Helion (7 page)

Later that night, Helion lay in his bed and stared up at the
ceiling of his tent, recalling the names and ranks of all his soldiers, going
over the battle plans for the morning, anything to stop him from snatching Gwen
from her bed and throwing her into his own. He’d given his word she was safe from
his advances for now. She’d set the terms and he’d accepted them and he
bitterly regretted that now. He wanted desperately to touch her soft skin, to
kiss her full lips, to taste her essence on his tongue. But he knew exercising
restraint had given him an opportunity to advance his pursuit of her. Her lust
would only amplify by their encounter this afternoon, progressing his own aims
to get her underneath him.

For now, his little captive didn’t want to be his lover but
she’d agreed to “ease his tension” just the one time. He was still too bemused
by the idea to feel his value damaged. Women in Arloren came to his bed for
many reasons. Some for social ambition, some for the cachet of being on his arm
and many just because they lusted for him. Never once had a female offered to
service him to relieve his tension and expect no pleasure for herself. Or,
indeed, to refuse pleasure when it was offered. He’d grasped that offer like a
lifeline, but now…

He couldn’t have known how much her touch would affect him.
He’d had women perform this service for him before and he’d enjoyed it. But
this, what Gwen had done… Instead of easing his lust, her act had lit a fire
under his skin nothing would extinguish until he was finally deep inside her
body. How was he supposed to give her time to adjust to him, to come to him
freely, if just looking at her provoked such a wild craving inside him it took
all his considerable willpower not to simply take her and make her his own?

Even now with the lights off and her across the room with
her daughter, he was hypersensitive to everything Gwen. He could hear her
breathing and wanted those breaths to fall on his skin instead of the open air.
The sweet scent of her hair and her skin enticed him, while the unique womanly
smell of her tormented him. Every time she shifted in bed he thought about sliding
in behind her and cupping her sweet breasts as his lips explored her neck and
those sensitive ears. Then he’d turn her and sample those rose-tinted nipples
on his tongue before moving south and finally tasting her as she’d tasted him.
Once he’d felt her shatter on his tongue, then and only then would he join
their bodies.

Helion knew he couldn’t take much more of this torture. The
woman wanted time, which was exactly what he couldn’t give her, not if he spent
his evenings listening to her beautiful voice, watched her lovingly caring for
her daughter, and driving him insane with the need to possess every inch of her
luscious body. But he didn’t want to break her trust and he had promised her
some time before taking things to the next level between them.

In reality, there was only one solution. Before Gwen arrived,
Helion had debated going farther afield in their scouting forays. They’d
cleared most of the city proper and it was time to hit the more remote areas.
Packing up the camp every day would be a waste of time so his plan had been to
take most of his soldiers on an extended raid, for several days at least. It
was time to put that plan in action. And when he returned…

Just then Gwen shifted and her breathing changed, alerting
Helion to her wakefulness. He would leave early in the morning and now was the
perfect time to apprise her of his plans and say farewell. That settled, he
crept silently from his own bed and crossed the room without making a sound. He
was in her bed and spooned to her back before she even knew he’d left his bed.

Helion ignored how her body tensed, enjoying too much the
feel of her luscious bottom cradling his manhood and her soft, sweet body
pressed against him. He couldn’t resist lowering his head and running his lips
down her neck, letting her fragrant scent saturate his senses. How he longed to
reach around and cup those magnificent breasts…

“I’ve made a decision, little lady,” he whispered in her
ear, grinning as a shudder racked her body at the feel of his breath. “You want
time and I promised it to you. So tomorrow I will leave camp with most of my
men. I will leave only a few to look after the camp and Verdun as well to see
to your needs. We’ll be gone a few days, attacking Scourge on the outer reaches
of this little state. I give you this time to accept what we both know is
inevitable. When I return, I will make you mine.”

Gwen’s tense body quivered in front of his but Helion sensed
no fear. Tension, yes, and a touch of resistance. But no fear. It was progress.

“And what if I don’t want that, Commander?” came her
whisper, falling softly to not wake the child.

Helion nuzzled her ear, absorbing her shiver of delight. Then,
ever so slowly, he moved his hand to rest directly under her breast. The half-terrified
girl seemed to stop breathing but Helion had another destination in mind. His
hand traveled lightly down her body until he reached the waistband of her
sleeping pants, to dip his fingers beneath.

His prey stilled, barely breathing as anticipation tortured
her. Helion continued to breathe in her ear, sensing what an erogenous zone it
was for her. Then his hand caressed her bare stomach and it seemed Gwen’s
heartbeat was like to explode, it was pumping so fast. Gwen’s body soaked in
his heat like a sponge, eager for more, and he gave her more. He let his long
fingers slip under her pajamas, gently stroking as they went, only stopping
once they reached the new barrier of her panties.

