Savage Kingdom Read online

  She glared at him. “I’m not an idiot. I do know what coupling involves.”

  “It would be better if you removed your tunic. Men are aroused by the sight of a woman’s naked body.” She hadn’t removed all her clothes before, but both of the other slaves had been so timid and subservient, she doubted they would have dared to ask it of her. What did it matter if Jaden saw her nude? He was only a lowly slave. Nerya wrenched off the garment, tossed it on the floor and stared at him, trying to appear unconcerned. His gaze traveled over her high, full breasts, flat belly and the dark pelt covering her sex. “You are a beautiful woman.”

  He examined her body again in a far too intimate fashion, and his attention unsettled her. The odd sensation she was experiencing increased, and she couldn’t deny it was some kind of carnal need. She’d slept with enough females to recognize desire, but this was different. It was far more powerful than the emotions other women had aroused in her. Nerya’s skin felt taut and prickly, and her breasts ached, while her female parts seemed to throb in eager anticipation.

  “Now let down your hair.”

  “My hair?” She touched the strip of leather that fastened her long hair in a low ponytail at her nape. Feeling exasperated yet oddly excited, Nerya found herself unfastening the leather with trembling fingers, and her dark chestnut locks fell around her shoulders.

  “That’s better, although…” He wrinkled his nose. “You smell a little pungent at present.”

  “It is the odor of good honest sweat. I was at the training ground. No doubt after your battle to evade capture, you didn’t smell so sweet yourself,” she retorted. “That’s if you put up a fight, of course.”

  “What do you think?”

  “No doubt you fought with great courage. After all, no man would want to be captured by us. Those who live in the lands surrounding ours fear the warriors of Freygard.”

  She suspected he was a fine warrior, and she didn’t doubt he’d fought hard to prevent being captured. Yet his skin was smooth and unblemished. That was strange. She’d never seen a warrior of any race without battle scars before.

  “I don’t fear anyone,” he countered, his gaze roaming her body in such a seductive manner that it almost felt like a sensual caress—a sensation akin to the gentle feel of thistledown brushing her bare flesh. “You’ve yet to tell me your name, lady.”

  “My name?” Nerya exclaimed. “Why do you have need of that?”

  “What harm is there in telling me?” His voice was lower now, and softly seductive.

  How could this man, who was in truth a lesser being, be such an enigma to her? Yet the fact she couldn’t understand why her body responded to him so powerfully drew her to him even more. Once again he perused her naked form with insolence that unsettled her yet sent the blood tumbling wildly through her veins.

  “You may address me as Captain Nerya.” Losing her patience with him completely, she grabbed hold of the blue tunic and jerked it away from his groin. “Oh!” she gasped.

  He glanced down at his partially aroused organ. “Something wrong? It seems quite normal to me.”

  “From now on, you remain silent,” she ordered, trying to ignore the troubling size of the appendage, which appeared huge in comparison to those of the other two slaves she’d coupled with before. “And concentrate on the task at hand.”

  “I pity you, Nerya,” he said as she forced herself to climb onto the bed and crouch, rather awkwardly, astride his legs.

  “Pity?”

  “You don’t seem to know how enjoyable sex with a man can be.”

  “Enjoyable! That is not the point of this exercise.” She found herself unable to meet his gaze, let alone look at his male organ, so she compromised by keeping her eyes focused on the smooth skin of his muscular chest. “We enjoy sex with one another, not with male slaves.”

  “Ah,” he sighed. “Then you do not know what pleasures you are missing.”

  “Coupling with men is an unpleasant necessity for the women of Freygard.”

  Nerya tensed as she realized he was staring at the juncture between her thighs. “I can see the rosy pink slit of your sex peeping out from your dark pelt.” His voice was smoother still now, like dark velvet. “It’s a tempting sight. In Percheron, women remove all their body hair, even from their mounds. Many men like to be able to see every inch of a woman’s quim, but I think your chestnut fleece is enchanting.”

