Underground Captive (50 page)

    
             
The tempest calmed.  Jared grew still, but he didn't roll over.  His shaft stayed buried inside Nicki's enchanting body.  He raised himself up and leaned sideways on one elbow.  "Are ye all right, precious Nicki?" he asked lovingly, brush
ing aside the damp strands of hair from her face.

             
"Yes," came the soft reply.

             
"Did I give ye pleasure?"

    
             
"Oh yes!  The pain didn't last long.  And the pleasure was more wonderful than anything I've ever experienced."

    
             
They lay molded to each other for a few minutes before Nicki felt his manhood stiffening, growing inside her again.  She moaned softly as his slow rhythm began.

    
             
Jared knew his desire for her was overwhelming, but to feel such immediate response to her body after having just spilled his seed was unheard of.  His lips found hers once again, exploring her mouth with deep, probing kisses.

    
             
Waves of ecstatic rapture rose like a tide of white, liquid heat and settled in Nicki's loins, aching and demanding, spreading like wildfire.  Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around Jared's back and arched her body up, giving him access for deeper, fuller penetration.  He murmured his approval.  The tempest began anew.

    
             
She moaned with a senseless, agonizing joy as he probed deeper, expertly inside her core.  Her fingers ran along the planes and whip
cords on his back, along his deliciously curly haired, hard chest.  She drizzled sweet, delirious kisses on his nipples, tasting the hard buds with her tongue.  One long shudder rippled from the tip of her breasts to the essence of her womanhood as Jared used his mouth to lave, lick, and suckle all the places of her throat, chest, and bosom that would give her pleasure.

    
             
A cry of delightful exultation rose in her throat and escaped her lips.

    
             
Jared covered her mouth with his own, kissing her pas
sionately as his thrusts became deeper, faster.  His passion erupted, overflowed, quenching the flame, the fire, with its sweet ambrosia.  She rose to meet him once again.

    
             
Jared laid across her body, drawing in sharp intakes of breath.  When his breathing calmed, he rolled over, pulling her into the crook of his arm.  He kissed Nicki's damp brow.  "Was there anymore pain, sweet bairn?" His voice was gently soft.

    
             
"Only the ache in my soul when I think of the wondrous things your body does to mine.  How, from this day forward, will I ever be the same without your touch?"

    
             
Jared's heart swelled to bursting in his chest.  He loved her more than his own life.  Even though neither voiced the words, her words spoken mo
ments before told him that she loved him, also.  She had given herself to him freely, given him a gift she could give no other man.  He had desired her for so long.  He couldn't nor wouldn't deny the passion that raged like a storm inside him.

    
             
Now that the deed was done, how could he let her go?  Indeed, where would she go?  No other man would have her now.  Besides, he would never,
never
stand for another man to touch her exquisite, beloved body.

             
She was his now.  Now and forever.

             
If he had to, he would marry her to keep her his.   He didn't know how,

but he would marry Nicki and still deal with her murderous brother.  But could he?

    
             
His sweet Nicki had responded to him as no other woman ever had.  Oh, he'd given them great pleasure and satisfaction.  However Nicki had given herself not only lovingly, but with wild abandon
ment and passion to match his own.  His shaft became disturbed once again.  He groaned, but wouldn't awaken her.

    
             
Thinking about the dilemma he was in, a whole different kind of passion emerged--a new hatred for Ricard Duplantier.  Surely, dealing with Ricard would lose him Nicki forever.  He didn't know if he could bear that.

    
             
For a few moments, he was filled with self-contempt.  Dear God, why couldn't he just let go of his hatred and take hold of Nicki's love?  The love that he knew was his?  What kind of a human being was he if he could not give up his vengeful quest?  Was he any better than Ricard?  Or the slave owners, for that matter?

    
             
He should give up his search and let Nicollette's love and laughter fill him up.  'Twas so easy to forget everything in her company, in her arms.  He loved her more than his own life.  But if that were so, he would let her brother live.  Ricard's death at his hands would destroy Nicollette.

    
             
Aye, Nicki was the reason that his heart had softened.  She was the cause of him giving love another try.  But he hadn't told her that he loved her.  Neither had she asked.

    
             
He looked at her sleeping form and saw the peace there.

    
             
If he would allow the grieving process to begin, he would heal.  But he'd never allowed himself to actually
grieve
over Patricia's death.

    
             
Now, the question once again uppermost in his mind was who would he betray?  Nicollette or Patricia?  He'd sworn to Patricia that he would avenge her death.  But she was his past.

             
Nicollette was his future.

    
             
With successful effort, he forced all thoughts from his mind and eventually relaxed.  His eyes grew heavy and sleep finally came to him.  Still, because of this reckless night of passion, the new day would bring new problems.

34  

 
             
A beam of light peered through the half-opened draperies as Nicollette stirred in the great bed, and stretched in Jared's arms.  Her hand stroked the hairs on his chest, titillating his nipples between her fingertips.

    
             
"Hmmm," Jared sighed.  "If ye keep that up ye'll get what ye got last night."

