Daryk Warrior (4 page)

Lush pleasure pulsed to life in her groin, sending arousal
to every corner. Her lower belly warmed as her pussy clenched. Her nipples
beaded. The contact consumed him at the same time it did her. His eyes flamed,
turned red. She gasped half in fright and half in amazement. Eryk pushed his
hips against hers and his thick erection was a long, hot bar against her belly.
She shivered as unwanted pleasure traveled from her loins to the rest of her
body. Beyond even the sensual pleasure, she felt a burgeoning strength from his
touch. Astonishment held her motionless.

She tilted her head back and sighed as a bright, hot
pleasure started to pulsate in her groin. Magon, it felt so good.

“No.” He rasped the word as he jerked back from her. “What
did you do to me? How did you move that pack?”

“Healed you. Moving objects is something I can do sometimes,
but it is mostly out of my control.” Her voice sounded throaty, thick with
desire, but the relentless energy that had gripped her moments ago dropped
away. “I drove the dragon away and then healed your head wound. It wasn’t
serious but—”

“No.” He held his hand up, his word sharp and final. “That
is shite. Healers do not drive away dragons. It’s not possible.”

Anger gave her strength and destroyed her misplaced desire.
“Well it is for me. It’s one of the reasons why I had to leave Magonia. Because
of the same ridiculous attitude you have.”

She turned away from him, so perturbed she barely cared
about his injury. She heard him shuffling around behind her as he picked up the
water bladder and drank from it. Her gaze fell upon the destroyed man at the
cave entrance. She shuddered in disgust. The wild feeling that had caused the
pack to move on its own seemed to have disappeared, flaring and then
extinguished with his touch.

“We need to get out of here. Morgreem could come back with
more rebels.”

“What did you do to get on their bad side?”

“As I mentioned before, there is a war on. Daryk Ones who
turned their back on their vow to protect the weak and innocent from evil.
They
are the evil now, raping women and forcing them to have babies against their
will.”

She winced.

“And if they get a hold of you,” he continued, “the same
will happen. You will be a breeder on Dragonia just as you might have been on
Magonia.”

Her mind and body rebelled against the very idea.

She swallowed what she wanted to say, just as she had so
many other times in her life. She hated herself for it. What else could she do
in the circumstances? She could continue her quest to find somewhere in this
world she could live an authentic life.

She almost laughed. What life? If she didn’t find a healer
to cure her there was nowhere she could go where it would matter. Frustrated,
she turned toward him. Eryk looked strong enough to slaughter a dragon on his
own but she knew if she hadn’t healed him he would have stayed unconscious far
longer. She could try explaining it to him but knew he wouldn’t give a damn and
wouldn’t believe.

Instead she said, “Anything that keeps the Truth and Order
Police away from me is a good thing.”

One of his eyebrows twitched. “Truth and Order Police?”

“You haven’t heard of them?” She couldn’t resist a small
smile. “Interesting. Something you don’t know. As a Scribe I wrote lies for the
people to believe. The Truth and Order Police enforced the law created by those
lies.”

“Draconus.” His voice filled with disbelief. “And they’re
after you?”

She inhaled deeply, memories assaulting her as she thought
about the frantic days before she escaped her old life. “Yes. As it is, I was
lucky that no one on the ship was particularly sympathetic to the Truth and
Order Police. Or when I reached Opali I would have been turned in. But then the
storm and the wave came…”

He nodded. “Perhaps the storm was lucky for you.”

She didn’t know what to think of the storm or her so-called
luck. “I planned to take a boat…” She sighed and started again. “I’d arranged
to take a smaller craft from Opali in secret to Dragonia.”

“You lost that money.”

“Of course.” Her strength wavered as tears threatened. She
swallowed hard and banished the tears. “The Truth and Order Police won’t
venture to Dragonia. I knew if I got here I’d be safe from them.”

“Which is worse? The Truth and Order Police or the dangers
you face here?”

“I’ll take the unknown dangers of Dragonia over the ones I
know about on Magonia.”

He frowned. “That bad?”

“You have no idea.” She didn’t intend to tell him about the
disease that would ravage her, that already ate away at her strength day by
day.

Eryk’s expression turned inward, as if he gave true
consideration to what she said. Surprised, she waited for his next thought.

He caught her staring at him and for a fraction of time his
gaze softened. “Come on, let’s go.”

