*Our poor Kahlan experiences what happened through the bond Nicci created with her.

The Mistake – Part 2 – Phantom Touch

First Kahlan had felt the battering Nicci had received, and she was worried that the other Sisters of the Dark had found the sorceress and her Seeker. Then she was pinned to the ground, her father looking down, worry etched on his face. It was a strange thing to see from a man who had tied her up as a child. Memories of being bound by him flashed through her mind and she wanted to scream, but it was too hard to breath. It was like something was pushing down on her chest.

Then it was gone, and she could breath and stand. They ran from the clearing with what they had come for: Her mother's jewelry. Her father helped clean her wounds as Zedd and Cara set up camp. Kahlan went through her mother's jewelry looking for something that the wizard could use to break the spell. Her father commented on the cheek bruise, but Kahlan responded that she was feeling better now. After they had selected a piece that would work, Kahlan slinked off to find a quiet place to rest alone. She wanted to cry, her worry for Richard overwhelming her.

Her father and Zedd stayed by the fire and talked softly, while Cara patrolled the camp perimeter. Kahlan rubbed her cheek and thought of Richard, wondering if it was her Seeker who was soothing the injured Nicci. Tears leaked down from her eyes as the she thought of Richard touching another woman. Finally finding a little niche in some rocks that would keep her hidden, Kahlan laid down, thinking of the man she loved.

Kahlan closed her eyes and sought out sleep, hoping her dreams would give her pleasant thoughts of her Richard touching her as he should be allowed to do.

She was awaken by a sudden feeling. It was almost as if Richard was caressing her cheek. It was a soft feeling, almost like a whisper. Kahlan reached up to feel her cheek, and she could swear her senses were recognizing his touch. She closed her eyes and eased into the phantom touch, dreaming it was Richard.

Then it felt as if his hands were cupping his face, as he often did when he surprised her with a kiss. She felt a sensation dance across her lips, velvety and warm, and it was almost as if Richard was kissing her. She moved her fingers up to feel her lips, as the phantom kisses continued.

"Richard?" she awkwardly called out, but no one answered. He was not there… he was with Nicci. Spirits… Richard was kissing Nicci. She knew it. Kahlan recognized the feel of his lips. What had Nicci said? Everything she felt, Kahlan would feel as well? Why was Richard touching Nicci like this when he knew Kahlan would feel it? It only tormented her to know what he was doing. And that it could not be her that he was touching.

Her hand tingled with a warmth that felt oddly like the feeling she got when she touched his chest. Spirits, he was undressing in front of Nicci. Why Richard? Why?

Kahlan tried to make a move to sit up to seek comfort from one of her friends, when suddenly she felt herself being pushed back down. It wasn't rough or aggressive like the hitting that had happened. It felt more like the times Richard would ease her down to kiss her when they were alone. She recognized the tender gentleness of it and it brought hot tears to her eyes, knowing that Richard was with Nicci.

"Oh, Richard…," she sobbed softly. "How could you?"

Kahlan felt the kisses run across her jaw and down her neck and shoulder. Phantom hands danced down her body and she felt them caress her breasts and feel her in ways she had always wished Richard could. Then the kisses followed and she could not help but let out a soft moan from the pleasure his lips caused on her body, as her nipples grew stiff under his touch. She could feel him sucking her, his warm tongue running up and down her breast and over her aching nipple.

A burning desire rose in her core and traveled down to the place between her legs, and Kahlan forced a breath when she realized how wet she was becoming down there. She was highly aroused, but Kahlan found herself crying softly, knowing that her Seeker was touching another. And confused as to whether it was her that was becoming aroused or Nicci.

His phantom lips danced down her body and she felt his hands on her legs, massaging her thighs and feeling her bottom. She could not help but close her eyes and moan his name, as she felt him slowly pull at her legs. Unable to hold them, her legs parted and she swore she could feel the stumble of his chin rub against the inside of her thighs. Her mouth dropped and a gasp escaped as she felt his tongue descend on Nicci, licking and kissing her femininity.

Kahlan arched her back and let out a low groan at the pleasure it elicited from her. However, that pleasure was something she was receiving through the bond Nicci had created between them. It was overwhelming, the heights to which she could feel his soft lips against herself as she felt her folds open and his tongue enter her. Yet, at the same time, it was agonizing.

