A Warrior's Heart (Shields) (27 page)

He ran his hands over the smooth blue and silver Fae material that covered the bench he sat on before their bed. It was a favorite piece of furniture, and one he liked to sit on as he watched Rufina dress, one that he would sit on and watch their child play.

A sigh escaped him as he raised his gaze to his wife. “Do we have any other choice?”

“Aye,” she snapped and turned to face him, her blue eyes alight with anger. Her long, flaxen hair hung past her waist and was held back from her face with a silver knotwork clip. The skirts of her silver gown swirled about her feet as she pivoted again, slower than usual with the added weight of the baby growing inside of her.

When she didn’t give him any other options, he stood. “I don’t believe it was Aimery,” he admitted.

“Then you cannot kill him.”

Her voice was soft, urgent, and he knew she worried for their future. He opened his arms and she moved to him. He held her tight as she trembled.

He kissed her temple as his hands roamed over her slender hips and small waist. The desire he felt for her had only grown over the millennia, not diminished. Even now with the turmoil around them, he wanted her with a ferocity that startled him.

She lifted her face to his. “At least tell Aimery of your plans.”

“Nay. I cannot chance anything.”

“You are doing exactly what the Great Evil wants. Without Aimery the Shields are vulnerable.”

Theron smiled. “Not as vulnerable as you might think.”

“What are you up to?”

The smile dropped as Theron turned to pace their chamber. “I’m trying to save our realm and Earth. The Shields cannot do it alone against such power as the Great Evil. Already he has deceived them, and us.”

“How so?” she asked as she sat on the bench he had vacated.

“There is only one being who could have entered our realm without detection. One being who could have made himself look like Aimery.”

Rufina slowly stood, her blue eyes wide. “By all that’s magical. It cannot be. They were all destroyed.”

“Aye, and so were half the creatures the Great Evil has managed to unearth and send to the Shields.”

“Shapeshifters are near impossible to catch.”

“Unfortunately, I know.”

Rufina shook her head. “I don’t understand. You know it wasn’t Aimery who killed the dragon, yet you would kill him anyway.”

“I’m not going to kill him, my love,” he said with a smile.

“Theron, I think I might kill you myself,” she said between clenched teeth. “Did you not just a few moments ago tell me you had to kill Aimery?”

Theron chuckled. “I did. However,” he hurried to say when she went to speak. “You never let me finish. I’m not going to actually kill him. I’m just going to make it look as though Aimery is dead.”

“And then what?” she asked, tapping her foot in frustration.

“I’m going to send him to the Shields. He’ll be away from our realm and the other Fae will think punishment has been meted out.”

“And when he returns?”

Theron sighed as he pulled Rufina back into his arms. “That, my love, I will determine if we survive all of this.”

“We’ll survive it. We have to.”

Chapter Thirty

Gabriel came awake to feel a soft body beside him. He turned his head to find that Jayna had climbed into bed with him. She was on her side, her hand curled under her head and her long golden locks free of the braids. He picked up a strand of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers, loving the silken feel of it.

He lifted his arm to his face and tried to fist his hand. He managed it, but only with great force. It would take several more hours before he regained his strength fully.

“Has your strength returned?” Jayna asked sleepily just before she yawned.
 

“Slowly,” he said. “How did you get me up here?”

“Val.”

He looked at the top of the canopy and took a deep breath. “And Hugh? Has there been any word?”

“You’ve slept most of the day away,” she said as she sat up. “Val has been by thrice to check on you. He said Hugh is resting, but he hasn’t woken yet.”

“Good. It isn’t time for him to wake. He needs to stay in the healing sleep as long as he can.” He turned his head to look at her. “Did the Harpy return?”

She shook her head. “Val said the guards grow more fearful by the hour. In truth, so do I. Why would the Harpy attack, then leave before it could do more damage?”

“I’ve wondered that myself.”

“Val also said the Harpies always travel in threes. He doesn’t understand where the others are.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Val was one of the most revered generals of Rome. If he has a suspicion, I listen to it.” He thought for a moment then said, “Maybe it’s a trap. Maybe the Harpy wants us to think there is only one, so when we do attack, we’ll be surrounded by them.”

“You aren’t seriously thinking of venturing out of the castle again?”

“Theron, the king of the Fae, asked us to stay in the castle, but we were attacked by more than the Harpy today. There was something in the forest, something that none of us could see. It attacked Val first, knocking him to the ground, then it came at me. Somehow, I managed to wound it with my bow, but I think whatever it was will be back.”

She threaded her fingers with his. “If you cannot see it, what makes you think it isn’t already in the castle?”

“I don’t know that for sure. The odds continue to stack against us. Its no wonder Roderick is losing hope.”

She shook her head, her golden strands tickling his hand. “He hasn’t lost hope. He is just worried that something will happen to him where he cannot protect Elle, or worse, that something happens to her. He sees a future for them and he wants it. Desperately.”

Gabriel sighed. “And Roderick deserves it. He will inherit his kingdom one day. His family already lost one son, they shouldn’t have to lose another.”

“Nay, they shouldn’t.” She turned her face from him and grew quiet.

He knew she was thinking of her family and all she had lost, and he didn’t want her to dredge up painful memories. “What are your plans?”

“For what?” she asked as her fingers played with the edge of a blanket.

“Today. Tomorrow. Next month, next year.”

She chuckled and threw him a teasing look. “Well, for the rest of today I will be with you. I promised Val that I would stay by your side until you regained your strength.”

