TITLE: Marked

AUTHOR: LOTSlove®

CHARACTERS: Richard / Kahlan / Cara / Zedd / Original Characters

RATING: PG-16 / R later

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

TIMELINE: Anything up through S2

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: Sequel to my fic Revenge, Richard finally has Kahlan safely back with him, but does he really?

Chapter 2

With a relaxed sigh, he rose from his bath, water sluicing from his lean body and dripping onto the marble floor as he reached for a nearby towel. Demos took his time drying himself off, pausing momentarily to look at the water still sitting in the bath, tinged dark with blood.

He found himself staring at it for a long moment, his mind suddenly drifting to thoughts of the Mother Confessor. A wicked smile spread across his face with the wonderfully delicious things that his mind was creating, the things that he couldn't wait to do to her once she was finally his.

He would force his brother to watch at first, to witness what he was able to have with her that Richard couldn't, to observe the woman that he loved so much being pleasured by another man. There would be no escaping the haunting sound of Kahlan's cries, her screams of pleasure as he ravaged her for hours on end. Her cries would haunt Richard's mind until the day that he was finally allowed to die.

And when he was finally done with her, Demos would be wearing her blood, the taste of her essence on his tongue. He would take her to the point of death, allowing her to be healed only so that he could take her all over again. Of course, she'd no longer by pure by then, but for her, he'd overlook that minor point.

He felt his arousal growing harder the longer he dwelled on the thought, his pulse suddenly racing and his breath quickening, his mouth watering. He couldn't allow himself to get excited just yet. The girl that he'd had last night had sufficed at the time, but it had not been Kahlan Amnell.

No, the Mother Confessor would be a mighty force to be reckoned with, someone of great power just waiting to be dominated and broken.

And he would be the one to do it; Richard helpless to watch.

He licked his lips at the plans that he had in store for her. He'd never met any other woman like her, so powerful and yet so extremely beautiful. Although their meeting had been all too brief, he had seen the strength and intensity in her bright blue eyes, the fire that had blazed there in those orbs. It had nearly shocked him senseless.

She was almost his equal in almost every way and it intrigued him immensely. He had heard rumors about the great Mother Confessor, a deadly warrior and yet very much all woman, but he had paid it little attention. That was until he'd come face to face with the magnificent creature herself.

Even dead, she had managed to immediately capture his attention, arousing his curiosity as well as his lust and leaving him wanting so very much more. In that moment that her life had returned to her, her lungs expanding with that first breath, all of his lifelong dreams and plans for the future had drastically changed.

Finished with his towel, Demos tossed it aside, grabbing his robe and fastening it closed around his waist. He hoped he had given the servants enough time to remove the girl, clean and change the bedding. He didn't want to have to witness her pathetic sniveling anymore. It only added to his impatience and irritation.

She should be grateful that she had been chosen to be taken to his bed, thrilled to have enjoyed his company and the pleasure that she had no doubt received from him. He was certain that she had derived more pleasure than he had though.

She had provided him a momentary reprieve, an outlet for his rage and lust. He did feel somewhat better, but he was quite certain it wasn't because of her. Every passing moment only brought him closer to having what he now wanted more than anything in his entire life.

And none of them had the slightest clue as to what was about to happen, how their lives were about to unravel right before their very eyes.

Richard thought that he had been so clever switching that tooth with his own like he had, saving his precious Kahlan and bringing her back from the Underworld. And Demos had to admit that his brother had been quite cunning…to a point.

It had been an enormous gamble on the Seeker's part, not knowing for certain whether his theory had been correct or not. It just happened that Richard had been right this time. He would not be so fortunate the next time they met.

So consumed with saving her, none of them had even noticed what he had done while he had worked to bring Kahlan back to the world of the living, a little bit of insurance just to make certain that he would indeed win in the end.

He had warned Richard before he had even sent him to the Temple at Caspar that he was always prepared for any outcome and this time had been no different.

Demos frowned as he entered his bedchambers, finding a servant girl on her hands and knees scrubbing the blood off the marble floor where he had made the girl lay. He had hoped that they would have been finished by now.

"Are you almost done?" he demanded to know.

"Yes, my Lord," the servant girl quickly replied, dipping her head and keeping her gaze lowered. She didn't want to be subjected to the same torture that this poor girl had obviously endured by his hands.

"I want my meal brought up to me as soon as you're finished," he instructed her. "And send General Egremont to my quarters. I need to speak with him."

There were many things that he had to do, preparations that needed to be made for Kahlan's imminent arrival. And she would be returning to him very soon. Of that, he was most certain.

XXX

Richard stared at her as she slept, finding it more than difficult to take his eyes off of her. He was still so afraid that she'd be snatched away from him when he wasn't looking, scared to even let go of her for fear of losing her again.

He was more than thankful that Zedd and Cara had allowed him this time with her, keeping watch in the woods for signs of trouble while he watched over his Confessor as she slept. He needed to be with her, to take care of her like he had longed to do. Even though she was the powerful Mother Confessor, he couldn't help but want to always take care of her.

