Hey All!! Thanks so much for reviewing! This chapter ended up being
longer than I thought. . .but it's all right. I hope you like it! There
is more to come after this, so don't think that this is the end. I'll take
all your considerations into mind, though I already have an ending planned
out. I'll figure something out. Who was in her room? Well. . .wait and
see. . .^_^ Read and review! Thanks all! Ja ne! ~Lady Hino
* * *
Jadeite was beside her before she could fall to the floor. "Rei! Rei!" he called. He lifted her into his arms and made a small note that she weighed no more than a feather, and placed her gently onto the bed amidst the white linen and silk. "Rei, please, sweetheart, open your eyes," he whispered to her. He gently slapped her cheeks and stroked her brow until her eyes fluttered. "Yes, that's it, good girl, open those lovely violet eyes," he encouraged her as he sat on the bed beside her.
"Jed. . ." she called.
He smiled down at her and scooped her into his arms. "Hush, sweetheart, everything will be all right," he said gently as he stroked her soft dark hair. He then turned to find Lily standing in the doorway as still as stone. He didn't like the look in her eyes, but didn't comment on it, said simply, "Go and find Endymion. He is most likely in the master suite. Nephrite, I'm sure is busy in his red room-you know well where that is-go and drag him away. Then you may take yourself off, Miss Lily."
Lily stared at him as if he were daft. How dare he order her around like some common house servant? She was not his chambermaid! And yet, she knew she could not disobey a prince. She took herself off with anger in her eyes and hatred for the dark-haired goddess in his arms.
Jed breathed a sigh of relief when she had finally taken herself off and then looked back down at the girl who clung to him as if he were her only lifeline. He quite liked feeling needed. "Rei. . .are you all right?" he asked her gently. He didn't want to startle her. He knew that waking up to a dark shadow could be frightening, he had seen his share of dark shadows in his day.
A shudder coursed through her body and Jadeite tightened his grip on her. "Rei. . .please tell me you're all right," he whispered against her head. He forgot that only moments before he was being caressed and held by his former mistress, he forgot that before that he had been cursing her for her lies and for the betrayal he felt. He clamped down on the anger that began to surface in him and concentrated on the little shivers that ran up and down her spine.
She slowly raised her head and looked at him. His eyes were kind and the blue held rich warmth in them. She didn't know if she should trust those eyes or if she should turn away from them now before she was consumed by their beauty. She chose the latter and gave him the barest hint of a smile. "I'm well, Jadeite. . ." she said slowly.
He didn't believe her; she saw it in those eyes of his. "Rei.you fainted. . ." he said gently.
"I know. . .I've never done that before.not naturally, like this. . ."
He felt the fear slide into him again, but he ignored it. "Your eyes look vague," he said with a frown. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a film over those violet orbs that dulled their intense color. She looked dazed and he didn't like it. "Lie down for me, sweetheart," he said as he pushed her tenderly into the mattress.
"Why?" she asked.
Jadeite grinned down at her and leaned to whisper in her ear, "So I can have my way with you."
Rei looked up at him and he saw the uncertainty behind that film in her eyes. "I'm just toying with you, sweetheart. I want to look at you and make sure you're all right."
She didn't protest when he settled her down and pulled down the straps of her nightgown, nor did she protest when he pressed his palm against her chest to feel her heart. She did open her mouth to say something when she saw the frown on his face. "What's wrong, Jed?" she asked.
He shook his head slightly and smiled down at her. "You're heart is beating very fast."
"I'm sorry. . ."
His smile brightened. "You shouldn't be sorry, Rei. Someone did something to you. Can you tell me if you remember anything?"
"Anything before what?" she asked.
He struck a thoughtful pose and then snapped his fingers. "Tell me everything that happened after I left," he said. She blinked up at him for a minute before frowning slightly. "Well. . .after you left, I went to bed."
Jadeite felt the anger bubble inside of him. She didn't even care about what she did to him? He meant so little to her that she could just put herself to sleep without worrying about how he felt? "Is that all?"
The frown deepened and she pressed a long, slender finger to her right temple. "I remember lying awake for several minutes, then I remember something warm and hazy fall over me. Almost like a spell, but I didn't want to be put under a spell, so I woke up and jumped out of bed."
"What did you see?" Jadeite asked his body tense.
"I saw nothing at first, but when I jumped out of bed, I saw a shadow lurking over the bed."
Jadeite leaned closer to her and stared hard into her eyes. They were still a dazed and foggy violet, not the brilliant fire he was so used to. "It was a man, was it not, Rei?"
Rei appeared to think about it for a long moment. Her eyes closed and for a moment Jadeite thought she fell asleep, but when she finally spoke, her voice was distant and there was not a hint of emotion in it. "It was a man who reminded me of someone. . .though I can't think of whom."
Jadeite frowned himself and stroked a hand over her brow. She was cool to the touch, but he was still worried about her. "Don't worry about the name, Rei. . .just tell me how you feel. . ."
She closed her eyes and reached into herself to find the answer.
Jadeite saw her concentration and wanted desperately to give her his hand to hold, to allow her to draw strength from him and into her. He wanted to lie beside her and pour his energy into her, if only she would give him the answer he desperately wanted to hear. "Come on, Rei-chan. . .please tell me you're all right. . ." he whispered as he watched her struggle within herself.
Slowly her eyes fluttered open and the dazed film that had consumed the brilliance of her eyes had disappeared and the warm violet was shining brightly through. "Jadeite. . ." she said with a sigh.
He scooped her into his arms and held her so tight, she squeaked. "Thank the gods!" he said harshly.
"Jadeite!"
Both Jadeite and Rei turned abruptly at the sound of Endymion's voice. Jadeite continued to hold her, his possession of her obvious. Rei struggled against him and pushed, but she could not get any where. "Endymion, this is not what it seems," she said desperately.
Endymion hid a smile and put on a look of authority. "I should hope not," he said sternly.
Jadeite caught the smile in his eyes, but didn't bother to tell the lovely girl in his arms. She would find out soon enough. "Endy, I think it's time that we had that talk you have wanted to have for so long."
"As long as you let the princess go, Jadeite."
Jadeite reluctantly released his hold on the raven-haired beauty, but did not remove himself from her bed, nor did he let go of one of her hands, though he noticed that she tried desperately to wriggle away from him "Where is Neph?"
"He is coming. A lovely blonde woman came and woke me up, said that there was some business that needed to be attended in the princess' room. She then said that she would go rouse the young prince from his bed and send him along shortly," Endymion said with a smile. He didn't bother saying that the woman had a look in her eyes that he had seen only too much. He also did not mention that she had said Rei's name with as much malice and scorn as a grumpy old witch.
At that moment Nephrite came running into the room, his hair streaming down his back in tangled waves, his shirt unlaced and no boots. "I came as soon as that blonde wench told me," he said, his chest heaving.
Jadeite frowned slightly at that. "Do you mean Lily, Neph?" he asked quietly.
Nephrite struck a thoughtful pose and then shrugged his shoulders. "I care not what her name is. She is a blonde wench, and that is that."
"Why do you call her a wench?" Jadeite asked slowly.
Nephrite sat down in one of the high backed white winged chairs, leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankles. "I don't think this is the best time to discuss this," he said with a nod toward Rei.
Rei sat up straighter in bed and stuck her chin in the air.
Jadeite hid a grin and turned back to his friend. "I believe that the princess is strong enough to hear what it is you have to say about Lily."
Nephrite shrugged once again and began to tell his story in a voice that proved how bored he was with the topic. "I was out hunting with my men one day when I met the woman. It was hot, as it always is, and there was no breeze. My men and I were tired. So I decided that the best thing was for me to call a halt to the hunt. I told my men to rest in a clearing not far from the main road and I took myself off deeper into the forest. I wanted to get away from the hunt and take my rest beside my favorite tree."
"You don't mean that old oak, do you Neph?" Endymion asked as he took a seat beside the disheveled prince.
Nephrite smiled slowly and then nodded. "I don't know why I'm so attached to that tree. For Gods sake, it's not even supposed to be growing out here! I've seen where oaks grow, Endy, and Spain is not one of those places."
Rei cocked her head to the side and unconsciously clutched Jadeite's hand.
"What is it, Rei?" he whispered to her.
"Nothing, Jadeite," she whispered back.
He rose a skeptical eyebrow at her before turning back to the two men. "Please, continue," he said with a wave of his hand.
