The King & His Queen (Pict King Series Book 3) Read online

  His arm shot out as he got close and he coiled it around her waist to yank her against him and before he brought his mouth down on hers in a hungry kiss, he commanded as if making it law, “Mine!”

  No response came to Hemera’s mind. She wanted nothing more than his lips and hands upon her. She would try to make sense of it all later or perhaps not. Perhaps she would enjoy it and not think on it like she did most things.

  Her arms went around his neck and she was soon lost in the kiss.

  His hand settled on her scarred back and he felt her tense. He tore his mouth away from hers reluctantly and held her eyes with his own. “Never deny your scars. Wear them proudly for they attest to your immense courage and strength.”

  Her heart surged not with desire, but happiness, something she had not felt since she had been young. She smiled as she said, “You are kind.”

  “If I were kind, I would deny my need for you.”

  “Never will I deny my need for you, Talon,” she whispered as her lips met his.

  Many women had professed similar words in the heat of passion, though none had ever dared to call him kind or by his name and none had ever touched his heart and twisted it into knots as Hemera just did.

  Talon’s hand drifted down along the curve of her back, to slip further down over her backside. The soft roundness invited a tender squeeze as he pressed her closer against him. His rigid manhood settled against the triangle of fiery red hair between her legs, making him more eager than ever to join with her.

  His hands cupped her backside and he lifted her, her legs instinctively locking around his waist. He walked over to the sleeping pallet, not taking his lips off hers. He lowered her down, her arms remaining around his neck as if she refused to be separated from him. He felt the same. He wanted to have her close, always close to him.

  She spread her legs as he settled on top of her, willingly offering herself to him, but he would not have this moment pass quickly. He wanted to savor her, claim her with his touch and his lips before he settled inside her to claim her completely.

  Talon ended the kiss, his brow resting on hers as he steadied his breath. “I will know all of you.”

  Hemera’s brow wrinkled, not sure what he meant, then he began to kiss along her neck, raising bumps along her flesh and sending a teasing tingle between her legs. Her mind suddenly quieted and she felt herself drift off on a cloud of pleasure and she relished it.

  Talon felt the moment of her surrender, not so much to him, but to herself. She was no longer thinking, only enjoying and feeling her give in to her desires fired his own pleasure.

  He kissed along her stomach, his playful nibbles leaving small red spots upon her pale skin, his hand continued to roam over her in a gentle caress. When his fingers settled over her delicate nub nestled in the thatch of fiery red hair between her legs and she moaned long and hard, he thought she would come there and then. He would not allow that, not until he was deep inside her.

  “Talon,” she said in one long breath.

  He planted his hands on either side of her and with one push lifted himself off her.

  “No! Do not leave me,” she begged, grabbing his arms, her fingers digging into taut muscle.

  “Never,” he said and lowered his head to tease her sensitive neck with his lips and teeth.

  She shivered, gasped, and moaned so loud, he feared she would wake the village, so he brought his mouth down on hers and she fed on his kiss as if it was the last they would ever share.

  His own need soared and he shifted so that the tip of his manhood slipped slightly into her.

  Both her hands dug into his arms, his flesh too hard to do any damage, as she bucked against him and he slipped further inside her. Her red hair blazed around her as she lifted her head, planted a quick hungry kiss on his lips, then threw her head back on the pallet, letting out a long moan.

  He was about to slip further into her, not wanting to rush and cause her pain, when suddenly her legs came up to lock around him as she quickly lifted her bottom up off the pallet, driving his manhood into her.

  She cried out, her breath catching before a sigh of pleasure followed.

  She could wait no longer and either could he. He thought to take her gently at first, but she thought otherwise. She demanded and so did he.

  He set a fast, hard rhythm and she matched it, their bodies slamming against each other. He lowered his head and caught her lower lip with his teeth, dragging along it slowly, before releasing it and driving his tongue into her mouth as he drove into her again and again.

  She slipped her hand around to the back of his neck, cupping it tightly, forcing his mouth to remain on hers, wanting to taste deeply of him, and as she did she felt her need for him growing ever stronger. It was not long before she broke away from his lips and took deep breaths, her chest heaving, and once again she latched onto his arms and moaned.

  “Talon! Talon!”

  His name grew more frantic on her lips, and he closed his eyes and listened to its powerful cadence. He felt the strength of it reach deep down inside him and tug harder and harder and harder.

  “Talon!”

  His eyes shot open and he not only watched her climax, he felt it as well and then his own climax gripped him and tore him apart like never before. He never felt such tremendous pleasure. It crashed over him like a thunderous wave, tossing him around, rolling him over and over, again and again, until he thought he would die from the exquisite pleasure.

  He collapsed on top of Hemera and her arms slipped around him, squeezing him tight, and he felt the last strands of his mighty climax hover for a moment then, with a shiver, slip away.

  After a few moments, he lifted his head from where it lay next to hers and kissed her brow. He pulled back, planting his hands on either side of her head, and saw her green eyes so bright with tears, though not one had fallen, that they startled the senses.

  “What is wrong? Did I hurt you?” he demanded with a scowl, angry that he may have caused her pain.