    
             
Nicollette rolled over on top of him, stretching the length of her body to his, feeling the swell of his maleness.  "Promises, promises."

             
             
             
Raising up, Jared flipped her over on her back again, so that his body half-covered hers as he faced her.  "What kind of wanton hussy have I spawned?"   

             
Entwining his fingers in hers, he climbed upon her body to reach her sheath

and easily slid his shaft into her pulsating warmth.  His hardness filled her and she

gladly welcomed him into her body.  She caressed the rippling planes of his back, 

her body falling into the rhythm of his uncontrolled passion.

    
             
She arched up.  Her breath came in long, erotic moans just as his body suddenly shuddered with tremors.  Together, they reached heights beyond the sky, beyond the heavens.

    
             
Jared lay still a moment, resting atop her, his heart burst
ing with love.  He withdrew from her, drenched in sweat, still breathing rapidly.  Pulling her into his embrace, he caressed her damp tresses.  "Nicki," he whispered, smiling roguishly.  "I should have warned ye to be more quiet in yer passion.  Ye may have wakened the entire household.  They're all light sleepers!"

    
             
The household meant Elizabeth Wedgewood and Mary Douglas.  And then they would know!  Something in the far recesses of Nicki's mind told her there was no Mary Douglas, no Elizabeth Wedgewood, no household.  Only Jared.  Jared, who had inflicted a sweet, shattering assault to her body and soul.  Jared, who made her tumble and tingle along the edge of eternity.

    
             
Propping himself on one elbow, Jared looked down at her flushed  contentment.  "Will yer wanton lust keep me abed all day, woman?"

    
             
"This is so wonderful and new to me, Jared, I fear I shall never get my fill."

    
             
"'Twas wonderful, Nicki.  But I assure ye there will be other times."  He got out of bed.

    
             
Her eyes, violet in color now, roamed over his body, scrutinizing every plane and whipcord, the tuft of hair below his navel and his relaxed manhood.

             
Nicki gasped.  "Jared! Are you ill?" she asked worriedly.

             
"Ill?  Nay, why do ye ask?"

             
"S-s-something has happened to your...your...it!  It's no longer big!"

    
             
Jared's laughter floated through the room.  "Nicki, my in
nocent little one.  It only grows when it's aroused.  'Twould be mighty uncomfortable to walk around at the ready all the time.  Not to mention, unsightly for the delicate eyes of gentlewomen!"

    
             
Nicki blushed, chewing on her lower lip.  "I-I knew that," she finally said as she too got up.  She fell against Jared's chest.  Steadying herself, she felt the sore
ness between her thighs.

    
             
"Easy, Nicki.  Maybe ye should lie back down for a spell," Jared said, catching her to his chest. 

             
They both looked down at the bed at the same time.  A fair amount of blood stained the snowy white sheet. 

             
"Jared! Oh! They'll know!" Nicki lamented.

    
             
"Be still, sweet.  I'll remove the sheet myself and hide it away in my chest until I can dispose of it properly."

             
Just then, a frantic knock sounded on his door.

             
"Milord!  Milord!" Mary Douglas wailed.

             
"Milord?" echoed Nicki in an astonished whisper.

             
"Milady!" Jared whispered back.  "What is it,  Mary Douglas?" he asked

with some annoyance.

    
             
"'Tis the lassie, Milord Jared," Mary Douglas cried.  "She's gone!  She's gone!  Nowhere tae be found!  Oh Saints, preserve us!  Please dinna sen' us ba' tae Lismore Castle!"

             
The tears could be heard in her desperate voice.

    
             
"What?" Jared thundered in mock anger.  "Ye let her escape?"  He went to the door and opened it enough to reveal his face, clenching his teeth in an effort to keep from laughing.  "Get ye back downstairs, Mary Douglas.  I suggest that none of ye be within my sight or my reach when I come down.  Ye'd better bloody find her and bring her back here or pray that I do.  Now go!"

    
             
Mary Douglas jumped back, a frightened little noise emanating from her mouth.  She turned and, like a wounded bear, lumbered to the staircase, crying hysterically and loud enough to wake the dead.

    
             
Jared closed the door, securing it once again.  He turned to see Nicki rolling on the floor with part of her nightrail stuffed in her mouth to hold in the sound of her laughter.  The sight of her, squealing with delightful laughter on the floor, her body free of clothes, oblivious and unashamed of her heavenly nakedness, made his heart skip a beat.  Her laughter was so contagious, he tumbled playfully onto the floor next to her, dissolving in the same merriment that con
vulsed her.

    
             
"J-Jared, you can't do that to poor Mary Douglas!"

    
             
"I know, sweet.  I had to think of something so ye can get back to yer chamber," he said, laughing gleefully.

    
             
Sitting up, Nicki frowned.  "But suppose someone comes up and sees me?"

    
             
"They won't," Jared answered, standing.  "They don't dare disobey me."

    
             
Nicollette slipped her gown over her head.  With that done, she stood and looked up into his eyes.  "I think now,
monsieur
, or is it milord?  You should reveal some of your obvious secrets to me.  Just who are you?"