How The Warrior Fell (Falling Warriors series Book 1) (37 page)

Gone was the shy, timid girl who knew nothing about life from the weakest tribe Samaria had. Tiny and petite, Leawyn no longer dressed in the soft, flowing material of the Rhoxolani, and instead took on the garb fit for the Izayges women. Dark brown tops that often showcased her stomach, while the dark brown skirt made from deer hide hugged her hips and thighs, the twin slits in the material at mid-thigh peeked at the creamy skin of Leawyn’s legs with each stride she made. Seeing Leawyn in the clothing of his people made the possessive beast part of him roar in triumph and desire, but Xavier was surprised at the distant pang in his chest he felt about her forgoing her Rhoxolani dresses. Absentmindedly, he made a note to give Leawyn more of his mother’s dresses.

Her hair, though still as bright as the sun’s rays, was longer. The curls draped over her shoulders and back in long, lush waves, which curled a little below her bottom.

And what a nice bottom it is
, Xavier thought to himself with a smirk.

Leawyn was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl Samaria was ever blessed with. Between her bright blue eyes, curly hair, and the soft curves that stopped men in their tracks, Leawyn was the closest thing to a Goddess mortals could gaze upon.

It wasn’t her beauty which captivated Xavier, though. It was the look in her eyes.

The moment her sky blue eyes met his, Xavier could see there was more to this slip of a girl than meets the eye. The defiance reflecting in them both irritated and captivated him. Until that point, no one dared to challenge Xavier. They were too afraid of him. They naturally bowed down to him. But with Leawyn . . . he saw it.

He saw the hidden strength there, deep inside. Nothing about her was weak. It was what captivated him in the first place. But it was the all-consuming love Xavier saw that touched his dark soul. Leawyn loved. She loved selflessly and unconditionally. She was pure good. She was the light of the moon and the stars, guiding him home, and the sun that lit his everlasting darkness.

It was why he was so consumed with her. Why he had to have her, and why he hated her all at once.

He needed her.

“Strip.”

Xavier snapped out of his musing at Leawyn’s voice, and the sound of rushing water penetrated his ears. The fact they were now standing at the foot of a small waterfall both startled and annoyed Xavier. He lost awareness of his surroundings, and that was unacceptable.

“Strip,” Leawyn repeated, giving Xavier a pointed look.

Xavier arched his eyebrow at her command. He gave the commands, not her.

Leawyn rolled her eyes, an action that shouldn’t have amused Xavier but did.

“You can’t expect to get clean if you stay in your bloody clothes,” Leawyn huffed, annoyed. “You need to bathe; you’re filthy, and you stink.”

This time, both Xavier’s brows rose at the comment, an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“I stink, do I?” Xavier said wryly, enjoying the flush that appeared on Leawyn’s cheeks. “If you want me naked so badly, take off my clothes yourself.”

Leawyn narrowed her eyes at Xavier, seizing him up.

Was he serious?

Yes, she decided when Xavier merely held her gaze in a challenging sort of manner.

He was very serious.

“Fine,” Leawyn growled, reaching for the hem of his tunic. She saw the brief flash of surprise in his eyes right before she tugged the ruined garment up and over his head, throwing it down uncaringly onto the ground. She unbuckled Xavier’s belt with deft fingers and, with a swift jerk, pulled it free to meet the same fate as the pants.

She was just reaching for the ties of his breeches when Xavier seized her wrist. Leawyn met his eyes, and seeing the heated look in them, she swallowed.

Oh Goddess help her.

“You have exactly three seconds to take off your clothes,” Xavier said, his voice thick with arousal.

“Why would I want to do that?”

Leawyn was ashamed to admit her voice was just as breathy and husky as his. Judging by how Xavier’s eyes heated more, he could tell the effect he was having on her.

“Time is about to be up,” Xavier warned, and Leawyn’s heart skipped a beat when he fisted the ties to her top around her neck with both hands.

She closed her eyes when Xavier bent, his lips trailing small soft kisses starting from her brow and down her cheek until his lips hovered above hers.

