Blood Oath Read online

  “It’s okay,” she said in a dreamy voice, parting her legs so he could reach her clit more easily. He fumbled a moment before finding it, and then his thumb and forefinger were tracing light circles around the nub. She sighed and started to turn onto her back, but he stopped her by putting his mouth against her throat again.

  Anca focused her gaze on a tapestry on the gray stone wall as Demi caressed her clit and sucked on her neck. She locked her thighs around his arm as he slid a finger inside her pussy. She circled her hips as she moaned.

  Demi’s other arm was pinned under her waist, but he repositioned her slightly so he could stroke her nipples. “I want to make love to you. Will you accept me?”

  She stifled the urge to giggle at his formal request. Most men would have assumed they could proceed if they had their hands between their partner’s thighs. She swallowed to suppress the laughter. “Yes.”

  She heard him move away from the bed. When he came into her line of sight, she watched him pad across the floor to lift his pants. He rummaged through the pockets until he found what he sought. She turned her head to watch him come back to the bed, and she saw he held a condom. He moved behind her, and she heard him opening the wrapper seconds before the bed dipped under his weight.

  To her surprise, Demi didn’t turn her onto her back, and he made no move to straddle her once he was back in bed. Instead, he stretched out behind her and lifted her thigh with his hand. He shifted her gently until she was angled with her head barely on the pillows, and her feet pointing toward the opposite corner of the bed.

  Anca shivered as Demi positioned his leg across her thighs. His other leg pushed under hers to lift it. He nudged the leg he held a little higher in the air. His cock brushed against her buttocks as he scooted forward another inch. She bit her lip as she waited for him. Within seconds, the head of his cock was pushing against the wet entrance of her pussy.

  He eased into her with a slow thrust, moving so slowly she thought she might pass out. A twinge of discomfort accompanied his total possession, and she stiffened. She immediately forced herself to relax.

  Demi stopped moving. He cleared his throat. “You are a…virgin, Anca?”

  She shook her head. “No. It’s just been a long time.”

  “I see.” He sounded disappointed. “Do you wish to continue?”

  “Oh, yes. It didn’t really hurt. I was just surprised…” She trailed off with a sigh. “I do want you.”

  He didn’t speak as he withdrew carefully and thrust into her again. Each movement was slow and careful, as though he thought she was made of glass and might break.

  It was disconcerting to be making love to him without seeing his expression. She could feel his body’s reaction to her, and could hear his ragged breathing, but she couldn’t see how he felt. She wanted to look into his eyes.

  When he withdrew again, Anca pulled away from him. She pulled her legs away from his and rolled over onto her other side, so she was facing him. He was frowning.

  “Is something wrong?”

  She smoothed her fingers over his furrowed brow. “No. I wanted to see you...to look into your eyes as we make love.” She moved closer to him, until her breasts touched his chest. Anca put her thigh over his legs, exposing her pussy.

  Demi thrust forward, and his cock pushed against her clit. She scooted up a bit, and he entered her pussy again. Once inside her, he stopped moving, and their eyes locked.

  Anca stared into his dark eyes, and a sensation of rightness swept through her. The physical presence of his body joined with hers wasn’t as intense as the emotions flashing through his eyes, transmitting themselves to her. She felt loneliness sweep over her, followed by longing. His eyes reflected the image of her face, and when she saw herself in them, contentment washed over her.

  She felt connected to Demi on a level she had never experienced with another man. As he moved away from her, and then surged back inside her with a powerful thrust, her heart raced. Perspiration formed on her brow, and she struggled to get closer to him.

  “What do you see in my eyes?” Demi asked, as he draped his arm over her waist and squeezed her buttocks.

  Anca struggled to focus on his question as he rocked his hips, while pressing her closer still. He filled her completely when his cock pushed into her pussy. Her eyes were starting to water, but she didn’t want to blink and risk missing the play of emotions in his eyes. “Uh…”

  He thrust into her more forcefully. “You wanted to look. Tell me what you see.”

