A/N: DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUN! Those allergic to lemons are kindly requested to proceed with caution ;).
This chapter took a lot out of me since it's been deleted and rewritten twice and some parts of it thrice since Saturday xD so I really hope that the result is to your liking :)!
A great THANK YOU to all of you who reviewed, it really means a lot to me :)!
For my anonymous reviewers :):
Angel87: hahaha well, here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it :D! Thanks for reviewing!
Canela: xD yes, isn't he? I'm so glad you like him :)! Thank you very much for taking the time to review!
ME: Thanks a lot :D I'm really happy about that, I hope you like the rest of it too!
Hello: I think Adam did help Erik make up his mind about what he's going to do ;). As for Gustave… he's not going to like at all what is going to happen (in this chapter) but you'll see for yourself in a few chapters what I mean. Thank you so much for your review and your kind words :)!
Katie: Thank you so much, I'm glad you did :)!
phanatic: I think I made it good. I don't know about 'real good', you'll be the judge of it but I'm quite satisfied with the result! Hope you enjoy it and thank you so much for reviewing!
Before we move on, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my good friend and brilliant author Heartsbroken! Thank you so much for you support, for reading all my ramblings without complaining xD, for inspiring me with your wonderful stories and of course for your amazing advice ;) (hopefully I put it to good use ;D)!
Without further ado, chapter 15!
Disclaimer: Don't own it :(...
HOPE YOU ENJOY :)!
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Chapter 15
Erik couldn't believe what had just happened... utter disbelief flooded his thoughts as he walked back to the small lodge. If he understood correctly, Adam was giving him permission to bed Christine.
Why on earth would the Wolf do such a thing? He found it impossible to believe that Adam actually gave him permission. Then again, he found way too many things impossible to believe at this moment.
If the Volks did not destroy Dacre, who did?
How had Sir Dudley allowed himself to be captured and what had he said? Why would Empress Sophia put such an untrustworthy man under his command?
Erik was busy thinking so he didn't see the bag left near the burning fire and tripped over it. Inside it there were cheese, bread, pork and a full flask of wine. He looked around but saw nothing.
Since there was no way that the food was left there by wood fairies, he assumed it came from Adam. Had Christine seen, or talked to him?
Erik's heart stopped. Was she still there? He picked up his pace and nearly ran through the door of the lodge.
A candle was burning inside the room, its flickering light being more than enough to illuminate the small space, assuring him that Christine had indeed remained there.
The sight of her sleeping on the narrow bed eased his fear, but did nothing to slow the heavy pounding of his heart. He set the net with the pheasant down.
"What did you catch?"
Startled by her question Erik held up the bag "A pheasant."
Christine sat up on the bed "And what is in the net?"
He looked at his raised hand and groaned "I caught a pheasant... with the net. But someone left this..." he pointed at the bag "...outside."
"Who? I saw no one while you were gone."
"I'm quite certain it was Adam de Volk."
"What happened to your neck?" Christine's voice raised an octave, drowning out his answer. She nearly jumped off the bed and raced across the floor.
"I am fine." He placed the bag of food on top of the chest and grasped her hands as she reached towards his neck.
"Fine?!" She pulled her hands back "You are bleeding!"
"It's nothing but a scratch." He tried stepping away from her ministrations and backed into a wall.
She leaned against him "Hold still."
"Christine..." Erik said "I'm fine, really."
"Since you can't even see it, I'll be the one to determine whether you are or not." She shook her head and tsked "It needs to be cleaned. Go sit down on the bed."
"I said it is fine." The last thing he wanted to do was get anywhere near the bed.
She ran her fingers across his neck and held up her hand. Erik's breath caught at the amount of blood coating her fingers.
He hadn't realised how close Volk had come to actually cutting his head off "I-I thought it was just a scratch."
"From what? And do not attempt to tell me it was the pheasant."
"I told you already. It was one of the Wolves, Adam."
Christine froze "Adam? You didn't mention seeing him."
"I most certainly did. Your screeching drowned out my words."
She shot her nose up in the air and put her hands on her hips "I never screech!"
"If you say so."
After finding some rags in the chest, she pulled the wine from the bag. "Go, sit down and let me at least get rid of the blood."
Erik glanced from her, to the bed, then back to her "I don't think it's very wise to use the bed."
Christine's startled expression begged for an explanation. Before he could offer one up, she pushed him towards the bed. "Fear not, Erik of Dacre, I will not attack you…" She smiled up at him before continuing "… just yet."
"'Tis not you I fear."
"Then who? It cannot be Adam, since he obviously let you live."
"For this night he did, yes."
She tipped her head and frowned "Does he know I am here?"
"Yes."
"And he permitted you to return without a fight?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm..." Her frown deepened "I wonder what he's up to this time."