“I can smell you, my lady. What will I find if I push my
hand a little lower, hmm? Proof you don’t want me, or proof you do?”

Helion knew what he’d find. His woman soaked and eager. Her
body wanted his even if her brain had enough doubts. He used his hand to taunt
her, stroking and tempting her to let go and let him touch her, skimming but
never touching where they both wanted him to feel. But once she opened that
door, there really would be no going back. He’d possess her body and soul.

“You know I’m wet, Helion…you know I desire you. But I am
saying no. This isn’t a good idea, for us to, well, get involved.”

Helion wasn’t surprised, Gwen was strong and stubborn, much
like him. His hand was gently, repetitively, stroking her stomach, something he
could feel made her both uncomfortable and unbearably aroused. She wanted to push
into that hand and seek deeper contact, as much as he wanted her to. He was
behind her, surrounding her, nearly suffocating her with lust and his heat. And
he was caught in her spell as well, smelling the musk of her body and feeling
the softness of her skin.

“You tempt me mightily to change your mind, my lady. But I
will respect your wishes. For now. When I return we will revisit this discussion.
For my patience, I request a boon from you, sweet Gwen.”

“What kind of boon?” Gwen asked warily.

“I feel the need to be close to you tonight. You won’t allow
me as close as I’d like to be but I’d like to stay here in bed with you. On my
honor I won’t touch you sexually. I just want to hold you in my arms.”

Helion expected a protest but surprisingly Gwen just nodded
and settled in against him. His hand stayed on her stomach but didn’t encroach
lower. His other arm he slipped under her head and wrapped over her torso. He
then pressed a thigh between the two of hers, slipping between to claim a place
for himself there as well. As Gwen drifted off to sleep, warm and safe, Helion
lay awake, relishing the feel of her body and the knowledge of her trust. Soon
she’d trust him with all of her and he couldn’t wait.

Three days had passed since Helion left with most of his
men, leaving only Verdun and a small company of Keepers to watch over the camp.
He’d slipped away before she’d woken in the morning, not giving her a chance to
say goodbye. Part of her wished he hadn’t but the smarter part of her brain
knew this was a good thing. He wasn’t a lover or a husband she was sending off
to war. Helion was their protector and a threat to her independence. The more
she let him insinuate himself into her thoughts and emotions, the harder it
would be to escape.

Escape… Not for the first Gwen wondered if she was
considering the right course of action. Verdun took admirable care of them,
Gwen couldn’t deny that. He was always calm and respectful and saw to Gwen’s
meals several times a day as well as providing a bath every evening. She was
free to walk around the camp with Evelyn and explore the woods, often with
Verdun as escort. He would tell her about their lands, the planet the Keepers
came from, much about their culture. It was fascinating. Their planet,
Arthaneas, sounded so beautiful.

Sometimes Gwen looked at Verdun and wondered why, if she had
to be attracted to an alien, why not this one instead? He was tall, muscled and
beautiful. His long black hair fell to his waist and looked as if it was dusted
with stars. His beautiful teal-colored eyes were always kind, his expressions
warm. Helion’s face was always impassive, cold even, and usually his green eyes
were diamond hard or full of mockery. Except when he teased her about lust. Then
his eyes flamed with green fire.

Gwen had been on pins and needles for these three long days,
waiting for Helion’s return, his sexual threat never far from her mind. It spurred
her to look for possible avenues of escape during her walks around the camp but
everywhere she went she felt eyes on her, watching her every move. The Keepers
Helion left behind never approached her but they were always watching. She was
very careful not to give away her intentions but the idea of being punished
woke her in a cold sweat every night.

There was also that pesky voice inside her that urged her
not to attempt an escape. She hadn’t eaten so well in months as she had these
last three days, nor slept so good as she had these last three nights. Evie was
warm and cozy every night and had a doting Verdun supplying her with everything
she needed, from diapers to pretty clothes to toys. Once Gwen asked him where
he obtained all these things but he just smiled and deflected the question.

Verdun also seemed as fascinated with Evie as Evie was with
him. He would hold her for hours so Gwen could nap or have some quiet time. And
Evie soaked up the attention like a flower did the sun, smiling at him and
cooing. Why, just why, couldn’t Gwen be attracted to him? He was so solicitous
of their needs and so good with Evie. Why did she have to be one of those
stupid women attracted to the dangerous choice instead of the smart one?

