TheRedKing (3 page)

He gazed at her while she quickly finished cleaning her
healing supplies and returned them to the leather bag. She put it back in the
trunk, then poured water from the pitcher into a basin and washed her hands,
then dried them. She released her hair from its confinement, picked up a comb
and ran it through her tresses.

“Come to bed.” His voice was soft, but still commanding.

Delia’s heart beat faster. She placed the comb on the table,
then climbed into bed. Lying on her side, she faced him.

He rolled toward her and they held each other’s gazes. Reaching
out, he touched her cheek with the back of his hand.

Should she move? Touch him back? She wasn’t sure how this
worked. A short time ago, when he’d kissed her, she hadn’t questioned herself.
She’d simply responded to the feelings he roused within her. But now—

As if reading her mind, he placed a hand on her waist and
pulled her closer to him. His mouth covered hers and she closed her eyes,
moaning softly. She felt his lips curve into a smile before his tongue slid
into her mouth. Hers met it and she threaded her fingers through his hair.

Areus pressed her onto her back, his mouth never leaving
hers. When he finally broke the kiss, it was only to trail his lips along the
side of her neck. His tongue flicked her ear and she quivered. It tickled, but
it felt quite nice. While kissing and licking her neck and ear, he lightly
caressed her breasts through their cover of silk. His palms roamed slowly over
them, then he gently squeezed first one, then the other. He swept his thumb
over her sniff nipples and passion shot through her like a flaming arrow.

Delia moaned and arched her back. Areus cupped her breast
and kneaded it, then he moved lower on the bed and covered her nipple with his
mouth. He licked and sucked it, dampening the silk. Frustratingly wonderful
sensations threatened to drive her out of her mind. Over and over he lapped her
nipple, then worried it with his teeth.

“Oh!” she cried softly and tightened her grip on his head.

“You like that,” he said, his voice deep yet soft like the
purr of a great cat.

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Good.” He slowly pulled up her shift and his calloused palm
stroked her smooth inner thighs, then he palmed her soft mound.

“Areus.” Her heart pounded with anticipation.

“It’s only the beginning, Delia,” he said. “There’s so much
to explore between us.”

She believed him. For the first time it crossed her mind
that this marriage might actually work.

Areus’s fingers combed through the thatch of hair between
her legs, then left her only to pull her shift farther up her body. Delia
quickly tugged it over her head and tossed it aside.

Gazing at her breasts, Areus caressed them. He kissed the
smooth, pale flesh, then flicked his tongue over her nipples. The direct
contact on her skin was exquisite. He took his time, sucking and licking her
right nipple while caressing her other breast. When the stiff little bud became
so sensitive that the gentle sweeps of his tongue almost hurt, he moved to her
other.

Though she loved the attention he was bestowing on her
breasts, she enjoyed touching him just as much. His body was so different from
hers—hard and rough where she was soft and smooth. His long, sinewy limbs
fascinated her, as did the expanse of his lean, hair-dusted chest. Her
fingertips explored every part of him she could reach, learning by touch the
curves and planes of his muscular body and the ridges of his many scars.

Reaching down, she caressed his tight bottom and squeezed
the hard spheres. His muscles tensed, making his gorgeous backside harden even
more.

His cock, stiff and covered with velvety skin, pressed
against her and she wanted to touch it, learn its shape and discover how to
give him some of the pleasure he was giving her.

She reached between them and touched it tentatively.

Areus turned onto his back. Taking her hand, he guided it to
his cock.

“Hold it,” he said in a hushed tone. Only the rise and fall
of his chest and the rock-hardness of his cock betrayed his arousal. His voice
was calm yet commanding and at that moment she trusted him, at least as far as
allowing him to guide her through this first coupling experience.

She did as he ordered, curling her fist around him.

“That’s right.” He covered her hand with his, showing her
how to move it along his velvety shaft. “Good.”

“You like that.” She repeated his words to her, a faint
smile on her lips.

“Oh yes.” He chuckled softly. “I like it very much. You have
magical hands, Delia.”

“You flatter me.”

“No. If you knew me you’d realize I never flatter anyone.”
His voice drifted as she stroked him a bit faster. She slid the foreskin down
enough to expose the slick, dark-pink crown of his erection. A droplet of
moisture appeared on the little slit. She stretched her thumb toward it and
smoothed it over the bulb. Areus groaned. He allowed her to stroke him a few
more times, then he pushed her onto her back again.

“I like touching you,” she admitted, not sure if that was
appropriate to say or not. She didn’t care. It was how she felt.

“I like you to touch me, but keep that up and I won’t last long
enough.”