"Why thank you, your highness," Nephrite said sarcastically. "As I was saying. . .I wanted to take a rest beneath the oak that I love so much and I didn't want to be bothered. I suppose that while I was sitting there I fell asleep. All of a sudden I feel hands on my legs, traveling upwards, smoothing over my buckskins and. . .well. . .and then I woke. When I did open my eyes, there was not the auburn-haired beauty of my dreams, but a pale blonde woman with a gleam in her eye. I wasn't exactly sure what to think of her at first. I thought she could be a wood sprite, but then I remembered that wood sprites and slender and tall and swift of foot, like my-"
"Yes, we all know, Nephrite. Like your auburn-haired beauty."
Nephrite gave a lazy grin then turned to look at Jadeite. "That's all there is to it," he said, "The woman was sprawled in my lap when I woke and asked me to take her back to my palace."
Jadeite frowned slightly. "And so you took her here. . ."
"Yes, and she has been nothing but trouble. Demanding this and demanding that. I was tempted to send her away, but then she volunteered to put herself in my harem and I cannot deny such a request."
A delicate winged eyebrow rose at that comment and Nephrite had the decency to turn away.
Jadeite smiled. His fiery little Rei. . .He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking that.
"How do you know her?" Nephrite asked.
Jadeite didn't look at the raven-haired goddess sitting beside him. He couldn't do it. Even though he still felt the heat of anger and betrayal, he couldn't face her and tell her that, "Lily worked for me for a short time," he said.
Endymion raised an eyebrow of his own and then turned to Nephrite. "Worked for him?"
"This isn't the same woman who is little Belle's mo-"
"Yes, this is the same person," Jadeite said quickly.
"Who is she?" Rei asked.
"No one you need concern yourself with," Jadeite responded. "No, back to more important matters.Rei was attacked just before the two of you arrived."
"What?" Endymion shouted, coming out of his chair. He was glaring hotly at Jadeite.
Jadeite didn't blink. "The princess was attacked-"
"I know that you idiot! Who attacked her?"
"That I do not know."
"Damn you, Jadeite!"
"It was not I who attacked her, Endymion."
"Let's just think this through, Endy," Neph said softly.
Endymion looked down at the delicate girl sitting in bed beside his general. She looked vulnerable and alone, yet he knew well what lay underneath that façade. He sat down on the bed opposite Jadeite and held her face in his hands. "Are you well?" he asked gently.
"Of course."
He stared hard into those eyes of hers and then nodded in satisfaction. He saw the fire burning brightly in those orbs of hers. She was angry. "Will you tell us what happened?"
She retold her story to Endymion and Nephrite. There wasn't much to tell, but she told all she could. Endymion questioned her, Nephrite shot out possibility after possibility. Rei couldn't do more than nod or shake her head. She was so tired.
Jadeite saw it before the others did. He leaned over while Endymion and Nephrite were immersed in conversation and whispered, "Would you like me to rid you of this vermin?"
Rei gave him a grateful smile and then squeezed his hand.
He smiled at her and lost himself in those violet depths. He felt himself being pulled in, felt the heat of those eyes bore into his soul. He felt his heart stretch and expand in his chest, felt his eyes turn color, felt his blood curdle. He wanted this firebird; wanted her more than life itself. He decided in that moment that she would be his. Yes, it sounded so good in his ears. Rei was his.
"Gentlemen," he said as he stood. For the first time in the few hours that Endymion and Nephrite had arrived, he let go of her hand and Rei suddenly felt the entire room swim about her. Her eyes clouded and she saw nothing but blackness.
"Rei!" she heard someone call. Hesitantly she opened her eyes. There were three faces surrounding her and she immediately sought out icy blue eyes misted with worry. "Jed. . ." she whispered.
He shoved the others out of his way and then gathered her into his arms. "What happened to you?" he asked her, unconsciously rocking back and forth.
"I don't know. . ." she said, clutching the front of his tunic tightly. She suddenly felt so stronger now that she was touching him, leaning into him. "I honestly don't know."
Jadeite pulled away slightly and stared down into her eyes. They were dazed again. "The bastard cast a spell on you. Damnation! It was a strong one too. Look at her eyes!"
Endymion knelt beside Rei and gently lifted her chin. He saw instantly what Jadeite was referring to. Her eyes were no longer the vibrant violet he was so used to, but a dull gray purple, so lifeless and dull that he felt his skin grow clammy and cold. "I'm going to call in Zoicite."
Rei saw Jadeite's jaw clamp tight, but dared not comment on it. "What's wrong with me?" she asked.
Nephrite smiled down at her and stroked a hand over her head. "There is powerful magic inside you, my dear. It seems that Jadeite is keeping it at bay. I believe his extraordinary psychic abilities are helping your own. The two of you together can overcome the spell, but you alone cannot. It is a strong dose of magic that resides in you."
Rei cocked her head to the side and rested her head against Jadeite's chest. He was so warm and hard and smooth. She wanted to burrow into him and spend the rest of her life there.
Jadeite stroked a big hand up and down her back then looked up at the two men near him. "I will stay with her this night. . ." he said softly.
Endymion exchanged a hesitant look with Nephrite. "Jadeite. . .you know what this means. . ."
"There is no other way. I will stay with her until Zoicite arrives."
"You are giving up a lot, Jadeite."
"It must be done."
"There is no need for you to do this. . ."
Jadeite looked briefly at Endymion and shook his head, "I want to do this. . ." he said finally.
Endymion smiled and shook Jadeite's hand. "All will be taken care of tomorrow. The deed will be done."
"What is he giving up?" Rei asked raising her head.
Jadeite tucked her head back under his chin and waved the two out. "I'm not giving up a thing, sweetheart," he said softly.
Rei glanced up at him and frowned. "I want to tell you everything."
He eased her down onto her back then followed before speaking. He made sure that she was snug against his side before speaking. "You don't have to tell me anything, Rei."
"I want to, Jadeite."
He heaved a sigh and kicked off his boots. He felt the anger begin to build again. The pain was bubbling to the surface and he didn't want to deal with it. He wanted to simply hold her and sleep the night away, let his worries rest for just a few brief moments.
"I lied because I wanted to protect you. . ."
"Rei. . ."
"No, listen to me. . .I lied because I wanted to protect you. I was kidnapped by a pond on Endymion's property. I was swimming alone. Serenity was searching for her locket, the one that Endymion gave her. . .do you know of it?"
"The gold star?"
"Yes, the one that plays that beautiful melody. She showed it to me once, said that it would only play for her."
"She's right. Endymion is very proud of that locket."
Rei snuggled closer and stroked a finger down his chest. She felt him tense and knew that she should stop touching him before things got out of control. She couldn't help herself. She slowly twisted her fingers into the laces of his shirt and pulled them loose.
Jadeite clenched his teeth and forced himself to lie still. He wanted to stop her, wanted to wait until the perfect time, but he wasn't strong enough. He felt her slender fingers slip into the opening of his shirt and his mind was lost. "Rei. . ."
"Jed. . ." she whispered raising her face to be kissed. She traced a finger over his lips and down his neck. His eyes were ablaze with blue lightening and his voice was husky and deep when he said her name. "Jed. . ." she said again. She rose slightly and gently pressed her lips to his.
It was gentle and as light as a butterfly's wing. She was nervous; he could feel from the tenseness of her back. He stroked a hand over her shoulder and down to her waist before he leaned further into her. His lips pressed against hers hard and he heard the soft intake of breath on her part. He turned his head to the side and opened his mouth, only to feel her lips willingly part for him. "Yes, Rei. . .that's it. . ." he whispered against her lips. He felt her tongue then, hesitant and smooth. She copied him, dipped her tongue into his mouth once before he felt her pull away. "No, sweetheart, that was beautiful," he said stroking a hand down her back.
She cocked her head to one side and blinked at him. He smiled in response. "I liked it. . ."
"I'm sorry. . ."
Jadeite pulled her back to him and rolled over so that she was lying beneath him. He used his knee to push her thighs apart then came down between them. There were so many layers of clothing that he wanted to simply burn it all away, but knew that he would scare her if he did. "This chemise you're wearing. . .it's absolutely. . ."
She waited while he bent down and pressed his lips against her shoulder before she asked, "It's absolutely what?" she asked.
He grinned against her flesh before sliding his tongue up her neck. "It's absolutely naughty, sweetheart. It makes me want to rip it off of you. Would you like that? Would you like me to rip it off you and behold your bare flesh?"
Rei shivered in response and grabbed onto his shirt. "Jed. . ." she whispered.