Gwen knew this peaceful idyll couldn’t last. Eventually
Helion would return and when he tired of them he’d drop them off in a camp
somewhere. Or maybe he’d allow them to stay, as he’d promised, until the city
was secure. But they had no home anymore, it’d been destroyed. Where would they
end up once the city was clean of Scourge? There were still the bands of
lawless humans wreaking havoc all over town, raping, destroying, even killing.
It wouldn’t be wise for her to lose her instincts for survival by getting lazy
and content in the Keeper camp. It would be a greater shock to her and Evelyn
if they got too used to these comforts and then had them stripped away.

No, they had to escape, and survive on their own. She spent
a long time by the little lake connected to the camp, thinking about escape.
Verdun had warned her not to come here once the men returned as it was where
most of the Keepers bathed. But while they were gone it was safe enough and a
very peaceful spot to do some thinking. Helion and his men could be back any
time so if she was going to have a real chance at escape, it had to be before
he returned.

Keeping it simple, that was the plan. When Verdun returned
to his own tent for the night, she’d take Evie and walk right into the woods as
quick as she could under the cover of darkness. A lot of luck and no less
stealth would be required for any of the few Keepers in the camp not to see
them. Plus, they’d need to cover a lot of ground to escape Verdun or, heaven
forbid, Helion. But her strength had recovered over the last few days and she’d
rested much of the afternoon in anticipation of walking all night. It was now
or never. If Helion returned and made good on his sexual threat, it would be
even harder for her to attempt an escape. Her mind shied away from him but her
body definitely did not. He’d smell her lust and seduce her.

As Gwen walked back to the tent with Evie, she tried not to
let her anxiety show. Hiding emotions was not her strong suit but it was
crucial for Verdun not to get suspicious. Guilt warred in her mind over what
she was about to do. Verdun had been so amazing to them and she was about to
betray his trust. Hopefully he would understand why they had to leave, that they
didn’t belong there with the Keepers. With any luck, by the time the sun rose
again they would be far from there and out of Helion’s reach.

Time passed swiftly, and before she knew it, Verdun was
wishing her a good sleep and leaving the tent. Gwen wasted no time in executing
her plan, grabbing Evie and their things and slipping as quietly as possible
out of the camp, which ended up being easier than she imagined it would be. She
held the sleeping Evie close as she jogged quickly through the forest, hoping the
city was in this direction, but she couldn’t be sure. There was a strange
tingling feeling on the back of her neck, as if someone was watching her
escape, but she looked all around her and saw nothing. Considering what she was
doing, a little paranoia wasn’t out of order.

“Where are you going, human?” came a voice.

Gwen heart stuttered and she choked on a gasp, coming to an
abrupt halt as she searched for the owner of that voice. At first she saw
nothing but then right in front of her, shadows began shifting and dancing,
collapsing in on themselves until a Keeper was revealed. Gwen’s eyes were wide
with shock, her mind trying to absorb what she’d just seen. The shadows had
given birth to this creature, then collapsed into his body.

“Don’t make me repeat myself, woman. Where are you going?”
The Keeper’s voice was deep and harsh, his face pale, his eyes and hair black.
His armor was not golden like the other Keepers Gwen had seen but a pure,
midnight black. There was a feral quality to that face that scared Gwen. He
looked cold and ruthless, his beauty not similar to an angel’s like Helion’s. He
looked more like Lucifer’s kin.

“I-I…” Gwen tried, so terrified her brain shut down except
for one dominating urge…to flee.

“Let’s cut to the chase shall we, little human? You’re
attempting to leave the Commander’s protection. You think to escape.”

“I…yes. Yes, I want to take my daughter and leave.” Gwen
swallowed and lifted her chin even as she felt it quiver in fear. “I have my
reasons.”

“I don’t care about your reasons, woman. The Commander bade
me watch you. He didn’t think you’d be foolish enough to make this attempt but
in the event that you did, I may do what it takes to stop you and return you to
him.”

Gwen backed up quickly as the creature approached her,
knowing deep inside she didn’t want him to get too close. He was strange and
unknown and lacked all the compassion and kindness she’d come to expect from
other Keepers, even Helion. She didn’t want him anywhere near her daughter.

“Don’t come any closer. I’m leaving here with my daughter
before the Commander comes back. I’m sure he’ll be annoyed but he’ll get over
it. Having a woman and a baby in his camp is hardly an ideal situation. If you
think about it, you’ll realize having us gone would benefit you more than
taking us back.”

Gwen held out a hand as she said this, knowing it was
ridiculous. If he wanted, he could have her subdued and returned to camp before
she could blink. But for some reason, her words did stop his advance. And then
his head tilted, as if he were confronting a strange creature instead of the
other way around. And then he smiled—a terrifying, beautiful smile, full of
teeth. He looked…
amused
?

