In the Palace of Lazar (7 page)

The uniformed man added, "And yet they were taking in more residents…"

"What about horses? Did they have horses?" Donte asked, worry washed over his face.

Briar shook her head confused. "Horses? I told you that food was scarce."

"Were they riding horses?" he asked.

Briar didn't know what he was talking about. Why would they ride on their food source?

"Briar, did you see any of the soldiers riding horses?"

Briar shook her head. "I didn't see any animals, but then the first time I've seen any animals is when I got here." The Palace of Lazar had livestock grazing, peacocks roaming the grounds, sheep in the distance. For the first time, Briar had seen animals not just used for slaughter.

Donte nodded. "That is enough for now." He looked at the men. "Gentlemen, I believe Briar has been asked enough questions." He reached for her hand and assisted her out of the chair. He placed his hand on her lower back and escorted her out of the room. She could feel the glares of the men, but with Donte's touch, she no longer had any fear.

Briar walked down the hallway and mentally prepared herself for what would come next. Did they think she was a spy? Was Donte going to ask her to leave the harem?

Donte's tall frame towered over her. If she had any doubt of his strength, the way he conducted himself with the other men proved he was a man not to mess with.

His gaze found hers, his eyes as blue as the water that cascaded out of the fountains that blanketed the palace and so piercing at the same time.

She caught her breath, not being able to control the yearning that sliced through her at his nearness. He led them toward his private quarters.

"I have some further issues to discuss with you," he said as he led her past the entrance.

"Do you believe that Jaden sent me?" she asked, her voice not much more than a whisper.

"I believe you came here on your own free will."

Briar swallowed hard. He didn't fully answer her question.

Donte reached up to caress the smooth line of her jaw. "I believe you are the strongest woman I have met. I believe you managed to do things and travel distances that no man could do. You sacrificed yourself for the sake of a loved one. I have not met anyone who would do that."

Her eyes glittered with tears, the words stinging her soul.

"I have never admired a woman before," he said, his finger moving to tease her lower lip, torturing her with such a gentle touch. He sighed and stepped backward, his hand dropping away.

It was a struggle not to reach for him, to not fall into his embrace, to not feel his intimate touch. She remembered the way his hand felt against her skin, how the discipline of last night had her moaning for more. The hunger for his cock almost took her breath away. All this time being trained as a harem girl had left her thirstier than any day in the desert. She desperately wanted her thirst quenched by his seed.

She wanted to give herself to him. She wanted it even more than serving the brothers of the palace. But she was also afraid. Her virginity belonged to them as it was part of being in the harem.

His voice brought her back to the present. "We are going to have to evacuate the harem," he said, turning away and walking toward the unlit fireplace.

"What? Why?" Her heart stopped. She wondered if she'd faint right there. She knew what his answer would be.

Resting an arm on the mantle, with his back facing her, he answered, "Jaden is planning their attack on the palace. We aren't prepared, and although we plan to fight, the battle will not be in our favor." He turned to face her. "We are going to split up the harem and have you all go to different communes. We have neighboring allies that will assist. But in the meantime, we have to make sure the women cannot be taken hostage. Capturing the harem would be quite the prize and offer bragging rights. No matter what, even with the fall of Lazar, we will not give them the harem."

Briar shook her head, not knowing what to say, but positive she didn't like what she was hearing.

Donte continued, "I am going to ask you to lead one of the groups. You clearly understand the land and the ruthless nature of the desert. You are a fighter, and I have no doubt you can lead your group to safety."

Briar's ears rang, her breath ragged. She shook her head again, but remained silent.

"We feel breaking the harem in three groups will be the best. We need all the guards to stay and fight, so we have no choice but to send the women alone. I will put Mistress Krin in charge of one group, and Mistress Tula in charge of the other. But the remaining one will be led by you."

Words escaped her. She wanted to scream no, but her voice was lost in her ocean of fear.

"It will be expected that you lead your group, and wait for us to retrieve you."

Briar finally found the words. "I want to stay with you," she whispered hoarsely. "Let us stay and fight. At least let me stay and fight."

Donte shook his head. "You would not be a help, but a hindrance. I cannot have my men worried about the safety of the harem, when they need to be worrying about their own lives."

The words stung even though they were true.

Donte crossed the room in three long strides to where she stood. "I need you, Briar. I need your strength to keep you and the other women safe. I need you to do this for me."

Briar shook her head vehemently. "No. I can't."

"I am not asking. I am commanding."

"No! No! No!"

She shook her head. Hysteria washing over. They were going to die. Donte, the brothers, the guards, even the harem. They were all going to die.

"No!" she screamed. Breathing became harder, her heart threatened to rip out of her chest.

Donte grabbed her by the shoulders and shook. "Briar, look at me. Control yourself. I have no doubt you can do this. I
need
you to be able to do this."

His mouth descended. His kiss conquered her lips as she so desperately hoped he would conquer Jaden.

Passion erupted, a fervor stronger than any power known to man. His kiss dominated every sense in her body. It demanded every emotion, every feeling. Everything in her became his with one demanding kiss. She couldn't breathe, couldn't reason, couldn't put up any resistance as his strong arms swooped her up and carried her over to his bed. And fear of the future erased within his arms.

Without saying a word, he removed her silks in one fluid motion. She stood at the edge completely nude. It wasn't the first time she stood naked before him, but this time was different. Her body sizzled beneath his hungry stare. Lust melted her core. Her pussy throbbed in anticipation.

