers had left
scars that went deeper than the mess of scarred flesh they’d
imprinted upon his broad back.
“I would not deny you your pleasures, milord,” she
murmured. “To do so would bring pain to me.” She licked,
kissed and rubbed her nose against his body. She loved his
smell and savored the taste of his skin even more.
Ethan released a
shuddering groan. “Have
I told you of late, how felicitous ye make me?” Releasing her hand he buried
his hand in the thick debts of her frizzed hair and leaned forward
to kiss her brow.
“Lord Husband, you are the
mightiest of all men, the greatest of all lovers, and the savior of
this low born woman. I
have survived slavery, plagues, wars, famine, and death for the sake
of your happiness.”
Slowly she trailed her fingernails down the
fine trail of hair leading from navel to groin. The silky soft
length of his increasing erection rested across the back of her hand
as she buried her fingertips into the patch of honeyed color pubic
hair.
“Ha! I am amazed your forked tongue did not
suffocate thee for spouting such insincere words.” Ethan expressed
mirth; not totally missing her sarcasm.
“I nigh did,” she mumbled
contritely. “Yet I know
men like hearing such things; are you any different?”
“Not if ye mean them, sweetling,” he chuckled.
“I meant some of them,
milord.”
“Ah,” he grinned. “Did you lie when you said I
am the “greatest of all lovers”?”
Her fingers tugged at his
pubic hairs and oddly enough he found the sensation pleasing. Verily pleasing. He sucked in his bottom lip
to stifle his moan.
“Nay,” she scoffed. “I have had too many lovers
to judge fairly without sleeping with them once more to be sure,”
she teased. “Now, the
part where I have survived slavery, plagues, wars, famine, and death
is true.”
“For my…” his voice got
caught on a moan in the back of his throat. What is this magical thing she
is doing with her fingers? Ethan wondered to himself. He cleared his throat and
tried once more, “Mmm…for
my happiness right?” He
managed to ask; his breath blowing out in heavy puffs.
He would have thought her
unawares of the effect she was having on him from the nonchalant
expression on her face, but his wife had too much experience in the
ways of a concubine for this subtle assault on his body to be as
innocent as it appeared.
“Ah, my love, am I not
making you happy?”
“Sauda,” he moaned placing a large hand over hers to
halt the almost painful yet pleasurable sensations she was allotting
with her skillful fingers. He moved her hand up to a more
respectable part of his body.
Sauda hid a smile and
forged ahead. “I promise that if you bid me my wishes this one time
we could aid Lucian without risk to me or the babe.”
“I don’t see how that will
be possible.”
“My warrior sister, the
Panther; remember I spoke of her. Her territory is the
Middle East. I can dispatch a missive for
her to find Lucian and offer him assistance in the search for his
mother.”
“As I have said before, it
is too risky for thee, Wife.
If even one of your assassin sisters know that you still live
they could let it slip to your old master, Lady Chiyome.”
“I know my sisters, you do
not.” She snapped. “We have a closeness that
even our master never suspected. I know that none of my
sisters would ever betray me, as you know Lucian would die for
you.”
Ethan squeezed her hand in
understanding. Still,
he wasn’t sold on the idea of risking Sauda’s life not even for
Lucian. He knew from
years of experience working side by side as soldiers in Queen
Elizabeth Secret Service that Lucian was fully capable of taking
care of himself.
His comrade had even saved
him from dying in that Turkish prison because of his gift for
languages and his chameleon abilities for disguises and blending in
to any given environment.
“Don’t ask me to trust
them. What if this
Panther sister of yours is tortured and forced to tell by Lady
Chiyome’s henchmen?”
“Ethan, I know you and I
were born to different circumstances, but it doesn’t make my friends any less loyal
than yours. Would your
men betray you?”
“Mayhap; if they are
tortured by someone as experienced as you have claimed the Japanese
General that hunted you is,” he argued. “Can we verily risk him
finding out that you are not dead, Sauda?”
“Trust that I would bring
no more harm to our happiness than you. We do not have to worry
about Lady Chiyome questioning Zeundi. After making my escape
during my last mission I heard Lady Chiyome couldn’t bear to have my
sisters around her as a reminder. She sold Ntombi, to where I
am not sure yet. But I
did find out that Zeundi had been sold to a Vizier in Turkey.”
