Van Laven Chronicles (11 page)

“Oh God!” Vaush cried and trembled in fear.

“They’re still down there, you’ve got to keep moving,” Comron told Vaush. “Follow me.”

Vaush took a deep breath to steel her nerves, then began the climb again. The rain made it nearly impossible to find a solid foothold; even those holds were slick with mud. Regardless, Vaush’s rugged determination kept her fast on Comron’s trail up the embankment. But at well over two meters tall, Comron’s reach exceeded Vaush’s, causing her to improvise where she couldn’t reach.

Halfway up, her arms and legs burned from the strain. Her foot slipped, sending debris cascading down into the gaping jaws of the angry crogodans. Hardly any sign of Wensel remained.

“Keep climbing!” Comron admonished her.

The crogodans seemed to know that her strength was waning and she would soon fall. Their tails began wagging in agitation and their enormous heads swung back and forth, flicking out their tongues in anticipation of another warm meal.

“No,” Vaush muttered under her breath as she stretched to grab hold of a root jutting outward. With her last bit of energy, she took hold of it and pulled herself upward.

A horrific snap sounded and she slid roughly downward along the bank toward the crogodans.

She screamed and Comron turned as she clung to the wall just above the snapping jaws.

“Vaush!” Comron cried as he rapidly descended the embankment. “Don’t move, I’m coming.”

One of the crogodans’ tongues touched her foot, and Vaush jerked her knees up, causing the branch to give even more.

“Damn it, Vaush!” Comron yelled. “Stay put, I’m almost there.”

Within seconds, he was at Vaush’s level. The crogodans grew more agitated. Comron secured his grip on the embankment, then reached his hand out toward her. “Give me your hand.”

Suddenly, Vaush remembered Comron doing the same with Wensel. Comron didn’t want him around as a witness. Was it possible that he caused Wensel to fall?

Vaush glanced down at the crogodans.

“Give me your hand!” Comron barked the command.

The power of his voice was like the crack of a whip, demanding her attention. She saw the depth of fear in his eyes.

Without further hesitation, she stretched toward his hand. Comron grasped hers firmly then pulled her sharply toward him. Terror gripped her heart as she was forced to release the root, and for a split second, she was suspended in midair over the crogodans. But Comron pulled her in, pinning her firmly against the embankment.

For a long moment, they remained that way, both breathing heavily from the exertion. Pressed between Comron and the wall, she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest and the pounding of his heart. An overwhelming sense of security enveloped her, as if being in his arms was the safest place in the world. And yet the intimacy of their positions sent fiery heat through her body. She could feel Comron's warm breath upon her cheek, his lips grazed the top of her ear. “Are you ready?” he whispered.

She swallowed. “Ready?”

“To climb.”

The fog lifted from her head. “Yes, yes of course.”

“You go first this time. I’ll direct you.”

Under Comron’s direction, they slowly progressed up the embankment and over the top to flat ground. His sense of relief was overwhelming as the tension melted from his neck and shoulders. He peered out over the edge and watched the crogodans disappear into the forest.

“They’ve given up,” he said.

“Poor Wensel.” Too exhausted to say anymore, she rolled over onto her back, closed her eyes and allowed the rain to wash away the mud.

Comron turned to gaze at her as she lay next to him. Seeing the sublime look of serenity on her face, he could have believed her to be an angel who’d lost her wings and fallen among the mortals. He could spend an eternity here with her in this moment.

“Comron,” Vaush said, then opened her eyes and looked directly into his. “Thank you for…for everything. I am forever in your debt.”

He held her gaze but made no reply as the rain poured down. There was no appropriate remark that he could possibly make without completely betraying his feelings for her. All of the years of training couldn’t forestall the onslaught of crippling fear he felt at seeing Vaush fall toward the crogodans. It was as if time had stopped and all that mattered was saving her…as if
his life
depended upon it.

I am not permitted to feel these things!

He sat up abruptly and spoke tersely, “We’ve wasted enough time. We should be on our way.”

Reluctantly, Vaush climbed to her feet and stood next to him. “I’ll do my best not to hinder you any further.”

