Goblin Moon (11 page)

"Mmmm, warm,” she breathed against him and sensuously stretched out on the soft bank.

"Are you all right, Kathy?"

Kathy slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at the muscular giant looming over her. “Yes. I'm
very
all right,” she replied and smiled.

Deep inside, Tearach felt a glowing warmth at her response. He had satisfied her well and that left him feeling at peace. “I warned you. Goblins have a great deal more stamina than humans. At least, that's what we've always been told.” He pushed her hair away from her face and wrapped his arms about her shoulders. Her fingers began a steady stroking motion over his biceps. He considered not telling her that the whiskey they drank was probably spiked and he feared the very thing he'd warned her about had been accomplished. Shayla had been up to her tricks. The newfound stillness in his heart had him waiting for just the proper moment.

Kathy took her time looking him over. “Where did all this muscle come from? Do Goblins work out?"

"There are a great many ways to keep in shape here, most of them related to work. And having great physical strength helps us survive. It's how we've withstood thousands of years of war, famine and any number of adversities."

She snuggled deeper into his embrace. “You've never told me what you actually do for a living. Is your work that physically demanding?"

"It can be,” he said as he stroked her hair again. “Goblins are makers of weapons. My specialty is making just about any kind of knife. I also help mine semiprecious stones used in the Druid arts."

Kathy sat up. They were talking as if nothing unusual had happened. As if they were two lovers passing the time in conversation until they were ready to make love again. Seeing his perfect body made her abdomen flutter. He was just too masculine to be real. All this had to be a lustful dream of some kind. She'd wake up back in her London apartment and laugh at herself and her depraved imagination. Imagine lying in some primeval forest, making love to a mesmerizing creature who wasn't supposed to even exist.

He sat up next to her, stroking her back as he did so. “What's wrong? Don't you remember what happened last night?"

"Yes,” she murmured, “I remember everything."

"Then you realize I didn't force you."

"No. I'm responsible for my own actions. I've just never behaved like this before. It must have been all the whiskey."

He sighed heavily, briefly closed his eyes and decided to tell her what he suspected. “I don't know how to say this tactfully, but I have more than a hunch that we were drugged. I don't usually drink spirits the way I did. Shayla and the Druids know of certain herbs that can induce a person to drink more than they should. I hate to even believe she'd sink that low, but I doubt I'm wrong about this. I couldn't put the alcohol down which leads me to believe there was some tampering."

His soft, low-timbered voice caused chills to go up and down her spine. “If she did such a thing, and I get my hands on her...” she angrily began.

Tearach placed his fingers over her lips. “There's nothing we can do about the circumstances now. We have to live with what's been done. It's my fault for not being more careful. I should have checked all the food and beverages in my cottage. Shayla is nothing if not determined."

"What if I'm pregnant?"

"Then Shayla will have gotten the results she sought,” he grimly responded.

Kathy sat up and stared into the distance. That Shayla would actually use some kind of magic or conjuring to induce a sexual situation was despicable. Still, something in her heart didn't reject the beauty of the encounter. She was still furious, however, that the Sorceress would stoop this low.

Tearach moved slightly away, waiting for her enraged response. He saw several confusing expressions pass over her face and couldn't fault her almost perfect control. He couldn't read how she now felt, but he wasn't about to admit regret over their sexual encounter. It had been exciting.

"I won't say I'm sorry, Kathy. It would be a lie if I did.” At one time, that admission would have been impossible to share or even accept. She was supposed to be his enemy. But, he wasn't the same person as the day before. He doubted he'd ever be the same again.

She kept her silence and watched as he clenched and unclenched his hands. The muscles on his magnificent body rippled as he moved. Every curve, line and plane screamed power, endurance ... and pleasure.

He let out a slow breath, called upon his reserve of patience then stood and held out his hand. “If you're pregnant, I'll be beside you. You won't have to go it alone. I'd never do that to a woman."

She stood beside him and placed her hand in his outstretched palm. “If what you say is true, I can't blame either you or me for what that Sorceress of yours has done. And she'll take the consequences."

He shook his head in warning. “Let me deal with her, Kathy. You still don't understand the depth of her powers. This time she went too far, and I'm the one who needs to confront her."

She considered him for a long moment. “Tearach?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry, either.” She lifted her chin. “I'm not. But that woman can't manipulate people this way. It isn't right."

"I agree on that point.” Tearach stood very close to her. Her blue-green eyes searched his face as if she were looking for something in his expression. Not for a single instant did she show any sign of losing her damnable, stoic control. It riled him. His body already ached for her again, and the woman stood there gloriously naked and seemingly oblivious to his growing erection. Worst of all, he couldn't even blame it on an herbal inducement this time.

"Come with me,” he softly murmured and led her back into the Moon Pool. After taking several steps into the water, he turned and held out his hand for her. She hesitated only a moment.

"What are we doing?"

He led her into the middle of the pool before answering. Spray from the tiny waterfall drifted over them both. The water was warm and inviting. It only reached breast level on him. Although she was a tall woman, Kathy had to tread water. He reached for her and pulled her against his chest. Her arms looped around his shoulders as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

He cupped some of the water in one hand and let it run across the bite wounds on her shoulder. “Does this hurt very much?"

"No, just stings a bit,” she breathed.

"You might have been hurt."

She gently touched the area he bathed. Nothing would ever make her admit how wonderful that bite had been, what it had done for her. Even now, the slightest pressure against the wounds caused her insides to melt with expectation. She was beginning not to care so much about the drugged whiskey, but she wouldn't admit it for the world.

"What purpose does it serve? The biting, I mean."

He stopped his ministrations. “Don't tell me you didn't feel that bite go through your entire body. I was holding you when it happened, remember? It's for stimulation. For eliciting the exact response you had. Though I didn't know it would work the same on a human woman."

