Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
She sighed with relief when his touch returned, and soon after his thumb brushed across a spot that had her crying out with intense passion and grabbing hold of his arms as if she needed to anchor herself.
Slayer rested his cheek against hers to whisper in her ear, “Let go, Sky, I will catch you. I will always catch you.”
His whispered reassurance that he would be there for her was all she needed to let go and fall into what seemed like a never-ending spiral of exquisite pleasure, where in the end, she would find herself safely in Slayer’s arms. And she did.
Only as soon as she opened her eyes, Slayer left the bed, grabbed his shirt, slipped it on, and left the cottage.
She stared dumbfounded at the closed door, her breathing having yet to calm down and the sensation that consumed her body still sparking in her. Had she done something wrong? She did not know what to think or do, but then her mind was far too hazy, sparks of passion still spiking in her and not allowing her to think clearly.
She lay there trying to calm her body and clear her mind. Think, Sky, think, she silently urged herself.
Lesson. He meant to teach her a lesson, to be obedient. She smiled. After all the years of being dutiful, this was one duty she would have no trouble obeying. So, why had he left her so abruptly? Had he not found the pleasure that she had? Or had she disappointed him? She did not like to think that, but not knowing what to think and having no experience with it, left it ripe with good or bad possibilities.
She could make no sense of it. It was no wonder she fared better with the animals in the woods. They were far less complex than humans.
A shiver reminded her that she was naked, and she hurried to slip on her shift, preferring not to be naked when her husband returned. Though not at all sure what she would say to him.
Slayer went to the stream, yanked off his shirt and emerged himself in the chilly water. He expected to control his need like he always did when he was with a woman. He had never expected his passion to take control of him. He had had to fight to keep himself from plunging himself into Sky and satisfying a need, a passion that overwhelmed him. His intention had been to introduce her to pleasure, bring her to the brink of climax, and end it there. Explain that they would wait a few days to consummate their vows as he had promised. A lesson that his word was law, and she would obey it. But he could not do it. Seeing the passion smoldering in her eyes, he could not leave her on that edge. He had to let her fall into pleasure and catch her.
He had failed in what he had intended to do and all because he could not stand to hurt Sky that way. To leave her wanting, aching, unsatisfied. And what did that prove? That somehow Sky had touched his heart. That somehow, he had come to care for her, deeply care for her, and that shocked him.
Slayer sat by the stream trying to make sense of it all, but his thoughts only went round and round in circles. He did not realize how long he had sat there until he realized dusk was settling over the land. He returned to the cottage not knowing what he would say to Sky. And he was relieved when he found her in bed asleep. Tomorrow would be soon enough for them to talk and by then, perhaps, he would come to his senses and return to his heartless ways.
“Wake up, Slayer. Wake up! I need your help. I need it now!”
“Warrand! Where are you, Warrand?”
“Hurry, Slayer! Hurry!”
“I’m on my way, Warrand. I will be there soon.”
“Too late. Too late. Wolves. Pay heed to the wolves.”
Slayer jolted up in bed, breathing heavily and jumped when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
“Are you all right?” Sky asked, her heart beating madly from being jolted awake and concerned for what had startled her husband awake.
“Aye, go back to sleep,” he commanded and slipped out of bed.
He went to the fire pit and added more logs to the dwindling flames, then stood there and stared at them. He dreamt of Warrand every now and then. It was always the same dream. He would never reach him in time to save his life, but this dream was different. In this dream, Warrand warned him to pay attention to the wolves. What had wolves to do with his brother’s death?
Slayer shook his head. He should have been there for his brother. He should have saved his life and given his own life if necessary. It had been his duty to keep his brother safe and he had failed him. He could not fail in avenging his brother’s death. He had to find whoever did this and make them suffer before he took their lives.