The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld 14)

"Consider your free pass revoked. You are mine," she told him, adamant. "Only mine."

Again, he grinned down at her, causing her heart to skip a beat. "My wife is so possessive."

"Your wife is dangerous when crossed." She scanned the tent. Well, well. The former owner had collected weapons, everything from axes to swords to bows. A mound of furs provided a soft, warm bed and a pot of stew simmered above a fire. Smoke curled to an opening in the tent's roof.

Every need met.

"You want the truth? No other fillies compare to you." He smoothed tendrils of hair from her cheeks before tracing his thumb over her lips. "Why would I ever attempt to ride another?"

She stepped closer to him, so close her breasts flattened against his chest. They were skin to skin, male to female. Desire to sizzling desire.

Shivers slipped down her spine as she gripped the base of his shaft. He was hard again. Just the way she liked him. "I'm going to make you so glad you said that."

42

Without a doubt, this is happiness.

Yesterday, Puck had done all of his new favorite things. He'd skinny-dipped with Gillian. He'd made love with her on the rocks, and come so hard his brains had rattled against his skull. Later he'd made love to her in the tent. He'd fed her by hand and enjoyed being fed by her before going to sleep with her body cradled close to his.

Gillian before war.

Gillian before everything.

This morning, he'd left before she'd woken, writing her a note in the sand.

Stay put. Please. I'll be back.

Then he'd gone hunting. Hours had passed before he'd found what he needed. More hours had passed as he'd worked to acquire what he wanted. Upon his return, he'd expected protests from Gillian. Or a demand for answers, at the very least. Instead, she'd brightened and run into his arms. Her splendid laughter had filled the camp, and his soul, as he'd swung her around.

"I won't destroy your dream. I won't," she'd said, as if she'd worried about nothing else all day. Though he'd soon come to learn his wee wife had spent her time gathering every weapon in camp and studying a map of Connacht land. "One Connacht murder and crown, coming up. We're forging ahead, all systems go. Right?"

"Right," he'd said, and relief had wafted from her.

Without William here, Puck had no worries. He would defeat Sin, would save Amaranthia and would have everything he wanted.

He'd planned to abandon the camp today, but his time in the forest had cost too much daylight. They had to stay one more night. Such a travesty.

Now, moonlight streamed through a crack in the tent flap, bathing Gillian with a soft amber glow. She was splayed naked atop a mound of furs, purring as Puck traced a slice of speir around her nipple. The little bud puckered when he licked away the droplets of red juice.

Her breathy moan delighted his ears. Who was he kidding? Every part of this woman delighted every part of him. Indifference was nothing more than a buzz in the back of his mind.

Puck switched direction, tracing the fruit over Gillian's lips. As she opened, ready to bite, he popped the slice into his mouth.

"Brute." She laughed, so sensual, so erotic. "That was mine."

"No, this is." He reached under the pillow beside her and withdrew a large jar of cuisle mo chroidhe syrup he'd managed to harvest.

With a squeal of joy, she jolted upright and clutched the jar between her breasts. "This is why you were gone so long?"

He nodded.

"Oh, Puck." She leaned over to nip at his lips. "Thank you. I mean, I haven't had any more Hulk-outs since, you know, the last one and everything, and right now I'm almost positive I'll never have one again, because I'm just so happy, but thank you!"

I did this. I made her happy. "For you, I'll do anything, at any time, anywhere."

"Then you'll stay right where I put you, right now, and let me have my wicked way with you." After pushing him to his back, she opened the jar and dribbled syrup over his chest...and lower.

Then she used him as an all-you-can-eat buffet.

When she collapsed on his chest, he marveled at the feel of her body draped over his like a blanket. For a long while, they lay together, hearts calming as they breathed each other's air. This was heaven, a satisfaction he'd once only dreamed of achieving.

"I was going to ask if you liked what I did," she said, "but my ears are still ringing."

"You amaze me." He lifted his head to rub the tip of his nose against hers, a playful gesture from the boy he used to be.

"You sate me."