“If escape is your goal, you are headed the wrong way. Your
ruined little town is west. Right now you’re headed toward deeper woods, not
smart if you want to outrun a Keeper of the Dark Forest.” The Keeper lifted an
arm and pointed west but Gwen didn’t move toward it. She was too confused.

“Are you saying you’ll let us go? Why would you do that?”
Gwen swallowed when the Keeper’s smile just deepened. She was pretty sure a
smile from this Keeper was nothing but trouble. Trusting him was impossible. He
was too feral, too mysterious.

“What is it you said? Oh yes…I have my reasons. Scurry away,
little mouse. The Commander will return to camp soon. You won’t want to be
close by when he arrives, I promise you.”

With those words, the Keeper simply…disappeared. One moment
Gwen saw him before her and the next it seemed as if those shadows swallowed
him whole and she was once again looking at nothing but dark forest.

Gwen wasted no time after he disappeared. She didn’t think
she could trust him, but what choice did she have? She turned in the direction
he’d indicated and took off at a sprint to make up for lost time. If the
creature was right, Helion would be arriving back in camp tonight and there was
much to get done. They needed a place to hole up for the night and sooner
rather than later they would need more supplies. Gwen had stashed away as much
as she could in her bag but it wouldn’t hold out for too long. Not too many
diapers and wipes and clothes would fit in one duffel bag. But she couldn’t
worry about that now. The first priority was getting far away from the camp and
the next would be finding a place to lay low and replenish their supplies.

Truth be told, though, Gwen had more than a few misgivings
about what she was doing. It was cold and her sweater didn’t provide much
protection against the bite of the wind. The dark forest was quite scary as
well. She’d never been much of a nature enthusiast. The outdoors was pretty and
inspiring but she didn’t want to walk around it in the dark. The city at night
was full of dangers but being attacked by a wild animal wasn’t one of them.
Every rustle in the bushes pushed her anxiety higher, even more so after her
encounter with the bogeyman.

Her anxiety was high enough in any case. Just thinking about
how angry Helion would be when he discovered them gone sent chills up Gwen’s
spine. What form her punishment would take if they were caught was the principal
fear in her mind. He’d promised not to harm them but there were a lot of
possibilities that didn’t constitute real harm. On the other hand, maybe in his
mind her defiance in trying to escape nullified his promise not to harm her.

There was also his other threat to consider. Whether he’d
been serious or had just been trying to intimidate her, she didn’t want to find
out. For some reason, she couldn’t control the rampant lust she felt just
looking at the guy. He was just too sexy. One look at those eyes, that hair,
those muscles made her brain fly right out of her head and turned her into a
mass of quivering hormones. Her brain still had a healthy dose of fear of him,
which compelled her to keep him at arm’s length. But apparently that didn’t
stop her body from writing a check her brain didn’t want to cash. It was much
better for her to leave than risk him seeing her body’s response as an
invitation.

Just when Gwen had begun to think she was indeed headed in
the wrong direction, she broke through the trees and saw the first sign of the
city—a small gas station a little way off. It was dark of course; no lights, no
customers, abandoned vehicles littering the parking lot. But it was a start.
She’d make a pit stop to see if anything could be salvaged before continuing
her trek to town. A lot more ground needed to be covered before she could find
a place to rest for the coming day. It was possible Helion would shrug off her
escape as no big loss but Gwen also needed to worry about human and Scourge
enemies.

Gwen was adjusting Evie’s position against her chest when she
suddenly heard a loud roaring sound and with a sinking heart she just knew it
had to be Helion. The sound resonated with a level of rage that seemed unlikely
for such a cold creature and it froze the blood in her veins. He’d discovered
they were missing and she hadn’t gotten nearly far enough away to escape his
wrath. She’d barely begun her escape. There was no way she could outrun him
this close, not with that freaky lightstep thing they did. Her only option now
was to hide and pray he didn’t find them.

The gas station beckoned, her only hope. Hugging Evie close,
she broke into a run for the building, relieved to find the door unlocked. A frantic
search for a hiding place revealed only a small back office with a desk she
could crouch under with her daughter. It was more than a little obvious but she
had no other choices. Another moment saw the duffel tossed beneath the desk
before Gwen crouched under there with it. For a while she didn’t even dare to
breathe, fear and adrenaline making it impossible.

Though not a praying woman, Gwen nevertheless stuttered out
a few Hail Marys, so desperate was she to come away from the night unscathed.
She didn’t believe Helion would go so far as to kill her for her defiance but
she really didn’t want to find out what else he might do.