Hadaen [The Marujan Brothers Series] Book One Page 8

  She cared.

  Chapter Eight

  The light from the lanterns brightly illuminated the interior of her tent. The Hub of Lensai was not what she had expected it to be. Rows of white temporary tents scattered across a tiny valley surrounded, protected by mean yet gently sloping hills. Above that stood the high peak of Mount Lensai.

  Amelia stared down at her entwined fingers which lay in the lap of her crossed legs. She wondered if he was awake yet. It was far past sunset; she supposed Hadaen had been unconscious for far too long. She hadn't seen the sweet gray of his eyes...or heard the deep timbre of his voice since hours before. Since he had fallen, limp and lifeless before her very eyes. Hadaen Maruj had been stabbed in the abdomen all because of his need to protect her, to save her.

  Only a couple minutes later had Gideon returned with a few of the other protectors. They had bowed to her and she still could not understand why. At that point all her concern had been stemmed on seeing Hadaen well and better again. Esyth had assured her that he would heal, that he would awake after a well-earned rest without even the faintest of scars.

  Amelia had begged her to swear on it; and she had.

  When they had first arrived at the Hub, Esyth had none but yanked her off to introduce to every single occupant of the village; the grayest of heads to the tiniest of babes. It hadn't taken Amelia long to realize that the woman had only intended on distracting her from the crowd of elders who entered Hadaen's tent while he 'healed'.

  She knew he was alright; she had been told time and time again that he would recover naturally. But she could not help but be concerned. So, for that sake, she had gone through the next few hours staring down at her hands as if she'd never seen them before.

  Amelia cursed herself a fool for never appreciating him since recuperating from her amnesia. After all, he had somewhat sought to protect her. Hadn't he? Trust him; that was a whole different alley altogether. And if she were ever capable of that, how long it would take to put aside the events of the past was like a puzzle to her. All Amelia knew at that point was that she needed to see him. Guilt was never an emotion she could deal with. She would express her gratitude for his protection; his sacrifice.

  And then she'd walk away.

  A slender shadow moved outside along the side of her tent. Amelia gathered her wits quickly, pouring herself a cup of water to pass off as being somewhat pre-occupied. For she knew the worry on her face would be as plain as daylight.

  "How are you feeling?" Esyth asked, after moving aside the flap and striding to sit next to her.

  "Slightly sick to my stomach." She couldn't forget how the Xavier man's guts had spilled out at her feet. It took damn balls to rip a man's guts out. She gulped down the crystal liquid. How could something of no flavour at all taste so damn good? "And a bit tired."

  Esyth nodded her understanding. "You should be. After what we all dealt with today, we deserve a vacation." Amelia chuckled. "Look... I never got the chance to explain why I never told you that I was your protector before."

  Shaking her head and gently bumping her by the shoulder, Amelia smiled. "It's alright. If you had told me, I'd probably have told you to go hang yourself. The mortal mind is one hell of a thing."

  "You always did have a temper growing up as a mortal child..."

  Amelia looked Esyth in the eye. "Do protectors age because you--"

  "--look fresh and young and green?" she giggled.

  Amelia was surprised when a bubble of laughter spurted from her own mouth. She could tell that Esyth was being humorous on purpose, obviously in an attempt to dismiss her dismal mood. "Yes, that."

  "Well, it all depends in the age at which The First decides you are ready and full-deserving of the power. We now strive to live up to expectations from a tender age. The older folks are mostly healers since they are less capable for combat if the occasion arises."

  Amelia drained the rest of the water from the vessel. The First certainly had a strict system. She did not quite understand how she was selected. Why she was the

  Daughter of Liberty.

  She scarcely even knew what the term meant.

  "Who exactly is the Daughter of Liberty?"

  Esyth stared at the steady flame burning in the lantern for a while. When she finally locked gazes with Amelia, her eyes held a spark that was never there before.

  "She is the beholder of freedom; the issuer of true redemption. The destined mate of the holder of the beacon."

  Destined? Mate? Amelia jumped at the sound of the words. She frowned confusedly and glanced at Esyth. But the woman's face was blanker than the fabric of the tent. Devoid of all emotion.