Jadeite raised his head and smiled down at her. Her eyes were no longer dazed with dull gray clouds, but alive and burning for him. . .only and always for him. He raised his hand slowly and pulled the straps of her chemise down her arms, pulling the bodice down to her waist. Her breasts were bare now, pale and round and lush in the moonlight. "How can someone be so beautiful?" he whispered as he lowered his head to her breasts. He teased a rosy nipple with his finger then stroked his tongue leisurely over it. "So lovely," he groaned when he felt her hands tangle in his hair.
The shiver of desire slipped through her breasts and down into her belly where she felt that familiar, yet heavenly feeling build inside her. "Jed. . ." she said softly.
Jadeite pressed himself hard against the inside of her thigh through the thin chemise she wore, and then took her nipple into his mouth. He suckled her gently until he heard her cry out in frustration. He understood how she felt; he felt his own frustration building and prodding him. He wanted so badly to plunge into her heat and simple die there. Instead he raised his head and his mouth searched out her other nipple. "You taste so beautiful, Rei. . ." he said, breathing every syllable onto the tight little bud.
She felt his hand traveling up her thigh then, gathering material and bunching it until he met bare flesh. A part of her knew that she shouldn't be doing this. It was wrong; it wasn't something a princess did in the privacy of an unknown palace with a general she shouldn't be with. She felt his hand smooth the inside of her thigh and she instinctively opened them wider. She threaded her fingers into his hair again and again, pulling and pushing. She didn't know what she wanted, but she knew that it had to happen soon, she would die if it didn't happen soon. "Jadeite. . ." she groaned.
He smiled against her flesh and stopped his hands ascent. He could feel her heat pulsing from her, could just feel the silky curls brush against his fingers. He felt her thighs, tight and sleek. She was patient, he'd give her that. "What do you want, firebird?" he asked.
"You. . ." she groaned. Rei felt herself blush when the word fell out of her mouth, but she didn't have time to dwell on it because his finger was stroking over her, sifting through the dark curls until he found her.
He stroked and caressed and gloried in her writhing, her sighs and gasps of pleasure. He itched to slide a finger inside her, could feel her moist heat engulf his body. He had to bring her to pleasure, he had to watch her when she climaxed. He wanted to hear her cry his name when she reached her peak, wanted to feel her pulsing and squeezing him.
He shook his head. No, he would save that. For now, he slowly slid his middle finger into her, felt her muscles expand to accommodate him. He wanted to feel those walls around him, pulling him deeper and deeper until he was mad with the feelings. He stopped when he felt her maidenhead, strong and firm. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her deeply. He felt her tongue aggressively bring his into her mouth, and he pulled out his finger slightly and slipped it back in, imitating the ritual until he felt her hips buck against him.
He raised his head and felt her hands grip his shirt, pulling it over his head and throwing it to the floor. He felt the warm air slide over his skin, felt soft, firm breasts press hard into his chest, felt lithe arms pull him to her. He kissed her ear and licked her collarbone before he stroked his thumb over her.
Rei came apart in an instant. Her whole body had been building and building, making her frantic with need. She wanted to find fulfillment, though she wasn't quite certain what kind she wanted. She could feel her body coming loose, felt it tighten again and coil itself, ready to break apart at any second. And then his fingers, those glorious fingers moved and her whole being came apart. She felt her soul cry out, felt her hips bucking wildly against his hand, felt her breasts pulsing and the feeling was incredible.
"Jed!" she cried when another wave struck her. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him with so much ardor that he felt himself come close to the edge. He deepened the kiss when she cried out again, swallowing her scream. She was so responsive.
Slowly she began to relax. Her breathing calmed and her eyes cleared of their haze. Jadeite noted that this haze was from passion and not from the spell that still coursed through her veins. He could feel it, it was hiding and had almost disappeared while he made love to her with his fingers, but it was beginning to come back. He was only glad that her eyes were not glazing over; he wouldn't be able to look at her if they were. Her dull eyes made his heart ache. "Hush, sweetheart," he said when he felt her hips press against his hand again. "That's enough for tonight. . .I don't want to hurt you. . ."
Rei stared up at him and her parted lips made him want to take her completely. He smiled instead. "How do you feel?" he asked.
She suddenly realized what had happened. Here was a man, half clothed and smiling down at her, while she was naked, save for a chemise covering her belly. "Get off me," she said.
Jadeite's smile never wavered. He stroked a hand over her cheek and kissed her nose. "Now, you know you don't want me to do that, sweetheart. . ." he said.
Rei turned away from him, but, damn him, she could still feel his hand down there, drawing lazy circles as he watched her.
He kissed her forehead softly then moved to her side. He grabbed up the linen coverings and pulled them over the two of them. "You seduced me. . ." he whispered.
Rei looked at him and frowned. It was true. "I did not mean to. . ."
Jadeite smiled and tucked her head underneath his chin. "Sleep, Rei. . ." he said. He clenched his teeth together when he felt her roll over in his arms until her back was flush with his front. Her adorable backside pressed firmly into his groin and he felt his heart pick up pace and his breathing hitch. But he would control himself. He was a man, not a boy.
She didn't protest, she didn't have enough strength, nor did she care. She fell asleep quickly, her head cushioned against his arm. It took him longer to sleep, desire still pulsing through his veins, yet when he did sleep, he slept without a worry in the world. His demons were kept at bay, the nightmare that haunted him stayed buried in his mind. They were both content.
* * *
He awoke with the sound of glass crashing in his ears.
"What was that?" Rei gasped, coming shooting straight up in bed and clutching the linens to her chest.
Jadeite came up beside her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "I don't know," he said softly. The hairs on the back of his neck rose when he heard another shatter. "Stay here, Rei. . ." he said.
Rei watched him slip out of bed and pull his shirt over his head before she threw the covers back and wrapped herself in one of the white silk blankets. She followed him to the door.
"Rei, I told you to stay put!" Jadeite said when he felt her presence behind him.
"You think I'm going to do whatever you tell me?" she asked.
Jadeite glared hard at her then turned back to examine the door. "Why would you? You lied to me after all," he said harshly.
Rei pushed aside the hurt that clamped around her heart and gave his back her own glare. "What do you hear?" she asked with as much neutrality as possible.
Jed tossed a look over his shoulder and smiled. "It's nothing big," he said, "Why don't you just go back to the bed and lie down for a moment?" he asked.
She rose one of those arched brows at him and he found his smile widening. "Go on, Rei-chan. . .there's nothing wrong." He smiled gently at her and when she didn't smile back, he began guiding her over to the bed. "Slip this delicate, naughty piece of web over your head, and I'll see who's at the door."
There was no choice for her but to obey and because she didn't want to be caught in the same room with Jadeite naked, she pulled the nightgown over her head and smoothed it down to her ankles. When she had gotten the gown over her head, she turned her attention to Jadeite who had opened the door a crack and was sticking his head out into the gardened hallway. She heard many voices, but chose to ignore them and kept her attention on Jadeite's back.
When he stepped away from the door, Endymion and Nephrite entered followed by a small, frail looking man and another blonde behind him. "Who the devil put that pitcher in front of the door, Jadeite?" Nephrite said loudly. Jadeite ignored him, as did the others and continued on his way toward Rei.
"Good morning, Rei," Endymion called out happily.
Rei frowned at them then looked at Jadeite. "What's going on?" she asked.
Jadeite merely smiled at her and then went to sit on the bed.
"You know Nephrite, Rei. This short blonde fellow is Zoicite."
Rei looked from Nephrite to Zoicite and finally to the small frail looking man standing behind the three big generals. She didn't bother to look at Endymion when she said, "And who are you?"
The man bowed low in her direction and then gave her a smile that was as frail as his body. He was bony and thin, short and gray-haired. But his eyes were bright and a beautiful vibrant green. Rei liked him immediately. "I am-"
"He is Richard, a dear family friend of mine," Endymion said quickly.
Rei glared over at the tall prince and then turned her attention back to the small man. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir," she said softly.
Richard gave her another weak smile then looked back up at Endymion. "Do you think this is such a good idea?"
"Of course it is!" Endymion said jovially.
"Shall I begin then?" he asked.
Rei frowned slightly and looked to Jadeite who was sitting beside her with a very serious glare plastered onto his face. "What is going on here, Jadeite?" she asked quietly.
"Hush, sweetheart," Jadeite said patting her hand. He then took up that hand in his own and kissed the back. "Everything will be as it should, you're not to worry."
Rei opened her mouth to speak then, but Zoicite interrupted her by sitting on the opposite side of her and picking up her other hand. "How do you feel, princess?" he asked gently.
"I'm fine, sire," she said before turning her attention back to Jadeite. "Why is he holding my hand?" she asked.