* * * * *

Eyrk made a path through the jungle where people had treaded
no more than a few hours ago. Better to use the path rather than carve a new
one and dull his sword. Mia walked behind him. He checked on occasion to make
sure she hadn’t fallen behind. She stayed close. For a woman she had strong
physical prowess. Perhaps he should drop her off at Austos Castle or Felican
Castle on the way to Bardannia Castle and avoid complications of having a
tagalong. Curiosity and something more primal made him want to keep her near
him.

What had she done to him in the cave?

When he’d come to on the cave floor, her hand on his head
and a surge of power flowing from her into him, it had filled him with fear. He
wouldn’t allow a woman to control him. Certainly not a woman convinced she
could heal people. Memories of a time long ago filled him with anger and
reminded him why he didn’t give reverence to healers as so many other people
did. Healers hadn’t saved Yamina. He swallowed, his throat tight, his resolve complete.
If Mia claimed to be a healer, all the better to leave her at another castle
and wash his hands of her. If she wanted to travel to Grimnald on her own, so
be it. He didn’t have time to shepherd a lone woman bent on an adventure.

His sexual leanings toward her puzzled him. The desire he
had for her almost brought Eryk to his knees. Gods and goddesses, she’d stirred
a need to fuck deep within him. A primitive, wild need that he’d never felt
before. A good fight could bring out normal mating instincts but this…this had
almost toppled his control.

Determined that he wouldn’t give in to any softer feelings
because of Mia’s gender, he pushed through the jungle. She didn’t protest the
punishing pace, as he knew many women would. Yamina would have protested loudly
if he’d subjected her to a walk like this. He shook off memories of his old
lover. He hadn’t thought much about her in the many years since she’d died. Why
did he think of her now? Because no woman he’d known could compete with her?

By late afternoon they’d reached the region near Felican
Castle. Mia had shown strength all day, eating and drinking enough. Still, she
didn’t look good. She was pale, and he didn’t think she could take more. She
hadn’t said much of anything all day and that worried him. The woman confounded
him on too many levels. It made him uncomfortable. Not only had she healed him
but the strange way she’d reacted right after confused him. She’d seemed tired
after healing him then almost manic as she’d run for the cave entrance. Then, most
astonishing of all, the wild, hungry look he’d seen in her eyes when he’d held
her. As if she would take him then and there, devour him in sexual frenzy. He
shook off the bizarre notion.

“We shall take shelter for the night here,” he said.

She gazed at him with true confusion. “Here?”

He pulled back a last wall of fronds and pointed to a huge
structure that dominated the land. “Felican Castle. The largest in the land. So
far politically neutral. But the lord who runs it may have to make a decision
soon about which side he is on. Rogue or not.”

Her mouth opened, those sweet lips tempting him as she took
in the castle. He didn’t blame her. The place caused awe in most. The building
sat just inside the jungle on a high ridge surrounded by enormous trees. To the
right and farther south the desert proved a strong contrast, with black and
cream sands as far as the eyes could see. Humidity pummeled anyone in the
jungle but the desert beyond could be dry and cruel with its harsh heat.

“Who is this lord who can’t make a firm decision?” she
asked.

“Bellrus Famila. He tolerates all quite well. He’s not very
autocratic to those who live and let live. Let’s go. I could use a meal and
drink.”

She walked alongside him, picking up the pace as they took
the hill. At one point, as she started to lag, he gripped her elbow lightly.
When she didn’t protest his touch, he was surprised. Activity outside the
castle looked minimal. Then again, with war looming perhaps caution had come to
this place that always prided itself on freedom of movement and acceptance for
all. This close to the castle he could hear the normal commotion of life behind
the huge walls.

They were only a few hundred feet from the closed drawbridge
before two archers appeared at the top of the gates. He stopped as they pulled
back their bows. Mia drew in a sharp breath.

“It’s all right.” He gave a salute to the men. “Everyone
knows me here. They won’t harm us.”

Within moments the drawbridge came down, the clanking noise
loud as the chains lowered the metal-reinforced entry.

“I’ve never seen anything like this on Magonia. But then we
aren’t a warring society.”

“Peace can be a good thing as long as it is true.”

She snorted softly. “True?”

He glanced at her, meeting those deep eyes and the defiance
he saw within them. “Real. Not coerced.”

What he saw in her eyes made him uncomfortable. He saw
genuine appreciation for his perspective. He didn’t want to understand her and
didn’t want her to like him. Better that she hate his guts because maybe when
they reached Bardannia Castle it would be easier for him to let her go. There
was no place in his life for clingy women or burdens. He’d deliver her into
safe hands and someone who could take her where she wanted to go. After that
her fate didn’t matter to him. His groin stirred again and he decided his best
course of action was to make certain this disturbing woman found safe lodging.

