The Fallen Part 19

Did it matter? It seemed fairly obvious what was going on. He didnat want her. He wanted Raphael.

She was bait.

She wanted to cover her face with her hands to hide the emotions she knew must be evident in her expression, but she didnat dare take her eyes off of him.

He crouched in front of her, studying her curiously. aFour days ago, I almost took his head. He has grown weak and slow and lazy since he was banished from Pearthen. He did not even have his weapon.a Four days? The day she made him leave? A wave of horror and nausea washed over Izzy. She fought it back with the reflection that the man could not have killed Raphael or he would not still be looking for him.

She felt like crying. She had been so mean to him, making him leave, and head been hurt, almost killed.

aHe is utterly disgraced. I am amazed he was not executed for his failure to protect the amba.s.sador instead of being exiled. But then, the king obviously was not particularly displeased since the amba.s.sador who was slain was from Garyn.a It occurred to Izzy abruptly that luck had been with her. Her initial fear and pain had prevented her from putting up any sort of struggle, but it had also led him to believe she was no threat. As long as he believed that, he might taunt her, but he would not watch her nearly as closely.

She had no idea how she might use that to her advantage, but it was the only weapon she had.

aDid he tell you what he was doing while the amba.s.sador, who was under his protection and a well respected statesman of my homeland, was being a.s.sa.s.sinated?a Izzy stared at him blankly, though she knew the moment he said it what he was getting at. Head changed tactics. Insulting Raphael hadnat made her mad enough to be stupid. He thought he would try jealousy.

aHe was wooing a young Marceenian maid.a Shead been braced for that news and jealousy still seeped into her like poison--which was utterly stupid. It didnat matter what had happened before head met her. That was his life and his business--just as her past was her business. Besides, they really hadnat had anything but a one night stand.

It wasnat like theyad made any sort of commitment or anything.

Except that Raphael had seemed pretty convinced she was ahisa woman.

And shead thought she was more interested in getting rid of him and his problems than being with him.

She wasnat, though, she realized. It didnat matter what shead said to Raphael, or what lies shead told herself. Shead been smitten with him right from the start and nothing that had happened since had cured her.

In fact, almost everything head done had helped him dig a little deeper under her skin. Maybe she was a fool, but she couldnat help it. The big, helpless, barbarian appealed to everything womanly inside her--pa.s.sion, the need to be needed, the need to feel protected and cherished. It didnat hurt that he was also sweet, loving, and drop dead gorgeous.

Nine out of ten women would have been in love with him inside of ten minutes of meeting him, so either she wasnat a complete moron or she wasnat any brighter than the next woman.

aDo you think he will come for you? Or has he moved on to another female by now? Obviously, he has developed a taste for human flesh.a It took all Isabel could do to keep from glaring at him. She concentrated on staring at the far wall instead, resisting the urge to point out that he obviously thought that she meant something to Raphael and he would come. Otherwise, what use would she be as bait?

That thought frightened her, however. What if Raphael did come? He would be walking into a trap.

What if he didnat come?

Would the Elumi warrior just go away again?

She had a bad feeling he wouldnat.

By the time Isabel had been curled up on the couch for nearly an hour, shead begun to be less scared than uncomfortable. aI need to use the bathroom,a she said to the Elumi, whoad gone back to guarding the front door.

He tilted his head curiously and finally shrugged. aDo not run, little human. I would find it so entertaining to chase you, but I do not think that you would enjoy it nearly as much.a

Chapter Seven.

Izzy was more than a little stunned that he didnat follow her to the bathroom. Shead certainly hoped he would get the idea that she was too frightened, and/or too stupid to be any problem, but it was a little disconcerting all the same.

To fly or not to fly, she wondered while she attended her needs?

It might be better to lull him a little longer.

On the other hand, what if Raphael was even now coming after her? If she waited, he was going to walk into a trap. If she fled and she actually succeeded in getting away, she could warn Raphael.

There was that scent thing. Ordinarily, she would have put that down as an outright whopper, but head found her somehow.

Maybe head just seen her and followed her?

But how would he know about Raphael? And how would he know, as Raphael seemed to, that she was pregnant when she didnat know a d.a.m.ned thing?

Head claimed head fought Raphael. He hadnat said anything about wounding him, but she had a hard time believing that two giants could hack at each other with those five foot swords and not wound each other.

Maybe the reason she hadnat seen anything of Raphael was because he was too hurt to come looking for her?

Not that shead wanted him to and she certainly didnat want that now.

