“How many of you are left?”
“I only know of myself and a cousin. We’re looking for others.”
“And your heritage brings with it power?”
She sighed and looked at her lap. “I’m not sure. My mother died when I was nine. My cousin’s mother when he was seven. He didn’t even realize how or why he could do some of the things he could until…”
She snapped her jaw shut.
“Amanda.”
“Until I sent him a message when we reached the capital.”
She pushed herself off his lap before he could stop her and went to the fireplace.
“Your cousin lives in the capital?”
“Most of the time.”
“And when he’s not?” When she wrapped her arms around her waist, he frowned and stood, letting the beast’s instinct flow.
That morning,
the beast breathed.
Her anger at her father.
Wulfgar froze. He knew someone whose mother had died when he was young. Heinrich had mentioned the southern rebellion and… “The Crown Prince? Crown Prince Karl is your cousin?”
Startled, Amanda turned her head and stared at him. “Our mothers were cousins,” she whispered. “Their families realized the only chance of survival was to leave the south. Mother told me there were others, but I haven’t been able to find them.”
“Except for…” He stopped struggling to come to grips that his beloved…
It doesn’t matter. She is yours.
“Except for the Crown Prince.”
She nodded, swallowing. “He said that, of all people he knew, you would understand. He told me I had to tell you.” She sighed and grimaced slightly. “He also asked me not to mention him. I asked why and he said that he’d had to do different things than you to survive. Karl said you had your own secrets. He wouldn’t tell me what they were.”
Stunned that the Crown Prince had kept his confidence, knowledge imparted during a night of wine before a battle they’d been convinced was hopeless, Wulfgar just looked at her.
“If you’d rather not tell me,” she whispered turning for the door.
“No,” he gasped, catching her arm before she’d gone three steps.
“What?” she frowned, concern in her expression and voice. “You don’t trust me with your secret?”
“Not that. Never that,” he told her, shaking his head. “It’s just…if you know, you may not want me as your husband.”
“That could never happen,” she replied firmly.
He guided her to the chaise and waited until she sat down. He saw her puzzlement when he didn’t sit next to her but returned to the fireplace.
“What is it?”
He took a deep breath and she felt his mind bracing itself. “Now, in all honor, I must tell you about the curse on my family. Two hundred years ago, a powerful witch wished to marry her daughter into the family. The baron refused and she cursed his son and all his heirs. She awakened a beast inside his blood. Before the first full moon after a man’s twenty-fifth birthday, he must consummate his relationship with a willing virgin. His bride. If he does not, the beast will grow more powerful and violent, rampaging everywhere. The rest of the family would be forced to kill him to save innocents.”
“So, even while tricking you,” she started slowly, “your first wife saved you.”
“Yes, she did,” he confirmed. “She was willing to marry me but, after the marriage, she tried to resist her grandmother’s wishes. Unfortunately, she did not tell me before I left to fight against the south. Realizing she would be forced to betray me in some way, she sent me a letter telling me everything.” He lifted his head and stared at the flames dancing in the hearth. “Then she went outside during a full moon and found the pack. She told Bane what her coven had done, knowing his loyalty to me would demand the pack kill her.”
Amanda gasped, a hand over her mouth in horror. With a bleak light in his eyes, he faced her.
“Now that you know everything, I will understand if you decide against marrying me. It would be to curse your sons and…”
“Our sons will feel this beast?” she whispered.
“The beast that is within all men,” he told her, turning toward her. “The beast that wants power, women,” he paused before her and pulled her to her feet flush against him. His hands held her hips against him. “The beast that lusts and demands to be satisfied. If not married and mated, the man turns into the beast until, within a year, he is so depraved, so evil, that he must be killed.”
Take her!
demanded the beast inside him.
Her eyes widened as his erection pressed against her belly. He lowered his mouth to hers.
“Forgive me, Beloved. The beast inside me sought you in our dreams and I could not control it. I did not
want
to control it.” His fingers touched the soft skin of her cheek. “Six years ago, the coven that tricked me also saved my life. But now…”
“Wulfgar, which part of you wants me?”
“All of me,” he groaned.
She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “My love,” she whispered in his ear. “Touch all of me.”