Keeping his hand on her elbow, he said, “You’re in a
different world now. When we get inside the castle there is something I need to
do. Do not take offense because it’s for your protection.”

Puzzlement filled her expression. “What?”

“Women are protected on Dragonia. Revered. But because this
is a violent world with as many bad men as there are good, a woman isn’t
necessarily safe unless she is claimed by a man.” When she didn’t speak, he
continued, “I’ll have to convince the men inside this castle that you’re mine.”
She tried stepping back but he kept his grip firm on her arm. He lowered his
voice. “Listen to me. I am not lying about this. If I don’t make a show of
claiming you as mine the criminal elements will want to take you. And they
won’t necessarily be gentlemen about it. I will have to take liberties to prove
you’re mine.”

When fear filled her eyes, he softened somewhere inside when
he didn’t want to feel anything.

“All right. So put your arm around me and that will do the
trick,” she said.

“No, it won’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not enough. I’ll have to kiss you. And more.”

Chapter Three

Before she could react to his shocking declaration, Eryk pulled
Mia along with his hand on her biceps. She slipped out of his grip just as they
crossed over the drawbridge and into the enormous courtyard of the castle.
Irritation rode her hard. She’d play along with Eryk until she found a way to
leave the castle and make her way to Grimnald Castle. Even if it took a while
to accomplish her goal, she’d make it. She hadn’t come this far to fail. She
would find a place where she belonged, where she didn’t feel like a freak among
conformists.

Mia surveyed her surrounds with complete curiosity. She’d
never seen a structure so large or filled with so many people. Sounds and
smells and sights assaulted her senses but she didn’t have time to process
them.

“Hey, Eryk, old man!” a male voice called. “Haven’t seen you
in days. Where in Draconus have you been?”

A tall, gangly man worked his way toward Eryk and Eryk
smiled at the man and waved.

Music started behind Mia and she turned toward the center of
the courtyard. Almost against her will, she assessed her surroundings. Four
towers projected above the main castle walls. Other small towers dotted here
and there. Different colored walls, grey, white and cream, made for a mishmash
of styles.

Men dressed in tunics much like Eryk’s strolled by, all
ages, sizes and hair colors. Numerous women holding bags slung over their
shoulders walked freely from place to place. She saw one or two children being
carried by women. Most people strolling past her smiled and looked happy
enough. If they cared about war, she couldn’t see it.

A hard hand came down on her shoulder and she turned,
expecting to see Eryk. A hulking man similar in size to Eryk stood too close.
His white hair stuck up on his head in all directions, his gray eyes chips of
ice. His nose was long and ugly like a crooked beak. His ears sagged low on his
head. The man’s foul smell spilled over her and Mia wrinkled her nose.

Before she could open her mouth, another man stepped up.
This one was her height but looked strong. While he wasn’t as ugly as the big
man, he also smelled like the bottom of something nasty.

“Hey, Livir, where did you find her?” the smaller man asked.

The white-haired man released her as she shrugged out from
under his hand. Tired of yet another man handling her, she practically growled
her response to him, “Leave me be or I will break your fingers.”

She started past him toward Eryk but Livir almost yanked her
off her feet. Surprised and angry, she cried out as his meaty arm wrapped
around her middle.

“Get your fucking hands off her!” Eryk’s deep, more than angry
voice rang across the courtyard.

Chaos instantly reigned. Women dashed away toward the
farthest reaches of the castle while men also moved back to the outer perimeter
to watch the possible fracas. Eryk moved slowly toward Mia and the man who held
her. Eryk’s sharp gaze missed nothing. His fists clenched at his side. He
hadn’t pulled his sword from the sheath yet.

Mia had two reactions. Stark fear and utter relief. Eryk
would sort this out in a heartbeat. She hoped.

White-haired man didn’t release her. In fact, he pulled her
back against his body. She almost gagged on his stench.

“She looks like she’s free to me.” She heard Livir smack his
lips. “And I ain’t had a woman in a long time. This one looks fresh and ready
to pluck.”

Eryk put his hands on his hips. “Livir, she isn’t free.”

Eryk knows this filthy insect?
She supposed it
shouldn’t surprise her. What did she honestly know of Eryk Gauth’s associations
and friendships? As honorable as he’d appeared in most respects, for all she
knew he might be a lout of the first order.

“I don’t smell you on her.” Livir’s declaration came clearly
above the murmur of the crowd that watched the entertainment.

Eryk smiled at the much larger man. “That’s because I don’t
smell at all. You, on the other hand…” Eryk shrugged, his hands out in
surrender.