“If I remember correctly a
Vizier is a
councilman?”
Sauda nodded. “This particular Vizier is
the councilman of Amasya, where Lucian is going.”
Choosing to ignore the
point she was making Ethan asked instead, “Why did Lady Chiyome get
rid of the other assassins in your assemble if they are still
capable of performing missions without you?”
“Lady Chiyome birth number
is four,” she explained.
“Each team of assassins is made up of four. When a team loses a member
she kills or sells the rest.”
“Would not it have been
better if she just added another to replace you?”
“Replace me?” Sauda scoffed. “There is none that can
replace me, Milord Husband and you best remember what I tell you
just in case you ever contemplate doing the same.”
“I have a feeling the thought shall cross my mind,”
he teased softly.
Ethan laughed when Sauda
tugged to get her hand free of his. He knew she would have given
him one of those deadly finger jabs to one of his unsuspecting
muscles causing him pain for however she deemed necessary to make
her point.
“This is no laughing
matter, Ethan,” she chastised.
His expression became
serious when she called him by his given name for she rarely did
so. Contritely, he
pulled her palm to his lips and murmured, “Forgive me, milady, I bid
thee to continue.”
“Our groups are trained
together to move as one unflawed implement of war since our
childhood. You cannot
just merge another assassin into the grouping.”
“Might I query as to why
not? It would easier to
train one than four more.”
“It breaks the balance. There is no fertile
trust between the old and new.” She looked up at him loving
the feel of his big hand massaging her scalp. “An
assassin dare not offer their back to one they do not trust.”
He almost laughed at his wife’s staid
glare. She looked at him as if he should already know these
things. He indeed spied for the crown with an
unscrupulous deed here or there, but he was soldier, not an
assassin.
“It must have been a hard decision for you to
leave behind the only family you have known.”
“Leaving my sisters was
harder than I expected.
They understood I had no choice because of Lady Chiyome’s
obsession with me. I
could not continue living as her lover. Do you know how many times I
would lie in the bed next to her thinking of a thousand ways I could
kill her slowly?”
“Moonlight, I am sorry you
had to endure such a life.”
“I did not think or plan,
I just saw an opportunity to escape from my life and start over
again when I was nearly killed from that last mission. I figured they would think I
had died from my injuries.
“Never had I expected Lady
Chiyome would want either my body returned to her or the tip of the
scorpion’s tail from the tattoo on my back as proof,” she grounded
out through clenched teeth.
“I am surprised she did
not kill your sisters when they returned without you,” Ethan
commented.
“I imagined she thought
about it. However she
could not touch Eman because she is the favored concubine of her
youngest warlord son, Tatsue.
The soldiers are very loyal to him and unless she wishes for
an uprising she does not argue with him. He is the youngest of three
sons and as a child she spoiled him, however now that his brothers
were slain in battle he is all she has left.”
“How did Eman come to be
Chiyome’s son’s concubine?”
Ethan’s inquired.
“Did you not say such a union is forbidden?”
“It is because of Lady Chiyome’s desire to
spoil Tatsue,” Sauda laughed softly. “She gifted her to Tatsue
when he was seven as his personal bodyguard. Even thought Eman
was just fourteen; like me, she was well into her training and very
skilled.”
“Eman not only trained
with Tatsue, she also brought him into his manhood and taught him
the ways of lovemaking when he reached thirteen summers. I suppose the bond
between them could not help but grow.”
“Do you think he is in
love with her?”
“It was just the way
things were,” she reached out and played with the cleft in his
squared chin. “Now that
I know what love is, I can say yes. I do believe they are in
love; whether they know this or not, I do not know.”
“Every time I heed things
of your past it amazes me how ye managed to survive, Sauda.” Ethan released a heavy
sigh. “This is why your
request of me is difficult and I must tarry before making such a
decision.”
“Husband, the point I have
been trying to make is…Zeundi already resides in Amasya and for us
this is an advantage.”
“Still…”
“If you do not wish to help, then I can do this
alone,” she reminded.
Ethan released a long line
of curses. “Lucian's private affairs are his alone. Why do you think he did not
wait until I was able to join him? Sauda please leave behind
these dangerous thoughts!
