“You look like death warmed over,” Riann said as he sat down next to him. “You ought to get somesleep.”
“I can’t imagine sleep would bring me anything but torment now,” Wellion said tonelessly. He didn’t even bother to look at Riann. “The moment I close my eyes, I would start imagining all the horrible ways my sister might be dying right now. At the hands of soldiers I did nothing to stop from entering thepass.”
“She tried to murder you, Wellion,” Riann said. “You have nothing to feel guiltyabout.”
“I haveeverythingto feel guilty about,” Wellion snarled. He whipped around to face Riann, his green eyes blazing with rage and self-loathing. “If I had done a better job of protecting my sister from our father, perhaps she would not have turned into the twisted creature she is now. Perhaps she would have chosen to come with me today, instead of staying behind to face that regiment. Even if they somehow survive, how long will she last as the bandit queen? Even she does not have enough power to fend off the men if they decide they do not want a female leader, and I already know many of them would rather chain her up for their own amusement than follow herorders.”
Riann shook his head. “I don’t see how you could have protected your sister when you had to deal with the same abuse yourself. That is far too much to expect from any child. Yes, you are a man now,” he said when Wellion opened his mouth to protest, “but Sallara is a grown woman. She was of sound enough mind to make her choice, and you have to respect that. She is not the little sister you grew upwith.”
“No, she isn’t,” Wellion saidsoftly.
They sat in silence for a while, Riann offering his support without pressing Wellion to say more. Eventually, the former bandit stood and stretched. “I think I’ll go train for a bit,” he said. “The next time I fight you, I intend towin.”
Riann smirked. “You’d better train hard,then.”
Wellion smiled a little, then turned and walked away. Riann sighed as he returned to the war tent. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would feel sympathy for the man who had knocked him out and kidnapped him, but he did. He hoped that he could get Calrain and Yarim to see Wellion in a better light—Yarim’s scathing criticism would only cause Wellion to dig his heels in, which would not helpanyone.
When he entered the tent, the table was deserted, empty plates left behind. Everyone lay on bedrolls, their soft snores filling the air as they caught up on much needed sleep. There was an empty one laid out for him next to Calrain, and another one a short distance away for Wellion, but even though Riann was tired, he did not lie down. Instead, he sat on one of the chairs and watched Tariel sleep. She was snuggling with Yarim and Calrain, her head tucked against Yarim’s chest while Calrain had one of his legs slung over hers. He couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous that he couldn’t cuddle her now, after being separated from her, but then again, he was the one who’d decided to go afterWellion.
Tariel shifted in Yarim’s embrace, and her eyes fluttered open to meet Riann’s. A soft smile curved her lips, and she rolled onto her back, opening herarms.
Riann rose from the chair, then joined her on the ground. He nudged Yarim and Calrain out of the way with his knees as he straddled Tariel, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he supported most of his weight on his knees and forearms. The other men mumbled in their sleep as they rolled to the sides, and Riann relaxed as he inhaled Tariel’s lilac and sunshinescent.
“I missed you,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Warmth slowly moved through his veins as she stroked his back with her small, delicatehands.
“I missed you too.” He lifted his head to look into her eyes. Her bright blue gaze was soft, still heavy-lidded from sleep, but her lips were parted, and Riann sensed her desire. His cock began to harden, and he pressed his mouth against hers, unable to resist the call as his bloodheated.
Tariel kissed him back, filling him with her sweetness as she slid her tongue into his mouth. Riann groaned when one of her hands slipped below the waistband of his trousers, her fingers wrapping around his length. He cupped one of her breasts through her dress and massaged the peaked nipple, swallowing her own little cries as he kissed herdeeply.
“We should…find a place with more…privacy,” she panted between kisses. She turned her gaze to the other side of the room, and Riann remembered they were notalone.
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Riann said. He scooped Tariel into his arms and carried her out of the tent. There was another one just a few paces away, but he chose another in the next row for a bit more privacy. Tumbling onto the bedroll in a tangle of limbs, they kissed wildly, hands roaming, tugging at laces and hems as they sought the warmth of each other’sflesh.
“I want to taste you,” he growled, pushing her dress up over her breasts so he could kiss and lick his way down her body. Tariel gasped as his hot tongue blazed a fiery trail over her sensitive skin, teasing her nipples, the undersides of her breasts, and then lower, past her bellybutton…
“Yes,” she groaned as he buried his face between her legs and dragged his tongue along her folds. She sank her fingers deep into his hair, nails scraping his scalp as she pressed herself more firmly against his eagermouth.
Riann hadn’t done this with her yet, but Yarim had a few times now, and Tariel felt no shame as she guided him, showing him how she wanted to be licked. Luckily, Riann was a quick study, and he figured out exactly the right way to stroke her sweet spot, applying just the right amount of pressure with histongue.
“Yes, yes, yes!” she cried as he sent her flying over the edge. Pleasure raced through her blood, chasing away the tiredness in her limbs and stoking the fire inside her even higher. “More,” she demanded, sitting up and reaching forhim.
Riann moaned deep in his throat as Tariel wrapped her fingers around his cock. She pumped her hand up and down the length of him, loving the way his thick shaft glided against her palm. The sight of him in her hand made her burn even hotter, and her sex throbbed, wanting him deep insideher.
“Ride me,” he said, pulling her into his lap. She groaned as he impaled her onto his shaft, his big hands squeezing her bottom, and she wrapped her legs around his hips to take him in even deeper. The position was different from what they had tried before, bringing them face to face, but as equals rather than one being on top of theother.
“Just like that,” he panted as she rocked her hips against his. His cock felt incredible at this angle, pressing against her sweet spots in just the right way, and Tariel had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from climaxing too fast. She ran her hands down his bare chest, loving the way the late morning sunlight played against his tanned skin as it filtered in through the tiny gaps in the tent. His golden hair was a wild halo around his handsome face, and she leaned back just a little bit so she could take in his raw masculinebeauty.
Riann smiled down at her, love shining in his eyes. “I want you to come for me again,” he whispered, reaching down between them. His thumb found the little nub between her legs, and he gently strummed it, like one might do with a stringed instrument. “I want to hear you say myname.”
The sensual way he spoke, combined with his cock and fingers stroking her just right, were enough to push her over the edge. “Riann,” she cried, tossing her head back as the climax took her. She convulsed as pure power rippled through her body, and she felt that familiar heady rush as the magic renewed her energy oncemore.
Riann buried his face in the crook of her neck as he joined her, his cock pulsing deep inside her as he shuddered from the force of his climax. Spent, they collapsed on the bedroll together, and lay there for a while, listening to the sound of each other’s heartbeats as they basked in the pleasurable glow that only came from good, thoroughlovemaking.
“We should get back to the major’s tent now,” Tariel whispered, tracing her finger along the grooves of his arm muscles. “We don’t want to be found sleeping in someone else’s tent when the soldiersreturn.”
Riann chuckled. “Somehow, I think the soldier who owns this bedroll would feel lucky just to know that a woman as beautiful as you slept in it.” But he reached for his tunic, and they dressed quickly before slipping back out of thetent.
Just in time to run intoWellion.