CHAPTER 19

In silence, they covered six more kilometers before dusk arrived. He finally surrendered to the idea that they would not reach the shore today, meaning they would miss the opening social engagement at the banking conference. But even worse, it meant he’d be forced to spend another miserable night laying so close to Vaush, but unable to touch her. Never before had he experienced such intense desire for intimacy, to know her and to be known.

How has she affected me so quickly?
Like a drink so sweet to the taste, but deadly to the body.

“We’ll camp here for the night,” he announced gruffly as they emerged into a clearing.

“Good, I don’t think that I could’ve gone another step.”

She glanced over at him and noticed that his bandage on his abdomen had a pinkish-brown stain on it.

“Comron,” she said, reaching for him. He backed away. “Your wound has been aggravated. Does it hurt?”

He pulled away his shirt to examine the spot just below his rib cage. “I’m fine,” he muttered, though he winced upon touching it.

“No, you’re not. Let me help you.” But when she reached toward him again he clasped her wrist in an iron grip.

“I said I’m fine and I don’t need your help!” he yelled before thrusting her aside out of his path.

She stood astonished, holding her wrist. She’d never encountered anyone with such dichotomy of manner. How could he in one instance show such selfless compassion and then treat her so atrociously in the next? Wensel was no longer here to bear witness to their truce. What else could explain his erratic behavior? Why did he still feel the need to force this distance between them? After all they’d been through, his cruelty hurt her far more than she was willing to admit.

She watched in silence as he repaired his wound with the mend-tech. He was right, he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.

Resigning herself to this, she decided to get some much needed rest and hoped she’d be able banish the images of Wensel’s last moments from her mind. But as soon as she took a step toward Comron to lay her bedding down, he waved her off. “No! Sleep over there.” he ordered. “I don’t want you anywhere near me.”

That was it!
“Why the hell are you being such an enormous ass!” she fired at him.

His eyes lit up and his face contorted in rage. “Because I’ve had enough of you!” he roared. “You’ve been nothing but anchor around my neck this whole time. You’ve no idea what lingering with you has cost me. But maybe that was the Bastionli plan all along, to cause Nethic to lose the board seat!”

She forced down the pain his words inflicted upon her and let her own rage supplant it.

“For all your bravado and courageous acts,” she said with disgust. “You’ve got to be the most cowardly man I’ve ever met.”

Her insult landed like a stiff slap in the face.

“How dare you—”

“Now that you’re so close to being rescued and being back with your own people, you’re suddenly ashamed of our truce and that we have taken care of each other. So you’re being intentionally belligerent to push me away. You despicable coward!”

He glared daggers at her and spoke derisively, “I haven’t taken
care
of you. All I’ve done is repay a debt. If your silly little mind read more into it than that, it’s your fault.”

Vaush tried to hide her anguish as she weighed the truthfulness of his words. But then she remembered the terrified look in his eyes when he’d almost lost her. The hell he hadn’t cared for her! “You’re a pitiful coward
and
a piss-poor liar. And that is
all
I will remember of you when I leave this place.”

It gave her some pleasure to see how her words cut him. Nobody spoke to the Prince of Nethic that way.

“You ungrateful, tiresome little—” he raised his hands and shut his eyes as if struggling for control. “You know what? As I told you from the start, you’re not worth it. Tomorrow morning we’ll reach the coast, be rescued, and never lay eyes on each other again.”

How could he say that and not be as torn apart at the prospect as she was? Why did he have to persist in being so cruel and intractable when this was the last night they would have together? It was too much for her to bear after all they’d endured.

She hastily snatched up her belongings then called to him. “I’m through being an anchor around your neck. Consider your debt paid in full, Van Laven.” With that she turned and headed into the thicket.

“What are you doing? We stay here for the evening.”

“No, you’ll stay here for the evening. From this point on, I’ll take care of myself.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” he said following her a few steps.

“So now I’m ridiculous and anchor around your neck. It’s all the more reason you should be pleased to be rid of me,” she said before she dashed off into the foliage.

“Senseless, mule-headed woman. To hell with you!”

Comron groaned aloud in his mounting frustration. He paced anxiously as he considered what to do next.

Why did I have to lie and hurt her that way?
Would spending one more night next to her have been worse than this?

A piercing shriek cut through the air.

“Vaush!”

He couldn’t clearly discern if the sound had come from a bird or a human. He waited but heard nothing until a flock of birds rose from the tree tops.