“Long enough?”

“To please you, and I fully intend to please you, Delia.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond, but she liked the sound of
his words. She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue just before he
kissed her again. His tongue swept over her mouth, then he kissed his way down
her body, pausing only to lick each nipple before continuing his descent.

When he reached her soft mound, he guided her legs over his
shoulders and slid his hands beneath her buttocks.

Heavens, was he going to…

At the first swipe of his warm, wet tongue on her sensitive
nub, she gasped, then moaned as he licked and sucked it. Delia had never felt
anything so marvelous in her life. Her hips lifted upward and he tightened his
grip on her bottom, controlling her movements. Every stroke of his tongue on her
clit pushed her toward something fantastic yet inexplicable. Her breathing was
out of control and her heart pounded. Her nipples tingled and the flesh between
her legs throbbed and ached. Over and over he flicked his tongue along her clit,
then he changed to relentless upward strokes that nearly blinded her with
sensation.

She moaned and panted. She’d never felt anything like this
before. How could anyone endure this much pleasure? How was it even possible?

Another few licks from his skilled tongue and she shattered like
a glass goblet on a stone floor. Waves of intense sensation broke over her and
she wasn’t sure if she was moaning aloud or not. He continued licking, drawing
out her pleasure. While she was still pulsing in a breath-stealing climax, he
swiftly covered her body with his. The tip of his cock pressed against her throbbing
pussy lips. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but she was so drenched that
he eased into her with minimal discomfort—in fact she was still so lost in her climax
that she was torn between ultimate pleasure and the unfamiliar feeling of his
big, hard cock slowing filling her. There was a sharp pain and she gasped in
surprise.

“Delia,” he breathed. “Are you—”

“I’m fine,” she said in a tremulous voice. The pain had
already started to fade. His hard cock was inside her, his warm, powerful body
so close to hers. It made her feel strangely safe and more desirable than she
had ever imagined possible. “Better than fine.”

He released a pent-up breath and slid in deeper, his hands
braced on either side of her head. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze. Dark
pupils nearly filled his green irises. His lips were parted and his expression
intense.

As he thrust into her, she lifted her hips to follow his
rhythm. Slowly she felt those wonderful, orgasmic sensations building again.

“Oh Areus,” she murmured. “This is so… I never thought it
would be like this.”

“Neither did I.” He covered her mouth in a deep, passionate
kiss.

He continued thrusting and she closed her eyes, wrapping her
arms and legs around him. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered his
wound and was about to remind him as well, but he was pumping faster now. Harder.
It felt so wonderful that she didn’t want him to stop.

That tight, near-to-bursting sensation overtook her and she
cried out his name as she climaxed again, even harder than the first time.

“Delia!” he called. He thrust fast several times, then every
muscle in his body tightened and he came, spilling into her, claiming her.

He relaxed slowly and moved slightly to the side, his body
still half draped over hers and his face buried in the crook of her shoulder.

Delia closed her eyes and enjoyed the aftermath—the warmth
of his body against hers and the sleepiness that overcame her. He moved off her
and moments later she felt a damp cloth between her thighs. She opened her eyes
to find him gently bathing away the blood of her deflowering. She hadn’t felt
embarrassed or shy when he’d taken her, but this intimacy made heat rise in her
face, yet it also touched her deeply. This caring gesture was the last thing
she’d expected from the fierce warrior king.

“You needn’t do that.” She reached for the cloth, but he
wouldn’t release it.

“So you can wash away my blood but I can’t do the same for
you?”

“I didn’t mean… I don’t know what I meant.”

“You’re an unusual woman.” He finished with the cloth and
tossed it into the nearby basin. “This should be an interesting experience.”

“What?”

“This marriage.”

She couldn’t argue with that, even if she’d wanted to.

Areus returned to bed and lay on his back. She turned toward
him and he tugged her close, so that her head rested against his chest.

Moaning softly, she smiled and fell asleep to the slow,
steady rhythm of his heart beneath her cheek.

* * * * *

The next morning Delia awoke alone in bed. She sat up and glanced
around for Areus, but he was nowhere to be found and all his belongings were
gone.

Someone tapped softly on the door.

“My lady?”

It was Echo.

“You may enter,” Delia said and the maid stepped inside.

“I’m here to help you dress.”

“Have you seen Areus?”

Echo looked a bit uncomfortable. “He left for Lortia about
an hour ago. I thought you knew.”

Delia felt as if someone had just slapped her. After last
night, how could he have left without even saying goodbye?

“No. I didn’t.” She managed to sound much calmer than she felt.

