Anger (3 page)

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

For working with that bastard Mostyn, they deserved a more painful and lengthy death.

She continued on to the center of the village. The Wardstone of Talleth pulsed gently in greeting. She caressed it, matching its pulse with her own. She could feel the energy in the stone calling to her, and heard the villagers yelling in horror. Absently, she surveyed the swath of destruction that had followed her. Fires broke out as her energy sparked and flared.

She snuggled up to the wardstone, drawing its energy into her body.

She heard the thunder of hooves coming for the village—

the oxen were arriving, and just in time. She smiled, a chilling display to any close enough to see it.

She shut the ward down, drawing the protection into a solid core of magic in the palm of her hand. She chipped off a segment of the stone with her fist and put the energy into it then held it in her hand. This was something she had to do—

the ward power should not be lost.

Alethea sat at the base of the stone, still wreathed in bright blue flame. She herself was now a ward, her body completely protected.

Detached, she watched the wave of oxen wander into the village.
They are really quite destructive.
The merchants and farmers tried rouse the dragon. Tried to gain his assistance. But Mostyn was drunk, could barely stagger out of his house. Alethea giggled as she watched him try to change.
He
can't do it. The bastard who killed my mother is impotent
against the force of nature that sweeps through the village.
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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

The village was only hours from being rubble, and Alethea intended to watch it all.

It is all that she lives for, this revenge. This punishment for those who abused her mother and those who drove her out. She will stay until it is finished, and then her body will burn itself out. The flames of the wards will tear her body apart, and she will turn to ash, just like the rest of them.

* * * *

The villagers stopped their screams and ran for their lives. A tiny part of her rejoiced that there would be survivors and was quickly quashed by the rage.

"No!"

Dragons. There were dragons in the air. They landed and drove off the oxen, doing Mostyn's job. One took point to separate the herd, and two others flanked him to drive them around the village.

One more flew into the ruin of the market and landed. It assessed her carefully. One step at a time, it moved closer and closer to the wardstone. Finally, it's gaze met her empty one, and it changed shape. A warrior now approached her.

The village was still spotted with flames, and more dragons were pouring in to help rescue and evacuate the villagers.

"My name is Rhys. I have been sent here by both the Dragon Council, and your grandparents. You are remanded into my guardianship for the rest of your natural life." His craggy face was gentle, and he continued to advance on her. 25

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

His voice reached her as if from a great distance. She responded absently.

"Grandparents? They are dead."

"No, they are very much alive, and waiting for news of you. You have your grandfather's hair, you know. Brilliant green with silver streaks."

He drew closer. She could see her flames reflected in his soft, brown eyes. Funny, her hands had turned red. She looked down and saw the reddening of the flame crawling up her arms.

She was dying.

"Well, my natural life will not be much longer, so you don't have to worry about me." A grimace of acceptance crossed her face. She could feel her energy leaking out, draining the depths of her soul, oozing out of the wounds torn open by Orala's black stone.

"Ah, I am afraid not. I do have to worry about you." With a swift move of his arm, he punched her in the jaw, effectively cutting off the flow of energy by knocking her out. His knuckles received superficial burns, but his affinity for fire protected him from most of the ward's effect. As she slumped to the ground and the flames died out, he got his first good look at his new bride. He was right about her hair—it matched Kesler's to the strand. If nothing else, it confirmed this was, indeed, his grandchild. He lifted her and took to the sky, holding her closely. He knew just where to take her. The others could handle Mostyn. He had a new task ahead of him.

Taming the Warder.

26

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

Morning light teased across her lids, tickling and demanding she open her eyes. Waking up was hard. Alethea's whole body ached, but her jaw was especially sore. She stretched out her arms and was shocked to find someone in her bed. Except this was not her bed. Her bed did not have men in it. Come to think of it, she didn't own a bed.

"Good morning," his husky voice greeted her. She squeaked in surprise and rolled to escape. He stopped her with one casually flung arm.

"Where do you think you are going?" Her head was still fuzzy, but she replied, "Anywhere but here."

"No. Not until we have a nice little talk." He sat up, and the sheets slid off his torso to pool at his hips. He kept a grip on one of her wrists. It was the dragon from the village. She swallowed hard. She could tell he was naked, and she realized she was as well. She scooted down, and wrapped the sheets around her.

"What is your name, by the way?" She grimaced, "Alethea. Do you often sleep with women you don't know?"

"Not usually, but you are a special case." He smiled at her.

"Uh, how did I come to be here? I don't remember anything." That was not strictly true. Bits and pieces of the days before were coming back to her. His name was Rhys, 27

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

and he was the dragon who knocked her out. How had he done that?

He sighed and scratched his chest with his free hand. She watched his fingers and traced the line of dark hair on that chest to where it disappeared beneath the sheet. She blushed.

"You dropped the ward and waited for your powers to burn you out," he said. "I punched you in the head and took you to a safe place."

"That explains the pain in my jaw. How did you get through my personal wards?"

"One quick hit and a bit of blistering. Fortunately my sister-in-law is a healer of great renown, she fixed me right up."

"You left my jaw to heal on its own?"

"She tried to heal you, but you took a swing at her. You will recover."

"Fine, whatever." She thought about the wards for a moment. "Were there many killed?" She fought hard to keep her composure as the impact of her actions began to flood back to her. People had run for their lives and it was all her fault.

"Only two hunters that I am aware of. Several villagers were burned in the ensuing fires, but they have received healing and are being relocated. Mostyn is in custody at the Citadel, pending an inquiry." He was watching her face, and when her distress crossed her features, part of him relaxed.

"Two dead. Oh, gods."