Jadeite glared over at Zoicite and then gave Rei a smile. "Just let him do what he came to do," he said.
She opened her mouth again, but could not speak for the frail man that had come in opened a book and began to read from it.
"Lord General Jadeite, do you take Rei for your own?" he asked.
"Yes, I do," Jadeite replied smiling at Rei.
Rei cocked her head to the side and then frowned down at Zoicite's hand. "What is the meaning of-"
"Open your mouth, princess," Zoicite said quickly. "I must look and see how everything fares inside that lovely head of yours. That's why I was summoned here. As I understand it, you have some sort of spell residing inside of you."
Rei looked oddly at Zoicite and tried to back away from his hand, but he clamped it around her chin and forced her jaw open. "Ahh. . .just as I suspected. . .can you speak?" he asked.
Endymion knelt down and peered into her mouth. "Yes, Rei, can you speak?"
"I think she's a little stunned by the intruder. . .no, she probably can't speak," Nephrite said.
"Princess Rei of Mars, do you take Jadeite for your own?" the man asked. Rei could barely hear above all the noise surrounding her. She wanted to talk to the nice gentleman, but with a prince forcing her jaw down and another holding her hand, two more staring down at her, speaking to her as if she were daft, no formal greetings came forth. What did they mean when they asked if she could speak? Was she not speaking before they forced her mouth open?
"No, definitely cannot speak. She's probably going to become a mute," Endymion said looking toward Jadeite.
"Well, let's just ask her. Can you speak, Rei?" Nephrite asked.
Rei tore herself away from Zoicite's hold and glared hotly at Nephrite. He was standing directly behind the man. "Of course, you dolt!" she cried.
"Was that a yes?" the small man asked looking slightly taken aback by the force of the princess's words.
"Yes, it was a yes!" Rei said loudly.
"I believe the princess said yes," Endymion said with a smile.
"Did you hear that, Jadeite, she said yes," Nephrite said.
"Then by the power vested in me. . ."
"Why do they ask such odd questions?" Rei asked Jadeite.
Jadeite smiled at her and tapped her nose. "Perhaps they are genuinely worried about you," he said.
". . .I now pronounce you. . ."
"She's a little upset this morning," Endymion said.
"Terribly upset, I wonder what has her so riled."
"Man. . ."
"I am not upset!" Rei said.
". . .and. . ."
"You look a little flushed, sweetheart."
"There is nothing wrong with me!"
"Wife. . .you may now kiss your-"
"Definitely a little flushed," Endymion interrupted.
Jadeite smiled at her and leaned forward. "All is as if should be," he said gently before giving her a small kiss.
Rei pulled away immediately and gave Endymion a worried frown. "This is not what it seems. Jadeite has no restraint. He's tired; there was no need for him to do that. . ." she stopped when she realized just how far she had gone. A faint blush stained her cheeks and she visibly relaxed when Endymion dismissed it and moved on.
"No traces of a spell?" Endymion asked Zoicite.
Zoicite ran a hand over Rei's face and then smiled. "Absolutely nothing to worry about," he said.
Rei sighed loudly and turned to look at Richard. "I am terribly sorry, sir, these princes are incredibly rude and I apologize on their behalf. Tell me, what is it you came here to discuss?" she asked sweetly.
Richard looked nervously at Endymion and swallowed hard. "I'm not so certain that this was a good idea," he said softly.
"He came to ensure that nothing was amiss," Endymion said ignoring the man's comment. "Now Richard will leave and we will discuss your disappearance." Endymion led Richard from the room, speaking quietly to him all the while.
"That was peculiar," Rei said softly.
Jadeite nodded then stood. "Well, now that all is well, I think it's about time we had a little discussion."
"Yes, I for one would like to know the entire story," Zoicite said standing.
Rei rolled her eyes and stood up herself. "I want to be alone."
Jadeite cocked his head at her and frowned. "There is no reason for us to leave. We must discuss the events of the past few days."
She felt completely and utterly hopeless. These men treated her as if she were some brainless twit. "Please leave. . ." she said.
He felt his heart tighten at the sound of her voice. It was a helpless sound, one that signified defeat. "Perhaps it is best if we left the princess alone for a little time," Jadeite said.
Zoicite and Nephrite nodded in agreement and all three headed for the door. "When are you going to break it to her?" Nephrite asked when they had gotten the door closed behind them.
Jadeite furrowed his brow in thought and strode toward one of the small gardens. "I don't know. She's smart; she'll figure it out soon enough. I just don't know what I'll say when she does. . ."
Zoicite smiled and Jadeite cringed. He braced himself for some sort of criticism to fall from the general's mouth. "I thought the entire ordeal very interesting," he said instead.
Jadeite blinked and shook his head. The clear blue of Zoicite's eyes indicated the truth of his words. Jadeite found himself smiling. "Zoicite. . .I'm surprised. . ."
The general merely nodded his head and turned his attention to Endymion, who was striding quickly toward the three of them, a red-haired man trailing behind him, limping. "Jadeite!" he cried.
Jadeite turned to look at his prince and then frowned. "Rodney?" he said.
"Oh, sire. . .I'm so glad I got here in time!" Rodney said, panting.
A lance of ice slid into Jadeite's heart. Why was Rodney here? Why was he limping? Why was he alone? "What do you here?" he asked.
"It's awful, sire, truly awful and I am to blame. You mustn't be angry with anyone else. It was all my doing."
"What's happened?" Jadeite said calmly. He led Rodney to a stone bench and sat him down; he preferred to stand. "Tell me all that has happened," he said softly. He almost couldn't bear the fear and worry eating away at him while he waited for Rodney to catch his breath. It was then that Jadeite noticed the tear in Rodney's tunic, the gash in his side, the bruises on his cheeks and the smudges of dirt on his skin.
Rodney took a deep breath and started speaking, but he never once looked at Jadeite. "The trip to Spain was fine. The children were happy, they were laughing, excited that they would see you soon. When we got to Spain, I hired more men to help guard the children. Everything was perfect, until we got further inland."
Jadeite closed his eyes tried to swallow the lump in his throat.
"They came out of nowhere, sire. . .hundreds of them. . .I thought that they meant to take all valuables and leave me, the children, and all the guard. I was wrong. . .so wrong."
Endymion, Nephrite and Zoicite all exchanged glances. Endymion saw Jadeite's skin pale, but didn't want to intrude on the story. Things were going very wrong for him.
"Get on with it," Jadeite said more harshly than he intended.
"The men. . .they were highway men. . .and they killed all of the guard. They thought I was dead. I fought with all I had. I was knocked out and they mistook me for dead. When I woke, everything had been taken; all the guards were dead. . ."
When Jadeite spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. Endymion, Nephrite and Zoicite had to strain to hear, but Rodney knew what was coming. "My children. . ."
"They were taken, sire. . .I'm dreadfully sorry."
Jadeite wished he had sat down for his knees had gone weak. As it was, he stood his ground and looked hard at Rodney. "Where are they?"
"I do not know, sire. . ."
Jadeite felt his blood run cold. Hawk. . .Belle. . .why couldn't he sense them? "I see. . ." he said instead. "You will take me to the place where they were taken. . .now!" he shouted the last word.
"Jadeite. . .Rodney is in no shape to travel," Endymion said.
"I care not; he will take me to my children!"
"Jadeite, please. . .he is limping as it is. . ."
Jadeite stared blankly at Endymion and then turned away. "I see. . .if you'll excuse me. . ." he said softly. He then stepped away from the group and made his way back down the hall. He didn't look over his shoulder, didn't say anything else to the four of them as he made his way down the hall. He didn't even notice the white rose that clung to his pant leg. When he arrived at his destination, he slipped quietly inside and made his way toward the large bed covered with white linen and silk. He stared down at the raven-haired goddess until she opened her eyes and then climbed in bed beside her.
"What's wrong, Jed?" she asked when she saw the look in his eyes. They were vague and empty. She didn't protest when he pulled her to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Nor did she protest when he wrapped a leg around her own and clung to her until her breath came out in short gasps. "Jed. . .?" she called to him.
"They're gone, Rei. . ." he whispered against her neck. "My children are gone. What am I going to do?"
Rei stroked his head and kissed his ear. She was too stunned to speak, too crushed to utter a word. "Jed. . ."
He pulled her closer and inhaled her sweet scent. "I have to get them back, Rei. . .I have to. . ."
She stroked his head again and hugged him closer to her. "I'll help you all I can, Jed. . ." she said softly.
Jadeite clung to her and remained as stiff as stone until he fell asleep, Rei stoked his back all the while. "I will be right beside you, Jed. . ." she said before she too fell asleep.