Sighing, she returned to the couch like a good little girl and curled up on it again, meek as could be. She was worried about Raphael in a whole new way, though, now, and it took all she could do to sit still. Next time, she decided. She would wait an hour or maybe two, and then she would ask again and she would crawl out the bathroom window and take off.

But to where?

She would be lost in the bayous inside of five minutes if she headed into it and shead probably never find her way out. Besides, having to fight her way through swamp, snakes, and gators was scarier than dealing with the Elumi--especially the snakes. The alternative was to take off down the drive and she didnat think it would take him long to catch her.

She doubted very much that she could get into her car and start it up before he caught up to her.

Maybe she should wait until he fell asleep and brain him with something?

She began to study the cabin surrept.i.tiously, searching for something she could use.

The iron frying pan her mother used for frying up catfish would probably spatter his brains all over the place if she managed to get a good lick in.

Her stomach roiled at the thought, but it was him or her--or him or Raphael, so it was just going to have to be him.

She dozed off. She couldnat believe she fell asleep! She jerked awake when she felt herself slipping sideways and looked around a little frantically. The Elumi was still stationed at the door, his gaze on her.

d.a.m.n it! Didnat they ever sleep!

Raphael had, so she knew they had to.

Straightening in her seat, she tried to shrug off the dulling effect of too little sleep. She was just about to ask the Elumi if she could go to the bathroom again when she heard something that made her heart lurch painfully--the flutter of great wings.

Her gaze jerked immediately to the Elumi. Head tensed. She knew then that head heard it, too, and that it wasnat just a bird. The soft thud of a foot on the steps of the cabin followed.

Shead left the car door open and groceries by the door! He was bound to notice and realize something wasnat right.

She didnat hear any sort of hesitation as the tread moved across the porch.

The Elumi stepped away from the door, his sword in his hand now.

Izzy glanced frantically around. The only thing close to hand was a paperback novel. That certainly wasnat going to damage him. Maybe it would distract him, though.

When the footfalls stopped, Izzy grabbed the book and hurled it at the Elumi, screaming for all she worth.

The Elumi whirled to look at her. At almost the same moment, Raphael stepped through the wall behind the man--or it wouldave been behind him except that head turned when Izzy screamed. Dismay filled her as he leapt away from Raphael, whirling to face him.

aGo, Isabel!a Raphael roared, swinging his blade at his enemy.

aMarceenian dog!a the Elumi growled, meeting Raphaelas blade with his own. The metal clanged together, ringing loudly in the tiny cabin. Leaping from her seat, Izzy charged into the kitchen and grabbed the iron frying pan.

It felt like it weighed a good twenty pounds.

When she reached the main room again it was just in time to see Raphael flying backwards. Instead of slamming into the wall, however, he disappeared through it.

Snarling, the Elumi charged after him, vanis.h.i.+ng from sight just as Raphael had.

Izzy froze, listening to the clang of blades outside. Shead just dashed toward the front door when both Elumi, locked together, blades locked at the hilt, their teeth bared, flew through the middle of the cabin and out the other side.

Skidding to a halt, she changed directions and headed toward the back door. Shead already s.n.a.t.c.hed it open when a crash from the vicinity of the main room brought her up short. Whirling, she saw Raphael slam into the floor with the other man on top of him.

Gritting her teeth, she drew the frying pan back like a bat and sailed into the living room. Uttering a growl, Raphael bucked the man off and rolled on top of his opponent just as Izzy swung the frying pan for all she was worth. She stopped. The pan didnat. The momentum and weigh carried it into Raphaelas head.

Fortunately, it was a glancing blow. Unfortunately, it distracted Raphael. aDo not help!a he growled as the Elumi threw him off and instantly leapt on top of him.

Ignoring the order, Izzy leapt at the man while he was distracted with trying to choke the life out of Raphael. Drawing the frying pan back, she swung again, catching him up side of the head. The pan rang. The vibration went through the pan and into her hands, numbing them until she almost lost her grip on it.

The Elumi turned and glared at her.

Screaming, Izzy whacked him with the pan several more times, striking his shoulder once and his head twice.

Abruptly, his eyes rolled back in his head and he tumbled to one side.

Raphael sat up, looked at Isabel and then looked down at the fallen warrior. Abruptly, he leapt to his feet, grabbed the Elumi by the hair of his head and swung his sword.

Isabel whirled away, covering her face with her hands.

aIt is done,a Raphael said tiredly.

Isabel turned at the sound of his voice, peering at him between her parted fingertips.