  "What do you mean? Mate for whom? And what beacon?"

  Esyth smiled slowly and rose to her feet. It was obvious she knew something that Amelia didn't. "You'll figure it out when the time is right." She then nodded and moved towards the flap of the tent. "Oh. What I had really come for was to inform you that Lord Hadaen is awake. I thought you would have liked to know."

  And then she disappeared, leaving Amelia to detangle her own web of thoughts. It took her quite a while to fully realize and comprehend what Esyth had last said.

  Hadaen was finally awake.

  * * *

  "Where is she?"

  Hadaen lounged against the pillows as he stretched his full length along the blankets of the makeshift bed. It was far more comfortable than it appeared to be. His tent was large enough to suit him; high enough to prevent him from bending his neck if he needed to move about.

  Gideon had informed him that he'd been unconscious for six and a half hours. It had never taken him even close as so long to recuperate before; a matter of minutes was the normal. But the healers who had been with him a couple minutes ago had assured him it was quite natural. His body was merely fatigued and needed rest.

  Seven centuries worth of rest. At least he managed to cramp it all in a few hours' sleep.

  "She's fine as far as I've heard from Esyth," his brother replied, tossing an apple up and down in his hand before biting into it with a crunch. "She's been locked away in her tent ever since we brought you here. Been rejecting all company."

  Hadaen frowned and stared up at the ceiling of the tent. "I saw the look on her face when she realized I'd been stabbed. She was horrified."

  "Yup, the woman's got it bad for you." Leave it up to Gideon to put things right out there.

  He chuckled and knotted his fingers beneath his head. "It'd feel a whole damn lot nicer if she'd admit it, trust me."

  "Yeah," Gideon grinned, his mouth full. "Women love being rescued, you know. They can't help it. Makes them feel all grateful afterwards."

  Hadaen smiled to himself. He knew his brother was right. Hell, he'd saved a few damsels before back in Maruj. And they were damn well grateful; his cock could testify to that. And boy did he love where his thoughts were trailing to at the moment; Amelia wet and naked in his arms, those long sexy legs wrapped tight around his waist as he--

  Then he shot up straight at that moment, his cock pulsing with need. "Am I that much of an asshole? I refuse to believe it."

  Gideon paused in his chewing, his eyelids drooped and slightly hooded. He was apparently giving him the 'dumb' look. Then he burst into a fit of laughter. Hadaen scowled and sank back down to the blankets. His brother sounded like a damn fool!

  "Okay, I'm sorry," Gideon muttered, catching his breath but obviously straining from holding back the laugh. "Wasn't expecting that one at all."

  "Get out."

  He quickly sobered up. "Come on! We're flesh and blood here. You're not going to throw me out of your tent." But the grin was right there hidden in his eyes.

  "I'm giving you three seconds, Gideon. Or I'll throw you out my fucking self!"

  "All right! Damn..." He pushed himself up to his feet and mumbled his way out the tent. "I swear, you've got no sense of humour."

  Asshole. The word echoed through his head as Hadaen tried to still his racing hormones. His cock was as
hard as an iron rod. If he didn't find something warm and wet by the end of the night to bury his swollen member in, he'd die for sure.

  Shifting, he widened his thighs a bit as the painful throbbing threatened to rip him apart. Sweat beaded his forehead, trickled down his temples. Why didn't he want another woman but her? Amelia Kunar was destined to drive him off the plain of sanity and into fucking dementia. And there was no kidding about it. He couldn't describe the emotions he felt for her; the feelings that shook him to the core whenever he laid eyes on her. It was all too much to take in. The simplest way possible that he could explain it all was that he wanted her. Needed her.

  Hadaen closed his eyes as he allowed the sweet lavender scent of her to wash over him. He pictured her smile; the delicious curve of her lips, the innocently sultry beam in her eyes. Amelia was all woman; pure loveliness straight down to the detailed slopes of her slender curves. She wasn't skinny. Just slim enough to entice the advances of any man who was in his good senses. He wondered if she knew just how beautiful she was.

  Utterly breathtaking.

