The Seducer (Viking Warriors) (11 page)

“A moment, husband.” She cupped his jaw. “Will you take me while you are still angry with me?”

“Nay. I will never join our bodies in anger or as a punishment. ’Tis too precious to waste so. I was but furious that you had not confided what you planned to me. Two heads are better than one, Elaina.”

“I had expected you would not speak to me when I returned to the hall.” She traced his jaw.

“Ah, but Ainslin took your seat while you were changing. She explained what they planned and suggested that I act the lovesick fool all think I am.” Jarvik studied her from hooded eyes. Her eyes had flickered to his for a mere breath at the word
lovesick,
then dropped to the mattress.

“But ’twas my suggestion to add the sheets. Brilliant, no?” Jarvik had had enough of talk. In less than an hour glass’s time, he would have to leave, and loving was on his mind. “I had my page bring a bowl of cream and strawberries to the turret.”

That siren smile stole over her lips. “And I asked one of the kitchen maids to leave us two spiced balls.”

He caught her chin. “Because you feared my anger?”

“Aye. I thought to persuade you to forgive me.”

Gathering her close, he nuzzled her cheek, nipped her lobe, and savored the lavender wafting from her hair. “I fear, Elaina, that I will never have enough of you.”

“Nor I you, Jarvik. May I ask a boon?”

“Only one?”

“Aye. I will trade you the balls for the cream and strawberries?”

Somehow Elaina persuaded Jarvik to draw straws for who went first. The siren won.

Jarvik studied his wife, naked, unbound hair skimming delightful caresses over his flesh when she painted a dollop of cream at the top of his twitching cock.

“’Twill not stay on. Tell your lusty fellow to cease jerking.”

“Methinks he needs to be cleaned and you start again.”

“Hmm. I do like the taste of cream and a man’s honey.” Tossing her hair over one shoulder, she bent to daintily scoop cream from his crown. Jarvik’s balls hardened and his lusty fellow thickened. He groaned.

“Untie me, sweetling.” Why he had agreed to such torture? Because her green eyes had shone with desire at the notion. “Turn around, Elaina. Let me have your puss. Sit on my face.”

She glanced over her shoulder, eyes wider than walnuts, and grinned. “Such things we can do. Aye. For I am aching.”

Valhalla on earth. Her puss on his face, hair curtaining her woman’s perfume, his nose buried in her center. He tried to ignore the hot mouth covering his cock, her slow exploration of his length, the way she sifted his stones and rolled them gently. But when she took one ball into a moist, hot suckling, he tore the thin linen binding him to the frame.

Catching her by the waist, he turned her to straddle his groin. “Ride me. Hard and fast. I will not last.”

She wore the siren smile the entire tortuous wild ride. Long tresses flicked his skin, grazed his nipples.

“To me.” He tugged her down to capture her breasts. His mouth fixed to one, one hand kneading the other, and he drew hard on her nipple.

She created a rhythm, a fast canter, and the sweet friction built and built until he knew he would be unmanned. Reaching between their bodies, he found her nubbin, and pinched, a hard, long pinch with nails. Her puss fisted his cock, milking his semen, and draining his stones.

Though he wanted to stroke her, pet her rump, tickle her ear, his body was spent. Not even a finger could he lift. Her damp breasts, with their taut buds grazing his chest added to his contentment. The long silk of her tresses slid over his sides when she snuggled closer, and he managed to land his hand heavily on the curve of her waist.

Combing her hair to one side, he nudged her chin and grinned at her heavy-lidded stupor and dreamy smile. “Did you fill your belly?”

Her brows pinched, and she slotted one lid open. “You are hungry? I cannot move.”

“Nay. I only wanted to know if you needed aught.” Jarvik trailed his finger from the cusp of one shoulder to another.

“You and sleep.” She turned her cheek into his chest and let out a long sigh.

She did need him. Not as much as he needed her, but soon, soon he would bind her to him. Soon she would tell him of her love. He shifted so that he held her, but could slip away easily without waking her.

He gauged the time to be near half-night and waited, content to hold his wife until she was in a deep slumber. Jarvik had not expected his brothers to so readily agree to slaughter Eógan and all his ilk, but mayhap he had misjudged their experiences. After all, Ruard had slaughtered Lord Ulfric and his warriors to ensure Catriona and Gæierla’s safety, and Njal, peacemaker though he might be, had not hesitated to kill the step-uncle who had so betrayed Bettina.

Elaina did not twitch an eyelid when he left the turret.

He had arranged for Garek to remain behind to guard her and the girls, and he found his captain waiting at the entrance to the turret.

“When my wife wakes, take her to our babes, and dog their every move.”

“They are not to leave the keep? I stationed a man outside the women’s chamber earlier. He overheard plans to visit the troubadour again on the morrow.”

Jarvik studied his captain’s twinkling eyes. “I sense there is much left out that your man heard.”

“Naught of import. I sat above the salt this eve. ’Twould seem all the local noblewomen plan to order harem dress from their seamstresses. ’Twas a brilliant strategy.” Garek clapped him on the shoulder.

Thought of by his brother’s wife, but Garek need not know. “When my brothers and I return we will go to the bath house afore coming to the keep.” ’Twould not do to have either king witness the stench and stains of battle.

“Aye. Your brothers and the other warriors await you in the forest with Háski.”

’Twas a short distance to the clearing in the forest.

“Greetings, brothers.” Jarvik mounted Háski and gathered the reins. “What is the plan?”

