Chapter 16
Damien sat in the Judgement Room. It was dark, but his eyes had adjusted, as had his body. He knelt before Aurora’s braid, his head hanging down, his chin against his chest. The beast was alive in him now, demanding more blood. Demanding revenge. He knew he had scared the servants enough, so they would not bother him anymore. He didn’t care. He didn’t care about them. He didn’t care about Acquitaine. She was gone.
He heard the door creak open behind him. His jaw clenched tight.
“Damien?”
Gawyn. He had wondered where his brother had gotten to. He wondered why he wasn’t there, trying to comfort him. He needed no comfort. Only death. “Get out,” he whispered. It was so silent that his voice echoed through the room.
Gawyn didn’t seem to notice. A torch flared to light behind Damien. He scowled at the light on the floor as if the touch of it would burn him.
“Damien?”
Always intrusive. Damien’s fists clenched tight. He wanted him gone. He wanted to be in darkness. He wanted to be cold and alone. She was gone. Some part deep inside of him was wailing and he couldn’t get it to stop unless he saw red. “Get out,” Damien said more firmly. The beast was hungry. Damien snarled, his lips curling over his teeth.
“Brother,” Gawyn began with a gentleness.
Damien whirled, his hands curved into clawed fists, his rage blinding him, his teeth bared. “GET OUT!”
Gawyn stood, holding a torch. He didn’t flinch at Damien’s tirade; he didn’t move.
The torchlight showered over her like beams of gold touching a goddess. For a moment, Damien froze. He didn’t even take a breath. He must be going mad. Slowly, his hands uncurled. His snarl evaporated. The beast howled inside of him, telling him to run, to hide. She couldn’t be real. He was going mad.
She came toward him. But it wasn’t until he heard her voice, a soft calling, “Damien,” that he knew this was no dream, this was no hallucination.
He was at her side in two large strides. Tears welled inside of him as he stopped before her, his gaze hungrily devouring her every curve, every line on her face.
She touched his cheek, her stroke gentle, concerned.
Fiercely, savagely, he grabbed her and pulled her to him, holding her, crushing her to him. He squeezed his eyes closed, afraid, so afraid that he would open them, and she would be gone. A lone tear squeezed from the corner of his eye, running over his cheek.
“Damien, Damien,” she whispered over and over.
Her voice was the only thing anchoring him to the moment. And still he crushed her to him, refusing to relinquish her softness, her goodness. Her love.
When he heard a soft sob, he pulled back to look at her. Her face was wet with tears. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks, brushing them away. She was safe. He kissed her lips, tasting her. She was real.
The door creaking drew Damien’s attention. He saw Gawyn pause for a moment in the doorway. They locked eyes. He had brought her back to him. His brother had brought her back.
Justina sat in her chambers; Gawyn was seated at the table, watching her. They were still in the wet, muddy clothing they had crossed the river in even though a tub of warm water had been brought in and was set before the hearth. She jumped up from her bed and moved to the window. She stared out at the sun. It was midday. She was feeling restless and lost.
“Are you hungry?”
Justina turned to look at him. “I want him back.”
Gawyn stood. “Justina --”
“I mean I want to bring him home to bury him. He shouldn’t be out there alone.”
Gawyn nodded. “I know. But we can’t go now.”
Justina turned to look at him. Their clothing was damp, but at least the hearth was lit for warmth. Gawyn had carried her up the wall on his back, using the rope and then had done the same for Aurora.
He must have left the castle to look for Aurora. She was more important. She dropped her head and turned away to look out the window again. It was only blind luck that she had been with Aurora when he had found them.
“What is it?” Gawyn asked.
“You saved my life.”
He said nothing.
“I suppose you rode out looking for Aurora and I --”
“We had just gotten back from looking for her. I should have stayed with Damien. But the only thing I could think of the entire time was the fact that you had rushed out of the castle to search for your brother.”
She turned to look at him.
“You were out there alone.”
Justina looked down, half shrugging, half nodding. “It was foolish. I know. But I had to know. I had to find him.”
“As did I.”