  “You. Me.” She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. How was she supposed to answer his question when she couldn’t concentrate on anything but the whirling vortex of his eyes and the way they fit together perfectly?

  Demi released her bottom and trailed his hand over her hip, across her belly, and down to her pussy. He slipped his fingers between her smooth lips and circled her clit with small strokes. “Do you know what I see in your eyes?”

  “Uh…” she said again, unable to form coherent thoughts.

  “Pleasure, confusion, longing. More than that…”

  She closed her eyes as the sensations overwhelmed her. He thrust into her again and continued caressing her clit in time with each tilt of their hips.

  “Open your eyes,” he said forcefully. His voice had previously been a rough whisper.

  Anca’s eyes popped open, and she looked up at him, barely able to focus on his face, because she was so close to coming.

  “You wanted to watch me while we made love.” He pushed his cock deep inside her and stopped moving. “Tell me.”

  There was a strange sense of desperation about him, as though he needed her answer. She blinked, struggling to speak as he resumed moving inside her. She swallowed and forced her eyes open and into focus as her gaze locked with his.

  Previously, she had let the emotions blur together, but now she tried to separate them. Tenderness, that was easy to spot. Pleasure, of course. His eyes were expressive, but more than that, she seemed to know what he was feeling as he felt it.

  Were the emotions really in his eyes, or was she sensing them directly from him? The experience was similar to a vision, but different too. The emotions were more specific, and less open to interpretation. Rather than seeing, she was feeling. Or was she? Was it all in her mind?

  “Anca?” His eyes pleaded with her as his muscles quivered. “Now, please, tell me if you can see what I’m feeling. I can’t wait…”

  Her orgasm swept over her as his body stiffened and his cock spasmed. Anca put her hand on his shoulder and dug her nails into his skin. The answer suddenly crystallized in her mind, and she wondered why she hadn’t realized earlier. It seemed so obvious. “Love,” she forced out through gritted teeth as convulsions swept through her body.

  Demi sagged against her, and his relief was palpable. “Yes,” he whispered against her neck. His lips tickled her skin. He whispered something, but the words were indistinct. It sounded like he said, “Joined,” but she couldn’t be certain.

  Tiredness swept over Anca as the pleasure from her orgasm slowly faded away. A feeling of being protected accompanied the languorous afterglow of making love, and she curled closer to Demi. Questions flickered through her mind, but she didn’t voice them. She was too tired to talk…if only she was too tired to think.

  She should ask why Demi thought he loved her. She should tell him their lovemaking didn’t change anything. She was still returning home at the end of the week. She should make it clear what they had done tonight was a mistake and wouldn’t—couldn’t—happen again.

  The only problem was, it didn’t feel like a mistake. For the first time in her life, Anca wasn’t haunted by the ever-present, phantom sensation that something was missing. Sex had never filled that ache before, so why did it now?

  She didn’t want to examine it too closely, because a shadowy answer had already formed in her mind. Being with Demi had been more than sex, but she refused to allow herself to define exactly what else it had
been. Such thoughts would be dangerous to her future, and they threatened to upset the life she was accustomed to.

  His arm draped her waist again, and he turned his head so his mouth was against her ear. “I have to leave you soon.”

  Her sleep-heavy eyelids had started to close, but she opened them quickly. “What? Why?” She frowned. “Is it illegal or something to make love if you aren’t married?”

  He laughed, and his chest rumbled against hers. “No, though it would probably be better not to have rumors circulating about your sex life during your first week here.” He eased away and propped his chin on his hand. “I have a duty to perform, and I must leave around daybreak.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Ylenia is staying at Necheau, a village high in the mountains. Her niece married into the pa…one of the groups who live there. She left to visit her weeks ago, before your father sent me to find you.” His lips curved into a small smile. “Though I doubt she didn’t know he would send for you. Little escapes Ylenia.”

  The name was familiar. “Who’s Ylenia again?”