“Sir Rain and the four other guards from Lortia are breaking
their fast in the great hall. They’re to accompany you to Lortia when you’re ready.”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready,” Delia murmured.

“My lady?”

“I suppose we should leave right away. As much as I don’t
want to go to Lortia, I don’t want to stay here either. What do you think our
chances are of sneaking back to the convent unnoticed?”

Echo smiled sadly. “As much as I’d like to go back as well,
I think that’s probably the first place they’d look for us. Do you think Lortia
will be so terrible?”

Last night she had been almost eager to start her life with
Areus. Now she was back to being angry with him again. Apparently their
coupling had meant far less to him than it had to her.

“Maybe not,” Delia lied. “Besides, if I don’t conceive, in a
year we’ll be back at the convent for good. Having been soiled by one man, my
father wouldn’t have the chance to marry me off to another and without an heir,
Areus certainly won’t want me.”

“All I want is for you to be happy, my lady.”

“Thank you, Echo. And you? Will you be happy in Lortia?”

“I don’t know. Some of the guards are quite attractive.
Maybe I’ll find a husband too.”

“If you do, I hope your marriage is happier than mine.”

Echo’s brow furrowed. “Did he hurt you last night? I don’t believe
I’ve ever seen a more intense-looking man. Those eyes of his cut right to the
bone.”

“No. He didn’t hurt me.”

At least not physically.

The sting of how he’d left without a word wouldn’t be forgotten,
nor would it be forgiven.

Uncomfortable silences stretched between rare bursts of
minimal conversation during Delia’s journey to Lortia.

Sir Rain and the guards had been surprised that Delia had
asked to leave for Lortia so soon. Guests would celebrate the wedding for another
two days, but she had no desire to sit and smile among them, feeling keenly the
absence of her new husband.

She understood the importance of his presence in Lortia, due
to the threat of war, but Zaltana would always be a threat. She couldn’t help
wondering if he didn’t have another reason for returning home so quickly—another
woman, perhaps? Maybe a servant who warmed his bed? Delia couldn’t imagine that
a man as lustful as Areus had been celibate.

Laws in the Western Continent were generally lenient toward
men regarding affairs after marriage. Unfaithful women were often subjected to
public humiliation, flogging and sometimes even execution.

Delia hadn’t expected to care if her husband preferred other
women. If the wedding night had proved painful or disappointing, she wouldn’t
have given a second thought to him sating his lust with someone else.

The wedding night hadn’t been at all what she’d imagined.
Though loath to admit it, she had enjoyed their coupling immensely and had been
certain he felt the same. Apparently she had been wrong. He hadn’t even
bothered to say goodbye.

If he did have another woman, Delia might not be able to
fight them legally, but she could do everything in her power to make their
lives miserable.

Or maybe that was a bad idea. Why should she give him the
satisfaction of knowing he had touched her when she meant nothing to him?

At dusk, Sir Rain announced that they had reached a good
place to stop for the night. Delia and Echo would sleep in the coach while the
men took turns on watch.

Already halfway to the castle in Lortia, they should arrive
by the following dusk.

Seated by a fire, they ate a light meal and Delia decided to
question her escorts about Areus.

“What is your name?” she asked the youngest guard. Tall,
slim and beardless with dark-brown hair, he looked no older than twenty.

“Cyril, my lady.”

“How would you describe the king?”

“A great warrior,” Cyril said.

“Yes, I’ve heard, but that’s not what I mean. What kind of man
is he? Do you like him?”

The guards looked a bit uncomfortable.

Sir Rain said, “He’s a good man and a good king. That’s a
rare combination.”

“Is he?”

“If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t be fighting at his side,” Rain
told her. “Knights of the Ruby Order aren’t mercenaries.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that. I hope this next question doesn’t
offend you, Sir Rain, but are you here because Areus is a good king, or because
he’s the lesser of two evils? Everyone knows the Ruby Order often battles against
Zaltana.”

“It’s true that we’ve protected those who don’t have the
might to defend themselves against Zaltana, but we have allied ourselves with
Lortia because Areus is fair. He cares about his people and he takes his
responsibilities seriously. For him, leadership isn’t about his own glory, but
about preserving the lives and happiness of those who depend on him.”

One of the guards—a man of middle years by the gray wings at
his temples and lines on his weathered face—said, “My queen, once you know King
Areus better, you’ll learn that Rain speaks the truth.”

“Your name is Eli?” she asked.

The guard nodded.

His words convinced her more than Sir Rain’s, since Eli was
a resident of Lortia while the Knight was a visitor and a friend of Areus.