He groaned again, raking his hands through his hair.
All she wanted was to help me, to care for me the way I want to care for her.
He stared out into the growing darkness. The thought of her out there alone, angry and frightened tore at his soul. Before he realized it, he found himself gathering his things and making off in the direction she had gone.

Vaush stumbled through the darkness, hoping to find another clearing where she could rest for the night. She didn’t imagine she’d roam far from Comron, just far enough to make her point. Let him call after her all he wanted. She could survive one night without him. She didn’t need him. She didn’t need anyone so out of touch with his feelings. How could he be so deep in denial that he couldn’t admit that they shared something akin to friendship or more? Or was she the one in denial, refusing to believe him? Maybe his outburst contained the truth and all his acts were motivated strictly by a code of honor.

The thought stopped her dead in her tracks. What if she’d run off in vain? What was it that compelled her to read more into his actions? Was it the memory of what it felt like to be held in his arms, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, the way his piercing green eyes captivated her, the way her heart almost stopped whenever he flashed that cavalier grin of his?

She clasped her hands over her mouth and looked up into the darkening sky.

This can’t be happening!

She’d fallen hard for him and he thought of her as nothing more than an aggravating burden that had cost him a board seat. The pain and humiliation of his rejection ate at her till she grew angry. Even if he didn’t care for her, he didn’t have to be so obnoxious and cruel about it. All she had tried to do was help him. How she could have fallen for someone so diametrically opposed to everything she stood for was beyond her.

It did nothing to mitigate the bitter pain growing inside.

CHAPTER 20

Darkness was setting in fast as Comron hurried through the forest on the path Vaush had taken. “Vaush,” he yelled, as fear propelled him forward. “Where are you?”

But when he was greeted only with silence and growing darkness, hope began to fade. Despite the moonlight, it was nearly impossible to see in the dense wood. Navigating with any speed was proving to be more treacherous. It occurred to him that he might never find her, that he might never see her again. Unspeakable pain welled deep inside.

He entered a small clearing and his eyes darted around. “Vaush!” he called out with an ounce of hope. He waited but there was no reply. With final despair he yelled, “Damn you, Vaush! Where the hell are you?” But still his only reply was the stirrings of the night. Now anxiety was usurped by anger. Was she just toying with him? Tormenting him? His fists clenched into balls. He desperately needed to find her, but whether it was to hold her or throttle her was debatable.

At that moment she emerged into the clearing. “Why are you following me?” she asked, devoid of emotion.

Seeing her unharmed, a sense of relief filled him, then abated, giving full reign to his anger. “You can’t stay out here on your own. We have to stay together.”

She looked incredulously at him, “We? We don’t have to do anything.”

Apologize to her and end this!

“If you had any sense in that head of yours you’d stop arguing with me and accept my help.”

“Look, I don’t know who the hell you think you are but I thought I made it clear that I am no longer your burden.” She turned to walk away, but spoke over her shoulder, “Even if I were in the very clutches of death, I’d refuse to call for your help.”

“Stop!” The command in his voice paralyzed her. “You are my responsibility until we reach the shore. You’re not going anywhere unless I say so!”

Indignant, she clenched her fists and fixed him with a blistering glare. “Since when does House Bastionli take orders from Van Laven!” she screamed and took off into the night.

She didn’t get far before she heard the sounds of Comron crashing through woods after her. She sped up, frantically wiping angry tears from her face.

“Vaush!” Comron grabbed her arm, spinning her to him.

She fought wildly. “Leave me alone. Take your hands off me!”

“Damn it, stop this.” He pulled her forcefully into his arms, leaving her little room to struggle. “Do you really want me to leave you alone?” he asked in a harsh tone, gripping her even tighter to end her struggle altogether.

Caught completely off guard by the maneuver, a gasp was the only response she could manage. Anger and desire battled for control as she felt the length of his body pressed firmly against hers.

“Do you really want to leave me, Vaush?” His tone softened, he moved closer and breathed into her ear. “Or do you want to know what I feel for you?”

The huskiness of his voice made the area between her thighs quiver, she would have collapsed had he not held her so tightly. All of her anger and resentment fell away in the gravity of the moment. As she looked up into his smoldering eyes, his mouth hovered temptingly within a breath of hers.