"Good. Remember that. Because I think I'm about to anger you." His grip on her tightened, lest she try to run. "I figure part of you wants to stay here as long as possible in case William and Peanut show up. Is this correct?"

She nibbled her lip, nodded.

"We must move on tomorrow, whether they've arrived or not. You know this, aye?"

She surprised him by nodding again. "I do, and I agree. For all we know, they're outside the realm, unable to return. But that's okay. You've got me, and I won't rest until you're king. So what will be your first act?"

Easy. "Women will be granted the same rights as men. Equal citizenship. I will erect more shelters and orphanages. Will enforce steep punishments for those who harm others."

She smiled and petted his chest, clearly pleased with his answer, and so beautiful he was instantly snared, unable to look away. He'd already memorized the stunning purity of her irises, light brown ringed by darker brown. The beauty of her cheekbones. The delicacy of her nose. How her lips were ruby red and tantalizingly plump.

But a horrifying thought arose, one he couldn't shake. If he truly loved this woman, could he keep her bound to him when her feelings for him might not be true without the bond? When, if unbonded, she might want another man?

Puck...cared about this. He cared deeply. So deeply the plans he'd made began to go up in flames, one by one. His certainty, gone.

He would do anything for this girl, he realized. Even let her go.

There was only one way to learn the truth. And they had to learn the truth. Otherwise Puck could cheat her of the life she wanted and deserved. "I think... I think I should sever our bond, as planned. No matter what."

"What? No." She sputtered for a moment. "We decided. Without William, you get the crown and the girl. We stay together and ensure I get my happy ending."

"I hope so." Once, he'd lied to her to get what he wanted. Never again. He trusted and respected her, and would always do right by her. "I hope you still want me afterward."

She jolted upright, her cheeks pale, waxen. "You believe the Oracles. You think I'll destroy your dreams."

"You've already destroyed my dream, lass." Truth was truth.

She flinched, as if he'd struck her.

Puck reached for her, but she scrambled to her feet to dress in the clothes they'd found last night. A small white tunic, sheepskin pants and a pair of combat boots.

> Covering her nakedness should be a crime.

He hurried in front of her and gripped her forearms to hold her in place. When she tried to break free, he gave her a gentle shake. "Let me finish."

"Why? Is there another part of my heart you'd like to trample?"

Ignore her words or crumble, my only choices. "My dream of ruling Amaranthia has been replaced by a dream of making you happy, always. I do not mourn the change."

Her features softened but her gaze pleaded. "The thought of ruling the entire realm at your side makes me happy."

"I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity with you at my side. We'd have babies, make a family and govern the clans together. When I sever the bond, all you must do...is want me." Their future was that simple, and that complicated.

"I want you now," she said, lifting her chin.

His heart broke, but he refused to change his mind. "I will set you free. I will not bend on this."

"Well, excuse me if I don't believe you. Only minutes ago you said you'd keep me no matter what!" Rather than slap him, like he expected, she clung to him. "You're being foolish, listening to fear rather than your wife. I'm telling you, I know I want you, and the bond is not responsible."

"Gillian--"

"Are you the Ice Man right now?" she demanded. "Is that how you are able to say and do this?"

"I am not the Ice Man," he said. "I'll never be that man with you again. I can't. I feel too much. I feel everything."

She flinched a second time but said, "If you let me go--" For a moment, she looked as if she was going to hurl the contents of her stomach. "If you let me go, I won't get my happy ending. That is the reason it was prophesized. I feel it."

No. No! This was the only way to ensure she got her happy ending. "How can you know what you want? The bond speaks for you."

"I speak for myself." Ashen, she pressed her hands against her chest. "Does the bond speak for you?"

Did it? How could he know? As soon as he lost his connection to Gillian, Indifference would have power over him again. Only for a bit, sure. Puck would use the shears. If he could. Could he use the artifact more than once?

So many unanswered questions.

"If you want me afterward," he said, doing his best to sound reasonable, as if his mind wasn't a war zone, "we will bond again."

She stumbled backward as though he'd pushed her. How could she not understand? He did this for her. "You hesitated," she said. "You don't think you'll want me."