Hadaen [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book One (13 page)

Lightning flashed somewhere
outside.

Chapter Nine

A
melia woke to the strong scent of coffee.

Surrounding that was the fresh smell
of nature: wood, earth and water. She could hear feet shuffling
around quietly. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed herself to go
back to sleep. At least that could buy her a little time before
she'd have to face him again. Especially since what had happened
between them only a few hours ago.

Sex with Hadaen Maruj had felt good.
Too good; not that she had anything to compare it to. But he had
not only invaded her body but her soul as well. Their manas had
touched...mingled in a bonding ritual. She had felt alive in so
many ways than which she could account for.

And now that she had had sex with him,
Amelia knew there would be no turning back.

"I know you're not sleeping," his
voice came softly against her ear. The baritone sexiness of it all
made her shiver. Hadaen chuckled. "Get up for me and drink
this."

"In a minute..." She groaned against
the pillows.

He teased a finger lightly down her
back. "I do know more persuasive ways."

Amelia trembled and opened her eyes.
"You're a cruel man."

Something sparked in his eyes. "You
haven't come close to seeing cruel yet."

Eyeing him curiously, she sat up and
pulled the blankets with her. "What time is it?"

"Around eight." Hadaen handed her a
mug of steaming black coffee. "You've been mumbling for coffee in
your sleep."

"What?" Amelia felt outraged. She
wondered what else she had been muttering about.

"Yeah. Seems like mortal life has left
a mark on you

She sipped the warm liquid and moaned.
"This is great coffee."

"Show your gratitude to
Esyth."

"I need to ask you something." She
stared down into the mug. Might as well get it over
with.

"Okay." Hadaen moved in closer and sat
before her on the bed. Amelia inched back a bit.

"Could you--you know...move back a
little? I can't think when you're so close."

Hadaen let out a laugh and shook his
head. "Woman, you endanger my ego!" But when she glared at him, he
quickly sobered and eased back. "Okay...There. Happy?"

Amelia continued. "Esyth said that I
have a destined mate. The Holder of the Beacon. I'll just take a
wild guess and say that's you."

Hadaen stood at that point, scratching
his forehead. "It's been foretold for many years. The priests have
been hammering it into my brain since I was a child."

He didn't miss the way her pupils
shook. "You are my destined mate?"

"You say if as if it's a terrible
thing."

"Well... No, it's not. It's just
that..." She gripped the blankets tighter and placed down the mug.
"Did you know?"

"For some time now."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her eyes
were accusing now. "I had to find out from... Well, not exactly
find out but you know what I mean, damn it! Is that why you wanted
so badly to initiate me?"

Hadaen rubbed his forehead. "No. I
didn't know at that point. All I knew was that I saw a beautiful
girl one morning below my balcony and I wanted her. I went with my
gut, Amelia. My instincts. It wasn't until you...ran away and I'd
seen the inscription on your necklace that I knew for
sure."

Amelia's hand shot up to her neck,
rubbing along the delicate outline of the necklace. She spoke
softly, almost a whisper. "I hadn't noticed the inscription." A
frown overrode her features and she stood, the blankets carefully
wrapped about her. "I should get dressed. And get on with the day.
Lots of things to accomplish."

He could feel the height of her
anxiety. She was scared. Terrified. That much to--

Hadaen pulled her into his embrace and
sucked gently on those luscious lips. He then inhaled deeply and
brushed a lock of hair from her face before piercing her gaze with
his.

"You won't run from me again," he told
her. "I won't stand for it. Understand?"

She barely nodded. "You can let me go
now."

But he didn't. Instead, he pulled her
into a tighter hug and crushed his mouth over hers, drawing her up
on her toes and swallowing her purred moans.

"I'll never get enough of you," he
says, acknowledging the thickening cock in his pants. "Sleep with
me tonight."

Amelia cocked her head to one side
daringly and smiled, pushing away from

him. "I'll be sleeping in my tent
tonight, Hadaen."

His cock jumped at attention, in
search of the newly presented challenge. "Woman, I will fuck you
right out in the open if I have to. And then I'd kill anyone else
who managed a glimpse of that sexy ass. So take heed not to tease
me. I will be coming to your tent. Tonight."

Amelia laughed and picked up her
coffee, batting her lashes at him.

"I see you're not a slow
learner."

* * *

T
he sweep of the valley spread out along the green land, misty
air swirling around lush vegetation. Hadaen stared out at the open
fields that stretched out for miles upon miles and smiled to
himself. They had done quite a great job at hiding the Marujan
kingdom. It was situated just twenty miles from where he stood on
the huge boulder by the outskirts of the village. But to the mortal
eye, to the non-Marujan...the enemy, it was just an empty land
marred by fresh weeds and bitter-sweet winds.

And he was content with that, at
least. For he knew Deorci would come soon. To release his
wickedness and spread bloodshed again. But Hadaen would be damned
if he lost the battle this time. He had many to avenge--including
his father--and his woman to protect. He knew Gideon would fight
well; his brother was bred too from the best of lineage. And they
would fight for freedom.

Liberty, they would have. Liberty, he
would not lose.

"I thought I'd find you
here."

Hadaen blinked. He knew that voice.
The soft timbre. The vixen-filled tone. The intense chamomile
fragrance that whiffed through the air. He turned around to face
his apparent stalker.

"What are you doing here,
Sienna?"

She laughed. "I live here, my
lord."

If Hadaen was surprised by her claim,
he did not show it. "Explain yourself."

