Her Enemy's Embrace Ch. 02

Ian had the men at the head of the line of women to lead them to the military vehicles that were waiting at the base of the stairs of the temple. He, along with ten or so men still inside the temple, did a quick sweep of the place. They checked in the dimly lit back chambers and the rooms on the upper floors of the temple to ensure that no one was hiding. After the quick search, he and his ten men returned to the other twelve men who had remained standing with the priestesses. Ian's attention piqued once again on his newest quarry, the head priestess named Aurora.

The military vehicles were big, black and shaped like a large rectangle inside. Seats lined each of the interior walls. Ian sat on a short bench behind where the driver was located so he could have a broad view of all of the women, but also to discreetly glance at Aurora, who was to his right on a long bench. He saw that she seemed to be peacefully sitting with her eyes closed and many of the other priestess' followed her example.

My guess is they are meditating and praying. They will need it for what the emperor has in mind them, Ian thought.

Aurora's heart was hammering in her chest. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the smoldering gaze of the one called Ian. He was massive and intimidating. He was everything dangerous, rogue, and rebellious. He unsettled Aurora's peace of mind. She only allowed herself a moment to wallow is her own self-pity to understand how she, at the young age of twenty five, was in this situation. The dry acrid air of the city blew through the glassless windows of the military vehicles the priestesses where being driven in. The ride was mostly smooth with a couple bumps along the desert, rocky terrain of her homeland. Aurora quieted her mind as she was determined to get herself into as relaxed of a state as possible. Her people needed her.

Aurora let her thoughts drift back to her life at the temple. It had been her whole life. She had been abandoned there as a baby and cared for by the priestesses who were in charge at the time. Her lips curved into a smile as she remembered one of her favorite priestesses', Mariah. She was 18 when she arrived, dropped off by her parents, who's over ambition for blessings from the priestesses had lead them to basically palm their daughter off to a life that she didn't want. Mariah was well-behaved and smart but strong-willed to say the least. She was given the care of Aurora because the elder priestesses could see that she had a talent with children. Mariah was slight and did the majority of the day-to-day raising of Aurora. She held her in the esteem of an older sister. The memories flooded her and the smile on her face lingered until she remembered that fateful day when she was 10 years old and was told that Mariah had passed. Mariah's small size for her age was due to a chronic illness that she fought hard to keep at bay. Her illness had to do with her ability to breathe which she often suffered with especially at night. The steam and herbal bowls that the priestesses had taught her to make when she came to the temple greatly reduced her discomfort, but they did not cure her. Her smile faltered slightly and she didn't realize that a silent tear slipped out of the corner of her left eye and ran down her cheek. She immediately shifted her thoughts to keep them calm but the slipping of her smile and the tear that rolled down her cheek didn't go unnoticed.

Ian did a casual sweep of all of the priestesses but his attention continued to come back Aurora. He wanted her, he couldn't deny that. On the journey in the military vehicles Ian was having a vicious internal conversation with himself about the little woman who he considered perfect in face and form. Her chocolate bronzed skin, full pouty lips, and smoky violet grey eyes only added to the appeal. He was attempting to talk himself out of wanting the young but fully grown woman. Ian wanted Aurora but knew he could never have her. She was to go to the emperor and he would have to just suck that up and deal with it. He kept glancing at her in the guise of keeping watch and looking at the terrain pass outside the vehicle.

Ian saw her lips curve in a gentle smile and he felt all of the burdens and stress in his own life lift a little. He wondered what she was thinking about, whom or what made her have such a pleasant memory in the midst of her current predicament. Ian was watching her closely but discreetly so he also saw when her smile slipped and an unintended tear rolled down her cheek. He almost felt her sadness and unease but it quickly left him as she seemingly changed her thoughts to other things. Ian thought that was a bit strange but he didn't linger on it for too long. His little head was feeding the embers of his imagination now and as he took in her petite yet curvy figure sitting on the bench, he couldn't help but think about his mouth latched onto one of the perfect nipples that no doubt was a part of the perfect tits that he could see heaving in her purple silk garb. Were they light or were they dark? He didn't care he just knew the image of him laying with his head cradled in those gorgeous breasts, leisurely suckling as he thrust into her was etched in his mind. Like any good soldier, Ian mentally prepared for battled by running a scenario with the outcome he wanted through his mind over and over until he convinced his subconscious that that was the only outcome that could possible happen.

Uh oh...you're in deep shit. Were the words he could here in his heart as the military vehicles rolled on.

"We'll be at the front gate in 10 minutes sir," was yelled from the driver in the front seat. One of Ian's most trusted men.

"Good man Marco, head straight for the second gate so we can offload."

"Yes sir."

Ian closed his eyes briefly, seeing that all of the priestesses were either doing the same or at least calmed a bit by the hour long ride to the palace. He needed to get his dick down so he could use his last bit of energy to clear his mind and get ready to deal with the emperor. After he secured the priestesses in whatever way the emperor had in mind, he was going to sleep for at least a few days. The rest of the journey rolled on in silence until the sounds of the city started to pick up. He was in the lead vehicle and knew the others would follow. He allowed his thoughts to drift as they rode closer to an unknown destiny for the priestesses.

Here we fucking go, was Ian's final pep talk to himself as they neared the palace gates at the other end of the city. New unknowns and challenges soon to face them all.