“Decide,” Xavier whispered, and Leawyn tilted her head away from him and lifted her eyes.

When Xavier reached out to grab hold of her, she stepped away from him. Xavier paused, his hand hovering in the air. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before, slowly, his hand fell back to his sides. His eyes never left Leawyn’s retreating form as she walked backwards towards the lake. She paused when her feet were just about to touch the water. She kicked off her shoes first, and then her skirt quickly followed. She could see that Xavier’s breath hitched when she looked him straight in the eye and took off her shirt.

Leawyn tilted her head back to look up at Xavier when he was suddenly standing in front of her. His arm wrapped around her waist and he tugged her to him, his naked arousal pressing against her stomach.

“I’m not doing anything with you until you get yourself clean. You really are disgusting,” Leawyn said, eyeing the crusted blood that covered his arms and shoulders. The only clean part of Xavier was where his clothes had covered him. Even then, his wide chest had streaks of red from where the blood seeped through the material.

Xavier’s lips quirked and his eyes showed his amusement as he looked down at her.

Her nose was scrunched up with disgust, and her hands hovered above his shoulders as if she was unsure if she wanted to rest her palms there.

“If you insist,” Xavier murmured, and before Leawyn could utter a single word, he hefted her up by her waist and tossed her into the lake.

Leawyn let out a startled shriek before she submerged into the water with a splash. A few seconds later, she surfaced, spluttering and coughing water out of her mouth. “Xavier!” She cried in irritation, smoothing her wet hair out of her face. “I can’t believe you did that!”

He stared at her for a moment, saying nothing. Then, for the first time since she’d known him, Xavier laughed aloud.

Leawyn stilled, her eyes widening in astonishment at the sound. It wasn’t his usual low, dark I’m-Xavier-and-I’m-scary chuckle. No, this was a full belly laugh that had his shoulders shaking as if the earth were moving.

It was husky, as if his vocal cords weren’t use to the strain, and deep, just as his regular voice was, but the sound was almost lighter . . . more carefree.

It was so unexpected and memorizing.

“What . . . ?” Leawyn asked, bewildered. Seeing the look on Leawyn’s face, Xavier only laughed harder. Leawyn rolled her eyes at him, but she couldn’t help the grin that spread across her lips and small giggle that escaped them.

Xavier’s laughter abruptly stopped when he suddenly found himself soaked with water. He looked back up at Leawyn, who wore a grin that was far from innocent. Leawyn shrugged one dainty shoulder. “Oops.”

“Three seconds.”

Leawyn frowned.

“What?”

Leawyn’s eyes widened and she covered her face against the splash of water Xavier’s dive caused.

When Leawyn turned back around, he still hadn’t surfaced, and the only thing that remained of his presence was the lingering ripples in the water.

“Xavier . . . ?” Nervously, Leawyn looked around her. Each passing moment Xavier did not surface, the more anxious Leawyn got. He was planning something, she could just feel it, and whatever Xavier plans, usually they did not bode well for her.

Hands grasped her hips, and Leawyn shrieked in surprise when Xavier popped up behind her and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Don’t—!”

Leawyn’s scream was cut off when Xavier threw himself backwards, dunking them both. She gasped when Xavier pulled her up with him, glaring up at his grinning face. “That was not funny!” she growled, shoving his shoulder angrily. Xavier’s grin widened, and she had to try extremely hard not to stare at the sight in awe.

Xavier was good-looking, but Leawyn found that when he smiled, he was beautiful. Perhaps it was because she’d never seen Xavier look so carefree, or perhaps it was because something changed between them last night. Or maybe it was because for once she wasn’t feeling as sick as she’d been the past few weeks.

Either way, Xavier needed to smile more. Because the sight was something to behold.

“It was a little funny,” Xavier chuckled. Leawyn rolled her eyes at him again.

“At least your swan dive made you a bit cleaner,” Leawyn said, looking at the small swirl of red around them. “Still, you need to go over there and wash it off,” she ordered, pointing to the three-tier waterfall off to the side of them.

Xavier didn’t reply. Leawyn took that as his acceptance, and started to swim towards the waterfall. The sound of Xavier’s arms cutting through the water assured her he was following.

