The Battle Lord Saga 02 - Her Battle Lord's Desire (9 page)

on the other side of the tent. Just knowing you’ll be there if I have another one of those

dreams...”

This time he leaned forward and took her hands in his. “Why haven’t you told me you

were still having nightmares, my love?”

“Not as often. Most of the time they wake me up before I cry out and wake you, like they

used to. But all I have to do is hear you breathing, or feel your warmth, then I can go right back

to sleep.” She gave a small shrug of her shoulders, keeping her face averted from his. If she

looked into his blue-gray eyes, she knew she would lose herself in them. And then it would only

be a matter of moments before she would lose herself in his body. Thankfully, Yulen gave her

hands a squeeze.

“Very well. I’ll stay in here tonight. So if you need me for anything...” He left the

invitation open. Suggestive. She knew exactly what he meant. There was no way she could

help the way her heart leaped at the thought, or the way her skin tingled in anticipation. Gritting

her teeth, she tried to beat down those feelings.

“Thank you.” Raising her face, she waited for him to kiss her. But when he got to his

feet and left the tent instead, a sudden tightness in her chest threatened to cut off her air.

It would be two more days before they reached Wallis. Two more days, followed by two

more nights. Two torturous nights.

She prayed she would be able to hold out. Even moreso, she prayed Yulen would

understand and forgive her.

“Atty, time to wake up.”

Drowsily, Atty rolled over and blinked the sleep from her eyes. Her brain acknowledged

the fact that her husband had just left the tent without giving her a good morning kiss, which he

always gave her. He’d also used her shortened name, and not her full name, which he kept for

their more intimate and personal moments, despite the fact that they were alone in the privacy of

the enclosure. The realization saddened her as she got to her feet.

A fresh set of clothes lay on the large pillow next to her. She quickly dressed and threw

some cold water on her face from the basin in the small bathing area at the rear of the tent.

Leaving her hair unbound, she emerged from the tent to see the men having breakfast. A few feet

away, Yulen and Liam were seated around the campfire, in deep discussion with Mastin. Forcing

a smile on her face, she went to join them.

“Morning, boys. One day, Yulen, I’m going to twist your arm to see if Berta can’t come

along with us, just so she can feed us waffles in the morning,” she told her husband as she

accepted the bowl of oatmeal he offered her.

Liam grinned. “You and your waffles. How are the new accommodations, bluebell?”

“Very comfortable, thank you. Cole, were you in on the secret, too?”

Mastin’s smile was her answer. Tossing a lock of hair back over her shoulder, Atty rolled

her eyes. “Please tell me I wasn’t the only one in the compound who didn’t know about it.”

“Actually, it was just me, Liam, Cole, and Madigan,” Yulen admitted. “I didn’t know

exactly how I was going to keep you occupied long enough for the men to get it erected. Thank

goodness you solved that problem for us when you brought down that hog.”

Atty smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Yulen handed her his mug of coffee with honey already added. Their fingers touched

briefly, but she could feel the electricity go all the way down her arm to spark hot between her

legs. She made the mistake of glancing up at him, to see his eyes reflecting his own hunger.

Involuntarily, she shivered.

“Better wear a light jacket,” he murmured. “It’ll probably be raining later today.”

“Oh, great,” she grumbled, adding a grin and hoping she had been able to mask her desire.

She watched as he hurried off to check on the progress the caravan was making getting back on

the road.

“Guess that’s my cue,” Mastin excused himself. “See you again in a little while.” Soon

after he had left the fire, he was giving orders to have the tent lowered and packed.

Atty glanced over at the physician, who was scraping the bottom of his bowl. “Yulen told

me about what you said to him.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Any entreaties for me to reconsider? Any beseeching requests that I go on just one

more?”

She took another sip of coffee. “Why should I? Unless you’re wanting us to.”

MaGrath shook his head. “No. It wouldn’t do any good anyway. My mind’s made up.”

He looked at her in that way he had that always pierced any façade she managed to erect.

“Something happen last night I need to know about?”

She debated with herself as to whether or not she should confide in him. It was a brief

skirmish. “Not now, Liam.”

“Oh, geesh, please don’t tell me I have to add the words ‘marriage counselor’ to my

shingle.”

Atty drained her mug and got to her feet. “Not now, Liam,” she reiterated.

“It’s been a long time since I haven’t seen Yulen come out of the bedroom without a smug

look on his face. This morning he almost looks like his grumpy old self before he met you. And

I can guarantee you, Atty, if I’ve noticed it, the soldiers most likely have, too.”

She shot him a look that let him know he’d touched a nerve. It also told him to back off.

Now.

“All right.” He threw his hands up in defeat. “Sourpuss noted. I think I’ll take my place

around the middle of the caravan today, just so I’m out of the line of fire. But, Atty, if our going

back to Wallis is going to bother you this much—”

“Not
now
, Liam,” she said for the third time.

It seemed to do the trick. The physician threw the rest of his coffee over the fire to douse

the coals, and tossed his breakfast dishes onto the pile on the ground before heading for his horse.

Atty stood watching his back as he walked away. Just beyond him she spotted Yulen

speaking with Mastin and two lieutenants. Seeing her husband standing there in the pale morning

light, in a long-sleeved tunic the same red-gold color as his hair, she felt an emptiness inside her

that surprised her. Her whole body felt spent and lacking. She had no idea how many times she

had awakened during the night and listened for the sound of his breathing as her skin tingled.

She’d lost count of how close she’d come to crawling over the narrow mountain of pillows that

separated them and surrendering to his body. By morning they would have made love at least

once, nuzzling and talking and stroking each other long afterward until they either had fallen back

asleep, made more love, or had been forced to arise and face the coming day.

