Read Tangles and Temptation Online
Authors: India-Jean Louwe
Tags: #Erotic Fiction, #Historical, #Lesbian, #Ménage à Trois, #Paranormal, #Romance
Eris knew well what she accused him of, and he was indeed guilty. He had been demanding and uncompromising these past two days. He drew his hand from behind her and gently fingered the pins holding her gown up at her shoulders. His hands strayed down and squeezed a puckered nipple, erotically stabbing through her sheer gown, eliciting a delightful shiver from her. He caressed the aroused tip by cupping her breast in his hands. “Tease all you wish, but I feel enlivened and energetic. Were it not for the rumbling in your tender belly, I would slake my hunger for your delicious flesh. But I must see to your needs first. Come. We shall have our midday meal and retire early.”
The establishment that Eris escorted her to was within walking distance. Although she had hoped to peruse more of the city before finding their meals, Eris had been adamant about her feeding and had led her straight to a grand eating house.
Kyra studied her surrounding avidly and concluded, “By the amount of people and their choice in apparel, I would surmise this establishment as very popular and frequented by the very wealthy.”
The food and wine that was quickly served to them by competent slaves enforced her assessment. Eris nodded at her quick evaluation and grinned as she moaned.
He had brought her here specifically for the food. He dug in hungrily. The meat simply melted in his mouth, succulent and juicy, undeniably lamb of the choicest selection. Flavor burst on his tongue, matured to perfection in its marinade of foreign herbs and decadent seasoning. They also had a fine selection of meat from the sea on their platters, seeing as this was a sea-based port.
He smiled in satisfaction as he watched Kyra’s indecision. She could not choose from the wide variety. She tasted first of the red meat and immediately dived into the white. She tore apart the limbs of the lobster, freshly boiled and richly spiced, and sucked greedily of the shell. She drank lustily of wine that was smooth and rich on the pallet and would tantalize anyone’s taste buds.
Eris stopped eating. He watched in fascination as she lapped upon the juicy meat. Gravy and juicy meat drippings moistened her lips enticingly. She was completely unaware of the reactions she was eliciting in him, in half the men of the establishment. Her feeding was ravenous, lusty, and with eager gusto, so very much like the way she made love. She moaned and sighed, sounds soft and delightful, echoing closely her whimper within the comfort of seclusion behind closed doors. Eris looked around. He narrowed his eyes. It seemed she had aroused the imaginations, the lances, of more than a few male patrons. He chuckled beneath his breath. She had done the same to a number of female patrons as well. They watched her closely, licking their lips and stirring restlessly in their seats.
As Eris continued to peruse the various reactions of those surrounding them with amusement, he spotted a band of six men who sat at a far table. They drank straight from a large amphora, a massive storage vassal for liquid. He did not need much intelligence to surmise what the amphora contained. Their red irises and dilated pupils showed their overindulgence of spirits clearly. Something about the way they looked at Kyra made him uncomfortable. Much like the other patrons, their look was hungry, aroused, but they also appeared to possess a fierce determination, a harsh, ungiving one. By their appearance, they appeared well cultured and wealthy. By their physique, it was blatantly clear that they were no strangers to warfare. Eris continued to study the band. They in turn continued to study Kyra.
Kyra leaned back with a delighted sigh, drawing Eris’s attention. She knew it not, but her husky sigh exactly replicated the sound of utter bliss and contentment. To the surrounding men, they heard only a woman’s breathy completion, of her release. Her face was flushed. Deep red spots formed on her cheeks. Gray twinkled within her eyes. The men saw only a woman fully satisfied, replete. Eris smiled. His erection stirred in anticipation. It would be only
his
ears that would hear her true sigh of completion. Only
his
eyes would see her expression of thorough satisfaction. His shaft jerked, and his feet stirred. “Come. We are leaving.”
* * * *
“Must we walk with such haste? I have a wish to see more of this beautiful city.” Kyra breathed hard at the punishing pace he kept.
Eris pulled her along impatiently. “I have a wish of viewing something equally splendid.”
Kyra’s feet tangled as she caught the look upon his face, the brilliant spark within his eyes. She cooed cunningly, “You make haste. I have a hope your eager lance shall not continue with such haste toward your untimely completion.”