Neither of them noticed the hiss that echoed through the room when the words were finally uttered and yet both dreamt about the dangers awaiting them.
* * *
Jadeite was beside her before she could fall to the floor. "Rei! Rei!" he called. He lifted her into his arms and made a small note that she weighed no more than a feather, and placed her gently onto the bed amidst the white linen and silk. "Rei, please, sweetheart, open your eyes," he whispered to her. He gently slapped her cheeks and stroked her brow until her eyes fluttered. "Yes, that's it, good girl, open those lovely violet eyes," he encouraged her as he sat on the bed beside her.
"Jed. . ." she called.
He smiled down at her and scooped her into his arms. "Hush, sweetheart, everything will be all right," he said gently as he stroked her soft dark hair. He then turned to find Lily standing in the doorway as still as stone. He didn't like the look in her eyes, but didn't comment on it, said simply, "Go and find Endymion. He is most likely in the master suite. Nephrite, I'm sure is busy in his red room-you know well where that is-go and drag him away. Then you may take yourself off, Miss Lily."
Lily stared at him as if he were daft. How dare he order her around like some common house servant? She was not his chambermaid! And yet, she knew she could not disobey a prince. She took herself off with anger in her eyes and hatred for the dark-haired goddess in his arms.
Jed breathed a sigh of relief when she had finally taken herself off and then looked back down at the girl who clung to him as if he were her only lifeline. He quite liked feeling needed. "Rei. . .are you all right?" he asked her gently. He didn't want to startle her. He knew that waking up to a dark shadow could be frightening, he had seen his share of dark shadows in his day.
A shudder coursed through her body and Jadeite tightened his grip on her. "Rei. . .please tell me you're all right," he whispered against her head. He forgot that only moments before he was being caressed and held by his former mistress, he forgot that before that he had been cursing her for her lies and for the betrayal he felt. He clamped down on the anger that began to surface in him and concentrated on the little shivers that ran up and down her spine.
She slowly raised her head and looked at him. His eyes were kind and the blue held rich warmth in them. She didn't know if she should trust those eyes or if she should turn away from them now before she was consumed by their beauty. She chose the latter and gave him the barest hint of a smile. "I'm well, Jadeite. . ." she said slowly.
He didn't believe her; she saw it in those eyes of his. "Rei.you fainted. . ." he said gently.
"I know. . .I've never done that before.not naturally, like this. . ."
He felt the fear slide into him again, but he ignored it. "Your eyes look vague," he said with a frown. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a film over those violet orbs that dulled their intense color. She looked dazed and he didn't like it. "Lie down for me, sweetheart," he said as he pushed her tenderly into the mattress.
"Why?" she asked.
Jadeite grinned down at her and leaned to whisper in her ear, "So I can have my way with you."
Rei looked up at him and he saw the uncertainty behind that film in her eyes. "I'm just toying with you, sweetheart. I want to look at you and make sure you're all right."
She didn't protest when he settled her down and pulled down the straps of her nightgown, nor did she protest when he pressed his palm against her chest to feel her heart. She did open her mouth to say something when she saw the frown on his face. "What's wrong, Jed?" she asked.
He shook his head slightly and smiled down at her. "You're heart is beating very fast."
"I'm sorry. . ."
His smile brightened. "You shouldn't be sorry, Rei. Someone did something to you. Can you tell me if you remember anything?"
"Anything before what?" she asked.
He struck a thoughtful pose and then snapped his fingers. "Tell me everything that happened after I left," he said. She blinked up at him for a minute before frowning slightly. "Well. . .after you left, I went to bed."
Jadeite felt the anger bubble inside of him. She didn't even care about what she did to him? He meant so little to her that she could just put herself to sleep without worrying about how he felt? "Is that all?"
The frown deepened and she pressed a long, slender finger to her right temple. "I remember lying awake for several minutes, then I remember something warm and hazy fall over me. Almost like a spell, but I didn't want to be put under a spell, so I woke up and jumped out of bed."
"What did you see?" Jadeite asked his body tense.
"I saw nothing at first, but when I jumped out of bed, I saw a shadow lurking over the bed."
Jadeite leaned closer to her and stared hard into her eyes. They were still a dazed and foggy violet, not the brilliant fire he was so used to. "It was a man, was it not, Rei?"
Rei appeared to think about it for a long moment. Her eyes closed and for a moment Jadeite thought she fell asleep, but when she finally spoke, her voice was distant and there was not a hint of emotion in it. "It was a man who reminded me of someone. . .though I can't think of whom."
Jadeite frowned himself and stroked a hand over her brow. She was cool to the touch, but he was still worried about her. "Don't worry about the name, Rei. . .just tell me how you feel. . ."
She closed her eyes and reached into herself to find the answer.
Jadeite saw her concentration and wanted desperately to give her his hand to hold, to allow her to draw strength from him and into her. He wanted to lie beside her and pour his energy into her, if only she would give him the answer he desperately wanted to hear. "Come on, Rei-chan. . .please tell me you're all right. . ." he whispered as he watched her struggle within herself.
Slowly her eyes fluttered open and the dazed film that had consumed the brilliance of her eyes had disappeared and the warm violet was shining brightly through. "Jadeite. . ." she said with a sigh.
He scooped her into his arms and held her so tight, she squeaked. "Thank the gods!" he said harshly.
"Jadeite!"
Both Jadeite and Rei turned abruptly at the sound of Endymion's voice. Jadeite continued to hold her, his possession of her obvious. Rei struggled against him and pushed, but she could not get any where. "Endymion, this is not what it seems," she said desperately.
Endymion hid a smile and put on a look of authority. "I should hope not," he said sternly.
Jadeite caught the smile in his eyes, but didn't bother to tell the lovely girl in his arms. She would find out soon enough. "Endy, I think it's time that we had that talk you have wanted to have for so long."
"As long as you let the princess go, Jadeite."
Jadeite reluctantly released his hold on the raven-haired beauty, but did not remove himself from her bed, nor did he let go of one of her hands, though he noticed that she tried desperately to wriggle away from him "Where is Neph?"
"He is coming. A lovely blonde woman came and woke me up, said that there was some business that needed to be attended in the princess' room. She then said that she would go rouse the young prince from his bed and send him along shortly," Endymion said with a smile. He didn't bother saying that the woman had a look in her eyes that he had seen only too much. He also did not mention that she had said Rei's name with as much malice and scorn as a grumpy old witch.
At that moment Nephrite came running into the room, his hair streaming down his back in tangled waves, his shirt unlaced and no boots. "I came as soon as that blonde wench told me," he said, his chest heaving.
Jadeite frowned slightly at that. "Do you mean Lily, Neph?" he asked quietly.
Nephrite struck a thoughtful pose and then shrugged his shoulders. "I care not what her name is. She is a blonde wench, and that is that."
"Why do you call her a wench?" Jadeite asked slowly.
Nephrite sat down in one of the high backed white winged chairs, leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankles. "I don't think this is the best time to discuss this," he said with a nod toward Rei.
Rei sat up straighter in bed and stuck her chin in the air.
Jadeite hid a grin and turned back to his friend. "I believe that the princess is strong enough to hear what it is you have to say about Lily."
Nephrite shrugged once again and began to tell his story in a voice that proved how bored he was with the topic. "I was out hunting with my men one day when I met the woman. It was hot, as it always is, and there was no breeze. My men and I were tired. So I decided that the best thing was for me to call a halt to the hunt. I told my men to rest in a clearing not far from the main road and I took myself off deeper into the forest. I wanted to get away from the hunt and take my rest beside my favorite tree."
"You don't mean that old oak, do you Neph?" Endymion asked as he took a seat beside the disheveled prince.
Nephrite smiled slowly and then nodded. "I don't know why I'm so attached to that tree. For Gods sake, it's not even supposed to be growing out here! I've seen where oaks grow, Endy, and Spain is not one of those places."
Rei cocked her head to the side and unconsciously clutched Jadeite's hand.
"What is it, Rei?" he whispered to her.
"Nothing, Jadeite," she whispered back.
He rose a skeptical eyebrow at her before turning back to the two men. "Please, continue," he said with a wave of his hand.
"Why thank you, your highness," Nephrite said sarcastically. "As I was saying. . .I wanted to take a rest beneath the oak that I love so much and I didn't want to be bothered. I suppose that while I was sitting there I fell asleep. All of a sudden I feel hands on my legs, traveling upwards, smoothing over my buckskins and. . .well. . .and then I woke. When I did open my eyes, there was not the auburn-haired beauty of my dreams, but a pale blonde woman with a gleam in her eye. I wasn't exactly sure what to think of her at first. I thought she could be a wood sprite, but then I remembered that wood sprites and slender and tall and swift of foot, like my-"
"Yes, we all know, Nephrite. Like your auburn-haired beauty."