  And he'd protect her with his life. He'd stand as a shield before her until Deorci’s burnt remains blew with the wind. For eternity.

  Hadaen's eyes flew wide open and he tossed a blanket over himself to conceal his straining his shaft. He could sense her coming from miles away if he wanted to. He allowed his gaze to follow her shadow as she approached his tent. He swallowed. He'd never before felt so stupidly anxious in his life.

  In a moment, she paused short in front of the entrance. He would have liked to believe that she hadn't thought she needed permission to see him.

  "May I enter, my lord?" Apparently, she had.

  "Come," he simply said.

  She entered the tent slowly as if by caution. The light from the lantern shone dimly against her radiance. Hadaen suppressed a groan. His cock ached even more.

  "Lord Hadaen, I--"

  "You haven't called me that in over seven hundred years."

  Her cheeks burnt rosy red. "Yes but since we are--"

  "Don't formalize things, Amelia." He wanted to stand but damn it the pain in his groin was killing him. "How are you?"

  "Fine." She scratched the back of her neck and looked around. "Esyth told me you were finally awake so I decided to come s-see you..."

  A grin spread across his face. He couldn't quite help it, really. "Finally?"

  "It's just that--um, I was worried, you know. Thought you were--" She stopped talking and frowned, taking in a breath. "It's good to see you without a slit through your stomach."

  He'd forgotten that he was shirtless. Hadaen followed her gaze down his torso and to the point where the blanket started to cover him from his waist. An electric current sparked through him. He smiled. "You're staring."

  "What?" Her face paled like raw dough. "No--I was just...just looking at--"

  "My completely invisible scar?" he chuckled. He didn't want to torture her but boy did he love the way her pupils dilate. Amelia held his gaze for a moment before walking up to him, taking a seat on the rug before him.

  "Thank you for what you did." Her eyes blazed sharply. "It means a lot to me. I could never repay you."

  Hadaen forced himself not to reach out and touch her, fearing that the lightest touch would leave him coming all over himself. "Repayment is not what I need, Amelia. Let's be honest with each other..."

  "Okay." Her pupils shook wildly when she looked at him.

  "You let me into your mind back there. On the field. Why?"

  She blinked and looked away. "I don't know. I was hoping you'd dig around in my mind for the reason instead."

  So she wants to play that game, now did she? Hadaen leaned against the stacked pillows and studied her face. Her hair fell messily around her head as if she'd been running her hands through it too many times. Her lips were dry, a small pink tongue jutting out occasionally to bring moisture. The frown lines between her brows stood out sharply; she'd obviously been worried over something. Hadaen was pretty sure if he reached out to touch her at that point, she'd be trembling like damn leaf.

  "Too bad," he feigned a defeated sigh. "I decided to put a rest to the mind-probing. After all, you have made it clear you hadn't wanted me invading on your privacy. We're just going to have to do this the old-fashioned way. I'm all ears, sweetheart..."

  "You're teasing." It wasn't a question.

  Hadaen raised a brow skeptically. "Would I do that?"

  "You are doing that."

  "Maybe I just want you to come right out and tell me that you want me."

  "Or maybe you just want to satisfy your ego."

  "Trust me, baby. My ego isn't what I want to satisfy right now."

  Her eyes scanned his frame at that point. She was a smart girl; she knew his intentions hadn't changed. "I should go." The moment she rose to stand, Hadaen pushed himself to his feet. She had been holding out a hand to stop him.

  The breath Hadaen sucked in resounded through the room; a harsh hissing sound that left her startled. What had she done? Had she clumsily touch a somehow unhealed wound? Her eyes averted to his face, a vein jolting out stiffly in his forehead. Hadaen knew the exact moment she noticed his erection. Her eyes had widened a bit, her mouth slightly agape as she stared down at the huge bulge behind his unbuttoned jeans. She gulped.

  She thought it was a glorious sight.

  Amelia licked her lips and swallowed. Hadaen stood remarkably still, the tendons in his body about to snap. He could not refrain from listening to her thoughts even if he wanted to. For at the moment--that one moment--Amelia's wild cerebrations bombarded his soul like a sweet activated grenade.