The copper-haired women moved about,
hands tucked inside the pockets of a black leather jacket. "I left
Maruj two weeks after the end of our...fling. It had seemed a wise
decision then since you had found other...interests. I was sent
here to help out with the Elders and such. Petty stuff. I suppose
it was punishment enough when my father found out I had been merely
warming your bed."

Hadaen stiffened. He knew she was
speaking the truth. "My intentions were made clear from the very
beginning."

Sienna nodded and smiled, wryly. "Of
course. I knew my place."

"And I pray you still do." His voice
was as clipped as ever. "What do you want?"

"Didn't you get notice? I shall be
training your intended on the morrow. The Elders have agreed that
I'd be the perfect teacher. Of course, there had initially been
votes out for you but since you're fucking the girl--"

Hadaen moved fast, the speed of his
pace sending her hair whipping back from her face. He had her by
the arm, his expression speaking volumes of his anger. "Do not
utter another word. Let me take this time to warn you. You will
train Amelia the best way you can. Hurt her and I won't hesitate to
commit murder. Your father may be noble but I'm the one who holds
the Marujan throne. Do not cross me."

Sienna seethed and pulled her arm
away. "It's nice to know you haven't changed one bit. Besides, why
would I hurt her if she is the one who also holds the key to our
freedom from Deorci?"

Hadaen eyed her and stepped back,
riveting his gaze back out to the open land. "She'll be
ready."

"As long as she learns what's to be
learnt quickly. Deorci will attack soon and we must all
prepare."

"Good."

He could feel her edging closer but he
didn't much as blink an eye.

"Do you remember that time when we
were--"

"No. I don't." Hadaen's reply came
fast and sharp, cutting her words mid-sentence. "Our memories
together are long forgotten, Sienna. You should do the same and
erase them from your mind."

A moment of silence swept between them
until she came up next to him, following his gaze. Her face lit up
and then went somber again. "I haven't been there in decades. My
father had made it clear what a disgrace I was to him." She
chuckled sadly. "Mother silently consoled me. She was always the
weak one."

Hadaen glanced at the pain riding her
striking features. She was beautiful, always had been. One of the
most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. What Sienna lacked
was Amelia's soft loveliness...the gentle beauty that called to his
soul. He hated revisiting the past...digging up the memories that
scarcely meant a pebble to him now.

"You had spread rumours about me
taking you as my wife."

"And why had that seemed such a
horrific idea? I was no common tramp and yet I let you have your
way with me day and nights."

"I had no intentions for a wife," he
simply stated.

She scoffed. "Could've fooled me...
Then Lady Marza went bragging about you taking interest with one of
her girls." She spat fiercely at the ground. "A common one at that.
Imagine my humiliation."

"What do you want, woman? An apology?
You made your bed and you damned well wallowed around in it. I
never forced my way between your legs. We both had sought pleasure
from one another. We had a grand time. Now move on."

Sienna nodded and tucked her hair from
her face. "I caught a glimpse of your brother an hour ago. He
seems...fascinated with Esyth. I would have greeted him
but--"

"Last I can remember, Gideon never
liked you."

Hadaen could hear her heart thud with
dread. He was being harsh on purpose. Her words were sincere but
the balance in her energy seemed a bit lop-sided.

"Why do you hate me so?"

He turned to face her, his arms
crossed and his stance wide. "You might be Marujan but I don't
trust you. Not right now. I want to be there while you train
Amelia. Tell the Elders I will have it no other way."

"As you wish, my lord. Who would
question Lord Hadaen Maruj's desires?"

She gave him a half bow and walked
away, back in the direction of the tents.

Hadaen cursed lowly and frowned.
Infuriating woman! The last thing he had expected was to run into
her here. He knew Sienna all too well. Knew her right down to that
scrawny dragon tattoo on the inside of her right thigh. He hadn't
questioned at the time where a well-bred noblewoman like her had
managed to acquire one such as that. But it had tormented his
dreams many nights after she had brought him over the edge after
hours of carnal delicacies.

Now, he could care less. He did not
trust her. Mystery still swirled around that copper head and
simmered deep in the pools of her emerald eyes. He'd keep a close
eye on her.

When he returned to his tent a short
two hours later, he was surprised to see Gideon there, lounging on
his bed and peeling an orange.

"Don't you have a tent of your own?"
Hadaen said irritably, kicking away his brother's boots which lay
idly in his way.

"Not nearly as comfortable as yours, I
can tell you that. I saw that red-head you were with some time ago.
Had no idea she was here."

"Me either." Hadaen picked up a flask
of brandy and sipped on it. The intense liquid warmed his insides.
"Said she's the one who'll be training Amelia."

Gideon grinned. "No shit! I better
come take a look from time to time then. You could use the extra
hand in case any fights break out there."

Hadaen glared at his brother. He took
everything for a blasted joke.

"Why exactly are you here?"

He started pegging the orange,
dropping the tiny scraps on a small outspread kerchief. "Hiding.
There are some wild women in this village, Hadaen. They want me."
Hadaen laughed and watched as his brother fumed. "I'm serious.
They've been snooping around my tent, man. And they haven't been
too discreet about it."

He chuckled. "I hear you've been doing
some snooping yourself."

Gideon looked up at that point and
plucked a firm peg of fruit in his mouth. "What do you
mean?"

"Don't play dumb. You know what I'm
talking about. You and Esyth."

A red shade crept up into his
brother's face. Hadaen’s jaw almost dropped. Did--did Gideon
just...blush?

"What gave you that idea?" Gideon's
fingers shook as he finished pegging the rest of the fruit. Hadaen
watched attentively. Interesting.