His lips moved down to her neck
before he pulled away to stare at her
breasts. He slid the silk of the dress so
that her breasts peeked out from it.
“They did but as I told you, Varian
rescued her. Your sisters are safe.”
With a growl, he pulled one of her
golden treasures into his mouth. Jaisyn
closed her eyes and ran her fingers
through his wet, silken hair. As he
suckled her, his hand moved to the
juncture of her thighs and two fingers
slipped between her folds.
Groaning against her breast, he
suddenly lifted his head and a wicked
glint was in his eyes as he stared
down at her. His fingers pressed
against her opening. “I believe you’ve
really missed me, wife.” Thick digits
entered her, eased by the wetness that
flowed eagerly from her body. She
immediately cl
e
nched down on them,
riding his fingers as she would him.
Vulcan pulled his fingers from her
body and pushed off the bed. Her
eyes flickered to his in confusion,
following rapidly by understanding as
he pushed her dress to her waist,
leaving her long legs and curly fleece
visible to his gaze.
***
Pulling her to the edge of the bed,
he positioned himself at her entrance.
When his thick head grazed over her
button, she cried out loudly, and her
face twisted with want, dragging a
ragged groan from him. He pushed
against her slowly, gritting his teeth as
more of him slid into her. Looking to
her face, he saw that her gaze was
now centered on him. He pushed
forward slowly, feeling her take his
entire length into her quivering body.
Her legs crossed along his buttocks.
Buried inside of her, he eased down
over her body once more.
Her hands held him as he rocked
against her gently. Vulcan stared
down into her open eyes. “You’ve
never betrayed me?”
Her gaze hazy with passion, Jaisyn
shook her head and let him see her
heart. “Never.”
“Malcolm?” he asked, determined to
get that question from his mind.
Whatever she said tonight, he would
believe. Jaisyn’s arms went to both
sides of his face and she said firmly,
“Never. Only you.”
Vulcan released a deep breath and
nodded, leaning down to take her lips
between his again. He moved slowly
at first, sensuously caressing her as
she purred under him, and when his
need became too much, he pounded
against her, straining and moaning as
she pushed up to meet him, as she dug
her nails into his back, as her teeth bit
into his shoulder. Burying his face in
the curve of her neck, he shouted his
release the moment he felt her ripple
under him. They shuddered against
each other, happy to hold, happy to
be held, and basking in the emotions
running through their bodies.
***
In the aftermath, they lay in each
other’s arms. Jaisyn was beginning to
think her husband was asleep when he
suddenly shot up, causing her head to
fall softly against the bed, and stared
down
at
her
in
horror.
She
immediately went on the alert, looking
around the chamber for his sword, in
the case she was closer to it than he.
But then he grasped her shoulders,
and stared into her eyes.
“What about the baby?” he asked,
fear flickering across his handsome
face. She’d never seen Vulcan afraid,
and it took her a minute to understand
what her was saying.
“The baby?” she queried, moving
her hand down to her naked
abdomen.
“Did I hurt him?” he asked, and
Jaisyn felt the largest smile break out
across her lips. Vulcan did not find it
amusing in the least. He released her
arms and glared down at her.
“You think it funny that I am
concerned for the well-being of my
heir?”
Jaisyn immediately bit her lip and
sat up, so that she could be closer to
him when she spoke. Her hand
reached out for his and she pulled it
against her belly. “The baby is fine,
Vulcan. It is still early so you cannot
harm our child.”
His hand began to move on its own
and she removed her hand, enjoying
his touch as he skimmed her skin.
There was a soft swell, one she knew
he would recognize, as he knew her
body well.
“You will tell me when I can hurt
the baby.”
It was a command, and although
Jaisyn had a retort for that, she held it.
He was concerned, for her and their
child. She moved his hand away and
made her way onto his lap, wrapping
her arms about his neck as her legs
spread on either side of his hips.
Leaning forward, she kissed him
eagerly, and his hands came around
her back and she was held flush up
against him. His thick length lay
flattened between his belly and her
hips. She snuggled closer to him and
tilted her hips slightly, groaning into
his mouth when her pleasure nub
rubbed against him.
Vulcan grasped her buttocks in his
hands and slowly lowered her onto his
arousal. She held onto his shoulders
tightly as she pushed herself down.
She enjoyed the feel of him inside of
her body. It was a feeling of
completion.
Slowly, she lifted her hips before
sliding down onto him again. His
fingers threaded through her hair even
as her head fell back and she
continued to ride him. He leaned
forward and licked at the beautiful
arch of her neck, groaning as she
began to clench and unclench her
muscles around him. As if knowing
that it gave him such pleasure, she
continued her play until she felt her
own release approaching.
Instinct took over. She pushed
against his big body until he fell back
against the bed and with her hands on
his chest for leverage, she began
bouncing on him and dragging herself
back and forth.