Nephrite gave a lazy grin then turned to look at Jadeite. "That's all there is to it," he said, "The woman was sprawled in my lap when I woke and asked me to take her back to my palace."
Jadeite frowned slightly. "And so you took her here. . ."
"Yes, and she has been nothing but trouble. Demanding this and demanding that. I was tempted to send her away, but then she volunteered to put herself in my harem and I cannot deny such a request."
A delicate winged eyebrow rose at that comment and Nephrite had the decency to turn away.
Jadeite smiled. His fiery little Rei. . .He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking that.
"How do you know her?" Nephrite asked.
Jadeite didn't look at the raven-haired goddess sitting beside him. He couldn't do it. Even though he still felt the heat of anger and betrayal, he couldn't face her and tell her that, "Lily worked for me for a short time," he said.
Endymion raised an eyebrow of his own and then turned to Nephrite. "Worked for him?"
"This isn't the same woman who is little Belle's mo-"
"Yes, this is the same person," Jadeite said quickly.
"Who is she?" Rei asked.
"No one you need concern yourself with," Jadeite responded. "No, back to more important matters.Rei was attacked just before the two of you arrived."
"What?" Endymion shouted, coming out of his chair. He was glaring hotly at Jadeite.
Jadeite didn't blink. "The princess was attacked-"
"I know that you idiot! Who attacked her?"
"That I do not know."
"Damn you, Jadeite!"
"It was not I who attacked her, Endymion."
"Let's just think this through, Endy," Neph said softly.
Endymion looked down at the delicate girl sitting in bed beside his general. She looked vulnerable and alone, yet he knew well what lay underneath that façade. He sat down on the bed opposite Jadeite and held her face in his hands. "Are you well?" he asked gently.
"Of course."
He stared hard into those eyes of hers and then nodded in satisfaction. He saw the fire burning brightly in those orbs of hers. She was angry. "Will you tell us what happened?"
She retold her story to Endymion and Nephrite. There wasn't much to tell, but she told all she could. Endymion questioned her, Nephrite shot out possibility after possibility. Rei couldn't do more than nod or shake her head. She was so tired.
Jadeite saw it before the others did. He leaned over while Endymion and Nephrite were immersed in conversation and whispered, "Would you like me to rid you of this vermin?"
Rei gave him a grateful smile and then squeezed his hand.
He smiled at her and lost himself in those violet depths. He felt himself being pulled in, felt the heat of those eyes bore into his soul. He felt his heart stretch and expand in his chest, felt his eyes turn color, felt his blood curdle. He wanted this firebird; wanted her more than life itself. He decided in that moment that she would be his. Yes, it sounded so good in his ears. Rei was his.
"Gentlemen," he said as he stood. For the first time in the few hours that Endymion and Nephrite had arrived, he let go of her hand and Rei suddenly felt the entire room swim about her. Her eyes clouded and she saw nothing but blackness.
"Rei!" she heard someone call. Hesitantly she opened her eyes. There were three faces surrounding her and she immediately sought out icy blue eyes misted with worry. "Jed. . ." she whispered.
He shoved the others out of his way and then gathered her into his arms. "What happened to you?" he asked her, unconsciously rocking back and forth.
"I don't know. . ." she said, clutching the front of his tunic tightly. She suddenly felt so stronger now that she was touching him, leaning into him. "I honestly don't know."
Jadeite pulled away slightly and stared down into her eyes. They were dazed again. "The bastard cast a spell on you. Damnation! It was a strong one too. Look at her eyes!"
Endymion knelt beside Rei and gently lifted her chin. He saw instantly what Jadeite was referring to. Her eyes were no longer the vibrant violet he was so used to, but a dull gray purple, so lifeless and dull that he felt his skin grow clammy and cold. "I'm going to call in Zoicite."
Rei saw Jadeite's jaw clamp tight, but dared not comment on it. "What's wrong with me?" she asked.
Nephrite smiled down at her and stroked a hand over her head. "There is powerful magic inside you, my dear. It seems that Jadeite is keeping it at bay. I believe his extraordinary psychic abilities are helping your own. The two of you together can overcome the spell, but you alone cannot. It is a strong dose of magic that resides in you."
Rei cocked her head to the side and rested her head against Jadeite's chest. He was so warm and hard and smooth. She wanted to burrow into him and spend the rest of her life there.
Jadeite stroked a big hand up and down her back then looked up at the two men near him. "I will stay with her this night. . ." he said softly.
Endymion exchanged a hesitant look with Nephrite. "Jadeite. . .you know what this means. . ."
"There is no other way. I will stay with her until Zoicite arrives."
"You are giving up a lot, Jadeite."
"It must be done."
"There is no need for you to do this. . ."
Jadeite looked briefly at Endymion and shook his head, "I want to do this. . ." he said finally.
Endymion smiled and shook Jadeite's hand. "All will be taken care of tomorrow. The deed will be done."
"What is he giving up?" Rei asked raising her head.
Jadeite tucked her head back under his chin and waved the two out. "I'm not giving up a thing, sweetheart," he said softly.
Rei glanced up at him and frowned. "I want to tell you everything."
He eased her down onto her back then followed before speaking. He made sure that she was snug against his side before speaking. "You don't have to tell me anything, Rei."
"I want to, Jadeite."
He heaved a sigh and kicked off his boots. He felt the anger begin to build again. The pain was bubbling to the surface and he didn't want to deal with it. He wanted to simply hold her and sleep the night away, let his worries rest for just a few brief moments.
"I lied because I wanted to protect you. . ."
"Rei. . ."
"No, listen to me. . .I lied because I wanted to protect you. I was kidnapped by a pond on Endymion's property. I was swimming alone. Serenity was searching for her locket, the one that Endymion gave her. . .do you know of it?"
"The gold star?"
"Yes, the one that plays that beautiful melody. She showed it to me once, said that it would only play for her."
"She's right. Endymion is very proud of that locket."
Rei snuggled closer and stroked a finger down his chest. She felt him tense and knew that she should stop touching him before things got out of control. She couldn't help herself. She slowly twisted her fingers into the laces of his shirt and pulled them loose.
Jadeite clenched his teeth and forced himself to lie still. He wanted to stop her, wanted to wait until the perfect time, but he wasn't strong enough. He felt her slender fingers slip into the opening of his shirt and his mind was lost. "Rei. . ."
"Jed. . ." she whispered raising her face to be kissed. She traced a finger over his lips and down his neck. His eyes were ablaze with blue lightening and his voice was husky and deep when he said her name. "Jed. . ." she said again. She rose slightly and gently pressed her lips to his.
It was gentle and as light as a butterfly's wing. She was nervous; he could feel from the tenseness of her back. He stroked a hand over her shoulder and down to her waist before he leaned further into her. His lips pressed against hers hard and he heard the soft intake of breath on her part. He turned his head to the side and opened his mouth, only to feel her lips willingly part for him. "Yes, Rei. . .that's it. . ." he whispered against her lips. He felt her tongue then, hesitant and smooth. She copied him, dipped her tongue into his mouth once before he felt her pull away. "No, sweetheart, that was beautiful," he said stroking a hand down her back.
She cocked her head to one side and blinked at him. He smiled in response. "I liked it. . ."
"I'm sorry. . ."
Jadeite pulled her back to him and rolled over so that she was lying beneath him. He used his knee to push her thighs apart then came down between them. There were so many layers of clothing that he wanted to simply burn it all away, but knew that he would scare her if he did. "This chemise you're wearing. . .it's absolutely. . ."
She waited while he bent down and pressed his lips against her shoulder before she asked, "It's absolutely what?" she asked.
He grinned against her flesh before sliding his tongue up her neck. "It's absolutely naughty, sweetheart. It makes me want to rip it off of you. Would you like that? Would you like me to rip it off you and behold your bare flesh?"
Rei shivered in response and grabbed onto his shirt. "Jed. . ." she whispered.
Jadeite raised his head and smiled down at her. Her eyes were no longer dazed with dull gray clouds, but alive and burning for him. . .only and always for him. He raised his hand slowly and pulled the straps of her chemise down her arms, pulling the bodice down to her waist. Her breasts were bare now, pale and round and lush in the moonlight. "How can someone be so beautiful?" he whispered as he lowered his head to her breasts. He teased a rosy nipple with his finger then stroked his tongue leisurely over it. "So lovely," he groaned when he felt her hands tangle in his hair.