He still felt the stinging pain of losing her throbbing deep inside of him, reminding him of the fragility of life…Kahlan's life. It felt like he'd never be rid of the ugly horror of it, the anguish that had consumed him and had become his constant companion. It refused to leave even though Kahlan was alive once more.

He'd believed for so long that he had lost her forever. Now that she was safe again with him, he found he couldn't bear to tear his eyes off of her, to not touch her, kiss her.

It felt at times as though he was being held beneath the water's surface, unable to draw a breath as the weight of his fears pushed him further and further below its gloomy depths. He knew, though, that the reassurance of her tender touch, her love, would keep him going and, in time, would eventually heal his heart.

But he had to figure out what Demos was up to if he was going to be able to keep her safe. There was something about all of this that just felt so very wrong. Their escape had been far too easy, the night far too quiet. It did little, however, to settle the already brewing tempest of fear that consumed his soul.

Something that his brother had said to him kept creeping back into his mind, refusing to let go of him. Just before he had been sent to the Temple at Caspar to find the tooth, Demos had told him that he never went into anything without knowing all of the facts, never liked to be caught off guard, but always prepared for any outcome.

He had also said that Kahlan was supposed to have been captured with him as well. He had planned on using her to get to him all along, to force him to do what he had wanted. Kahlan had been part of his plan along. Maybe she still was in some twisted way.

Richards stood to his feet in a rush of heated emotion, raking his fingers back through his hair. He hated this waiting and wondering what was going to happen next, when Demos would suddenly strike again. And he would be coming. Of that, he was more than certain.

He made his way back over to where Kahlan was still sleeping, kneeling down beside her. He watched the subtle flutter of her eyelashes, the gentle curve of her nose, the shape of her beautiful lips. There was not one thing about her that he didn't love, didn't adore about her.

She always set his heart to pounding, his desire for her heating his blood like no one he had met before ever could. He wanted to be with her more than anything in this world, making her his forever. He wanted her to belong to him, for him to belong to her alone.

And he would do whatever it took for that dream to become a sweet reality for them, even sacrificing himself on the alter of her magic if necessary to prove to her once and for all that he did not fear her touch. She could not take anything from him because she had captured every part of him so long ago.

There was nothing that he had held back from him except for his body and he was desperate to share that with her too. He knew with his whole being that giving her all of him was the key to being able to love her beyond her magic.

Now, he just needed to convince her.

XXX

Kahlan fought to catch her breath that the pain searing through her body was stealing away from her, but it was no use. It felt as though she was on fire from the inside out, her throat scorched and raw from the magic that Rahl was pouring into her.

Lying on her stomach, she clawed at the dirt, wanting it to end, but knowing deep down this was only the beginning. She tried to focus her thoughts on nothing but Richard, but the blinding pain made it difficult to think of anything else.

Darken Rahl was suddenly there, leaning down in front of her. He grabbed hold of her chin, gripping it tightly as he sneered at her. "This is only the beginning for you, my love," he smirked at her, dragging his tongue across his lips.

She wanted to push him away, to spit in his face, but she couldn't move, her body paralyzed by the painful magic that held her fast. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Tears coursed down her cheeks as Rahl rammed his mouth against hers, his tongue making her gag.

She bit down hard on his tongue, forcing him to release his hold on her. He backhanded her hard across the face, throwing her onto her back. She struggled to make her muscles react, to fight him off, but all she felt was more pain.

"You are going to pay dearly, Kahlan Amnell," Darken Rahl sneered as he moved to straddle her, pinning her to the ground. "Over and over again."

Kahlan cried as Rahl's hands began to explore her, his mouth following in its path. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be giving herself to Richard, not being taken by this monster. She clenched her jaw, squeezing her eyes shut as fingers suddenly entered her, making her squirm in an effort to make him stop.

Taunting laughter filled her ears as he humiliated and assaulted her. She screamed for Richard to save her, to stop this madness from happening to her, but he wasn't there. She needed him and he wasn't there to help her.

Leaning over her, Richard gently cupped her face, trying to soothe her as she cried out in her sleep. Her hands suddenly became fists as she began to push him away, screaming at him to stop. She pounded on his chest, gripped in the throes of a horrifying nightmare that she found she could never escape.

"Kahlan," Richard called out to her. "It's me…it's Richard. It's alright…I'm right here."

"NO!" she screamed, her eyes flying open as she lurched forward, almost knocking her Seeker backwards.

Moving to straddle her legs, he quickly grabbed hold of her wrists, keeping her from hitting him again. "Kahlan!" he yelled. "It's me! Stop!"

"Richard?" she panted heavily in confusion, her eyes wild with fear as she quickly looked about her.

"It's alright," he murmured.

Sitting back on his heels, he pulled her up into his arms, holding her close to him as she sobbed. She shook in his arms, breaking his heart as held her. Whatever had happened to her in the Underworld was following her into the world of the living and consuming her dreams.