"Lay down." His command was husky as he removed his clothes, baring his caramel skin.

Briar licked her lips in anticipation.

The candlelight fired his ebony hair, his face glowed in the warm light. His hard edges softened as he pressed the palm of her hand against his chest. She could feel his heart beat against her touch. He never released her of his stare as the rhythm of his life pounded against her hand. One beat at a time, the connection between the two formed.

He kissed her again, possessing her mouth with slow thoroughness. His lips pressed firmly to hers as his tongue plunged deep within her mouth. Pulling away, he placed soft kisses along her neck, along her collarbone, slowly lowering until his tongue teased her erect nipple.

Her body jerked in response to the touch. A gasp escaped her lips as his mouth sucked her nipple completely. Lost in sensation, Briar's mind swirled beneath her closed eyes. He moved to the other hardened nipple, edging her closer and closer to a cliff of abandoned passion.

With a trail of kisses down her stomach, Donte placed his body between her spread legs. Caressing her moistened folds, he expertly plunged his finger into her pussy. Briar tensed at the surprise invasion, but relaxed as he massaged his way in. He began a seductive dance with his hand, in and out of her wet entrance. Looking into her eyes, he lowered his mouth to her clit and circled his tongue along the bud. Gentle licks with gentle thrusts of his finger pulled a moan from the depths of Briar's core.

"Open your legs wider," he commanded.

She did as he asked, feeling the cool air against the wetness of her sex. Continuing to move his finger in and out of her pussy, Donte licked down the length of her folds until he stopped at her puckered hole. He circled his tongue along the sensitive entrance, the tip threatening to push past.

She instantly tensed, closing her legs around his head. The wet kiss in such an intimate spot, shot an electric bolt to her center.

He sat up and stared at her for a moment. The blue in his eyes clouded with desire. He grabbed her ankles with one hand and raised her legs up, as if changing a baby. Her legs bent so her knees were nearly resting on her stomach.

"I told you to open your legs, Briar." He swatted her exposed bottom twice. "I expect you to submit completely. Allow yourself to trust in my touch. Trust that I know exactly what your body needs." He began to spank her bottom as she did everything she could not to wiggle from his hold.

Spank after spank, Donte delivered the discipline. The sting, the submissive position, the complete act, consumed her senses. Wave after wave of fire spread from her punished behind, right to her heated pussy. An orgasm built with every swat as Donte stared into her eyes. As if reading her body perfectly, he lowered his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her clit and thrust his finger back into the wetness where it once was.

That was all it took for Briar to convulse. Pleasure racked her body, forcing a scream to release. Her back arched as her pussy pulsated around his hand.

"Roll over."

Briar did as he asked without a single pause. Her body still hungered for more. A taste of what Donte could do to her only made her desperate for him to take her fully.

He dipped his finger into her pussy from behind, collecting her wetness and then ran them along her anus. "Are you trained well? Can your ass take my cock?"

Not waiting for an answer, Donte pressed his juice-covered finger into her tight hole to find out for himself. Moving one finger in, he soon followed with a second. Although the seductive intrusion had a small bite, it didn't hurt. Briar desperately hoped he'd find she was ready. She wanted him to take her ass as much as her pussy. She wanted to belong to him. Giving her ass to him would make her his.

"Have you had a dildo in you as large as me?" he asked as he pumped his finger into her dark channel.

She shook her head. Her face buried into the feather pillow. "No, sir," she nearly cried out.

"Do you feel ready to take a cock?"

She nodded. "Yes, please." She turned her head so her voice wouldn't be muffled. "Please take me, Donte. I beg of you."

He removed his fingers from her behind and left the bed for a moment. She saw him go to a table and pull out a jar of lubrication. Her heart skipped. She wanted this, but the fear of being taken both tantalized her and terrified her.

He lowered his weight to the bed. Her body trembled as he dipped his finger into the jar and spread the slickness all over her hole.

"You are shaking. Are you afraid?" He paused.

She nodded. "Yes, a little. But I want to belong to you. I've fantasized about you taking me here every time I had a plug enter me. I've wanted this. I've wanted you."

His weight against her back sent a delightful shiver through her. She knew what was going to happen next. The tip of his cock pressed against her opening but didn't push past. He rested it there as he reached around and put pressure on her clit. Rolling his finger firmly in a circle, he whispered, "I am going to go slow. I want you to relax and allow yourself to accept me."

Briar nodded, breathless and needy.

He pressed, his tip breaking the seal. She tensed. "Shh, relax. Take a deep breath."

Briar inhaled deeply and allowed the mass of his cock to slowly enter her. It stretched her further than she had ever been. The stinging pleasure suffocated any doubt and tension in her body. She melted against his entrance as his cock claimed her ass.

"That is a good girl," he praised. "Take me. Take all of me."

When his cock entered her balls-deep, he paused to allow her to adjust to the size. The fullness pounded at every heightened nerve in her body. The taboo thrill of his possession and the ministrations of his finger on her clit brought another orgasm to the surface. She would come with his dick in her bottom.

Her moans grew louder, giving him the verbal cue for him to continue on. He pulled out slowly and thrust his cock back in fully. The act was all it took to send Briar spiraling into a body-shattering release. Her moan became a small scream as he thrust in and out of her tight hole. Each pull, each push, brought her higher and higher in her pleasured delight.

Her ass constricted around the hardness of his cock. Donte's breathing sped, his hands dug into her hips as he moaned with one final forceful lunge.

Illicit gratification blanketed the two as they collapsed into each other's heat.