He kissed her deeply, his fingers pressing through her skirts where he’d touched her in dreams. She moaned softly. The beast sprang free and he couldn’t stop it.
His mouth savored the softness of her throat as his hand held the back of her head still. His other hand pulled up her skirt as his mind captured hers.
Her hair was loose and wild. He shredded the clothes that hid her from his eyes. His hand caressed her thigh until it reached her hip and then cupped what would be only his. One finger teased her bundle of nerves before dipping inside her heat.
Yes!
Startled to feel her response in his mind, the beast took full advantage. He could feel her gasp and briefly struggle as he demanded her surrender mentally and physically. There had never been a doubt in his mind as to who was the master. With a sigh, her mind and body melted into his. His palm rubbed her pussy. His thumb teased her clit and she cried out.
“So hot,” he murmured in her ear. “So wet for me, Beloved. Mine, Beloved.”
“Wulfgar,” she panted, gasping for air,
His fingers found her opening and circled, gathering the growing moisture. Her hands clutched his shoulders as her body pressed against his.
“God, you are mine,” he vowed, plunging two fingers into her core.
She buried her face against his shoulder as he stroked her further and further into erotic pleasure. She whimpered at the fire he knew had to be building inside her. His free hand stroked up her back and his fingers tangled in the unbound hair. A tug had her face lifting up to his. He lowered his mouth to hers and their tongues mated wildly.
His cock strained in his breeches, eager to join their play. He barely controlled himself as his mate responded, opening herself to him completely.
“Burn for me,” he whispered. “Burn for me like you did last night.”
She surrendered as he made their dreams reality. She cried out as the passion consumed her and left her shaking in his arms.
“Beloved,” he murmured. “You are mine.”
“Yes,” she confirmed with a sigh.
Wulfgar closed his eyes. The beast strained at the chain of civilization and urged him to make her his right there in the library. How easy it would be—release his breeches, pull her on top of him, thrust himself into her heat, lose himself in her—the images came into his mind and she gasped.
He stared at her.
“You saw?”
She nodded and he saw his lust spill over into her eyes.
“I don’t understand this emotion I’m feeling. I just know that I need you to…do all that you dream of to me. I need that to be whole, to feel complete. I need to be yours, Wulfgar.”
He trembled at the gift she gave him.
“Father Wenceslas hasn’t returned from town yet.”
“No words he could say will make me more yours than I am right now,” she told him. Topaz eyes glowed with love and support. “What is important and necessary to you is so for me. I’m yours now. I will be yours forever. Words matter,” she nodded, “but not as much as what is in your heart and mine.”
The lust raged below the surface, but he managed to rein it in. Tenderly, he pressed his lips to hers then held her to his heart.
“I know, Beloved, but we cannot stay here in isolation. I have duties to the king and we will have to go to court. Even with the Crown Prince as your cousin, there will be rumors. I will not have you hurt by gossip that I ruined you.” He heard her soft chuckle. “What is so amusing?”
“I should be more concerned about my reputation than you.” She smiled at him. “I’m surprised you’re not scolding me for trying to seduce you.”
“You are a most wanton maid, indeed,” he murmured, quoting her words. “But as tempting a morsel as you are,” he continued, even as his hands stroked her back and sides. “I will try to practice some restraint and show who is in control here.”
“As if there would ever be any doubt,” she shook her head. “Kiss me? Please?”
“You are temptation itself,” he scolded as he lowered his mouth to hers.
As he had told Heinrich, Amanda willing surrendered everything to him, trusting completely. Wulfgar would not abuse her innocent trust, even though he knew she had no idea just how true her words were. There would never be a doubt as to who was in control.
Chapter Seven
The knock on the door brought them both to reality. Even as Amanda hurriedly straightened her dress and smoothed her hair, Wulfgar adjusted his vest and his pants.
“Come in!”