"I've been wondering the same thing."
Christine untied his belt and placed it on the floor next to the bed with his sword. "What did he say?"
"Are you trying to distract me?"
She raised the hem of his tunic "Bend over." Then she pulled it off over his head and tossed the garment on the bed.
"Yes, that's exactly what you're trying to do." He closed his eyes and sighed.
"I'm trying to get you out of your chain mail so I can clean your neck."
Erik gently pushed her away from him "Is there a stream nearby?"
"Yes, take the path behind the lodge, it's not very far so you won't need a horse. But... it's frigid. You will freeze to death."
"I doubt it." With the heat pulsing in his veins it would be impossible for him to freeze. He walked towards the door "I'll be back soon."
Christine waited a few moments before falling on the bed with laughter. Once again he was going to use an ice-cold bath to cool his ardour, but he didn't realise that would last only for a short time.
She had already decided to make full use of their time alone this night. Erik of Dacre was the only man she would have for husband, and if Gustave was against it then, she would run away.
And if... for whatever reason... Erik decided he didn't want her as his wife, then she would have no man and this night would have to last her a lifetime.
Christine picked up his sword, belt and tunic along with her cloak and boots and put them neatly on top of the chest. She pulled a stool next to the bed to use as a small table and then she took the food from the bag and placed it on the makeshift table. She smiled to herself. She left Erik no choice but to sit on the bed.
She undid her hair and finger combed it, letting the riotous waves fall freely on her shoulders and back. She had overheard women working in the keep say that a woman's unbound hair tempted men to run their fingers through the forbidden locks, something that would lead to other lustful acts.
It was time to see if those tales were true or not.
Surely Erik would return soon. Christine tugged at the lacing on the back of her gown and let it slide from her shoulders, down her body and to the floor. She stepped out of it and added it to the growing pile on the chest.
The night air had turned cold, so she quickly removed everything except for her thin chemise and she raced to the bed, diving under the covers.
Once settled in bed, her mind began to swirl from one question and thought to the next. Adam knew she was there alone with Erik and yet he had not come to order her home to Volk. Did that mean that he approved of Erik?
If so, had he said so to Erik? She couldn't imagine any one of her brothers giving any man permission to spend a night alone with her.
It made no sense. But she was not about to question this unexpected 'gift'.
What would it take to convince Erik that this night might be all they had? Would he set aside his honour for passion? For love?
The door suddenly opened, filling her stomach with butterflies.
"Are you awake?" His words seemed to shake.
Christine looked at him and ordered "Your lips are nearly blue from the cold. Get in bed."
He dumped his chain mail to the floor and shook his head "I'd better go sit by the fire for a while."
"Erik, it is cold out there. With the night air and your wet skin and hair we'll not have to worry about Gustave killing you."
"The fire is warm. Go to sleep." She heard his teeth chattering, it reminded her of the intense cold of the shelter they had found that night by the stream and knew he must be suffering as much, if not more, than she had.
She rolled onto her side and stared at him. "What are you afraid of?"
"Afraid?" His visible eyebrow rose "I am afraid of nothing."
He sounded oddly like a child. Christine pointed at the food "Then come over here, sit down and wrap a blanket around you. You can tell me what Adam told you while you're eating." And to her ears she sounded oddly like a mother.
She frowned.
These were not the images she wanted to have this evening. No, the images she wanted were much more… carnal… adult… and definitely not motherly or childlike. She shivered.
"Are you cold?" Erik sat down on the edge of the bed, careful to leave some space between them.
"No…" She had started saying she wasn't cold at all but she quickly changed her mind "I am freezing." She shivered again.
He unfastened his boots and kicked them off before swinging his legs up on the bed. Erik pulled her against his chest, muttering "I believe that you are not as cold as I am."
Christine sighed, this was so much better. She snuggled in closer to his chest and slid her arm across his waist. Erik's heart thudded a steady, soothing rhythm against her ear.
"So, what did Adam say?"
"He has been following us since we parted with Alcott and Dudley."
"Alone?"
"I do not believe so. I'm quite sure he said his man was with him, although I only saw him."
That was unusual "I wonder where Rowan was." Rowan was Adam's shadow, following himwherever he went.
"Guarding their prisoner, no doubt."
She placed a hand on his chest and rose up enough to stare down at him "Prisoner? What prisoner?"
"Sir Dudley."
"Your Sir Dudley?"
"He is not exactly my Sir Dudley, but yes, he is the man they have captured."
"I fail to understand how that happened."
"That makes two of us. It seems that Dudley didn't obey my order to wait for me. Instead, he decided it would be better to follow us."
Christine lay back down on his chest and asked "To protect you perhaps?"