All right, so he knew how intense the orgasm had been. He couldn't possible know how much she wanted it again. But, the games they were playing could prove dangerous. If he hadn't already gotten her pregnant the next time could end up that way. Previously, their excuse had been coercion through drugged alcohol. If they made love again, there'd be only themselves to blame. And yet, the idea didn't frighten her. Her hand automatically dropped to her abdomen.

Tearach didn't miss the movement. He looked for the concern in her blue gaze and saw only wonder. Turning her body in his arms, he pulled her back against him and began to stroke the place where her hand lay. Fear took the place of any other emotion in him. If she carried a child, it wouldn't live. She'd be put through months of waiting only to see her baby die. No. It would be
their
baby. The death would be on both their heads. Until he was certain about her condition, Tearach vowed not to leave her side. And, if she was pregnant, he'd do everything in his power to help her through it. While the baby was sure to pass from this life, he might be able to save Kathy's. He was the one ultimately responsible for the sexual relations they'd shared. He knew the Sorceress’ determination and should have been more careful. Kathy's life shouldn't be forfeited because of his mistake.

"I told you, no matter what happens, I'll be with you Kathy. If you're worried, we'll think things out. You might not even be pregnant."

His strong arms kept Kathy very warm. The water relaxed her. She closed her eyes and leaned back against him. The palms of his powerful hands gently pressed against her abdomen and it felt wonderful. How many women friends had she heard complaining about the careless natures of their husbands or lovers. As soon as those men found out their relationships had resulted in pregnancy, the love interest was over. Through the weight gain, sickness and pain, the men had often found other places to be and, sometimes, other women to bed. Her own fiancé had talked her into delaying marriage when she discussed starting a family.

Something deep inside Kathy told her Tearach was different. What would he do for the woman who was able to give him a healthy baby? What would it be like to hold one in her arms? A sweet, helpless little thing born into the world with magic and legend as its heritage. What would such a child look like? Her or Tearach? It didn't matter who it looked like because she'd love it no matter what. It amazed her that she could rationally think about such things when she should be frightened or angry or both. What was happening to her?

Tearach couldn't begin to guess what Kathy was thinking. As usual, she was a complete enigma. Any other woman would have been crying or flying about in a helpless rage. Truth be told, he wouldn't have blamed her if she had fallen apart. Look at what had happened to her. All because she'd taken a morning run in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Kathy took on the thoughtful expression he was so used to seeing and he knew she was beginning a logical, practical break down of the problem at hand. For the thousandth time, he wondered what it would take to finally see her lose it entirely. What catastrophic event could elicit a real, bonafide outburst from her?

She turned in his arms and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. Some ancient feeling of bonding stole through him. “The sun will be up soon. We should get back to the cottage and send for the Sorceress."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I'm afraid I won't be able to control my temper if she admits she drugged us. Besides, we'd be playing right into her schemes if we admitted what we've done."

"We have to talk to her nonetheless. She can tell us whether or not you're carrying a child."

Kathy shook her head in disbelief. “That's just not possible. She couldn't tell so soon."

"It
is
possible, and she extracted a promise from me to send for her after we mated. If it ever happened at all, and I never intended it would."

"You mean that because of a chemically induced loss of inhibition, you're going to fill her in on all the sordid details? Have her perform some archaic ritual in which she tells me if I'm pregnant or not?"

"It's the way things are done here, Kathy."

"But I'm not one of you and shouldn't be expected to play these infantile games."

He stared at her. “Thank you for relegating what happened to us as a childish contest!” He turned away and reached for his clothing.

Kathy hadn't meant to put it so tactlessly. But they wouldn't have engaged in such exotic sex if it hadn't been for Shayla's antics. They wouldn't have had sex at all. She began to shiver. Despite the water's heat, she suddenly felt cold and very alone. She watched him dress before exiting the pool herself. He picked up her clothing and handed the garments to her. She accepted them though he made no eye contact.

"While you're so concerned about what has happened to you, the Sorceress is concerned about what happens to an entire race. Despite the fact that I've vehemently disagreed with her on the matter of bringing an outsider among us and her shenanigans since, I made a promise to her. If you're pregnant, there won't be a repeat of any ‘
infantile games
.’”

Some part of Kathy was hurt. This whole situation was the result of a command which had been forced upon him. Because of her tactless remark, maybe she deserved his anger. But she'd already heard his enthusiastic yet careful acknowledgment over their tryst. Goblin or not, he was all male. And men usually wanted more sex from a woman, even if they had been tricked into the initial encounter. For that reason, she'd never allow another sexual scenario like the one they'd just shared, no matter how satisfying.

"You're right. There certainly
won't
be another night like this one, whether I'm pregnant or not."

Kathy's sarcasm was the final straw. Tearach turned on her, ready to say something scathing, but he couldn't do it. She was as much a victim as he was. But he'd actually felt some softness in their lovemaking, and she obviously hadn't, despite her words to the contrary. That was the human part of her showing its ugly side. He needed to remember her race probably couldn't look beyond Shayla's tampering and consider the exquisite nature of their encounter.

"I'll be waiting in the next clearing. Get dressed,” he said tersely.

Kathy watched Tearach push through the shrubbery and felt remorseful. She shouldn't have been so damned heartless with her words. But it hurt to think that, despite their drug-induced state, he might only want to have sex to make good on his promise. Worse, that he'd run and tell Shayla everything they'd done was infuriating and the real cause for her anger. They shouldn't let the older woman know she'd won or she'd try other divisive means to control them. And how many others in this forest would know all about their sexual business before another night passed? To her, it was something between them. Something sacred and private. Not an occasion Shayla Gallagher needed to gloat over and analyze. Time would ultimately tell if she was carrying a baby. Not some Druid-dressed mystic.