“This is killing me, Vaush,” he said in anguish as he brushed his lips against her cheek. “Please tell me you want this as much as I do.”

I must be dreaming!
Before she could awaken, she grabbed his face and pressed her lips to his and felt the exhilarating charge throughout her body.
This
was no dream!

He parted his lips to hers and they engaged in a slow deliberate kiss. She savored the feel and taste of him, breathing in his masculine scent. She couldn’t kiss him long enough to satisfy her, only an eternity in his arms would do. The slow burn heightened her need and urgency until it kindled a fire. Vaush opened her mouth wide at his urging, she drowned in his unrestrained passion, the stubble of his unshaven face grating wonderfully on her skin.

There was nothing else in the universe for her but the two of them eagerly exploring the wonders of each other. She felt herself melting into him, surrendering all her will to his hungry caresses.

It was a kiss that lasted forever, but ended all too soon.

It took Vaush a few seconds to realize that he’d stopped. Her eyes fluttered open to find him peering down at her. He never looked more enticing than he did at that moment, she was his; there was nothing she would deny him now.

“Do you have any idea of what you have done?” Comron whispered, kissing her face and neck. “You will be the end of me.”

“So this is all my fault,” she teased, arching her head back as his warm mouth drew kisses along her neck. “As if you can’t walk away from this.”

He paused a moment and she saw the troubled look in his eyes.

“Comron.” She tried to kiss him again, but he pulled back, withdrawing from her.

“Comron?” she said, the sense of panic growing.

“I swear, I won’t let him hurt you. I’ll keep you safe.” He looked at her with painful longing. “I can’t go back to that life…not without you.” He closed the distance between them, holding nothing back as he pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her hard, slipping his tongue deep into her mouth. This time, she wouldn’t let him go, not for the world.

His breathing grew heavy as his hands roved her body with abandon. She pulled his shirt aside, kissing his chest, running her fingers through its hair. She never remembered feeling so ravenous and unrestrained. She wanted to devour him whole.

Arching her back, she pressed her breasts against him. His hand slipped under her shirt grabbing a breast, his hot mouth moving down to tease it for a bit. He grinned seductively when she moaned for more. She felt his large hands slide down her waist and around her hips, grabbing the fullness of her ass, squeezing handfuls. She thought that she would go mad with desire, and nearly did when he held her tight and tilted his hips forward against her, letting her feel the full hardness of his arousal against her flat belly.

She moaned appreciatively at the impressive feel of it. Looking up at him, she was startled by the predatory look that declared unmistakably, there would be no turning back, not now, not ever.

He spread his cloak upon the ground, then took her by the hand and drew her down to lay next to him. Held spellbound by the fervor in his eyes, she lay there as he gently moved over her, caressing her body, kissing her all over.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured softly. “So damned beautiful.”

Her pulse quickened when he unfastened her shirt and brassiere, moving his hungry mouth down to her breast, his hands massaging and squeezing them. The tip of his tongue teased her nipples stiff, before he opened his mouth wide taking in her breast, sucking ravenously. She arched her back and moaned in response to the pleasure point pulsing below. His body writhed against hers. She felt his hardened member rubbing up against her thigh, letting her know how eager he was to sink it deep inside her. Her hands reached down, feeling him straining against the fabric of his pants. Her hands had a mind of their own as they quickly liberated him and grasped his shaft.

He moaned softly at her touch. Her eyes widened at its impressive size.

“Well, at least that rumor is true,” Vaush said in smoky tone as she ran her fingers down the length of it.

Comron flashed her a wicked grin, then wrapped his large hand over hers, encouraging her to stroke him firmly. His eyes closed, his expression sublime, his breathing shallow. Abruptly, he pulled her hand away, determined not to peak too soon.

His hands moved to the closure of her pants. With a single, well-practiced move, he peeled off her pants and panties. He looked deep into her hazel eyes, holding her gaze, while sliding his hand slowly down between her thighs. His fingers slipped into her moistness, finding the bud already firm with anticipation. His fingers moved rhythmically over it, luring her toward ecstasy. He shifted his body, draping his leg over hers, rubbing his member against her bare thigh in time with the movement of his hand. His mouth eagerly returned to her breasts, tending to them masterfully.