“You and I head to meet Eógan and his warriors. Ruard and Njal will skirmish with the Moraemers. They take a cart to bring back bodies.” Torsten’s destrier sidestepped and he quieted it with a gentle nudge. “I sent a few men ahead afore the meal this eve to take the lay of the land. There is a peninsula close to Moray that borders your new keep Skjebne. We will engage them there.”

Njal dragged a hand through his hair. “We should be back at
Laufsblað Fj
ë
llóttr
by dawn at the latest. I will break the news to the monarchs while you and Elaina, the babes, Torsten, and Ainslin and their children are on your way to Skjebne.”

“Why so many to escort us to Skjebne?” Jarvik had hoped to have Elaina and the babes to himself for the first few months.

“Caution, naught else. We may not get all of Eógan’s men and ’twould be good for all to know The Bear of The North is at the keep.” Njal flicked his reins.

“Ride with Thor, brothers.” Torsten dug his heels into his steed and the warriors separated.

* * *

Bright sunlight streamed through the turret’s open shutters, awakening Elaina from a deep slumber. She stretched, memories of the night bringing a smile, but rolled over to find Jarvik long gone. The linen where he’d lain was cool to touch.

They were to move to Skjebne today. Already Elaina’s head filled with plans for improving the keep, tending a new garden, choosing a room for grinding, mixing, and drying the herbs she needed for healing, organizing a bower for the women, and so many more notions. A big smile curved her lips. Kateri and Kitti were going to love the beach and the waves, and their new chamber.

She hopped out of bed, dressed, and headed to the girls.

“Good morn, Elaina.” Catriona, surrounded by children of all ages and sexes, sat on the floor of the nursery. “Your Kateri fell asleep on Beauty’s belly, while Kitti claimed Beast.”

Elaina surveyed the two wolves she and Deidra had nursed from pups, Beauty and Beast. The girls had learned to walk holding onto the wolves’ tails, and the two animals had adopted the babes as their own.

“The girls recognized them, then?” Elaina sank to the floor.

“Aye. I know not who were more excited, the wolves or the babes.”

Situated on the third level of the keep, the nursery was an enormous square chamber with three large windows carved into one wall. The shutters stood wide open and streaming rays of morning light brought dust motes and leaves from the rushes into a shimmering dance. Playful breezes tempered the sun’s warmth, and the songs of birds celebrating the summer’s zenith wafted through the room.

All the women lounged in different corners of the nursery. Ainslin played Fox and Geese with her twin sons. Elaina had met the boys, but could not tell Rob and Brom apart.

Gæierla, with Inga on her lap, sat next to Ainslin and both girls watched the progress of the game.

Bettina followed her babe, Saxski, as he crawled over to the wolves, stopping every so often to pick a speck of dust from the floor and pop it in his drooling mouth.

“Saxski sits well, and he is very agile with his hands.” Elaina remembered well the girls’ curiosity at that age.

Bettina pried a struggling moth from the toddler’s hands. “He will be as strong as his father.”

“And as stubborn as his mother.” Njal’s deep voice startled Elaina, who jumped.

Shoulder jammed into the doorframe, his gaze met Bettina’s. Some unspoken communication prompted Bettina to transfer Saxski into Elaina’s lap.

“Is aught amiss?” Bettina went to her husband, who whispered in her ear.

A sense of foreboding crept up Elaina’s back. Jarvik. “Where is my husband?”

Njal cleared his throat. “He went ahead to Skjebne. We are all to escort you and the girls there, once King Cnut and King Máel Coluim depart.”

Elaina fought the urge to find a steed and fly across the miles. She stood, holding the boy. “And when do the monarchs leave?”

“They are preparing to do so as we speak. Can you ready your girls quickly?” Njal twined his fingers with Bettina’s.

Elaina’s stomach coiled. What had gone amiss? “Aye. We have not much to pack.” She hugged Saxski and kissed his forehead before handing him to Bettina.

“You and I will ride ahead. My brothers and their wives will follow with the carts. Make haste, Elaina.”

She stared at Njal, searching his face for clues. “Carts?”

“Aye. The little ones come with us.”

That could only mean that the brothers planned on staying at Skjebne for some time.

It took all the control Elaina had learned in hiding not to demand to know what had happened. She obeyed Njal’s dictates, and before the sun rode mid-sky, they were on the journey to her new home, Skjebne.

Elaina waited until they had cantered at least a quarter the distance twixt the keep and Skjebne. She whirled her steed around and halted, blocking Nyal. “What is amiss?” she demanded.

“Jarvik is wounded. We need to get to Skjebne quickly. He has need of your healing skills.” He looked grim.

His words scored terror and dread straight to her stomach. “How bad?”

“A sword to his belly. A graze on his shoulder. Other nicks. ’Twere it not for Háski standing guard o’er him when he fell…” Njal shook his head. “Ride hard, Elaina. He has lost a lot of blood.”

Nay. Nay. She had not just found happiness only to lose it. She dug her heels into the steed’s sides and urged the horse into a full gallop. The miles flew by, and all she could see was Jarvik’s face, that wicked smile, those amazing blue eyes, and the golden halo of his hair. He had vowed to protect her and the babes to his death. Pray the lord, let it not be so.

By the time she’d dismounted and flew up the stairs to the master’s chamber, Elaina was frantic with worry. Njal on her heels, she held her breath and approached the bed. The curtains were drawn.

The healer in Elaina, the years of caring for others, steeled her rioting emotions. She inspected the room and shook her head. ’Twould not do.

“Njal, we need a smaller chamber. Assign men to scrub it from top to bottom with hot water and soap. I want linens on the bed that have been boiled and dried.” She grabbed the bed curtain, pulled it open, and gathered her courage. “Go. I must needs look at him now.”