Lisia's Journey (16 page)

Warm liquid coated the head of his cock as his shaft brushed over the wet lips. He

reached between them, guided his cock to her opening, pushed into her. Her inner

muscles clenched around the head. He threw his head back, desperately trying to keep

control. Her tight sheath rippled over his cock as if to pull him deeper into her pussy.

She moaned brokenly, her nails digging into his back. Her mouth searched for his

almost desperately. She brushed nipping kisses across his lips, but he wanted more

than those quick hungry kisses. His mouth opened over hers and his tongue drove deep

into her mouth. He claimed her mouth possessively as his cock pushed into her

clutching pussy.

They broke apart panting. Her breasts brushed against his chest as she wriggled. He

had to move. His hips rose and hers met each descending stroke. She was his mate in

every way, matching his hunger. Her feelings washed over him, the desire and need,

but more was there in the wave of feelings radiating from her. His own hunger kept

him from focusing on them. He wanted this to last too much. He barely had any control

right now.

He felt the intense rush of pleasure hit her a breath before her inner muscles

clenched around his shaft. She arched her body as her thighs tightened around his. Her

climax ripped away the last of his control. His hips drove against hers. Jets of semen

spurted into her sweet, clenching sheath as a wall of fierce sensation slammed over him.

He collapsed on top of her, feeling as if she‟d just drained every drop of energy out of

him. His muscles trembled and he doubted if he could even stand. His. His woman. His

mate.

He nuzzled his face against her neck, savoring their combined scents. Her lips

brushed his shoulder and her arms tightened pulling him closer. Her contentment

washed over him. He knew if she‟d been in animal form, she‟d be purring.

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Lisia’s Journey

Lisia wished for just a few minutes alone, some time away from the eyes, the noise

and the questions. Especially the eyes. It was impossible right now. A new surge of

rescued people had arrived early this morning. She wouldn‟t be getting any time alone

soon. There was too much to do.

She didn‟t know if she could make it through everything she had to do today

without some kind of tension release. Her nerves were drawn so tight that she felt as if

she‟d explode. And it was all Jarritt‟s fault.

He‟d kept a close eye on her since that day he‟d punished her. It was as if he

expected her to just take off running and he wanted to be close enough to catch her. If it

had only been him, when he was with her, she could have handled it. It wasn‟t. He had

some of his men watching her.

She could feel his suspicion, the lack of trust. It was ripping her apart. She hated it.

She didn‟t know how he could think she‟d be so upset that she‟d run into the woods. Or

whatever he thought she was going to do.

She couldn‟t just walk away from him. Honor and custom had absolutely nothing

to do with it. She had no idea when it had happened, but she loved the man. Stubborn,

irritating and doubting though he was. When she was in his arms, everything felt right.

Unfortunately, in the last few days, that was almost the only times things felt good

between them. The suspicion and anger had made things between them tense outside

the bedroom. Her mind kept circling. She couldn‟t stop thinking about his distrust.

How could he miss how she felt about him? It was there for him to feel. She knew

that he loved her, had known even before she recognized her own feelings for him.

How could he think she‟d leave him over such a minor tiff? Admittedly, she still didn‟t

know why he‟d reacted as intensely as he had, but she wasn‟t planning to leave because

of it. She knew she had a lot to learn about him and planned to learn everything.

“Have you finished placing the last of the refugees in
marrohls
?” Arik strolled over

to her.

She glared at him and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. He wasn‟t the man

guarding her, but she saw him every day. Right now she was irritated with all of the

men guarding her. She had a feeling Jarritt had told the man to keep an eye on her.

“I‟ve found places for all of them. The only problem is the meal tonight. The meals

had been started. No one told us until moments before the people started arriving, but

we‟ll handle it.” Lisia rolled her shoulders trying to ease a little tension.

“Good. I‟m sure the meal will be wonderful.” Arik nodded looking around as

people went about their duties. “The
Shi’an
will be pleased.”

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Rebecca Airies

She‟d be pleased if the
Shi’an
would see and feel what should be obvious. She could

understand that he was tense because of the pirate attacks. All the men were. She

couldn‟t understand why he didn‟t say something or talk to her. The man wasn‟t shy.

It was almost time for the meal when Jarritt came into the
marrohl
. His eyes

searched the main room until he found her. She started toward him before he saw her.

She needed to hold him and talk to him. Her nerves were stretched taut and she hadn‟t

left the city in a week. She needed to at least walk through the forest. A run would be

better.

“How was your day?” Jarritt asked. His arms wrapped around her as soon as she

got within reach.

She hugged him back. Just being near him felt good. She leaned into him.

“It was a little stressful, but good. We found a place for everyone. I need to talk to

you after the meal.” She leaned back and looked up at him.

She felt the tension shoot through him. His body stiffened. She blinked. What was

so startling or upsetting about what she‟d just said? She frowned and stroked her hand

over his arms.

“We‟ll talk,” he said, stepping back and nodding.

His face had hardened and the only emotion she could feel from him now was

something close to determination. She looked up, but didn‟t have the time to ask him

what was wrong. He gave her a searing look. His eyes ran from her head to her toes in

one long hungry sweep before he left to go talk with his men.

That was the last time she even got within touching distance before it was time to

eat. He talked with his men during most of the meal, only pausing to ask her a few

questions about where their temporary guests had been put and if there had been any

problems.