  Nerya glanced down at Jaden’s penis, certain it had grown bigger. That didn’t help her retain her composure. The aching pressure in her groin increased as her open thighs pressed with shocking intimacy against the warm skin of his muscular legs. “You will need to become far more subservient, Jaden,” she warned. “And keep such comments to yourself in future.”

  “The sight of your naked flesh arouses me, but you still need to touch my cock.” Damn the man, he was challenging her. She resisted the temptation to check again, although she feared his cock might be even larger now. Realizing how little she knew about how the male body worked, she kept her attention focused on his face. “It won’t bite,” he said. “And if you want it inside you, it needs to be a shade harder.”

  She would show him she wasn’t scared of anything. Nerya curved her fingers around its bulk and slid her hand up and down the shaft in an awkward, rather jerky, fashion. From under her lashes, she glanced at his face. Judging by his sudden change of expression, he was finding this simple movement pleasurable. Not quite sure how to proceed, she milked him much like one would milk a cow, employing long, smooth strokes.

  She was rewarded by his soft groan of pleasure as the organ stiffened even more beneath her fingertips. She pumped faster until the skin on the shaft turned a deeper shade as it hardened into a rigid rod, tipped by a large plum-like head. She had to admit it wasn’t at all attractive, but still she found it compellingly fascinating. It affected her in the oddest way as she felt its pulsing strength in the palm of her hand.

  Jaden caught her by surprise when he suddenly jerked his head forward and clamped his lips around one of her nipples, drawing it deep into his mouth. She tensed as his tongue flicked against the erect teat, while he pulled more of her breast into the warm depths of his mouth. The wrenching pressure was intense. Feeling an answering tug deep within her groin, Nerya gave an unconscious gasp. The strange sensation of his lips touching hers was so delicious that for a moment she couldn’t force herself to pull away. The heat rose even more demandingly between her thighs, which was troubling enough in itself.

  Realizing how weak and vulnerable her response to him was making her appear, Nerya forced herself to pull back. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin of her nipple as it slid from his mouth. “How dare you.”

  “Oh, I dare,” he said softly. “And if you unfasten my chains, I can show you how much more pleasurable this experience could be for us both.”

  “Your continued arrogance irritates me, slave.” Breathless and confused, Nerya faced an overpowering need for this barbarian that she couldn’t quite understand. “You will behave yourself from now on so I can get this unpleasant exercise over and done with as soon as possible.”

  “Unpleasant?” He chuckled. “Have it your way, Nerya.” He leaned back against his pillows, running the tip of his tongue sensually across his lower lip. “Your flesh tastes surprisingly sweet for one so ill-tempered.” His rock-hard organ reared proudly away from his groin. She took a deep breath. She had to do this. “I’m ready.” His dark eyes challenged her. “If you want my seed, perhaps you should mount me now.”

  “First I need oil for lubrication.” She murmured the words, half under her breath. It appeared Murana had forgotten to have the usual vial of oil left by the bed.

  “No, you don’t,” he replied. “I wager by now you’re probably near moist enough already. Check. You’ll see I’m right.” He bent his head to one side. “Do what you do in the privacy of your room at night. No doubt the women of Freygard are much like other females and pleasure themselves at times.”
/>
  Touching herself in front of him would prove to be even more humiliating for her than this situation was already. Nerya tensed. She could just imagine Murana outside, her pinched face creased into a sly smile as she pressed her ear to the door, trying to find out what was going on in here.

  “I do not speak about such personal matters to a slave.”

  “Free me. I’ll be only too happy to do it for you.”

  Nerya shuddered, imagining what it would feel like to have his fingers invade her sex, caressing her moist folds and wriggling their way inside her. She should be disgusted, but she found the thought intoxicating. For one brief, foolish moment, she was almost tempted to release him. Her body ached for the feel of a firm hand stroking and caressing her, but Jaden wasn’t just a slave; he was a dangerous and devious warrior.

