Nights in Rodan Ch. 02

Both men nodded, "It was our duty." Kieran smiled at her. She found herself relaxing around them. They were pleasant enough, as far as captors went. She wondered if they had ulterior motives.

Soon enough, Rayn was back and carrying breakfast.

The men chatted among themselves. Rayn handed her a plate and she ate in silence, considering everything.

She decided it was time for her to clean herself up. She hated being dirty like this; covered with dried blood, scars, and her muscles ached. Her clothes needed washing too.

Rayn was next to her and had just finished eating.

"Can I bathe now?" she asked.

"There's a hot spring nearby, but you can't go alone." He looked up from his last bite of bread.

She opened her mouth to argue, but didn't get a word in.

"I'm not letting raiders make you their captive again." He looked at her decisively and she knew he wouldn't be changing his mind.

"Pack up. I want to be ready to go when we get back." Rayn commanded his men.

He handed her a small bag from his pack, she saw a bar of soap and a comb when she opened it. She nodded. He walked towards where the horses were tied.

Apparently the spring wasn't that close.

"You're riding with me."

She walked toward her horse.

"No, with me." He pointed at his own horse, and lightly swung up on it bare back.

Why was he so difficult!? He probably thought she couldn't ride, her temper flared. She'd been riding almost since she could walk; Iona had told her the obsession started very early. He offered her his hand, and after giving him a hard look she accepted it and was soon seated behind him. She let her arms hang at her sides loosely as they walked a path towards the spring.

He had a wicked idea.

"Put your arms around me."

"No"

"It's part of the deal, you do what you're told." His voice was gruff but he was grinning to himself.

He heard her snort in contempt.

"Now." He commanded her.

"FINE!" she growled in his ear.

Her voice sent a tingle down his spine. She was actually kind of fun to mess with. She put her slender arms around his waist. He felt a stirring in his groin.

Oh she was angry now. But after wrapping her arms around his much larger and harder body she found she kind of enjoyed it. It was quiet, but she could hear the bubbling hot spring. They were close.

She made him turn around so she could get undressed, he protested but she won. Leni slipped into the spring and washed her clothes quickly. She felt very vulnerable being naked around him. She laid her clothes on a rock to dry in the sun while she washed herself.

He stripped down and she watched him with wide eyes. He wasn't actually getting in with her was he? He pulled his linen undershirt over his head gracefully. She was distracted by his lean muscular frame, his thick shoulders especially, his back had a few battle scars and one large one snaked around his shoulder to his chest. She swallowed, hard. She thought about what it would be like wrapped in his strong arms.

He noticed her staring.

"Enjoying the view?" he grinned. He was pulling his pants off his long muscular legs, down to nothing but underwear.

"Um..." she turned quickly away from him, she was sure her face was beet red.

She combed through her hair and heard a splash but didn't turn around.

She stood up to turn over her clothes on the rocks and to avoid him. The water came to her waist. He stared at her back, her hair was dripping wet and shining in the sun. She was stunning after the dirt was washed away. His body was aching to touch her; he begrudgingly remembered his promise as he watched the water drip from her long tresses, following the gentle curve of her waist. His loins burned with desire.

He scrubbed his own body down quickly, and noticed a long streak of dirt across her back and some dried blood clinging to her shoulder. She had parted her hair in the middle and pulled each side around so she could comb through it.

"You missed something." He pointed.

She turned her head halfway around, "Where?"

He closed the gap between them, "Here, "he traced his fingers down her back and she shuddered. He again noticed her birthmark, it was definitely the hooked X and exactly like her mother's.

"You promised!" she accused him breathlessly.

"I know, but you can't reach it." He ran the bar of soap down her back. She jumped away from him.

Damn her, why was she so...so? Difficult! He was trying to be gentle but she was driving him mad.

She turned to face him, only her long wet hair covering her lush perfectly formed breasts. He almost lost control right then. He groaned inwardly.

"Please don't hurt me." She wrapped her arms around herself and sank back into the water.

"I will not break my word." He really hoped.

She saw his features soften. His large dark eyes bore a hole into her soul. It was very disconcerting. What was his end game? She wondered.

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to ask you, but I didn't think you would cooperate with me. What is your name?"

"Eleanor"

"That's a good name, a strong name." he knelt down in the water so he wasn't towering over her. He saw her relax a little more. Clearly the raiders had hurt her, she was fearful. It made him sick to think of those men taking advantage of her. She was a pain in the ass for sure, but she didn't deserve to be treated like that.