How would he ever be able to help her? To fight against ghosts? Banish something that haunted her sleep?

"I'm so sorry, Richard," she mumbled against his chest, clinging to him like a small child. "I…I didn't mean to attack you like that."

"It's alright, Kahlan," he reassured her, rubbing her back. "What was your nightmare about?"

Kahlan squeezed her eyes shut, tightening her hold on him. She was so afraid that if she gave voice to her nightmares, Darken Rahl would come back to life, the nightmares becoming a horrifying reality.

"Please, talk to me, Kahlan," he softly pleaded, kissing the top of her head as he held her.

"Darken Rahl," she finally whispered, pressing her face deeper into his chest.

Richard pulled back, taking her face in his hands. "He is not here," he firmly said, anger aflame in his eyes. "He cannot get to you anymore. You're safe now with me, Kahlan."

She stared at him, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I know," she softly admitted. "It's just that every time I close my eyes…he's always there waiting for me. I can't escape him."

"I'm sorry, Kahlan," he murmured, leaning in and kissing her softly.

He whispered his lips against her face, doing his best to erase her tears with his kisses, wanting more than anything to take away her pain. He couldn't bear seeing her like this, so frightened, so broken. He wanted to put his Confessor back together again, to wipe away all of her fears.

Kahlan drew a shuddering breath as she attempted to tamp down on the terror that still gripped her. The feel of his hands sliding up into her hair, his lips so tender against her face was beginning to quiet the wild tempest that was storming through her.

"I love you, Kahlan," he repeatedly whispered, covering her face with butterfly kisses as he slowly rose up on his knees before her, her head falling back.

She clutched his shirt in her hands, fisting the material as her desire for him rose to the surface, quickly pushing aside the fear that thrummed through her. She rose up on her knees as well, her lips searching out his.

"I love you, Richard," she murmured, her lips finally finding his.

He moaned softly at the feel of her lips against his, thrilling his soul. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss as his tongue tangled with hers for control. Releasing his shirt, her hands seductively slid up his neck and into his hair.

She wanted to crawl inside of this man holding her, kissing her with a passion so intense it made her lightheaded and awakening a need so fierce within her that she could barely breathe sometimes. Her one hand slipped inside his shirt, her fingernails lightly scraping the hardened contours beneath her touch, desperate for him to make her forget her pain.

Gasping, Richard pulled back for air, panting hard with a hunger so overwhelming that demanded to be filled by her and her alone. He kissed along her neck, his hand slipping down to softly caress her breast, wanting so very much more than this, needing her in every way.

The feel of his breath and his kisses so hot against her neck, his hand gently caressing and squeezing her through the material was making her weak with wanton need. Spirits forgive her, but she didn't want him to stop. She only wanted so much more of him.

Needing to taste him again, she grabbed his face, pulling him in for another heated kiss. She wanted him to erase the horrifying memories of what Darken Rahl had done to her, creating only passionate love made with him instead.

She kissed him with equal longing, desire for him humming through her veins. His hand was suddenly tangling in her hair again, his other hand settling on her neck. The heat of his body and the taste of his kiss caused her to moan; the sound throaty and raspy and causing a shudder of hot need to ripple through him.

"Kahlan…I need you…want you," he softly panted against her face. "Always."

"Richard…" she began to protest, her eyes falling closed as she shook her head.

"You can't hurt me, Kahlan," he adamantly replied. "I love you more than your magic can take. Besides, I'd rather be confessed to you for all eternity than to ever live without you."

Cold realization of what was happening slammed hard into her, causing her to hang her head in sorrow as she fought to gain control. She silently berated herself for allowing things to get this heated between them, knowing she could never finish what they had just started.

"I…I need to get cleaned up," she whispered, suddenly so ashamed and confused.

Breaking free from his hold on her before he could kiss her again, Kahlan immediately grabbed her pack before quickly disappearing into the surrounding trees. Desire thundered through her as she brushed the tears from her face, knowing that if she had stayed even one moment longer, she wouldn't have been able to resist him again.

Telling him no was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do, denying her heart as well as him what they both so desperately wanted. Why was life so cruel as to bring her back from the dead only to force her to once again push away the man that she loved more than life?

Richard watched her quickly disappear into the morning shadows of the woods, sorrow piercing his heart. He wanted more than anything to go after her, to follow her and make her see that he loved her more than her magic, more than anything in this world. His love for her would protect him. He believed that with his whole heart. Her death had only reinforced it in his mind, solidifying his belief.

Now, he just had to prove it to her so he could finally show her.

Even though he didn't like the idea of her going off alone like this especially after everything that had just happened, he also knew that he couldn't push her either. He needed to give her some space right now. She'd been through so much, more than he cared to dwell on.

He still hadn't been able to find the strength to ask her what had happened to her while she had been in the Underworld with Darken Rahl and the Keeper, but whatever had happened to her had obviously shaken her to her very core and followed her into her dreams.