I am your
husband and I forbid you to be careless with the life of my child!”
Sauda shifted positions so
that she could look sternly into his eyes as she spoke. “I extended milord husband a
mere courtesy,” she began.
“I heed you saying you
care not of my fears?” His voice hardened.
With a determine gaze Sauda nakedly came up on
her knees beside him and proceeded to straddled herself across his
ridged abdomen.
“Lord Husband I do care
about your fears, but I know that if anything were to happen to Sir
Lucian, you will never forgive yourself for not being with him on
this journey.”
“Sauda--”
“Nay more,” she interrupted.
“I have become lax since developing these bothersome womanly
feelings for you.
Because you hold my heart you think I should give in to your
every whim--”
“As well you should,” he
murmured. “For thee is indeed a woman, Sauda. You are my woman to be
exact.”
“Yours or not, I do not need your permission,
but by the love I have for you and our unborn babe I wish you bid me
some understanding.”
“Wife, if I was weak into
giving in to your every whim, you would have retrieved that retired
satchel of foreign weaponry and join Lucian on this
journey.”
“Because he saved both of
our lives and we owe him for this happiness we have
found!”
“Sauda, do you verily not
heed how my conscious perishes at the thought of my good friend
returning to the desert sand that soaked up my life’s blood, without
me?” He scowled. “We have journeyed together
since we sprouted our first whiskers. I promised him that someday
when our duties to the crown were over I would help him locate his
mother, but I had no idea that I would have the good fortune to meet
you. Your good
health is my life’s
priority.”
“Milord--”
Ethan’s stern voice softened and he reached up to
cup her bottom in both hands as he interrupted. “This is
killing me too, Sauda.”
At that moment she realized the longer she subsists
in his world as a docile wife the more overprotective he was
becoming. It was times such as this one she had no choice but
to remind Ethan she was not the English wilting flower that lived
and breathed on her mate’s every word. She was a Moor born to a
tribe of women whom fought at their men’s side. Motherhood may
soften her hardness within time, but not this day.
Even though her history as an assassin pounded
heavily in her, giving her a need for total independence, she tried
to be understanding. She knew she was taking a risk by sending
her messenger and a message with her personal scorpion seal to
Zeundi. Lady Chiyome secretive minions could indeed still be
spying over Zeundi to assure she never returned to Japan to exact
revenge on Lady Chiyome for her past abuse.
Even if she wasn't growing heavy with their child it
was a reckless thing to do but it was the only decision they could
make. Lucian Gilbert needed them even though he was too proud
to admit it.
“Ethan, I preferred your
approval but I must do this.
I have to ask Zeundi for her help.”
“Sauda, what if your parchment is seized by someone
other than your warrior sister? What if Zeundi has been sold
away from Turkey? Heaven forbid the worse, however she
could be dead.”
He swept a hand through his pale hair; a sure sign
that he was exceedingly agitated which meant he was about to give in
to her request or dig his heels in deep. If it was the
latter she would not get any bed play or loving words out of him for
days to come.
The one thing she learned about her giant of a
husband since living with him was that most of the time he was
happy, easy to laugh and tease, and slow to anger but when he was
upset of disappointed he could be a brooding melancholy man.
“Ethan…my love, I have never had a family I could
truly call my own. You, Lucian, your grandmother Mary, and her
husband Sir Nichols have all become my family and I feel very
protective of all of you. How can you ask me to turn the other
way and leave all to chance when one member of our family could be
in danger?”
Ethan reached up to rub
his hands along the length of her arms before intertwining her
fingers with his. Even
though he was upset by her obstinate nature he felt a need to touch
her and as usual she lovingly welcomed his touch.
“If I give in to this, Sauda, what will thee ask of
me next?”
“Nothing else
except…well…I would like to someday rescue my ‘sisters’ from their
enslavement and have them live here on the island with us as free
women,” she admitted her secret wish aloud.
“It weakens me so,
Moonlight, to hear such longing in your voice. I oft wonder if ye shall
grow wearisome of the repose of my love and return to the life of
bloodlust you once knew afore me.” He spoke with a tone of
sadness. “Is that what
I have to look forward to?
Will I wake up to find ye have abandoned me and the child?”