"I am taking you back to see my father, he has some questions for you." He was direct.

"I have questions too. I didn't find out about any of this until very recently."

"You didn't know anything?"

"My nanny raised me after my father died. She always told me he was a wealthy merchant. I never knew anything different until that night when you roughed me up in the street."

"I'm sorry for that, by the way." He hoped he sounded sincere, maybe if he hadn't snuck up on her and scared her she would have been much easier to talk to.

She shrugged and rolled her eyes.

He was suddenly in her face, holding onto her arms. He'd saved her life damnit and she talked to him like this?! He was royalty!

"Do not ever disrespect me. I am a Prince and you will treat me as such.", he ground out.

The arrogance! She almost hit him, prince or not, he was a prick.

The golden flecks in his dark eyes were glowing. He moved so quickly it frightened her but she refused to let it show. She put her hands on his bare chest to push him away, he was too close. His taut muscles rippled under her hands. He softened his grip on her, she looked up at him, eyes wide, waiting for what he would do next. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly.

Oh Gods he couldn't take it anymore! Her stormy eyes seemed to look straight through him.

He covered her mouth with his possessively. She started to push him away, but he was so strong he held her there in the steaming water, kissing her. It was like fire licking her lips, she gave in to his touch, it was just too overwhelming. He softly explored her mouth with his, the gentleness of it surprised her. She whimpered against his mouth, a low rumble in his chest told her he was enjoying this.

No no no no....she loved Colin!

One of his hands went around the back of her neck, stroking and massaging her. Her arms instinctively went around his broad shoulders, and her softness melted into him. His other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her entire naked body against his. She felt his sparse chest hair against her warm skin, and his growing erection pressed against her thigh. She tingled everywhere.

No!

The feeling was so forceful inside her, she felt volatile. She pulled away slightly but he held onto her, kissing her and prodding her with his tongue. She panicked, guilt and desire overwhelmed her senses at the same time.

NO!

He flew back against the rocks on the other side of the pool, hitting them with a dull thud and she heard an unmistakable crack over the splashing water.

She shrieked and covered her mouth with her hands; he was going to be furious with her now.

He groaned, leaning on the rocks and he looked up at her, but instead of rage she saw surprise and shock. He held his ribs and winced.

Run.

She turned and started to get out of the shallow water, she didn't care if he saw her naked. She had to get away.

"Please," he was almost begging her, "don't go."

She froze at the sound of his voice, her hands planted on the rocks as if she would push herself out of the water any second. She was breathing hard, recovering from the power behind their kiss.

What had she done?

He moved behind her. She looked over her shoulder, he was inches away. Oh Gods she wasn't sure she could take it, she almost started to cry.

"Can I touch you?" he spoke softly, gently.

A voice in her head raged, it was a little late to ask now!

"No, please!" she choked back the tears.

"I won't hurt you. " He put a hand on her shoulder, turned her around and she shrank back against the rocks as far as she could. His stomach turned, she looked like a caged animal.

"Just....calm down, breathe deeply." He kept his hand on her shoulder.

She couldn't look in his eyes, but his touch radiated calm through her and soon she was breathing normally.

"I take it you didn't know you could do that?" he rubbed his side again and grunted in pain.

"No! No, I've never done anything like that before." She hugged her arms around herself.

"It's all right." He dropped his hand from her shoulder. He was curious what feeling she was having when it happened, he hoped it wasn't fear.

"Can we just go back now?" she was very ready to not be alone with him. Clearly neither of them could control themselves, for some unknown reason. She felt two inches tall.

"If you are ready, yes."

She nodded as he spoke.

He sighed, "I'll turn around so you can dress."

And he did, without fighting her about it, he just did it.

Thank goodness!

She dried herself off and slipped her dry linen shirt on over her chemise. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her gorgeous creamy white legs stepping into her riding pants. Her long tunic graced the top of her thighs; he could see the slight curve of her butt. He turned his head before she saw him. He wanted her, he wanted her so badly. He'd tasted her kiss and now it was going to be hell traveling back home. His father would probably have her killed; he wouldn't tolerate the rightful Queen of Rodan threatening his power. Rayn had just made this situation more complicated than it needed to be.

Damn.

Shockingly enough, the ride back to camp was more relaxed. She wasn't so tense and held her arms loosely around him; at one point he even swore she was leaning in to rest her head on him. He smiled to himself, women did not resist him often and when they did he always found a way.

*****

Hope you enjoy the 2nd chapter. It was fun to write! Feedback is greatly appreciated! :)

-FP