TITLE: Paradise Found

AUTHOR: LOTSlove®

CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan / Zedd / Cara/ Darken Rahl / Other Seeker Characters (Surprise Appearances)

RATING: R/M

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

TIMELINE: Alternative Universe

DISCLAIMER: I'm completely obsessed with the show Legend of the Seeker and all things Richard and Kahlan. I love to write about them even though they cancelled my show and now I'm fighting to get it back!

SUMMARY: My very first AU fic! Team Seeker and gang set in the Wild Wild West. Hope you enjoy the adventure!

Chapter 5

Richard kissed her passionately, wanting her to stay with him tonight, but he knew that it would only put her in more danger than she was already in. He finally broke the kiss, keeping her close as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I need to get you out of here…away from Rahl," he softly panted against her face.

"I want to run away with you more than anything," she murmured, her hand coming to rest against his cheek. "But there's no escaping him, Richard. He would kill you if he ever found us."

"I don't care," he heatedly replied. "I want to be with you…marry you."

"Richard," she smiled with his words, her heart pounding with the wonderful thought. "I can't let you die just because of me."

"And I refuse to let you marry another man," he firmly stated, his eyes flashing with jealousy. "That would kill me."

Kahlan kissed him again, caressing the side of his face, the feel of the stubble that lined his jaw rough against the palm of her hand. She never thought that she could ever know love like this, finding it so unexpectedly in a glance like she had last night. It felt like such a wonderful dream, a fantastic reality that was meant for someone else, but not her…never her.

Richard pulled her more fully against him, his lips devouring her and begging for more. He knew that he needed to stop, but he didn't want to. He wanted her so badly, wanted her to know what he felt so completely in his heart for her already. In the brief time that he had known her, she had so fully seized his attention as well as his heart.

Kahlan suddenly pulled out of the kiss, fear growing with every moment that slipped by that she was here with him. "I've already put you in too much danger by being here. I should go before they find out I'm gone."

"No," he heatedly said, grabbing hold of her hand. "I'd rather know you were safe here with me than to not know what was happening to you." He watched as she smiled softly at him, tears suddenly brimming in her eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked as he cupped her face in his hands, confused by her sudden tears.

She bit her bottom lip, nodding softly. "It's just that…no one has ever truly cared about me except for my mother until she died when I was five years old. No one was ever concerned about what happened to me," she replied, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Oh, Kahlan," he swallowed hard, horrified that no one truly cared about this beautiful woman in his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Richard swiftly pulled her to him, holding her close. He couldn't believe that someone as amazing as this woman in his arms had been treated so cruelly, had endured a life filled with so much heartache. She deserved so much more than what life had given her. She deserved to know true love…love and a life spent with him.

"I should go," she suddenly murmured, wiping away her tears as she disentangled herself from his hold on her. "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me."

"Please stay…" he begged, seizing hold of her hand again. "Just for a little longer."

Kahlan went willingly as he began to pull her to his bed, a nervous flutter seizing hold of her. Her cheeks grew warm as she sat on the edge of the bed beside him, wanting so badly for him to hold and kiss her again, but she couldn't risk it, not when she was to be Darken Rahl's in two more days.

Richard stared at her for a long moment, completely mesmerized by her beauty, moonlight filtering through the window and surrounding them in its soft radiance. He tentatively reached out and hooked a loose curl behind her ear, his hand lingering against her cheek. She was so soft beneath his touch, so breathtaking as she leaned into the palm of his hand.

"Have you been able to find your brother yet?" she suddenly asked.

"Yes, Chase knows where he is," he replied, taking her hand in his and brushing his thumb against the back of it. "He's going to help me find the answers that I need."

"I'm so glad," she said with genuine relief. "I'm so sorry about what happened to your father, Richard. I hope that you will find the answers that you need, but especially the peace that you're looking for."

"I think I already have," he softly admitted as he stared into her eyes.

Kahlan dipped her head with a shy smile, averting his intense gaze. "I think I have too," she whispered.

Richard smiled with her admission, but it quickly turned into a frown. "I'm afraid Michael is up to no good, though. He's gotten himself involved with Darken Rahl somehow. I think Rahl is behind my father's murder."

"It looks like Darken Rahl is bound and determined to ruin both of our lives," she sadly said.

"I'm not about to let him ruin either of our lives any longer," he firmly replied. "I'm going to stop him and my brother from causing any more trouble."

"Be careful, Richard," she shook her head. "I'm not sure what Michael and Rahl are up to, but last night I heard Rahl sending his men out to your brother's ranch to pick up some crates. I don't know what was in them, but it took quite a few men to retrieve them."

"Did you hear anything else?"