“If I were to leave your
side for more than a sonnet I know I would stop breathing. I could never willingly
abandon you milord, not even for my sisters.” Sauda lovingly
caressed his face. “Cannot you see the love I
feel for you in mine eyes still runs deep, Husband?”
“I see it. I just wonder if it will be enough
to keep you safely at my side for years to come,” Ethan confessed
his fears aloud. “Why are you smiling?”
Whenever she smiled it
spurred his heart into a racing pitter patter. His mouth opened into a
returned smile.
“Because, some things are meant to be and if there
were two that were predestined to be together it is you and I.
You have my word whatever adventure I seek, it will be with you at
my side, just as it has always been since the day we met.”
He pondered her words a
moment and feeling secure with her answer he asked, “Would your
sisters come to the Island to live
if it could be managed?”
“Zeundi would. I cannot
say the same for Ntombi because I have yet to find out her current
situation and Eman…well…”
“It would be difficult because she still lives with
Lady Chiyome.” He finished for her.
“It is more than that
Ethan.” Sauda’s brow
lifted. “As I had
mentioned, Tatsue is a willful and powerful warlord even though he
is still young. He and
his army is the only thing that is keeping Lady Chiyome’s borders
safe from the hands of her neighboring enemies. Eman will not leave Tatsue
behind.”
“Do you think once she
sees how happy you are she could be convinced to leave her
master?” Ethan
questioned.
“She will never leave
Tatsue of her own free will.”
Sauda shook her head with a scowl on her brow. “Eman’s heart along with her
loyalty was given to him years ago. My sister specializes in
creating explosive powders.
She rarely fights hand to hand combat but she will unsheathe
her weapons to fight by Tatsue side. She will protect him with
her life. Even her
loyalty too her sisters are forgotten when it comes to Tatsue.”
“Sounds like she is more
than a concubine,” Ethan scoffed. “It sounds as if she loves
this man.”
“Aye, I do believe that is true for I know Tatsue
would ride through hell to protect her also. It is no more
permitted for a warlord to admit his love for a Black Slave than it
was for an Aristocratic Englishman such as yourself to admit your
love for me.”
“Still, I did make it
known and I also found a way to make you mine,” he spoke
sternly. “Unless this
man you speak of is willing to do the same for your sister or she is
willing to leave him behind, this is not a dream of yours that can
come to pass, Sauda.”
Leaning over she placed a moist kiss to his
parted mouth.
“You know, milord husband,
there is one way to guarantee Eman will agree to make Mauri Isles
her new home.”
“How is it possible? You just said--” His words
dwindled.
Sauda nodded and as her
smile grew bigger, Ethan’s concern gnawed painfully at his gut. He wandered of one could
perish from worry.
“We can kidnap him and
bring him here to see what his life could be like living and loving
Eman openly and honestly.”
Ethan’s eyes were wide in
disbelief. “Do not even
think it, Sauda. You
are speaking of the warlord son of a woman who wouldst like nothing
better than to steal you away from me. You want me to bring him to
our home against his will!
Have you lost all your wits?” He bellowed out his
question, not expecting an answer of course.
“Husband, it is a perfect
solution,” Sauda reasoned.
“I bid this man who is
used to wielding his own army wouldst not heed easily to making his
home here beneath my ever-watchful gaze. There are no masters or
lordships here.”
“I believe once Eman sees
how happy we are and once she discovers that she can be more to
Tatsue than a slave and concubine, she would be the one to sway his
thinking. They could
possibly have a child of their own that they could rear together
without fear of his being assassinated or sold into slavery…” Sauda
touched the swelling rise of her belly. “No decisions must be made
now. Just pray tell me
you will think upon it.”
“Why prithee wouldst such
a man desire to leave all that power he wields, for the peaceful
solitude we are offering?
Please do not aloft your hopes on this happening.”
“I believe he will find
joy in the peace,” she
reasoned. “Peace from
all the warring and death that can only be found on our private
island. We are building
a place for those who wish for change. How can one that has lived
such a life as his not fall in love with what our colony has to
offer?”
“Aye, we are a progressive
assortment of riff raff are we not?” He grinned with
pleasure. Adding,
“There is no reason to speak on this again until after the child is
born and if I am to agree you must remain on the island. I will not allow thee to set
foot on Japanese soil ever again, dearling.”
