rigid in order not to be in contact. Her exhaustion was obvious in the tiny quivers the continued effort generated.
Wylan’s temper cooled many hours ago. The admission came hard, but he did admire the elamie’s strength. There weren’t many Selams that could stand before his rage.
What had she called herself? A Nemow, Lamar captain? He felt his own arrogance rear to dismiss the outlandish call. And yet, the spark of doubt was ignited. If she was from this Cibrac, were there no Selams? How could that be? A race of elamies was too ridiculous to consider.
Denial raced through him, causing his body to shudder. The act brought his lips against her hair. Inhaling, he let her exotic scent invade his being. Essence of the night blooming starflower, whose intoxicating fragrance stole away a man’s willpower, clung to her. Ah, she did have such a power in her possession. A sorceress? She could be very dangerous. Also powerful. To have such an elamie would lend great resources to his kingdom. The warnings said she could use her magic to destroy him. Why hadn’t she?
Those priestess she spoke of obviously taught her to fight. Her skills were admirable, she only lacked the strength. Why hadn’t she used the force against him? Wylan was sure he wasn’t being tricked by her innocence. No knowledge of a kiss? It was unheard of. His male awareness of her, told him, she was an infant in the ways. Was she also a babe to her own powers? Had these rulers not trained her to their uses?
Dragon was the only sorcerer in Moondock’s realm. The man’s dark magic caused many problems in the past. Only Wylan’s power and control over the kingdom held Dragon’s evil at bay. As with his father, Cristare, the man feared the vengeful force that Wylan could unleash against him. Dragon would know how to unveil the elamie’s powers. An uncomfortable feeling come over Wylan. Something almost primitive took hold of him, telling him to keep that man away from her.
Protect her? Ah, but it was so and denials couldn’t diminish the increasing boundaries of that conviction. An urgency to speak to Tarra came over him. He’d warn her of what he suspected in the elamie. Maybe he should give her away and be done with the problem? Even before he contemplated the course, he knew he wouldn’t let her go.
~*~
Every muscle and bone protested her vigil against giving up. Leaning back into his firm chest would be so easy, so welcomed… No! She’d not let this unaccustomed weakness rule her again. Seeking another’s strength was forbidden, but Melane had all but exhausted her will against his pulsing hold.
Moondock, his kingdom, there she would defy the Selam and seek his ruler. Nothing would stop her from carrying out the council’s wishes. Once done, she could leave and be rid of the insolent male. Melane refused to listen to the growing doubts that she would not be free of him. Remaining any longer than necessary in this Wylan’s presence would be a danger she could not ignore. Fighting the Kibra seemed tame in comparison to the siege he rendered upon her defenses. Every sharp contour of his masculine body burned into her memory. She must break free, before he defeated her will to remain distant to his deceptive power.
Whenever she gave in to the weariness and closed her eyes, the oddest images would form behind her lids. Never had she held such vivid scenes. Many Selams were all around her, there were Nemows, but very few within the crowd. The Selams overwhelming height and breadth make her feel small and vulnerable, making it hard to breathe. Then he would dominate the image, overshadowing all others, filling her heart with a warm stirring that frightened and excited her in unfamiliar ways. Fighting the images, she broke free and forced her eyes open again, killing the dream. The effort to keep the visions away stole her strength more than the physical exercise of holding herself away from him. Fearing she’d not be able to fight the increasing
Wylan’s temper cooled many hours ago. The admission came hard, but he did admire the elamie’s strength. There weren’t many Selams that could stand before his rage.
What had she called herself? A Nemow, Lamar captain? He felt his own arrogance rear to dismiss the outlandish call. And yet, the spark of doubt was ignited. If she was from this Cibrac, were there no Selams? How could that be? A race of elamies was too ridiculous to consider.
Denial raced through him, causing his body to shudder. The act brought his lips against her hair. Inhaling, he let her exotic scent invade his being. Essence of the night blooming starflower, whose intoxicating fragrance stole away a man’s willpower, clung to her. Ah, she did have such a power in her possession. A sorceress? She could be very dangerous. Also powerful. To have such an elamie would lend great resources to his kingdom. The warnings said she could use her magic to destroy him. Why hadn’t she?
Those priestess she spoke of obviously taught her to fight. Her skills were admirable, she only lacked the strength. Why hadn’t she used the force against him? Wylan was sure he wasn’t being tricked by her innocence. No knowledge of a kiss? It was unheard of. His male awareness of her, told him, she was an infant in the ways. Was she also a babe to her own powers? Had these rulers not trained her to their uses?
Dragon was the only sorcerer in Moondock’s realm. The man’s dark magic caused many problems in the past. Only Wylan’s power and control over the kingdom held Dragon’s evil at bay. As with his father, Cristare, the man feared the vengeful force that Wylan could unleash against him. Dragon would know how to unveil the elamie’s powers. An uncomfortable feeling come over Wylan. Something almost primitive took hold of him, telling him to keep that man away from her.
Protect her? Ah, but it was so and denials couldn’t diminish the increasing boundaries of that conviction. An urgency to speak to Tarra came over him. He’d warn her of what he suspected in the elamie. Maybe he should give her away and be done with the problem? Even before he contemplated the course, he knew he wouldn’t let her go.
~*~
Every muscle and bone protested her vigil against giving up. Leaning back into his firm chest would be so easy, so welcomed… No! She’d not let this unaccustomed weakness rule her again. Seeking another’s strength was forbidden, but Melane had all but exhausted her will against his pulsing hold.
Moondock, his kingdom, there she would defy the Selam and seek his ruler. Nothing would stop her from carrying out the council’s wishes. Once done, she could leave and be rid of the insolent male. Melane refused to listen to the growing doubts that she would not be free of him. Remaining any longer than necessary in this Wylan’s presence would be a danger she could not ignore. Fighting the Kibra seemed tame in comparison to the siege he rendered upon her defenses. Every sharp contour of his masculine body burned into her memory. She must break free, before he defeated her will to remain distant to his deceptive power.
Whenever she gave in to the weariness and closed her eyes, the oddest images would form behind her lids. Never had she held such vivid scenes. Many Selams were all around her, there were Nemows, but very few within the crowd. The Selams overwhelming height and breadth make her feel small and vulnerable, making it hard to breathe. Then he would dominate the image, overshadowing all others, filling her heart with a warm stirring that frightened and excited her in unfamiliar ways. Fighting the images, she broke free and forced her eyes open again, killing the dream. The effort to keep the visions away stole her strength more than the physical exercise of holding herself away from him. Fearing she’d not be able to fight the increasing
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