This holding back was killing her. It was also telling on Yulen. Averting her eyes, Atty

went to find her mare. A good hunt today would help keep her mind off of her worries.

The caravan was soon on the road, although not soon enough to suite the Battle Lord.

There were over two hundred soldiers riding on this trip, and nearly a fourth of them were newly

appointed. Most of them were young men of Alta Novis, men born and raised within the

compound, and wanting to serve under the Battle Lord and protect their homes, rather than take

on a profession or service within the city itself. Young men on their first mission away from

friends and family, green and raw but compensating for their inexperience with enthusiasm and

loyalty. Yulen had felt that the ride to Wallis would be a good trial by fire, especially if they

encountered Bloods.

Letting Mastin know of his displeasure at their tardiness, he let the Second handle the

trickle-down, knowing that the next time they needed to break camp, it would be done in record

time.

Atty let the lead pass her before joining Fortune and Bertrand in line. “We were hoping

you’d come see us,” Bertrand told her. “We have a favor to ask.”

“I’m listening.”

“We want to take up the hunt today without you,” Fortune broke the news, and waited for

her reaction. What he got he didn’t expect.

“Without me?” she repeated, as if he’d punched all of the air out of her.

“We have our reasons,” Bertrand said. “But they have nothing to do with you or your

abilities. Well, actually, they have everything to do with it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re too damn good,” Fortune informed her. “Bert and I want to go out and prove

ourselves to D’Jacques and his men, without you. We’re caste hunters. We earned that right on

our own. We simply want to prove we’re more than capable of feeding them. Do you

understand?”

“Of course I understand. Actually, you’re paying me a compliment.”

Bertrand smiled. “Not angry?”

Atty tossed her head. In the weak sunlight her hair was nearly black in color.

“Disappointed, but not angry. I was looking forward to another day like yesterday.”

“Do you ever go on the hunt outside Alta Novis?” Bertrand asked.

“About once a week, when I get the itch to get away and keep my skills honed. Did you

happen to notice the weaponry on the walls of the main lodge?” Both men nodded. “I’ve sort of

made it a resolution to try and learn how to use each of those pieces. It’s been fun, working my

way around the room. I’ve gotten all the way up to the crossbow.”

“So the next piece would be?” Fortune smiled.

“The mace. At least, I think it’s the mace.”

“Fortune, we need to be going,” Bertrand reminded him. If they were going to feed all

two hundred plus men, they needed most of the day to find enough game, or big enough game.

Nodding, Fortune reached over and placed a hand over Atty’s where they rested on the

horn of her saddle. He started when he saw the slender ring on her left hand, and an old memory

came back to haunt him. Quickly he squelched it. “Are you certain you’re not mad at us for not

taking you along this time?”

“Not if you don’t make a habit of it,” she teased with a hint of seriousness.

When the two men took off, passing the lead, she noticed Yulen’s glance of surprise her

way. When she didn’t reply, he pulled up the stallion and waited for her to make her way up to

him.

“They want to prove to you and the men they can be just as successful on the hunt without

me,” she commented when they were within earshot of each other.

“You do have a way of stripping away a man’s pride,” he said off-handedly.

The double entendre was not lost on her. They continued to ride together without further

comment, until Yulen pulled over from the line and waited for her to join him. There they could

keep even with the caravan, but speak in private.

“Atty, I been wanting to ask you this,” he began, and hesitated.

She kept her eyes on the road ahead, afraid to look at him when every nerve in her body

wanted to lead him deep into the forest to where they could find a small clearing and share the

heat of their bodies as they gave in to their desires. Unconsciously, she lifted a hand to her lips as

they tingled from the thought.

“Are you going to deny me tonight?”

Her hands were cold as they gripped the reins. “Yulen...”

She didn’t need to say anything more. The one word, and the tone of her voice, had given

him his answer. A darkness seemed to close over her as she watched him knee his horse and

gallop to the front of the line, leaving her behind. Dejected, she continued to follow the caravan.

She didn’t feel like conversing with anyone, and by setting herself apart from the rest of the

group, they would respect her silent request by leaving her alone.

The miles passed uninterrupted.

At noon, Yulen called a halt for midday meal. Atty pulled up her horse to find him and

MaGrath already in deep discussion around a small fire. As she approached, they barely glanced

at her as they continued their talk about pharmacology. She ate in silence as she listened, when

the hairs on the back of her neck began to rise. Carefully she scanned the perimeter of the camp

for some sign as to what would have given her warning.

The feeling grew until it drew an icy finger down her back. Slowly, almost casually, she

pulled her Ballock dagger from her waistband, keeping it concealed between her thighs. Her bow

and quiver of arrows were tied to the mare a good fifteen feet away. She’d need a diversion in

order to reach them.

“Yul.”

She knew she would get his immediate undivided attention by using the diminutive of his

name, the name she used exclusively for when they were alone. Slowly she lifted her eyes until

they locked with his over the fire. Without moving her head she glanced sideways toward the

opposite side the road. Silently she formed one word with her lips.

Bloods.

Yulen stood and stretched out the kinks in muscles stiffened from the ride, keeping his

actions slow and relaxed. Behind his back he signaled to Mastin, who was always on the alert in

case the Battle Lord needed him.

Atty continued to appear as if she were eating as she moved the plate to the side. As

MaGrath caught sight of her dagger, he straightened up. It was then he noticed the cautious,

preparatory movements of the troops behind them.

“Well, I’m going to go check on those medicants to see how much I have with me at the

moment,” he announced loudly, getting to his feet. Atty could see his hands shaking as he tried