The look Eris directed at her seared through her body, arousing a delighted tremble. His voice was filled with heat, promise. “Have no concern in that quarter. I shall have you scream your pleasure to the heavens
many
times before I find satisfaction.” He tossed his head impatiently around. “Mayhap I can find a darkened alley.”
That was all the stimulation Kyra needed. Her steps kept pace with him. She harbored no illusions. A hot, eager session in an alleyway may get her immediate satisfaction, but her body hungered for something more, something drawn-out and lasting. She relished the challenge of testing the limits of her carnal desires—and the strength of his endurance.
A young boy skipped directly in their path, halting them in their hurried steps. Eris growled impatiently, “Watch your step, lad. We could have run you over. Step aside, as we are in haste.”
The boy did not budge. He stammered in a trembling voice, “Your horse, sire. I bear a message requesting your immediate presence.”
Eris frowned. “What is the matter with my horse? It was hale and healthy upon my arrival.”
The youth shrugged. “I bear just the message, sire.”
Kyra watched as Eris looked at the building a short distance away—their destination. He addressed her as he tossed the boy a silver coin and watched as he loped away. “Our housing lies just ahead.” He pointed the building out to her as he continued, “I shall see to this errand and return to you anon.” Kyra nodded and, sensing the urgency in his voice, quickly moved away. His voice stopped her, “Kyra, go straight to our room and do not allow anyone admittance.”
Kyra completed his statement for him with a smile, “Except you.”
Eris laughed as he turned on his heels and sped away.
Kyra’s mind was fully immersed in wild speculations and heated expectations. She understood the cravings in her body but could not understand the speed and depth with which it consumed her. She laughed lightly. She had been given a slight advantage. She would scent her body and remove these cumbersome garments and await Eris in the nude—a seductive pose upon their bed. Her laughter deepened. He had boasted about the lack of speed at which he would climax. She would test the speed at which he undressed.
A deep voice halted her thoughts and steps. “Your laughter would best be suited to the confinement of my chamber, hushed by my pillow, swallowed by my mouth.”
Kyra stared at the daring man before her. She tossed her head back defiantly. “My laughter drifts where it wills and neither at the request nor command of a man.” She studied the man before her closely. He appeared very large in build, muscles bunched threateningly in affront.
“You have a wicked tongue, but it matters not. I can offer it lessons in more pleasurable arts.”
She clicked her tongue impatiently. “Mayhap you should first procure lessons for your tongue before approaching a woman. Your brash, unsweetened approach is somewhat lacking, and I find my interest not piqued at all.”
Her words seemed to enrage the man, but his reaction was quite expertly stifled. Kyra simply witnessed the darkened storm that brewed in the black pools of his eyes. His hair was long and tied back, like most warriors, and he held himself with military discipline. But Kyra could not see further than that sudden spark in his eyes. It was a spark of pure malice, and promised retribution. It was not a sound idea to provoke this man further. Kyra smiled politely and quickly changed tactics. “I am afraid I am spoken for. Please excuse me.”
The man did not budge as she carefully circled him. Kyra felt the tension in him. It radiated from his body like waves of blistering heat. But he offered no obstruction to her path. Kyra frowned at his easy retreat. She had not expected it. But just as she was about to sigh in relief, she spotted the reason for his lack in restraining her further. Her containment had been timely, seen to beforehand.
Two hard, tightly packed bodies suddenly deterred her escape. She stared at the men as they crossed their arms and refused to allow her through. She turned, seeking another way. Behind her another two men, and to the side a single giant of a man, appeared. They took up the similar intimidating poses. Kyra was forced back. She shivered uncertainly. They had surrounded her, effectively blocking all paths of her escape, and she was left to contend with the leader at the center, the man with the cruel voice and evil eyes. She faced him and squared her shoulders. She prayed her voice did not reveal the tremor within her. “Who are you? What do you want of me?”
The man’s voice grated, low and threatening. “I am a man, and I want what any man would want of you.” His look, cold and calculating as he perused her body, answered her questions more fully. They wanted her body.