  “She’s our spiritual leader, and she will want to meet you immediately.” His expression darkened. “She will have much to tell you, and not all of it will be pleasant.”

  A hint of foreboding overshadowed the contentment of lying in his arms. Anca wasn’t anxious to meet this woman. A shiver raced down her spine, and she bit back the urge to beg him not to fetch the woman. She sensed the meeting was unavoidable, though she didn’t know how she knew that.

  “When will you be back?” She tried to force herself to sound cheery, to hide her reluctance to meet Ylenia, and her reluctance to be parted from him. Unfortunately, her voice emerged more as a croaky chirp.

  “Late tonight or early tomorrow. I’ll take a Land Rover to get into the mountains, but Ylenia will insist on returning on horseback. She gets violently carsick.”

  “What will I do with myself?”

  “You are free to do anything you wish.” He touched her cheek and smoothed his fingers over her supple skin. “Don’t go anywhere alone though. It may not be safe.” He seemed reluctant to divulge that last bit of information. “Take Starr. She has agreed to be your companion while you’re here.”

  Anca’s brow quirked. “She agreed? How does one get a wolf to agree to anything?”

  He seemed to be going out of his way to be obtuse. “Carefully, and with much persuasion.” He grinned at her.

  “But—“

  “You will be safe with her.”

  She shivered, imagining having the wolf shadowing her every move. She would rather take her chances alone.

  “Anca, promise me something.” He spoke in a low voice, and his expression was somber.

  “What?”

  “Promise me you won’t try to leave while I’m gone. I know you’re frightened of what everyone expects from you, but please promise me you’ll be here when I get back.”

  She frowned when she realized the thought of leaving while he wasn’t there to stop her hadn’t even entered her mind. “I’ll stay until the end of the week, as I agreed to.”

  He nodded, not looking satisfied, but no longer looking fearful. “I’ll return soon.” He cupped her face in his hand. “I find the thought of leaving you painful, now that we have joined.”

  “I’ll miss you,” she said again and snuggled closer to him. A hint of worry lingered as he pulled the blankets over them and relaxed. Even as his soft snores filled the chamber a few minutes later, she remained on edge. She didn’t know which she dreaded more—being alone in the castle for the day with a wolf companion; meeting Ylenia and hearing what she had to say; or telling Demi she had to go back to her real life.

  An ache near her heart caused her to catch her breath, and it answered her question. What she dreaded most was leaving Demi, though she wasn’t certain how such a turn of events had happened so quickly. All she knew was she wanted to be with him, though they had known each other only a few days. It felt like she had always known him, and she had simply been waiting for him.

  Yet, how could she stay? She wasn’t meant to be a queen, even if she had wanted that kind of life. She’d had no training, breeding, or warning about her expected role in Corsova.

  He would just have to understand she couldn’t stay here. Even if she refused to take over for her father, people would always expect her to change her mind if she didn’t return to New York. It would be worse to live in the country as a regular citizen, and she couldn’t expect Demi to return home with her to New York. In her heart, she knew he couldn’t easily leave his life in Corsova.

  Anca would have to make him understand all that if he protested. It wouldn’t be that difficult, once she got her stubborn heart to accept there wasn’t any other way. Right now, that was the most daunting task facing her.

  Chapter 8

  The next time Anca awoke, she was alone, as expected. She sat up and turned her face in the direction of the large window. Sunlight flooded the room, and what she could see of the sky appeared blue and cloudless. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and noted it was a little past ten a.m.

  There was a knock at the door, and she wondered if that’s what had awakened her. “Just a sec,” she called as she slid from the bed and searched for her clothes. Demi had folded them neatly on the trunk at the foot of the bed. Anca slipped on the sweater as she padded to the door.

  She opened it a crack and peeked out. Her brow furrowed when she saw Nikia standing in the doorway. “Er, good morning.” She ran her hands through her hair, hoping to hide some of the ravages caused by a night of lovemaking.