Lisia sat beside him getting a little angrier each time he brought up some

unnecessary subject for discussion with those around him. She wanted to talk to him

after the meal, but she‟d also like to talk to him about his day, just relax with him. She‟d

been here long enough to know that this wasn‟t the way things usually happened.

Finally, the meal was finished and he stood. Lisia looked up at him as she rose. His

jaw seemed tight and his mouth was pulled into a grim frown. She wondered what was

behind it, but her focus remained on getting some time outside the city.

“Let‟s go sit and you can tell me what you need to talk about.” Jarritt rested his

hand low on her back.

She nodded and walked with him to the group of chairs near one of the large

hearths. She took one of three seats and expected him to take one of those next to her.

He dropped into a chair opposite her and tented his fingers.

“What did you want to tell me, Lisia?” His head tilted to the side and he relaxed

back in the chair.

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Lisia’s Journey

She knew that calm voice and relaxed demeanor were all part of an act. The tension

she felt from him was enough to make her want to pace.

“I need to talk about the restrictions you‟ve put on me. They‟re driving me insane.”

She took a deep breath. Calm, she reminded herself. Remain calm.

“You will have guards. The pirates could come back and until we find a way to

detect them, it‟s too dangerous.” His voice was hard and he didn‟t even pause to think

before he answered.

If he hadn‟t been giving her those suspicious looks for days, she might have

believed that. The threat of pirates wasn‟t the only reason for his denial. She‟d expected

resistance, but she‟d thought he‟d at least talk about it first.

“I don‟t want to go around without guards. Don‟t try to tell me it‟s all about the

pirates because I‟m not that gullible. I just need to get into the forest for a while. I need

to run a little, Jarritt.” She moved restlessly in her chair, wanting to get up and start

pacing. With effort she resisted the urge. The cat within her was going insane confined

to the city.

“You won‟t be running in the forest.” He leaned forward and his eyes locked on

hers.

His attitude spoke volumes. Without saying the words, he‟d just told her what he

expected her to do. He thought she was going to try to leave him. She wanted to

strangle him.

“I‟m not going to run…” She stopped her heated response when a hand lightly

touched her shoulder.

She whipped her head around to see who it was. Anger still pounded through her

veins. If she couldn‟t get his permission, she was going to do it without it, regardless of

the consequences.

“We need your help, Lady,” Renee said. She stood just behind Lisia, her hands

hanging at her side.

Lisia opened her mouth to ask if it could wait, then looked back at Jarritt. A break

from the argument might be just what she needed. She was too angry right now to talk

about the issue rationally. He looked just as grim as she felt. Maybe a little time would

help him too. It certainly couldn‟t hurt.

“I‟m going to see what they need, but I‟ll be back. We will talk again. I haven‟t

finished discussing this.” She wasn‟t going to back away from an argument. She needed

some kind of release.

He nodded.

Lisia turned and accompanied Renee out of the room and into the kitchen. As the

door closed behind her, she looked around the room, expecting to see something

wrong. Nothing was burning on the gleaming stoves and none of the women looked

upset as they moved around the spacious room. She couldn‟t see anything out of place

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Rebecca Airies

on the counter tops and all of the women seemed to be working smoothly. Everything

looked as it should be, not even a bag of
tela
flour spilt on the tile floor.

“What‟s wrong? Why did you need me?” Lisia turned to Renee.

“I asked her to go get you because I could see you were about to get into an

argument with the S
hi’an
.” Myra‟s voice came from behind her.

Lisia looked over her shoulder and smiled as she watched Myra, the wife of one of

the older men, come fully into the kitchen. “It wouldn‟t be our first argument and it

won‟t be our last.”

“I just wanted to give you a little information before you go into battle with him

over something you might not want to if you had the information,” Myra offered as she

walked over to the large work table.

Lisia joined the woman, curiosity piqued. “What can you tell me that would make a

difference in how I react? I‟ve been kept in this city for days. I need to get out and move

in the forest. He didn‟t even try to listen to me.”

“He‟s not intentionally being blind to what you need. There‟s something in his past

he should tell you about that‟s coloring his decision.” Myra wiped a hand over the

gleaming, light brown surface.

“Something in his past?” Lisia tilted her head.

That was mysterious enough to make her want to go out there and start asking

questions right now. She didn‟t. She wanted a little more information than that before

she began asking Jarritt any more questions. Especially in his current mood.

“Yes, you‟ll have to ask him, but once you hear about it, I think you‟ll understand.”

Myra glanced over at her. “Be patient.”

“Patience isn‟t easy when my skin‟s prickling with the need to change and to go

into the forest. I wouldn‟t even have to be alone. I‟d gladly go with him.” Lisia ran her

fingers through her hair thoroughly frustrated. “Is he going to want to talk about it or is

it something I‟m going to have to work at getting out of him?”

“You might have to work a little.” Myra grimaced. “It‟s not something I‟ve heard

him even mention.”

Lisia sighed loudly. This wasn‟t going to be easy, but if she wanted to know why he

felt so strongly, she‟d have to push through his resistance. And knowing that reason

might be the difference between getting him to see her side of the issue and having to

go against another order.

“Thank you for the information. It helps, but it doesn‟t change the fact that I have to

make him listen to me somehow.” Lisia smiled at the woman, but her mind was already