“He seems rather serious—the king I mean,” she ventured.

“Well he has to be, doesn’t he, ma’am?” asked Cyril. “All of
Lortia looks to him. Every day there’s the chance of Zaltana attacking. Areus
has seen us through many hard times, even long before he inherited the crown.
For the last few years of his life, his father was quite unwell. Areus ruled in
his stead, even better than King Damon, many believe, and he was also a good man
and a worthy king.”

“What makes Areus better?” she pressed.

Sir Rain stabbed a piece of cooked rabbit with his knife and
took a bite of it while studying her with discerning eyes. “You ask many
questions.”

“Yes.” She met his gaze. “I do. I want to know the kind of man
I’m married to.”

“Then you should get to know him and judge for yourself.”

“Oh, Sir Rain? Is there a reason I shouldn’t ask the
opinions of those who know him best?”

“We’re merely guards, my lady,” Eli said. “We’ve served him,
fought alongside him and even trained with him, but—”

“Then it sounds to me like you know him quite well. You
needn’t worry that I’ll repeat what you tell me.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that,” Rain said. “You’re asking what
we know of him, as one man to another. I think you want answers to other
questions. Ones that we can’t answer.”

Sir Rain was too observant for her own good.

“You’re partially right, sir, but I truly am interested in
the observations of those around him.”

“If I may be so bold, what do
you
think of him?” Rain
asked.

A faint smile tugged at her lips. “I have as much to risk as
these guards. If I answer the wrong way, you have only to report to the king
and I will be punished.”

Both Rain and the guards looked taken aback. Typical. They
could blame her for being untrustworthy, but the same accusation offended them.

“First off, Areus wouldn’t punish you for speaking your
mind. He’s not a monster like Hippolytos of Zaltana or your own father, no
offense intended.”

“None taken. I fully agree that my father is a monster. It’s
good to know you believe Areus is not,” she said, trying not to appear as
uncomfortable as she felt. “I can be an outspoken woman and I know in my
father’s kingdom, at least, that’s frowned upon.”

A smile tugged at Rain’s lips. “I noticed that you speak
your mind. That’s something to be admired.”

“Few men feel that way.”

“Maybe in Prem, but I’m from Travelle.”

“Somehow I doubt men from Lortia feel the same, including
the king.”

Rain shook his head. “I think he’ll surprise you in many
ways.”

“I don’t doubt that either.”

That night Delia and Echo stayed in the coach, though Delia
didn’t sleep much. She couldn’t stop thinking about Areus. Was he spending
tonight alone, or was a woman sharing his bed? The very thought of it made her
bristle. It didn’t matter that they scarcely knew each other. He was still her
husband.

She recalled every detail of their night together. The way
he’d touched and kissed her. She recalled his scent, the tickle of his beard
and the sound of his voice. She hadn’t expected him to be so attractive. If
only Katerina could have come to the wedding—or maybe that wouldn’t have been
such a wise idea. As much as she loved her friend, Katerina was a wanton soul.
She was far prettier and more outgoing than Delia. The idea of Areus finding
her friend more attractive than herself was almost unbearable.

That was such a childish thought. What was wrong with Delia?
She’d never felt like this before and she hated it.

Early the next morning, after freshening up in a nearby
creek and breaking their fast with another simple meal, they continued their
journey. As Rain had predicted, they arrived at the castle in late afternoon.

On the way, they passed men working on a vast wall that
seemed to extend endlessly in both directions.

“The plan is for it to encompass all of Lortia on the mainland,”
Eli said. “It’s been in progress for over five years now.”

They passed several small villages, then entered a city
filled with shops, houses and several farms. Amidst it, surrounded by another
massive wall, rose the castle. Their party stopped briefly at the gate. Once
the guards realized who they were, they let them pass. Two guards escorted them
to the castle where stable boys waited to take their horses.

While servants hurried to retrieve Delia’s belongings from
the coach, a tall, older woman with steel-gray hair partially hidden by a veil
approached and curtsied.

“Queen Delia. My name is Alexa and I’m here to serve you.”

Delia smiled at the woman and nodded.

“I’m sure you would like to rest,” Alexa said. “I’ll have a
bath prepared in your chamber.”

“Thank you, Alexa.”

“You’ve arrived. I hope you had a pleasant journey.” The
smooth, commanding voice sent a thrill through Delia.

She lifted her gaze to Areus, who descended the long
staircase to the left of the spacious stone foyer. Again he was dressed in
black. The ties on his shirt were open, revealing a portion of his lean chest.
His reddish-blond hair was bound at his nape, but a few unruly curls had
escaped, lending an almost boyish charm to his otherwise severe looks.