  “Hello, sleepy head,” Nikia chirped. She wore emerald-green jodhpurs and a white blouse. She clutched a wicked-looking crop in her right hand. “I thought you might like to join me in a ride.”

  Anca’s first instinct was to refuse, but she stilled the impulse. If her sister was making an effort to welcome her, she should reciprocate by accepting. “That sounds nice, but I’ve only awakened—“

  “I figured as much. I rapped on your door for several minutes.” Her eyes gleamed with a hint of malice before she blinked. “Long night?”

  “I didn’t get much sleep.” She strove for a cool tone as she met Nikia’s eyes.

  “Hmm.” Nikia glanced at her wrist, examining her gold watch. “Why don’t you shower and dress? I’ll nip down to the kitchen for a light lunch to bring along. Will an hour be long enough?”

  “Yes. Thank you for the invitation.”

  Nikia shrugged and turned to walk down the hall. “Meet me in Papa’s study.”

  Anca watched her go for a few seconds, wondering if she shouldn’t call the other woman back and rescind her acceptance. She sighed and shut the door, figuring it would please her father if she bonded with her sister. Perhaps her poor impression of Nikia from last night wasn’t accurate. Maybe her sister had been as surprised by Anca’s existence as she had been to discover she had a half-sister.

  * * * * *

  Less than an hour later, Anca met Nikia in the study, after losing her way twice. She had wandered into a room full of tapestries she could have spent hours exploring, if not for Nikia waiting for her. As soon as she had the chance, she would return to that room—assuming she could find it again.

  Nikia sat behind Valdemeer’s desk, with her feet propped on the desk. The supple leather of her knee-boots was as soft and smooth as the crop in her hands. A picnic basket was on the edge of the desk.

  Anca smoothed her hair, bound in a ponytail, and tried to resist the urge to compare her quiet beauty to the exotic allure of her half-sister. Something about the other woman made her feel inadequate. She forced a smile, wishing her jeans and shirt looked half as elegant as Nikia’s garb. “I guess I’m ready.”

  “Sensible gear,” Nikia said as she scanned Anca from head to foot. Her eyes seemed to linger on Anca’s breasts for a moment longer than was comfortable. She stood up, and the moment passed.

  Anca jumped w
hen Nikia slapped the riding crop against her leg. “I should warn you I’ve never been riding before.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Nikia shook her head. “I’ve heard your childhood was…impoverished.”

  She stiffened at the comment. “We didn’t live in a castle, but we managed just fine.”

  A simpering smile curved across Nikia’s face as she lifted a basket from the desk. “Of course you did. Still, it’s a pity you weren’t here in Corsova, where you belonged.” She licked her lips. “I would have welcomed the opportunity to know you.”

  “Er, thanks.” Anca was at a loss as to answering her sister. She followed Nikia silently from the study and through a twisting maze of rooms and hallways. As they left the castle through an entrance around the back, she asked, “Did you know about me?”

  “Of course. I was six when Katrine abandoned Papa.”

  She frowned at Nikia’s stiff tone. “Were you and Mother close?”

  Nikia shrugged, letting that be her answer. She shifted the basket to her other hand and tucked the crop under her arm as they rounded the castle.

  Anca caught her breath as Nikia swung open a gate and they emerged into a meadow. The lush grass was a brilliant green, and conifers towered over them. As they walked past one, she couldn’t resist touching the rough bark of the tree. “These trees must be ancient.” The trunk was twice as wide as she was.

  Nikia turned her head slightly. She sounded disinterested when she said, “Several hundred years old, in fact. Corsova has one of the largest areas of trees left from times when most forests were decimated to build buildings and create farmland. Wait until we ride into the mountains. Even larger trees are common, and the weald grows so thickly one could easily lose their way.”

  “How did these trees manage to avoid getting cut down?”

  “Corsova has remained untouched by the outside world, for the most part. Even in the country’s infancy, our people kept our borders sealed.” She shrugged. “It is our way. We don’t like outsiders.”