He stared at her a long moment and dropped the sword to the floor. Striding toward her, he caught her upper arms and yanked her against his length, covering her mouth in a hard kiss and ravis.h.i.+ng her mouth with tongue. Weak already with the shock and fear from the fight, Isabel melted against him, clutching his arms to steady herself.

Dizziness a.s.sailed her, darkness crowded close and fire poured through her, bringing every inch of her flesh tingling to life.

Reaching down, he grasped her thigh, guiding her leg around his waist. Izzy took the hint, looping her arms around his neck and curling her other leg around him, as well.

He broke the kiss, looked around and strode to the bedroom. Falling on the mattress with her, he caught her blouse, ripping it away and burrowing his face against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Izzy groaned, threading her fingers through his dark, silky hair as he burned a trail of hot kisses from the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and caught one nipple between his teeth.

She arched upward as he sucked the tender nub, sending jolts of pleasure through her that made moisture gather in her s.e.x.

She thrust her hands down his naked back to his b.u.t.tocks, digging her nails into the firm cheeks to cup him against her achy s.e.x. He groaned around her nipple, sucking her harder as he frantically disposed of her pants, pulling away just long enough to remove his own and free them from barriers of cloth.

She gasped when he covered her body and settled between her thighs, prodding her with the hot brand of his erection. She planted her feet on the bed, arching her hips upward to meet him. His thick length enticingly rubbed her c.l.i.t, sending her into mindless need.

aI want you,a she gasped. aNow.a aAs you wish,a he ground out, watching her with smoky eyes smoldering with insatiable desire. He rocked his hips, grinding himself against her bare cleft.

She bit her bottom lip, tightening her thighs around his hips. aOh G.o.d, donat look at me that way. Iall c.u.m right now,a she said on a whimper. Pulses of pleasure s.h.i.+vered through her slit, ravaging her miniscule control with each teasing slide of his c.o.c.k through her wet center.

He smiled with dark intent, sending goose b.u.mps down her spine. His head descended, lips parted, breath heavy. She licked her lips, antic.i.p.ating his taste and the hypnotic pull of his mouth.

Raphael covered her lips, stealing her breath away with his intensity. He ravished her mouth, sucking her tongue and lips as he s.h.i.+fted his hips and brought his c.o.c.k to her entrance, thrusting inside with one smooth, deep stroke. He stretched her p.u.s.s.y to the limits, his length hot and hard and making her feel incredibly full.

Flaming tendrils of bliss licked at her insides, making her c.u.n.t quiver with impending release.

Whimpering, she tilted her hips, angling for deeper penetration as he worked inside her and out, driving harder, frantic to find ultimate satisfaction. He ground against her, nudging her womb, sending shockwaves of pleasure rocketing through her system.

She clung to his back, kissing him for all she was worth, riding toward the crest of bliss until it came upon her in a blinding flash. A moan tore from her throat. White hot pleasure erupted in her center, followed quickly by the jerking grind of his own o.r.g.a.s.m. His seed burst inside her, and she trembled, her body shuddering, soaking up his s.e.m.e.n and milking him for more.

He arched his back and cried out her name, his voice hoa.r.s.e with pleasure. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, kissing her face all over and smoothing her hair back from her damp forehead with gentle fingers.

He rolled suddenly, withdrawing with a sucking sound from her entrance. She was saturated, sticky--a mess. But satisfied beyond belief.

Izzy curled up against him as her heart rate and breathing slowly returned to normal.

Weak in the aftermath, so blissfully sated she felt like hot wax, Izzy lay with her eyes closed, smiling faintly. It occurred to her that they had a little problem in the living room. aYouave corrupted me. Thereas a dead guy outside and I didnat even think about it until now. I shouldnat be so calm about it. I should be disgusted. This isnat exactly conducive to romance, you know.a aMy warrior woman.a Raphael chuckled. aPa.s.sion in battle and bed are easily one and the same.a She wasnat entirely sure that was right, but whatever. aI hope you never get pa.s.sionate with one of the guys.a He looked affronted. aNever.a He nuzzled her neck. aTwice you have fought for me. You can not deny you care for me, Isabel.a She stretched her neck closer. aMmm. Guess not.a His head came up with a jerk. He looked a little startled. aYou do?a Izzy chuckled at the look. aIam either mad or Iam mad about you, one of the two--and Iam not really sure which. I guess youave had me enthralled from the beginning.a His lips curled into a smile. aThen you will stay with me?a Izzy lifted a hand to play with his hair. aDo I have a choice?a she asked teasingly.

He frowned, a look more of distress than anger. aWould you choose to stay?a She met his gaze unflinchingly and cupped his cheek. aYes, my love.a The End.