“My love, why do not we
finish one argument before we move onward to another?” She nuzzled lovingly against
his chin with the tip of her nose.
“Lucian,” he sighed his
name.
“Aye Lucian,” she
reminded. “We are in an
emphatic position to aid him.
The sooner he learns the truth of his mother the sooner he
will return home to us and start building his home and hopefully
take a wife and settle down.”
She placed his large hand on her swelling abdomen. “He is our baby’s godfather
and he should be here to watch him or her grow.”
“You play unfair, woman.”
“Come milord,” she urged him towards her so that
they would be breasts to chest. A light gasp escaped her parted lips
as his muscular stomach rippled beneath her spread thighs from his
movements. His erection brushed against her
buttocks.
“Want me to do it
again?” Ethan asked
with a wolfish grin after catching the pleased look on her
face.
“Nay; I know you wish only to distract me,” Sauda
reprimanded.
“Sauda I expect you to be
breeding me a son. There need to be two men in
this family to go against such a stubborn wench as thee.”
“How can you doubt it, Lord Husband? I
am a warring female from a tribe of born warriors of Africa,” she
began proudly. “I have travelled far and wide only to fall in
love with a man that by all the laws of the land should not be mine.
I would say with those odds I am probably spawning you two fine
sons, milord.”
Closing her eyes and
opening her lips she accepted his initiated kiss. When she moved to pull back
his hold tightened and he sucked on the tip of her tongue binding
her to his will and she willingly relinquished to his mastery of the
kiss. By the time he
stopped kissing her they both were ready to conclude their
discussion and move on to more pleasurable things.
“Wife, I bid ye are determined to have your
way,” Ethan sighed and his face softened as he took both her hands
in his and brought them up to his lips. “Even though I find
thee shameless to use my babe to soften my resoluteness I forgive
thee because your intentions are just.”
“Milord Husband, you know
how hard it is for me to delegate matters that I am accustomed to
handling myself…”
“Aye.”
“This is why it is
important that you meet me by-the-way in this matter. I know you love me and you
worry over my recklessness, but you also love Lucian. If it were not for me you
would be in your usual place by his side…watching his back.”
Ethan reached up to hold
her face in his hands.
“My beautiful mysterious wife you know I cannot deny you
anything.” He shook his
head. “I prithee have
it your way.”
She smiled in that
secretive womanly way that caused his cock to wave like a flag of
capitulation and his gut to churn like the doting besotted idiot he
had become.
“You mean I can do what I think necessary to
help Lucian?” Sauda eyes him suspiciously. “And you are
willing to send a promissory to you and Lucian’s friend, Commander
Angel Manuel to join up with Lucian?
“Aye, I have already done
so, Sauda.” He washed his hand over his face in
frustration.
“You have?”
“Regardless of what ye may
think, I too wish to help Lucian. I just do not want YOU involved.”
Sauda braced her hands
against his broad chest refusing to allow him to kiss her again
until she got an “aye” to everything.
“You are also agreeing that I should proceed
to send my messenger to Zeundi requesting her to aid Lucian in
whatever he may need?”
“I said, AYE have I not? Do ye need to hear it in all
the languages into which I speak?” He released a disgruntle
sound. “I entreat thee
to argue no more and proceed to the all is forgiven part.” He drew her head back
towards his to kiss her once more.
She didn’t kiss him
back. He growled his
growing frustration and dropped back against the pillows, locking
his hands together behind his head.
“Do you not think we
should make haste on this matter?” She reached for the last
mincemeat pastry on the bedside table and plopped it whole into her
mouth.
Ethan smiled as her long
lashes flutter closed and she release a pleasurable sigh.
“Bide thee tongue Heathen Woman. At
least when you are savoring those damnable pastries, you cannot
bleat at me!”
Her eyes flew open and she
licked the flakes of crumbs from her lips.
At the gesture his already
erect penis waved behind her round fleshy bottom for the same amount
of attention she was giving the pastry, but it was not to
be.
“I…do…not…bleat…like a
sheep,” she said spacing her words evenly to make her point.
“Besides these goodies are addictive and suits the baby’s
cravings. You see Cook
adds these finely chopped green tomatoes in with the apples,
raisins, currents, beef suet, and spices.”