  Casting her foolish thoughts aside, and trying to pretend he wasn’t even present, she slipped her fingers into her crack. Her interior flesh was already moist and slippery, maybe even ready to take his appendage inside her without the need of lubricating oil, but she couldn’t be absolutely sure, as his organ was frighteningly large. Perhaps if she’d been more experienced in the coupling chambers, she would have known. Because of her unique position in the castle, she’d managed to avoid coming here far longer than most, even though she’d reached the age of maturity over two years ago.

  Feeling somewhat confused and unsure quite how to proceed, she pulled her hand away from her sex.

  “Rub the moisture on your fingertips over my cockhead.” Jaden’s voice sounded tight and urgent as his shaft twitched and reared away from his belly.

  Without thinking, she obeyed his command, anointing the engorged glans with the dew of her body. As her fingers moved across the domed head, a small bead of moisture oozed from the narrow opening at its tip. It was clear he was ready, and it was her duty, after all, not to waste any of his seed.

  She had to do this whether she wanted to or not. Bracing herself for what was to come, Nerya rose to her knees and edged forward until she was poised above the engorged shaft. She took hold of his organ and guided it toward her open sex. She concentrated hard on what she was doing, yet she still heard Jaden draw in his breath as his swollen glans pressed against the soft ring of sensitive flesh surrounding the entrance to her feminine sheath. Ignoring him as best she could, Nerya took control of her nerves and with delicate precision eased her hips downward, relieved and somewhat surprised to feel the huge shaft slide inside her with little or no difficulty.

  Still apprehensive, she pushed her pelvis downward even farther. The rigid organ felt as if it was stretching her body, filling her completely, and yet, when she glanced down, she saw there was even more to come. By the gods, she couldn’t take that as well!

  “Harder,” Jaden grunted. Straining his arms, he somehow managed to jerk his hips upward, thrusting the entire length of his shaft deep inside her.

  Nerya gasped. The sensation of all-encompassing fullness was like nothing she’d ever felt before. Her quim pressed against his hard, muscular belly, and she allowed her body to follow his as Jaden gradually let his buttocks sink back upon the mattress. This was so deliciously different from having sex with another woman. She hadn’t felt like this when she’d coupled with the slaves before, and she couldn’t understand why coupling with Jaden should be so different. She’d not been looking forward to this moment at all, but the feel of his penis buried inside her was highly pleasurable and made her crave more. Copulating with him was proving to be enjoyable, and this knowledge was an oddly uncomfortable burden for one such as her to bear.

  She crouched there, conjoined with him, her open sex pressed to his hard form, having no real idea what to do next. Her body seemed to know what she did not, and she began to move her hips, rocking her pelvis against his.

  “That feels good, doesn’t it?” Jaden sighed.

  She wanted to reply yes, but she clenched her lips together as she focused all her attention on the coupling. It was almost as if she’d been waiting for this moment all her life, as if nature was trying to tell her something contrary to all she’d been taught to believe. She moved in an instinctive age-old rhythm, her body working smoothly with his, drawing him seductively inwards, then letting his shaft half slide out of her again. The sensations were amazing—utterly indescribable. Without a conscious thought, Nerya moved faster, thrusting up and down with such urgency that her breath came in small agitated gasps.

  “Yes. Oh yes.” His muscles straining, Jaden gripped his chains so he could lift his hips higher, thrusting his groin against hers as the movement of her hips became faster.

  Nerya responded, her skin now slick with sweat as she vigorously pumped herself up and down on his shaft. The pleasure built inside her, growing stronger until, without warning, it reached a peak. A sensation as powerful as a wild storm on a summer night engulfed Nerya, overwhelming her with its intensity. As her spasms surged and slowly died, she slumped forward, grabbing hold of Jaden’s chest to steady herself.

  It seemed the most natural thing in the world for him to take possession of her lips. Jaden’s tongue thrust its way into her mouth as he kissed her with an intimacy that broke all the boundaries between mistress and slave. Then, deep inside her, she felt his cock pulse as he too came.

  Chapter Two

  What an amazingly beautiful day it was. Nerya took a deep breath, finding the early morning chill on this perfect morning highly invigorating. She’d never woken up before feeling so contented and yet also elated. Last night her slumber had been disturbed by the most bizarre and nonsensical dreams. She couldn’t remember them in any detail, but she was certain most of them had contained images of the slave Jaden.