The waterfall was located in the deepest part of the lake. The foundation of rocks that surrounded it was in the formation of steps that could be walked up. The rock stairs led to the platform of a small cliff that overlooked the lake and formed a smaller waterfall. Leawyn looked over her shoulder, waiting for Xavier to swim up beside her before she braced her hands on the bottom layer of rocks and hauled herself up. Xavier quickly followed, and together they climbed up until they were standing a breath away from the trailing water.

“There should be some wash oils here . . .” Leawyn muttered, and she walked into the water, to the small cove behind it. When she found what she was looking for, she came back to him. Xavier raised an eyebrow when Leawyn held up the small vile of light purple liquid in her hand, grinning.

“Found it!” she chirped proudly, pulling the small cork off the top and bringing the vile of soap to her nose, smelling it.

“Why are you laughing?” Xavier asked, staring at Leawyn strangely when she started to giggle. Leawyn bit her lip, trying to still her giggles but failed.

“No, don’t,” Leawyn protested when Xavier snatched the bottle from her hand and brought it to his own nose to smell. His face scrunched up and he glared at Leawyn accusingly.

“You’re not washing me with lavender.”

Leawyn snorted, but gave Xavier a stern glare. “I never said I would wash you, and you are too using that. It’s the only one left.”

Xavier snatched Leawyn’s hand and tugged her to him, staring down at her. “The only way I’ll use this is if you’re the one to put it on me.”

Leawyn searched his eyes when his hand up came and gently tucked in a wisp of her wet hair back into place. Xavier stepped back a bit, holding the vial of oil out to Leawyn. Sighing, she took it from his hands and poured some of it into her hand. She lathered a generous amount between her hands before she slowly brought them to Xavier’s chest, rubbing it all over.

It was quiet between them; the only sound was the trickling of water that fell. Leawyn nervously looked up from her task to Xavier multiple times before Xavier stopped her with a hand on her chin, making her keep eye contact with him.

“Ask me.”

Leawyn nibbled on her lip, a nervous gesture that had Xavier’s full attention.

“Did you kill him?” Leawyn asked softly. Hesitantly.

He was quiet for a moment. He seemed to struggle with what to say before he answered her. “No,” he finally said, his voice gruff. “I didn’t kill him.” Leawyn paused in her washing, staring at her hand and the blood she was washing away.

“This is a lot of blood,” she whispered.

“He will not live to see the morrow.” Xavier confirmed her unspoken question. Leawyn shuddered, swallowing around the bile that suddenly appeared.

“Today . . . in the hut, you . . .”

Leawyn’s exhale came out jerky when Xavier placed his finger on her lips, silencing her. “Enough, Leawyn.”

Leawyn frowned around his finger. “But—”

He grabbed the back of her hair and tilted her head back right before he slammed his lips onto hers, his tongue pushing inside to play with her own, effectively silencing anything else Leawyn was going to say.

After a moment, he pulled back, staring down into her glazed eyes.

“I am the Chief of the Izayges, and I will protect every member of my tribe with my dying breath,” Xavier told Leawyn, his voice fierce. “Even against someone I love.” Leawyn’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Xavier beat her to it.

“But I am also your husband, and I will protect you with my life,” Xavier said vehemently, his eyes boring into hers. “You don’t trust me, and I get it, you shouldn’t.” Leawyn’s mouth snapped closed, staring at Xavier in shock. “The only person you should trust is yourself. Trust this.” Xavier placed his hand on Leawyn’s chest, right over her heart. “It’s the only thing that will never fail you. You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” he said roughly, and the thickness in his voice brought tears to Leawyn’s eyes.

“I may have hurt you, Leawyn, and I can’t take that back or make up for anything I’ve done, but I will 
kill
 
anyone
 
else
who hurts you. Who makes you cry. Because I am your husband, and it’s my job to protect you. To protect what’s mine. And you are mine, Leawyn. In every way.” Xavier caressed her cheek, taking in all her features before meeting her eyes again. Staring straight into her soul. “You’re the only thing I can’t stand to lose.”