Chapter Seventeen

The Challenge

 

I was turned and lifted then moving cradled in Lahn’s arms.

I opened my eyes to see the Daxshee was up around us, torchlight glowing everywhere.

We’d stopped by a small, rushing creek where there was an abundance of spiked grass and bowing, wispy willow trees, their green so green against the backdrop of the stark cream stone, dirt and sand landscape that it was stunning.

It became clear to me in short order that the Dahksahna didn’t assist her slaves in setting up the cham. This became clear when hides and cushions were produced, a small jug of wine, another of water, a platter of food and Ghost, who had (my poor baby) been caged for nearly six days, was let loose so I could feed and watch over her while my girls worked and the young men erected our tent. And this was clear because Teetru made it clear with lots of shakes of her head and hands up pressing the air to tell me I was to take a load off while they worked their asses off.

This did not sit well with me but, again, I had no choice. And, truth be told, I was exhausted from the ride. And I was exhausted from my chats with Diandra and Lahn. And after I had three glasses of wine while I ate, watched with no small amount of fascination what could only be described as a practiced dance of the Daxshee rising (they didn’t mess around, they clearly did this often, it was swift and also weirdly graceful) and played with Ghost, it wasn’t a surprise that, when Ghost grew drowsy, I grew drowsy with her, tucked her to my front, settled in on the hides and cushions and fell asleep.

Now I was half-awake, in Lahn’s arms and heading to our cham which was glowing with the candlelight dancing within.

I turned my head, whispered, “Ghost,” and got a squeeze of Lahn’s arms as my eyes found my pet who was being scooped up by Gaal and carried away.

Well, I guessed that meant Ghost was sleeping elsewhere that night. Not unusual. Lahn had allowed me my cub but he had yet to allow her in our bed.

He bent low, me in his arms, entered the tent and I sleepily took it in.

It looked exactly the same and everything was set up, everything. It had to have been only a couple of hours and it was all done.

Jeez, these people knew what they were doing.

Lahn set me on my feet by the bed, moved away and Jacanda and Beetus were there immediately. I tried to blink away the exhaustion that fogged my mind and the dull ache of fatigue that made my body heavy and helped them disrobe me. Packa came forward with a warm, wet cloth and glided it over my limbs which felt like heaven. Except for quick wash ups, I had no bath for five days and had been wearing the same clothes since we left. When they packed up our belongings, they stayed packed while we rode and only the bare necessities were produced to eat, drink and sleep.

Jacanda dropped a Korwahkian-style nightgown over my head, this one a lilac so pale it was nearly cream. She tied the drawstring over my breasts then looked up at me and gave me a tired smile. I lifted a hand to cup her cheek and smiled back at her.

“Shahsha, kah Jacanda, boh na trahyay, kah fauna,”* I whispered and was too tired to see the warm surprise flash in her eyes.

I just turned, pulled back the silk, collapsed into bed, pulled the silk up and closed my eyes. I was out within seconds.

And I was back in what felt like no more than a minute. And I was back because the silk was pulled off me and there were big hands at my hips turning me to my back. My eyes opened as those hands spread my legs and my fatigue disappeared when my eyes focused on Lahn settling between them, his hands pulling the silk of my nightgown up to my hips.

“What are you doing?” I asked, it came out breathy but he didn’t answer. His weight hit me but he was taking most of it in a forearm in the bed, one of his hands came up and, quickly, his fingers yanked the drawstring above my breasts and the tie came undone.

I wrapped a hand around his wrist tight and snapped a repeated, “What are you doing?”

His eyes came to mine and his were burning.

Oh shit. I already pretty much knew what he was doing but now I seriously knew what he was doing.

His head started to descend, I blinked because it was doing it in a way that it looked like he intended to kiss me and I turned my head swiftly to the side at the last minute. I also put my hands on his shoulders and pushed at the same time I bucked but the massive weight of his hard body didn’t move.

“No,” I stated firmly when his lips touched my neck, “this isn’t happening. I’m tired, kah Dax, and I need sleep.”

His head came up sharply and his hand rounded my jaw, turning my head and forcing me to look at him.

“Kah Lahn,” he growled.

Oh no. No, he didn’t. He didn’t get to do this and he didn’t get to tell me what he was to me. No… he… did… not.

“Kah Dax,” I hissed.

His face got close to mine so his eyes were all I could see and when his mouth moved, I could almost feel it against my lips.

“Kah Lahn,” he growled again.