Knowing she would be with him the rest of the night made his heart squeeze painfully. How he wanted to erase the past and start anew, to have a future with Jayna. Their passion had been great, their love immeasurable, their bond unbreakable.

Until he had betrayed her.

“As for tomorrow,” she continued. “I think I’ll keep watch over you just to make sure that you don’t stumble and fall,” she teased. “As for the rest....” She trailed off and her smile slowly vanished. “I don’t know what the future holds. Mayhap I won’t survive the coming battle.”

“You’ll survive it,” he vowed. “I’ll make sure of it.”

She leaned forward and cupped his check. “You don’t even know me. You know I’ve lied, that I’ve come for revenge.”

“Aye. I know all those things.” This was the perfect opportunity for him to admit his memory had returned, but he found he couldn’t do it. He didn’t want to shatter what they had become. “I know that my body wants yours, that it cannot get enough of you.”

Her hazel eyes darkened as her hand drifted to his chest. “I cannot deny that I want you as well.”

It was all Gabriel needed to hear. He pulled her onto his chest and claimed her lips, pouring all his fears, his desires and his longing into the kiss.

His hands roamed over her lithe body, tugging her skirts up even as she pulled at his tunic. The need to feel his flesh on her flesh was nearly overwhelming. He broke the kiss and sat up, but before he could reach for Jayna, she began to yank off her clothing.

A smile pulled at Gabriel’s lips as he saw the desire in her eyes. He wasted no time divesting himself of his clothes. When he turned around, Jayna was kneeling on the bed. Strands of her glorious hair had fallen over her shoulders to hide her breasts. Yet, he could make out the pink of her nipples through her golden locks.

“By the stars you are beautiful,” he said as he reached for her.

She went willingly into his embrace as her arms wound around his neck and her fingers plunged into his hair. He moaned as her nails gently raked across the skin of his neck, bringing chills of pleasure across his body.

He reached his hand up and cupped her full breast, the weight in his palm bringing his already hard rod to a driving need. His fingers tweaked her nipple, then rolled it between two fingers.

Jayna rubbed her hips against him in response. She reached between their bodies and took his rod in her hand. Gabriel dropped his head back as the pleasure swept through him. And when her nails softly glided over his hot, aching rod, he thought he might spill his seed right then.

He went to reach for her and found his arms shaking. Silently he cursed his weakness, but Jayna had seen him shake.

“Lay back,” she ordered.

Gabriel did as she asked and smiled when she settled between his legs, her hands and lips roaming over his chest, hips, and thighs. Every once in awhile he’d feel her hand rub against his rod or his sac and he’d tense, waiting for her to take him in hand.

After what seemed like an eternity of her teasing his body with her sweet tongue and soft touch, her hand closed around his rod just before the tip of her tongue licked the head.

“Sweet Mary,” he exclaimed as passion so deep went through him he forgot everything but Jayna.

He could only grip the blankets as she closed her lips over his cock. Intense pleasure scorched through him, leaving him breathless and yearning for more. Her hand closed over the base of his rod, adding a hint of pressure while her mouth sucked him sweetly.

It was too much. Gabriel knew he wouldn’t last more than a few more heartbeats, and he wanted to feel her sheath surround him before he spilled his seed in her.

“Nay,” he whispered as she increased her tempo. He leaned up and took her by the shoulders to pull her over his chest. She smiled as she straddled his hips and poised her sex over his aching rod.

Gabriel closed her eyes and moaned as she slowly sank atop his arousal. His hands gripped her hips and his breath rushed from his lungs when she finally took all of him.

Jayna’s entire body was on fire. For Gabriel. It had always been so with them, and she had no doubt that it always would. She arched her back and dropped her head back as she rocked her hips against him.

His fingers pressed almost painfully into her hips as his desire grew. She felt him throb within her and it only heightened her arousal. When his hands released her hips she waited anxiously for him to take her breasts.

He didn’t leave her waiting for long.

His fingers knew just where to touch, just how much pressure to apply to her sensitive nipples. Her need for him was great and her climax was building faster than it ever had. She could not get enough of him, and she feared it would be her downfall.

She raised her head to find him staring at her. She met his gaze and smiled as his silver eyes darkened when she rotated her hips.

“You minx. I’ll spill now if you’re not careful,” he cautioned her.

She chuckled as she splayed her hands on his muscular chest and bent to flick her tongue over one of his nipples. “I’m nearly there myself.”

He growled low in his throat just before his hands came up to either side of her face and held her still as he kissed her. The kiss was erotic, passionate and full of promises if she would only allow herself to trust him.

But the trust that had once been unshakable was now questionable. She feared what he might do to her again given the chance.

Jayna ended the kiss and straightened as she used her thigh muscles to raise herself over his rod, then slowly lowered herself. She repeated the process several times, each time going a little higher and faster until Gabriel reached for her hands and threaded his fingers with hers.

She let herself go then, embracing the growing climax that would soon explode within her. Her hips rocked against him, her breasts bounced, and then his finger flicked over her pearl and she screamed as her orgasm claimed her.

Jayna closed her eyes as pure bliss raced through her body, her sex clenching Gabriel’s rod with each tremor that flooded her.

Then, she felt him stiffen beneath her, felt his seed fill her. And she was content.

She didn’t push Gabriel’s hands away as he pulled her down onto his chest. His hands were gentle as they pushed her hair from her face and lightly traced her back.

Given the choice, she could have gladly stayed there forever. She had finally found a small amount of peace and it felt wonderful.

Too bad it wouldn’t last.