"No, he doesn't talk much about his plans in front of me," she told him. "If I hear anything else, I'll let you know."

"Please be careful," he warned her. "If he finds out about us, there's no telling what he'll do to you, Kahlan. I couldn't bear it if he ever hurt you."

Releasing his hold on her hand, he softly stroked her hair as he stared into her blue eyes full of such longing that he found it near impossible to keep control over his desire for her. He leaned in, kissing her again, his tongue softly caressing hers and eliciting a sultry moan.

Her hand found his face, her thumb stroking his cheek as she returned his kiss. She never wanted to leave his presence. She felt so safe, so secure when she was with him. She never knew true love could ever exist until he had walked so unexpectedly into her life.

He felt her hand slip from his face, tracing along his neck to his chest. Her touch was setting his body on fire with need that was pleading for release, but he knew they couldn't, not yet. Once this was all over and she was safe then they could truly be together.

As if reading his mind, Kahlan pulled back, her hand still lingering against his chest. She bit her bottom lip as she fought against the heated storm building within her. She knew if she didn't leave now, she never would.

"I better go," she whispered.

"I am going to take care of Darken Rahl, Kahlan," he told her. "And once this is all over and I know you're safe, we can finally be together."

"I want that more than anything," she smiled, leaning in and kissing once more. "Just please promise me that if you find you can't stop him that you will escape from this place and never look back."

"Kahlan," he began shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't promise you that. I can't leave you here knowing what kind of a man Darken Rahl is."

"Please, Richard…"she begged him, tears stinging her eyes once more. "I'll know in my heart that you tried and I can go on with life knowing that you're safe."

"But I couldn't live with myself knowing what that monster was doing to you, knowing the kind of life you were being forced to live."

Fighting back tears, Kahlan stood to her feet and made her way to the door. Turning the handle, she paused to look back at him still sitting on the bed all alone, wishing more than anything she could stay with him.

"I want you to know that my life has already been better just by knowing you, Richard Cypher," she softly said, her voice cracking. "You have brought me more happiness in the short time that I have known you than I could have ever dreamed possible."

Before he could even respond, she quickly left, slipping out as silently as she had first come to him. He had so much that he still wanted to tell her, so much that he wanted to say to her. She had turned his life upside down, managing to reach inside and heal his shattered heart, giving him a reason to live again. For that alone, he was more than grateful.

But the fact that she loved him return…that was like finally finding paradise.

Lying back on his bed, Richard couldn't fight the smile that played upon his face despite the chaos that swirled around him at that moment. He could still taste her on his tongue, his lips still tingling from her kisses.

His entire body was humming with the heated desire that had taken over him, desire that she alone had created within him. Kahlan had come to him, admitted her feelings for him as well. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, making his heart feel lighter than it had been in weeks and it was all because of her.

Now, he just had to find a way to stop Darken Rahl, to keep him away from Kahlan. He had to find the proof that he needed so that Rahl would at last pay for his father's murder. After that, he would finally be free to marry the woman that he loved.

XXX

Kahlan slipped back into her room, her heart still hammering beneath her breast and the taste of him still lingering on her tongue as she silently closed the door. It had taken every ounce of strength that she had to leave his room, but she couldn't have risked his life because of her own selfish desire.

Turning, Kahlan came to an abrupt stop, a gasp rising up in her throat. She fought to calm herself as she noticed her future husband sitting in a chair in the dark shadows in the corner of the dimly lit room, his legs crossed, his hands calmly resting on the arms of the chair.

"Where were you, my love?"

The sound of his voice was slippery like oil and dark as his soul sending shivers racing through her. She fought the urge to run, to escape back to Richard's room where she knew she'd always be safe, but she couldn't. Rahl would kill him and then her life would truly be over.

"I…I went downstairs to get a drink," she softly said, folding her arms across her chest. She suddenly felt so very exposed in front of him standing there in her nightdress.

She watched as he slowly stood to his feet, moonlight coming from her window cutting across his dark features. His eyes practically gleamed as his hungry gaze wandered over her, not even attempting to disguise his lustful thoughts that made her skin prickle.

"You know you're not allowed to leave your room," he calmly said her, the sound of the spurs on his black boots clinking softly with each step as he crossed the wooden floor to her.

He stopped just a breath away from her, much too close for her liking. She shivered involuntarily as his hand came up to caress her cheek. "I know, but I was thirsty," she replied, doing her best to keep the fear from reaching her voice.

Darken stared into her blue eyes, a sinister smile spreading across his lips. "You wouldn't lie to your future husband now would you, Kahlan?" he pleasantly asked, suddenly grabbing her by the arm and twisting it behind her back as he roughly pulled her up against him. "Because you know how much I despise lying."