Erik snorted "I doubt it, but there's more. Once captured, Dudley saw fit to confess that I had abducted you and that I planned to extract revenge."
"What did Adam say about Dacre?"
"That the Volks would have no reason to destroy it."
"I had already told you that."
"Yes, but not quite in the same way."
"Is that when he cut your throat?"
"No, he did that when he first came up behind me. It was an effective way to make me drop my sword."
"So, do you believe me now? Can you understand at last that none of the Volks destroyed your property?"
He sighed "Yes, I do believe you."
Christine bit her lip "Apparently Adam now knows as much as we do?"
Erik brushed his masked cheek across the top of her head "I fear he knows more than we do."
She couldn't stop her laughter "Now that's not possible."
"I would not be so sure of that, Christine. Not only has he watched us for over a day, but he overheard us when we stopped at the fork." At her sudden intake of breath, he agreed "Yes, it's an embarrassing thought, isn't it?"
"Surely he was teasing you."
"No, he repeated our words to me."
Oh Lord above! Christine could just imagine Adam's laughter-choked voice "And he let you come back here, knowing we would be alone tonight?"
"Yes, but there is still more to it than that." Erik reached over to the makeshift table and took some bread "Are you hungry?"
The rough tone of his question made her wonder what Adam had said. Certain she would find out soon she answered "Yes, a little."
He sat up on the bed, dragging her along. Once she was sitting with her back against the wall, he picked up the stool and let her choose what she wanted, before returning it to the floor.
Between bites, Christine drew him back into the discussion. "What else did he tell you?"
"Well, just that the Comte will do his best to intimidate me."
"That's true, Gustave always uses intimidation first. Many times it saves him from having to use force." She took a swallow of the wine "Don't let him get away with it though. Stand up to him."
"That's what Adam suggested too." He reached towards the stool asking "Do you want any more?"
"No, I've had enough, thank you." She took a cloth nearby to clean her hands "Was there anything else he suggested?"
At Erik's silence, she looked at him. His stare seemed to burn through her. An expression of combined need and want set her heart to racing.
"Erik?" Christine turned around, coming up on her knees to face him. She rested her palms against his chest. His heart pounded with the same furious rhythm hers did.
She slid her hands beneath his shirt; his flesh was now hot beneath her touch. It did not take him long to warm up. Leaning closer, she asked in a whisper "Did he say anything about us?"
With a groan, Erik pulled off his shirt and reached for the hem of her chemise. Christine used the rock-hard muscles of his chest for leverage and rose enough for him to pull the fabric from beneath her.
Before she could settle back onto her knees, he whipped the garment over her head, tossed it to the floor and pulled her against his chest, whispering hoarsely "He said that wolves mate for life."
The feel of his strong arms around her sent a shiver down the length of her body, even her fingers shook as she stroked the line of his stubble covered jaw. "Aye, that they do."
He buried his face in her hair. "Since I cannot know what the future will bring, I have no right to ask you to share all of your tomorrows with me."
Christine pushed herself up, straddling his waist. The heat of his taut stomach burned the soft flesh between her legs. She gasped at the contact, but looked down at him. "None of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. I will share this night with you and each and every day I will pray for one more night."
He reached up and stroked a breast. She leaned into his touch, gasping as he brushed a thumb across the stiff peak of her nipple before sliding his hand up behind her neck.
Erik pulled her down to him and placed a line of kisses across her forehead, down her cheek towards her mouth.
With his lips barely touching her own he said "Then let me love you this night and we'll both pray for tomorrow night."
The hard bulge pressing against her thighs let her know that Erik's passion was as enflamed as her own "Yes, please, love me."
But a sudden thought made Erik froze...and instead of kissing her he took her hand and put the palm against his jaw, her thumb grazing the small cleft of is chin and her fingers resting against his mask. "There are so many things I want to tell you and yet so little time." the look in his eyes left no question about what he was referring to.
The distressed tone of his voice was clear and Christine frowned. It was the first time Erik acknowledged the mask, but this was supposed to be a night of happiness, a night they would make beautiful memories. He had just told her he would love her and now that? She had never asked and he never talked about it, so why now? She had indeed got curious a time or two but in the end it didn't bother her, it didn't bother her since the first time their eyes met. This was Erik, her Erik, that's how she got to know him... besides, he could have his secrets, as long she had him. She smiled to herself at that thought "Tomorrow. We'll talk about whatever you want tomorrow." she said and pushed her hips against him.
Erik's eyes darkened and he groaned, he wanted to tell her, he wanted to ask her why she ignored it, how could she possibly ignore it for all these days? Ladies of that age were discreet but with Christine he knew better. But she was right, they would talk tomorrow, no sad discussions would ruin their night.