  He watched her keenly, his jaws tight. "Don't," Hadaen warned her.

  But her hand reached out to him, small fingers brushing lightly against his denim-shielded cock. Hadaen tensed and squeezed his eyes shut, silently begging her to run far before his animalistic nature broke loose. To his surprise, she only stood there gazing down at his aroused state with wonder.

  "I want to see you..." she whispered, those beautiful eyes holding a promise he did not want to miss out on. Where had the sudden surge of confidence come from?

  "Do not touch me, woman!” he seethed. "I will fuck you hard...and you will like it. If you--"

  Amelia had already dropped to her knees before he even managed to breathe another word, her hands unzipping his fly and yanking his jeans down his sinewy legs. Hadaen groaned as her fingertips grazed the sensitive tip of his shaft.

  "I overhead some of the women talking about this..." she said, gesturing to the thick long cock that had been freed from painful captivity. "The one who had helped to...tidy you when you were unconscious." Hadaen didn't know where she found the strength to talk at such a moment. "I wanted to murder all of them."

  Any other time, Hadaen would have chuckled. Laughed, maybe. But all his attention was zeroed in on his aching cock and the way she was looking at it...like a starved beast scenting fresh meat; licking her lips as if she would eat him.

  And eat him, she did. Hadaen moaned as Amelia's tongue moved slowly along the length of him, swirling around the drops of pre-cum that was situated there at his tip. Then she took him in, as far as she could, her warm mouth clamping around him like a glove as she sucked him hard and sweet. Hadaen groaned, his head falling back on his shoulders. A tremor coursed through his entire body, rocking him to the very core.

  "Oh fuck!" he growled, fingers knotting tightly in her thick raven hair. "I'm going to come."

  Amelia held on to him, fingernails digging into the firm flesh of his thigh. She swirled her tongue around his cock gently, tasting his sugary saltiness. Watching as he fought to hold back his destined release. She felt the spasms that started to rock his body as his pelvis jolted outwards, the muscles around his loins tightening.

  Hadaen's thick cock jumped in her mouth as his release came spurting down her throat. Fighting against her gag reflex, Amelia swallowed and sucked on him once more. When the spasms
finally receded, she pulled back slowly, panting lightly. She could feel the liquid pool at the junction between her thighs. So she kissed him softly on the tip of his still rock hard cock and looked up.

  The look in his eyes heated her blood and chilled her straight down the bone at the same time. Strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders and before she knew it, Amelia was slammed hard up against him, his hands bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist. Hadaen stepped out of his jeans that had pooled at his ankles and captured her mouth beneath his. Damn her; the woman had a mouth that would let the mannest of men piss himself! He knew he was being rough but he couldn't help it. He needed her too much. He needed this.

  Sliding her down to the blankets, his fingers worked quickly at her clothes, tossing and ripping barbarously until she was naked and completely bare before his eyes. Hadaen reveled in her beauty for a moment. Hell, she was sexy! Too damn sexy for her own good; and for his well-being. Lowering his head, he licked one hard nipple. Amelia arced into him, offering him

  more access as pleasure soared through her. Hadaen nibbled more intensely, suckling on her sweet loveliness.

  Amelia's eyes fluttered close, her mouth giving voice to the most enticing sounds he had ever heard. She'd never felt like this before, not even close. A pulse went wild within her feminine folds, as the sensations intensified. She jumped when he touched a finger to her pussy. Hadaen groaned ferociously, the animal within him breaking surface.

  "Damn, you're so wet and ready for me." He ran a tongue along her jawline, showering the most fervent of kisses down her neckline, moving along the valley between her small supple breasts. "Have you lost your maidenhead, Amelia?"

  She stiffened, her eyes flying open. She shook her head. "Doesn't matter... Don't stop..."

  "I swear you're going to kill me." Hadaen slip a finger inside her tight wet pussy, loving how her slick walls clamped around it tightly. "I've wanted to fuck you from the first time I saw you. And I promise another time, I'll be more thorough. But right now, gentleness is beyond me. So tell me now. Are you a damn virgin?"