It hurt her that Richard was touching Nicci in such a way, but part of her was a little excited at feeling his touch, even if it was through another. Because he could never really touch her like this. She would confess him, and that was something she never wanted to do. Still, it made Kahlan want to crawl into some dark hole and die, knowing that the man she loved—the man she thought loved her, was lying somewhere with his head between another woman's legs.

A tingle rippled through her body, as she felt his finger tease her special place, before slowly pushing inside of her… no inside of Nicci. Her cheeks flushed with unbridled arousal and she became even wetter and hot, despite her confused and torment mind. Then it stopped and she felt wet dripping kisses run up her thighs. An airy dizzy feeling overwhelmed her and her mouth suddenly thrust opened. Her breath caught and she felt as if something large was being shoved down her throat. Kahlan gagged and sobbed, realizing that Nicci must be taking Richard into her mouth, and was pleasing him in away Kahlan never could.

Thankfully, it did not last a long time. Her tears were staining her face, yet her breath was heavy with desire and need. All she wanted to do was cry and run away, but she could not move. When nothing more happened, Kahlan sighed, hoping it was over and that would be the extent to the pleasure her Seeker sought from the Sister of the Dark who held her captive by her vile magic.

Kahlan took a deep breath, trying to calm her burning cheeks, when suddenly she felt something brush against her lower lips. Then, with a sudden thrust, he was inside her. Kahlan cried out in a mixture of grief and pleasure, as her Richard continued to thrust up and down inside Nicci. It felt so much like he was really inside her, yet she felt no pain of her maidenhood being taken. She had no doubt that when she had herself checked, she would still be pure. But it felt so real. So raw.

He was so obviously hard and warm… so much aroused, that it broke her heart. She had felt his hardness brush against her thigh on some of the rare occasions when she would allow their kissing to go a little further than usual, yet he had never been this hard before. Still, it felt delicious. It was a rapturous feeling having Richard move inside her, but Kahlan knew that he was not truly with her. He was with Nicci. She felt his hand on her hip and another caress her breast, as her Seeker drove up into Nicci as the sorceress rode him.

Kahlan gasped as her cheeks warmed with pleasure, and her hips were rocking wildly on the ground. She could tell from the sensations she was receiving that Nicci must be on top of Richard, bucking hard. Then it was like she was being spun in the air and pushed into the ground. Richard never withdrew from her and it felt as if he was pushing even more into her.

Her legs were pushed wide and one shot up on its own according. Around her ankle she felt something like a sweaty grip and knew that Richard was holding Nicci's leg up against his shoulder. She closed her eyes and let loose a cry of ecstasy as the feeling of Richard plunging deeper into her coursed through her body.

The phantom feeling continued and she felt his fingers caress her face, and her mouth filled with the taste of his sweat. She closed her eyes, sensing that it was his finger Nicci was sucking. Then her breath caught as she felt his weight on top of her, her legs spreading ever wider to take him all the way in, as he drove even harder into Nicci. Her hips bucked as Nicci responded to Richard and pulled him closer.

A sudden feeling trickled down her spine and her mouth dropped to release a soft moan as she climaxed. It was an odd feeling, reaching the pinnacle of sexual pleasure while lying all alone in the forest, and without even doing anything to stimulate herself. She felt a sensation of something warm seep through her insides down there, and she knew that it was Richard's seed being released into Nicci. Despite the bliss of the climax Richard had caused both her and Nicci's bodies, Kahlan cried, dismayed and horrified at what had just happened.

His weight rolled over her and she felt him slip out and Kahlan was free to move. She curled up into a fetal position and wept. Richard… her Seeker… the man she loved above all else, had just made love to Nicci. Kahlan's worst fears had come true. Richard had sought release with another woman. But what made it even worse was that it was Nicci and that Kahlan had felt all of it, and had even received pleasure and release at their lovemaking.

Rolling over, Kahlan wiped the hot tears from her eyes and tried to put on her confessor's face. How could she blame him if he sought comfort in another woman, especially when she could not give herself to him for fear of confessing him? He had a right to seek some pleasure. But it hurt so much that it could not be her that gave it to him.

If only she could have gotten her hands on a Rada'Han… then she could give herself to Richard without fear of confessing him. But, being noble, he would not allow it. Her Seeker kept proclaiming that they would find away, that when they had finished with the Keeper, his next quest would be to find a way for them to be together.

But none of those soft comforting words he had spoken to her seemed to calm her now. Richard had found someone who could give him what she never could. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, praying to the good spirits to put her in a deep sleep, one which would give her dreams that would sooth her grief and sorrow.