“My lord,” Heinrich began, entering with Bettina tucked against him, his arm around her shoulder. The two stopped, staring at the sight of the blushing Amanda on Lord Wulfgar’s lap. “I was about to thank you for your assistance in restoring my marriage, but now I wonder what—”
“Sir, if you would congratulate us and offer your blessing?” Wulfgar interrupted, smiling and standing. He set Amanda on her feet, holding her close. “Your daughter has accepted my proposal of marriage. Father Wenceslas has not returned from his trip to town before the storm, but once he does…”
“I think he’d best say prayers over you before he takes off his cloak,” her father observed wryly. Heinrich looked at his daughter. “Amanda? Do you want to marry this man?”
Her eyes glowing, she nodded as the other couple drew near.
“No other, Father.”
“Then you have both my congratulations and my blessing.” Heinrich looked down at Bettina, who appeared content for the first time. “May you be as fulfilled as Bettina and I.”
Bettina blushed but looked up at Amanda.
“I am so terribly sorry for how I treated you. My mother…”
“Frau Grunden did not like my mother nor did she like me because of it,” Amanda said quietly. “We were friends before she poisoned the air between us. Shall we start anew as friends?”
Bettina nodded in obvious relief. Anders appeared in the doorway.
“Excuse me, my lord. But one of the farmers is here. He says the village near the woods was attacked by several men.”
Wulfgar was moving before the man had finished speaking.
“Where is he?”
“In the hall, sir…”
Socton strode past him. Anders moved to follow, only to find Amanda hurrying after the lord. Anders smiled, nodding in approval.
“What happened? How many men? Was anyone hurt?” he asked the man then recognized him.
It was Wilhelm’s father.
“It was sudden, my lord,” he whispered. “We were finishing a roof and they came from the woods. They had torches and tried to set the cottages on fire. They rode through, trampling everything…”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“My boy…” the man gasped. “My wife tried to get to him. His leg is broken.”
“My lord,” Amanda whispered, a gentle hand on Wulfgar’s arm. “Is there anyone to set the leg?”
“No, my lady,” the farmer whispered as Bettina moved to stand next to Amanda.
Wulfgar saw the two women nod.
“Bring him here. This is my betrothed and her father’s wife. They can look after the boy.” He looked at Anders and Jordan. “I want every groom sent to the village.”
“I’ll go as well,” Heinrich spoke up.
“Saddle up Dervish and Blitz.”
“My lord,” Anders nodded.
Jordan ran from the hall. The farmer hurried out the front door. Anders went to fetch warmer clothing for the two men. Within fifteen minutes, the two stallions were pawing at the snow before the front steps. Ten young men were mounted as the head stableman held the stallions’ bridles.
Wearing heavy cloaks, Lord Wulfgar and his future father-in-law strode from the door. Behind them, Amanda and Bettina, arms around each other for support and warmth, watched. Mounting quickly, the two men looked back at the women. Taking a deep breath, Amanda lifted her chin and smiled.
“Stay warm, my love,” she told him.
“Always,” he replied, sending her the image of the two of them that first night.
With a wink at her, he turned his horse and spurred him forward.
“Come inside,” Bettina urged, pulling Amanda back into the hall. “We need to get things prepared for the boy.” She looked at Mrs. Anders. “Where would be the best place to put an injured boy?”
“The library first,” Amanda spoke. “That way he’s not moved so far before we tend to his leg.”
Bettina nodded.
“I’ll get bandages and a splint,” Mrs. Anders suggested, leaving the hall.
Amanda pulled Bettina into the library.
“Bettina, what did you and my father discuss?”
Bettina turned a fiery red and shook her head. “Oh, no,” she demurred. “That is between my husband and myself.”
Turning red herself, Amanda pressed the matter.
“Not what you
did
, but what you said.”
Bettina gave her a mild look.
“And just what have you and our host been doing in our absence?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Considering what your father and I saw when we entered…”
“Don’t think badly of my lord,” Amanda shook her head. She grimaced. “If anything, you should take me to task for my behavior.”
“Amanda!”
“My lord Wulfgar was more controlled than I. He is determined that we wait for Father Wenceslas to return from town to say our vows before him.” Amanda curled up in the leather chair favored by the manor’s master. Bettina smiled as she sat on the loveseat. “He reminded me that we cannot stay from society at the manor but be a part of court life when he attends the king. My lord Wulfgar is concerned that gossip mongers would do me harm.”