I glared into his eyes and whispered furiously, “Never.”

“Oh no, Circe, not never. Boh,” he returned quietly, his head slanted and I swear to God, he intended to kiss me.

Before his lips could touch mine, my hands pressed down on his shoulders and I heaved myself upward, sliding up the pillows.

This was a mistake. My nightgown was loosened and it slid down, exposing my breasts and my heave had taken that area right into the target zone of his mouth.

And being Lahn, he didn’t miss the opportunity. His hand left my jaw, curved under my breast and lifted it as his other arm pushed under me, locked around me and then his mouth closed over my nipple where he instantly sucked hard.

Automatically, my back arched.

Oh man, that felt good. Fire shot through me and before I knew what I was doing, the fingers on both hands curled around his head.

Damn, no, no, he didn’t get to do this.

My fingers fisted in his loosened hair and pulled back.

“No,” I whispered, he stopped sucking but only so his tongue could swirl and it was debatable but I was thinking that felt better. Then I was wondering what on earth I was thinking. “No!” I cried, he started sucking again and I felt a curl of excitement in my belly and wetness surge between my legs.

Crap!

As he continued to draw my nipple in (and alternately swirl), I squirmed under him and his hand left my breast, trailed down my ribs, my belly and then in and I felt his finger fill me.

Oh God, I liked that. Shit, but I liked that.

His mouth released my nipple, his arm around me yanked me down under him but his finger stayed planted and his thumb tweaked my clit.

My hips jerked.

“My Circe,” he said, his voice low and thick, “wet.”

I was thinking it was not good he could pick up languages so easily. I was thinking it sucked.

I held onto my fight and snapped, “You don’t get this, kah Dax.”

“I do,” he returned, my eyes narrowed and with everything I had, I bent my legs, planted my feet in the bed, surged my hips up and pushed at his shoulders, succeeding in bucking him off, taking him to his back and then I was straddling him, bent over, looking down in his annoyingly beautiful face which was surrounded by his unbelievably fantastic fucking hair.

“You don’t!” I yelled, his torso knifed up and his arm still around me locked tight.

Uh-oh. Clearly I hadn’t thought my strategy through.

He looked up into my eyes and I saw his were burning but there was a light in them, it was bright and if I read it right, it was permeated with both humor and triumph.

“She bares her claws,” he muttered and I knew he liked it.

Yep, humor and triumph.

“Argh!” I cried on another heave to get away but there was no getting away.

Nope. None.

And my battle was about to get a lot more difficult. I knew this when his hand still between my legs moved to wrap around his cock and his arm around me moved me so he could slide the tip of it in the wetness between my legs.

I bit my lip. That felt nice and I knew it felt a whole lot nicer when his shaft was embedded deep inside.

And I wanted it.

“Kah Lahn.” His words were an order for me to repeat it, his voice was growing even deeper, getting rough.

He wanted inside.

Oh God, I liked that too.

“No,” I denied and the tip of his cock slid over my clit.

My hips jerked again.

Lahn smiled.

God! He was so annoying!

“Kah Lahn, Circe,” he ordered again and when I made no response his hard cock slid over my clit again. “Kah Lahn,” he repeated, his voice now rough.

“No,” I whispered.

“Kah Lahn,” he growled.

“No!”

He pushed me slightly down and started rubbing the tip of his cock hard against my clit in a way that felt so good, my bones dissolved and my hands moved to either side of his neck to hold on so I didn’t melt into a puddle.

My lips parted, my head went slightly back and my eyes went half-mast.

His arm didn’t need to hold me to him, not anymore. I was holding on, moving my hips to rub myself against his shaft so his hand slid up into my hair, tilting my head to face him and my eyes focused dazedly on his.

“Lahnahsahna, kah Lahn,” he ordered, his voice now hoarse.

Oh well, fuck it. They were just words. Right?

“Kah Lahn,” I whispered, his hand instantly shifted his cock so the tip was inside me then moved away, his arm curved around my hips and he drove me down, filling me.

My head flew back and I ground down with my hips to take him deeper.

“Yes,” I breathed, my fingers digging into the muscles of his neck.

His arm around my hips tensed, drawing me up then pushing me down and I started moving, slow, my head tipping forward again so I could look in his eyes.

Triumph, desire, satisfaction – God it was hot.

His hand moved from my head, down my shoulder, my arm, to wrap around my wrist then he shoved our hands between us, pressing my finger into my clit and rolling. My hips jerked and I whimpered but I took his hint, took over, gliding up and down, slow, sweet, as my finger rolled. Both his hands slid up my body to rest, palms at my jaws, fingers in my hair cupping the sides of my head.