The shiver of desire slipped through her breasts and down into her belly where she felt that familiar, yet heavenly feeling build inside her. "Jed. . ." she said softly.
Jadeite pressed himself hard against the inside of her thigh through the thin chemise she wore, and then took her nipple into his mouth. He suckled her gently until he heard her cry out in frustration. He understood how she felt; he felt his own frustration building and prodding him. He wanted so badly to plunge into her heat and simple die there. Instead he raised his head and his mouth searched out her other nipple. "You taste so beautiful, Rei. . ." he said, breathing every syllable onto the tight little bud.
She felt his hand traveling up her thigh then, gathering material and bunching it until he met bare flesh. A part of her knew that she shouldn't be doing this. It was wrong; it wasn't something a princess did in the privacy of an unknown palace with a general she shouldn't be with. She felt his hand smooth the inside of her thigh and she instinctively opened them wider. She threaded her fingers into his hair again and again, pulling and pushing. She didn't know what she wanted, but she knew that it had to happen soon, she would die if it didn't happen soon. "Jadeite. . ." she groaned.
He smiled against her flesh and stopped his hands ascent. He could feel her heat pulsing from her, could just feel the silky curls brush against his fingers. He felt her thighs, tight and sleek. She was patient, he'd give her that. "What do you want, firebird?" he asked.
"You. . ." she groaned. Rei felt herself blush when the word fell out of her mouth, but she didn't have time to dwell on it because his finger was stroking over her, sifting through the dark curls until he found her.
He stroked and caressed and gloried in her writhing, her sighs and gasps of pleasure. He itched to slide a finger inside her, could feel her moist heat engulf his body. He had to bring her to pleasure, he had to watch her when she climaxed. He wanted to hear her cry his name when she reached her peak, wanted to feel her pulsing and squeezing him.
He shook his head. No, he would save that. For now, he slowly slid his middle finger into her, felt her muscles expand to accommodate him. He wanted to feel those walls around him, pulling him deeper and deeper until he was mad with the feelings. He stopped when he felt her maidenhead, strong and firm. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her deeply. He felt her tongue aggressively bring his into her mouth, and he pulled out his finger slightly and slipped it back in, imitating the ritual until he felt her hips buck against him.
He raised his head and felt her hands grip his shirt, pulling it over his head and throwing it to the floor. He felt the warm air slide over his skin, felt soft, firm breasts press hard into his chest, felt lithe arms pull him to her. He kissed her ear and licked her collarbone before he stroked his thumb over her.
Rei came apart in an instant. Her whole body had been building and building, making her frantic with need. She wanted to find fulfillment, though she wasn't quite certain what kind she wanted. She could feel her body coming loose, felt it tighten again and coil itself, ready to break apart at any second. And then his fingers, those glorious fingers moved and her whole being came apart. She felt her soul cry out, felt her hips bucking wildly against his hand, felt her breasts pulsing and the feeling was incredible.
"Jed!" she cried when another wave struck her. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him with so much ardor that he felt himself come close to the edge. He deepened the kiss when she cried out again, swallowing her scream. She was so responsive.
Slowly she began to relax. Her breathing calmed and her eyes cleared of their haze. Jadeite noted that this haze was from passion and not from the spell that still coursed through her veins. He could feel it, it was hiding and had almost disappeared while he made love to her with his fingers, but it was beginning to come back. He was only glad that her eyes were not glazing over; he wouldn't be able to look at her if they were. Her dull eyes made his heart ache. "Hush, sweetheart," he said when he felt her hips press against his hand again. "That's enough for tonight. . .I don't want to hurt you. . ."
Rei stared up at him and her parted lips made him want to take her completely. He smiled instead. "How do you feel?" he asked.
She suddenly realized what had happened. Here was a man, half clothed and smiling down at her, while she was naked, save for a chemise covering her belly. "Get off me," she said.
Jadeite's smile never wavered. He stroked a hand over her cheek and kissed her nose. "Now, you know you don't want me to do that, sweetheart. . ." he said.
Rei turned away from him, but, damn him, she could still feel his hand down there, drawing lazy circles as he watched her.
He kissed her forehead softly then moved to her side. He grabbed up the linen coverings and pulled them over the two of them. "You seduced me. . ." he whispered.
Rei looked at him and frowned. It was true. "I did not mean to. . ."
Jadeite smiled and tucked her head underneath his chin. "Sleep, Rei. . ." he said. He clenched his teeth together when he felt her roll over in his arms until her back was flush with his front. Her adorable backside pressed firmly into his groin and he felt his heart pick up pace and his breathing hitch. But he would control himself. He was a man, not a boy.
She didn't protest, she didn't have enough strength, nor did she care. She fell asleep quickly, her head cushioned against his arm. It took him longer to sleep, desire still pulsing through his veins, yet when he did sleep, he slept without a worry in the world. His demons were kept at bay, the nightmare that haunted him stayed buried in his mind. They were both content.
* * *
He awoke with the sound of glass crashing in his ears.
"What was that?" Rei gasped, coming shooting straight up in bed and clutching the linens to her chest.
Jadeite came up beside her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "I don't know," he said softly. The hairs on the back of his neck rose when he heard another shatter. "Stay here, Rei. . ." he said.
Rei watched him slip out of bed and pull his shirt over his head before she threw the covers back and wrapped herself in one of the white silk blankets. She followed him to the door.
"Rei, I told you to stay put!" Jadeite said when he felt her presence behind him.
"You think I'm going to do whatever you tell me?" she asked.
Jadeite glared hard at her then turned back to examine the door. "Why would you? You lied to me after all," he said harshly.
Rei pushed aside the hurt that clamped around her heart and gave his back her own glare. "What do you hear?" she asked with as much neutrality as possible.
Jed tossed a look over his shoulder and smiled. "It's nothing big," he said, "Why don't you just go back to the bed and lie down for a moment?" he asked.
She rose one of those arched brows at him and he found his smile widening. "Go on, Rei-chan. . .there's nothing wrong." He smiled gently at her and when she didn't smile back, he began guiding her over to the bed. "Slip this delicate, naughty piece of web over your head, and I'll see who's at the door."
There was no choice for her but to obey and because she didn't want to be caught in the same room with Jadeite naked, she pulled the nightgown over her head and smoothed it down to her ankles. When she had gotten the gown over her head, she turned her attention to Jadeite who had opened the door a crack and was sticking his head out into the gardened hallway. She heard many voices, but chose to ignore them and kept her attention on Jadeite's back.
When he stepped away from the door, Endymion and Nephrite entered followed by a small, frail looking man and another blonde behind him. "Who the devil put that pitcher in front of the door, Jadeite?" Nephrite said loudly. Jadeite ignored him, as did the others and continued on his way toward Rei.
"Good morning, Rei," Endymion called out happily.
Rei frowned at them then looked at Jadeite. "What's going on?" she asked.
Jadeite merely smiled at her and then went to sit on the bed.
"You know Nephrite, Rei. This short blonde fellow is Zoicite."
Rei looked from Nephrite to Zoicite and finally to the small frail looking man standing behind the three big generals. She didn't bother to look at Endymion when she said, "And who are you?"
The man bowed low in her direction and then gave her a smile that was as frail as his body. He was bony and thin, short and gray-haired. But his eyes were bright and a beautiful vibrant green. Rei liked him immediately. "I am-"
"He is Richard, a dear family friend of mine," Endymion said quickly.
Rei glared over at the tall prince and then turned her attention back to the small man. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir," she said softly.
Richard gave her another weak smile then looked back up at Endymion. "Do you think this is such a good idea?"
"Of course it is!" Endymion said jovially.
"Shall I begin then?" he asked.
Rei frowned slightly and looked to Jadeite who was sitting beside her with a very serious glare plastered onto his face. "What is going on here, Jadeite?" she asked quietly.
"Hush, sweetheart," Jadeite said patting her hand. He then took up that hand in his own and kissed the back. "Everything will be as it should, you're not to worry."
Rei opened her mouth to speak then, but Zoicite interrupted her by sitting on the opposite side of her and picking up her other hand. "How do you feel, princess?" he asked gently.
"I'm fine, sire," she said before turning her attention back to Jadeite. "Why is he holding my hand?" she asked.
Jadeite glared over at Zoicite and then gave Rei a smile. "Just let him do what he came to do," he said.
She opened her mouth again, but could not speak for the frail man that had come in opened a book and began to read from it.