  The familiar sounds of the castle surrounded her: a sergeant shouting orders, the jingle of harnesses and the clatter of horses’ hooves on the cobblestones as a troop of warriors prepared to leave for the first patrol of the day. Nerya heard the distant clash of weapons coming from the practice arena, a cock crowing, the cackle of chickens and the deep barking of a couple of the castle hounds.

  She walked across the bailey, aware she’d behaved rather foolishly after she’d left the coupling chamber last night. She’d told Murana she felt it wiser if the new captive was assigned only to seasoned warriors who would be able to handle his volatile and disobedient nature, and not to any of the other women in the castle. Nerya worked out the daily schedules of the garrison and none of the other warriors were due to visit the coupling chambers in the next few days. Jaden, therefore, would not be required to service anyone else at present.

  She’d then informed Murana she would visit the slave again that evening. Most women did not choose to return to the coupling chambers quite so soon, but Nerya didn’t care if the slave mistress thought her request rather unusual. Oddly enough, Murana had been very accommodating. She’d told Nerya that Jaden would be cleansed and prepared to await her arrival the following evening. She knew it was rather foolish to see him again, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Why should that be? Nerya wondered as she walked toward the keep. As she went to ascend the steps that led into the large building, her friend Lorenna hurried toward her.

  “There you are.” Lorenna sounded out of breath. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere.” Grimacing, she put a hand to her back.

  Nerya looked down at her friend’s bulging stomach. “Are you all right?”

  Lorenna was seven months into her pregnancy. She’d been assigned light duties of late, yet even these less demanding tasks seemed to be proving difficult for her.

  “It’s only backache. I’m getting it all the time.” Lorenna sighed. “Less than two months now, thank goodness.” She arched her back, then grimaced as she clutched at her stomach. “The baby is kicking again.”

  Nerya had witnessed Lorenna’s rising discomfort over the last few weeks, and she hoped she wouldn’t get pregnant just yet. It wasn’t a very dutiful thought, but it appeared to her that bearing a child was an uncomfortable
and debilitating experience. “What did you want me for?”

  “The queen wishes to see you. Straightaway, in her private chambers.”

  “Do me a favor, Lorenna,” Nerya said. “Go to your room and lie down. I’ll tell Queen Danara you’re unwell and I’ll ask her to have your duties reduced from now on.”

  “You’re a good friend.” Lorenna gave a weary smile. “I really do need to put my feet up. I feel exhausted.”

  “I hope I always will be a good friend.” Nerya patted Lorenna’s arm and then hurried up the wide stone steps of the keep. She strode through the great hall. The sun streamed through the high arched windows, making variegated patterns on the cream-and-brown marble floor. Brightly colored tapestries and silk banners, taken as booty from captured soldiers, decorated the stone walls. Most of the warriors took their meals in here, and a number of slaves were busy clearing the long tables.

  Nerya walked briskly through the hall, turned left into a corridor and made her way into the royal anti-chamber. Sunlight also filled this room, the bright golden rays illuminating the ornate carved ceiling and polished wood floors. The furnishings, what there was of them, were sumptuous, but it was decorated rather sparsely considering it was the room where Queen Danara conducted a large amount of royal business. Nerya couldn’t have timed it better. At the exact moment she walked into the room, Queen Danara strode majestically out of her private quarters. “There you are, Nerya.”

  “Mother,” Nerya acknowledged, neither expecting nor receiving a smile, let alone a warm embrace. Their relationship had never been affectionate, but then Danara kept herself regally apart from everyone, except, of course, her lovers, and these days none of them stayed around for very long.

  “I need to talk to you very seriously, Nerya.” Danara, simply clad in a plain cream leather doublet and white silk breeches, pointed toward a pair of carved armchairs set close to the fireplace. “Let’s sit.”

  “Talk? What about?” Nerya noted that her usually confident mother appeared uneasy.