28

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

She put her head in her hands and sobbed. It was just like the last time Orala had used the stone on her, only then it had been a brothel that was destroyed, one guard burned to death in the fire. Every time she let the anger overtake her, someone died.

She had cried after that death, too.

But this time, something was different. The dragon pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest, letting her sob her grief into his shoulder. She had never had someone try to comfort her before. For the first few moments, she held her body stiff against his. Then, as the warmth and calm of his embrace warmed her, she slowly relaxed. Her sobs quieted after a few minutes, and she went limp against him.

She felt his fingers under her chin, and he tilted her head back to meet his gaze. Compassion was in his eyes, then something else moved within them. She jerked in surprise as lust flared through him and she felt him hardening under her thighs.

Alethea was suddenly very aware of her naked body against his, and his was obviously aware as well. Still holding her chin, he dipped his mouth to hers and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He did nothing else, only teased her lips with his then withdrew and smiled at her.

"Why did you do that?" She was astonished. She had had men force themselves on her before she had gotten control of her wards. Orala had told her it was a lesson in control—when she could defend herself she would be worthy of the power she had.

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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

This was nothing like that.

He cuddled her close. "Because I wished to. And you looked like you needed comforting. And you didn't stop me."

"But, I—"

"Shh. Just relax and rest. Breakfast will be delivered soon." He reached one long arm and yanked the bell pull next to the bed.

"I would like to get dressed." She sat quiescent, his erection still straining against her. He did not seem to be forcing the issue, and he was extremely warm.

"There are no clothes here for you. Or for me."

"What?" That got her out of her comfortable reverie. She bolted off his lap, accidentally putting her hand on his engorged cock as she levered herself off him.

"Ow, be careful!" He curled up and firmly set her on the other side of the bed.

She froze. Once before she had injured a man's private area and it had taken her weeks to heal him. Rhys was much larger than that man...

She prepared to flee quickly if he made a move toward her.

He shifted slightly to give his lightly bruised flesh a little more room.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have startled you like that, given your position." His voice was strained, a light sheen of sweat on his brow.

She blinked in astonishment. "Wait. You are apologizing to me? I just injured you."

30

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"Yes, because I gave you a nasty surprise. Being unclothed in a room with a strange man cannot be a normal occurrence for you. But it would be nice if you expressed some remorse for the injury. Not that I mind your hand on me, but next time use a little less force."

He grinned, and his face was transformed.

"I am sorry to have, uh..."

"Crushed my balls, bruised my cock?" Her face was a furious red. "Yes. Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Apology accepted."

A knock at the door caused her to jump in surprise. Fortunately, he was a safe distance away.

"Ah, that would be breakfast." He slid out of the bed and sauntered over to open the door. An elf in a scarlet tunic carried a massive tray before him. He set it on a table in the corner, in front of the only chair.

Rhys lounged against the wall, completely at ease with his nudity.

"Thank you, Rifal. It was kind of you to agree to assist us."

"Lord Marcus is making it worth my while, be assured of that. Hauling food up to the tower is too much for any of the maids, let alone the scandalous sight of you running around naked."

Rifal turned to Alethea who sat with the sheets clutched to her. "Good morning to you, Lady. I bring the respects of the Lady and Lord of the Keep."

A graceful bow, and then he was gone.

31

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"I don't know about you, but I am starving. The last meal I had was breakfast two days ago." Rhys sat in the chair and beckoned her to join him.

She was ravenous. "But I am not wearing anything."

"Neither am I."

She tucked the sheet around her and crossed to the table with it trailing on the floor.

"Alethea, in this room we are equal, and that means no cheating." He tugged the fabric out of her white-knuckled grip and tossed it back to the bed then seated her by the expedient of pulling her onto his lap.

She locked her fingers together and kept her gaze on them. She could feel the erection that had not diminished with her earlier assault.

He held a piece of fruit to her lips, and she opened her mouth to take it. She chewed slowly, her blush covering her upper chest and arms.

She heard him eating then another tidbit was put in her mouth. This time he gently traced her lips with his fingers before putting the berry in her mouth. She looked at him and was mesmerized by the focus of his gaze on her mouth. She slowly opened her lips to take the berry then snaked her tongue out to lick the juice.

His face flushed, and the skin seemed to draw tight over his cheeks; she felt a tiny flare of power. Alethea looked over at the tray and selected a piece of meat. She began to feed herself, under his fixed attention.

* * * *

32

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

When it was clear she was eating enough to replace the energy she had lost, Rhys resumed his own breakfast. He paused occasionally to watch her tongue dart out to capture a drop of juice or a crumb.

He stifled a groan, closing his eyes and imagining that tongue darting out to taste him. He shuddered with the effort to keep from taking her.

"Well, I am finished. Do you still want more?" She asked the question innocently, unaware he was fighting the image of her beneath him as he thrust into her.

"Yes, gods, yes." He held her still for his kiss. His mouth devoured hers, tasting the sweetness of the fruit she had just consumed. His tongue swept inside to duel with hers, and she raised one hand hesitantly to his jaw drawing her tongue along the inside of his upper lip, tasting him in return. Rhys rose to his feet, striding to the bed and pulling her to the mattress as he fell back, keeping his grip on her. She followed him down with a sudden aggressive lust that startled them both. Her hands ran over his chest, plucking at the nipples and scraping them with the edges of her nails. She learned his textures, and then she began to taste. Rhys smelled her rising lust, her scent that of female dragon in heat. He felt the strength in her hands as the pounding in her blood began to drive out all thought. She shuddered at his grip on her breasts, stroking and plucking gently at the rose-red nipples.