  Hemera shook her head and smiled. “Not at all, you brought me more joy than I knew was possible.”

  “Then you will be a very joyful woman by morn,” he said and kissed her and with a quick turn and an arm around her shoulder, Talon slipped off her, taking her with him to rest against him.

  He was familiar with the way she would grow silent and simply stare now and again before she responded. So he waited in silence while she lost herself in thought.

  “Did you find our coupling pleasing?” she finally asked.

  He turned on his side to face her, his hand going to rest at the curve of her waist. “So pleasing that I think I will never get enough of you.”

  “Good, for I feel the same,” she admitted happily and snuggled against him.

  His hand fell on her back and he was reminded of her scars. “Who did this to you?”

  “What difference does it make, it is done.”

  “It makes a difference to me. I will see the man who did this to you suffer beyond measure.”

  She placed her hand gently on his cheek. “Will you make yourself suffer when you deliver the same punishment to me on the morn?”

  Anger flared in his blue eyes. “You left me little choice. My laws must be upheld or they will be meaningless, then chaos will reign. Now tell me who gave you these scars.” His sharp command left no room that he was to be obeyed.

  “Please not now, Talon,” Hemera said. “This precious time we spend together is not meant to open old wounds.”

  “You will tell me one day,” he said, agreeing that it was not the time to drudge up painful memories for her.

  “One day,” she said on a yawn.

  “Rest, you are tired and we have most of the night ahead of us,” he said, leaving her side for a moment to retrieve the blanket crumpled at the end of the pallet. He placed it over them and after easing Hemera against his side, he tucked it around her.

  Hemera lay beside him silent in her thoughts. She could not recall e
ver feeling as satisfied and peaceful as she did at this moment. Times had been difficult, but here at this moment she felt something she had never thought she would feel again... hope.

  The warmth of his body next to hers and hearing his heart beat gently against her ear lolled her into a welcoming slumber.

  Talon held Hemera close, feeling the moment her body surrendered to sleep. He had warned himself to keep his distance from her and yet, here with her sleeping in his arms, he was glad he had paid no heed to his warnings. She belonged right where she was... she belonged to him.

  Mine.

  Never had he felt the satisfaction he did when coupling with Hemera. Never had he experienced a climax that left him satisfied, not looking for more, actually satisfied. And never had he felt such pleasure holding a woman in his arms afterwards as he did with Hemera. He never wanted to let her go. He wanted her with him always and the thought that that could never be pained his heart.

  He glared at the ceiling, annoyed with his thoughts. He would not let her go, but was it fair to have her live in the shadows, never fully being part of his life? The alternative of her not being part of his life in any way was much worse.

  He had seen the spot of blood on her thigh when he had reached for the blanket. He was her first and he would be her last, for he would allow no other to touch her.

  She startled in his arms and he was quick to soothe her with gentle caresses along her back and she settled quietly. Her scars once again reminded him of what she was to suffer on the morn and he cursed himself. He could not put her through that again. He would not put her through it again. What he would do, he did not know, but he would not see her suffer that way again.

  He shut his eyes and let his thoughts drift with possibilities and soon his eyes grew heavy and he fell asleep. He found himself in a dream, one that pleased him.

  Hemera lay on top of him, her lips busy kissing at his neck, along his shoulder, down on his chest, taking her time at each spot to kiss, nibble, and nip playfully. When her hand settled on his manhood to explore, he felt himself grow hard and grow even harder as her innocent touch ignited a fiery passion in him and her innocent exploration would have him bursting in her hand.

  His eyes suddenly shot open to see that it was not a dream and that he was ready to come. He sat up, grabbed her around the waist, tossed her down on her back, locked both of her wrists in his one hand, so she could not do anymore damage before he could enter her, then he drove into her in one hard thrust.

  That he would not last long angered him. That he felt an immense climax building pleased him. That he saw the same pleasure in Hemera’s eyes touched his heart. They came together in an explosion of sheer pleasure and when it was done, they lay with labored breaths in each other’s arms; silent, satisfied, and sleepy.

  It was shortly after they joined for a third time that Talon said reluctantly, “I must leave.”

  Hemera felt a tug in her chest. She did not want him to go, but he had to. He was King and could not be found here in her dwelling.

  With great reluctance, he left her side and slipped into his garment and pulled on his foot coverings. He returned to the sleeping pallet and leaned down over her to kiss her.

  Her arms went around his neck and she kissed him soundly, fearful she would never know the pleasure of his lips again.

  Talon pulled his lips away from hers and whispered, “Later.”

  Hemera smiled, pleased that he would return to her.

  He stood. “For now, no one can know what we do.”

  “I understand.”

  “We will talk later,” he said, knowing he would have to make things clear to her of what could and could not be between them.

  “As you say.”

  Talon walked to the door and turned before opening it. “You will not suffer the switch to your back today.”

  Hemera sat up. “You must punish me if you want to keep your peoples’ respect.”

  “I am aware of that,” he said, “so you better be on time to the feasting hall this morn to receive your punishment.”