Then he tipped it toward his, slanting his own and again, I thought he was going to kiss me.

I had his cock inside me and I liked it, no, I fucking loved it. I’d give myself that and in doing so, I’d give it up to him.

But he couldn’t have all of me.

I moved my head at the last second, sliding my lips down his jaw to his neck, I buried my face there, shoved my hand under his arm and wrapped my arm around his back.

And I drove down on him faster, grinding harder, taking him deep as I circled my clit with my finger and whimpered into his skin.

His hands glided down, arms curving around me, fingers drifting as mine dug into the muscles of his back and I went faster.

“Kah bahsah lapay rah. Zah xaxsah lapay hahnee rah. Sahna,”** Lahn whispered in my ear, the rumble of the words gliding along my skin, over my breasts, down between my legs, it happened, my back arched, my hair flew out and I came.

I was nowhere near done when Lahn flipped me, yanked my knees high and pounded hard and deep. His hand cupped around my jaw, thumb one side, fingers against my cheek and he held my face steady as his bent into mine.

I was staring into his heated gaze, my eyelids lowered, my orgasm taking its sweet, sweet time to drift away, my thighs pressed deep into his sides, my hands low, fingers curled into the clenching muscles of his ass as he drove hard and deep while our breath mingled.

“Fuck me, baby,” I breathed and he pounded harder.

“Yes, kah Lahnahsahna,” he whispered.

“God,” I whispered back, my nails digging into his skin, my thighs pressing tighter, “I love the feel of you.”

He closed his eyes, his fingers tensing on my face and his head snapped back, the muscles in his neck straining, veins popping out as he planted himself deep and tight and grunted his climax so loud the sound filled the tent.

It had to be said, I liked that too.

When he was done, his head dropped, his hand at my jaw tilting mine to the side and I felt his heavy breaths against my neck. My arms moved to circle him and his head came up, he tilted my face back toward him, his eyes caught mine, his breath still labored and he moved again to kiss me.

I jerked against his hold and it instantly got tight but his mouth stopped moving toward mine.

Our eyes clashed and I knew he knew I was withholding from him and my breath caught because I knew a Korwahk warrior would not like that, not at all.

Then he growled, “You’re my gold, nahna xaxsah is my hahnee rah. Kay jahnan nahna lisa, na uvan tee luh kay. Ana kay jahnan nahna pahnsahna, Circe. Kay nayeesan tee. Fahzah.”***

Okay, it couldn’t be said that I understood everything Lahn said but I understood enough that I knew I’d managed to lay down a challenge, he was a warrior who had been trained since he was a little boy to face any challenge and best it and he’d just vowed to me that he would win.

Shit, I had a feeling I was screwed.

But, being me, I didn’t give up.

“You got lucky tonight, big guy,” I whispered, “but so did I. Now, I’m really tired so will you get off me so I can trahyay?”

He scowled down at me a second, his hand still holding my face. Then his eyes moved, drifting, they caught on the bruise still marking my cheekbone. Then I watched the glower fade slowly as his eyes went soft. Then his hand tipped my chin down and held me still while his lips slid across my bruise.

I closed my eyes.

Shit, I really freaking hated it when he was sweet.

I felt his forehead on mine and my eyes opened.

“Yes, my Circe, you sleep,” he said softly then he moved his head, let my jaw go, rubbed his nose along the side where his thumb had held me, he gently pulled out and slid his body down and partially to my side, tucking me underneath him, tangling his legs in mine.

I sighed and was so exhausted and sated I couldn’t help but let his warmth relax me.

My eyes drifted closed.

They drifted right back open when his arm tightened in an affectionate squeeze and he whispered in my ear, “Anka, ta linay tera leenyahso na lapay, claws against steel.”****

He sounded tired, satisfied and also like he was looking forward to tomorrow. Like, a lot.

Seriously, Lahn learning English so fast sucked.

And even more seriously, I knew I was screwed.

 

*Translation: Thank you, my Jacanda, now you sleep, my doe.”

**Translation: My wife is gold. Her cunt is liquid gold. Beautiful.”

***Translation: “You’re my gold, your cunt is my liquid gold. I will have your mouth, you will give it to me. Then I will have your spirit, Circe. I will own it. Always.”

****Translation: “Tomorrow, we see how skilled you are, claws against steel.”