***
His hands played with her breasts
and clenched her ass. He felt her
orgasm ripple through her before she
fell against him, spent. He continued
to move, stopping only when he too
was spent. His shaft was slowly easing
from her when she lifted her head to
stare down at him. Her eyes were still
hazy and she kissed him softly before
saying softly, “I love you.”
Vulcan’s eyes widened slightly as he
stared at her. It was the first time he’d
heard those words from anyone, let
alone his wife. He didn’t know how to
respond. What was love? Wanting,
needing, protecting? If that was love,
then he loved his wife. If love was the
fear that he’d felt when her cousin
had held that blade to her throat, then
he loved her greatly. But if it wasn’t, if
love was something else, saying those
words would be a lie.
He cared for her, and wanted to
keep her safe. Vulcan rolled her onto
her side before hauling her against
him. He leaned down and placed a
kiss against the smooth expanse of her
forehead.
***
Jaisyn sighed and nodded, feeling
herself close to tears. He hadn’t said
that he loved her. Perhaps it was one-
sided. Would her love be enough? She
blinked and tried to turn away from
him. His arm was unyielding, so
instead, she hid her face against his
side and hoped he wouldn’t look at
her. That would be too much; she had
no doubt she would break into
uncontrollable sobs, which she would
regret in the morning.
Chapter 14
The next morning found Vulcan and
Jaisyn heading to the camp that
housed his soldiers. He had been
alerted of the fact that the heir to the
Sulanese throne lay injured there and
had proposed that the Sulanese follow
his party to retrieve their prince. He
and Azarius had parted as allies, made
even stronger by the fact that Azarius
had returned his wife, and Vulcan was
now preparing to return his son.
When they entered the camp, it was
just before midday. The Sulanese
immediately went to their prince, who
was surprisingly awake, and in great
pain. They’d brought a carriage and
the Morden soldiers had assisted as
they lifted him into it. After the
Sulanese left their camp, Varian
reminded his brother of the Mitherie
soldiers, who were still being held as
captives, and the brothers, without the
accompaniment of the queen, headed
over to where they were being held.
They were seated on the ground,
their arms pulled behind their backs
and tied to trees. Vulcan approached
their leader, who glared at him as if he
would like to separate his head from
his body.
“Tarbin of Mitherie, it has come to
my attention that you had no wish to
do harm to Lytheria. That you were
deceived into an alliance with Kegan
Reinhardt. Is that correct?”
Tarbin stared at Vulcan for a long
moment,
silver
eyes
swirling
dangerously. As Vulcan’s patience
was about to give, Tarbin clipped out
his reply.
“Mitherie has always been a friend
to Lytheria. That goes back centuries,
before Morden had any knowledge of
the East or West lands. And you are
right about Mitherie’s relationship
with Kegan Reinhardt. He deceived
us.”
Vulcan nodded, pleased by the
response. He lifted his hands and
beckoned a few soldiers forward.
“If you are released, do you swear
to return to Mitherie and cause no
more strife for Lytheria and Morden?”
Tarbin seemed taken aback by the
question and replied angrily. “Mitherie
has not caused strife for Lytheria or
Morden. Morden made assumptions
about Mitherie, which turned out to be
wrong.”
Vulcan glared down at the man.
“Do you swear to return to Mitherie
and hold your peace?”
“I swear to return to Mitherie, still
an ally of Lytheria,” Tarbin began
easily. “But I would like Malcolm
Sudbury, if you haven’t yet murdered
him, to return with me.”
Grey eyes widened then narrowed
as Vulcan took a menacing step
forward.
Varian cleared his throat. “Malcolm
Sudbury remains a Lytherian citizen.
He has yet to answer to his king for
his betrayal.”
“From what I have heard, Prince
Varian, your king made sure that
Malcolm paid the price for leaving
Lytheria.” Tarbin held Varian’s gaze
for a long moment. Neither man
looked away, even as Tarbin turned
his address to Vulcan. “Allow
Malcolm to return to Mitherie. He is a
dear friend of the Crown.”
“Enough!”
Vulcan
snarled,
beckoning the soldiers he’d called
forward. The men hurriedly did his
bidding. “Untie them and fetch their
horses. Malcolm has yet to pay for his
actions and will be returning to
Lytheria, where he will be made
example of.”
Freed from the tree, Tarbin stood
and faced Vulcan. He was a tall man,
but Vulcan was taller by a few inches
and much broader.
“Name your price. Mitherie will pay
it,” he said tightly, his jaw flexing.
Vulcan’s glare was unwavering.
“There is no price for a traitor.
Malcolm will face the consequences
of his actions.”
***
Jaisyn had been shown to Vulcan’s
tent before he and Varian went off
together. Finding the tent sparse, and
finding herself not in the least bit tired,
she decided to venture around the
camp. As she passed, soldiers bowed
and nodded in her direction.