  Chapter 11

  Hemera hurried to dress after Talon left. The dawn would break soon and she wanted to be off into the woods just as it did. There was a secluded, small pool of water she had come across when exploring the forest. She thought of it as her private bathing spot. The water was cold and she was hoping it would warm enough when the sun turned hot so that she could actually bathe in it. For now, it served as a way to keep herself refreshed.

  She opened the door to find Bog waiting there for her. She lowered herself to his side and gave him a good rub behind the ears and lavished kisses on him. “Did Paine send you to protect me, knowing I would not stop going into the woods?” Bog licked her face and she laughed softly. “Come along, it will be good to have company.”

  Bog followed her, squeezing through the fence after her and keeping at her side. As they walked along, the sun rose brightening the sky. Hemera did not worry that Talon might have sent someone to follow her. It would not be wise of him to do so and it would have people gossiping. The thought that she and Talon would have to keep their distance from each other hurt her heart.

  It was strange to feel as she did for him. She cherished her solitude and yet she wished he was there with her. She enjoyed talking with him when he was not dictating to her, but he was King so she understood his authoritative nature. Mostly though, she immensely enjoyed when he held her, kissed her, and mated with her. Never had she felt such pleasure and never had she felt... what did she feel for Talon? The question troubled her and with no answer forthcoming, she pushed it from her mind.

  Bog drank from the small pool while she knelt to cup water in her hands to refresh her face. She winced as she did, feeling a slight discomfort between her legs. She was sore and the cool water would certainly dull the ache. If she took off her foot coverings and hoisted her shift, she could lower herself enough for the cold water to soothe her.

  With a quick release of her cloak and hasty removal of her foot coverings, she lifted her shift high, bunching it in her hands and tucking it tightly against her middle before stepping cautiously into the pool. She gasped as a chill raced through her when the cold water grabbed at her ankles like icy hands. It took a moment for her to gather the courage to dunk down enough for the cold water to dull her soreness. The freezing sharpness of the water had her hurrying to escape the pool and in her haste, she lost her footing. She went down hard and fast, hitting the side of her head on a stone. It stunned her, almost knocking her out.

  Bog was at her side immediately, dragging her by the shoulder to the shore. She lay there, gathering her senses while admonishing her own foolishness. She should have known better than to have gone into the pool. Or to linger after her feet had turned numb. It was her own fault.

  The wolf was poking her with his nose and she knew what he was trying to tell her. Get up and get warm. Something he needed to do as well, since he had braved the cold water to rescue her. She staggered to her feet, threw her cloak around her and, grabbing her foot coverings, she and Bog hurried off.

  She stopped abruptly, having thought she heard something—a sound foreign to the forest— and the fur on Bog’s back went up. She picked her way quietly along behind tall bushes that kept the small pool secluded, and listened. She heard voices not too far off and she motioned, with a finger to her lips, for Bog to remain quiet.

  The chill that had grabbed hold of her body was beginning to numb her limbs and if she did not get moving soon and warm herself, she would be in danger of surviving or possibly losing a limb. She had seen it happen to those unwise of the way of nature.

  She crept along behind the bushes and stopped when she finally heard a voice clearly.

  “You have done well. We will talk again soon.”

  Footfalls were the only thing to follow the man’s remark and Hemera could not take the chance and be seen or she could risk losing her life. However, it did not stop her from taking a cautious peek. Onc
e again she caught the back of one of the King’s personal guards’ cloaks, a good distance away. Peeking in the opposite direction revealed nothing, though not trusting that the person the traitor had met with could still be lurking about, Hemera took a different path home.

  She hurried into her dwelling, Bog on her heels, and she stoked the fire pit to heat the room more. Bog had shaken some of the wetness off him along their return trip home and now settled down close to the fire pit to warm himself. She had wrung her garment out and laid it on the edge of the fire pit to dry and hurried into the only other garment she had to wear. It was threadbare in places and patched in other places, but it would have to do.

  She draped her cloak around her shoulders, grateful for the generosity of Anin’s grandmother since she had lost her cloak after arriving here.

  “Stay and get warm, my friend,” she said to Bog. “I will leave the door ajar so you may leave when you wish.”

  Bog acknowledge her with a yawn, his eyes closing before he rested his head on his paws.

  Hemera rushed through the village, drawing stares from all she passed. It was not until she joined her sister at the table she shared with Anin that she realized the stares had nothing to do with their concern for her forthcoming punishment. It was her appearance.

  “What happened to you? Your hair is wet and how did you get that bruise to the side of your head?” Verity’s eyes were wide with concern as she rushed to her feet and to her sister’s side.

  Hemera did not want her sister worrying. “A minor accident. Nothing more.” She avoided further questions by saying, “I am hungry.”

  With an arm around her sister, Verity guided Hemera to a spot on the bench beside Anin, then sat to Hemera’s other side. “The King will be here soon, so hurry and eat before...” Verity turned teary eyes away from her sister unable to bear the thought of what she would suffer.

  Hemera’s words echoed what she had often said to assuage her sister’s fears through the years they had spent as captives of the Northmen. “All will be well, we—”