As Vaush crested toward the peak, she was grateful and surprised that a man like Comron would be so skilled in the art of pleasuring a woman. She moaned and ran her hand down the length of his muscular arm resting it atop of his hand as he stimulated her. Her fingers touched his family crest ring, reminding her that Comron was Nethicaen royalty, heir to the throne, sworn enemy to her house. Forbidden. That knowledge only served to heighten her arousal, and sent her careening toward ecstasy as he deftly brought her to climax.

Before Vaush could recover, Comron mounted her with a great sense of urgency. Her body tensed as she felt him open her and slide his shaft in deep, filling her to capacity. She braced herself, as he slowly began stroking inside her. Gaining a little confidence, she began to relax, which Comron seemed to take as invitation to quicken the pace, sending himself even deeper inside her. As his momentum built, she tried to steel herself against his exertions.

He must have seen her squeezing her eyes shut. He panted in gruff voice, “Am I hurting you, Vaush?”

“No,” she lied, determined to let him satisfy his need, thinking it probably would not get much more vigorous.

That was a mistake.

Comron shifted his weight, going deep and hard inside Vaush. She gasped and grabbed his hair roughly which only served to heighten his arousal. Each of his powerful thrusts was punctuated with a grunt of satisfaction, sending wild sensations through her. Her body tensed around him as she watched his face, a portrait of sheer pleasure, magnificent in its singularity. She clung to his broad shoulders and commanded herself to relax. And that’s when she really began to enjoy it, as her body gradually adapted to his size and force. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her hips rocking forward, keeping pace with his long powerful strokes. She marveled at his stamina and control, as pleasure supplanted pain. As if growing desperate to achieve release, Comron drove harder into her, his hips hammering away like well-oiled pistons, as if he couldn’t go deep enough, fast enough. She felt his large hands firmly gripping her hips, driving them down hard, as he rammed into her. They both moaned loudly as their bodies pounded hard into each other, thrusting and rolling about in frenzied fits of passion, driving them both madly over the edge.

She reached it just before he did. A true master! Her whole body convulsed, screaming in sublime ecstasy.

“Ahh!!” he cried out as he came hard into her. She felt his pulsing release as he held her hips tightly, keeping himself buried deep within her. The sheer ecstasy continued to echo through them both as they remained locked together savoring the pleasure.

So that’s what it’s like to be cocked Van Laven style
, she mused, her head still reeling from the wild ride. Feeling the cool wet ground beneath her, she looked about, realizing that in the throes of passion they had moved a considerable distance from where they had begun.

She grinned, knowing that they were light years from where they had begun.

Comron lay there inside Vaush, remembering the strong currents of emotion that flowed through him as he made love to her. He experienced an overpowering need to possess her, to make her his, to penetrate her, both physically and emotionally. He needed this memory to be imprinted on her mind for life. With each powerful stroke, he sought to claim her, to boldly declare that she was his.

His to what purpose? All these thoughts led him to one inescapable conclusion.

In the quiet calm of the afterglow, he spoke the words in his native tongue, “Ji su naseo, Vaush.”

Her expression said she understood but could not believe he’d said it. “What did you just say?”

He lifted his head to look down at her with those piercing green eyes. “I said, I love you, Vaush.”

Her mouth opened, but no words followed. She broke from his gaze, as if struggling with some internal conflict.

That’s when it occurred to Comron that while he’d wanted to give himself to her completely, all she’d been interested in was a farewell fling. He tried to hide his profound hurt and embarrassment. “It’s all right,” he said, finally disengaging himself from her. “You don’t have to say anything.”

She sat up, grabbing his arm. “Yes, I do.” She searched for the right words. “I’m…I’m overwhelmed.” She shook her head then smiled beautifully. “Ji su naseo, Comron. I love you too.”

His chest heaved and his eyes sparkled with delight. He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. “Oh, Vaush, sweet angel.”

“Comron…,” she said between kisses, “You do realize…our families will literally kill us if they find out.”

He stopped abruptly, his expression was stern and determined. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll keep you safe.”

“And who’ll keep you safe from Larrs? He hates you with an intensity that could melt the hull off a battle cruiser.”

“I’m not afraid of Larrs,” he said dismissively.