“Do not forget sugar. Ye will put us in a pauper’s
house on the sugar promissory note alone and dare not fret to me
when thy teeth proceed to rot from excess.”
“As I have shared the
ancient recipe for a wondrous tooth powder that I obtained during my
stay in China with Mary, both our beautiful smiles and those all
around us will suffer tooth decay at a slower pace.”
He ran his tongue over his
teeth. “Aye, I must
admit this newfound smoothness and shine to be greatly
approving. If Queen
Elizabeth was still speaking to me I would most gladly pass this
wondrous magical power to aid whatever remaining teeth she has
left.”
Even though her husband
said it in a joking manner; it was no joke that the queen’s rancid
breath from her decaying teeth due to her love for sweets was well
known to those who had come in contact with her majestic person
while at court.
When Sauda saved her life during Queen Elizabeth’s
masque birthday ball, she had come closer to the queen than she
would have been allowed otherwise. The knife womb to her
shoulder wasn’t the only thing memorable about her encounter with
the queen.
The woman that held life and death of her people
within the palm of her hand had been more petite and frail than she
had expected.
With the exception of her bad breath Sauda was told
by a gossiping palace maid that she had came in contact with the
queen on one of her clean days. She had bathed just that
morning for the special occasion and all.
From the conversation Sauda had understood that the
putrid rose scent that permeated the dance costume she had worn
belonged to the queen from when she had thrown herself against her
knocking her to the ground.
Lucky for her Ethan had
been there to stop her guards from striking her dead. Sauda had ordered the dance
costume to be burned; there was no way she could save the garment
what the strong floral odor didn’t cover, her blood did.
“Come husband,” Sauda said
snapping from her reverie about the past. “Let us get the letters
written so that we may get them sent out first thing on the
morn.”
“Nay,” Ethan bellowed
ceasing her movements.
“I do not hasten to do anymore this eventide except make love
to my wife and rest mine weary state. That new medical facility my
grandmother has order is not constructing itself. I worked hard this day and
expected to come home to one of those oil rubs my wife is so
skillfully inclined to give.”
“Did I not give you such a
rub after I bathed the day’s dirt from your person?” She cocked an eyebrow in
question.
“Aye, now I heed the
truth. Ye were oiling
the proverbial
goose. With the
said ‘goose’ being ME,” he argued. “Do not deny you had
alternative motives behind your tender touches.”
She leaned over, her hard
enlarged stomach and breast pressed against him. Her lips were just an inch
away from his as she spoke.
“Did I fail to please the ‘sacrificial goose’,
milord?”
“Ye never cease in
pleasing me, milady,” he murmured. Capturing her bottom lip
with his mouth he sucked greedily before releasing its pouty
fullness with a lustful “pop”.
Ethan roguishly grinned up at her face hovering above
his.
“Low and behold the
scoundrel that you truly are, Milord,” Sauda teasingly chastised
with a throaty laugh.
“You dare to
weaken my warrior’s heart with those disarming dimples!” Unable to help herself she
grasped hands full of his golden hair in her fists and slashed her
lips across his firmer lips.
Her assault of his mouth caused his senses to spin
as his attention narrowed in on the erotic sensations of her greedy
kiss. The taste of lingering cinnamon from the mincemeat
pastries was still on her tongue adding to the essence that was
Sauda.
From her mouth he too could become addictive to her
favorite sweetmeats. He didn’t want the kiss to ever
end. Feeling the urgency of her mouth on his lessening Ethan’s
hands smoothed the sides of her full breast, brushing his thumbs
over her extended nipples before resting on her round hips to keep
her from withdrawing her loving nectar from him.
Feeling a sense of urgency
to join with her, Ethan lifted Sauda with little effort from her
perch on his stomach.
Intent on settling her moist heat on his more than readied
cock he realized the error of his haste. Before he could complete the
entrance he yelped in pain releasing her hips to finger his bloodied
bottom lip.
Reaching out he grasped
her by the shoulders to give her a light shake.
“God’s wound…Sauda! You bit me! Damned
the saints that hurt,” he bellowed.
“Before Milord Husband
dips thee wick I need your oath on our unborn child that as soon as
you appease your hunger for me--”
“As is such a deed is
possible,” Ethan injected with a growl.
