recalled with a growing sense of relief, wherein lived a lusty maid who'd be more than happy to bed him.
----
Chapter 6
It was solrise when they reached the village. Lavender rays, tipped with rose, bathed the land in a mellow glow, illuminating the darkened forms of the villagers as they left their huts to begin a long sol's work. Karic exhaled a weary sigh and turned to Liane.
Her shoulders were slumped with fatigue, her face pale and drawn. She had kept up the furious pace he'd set all nocte, a pace only intensified by the smoldering urgency growing within him. He knew he'd been abrupt with her, taciturn to the point of rudeness during their journey through the darkened forest, but time was now the enemy. If she hadn't kept up, she risked losing more than a moment of rest for her weary limbs.
Still, Karic was deeply grateful for Liane's brave efforts and her uncomplaining attitude. Each moment he was with her yet another facet of her character was revealed, and the knowing only made him want her more.
He fiercely crushed that realization. His primary concern should be her protection, not her ravishment. With the wild, primal hunger churning within him, threatening to boil over at any moment, she was in enough danger as it was. His glance sought out the hut of the old farmer Bardic and his beautiful daughter, Devra.
She peeked through a window at that moment, no doubt awakened by the commotion Karic and Liane's arrival had stirred. With a joyful cry Devra was out the door and racing across the commons, straight for Karic. He lowered his pack and waited.
''Karic, oh my love!" Devra cried, throwing her arms about his neck and kissing him passionately. "It's been so long, so very long."
Out of the corner of his eye Karic saw Liane stiffen. Ever so carefully, he pried Devra's clasping fingers loose and turned her to meet Liane.
"Devra, this is my, er, traveling companion, Liane. Liane, this is Devra, my, er, friend."
The voluptuous woman glared at Liane and sniffed. "Say it as it really is, Karic. I'm your lover and nothing less."
Ignoring Karic's look of pained discomfort, Liane dropped her backpack and extended a hand toward Devra. "It is my pleasure to meet you. Will you be journeying with us back to Karic's lair?"
Devra's brow lifted, and she turned to Karic. "Well, my love, what about it? Will you take me back as your life mate?"
Karic bit back a groan. Devra was a hot and lusty bed partner, but until now there'd never been any mention of any deep affection, much less a life mating, neither from him nor Devra, who always had made it obvious that she wanted him for his virile young body. What had possessed Liane to ask such a question? What had flared between these two in but the span of a few secundae?
He shook his head. "This is not the time or place to discuss such things. Liane and I have been traveling all nocte. We are weary and need rest."
"You can have my bed, as always," Devra immediately volunteered, her glittering gaze assessing Liane from head to toe. " She can have a pallet on the floor."
Liane saw Karic's scowl and cut short his protest. "I'll gladly sleep anywhereand as soon as possible, if that's not too much trouble."
A thin, pitying smirk touched the other woman's lips. "No trouble at all. And while you sleep, I'll see to Karic's needs, which I'm sure," she smiled archly at Karic as she began to lead him away, "are a little more complex than yours."
"I'll just bet they are," Liane muttered as she slung her backpack onto her shoulder and followed.
The hut was clean and simply furnished. Devra quickly dispensed with Liane by handing her a few blankets and pointing to a corner across the room from her box bed. After that, Liane noted with rising disgust, it was as if she weren't even present in the room.
Devra led Karic over to her bed. Combined with teasing kisses, she swiftly relieved him of his tunic and belt. Her hands were at his breeches before he had the presence of mind to stop
----
Chapter 6
It was solrise when they reached the village. Lavender rays, tipped with rose, bathed the land in a mellow glow, illuminating the darkened forms of the villagers as they left their huts to begin a long sol's work. Karic exhaled a weary sigh and turned to Liane.
Her shoulders were slumped with fatigue, her face pale and drawn. She had kept up the furious pace he'd set all nocte, a pace only intensified by the smoldering urgency growing within him. He knew he'd been abrupt with her, taciturn to the point of rudeness during their journey through the darkened forest, but time was now the enemy. If she hadn't kept up, she risked losing more than a moment of rest for her weary limbs.
Still, Karic was deeply grateful for Liane's brave efforts and her uncomplaining attitude. Each moment he was with her yet another facet of her character was revealed, and the knowing only made him want her more.
He fiercely crushed that realization. His primary concern should be her protection, not her ravishment. With the wild, primal hunger churning within him, threatening to boil over at any moment, she was in enough danger as it was. His glance sought out the hut of the old farmer Bardic and his beautiful daughter, Devra.
She peeked through a window at that moment, no doubt awakened by the commotion Karic and Liane's arrival had stirred. With a joyful cry Devra was out the door and racing across the commons, straight for Karic. He lowered his pack and waited.
''Karic, oh my love!" Devra cried, throwing her arms about his neck and kissing him passionately. "It's been so long, so very long."
Out of the corner of his eye Karic saw Liane stiffen. Ever so carefully, he pried Devra's clasping fingers loose and turned her to meet Liane.
"Devra, this is my, er, traveling companion, Liane. Liane, this is Devra, my, er, friend."
The voluptuous woman glared at Liane and sniffed. "Say it as it really is, Karic. I'm your lover and nothing less."
Ignoring Karic's look of pained discomfort, Liane dropped her backpack and extended a hand toward Devra. "It is my pleasure to meet you. Will you be journeying with us back to Karic's lair?"
Devra's brow lifted, and she turned to Karic. "Well, my love, what about it? Will you take me back as your life mate?"
Karic bit back a groan. Devra was a hot and lusty bed partner, but until now there'd never been any mention of any deep affection, much less a life mating, neither from him nor Devra, who always had made it obvious that she wanted him for his virile young body. What had possessed Liane to ask such a question? What had flared between these two in but the span of a few secundae?
He shook his head. "This is not the time or place to discuss such things. Liane and I have been traveling all nocte. We are weary and need rest."
"You can have my bed, as always," Devra immediately volunteered, her glittering gaze assessing Liane from head to toe. " She can have a pallet on the floor."
Liane saw Karic's scowl and cut short his protest. "I'll gladly sleep anywhereand as soon as possible, if that's not too much trouble."
A thin, pitying smirk touched the other woman's lips. "No trouble at all. And while you sleep, I'll see to Karic's needs, which I'm sure," she smiled archly at Karic as she began to lead him away, "are a little more complex than yours."
"I'll just bet they are," Liane muttered as she slung her backpack onto her shoulder and followed.
The hut was clean and simply furnished. Devra quickly dispensed with Liane by handing her a few blankets and pointing to a corner across the room from her box bed. After that, Liane noted with rising disgust, it was as if she weren't even present in the room.
Devra led Karic over to her bed. Combined with teasing kisses, she swiftly relieved him of his tunic and belt. Her hands were at his breeches before he had the presence of mind to stop
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