"Lord General Jadeite, do you take Rei for your own?" he asked.
"Yes, I do," Jadeite replied smiling at Rei.
Rei cocked her head to the side and then frowned down at Zoicite's hand. "What is the meaning of-"
"Open your mouth, princess," Zoicite said quickly. "I must look and see how everything fares inside that lovely head of yours. That's why I was summoned here. As I understand it, you have some sort of spell residing inside of you."
Rei looked oddly at Zoicite and tried to back away from his hand, but he clamped it around her chin and forced her jaw open. "Ahh. . .just as I suspected. . .can you speak?" he asked.
Endymion knelt down and peered into her mouth. "Yes, Rei, can you speak?"
"I think she's a little stunned by the intruder. . .no, she probably can't speak," Nephrite said.
"Princess Rei of Mars, do you take Jadeite for your own?" the man asked. Rei could barely hear above all the noise surrounding her. She wanted to talk to the nice gentleman, but with a prince forcing her jaw down and another holding her hand, two more staring down at her, speaking to her as if she were daft, no formal greetings came forth. What did they mean when they asked if she could speak? Was she not speaking before they forced her mouth open?
"No, definitely cannot speak. She's probably going to become a mute," Endymion said looking toward Jadeite.
"Well, let's just ask her. Can you speak, Rei?" Nephrite asked.
Rei tore herself away from Zoicite's hold and glared hotly at Nephrite. He was standing directly behind the man. "Of course, you dolt!" she cried.
"Was that a yes?" the small man asked looking slightly taken aback by the force of the princess's words.
"Yes, it was a yes!" Rei said loudly.
"I believe the princess said yes," Endymion said with a smile.
"Did you hear that, Jadeite, she said yes," Nephrite said.
"Then by the power vested in me. . ."
"Why do they ask such odd questions?" Rei asked Jadeite.
Jadeite smiled at her and tapped her nose. "Perhaps they are genuinely worried about you," he said.
". . .I now pronounce you. . ."
"She's a little upset this morning," Endymion said.
"Terribly upset, I wonder what has her so riled."
"Man. . ."
"I am not upset!" Rei said.
". . .and. . ."
"You look a little flushed, sweetheart."
"There is nothing wrong with me!"
"Wife. . .you may now kiss your-"
"Definitely a little flushed," Endymion interrupted.
Jadeite smiled at her and leaned forward. "All is as if should be," he said gently before giving her a small kiss.
Rei pulled away immediately and gave Endymion a worried frown. "This is not what it seems. Jadeite has no restraint. He's tired; there was no need for him to do that. . ." she stopped when she realized just how far she had gone. A faint blush stained her cheeks and she visibly relaxed when Endymion dismissed it and moved on.
"No traces of a spell?" Endymion asked Zoicite.
Zoicite ran a hand over Rei's face and then smiled. "Absolutely nothing to worry about," he said.
Rei sighed loudly and turned to look at Richard. "I am terribly sorry, sir, these princes are incredibly rude and I apologize on their behalf. Tell me, what is it you came here to discuss?" she asked sweetly.
Richard looked nervously at Endymion and swallowed hard. "I'm not so certain that this was a good idea," he said softly.
"He came to ensure that nothing was amiss," Endymion said ignoring the man's comment. "Now Richard will leave and we will discuss your disappearance." Endymion led Richard from the room, speaking quietly to him all the while.
"That was peculiar," Rei said softly.
Jadeite nodded then stood. "Well, now that all is well, I think it's about time we had a little discussion."
"Yes, I for one would like to know the entire story," Zoicite said standing.
Rei rolled her eyes and stood up herself. "I want to be alone."
Jadeite cocked his head at her and frowned. "There is no reason for us to leave. We must discuss the events of the past few days."
She felt completely and utterly hopeless. These men treated her as if she were some brainless twit. "Please leave. . ." she said.
He felt his heart tighten at the sound of her voice. It was a helpless sound, one that signified defeat. "Perhaps it is best if we left the princess alone for a little time," Jadeite said.
Zoicite and Nephrite nodded in agreement and all three headed for the door. "When are you going to break it to her?" Nephrite asked when they had gotten the door closed behind them.
Jadeite furrowed his brow in thought and strode toward one of the small gardens. "I don't know. She's smart; she'll figure it out soon enough. I just don't know what I'll say when she does. . ."
Zoicite smiled and Jadeite cringed. He braced himself for some sort of criticism to fall from the general's mouth. "I thought the entire ordeal very interesting," he said instead.
Jadeite blinked and shook his head. The clear blue of Zoicite's eyes indicated the truth of his words. Jadeite found himself smiling. "Zoicite. . .I'm surprised. . ."
The general merely nodded his head and turned his attention to Endymion, who was striding quickly toward the three of them, a red-haired man trailing behind him, limping. "Jadeite!" he cried.
Jadeite turned to look at his prince and then frowned. "Rodney?" he said.
"Oh, sire. . .I'm so glad I got here in time!" Rodney said, panting.
A lance of ice slid into Jadeite's heart. Why was Rodney here? Why was he limping? Why was he alone? "What do you here?" he asked.
"It's awful, sire, truly awful and I am to blame. You mustn't be angry with anyone else. It was all my doing."
"What's happened?" Jadeite said calmly. He led Rodney to a stone bench and sat him down; he preferred to stand. "Tell me all that has happened," he said softly. He almost couldn't bear the fear and worry eating away at him while he waited for Rodney to catch his breath. It was then that Jadeite noticed the tear in Rodney's tunic, the gash in his side, the bruises on his cheeks and the smudges of dirt on his skin.
Rodney took a deep breath and started speaking, but he never once looked at Jadeite. "The trip to Spain was fine. The children were happy, they were laughing, excited that they would see you soon. When we got to Spain, I hired more men to help guard the children. Everything was perfect, until we got further inland."
Jadeite closed his eyes tried to swallow the lump in his throat.
"They came out of nowhere, sire. . .hundreds of them. . .I thought that they meant to take all valuables and leave me, the children, and all the guard. I was wrong. . .so wrong."
Endymion, Nephrite and Zoicite all exchanged glances. Endymion saw Jadeite's skin pale, but didn't want to intrude on the story. Things were going very wrong for him.
"Get on with it," Jadeite said more harshly than he intended.
"The men. . .they were highway men. . .and they killed all of the guard. They thought I was dead. I fought with all I had. I was knocked out and they mistook me for dead. When I woke, everything had been taken; all the guards were dead. . ."
When Jadeite spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. Endymion, Nephrite and Zoicite had to strain to hear, but Rodney knew what was coming. "My children. . ."
"They were taken, sire. . .I'm dreadfully sorry."
Jadeite wished he had sat down for his knees had gone weak. As it was, he stood his ground and looked hard at Rodney. "Where are they?"
"I do not know, sire. . ."
Jadeite felt his blood run cold. Hawk. . .Belle. . .why couldn't he sense them? "I see. . ." he said instead. "You will take me to the place where they were taken. . .now!" he shouted the last word.
"Jadeite. . .Rodney is in no shape to travel," Endymion said.
"I care not; he will take me to my children!"
"Jadeite, please. . .he is limping as it is. . ."
Jadeite stared blankly at Endymion and then turned away. "I see. . .if you'll excuse me. . ." he said softly. He then stepped away from the group and made his way back down the hall. He didn't look over his shoulder, didn't say anything else to the four of them as he made his way down the hall. He didn't even notice the white rose that clung to his pant leg. When he arrived at his destination, he slipped quietly inside and made his way toward the large bed covered with white linen and silk. He stared down at the raven-haired goddess until she opened her eyes and then climbed in bed beside her.
"What's wrong, Jed?" she asked when she saw the look in his eyes. They were vague and empty. She didn't protest when he pulled her to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Nor did she protest when he wrapped a leg around her own and clung to her until her breath came out in short gasps. "Jed. . .?" she called to him.
"They're gone, Rei. . ." he whispered against her neck. "My children are gone. What am I going to do?"
Rei stroked his head and kissed his ear. She was too stunned to speak, too crushed to utter a word. "Jed. . ."
He pulled her closer and inhaled her sweet scent. "I have to get them back, Rei. . .I have to. . ."
She stroked his head again and hugged him closer to her. "I'll help you all I can, Jed. . ." she said softly.
Jadeite clung to her and remained as stiff as stone until he fell asleep, Rei stoked his back all the while. "I will be right beside you, Jed. . ." she said before she too fell asleep.
Neither of them noticed the hiss that echoed through the room when the words were finally uttered and yet both dreamt about the dangers awaiting them.