“That you will not withdraw your approval to allow
me to help with Lucian, Ethan,” she continued.
Reaching out with her
thumb Sauda smeared the blood from his lip before licking at her
thumb and placing it in her mouth to suckle wantonly.
“Seeing you do that with
your thumb excites me,” Ethan's voice was deep and lustful. He moved to pull her down so
that her breast would be lying against his chest only to find his
arms locked flat on the stuffed pillows as Sauda clasped his wrists
in her hands. He
released a frustrated groan.
“Sauda, I prithee you not push me any further this eve.”
“Husband, I know if I do not get your sworn
word now, you will remind me after you have satisfied your lustful
urges that I failed to bind you to your word. I must gainsay
your pledge here and now,” she said with a scowl.
“Woman,” he
warned.
“Nay! I want Zeundi's help. I bid thee,
give me your blood oath that I can do all within my power to help
Lucian in his search for his mother.” Her heated stare matched
his.
“Fie this woman I call Wife! I shall
call thy Shrew Wife from this day forth for ye shrivel my man-cock
to a nub with your constant nagging!”
Sauda grinned as he
released another string of colorful words. “Would you prefer we
decide this dilemma over swords?” She cocked her head to the
side in question.
“I wouldst not!” With a throaty growl Ethan
exerted his strength forcing Sauda backwards onto her back careful
of her blossoming belly.
His powerful legs forced her legs wide to accommodate him
before taking advantage of her surprise by entering inside her wet
feminine warmth in one smooth push until his bollocks touched her
ass. A deep contented
swoosh of breath blew between clenched teeth.
“Damn you Ethan!” She hissed at him. Her arms flayed and nearly
knocked him off hiss balanced arms. He eased to his side still
connected to her and drew her thick shapely thigh over his hip and
locked it beneath his arm.
His large hand cupped a firm buttock cheek and squeezed in
warning for her to yield to him.
“Why must ye force me to
show thee which of us are the strongest in this wedded bed? Aye, mine love for thee
weakens me like a kitten and I spoil thee however I am now and
always will be the Lord
Husband in this marriage Sauda. It bodes thee well to
remember this!”
“It is weakened times such
as this I regret marrying such an oversized oaf as you,” she hissed
at him.
His dimples flashed. “Liar,” Ethan crooned
softly. “Ye love me
more than the breath that causes your bosoms to heave so heavily.”
He murmured the
soothing words against her lips, his nose rubbed against her
nose.
“May the gods take you for uttering the truth,” she
gasped. Opening her mouth she accepted his tongue as it
parried and retreated. Her frown deepened when he pulled back
to look into her eyes.
“Why do you scowl
so?” Ethan
asked.
“Yea, I love you but I also hate you for making me
feel vulnerable and weak.”
“Moonlight, ye are the
strongest maiden I know,” he gentled.
His cock moved inside her
of its own accord.
Sauda moaned.
“Release my arm so that I
much touch you, husband.” She bit down on her
bottom lip to keep from crying out as he eased out of her until the
head of his cock was nearly at the rim of her vagina opening before
he forged ahead…slowly.
“Hmm…please…you have proven your point,” she
whimpered. “You are the master of my body!”
He withdrew again. “I want more from you
Sauda.” He glided
in.
She licked her dry
lips. Her thigh
trembled beneath his hold.
“What more can I gift thee, milord? You have my body, my heart,
and my soul.”
He
lifted his head. His jade colored gaze held hers. The
need and adoration he saw in them mimicked his own. She had
won the battle…this time. He would allow her to contact her
assassin sister, but the battle they occasional warred as lovers he
must always defeat her for if he knew anything about his wife, he
knew she deserved a man that could make her yield while allowing her
to maintain her proud bearing.
“I
ask that ye continue to trust me to care for yon welfare,” he
replied.
Ethan
released her arm and grunted his pleasure while she roamed over his
lower back. Her hand gripped the muscles of the right ass
cheek while she drew her bent knee up higher until it was nearly to
his arm pit drawing his penis deep.
“Husband,
you are the only man I do trust,” she murmured.
He kissed her once again
before quietly saying, “My beloved, from here on let us speak only
words of love in accordance with engaging utterances of
pleasure.”
CHAPTER ONE