Kyra hissed in anger, “You would offer insult to the Gods by performing such a heinous crime as raping an unwilling woman. You have either a lack of fear for the Gods’ strike or a wish for your soul’s premature departure from your miserable body.”
The man laughed without humor. “I would not rape, my innocent-minded, enticing little morsel. I would tickle your innermost desires until you shall plead for deliverance. You shall demand satisfaction. You shall beg.”
Kyra scowled in distaste. “Were your words more appealing to my ears or your appearance more enticing to my eyes, perhaps I would have found a glimmer of belief within me. However, at present I harbor none but distaste and shock at your uncommonly high aspirations.”
The man’s eyes narrowed dangerously. He stepped forward menacingly. “Then perhaps I shall incur the wrath of the Gods for the simple pleasure of seeing the reddened smear upon your lips, as you bite your wayward tongue while I plunder into your hot, velvety depths and possess your body forcefully.”
* * * *
Eris knew the moment his footsteps echoed through the large stables that something was gravely amiss. There were neither stable hands nor slaves about. His own slaves and warriors were out, probably getting a well-deserved rest but most likely in some alehouse getting drunk. He spun on his heels immediately without seeking his horse. This was naught but a trap, and he had fallen blindly, foolishly into it. Since no one had attacked him, he assumed he had simply been an obstacle forcibly removed, quite masterfully diverted. His heart thumped as his feet hit the ground running. The danger lay with Kyra.
He flew passed startled strollers. They quickly made way for him. Those who were not fortunate enough to avoid him were thrust unceremoniously from his path. He had not left her long, but it had been long enough. Ignoring the shouts of outrage as he trampled over unsuspecting people and ran heedlessly on, he knew one thing for certain. If someone had harmed a single hair on Kyra’s head, that someone would pay with his life—
by his hand
.
Finally he spotted her. She was surrounded by the same men he had failed to pay sufficient heed to, and now Kyra may pay the price for his carelessness. So great and overwhelming had his yearning for her been, he had ignored the threat that his gut had labeled as foe.
He sprinted down the crowded path, violently thrusting away any that stood in his way. His rage was complete, a healthy dose directed at himself. He should have never fallen for such a foolish trick. He should have seen her safely sheltered before leaving her. As he prepared to leap into the fray, a silent figure stepped into his path.
Eris’s feet ground to a halt with an angered shout. “
You!
”
The woman before him fluttered her lashes. “Well, I do not believe I have had the pleasure of knowing you—y
et
.”
Eris stared at her. It was the same woman who had strolled past as they had arrived at the city gates. Kyra had been fascinated by the woman, and he had labeled her a harlot, high-class and lofty in status but a harlot nonetheless. It appeared she was much more than just that.
She smiled coyly. “We can, of course, remedy that immediately.” She thrust forward her ample bust and crushed it against his chest. Eris scowled. He ignored her advances as he peered over the vibrant curls piled high on her head. The man who held Kyra captive suddenly grabbed at her.
Eris roared in rage as he cast the woman aside. She cried out as she collapsed in an inelegant heap on the ground. Eris heard and saw nothing but the man’s hand on Kyra and her scream of terror. His sickle was already swinging as he leapt into the unsuspecting group. The man turned to him in shock.
Eris had eyes only for Kyra. She seemed unharmed, albeit a little shaken. The look of relief that crossed her face upon sighting him caused his heart to squeeze painfully. She held faith in him, even though he was greatly outnumbered. The realization shone within him like a brightly lit torch, a beacon fueling his soul and kindling his heart. She trusted him to save her from this danger. And he would.
The man grunted impatiently and addressed the woman upon the ground. “Your instructions were clear. Keep him
occupied
.”
The woman rose and dusted her hands. She snapped as she flung bedraggled strands of hair from her face, “Do I have the appearance of one who attempted not?” She tossed her head away, affronted.
Eris used the distraction to his advantage. He grabbed the closest warrior to him and plunged his fist into his face. Expectantly, the man hardly flinched. These were seasoned warriors. He had surmised that much. Eris swirled his sickle threateningly before himself and steadily made his way to Kyra’s side. The men parted but did not disperse. Eris reached out without taking his eyes off them and pushed Kyra behind him. With her safely behind him, he was free to unleash his fury.