Livir growled his next words. “I want a woman!”

“Sorry, my man. She isn’t for you.”

Livir’s arm tightened painfully around her middle and she
gasped for a breath.

Eryk’s eyes turned deadly, his mouth a tight line. “You’re
hurting her. I won’t tolerate that.”

“I don’t see anyone around here who can declare that this
woman is yours.” Livir raised his voice. “Can anyone here tell me that she’s
already claimed?”

People watching the crowd mumbled among themselves but most
shook their heads in denial.

Livir chuckled and the movement vibrated through her. “See?
She ain’t yours.”

“Fuck it, Livir, we just got here. Of course they don’t know
her.” Eryk’s voice turned to ice. “Now let her go.”

Livir grunted. “I don’t think so.”

Eryk sighed and drew his sword from the scabbard. As he held
the long, gleaming length of metal toward Livir the crowd noise grew louder.
“Release my woman or I will kill you.”

Livir released her. Surprised, she didn’t move for a moment.

“Get over here!” Eryk jerked his head as he snapped at her.
“Behind me.”

She almost…almost told him to stuff it but the fierceness in
his expression and the realization of her perilous situation kept her lips
clamped. She hurried to stand behind Eryk. Eryk faced off against Livir.

Metal sang as Livir extracted his own sword. “Then let the
games begin.”

Fear spiked in Mia. Eryk could be killed. Her mind went
straight from that to disaster. Without a protector—

No. She’d made it to Dragonia without protection. No matter
what happened to Eryk she’d be fine. Her gut clenched. She didn’t want anything
to happen to Eryk. Livir’s size didn’t seem to intimidate Eryk in any way.
Perhaps his abilities as a Daryk One could prevail.

“I’m tired of all the women wanting you.” Livir’s voice rose
to a growl. “You get all the sex you want.”

Eryk laughed.

Mia gawked at his broad back as a strange burn filled her
middle. What did she care if he slept with many women? But why did he think it
was funny?

“Livir, believe me, I haven’t had time for sex lately. Months,
in fact.”

He hadn’t? Somehow Mia found it hard to believe.

“That’s dragon dung. I heard Petaria in the drinking house
claiming she fucked you last week,” Livir said.

“That a load of shite. I’ve never slept with her. She’s
trying to impress other men because no one will claim her.”

Livir grunted and pointed to Mia. “I’m taking that one.
You’ve had enough. I’ll give her back when I’m finished.”

“No, you won’t. My woman is claimed. She’s the only one I’ll
have sex with from now on.”

Livir growled and lunged. Mia jumped back. Eryk met Livir’s
attack head-on with a yell and their blades clanged, slashed.

“We don’t have to do this, Livir. I’ve known you a long
time.” Eryk’s voice rang out above the chatter of the crowd surrounding them.
“Stop this now!”

Livir continued, and Mia knew whatever happened one of them
might die. The crowd cheered as Eryk’s blade caught the other man across the
biceps. Livir grunted but hardly seem to notice the gash. She wished she had a
weapon, anything she could use against the man trying to take her from the
Daryk One. Eryk’s body showed incredible finesse and strength, muscles bunched
and flowed as he fought. His expression stayed riveted with concentration. He
shifted, feinted, thrust the sword to meet Livir’s aggressiveness. Strange
feelings heightened within Mia with incredible strength. Powerful heat built
within her core, pooling like a fire in her loins and sweeping upward to bead
her nipples. Everything slowed as she watched Eryk’s incredible physical
presence. Mortification spread through her. She couldn’t believe she was
responding to him this way. It was a fight, for Magon’s sake. Eryk could die.
How could she desire him with such staggering force?

A hand touched her arm and she jerked and turned away from
the battle. An older woman, perhaps forty years old, stood by wearing a cape
with a hood. The vibrant purple color in her coverings dazzled Mia’s eyes.
She’d seen the color in nature but never in clothing. With snowy white short
hair and a thin face, the woman looked so delicate she appeared as if she might
blow away with a strong wind.

“Don’t get too close,” the woman said, her light blue eyes
as clear as precious gems. Her expression was serious but kind. “Men have
accidentally killed their women while fighting for them.”

Mia almost said Eryk wasn’t hers but then she heard a man’s
scream of agony. She turned to the fight and saw Livir clutching his sword
hand. Two of his fingers lay on the ground in front of him. He bellowed like a
hurt animal and a shiver crawled up her back.

“It is done!” Eryk held up his sword. “There will be no more
fight. I will claim my woman publicly and no other man will dispute my claim
upon her.”

“There,” the white-haired woman said with a smile. “He is
yours for certain.”