Justina peered up at him. “You had to find Aurora.”
“I had to find you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. But the moment I found you safe with the gypsies...” He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “It was like... like...”
“Like a ton of mortar stones had been lifted from your shoulders. And that maybe there was hope. Maybe everything was going to be all right.” It was how she felt the moment she had laid eyes on him. She couldn’t help it. She lifted a hand and touched his cheek. “Thank you for looking for me.”
He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close against him.
He was so hard and so strong. She had been so wrapped up with protecting her brother and being responsible for him that she failed to see how much Gawyn had come to mean to her. Even though…
She stepped back, bowing her head.
“What is it?”
“I know what you were. I know that you killed people. But when I was out there, it didn’t matter. I only thought of you.”
Gawyn nodded but made no move to come to her.
“You knew how I felt and you still came for me.”
“I had to.”
“Why?” Justina asked. Gawyn looked at her with such tenderness and such longing that Justina’s heart melted.
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone. You’ve surprised me at every turn. No one does that.” He took a step closer to her. “You are all I think about. All I desire.” He traced a curl of her dark hair. “I think I just might be falling in love with you.”
“Me?”
He took a step back from her, dropping his hands to his side. “I’m so sorry I let you down, Justina. And I would understand if you never wanted to see me aga --”
She entwined her hands around his neck and lifted up on her toes to press her lips against his. Let her down? He never let her down! He had come after her, knowing the Hungars were attacking! He loved her! Her heart sped up and her pulse quickened in response to his closeness, to his touch. She parted her lips for his exploration. His kiss was surprisingly gentle and patient. She trembled at the sweet tenderness of his touch. But it wasn’t enough for her. She wanted to lose herself in him. She wanted to love him.
She stepped back toward the bed without breaking the kiss, pulling him with her.
He hesitated. “Justina,” he said softly.
“Please Gawyn. Please. Don’t deny me. Not now.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “You’ve been through so much.”
Always thinking of her. What more could she ask? “I think we should get out of these dirty clothes.” She ran her hands over his strong shoulders.
Gawyn acquiesced with a nod. He pulled her over to the steaming tub. He picked up a clean cloth, dipping it into the water. He ran it over her forehead, the dirt coming off her skin. He dipped it in the water again and brushed it across her cheeks and her nose, then her chin, cleaning her face. He grinned. “I can’t imagine how I look.”
Her gaze swept his face. His strong nose, sensual lips, and warm brown eyes. “Amazing,” she whispered.
He smiled, and some caked dirt fell from his cheek. His gaze moved slowly over her face and everywhere his smoldering look touched, prickles of heat flared to life. He took hold of her floor length tunic and paused. He looked her in the eyes as he slowly lifted the garment over her head. Pieces of dried mud fell off the tunic to the floor as Gawyn tossed the tunic aside.
She stood in her chemise.
The warm fire crackled in the hearth behind her.
Gawyn lifted his tunic over his head, revealing his glorious torso inch by inch. He was magnificent. A fighter. Hard planes lined his ridged stomach. The muscles of his upper body were defined and sculpted. He was much stronger than she had believed. She eased the cloth from his hand and dipped it in the water. She brushed it across his shoulders and drops of water fell over his skin. She slowly slid the cloth across his chest and his dark nipples tightened. The dirt came away leaving a gleaming, glowing torso.
Justina stared at his magnificence. She wanted to see all of him. She untied his leggings, but Gawyn caught her hands. He stepped back and pulled one boot off and then the other. Both landed on the floor.
He returned to her side and Justina eased his leggings down. She reached behind him to push them over his bottom, letting her hand slide over his warm skin. When she pulled back, she saw just how excited he was. She lifted her gaze to his face again.
They came together in a rush of longing and need, their bodies fusing, their kiss desperate and heated.
They made love in the tub and throughout the night, spending their time in each other’s arms, forgetting the world for just one magical evening.
In the morning, Gawyn donned clean clothing and pulled his boots on.
Justina sat up in the bed. “Where are you going?”
He looked at her over his shoulder. “I have a plan.”