His mouth came down on hers. This was no brief, light kiss like the ones from moments ago. No, this was a fiery caress that stole the breath from her body and all thought from her mind... a fierce caress that promised more passion than she could imagine and demanded her response.
Every inch of her flesh burned with desire and pulsed with a desperate need. She clasped her arms tighter about his neck, and arched her back seeking to get closer.
Erik tore his lips from hers and asked "Do you trust me, Christine?" Twin flames from the candle flickered in his eyes.
"Yes."
"What are you…" her breath hitched when his stroking fingertips circled her breast.
"I intend to savour every moment of this night... I want to memorise every soft inch of you." Christine could only gasp. Erik's eyes were blazing, the lust was nearly blinding.
His gaze moved to the rapid rise and fall of her breasts "Look how pretty."
He took one of her hands, spread her fingers, and then wrapped it around her mound. She stared back at him in shock, her eyes moving between him and where she cupped her breast.
"Feed it to me," he whispered then "I want to taste it." a whimper escaped Christine "Give it to me, Christine. Press that pretty, hard nipple into my mouth."
She couldn't believe she was doing it. She couldn't believe that she was lifting her breast, guiding it to Erik's lips.
He licked it first.
"Oh god, Erik." She was shaking like a leaf and he licked it again, the rough pad of his tongue sliding against the sensitive tip like wet velvet.
Her taste made him growl as his lips parted to envelope the hard point into the heat of his mouth.
Christine's fingers were tangling in the strands of his hair as he suckled on her until she climaxed.
Pleasure rushed through her sex, drenching her, spilling to her thighs as she lost her breath.
Erik's head rose from her nipple, his hands lifting, pulling hers from his hair "You're so wet. I can smell how wet you are." He whispered as he stared back at her "Do you know what your scent does to me?"he thrust his hips upwards the moment he pulled her down, making sure the hardness of his erection nestled against her centre.
With a low rumbling groan he rolled her onto her back, coming to rest with his legs straddling hers and his weight on his elbows. She wrapped her arms about his neck, running her fingers through the ends of his still-damp hair.
His hands started moving lower, at the top of her legs, around her knees, finding a ticklish spot that made her giggle and squirm. At the same time it provided him the opportunity to slide one of his long, muscular legs between hers and immediately her giggles turned to gasps of pleasure.
And when his torment focused on the most sensitive spot between her thighs, her breath stopped. He dipped a finger between the throbbing folds of flesh as his head moved lower. Frantic with a burning need, Christine blindly grasped at his shoulder "Erik, please. I need you, I can't wait."
He looked at her with a wicked smile "You can wait."
The first swipe of his tongue through her sensitive slit had her screaming. He licked at her, lapping at the juices spilling from her vagina as he groaned against her flesh. She writhed beneath him, twisting, bucking against his mouth as he circled her clit only to move lower to lap at her again.
He nibbled at her sensitive labia, parted her, and then suddenly he drove his tongue inside her. She exploded for a second time, her inner muscles clenched, shuddered, and more heated liquid spilled to his greedy lips.
She was gasping, her eyes filled with tears from the intense orgasm "Erik?" She sobbed his name "I need more."
He pulled away from her only long enough to strip before kneeling between her parted legs making Christine sigh with relief.
She immediately reached for him, but he answered not by coming into her arms, but with a smile worthy of the devil himself. He parted her thighs once more and caressed her hot wetness with the head of his erection.
He was moving steadily against her for several long moments, his cock sliding in the juices of her sex as he stared down at her fiercely. Christine thought she would burst into flames. Gripping the bedcovers, she fought to catch her breath to ease the rapid pounding of her heart and the mindless throbbing of her body.
Erik's deep groan brushed against her ear as he finally bent over her "I will try to not hurt you."
She could barely make sense of his words through the fog of desire. Hurt her? How? Before she could find the answer he entered her in one fluid thrust.
Christine experienced no more than a sudden flash of pain that faded before she fully noticed it. She must have flinched, because Erik had gone still. "No. Don't stop now." She arched against him, trying to find the perfect rhythm for their bodies.
Hesitantly he matched her rhythm, but soon a wild abandonment carried them away. She could feel him with every thrust pushing the tender muscles apart, stroking her delicate tissue and sending almost unbearable pleasure through her system, until a cry of satisfaction tore from her lips.
Erik echoed her cry with a heavy shudder and a deep groan as he followed her shortly, shooting his hot semen inside her soft depths.
Damp with perspiration, panting for breath, he collapsed on top of her. Christine wound her arms around his back, kissed his neck and shoulders until she could no longer draw in air.
He moved onto his side and curling an arm around her he pulled her close. They both drifted off to sleep, her back tight against his chest and one hand cupping her breast.
...
A/N: Hmmm… what do you think :)?
Until the next time :)!