Mia peered at the shorter woman. “Who are you?”

The woman held her hand out. “Benita Hanix. I’m a widow.”

Mia shook hands with Benita. “Mia Griffi.”

She didn’t intend to tell anyone more than that. She didn’t
know who to trust. Benita lowered her voice. “If Eryk Gauth vouches for you,
you’re a friend.”

“You know Eryk?”

“Don’t worry. I’m practically old enough to be his mother.”

“You don’t look that old.”

Benita chuckled. “I’m sixty if I’m a day.”

Mia’s mouth flopped open for a second. “Astonishing.”

The crowd started to disperse, and that’s when Mia realized
other men surrounded Livir and were tending to his wound and leading him away.

“Eryk is a good man.” Benita’s voice broke through the
chatter around them. “You’ve picked well.”

“I didn’t pick him.”

Benita’s smile held doubt but she didn’t speak, and Eryk
walked up to them.

His eyes held pure heat but he nodded at Benita. “Good day,
Benita. Will you excuse us a moment?”

Benita bowed slightly at the waist. “Of course. You must
claim your woman.”

Mia noted that most people waited and watched her and Eryk.
Despite the distraction Benita and the crowd created, Mia’s blood still hummed,
her body too aware of Eryk. She didn’t want these feelings but they didn’t
relent. Before she could speak or protest he snatched her against him. Body to
body, from chest to thighs, every delineated muscle and fiber pressed to hers.
She gasped. He cupped her face with one hand. If she’d expected his claiming to
be as violent and quick as the fight, she was dead wrong. He tilted her face
upward and a moment later his lips touched hers. A thousand thoughts left her
mind, and even with dozens of people witnessing their kiss, Mia sank into a
sensual world that stunned her to the core. His mouth was hot, searching but
not voracious. She felt the restraint in his body. He wanted this harder,
deeper, far longer. How she understood this she couldn’t say. Instead he took
the kiss with a tenderness that shook her. It was a sweet, honest sweeping of
lips over lips. She surprised herself by responding and the pulsing between her
legs turned into an aching tingle. Her fingers spread over his chest, feeling
muscles bunch and move beneath her touch. As if she had no will of her own, she
threw her arms around his neck and arched into him. Her belly pressed against
that long, hard bar of his cock. A moan left her throat and she forgot that
everyone watched. She simply didn’t care.

As a wild rush of heat speared deep between her thighs, he
thrust his tongue between her lips. Surprise warred with pure delight. Even
though she’d read that people sometimes kissed this way, she’d always thought
it would be disgusting. Instead the repeated stroke of his tongue over hers
made the need in her pussy grow until she felt moist. She ached with a need so
strong she wanted to drag him somewhere and explore more of these amazing
sensations. She was shocked at her feelings but another part of her wanted to
experience more and to understand what would happen next if she did.

He drew back before she could completely absorb the feeling.
Still, they were breathing hard and he stared at her a long moment before
releasing her.

Shaking with reaction, she didn’t know what to say.

Benita watched the sensual exchange. “You should find more
clothes for her, Eryk.”

He nodded as if he hadn’t shared a stunningly beautiful kiss
with a woman he barely knew. “Indeed. We’ll come to your establishment later.”

Benita nodded. “Very well. Good day.”

“This way.” Eryk took Mia’s hand and they started through
the crowd.

“Wait, where are we going?” Mia kept up with his quick steps
as he wove his way between people.

He didn’t answer her.

“Eryk, where are we going?”

They plunged into a darker area of the castle, a warren of
walls and narrow enclaves. They came to a deep alcove. He glanced inside,
pulled her with him. Eryk pressed her to a wall, but not hard.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh.” He whispered the word but in his eyes a feral light
glowed.

“Oh Magon, your eyes. What’s happening?”

He hauled her against him, a quick, hard movement. “By all
that is holy, you destroy me.”

She didn’t get a chance to ask him what he meant. He dipped
his head and kissed her.

Hungrily he took her mouth. His kiss swept away her fears in
a hot and unrelenting sensual tide. His lips traced, shaped and molded to hers
as if they’d always meant to taste her. Unexpected acceptance threw her into
turmoil. How could she allow this? What did it mean that her body ached for his
with overwhelming force? She couldn’t stop it. Didn’t want to stop this
barbaric display of wantonness. His hands seemed everywhere as he touched her
face and neck, the brush of his fingers sending tingles throughout her body.
His tongue thrust and took and she groaned and shivered. Every brush of his
hands over sensitive skin sent her emotions into a spin, her body into roaring
life.