His green gaze never left hers. Stopping in front of her, he
reached up and gently pushed down the hood of her cloak.

“Welcome home, Delia,” he said in a husky voice. He bent and
brushed her mouth with a tender kiss—chaste yet filled with promises of more
passionate ones to come. “I didn’t expect you so soon. I thought you would have
stayed in Prem for the rest of the wedding celebration.”

When he’d greeted her so tenderly, she’d almost forgotten
her suspicions, but they now returned in a rush.

“Did I arrive at an inconvenient time?” she asked. “Did you
want me to stay away longer?”

“No. Not at all. I had hoped for a few more days to prepare
for your arrival.”

“Everything would have been prepared, but you had to change
your mind about which chamber she should have,” Alexa said, glancing archly at
Areus who cast her a sharp look.

Delia was taken aback, hearing a servant speak to the king
in such a way. If any servant had spoken to her father like that, he’d have had
her tongue cut out.

“Don’t be so grumpy, old woman. At least not until Delia
gets to know you better. Now show her to her chamber.” He turned back to Delia.
“Alexa used to be my nurse. At times she still scolds me as if I’m a boy, but
I’ve learned to overlook it.”

“That’s because at times he still acts like a boy, as I’m
sure you’ll see.”

Delia couldn’t keep from smiling. This strange castle wasn’t
like the one in Prem.

“I was in a meeting when I was told of your arrival,” Areus
said. “I’m afraid I can’t spend time with you right now, but we’ll talk later.
This is your home, Delia. Feel free to explore it. I want you to be happy
here.”

Even if just for a year,
she thought.

* * * * *

On his way back to the meeting with his three most trusted
advisors as well as Etor, Areus allowed himself a few brief moments to think
about his new bride. Truly she had been on his mind since the moment he’d
locked gazes with her.

She had surprised him in so many ways. He hadn’t expected
her to be so appealing. Though she wasn’t traditionally beautiful, the woman
was absolutely adorable. Of average height, she was slim but not without
curves. He loved the shape of her bottom and her small, round breasts. Her
gently rounded face with its pert nose and full lips reminded him of childhood
faerie stories, but when she looked at him with those huge hazel eyes, there
was nothing remotely childish about her.

Having spent most of her life in a convent, he’d expected
her to be a bore in bed, or worse, terrified. At first he thought the latter
would be the problem. She clearly had no experience with men and by the
pain-dulling herbs and salve on her night table, she had been told to expect
the worst.

From what he knew of her father, he could understand why the
womenfolk of Prem had filled her head with bedchamber horrors. Urion was a
miserable, arrogant bastard who, despite his outward bravado, was prepared to
grovel to keep his position.

Areus didn’t give a damn about Urion and he hadn’t cared
about Delia either. His sole purpose had been to unite with Prem and combine
their armies under his own rule to defend against Zaltana before they could do
any further damage. They already controlled more than half of the Western
Continent. Hippolytos’s son—a madman called Hypatios—led the Zaltanian army in
the south and had already conquered every smaller kingdom.

If Areus and the few remaining kings in the north didn’t act
soon, Zaltana would conquer them as well. Areus would not allow that to happen.
Hippolytos was a violent, vengeful man who enjoyed the suffering of others.
Areus’s father had fought the man until his dying breath, his hatred growing
after the abduction of Areus’s mother. Areus himself had been born in Zaltana,
as his mother had been held captive there during her pregnancy.

When Areus had agreed to marry Delia, battle not love had
been on his mind. The one year to conceive a child had been his stipulation. If
it happened, he had an heir, if not then he could avoid spending his life with
a woman he didn’t want in the first place. Once he’d met Delia, his feelings
changed.

The woman intrigued him. She was annoying, irritable and
childish, yet caring and in her own way quite amusing. Once she’d gotten over
her initial fear of the marriage bed, she’d been passionate enough to make his
blood race. He could hardly wait to bed her again, which was part of the reason
he’d ordered her chamber moved from the far end of the hall to the one
adjoining his.

He reached his meeting chamber and paused for a moment. His
advisors, Leandro, Simon and Philip, awaited him along with Etor. Pushing aside
thoughts of his charming wife, Areus opened the door and stepped inside.

“Is everything well with the queen?” Etor asked.

“Yes. Where were we?”

“Discussing what we learned from the assassin in our
dungeon. It wasn’t easy getting him to talk, but I don’t doubt what he finally
told us. The King of Zaltana planned to send for Hypatios if this latest attempt
on your life failed.”