"No!" she cried, fighting back sudden tears at the pain that shot through her arm. "I'm not lying!"

"You wouldn't be seeing another man behind my back? Giving what's mine to someone else?"

"No!" she furiously shook her head. "There is no one else. Why would there be?"

"Good, because I won't stand for my own wife lying to me," he hissed, his lips crashing into hers. "Or giving pleasure to anyone else but me."

Kahlan tried to fight against his kiss, but he only tightened his grip on her arm. She knew if she didn't stop fighting him that he'd break her arm for sure. Then she'd never be able to stop him from hurting her.

Before she knew what was happening, Rahl threw her onto her bed, crawling on top of her and pinning her to the mattress. He began kissing along her neck, groping her breast as his other hand slid along her thigh. Hot tears began to fall against her will, fear raking through her knowing that he was going to rape her right here with Richard sleeping next door.

She felt vomit rise in her throat as she bit her bottom lip, swallowing back the scream that was desperate for release. She knew if she made any sound, Richard would come to her rescue and she couldn't let him do that. She couldn't let Rahl hurt him.

"This is just a taste of what our wedding night is going to be like," he whispered in her ear before kissing her hard again.

He suddenly released his hold on her, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as stood by her bed watching her cry, her nightdress torn. He turned then, walking to the door and leaving her all alone.

Rolling to her side, Kahlan drew her knees up, curling up into a tight ball on her bed. She sobbed softly, praying that Richard would be able to save her from this horrifying nightmare that her father had sentenced her to.

If Richard wasn't able to keep this wedding from happening…the wedding night that she knew was coming, she swore she'd take her life before Rahl ever laid a finger on her like that again.

XXX

Darken Rahl descended the steps, pinching his lower lips between his thumb and forefinger as he fought the lust pumping through his veins at that moment. It had taken great self-control on his part to leave his betrothed's room, but in less than two days she would be all his.

He found that he sort of fancied the idea of making her suffer in anxious anticipation of what he would do to her on their wedding night. It served to heighten her fear of him, added to her misery. He enjoyed the fact that she was terrified of him.

The fear that he had seen in Kahlan's eyes tonight had only added to his pleasure, intensifying his lust. He hoped that she put up a fight on their wedding night. Breaking her spirit would be almost as pleasurable as taking her virtue.

Coming down the steps, he made his way to his private room in the back of the Inn. Closing the door behind him, he found Demmin sitting there waiting for him.

"Where was she?" Nass asked.

"I'm not sure, but we're going to have to keep a closer eye on her," Rahl muttered deep in thought as he sank into his chair behind his desk. "I don't want my future wife escaping her fate."

"Well, we have more trouble brewing now," Nass informed him.

"What are you talking about?" Rahl glowered at him.

"There's a rumor that Michael Cypher's younger brother is in town," Demmin said. "He's been roaming around town, asking questions about him."

"Richard Cypher…" Rahl murmured, running a finger lightly over his goatee. "I wondered how long it would take for him to show up."

"You expected him to come here?"

"We killed his father," Rahl reminded him. "It was only a matter of time before he came sniffing around here, looking for his brother or the ones who murdered his father."

"Want me to take care of him?"

"No, not yet," Rahl frowned. "Let's wait and see what he does first. It might just be nothing."

"Or it might be something," Nass snorted.

"Do you know where he's staying or what he looks like?"

"No idea," he replied.

"You find him, but don't touch him," Rahl ordered him, leaning back in his chair. "Keep a close eye on him; see where he goes and who he talks to. I want to know what happens with his brother. I can't have him interfering in my business with Michael Cypher."

"Michael knows not to talk," Nass suddenly grinned. "When I brought him back his father's silver pocket watch splattered with his old man's blood, he learned quickly the price of crossing you."

A broad smile broke across Darken Rahl's face, a sparkle filling his dark eyes. He had taken great pleasure in the horrified look that had ghosted across Michael's face when Demmin had handed him his father's pocket watch.

Michael had indeed learned in that moment that he had sold his very soul to him. There would be no way out for him except in death. They were joined at the hip, their lives forever linked. Michael had wanted great wealth and he had gotten what he wanted at a very high price.

"There should be another shipment coming in soon," Rahl told him as he lit a cigar. "Have your men ready to pick it up tomorrow night."

"And if Richard Cypher is there?"

"Kill him."

Nass smiled with the order, more than happy with the thought. "Any particular way?"

Rahl shrugged as released a long puff of smoke into the air. "Take your time…have fun with him."

"And if Michael tries to stop me?"

"Kill him too," Rahl said. "Kill anyone who gets in our way."