awe. It was a beautiful place filled with all sorts of flowers, all in bloom. The air smelled sweet and vaguely familiar.
A vegetable garden was set along one side of the cottage.
This gave him no clue as to where he was. He’d never seen such a place as this.
How had he gotten from the Palace cell to this place? Had he just dreamed the Queen capturing him? Or maybe this was a dream. Tristan reached over and pinched his arm.
“Ow,” he said aloud, feeling the pain but he was still in the garden.
There was a dirt path winding around the garden and Tristan found himself following it until it came to a little white gate. It was connected to a fence that surrounded the entire garden including the cottage. On the other side of the fence was a thick, dark forest. It was a strange place. Everything the fence surrounded the sun beamed down on it, but on the other side it was dark, and a little daunting.
With just a slight hesitation Tristan opened the gate and tried to walk through, only to be stopped by some unseen barrier.
Tristan cursed and pressed his hands out in front of him, making contact with something that felt as solid as a wall but couldn’t be seen. His fists pounded on it but it didn’t make a noise or budge. He rose on his toes and found that it continued higher than he stood.
Slowly he walked around the fence, his hands touching the same unseen barrier all the way around until he was once more at the gate. There was no way out, no opening for him to leave…or anyone to enter. Tristan’s anger flared. He had given up one cell to be placed in another.
His words came back to haunt him. “If you get me out of this dungeon and safely away from the Queen and her fury, I give you my oath and surrender myself completely to you as payment.” Tristan had given his word to the strange woman. He’d given his oath but he had not expected this. He had been desperate to escape the Queen. He’d let her sweet smile and sensual kiss lead him into thinking he would be safer with her, a stranger.
Tristan had given his oath willingly but that didn’t stop the anger rushing through him. What had he done to deserve this fate? Who had he angered? He stomped around the garden banging on the invisible wall here and there, hoping to break through somehow.
Passing a group of tulips, he ripped a handful of them from the ground and threw them down smashing them under his foot. He turned and grabbed several other blooms, he knew not their names and tore them to pieces before throwing them aside.
Turning back to where the tulips lay, Tristan froze. Where he had torn the tulips up from their roots he found that more stood in their places. Turning slowly in a circle, he saw that the same had occurred to the other flowers he had destroyed. All were replaced and as beautiful as the ones he’d torn up.
“It’s enchanted,” Tristan murmured, and sank to the ground. It all came together.
The beautiful woman with her fairy like eyes, how she got into his cell, how he got here.
It was magic, all of it. How was he to beat magic? How was he to get out of this with his life intact?
Sighing, Tristan got up and went back inside. He had to admit that the cottage was cozy. It had a warm feeling to it, one that caused him to relax no matter the state of his emotions. He sat heavily on the couch and before long laid down, his mind racing, but mostly focused on the woman with the strange violet eyes.
Tristan must have drifted to sleep once more because when his eyes opened again the cottage was dark except for a dim light coming from the fireplace. He turned toward the fire and met with those amazing violet eyes. He pushed off the couch quickly and started pacing the room, keeping his distance from her magical influence.
“Who are you really?” he demanded angrily. “Where am I and why are you holding me here?”
“You are safe, out of the Queen’s harm. Do you not like it here? Does it not please you?” Her voice was soft, the tone alluring.
Tristan rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension there. He was very frustrated despite the fact that his eyes kept going to the enticing vixen.
“It’s nice,” he sighed, shaking his head, his aggravation not lessening. “But I’m in a prison just like before.”
The woman went to Tristan. With the lightest touch, she laid her hand against his cheek. “You surrendered yourself to me. This is your home, not a prison. You will be safe from harm here.”
He pulled away from her touch as he felt his agitation calm. He wanted to feel his anger. It was something he could take hold of, something that was his and not enchanted.
“Don’t touch me. Just leave me be. Go away.”
“I can’t.” She shook her head, a little confused at his reaction. Had he not willingly given his oath to her? She had saved him from a cruel fate. Did he think that she would just leave when he said? “You are my responsibility. I must care for you.” Tristan looked at her and saw the irritation that flared in her eyes. The emotion made her eyes shine brightly, the colors nearly twinkling. He saw a glimpse of fire within her and was drawn to it. His eyes lowered to her lips and found that there was a most beguiling curve to their lusciousness. He jerked his eyes away and turned his back to her to stare at the fire.
He heard her sigh before she called his name. He fought the urge to turn and go to her. She said his name again, this time with a firm and commanding tone. His body responded before he could fight it, turning back to her against his will. His breath caught as he looked upon her unclothed body. She was seated on the couch.
“On your hands and knees Tristan.” She commanded in the same authoritative tone that made his body do her will. “Now, crawl to me and kneel.” His body responded to her commands, no matter how his muscles fought it. He found himself kneeling before her but his anger was escalating.
“What have you done to me?” he growled at her savagely. He realized that his body…no his will, was no longer his own.
“I have done nothing. It was you who gave yourself to me. By surrendering yourself you have given all to me, including your body to do with as I please.” Her eyes met his, loving the fire anger brought to him. His body was rigid and she could see his muscles twitching in revolt. He looked so alive at that moment, and she felt his emotions bursting inside of her as if they were her own.
The dark haired vixen slid off the couch and kneeled before Tristan. She leaned forward and let her lips give his a gentle caress. He was surprised when his lips responded to her touch. She deepened the kiss as he opened his mouth fully to her, reveling in her sweet taste. At that moment, he was unsure if his actions were caused by what she wanted or what he really wanted to do. Thinking of it only confused him more.
He felt her hands travel his body, her fingers brushing over his strained muscles.
Her mouth pulled away only to start laying kisses under his earlobe. Tristan tried to ignore her touch and lips as he gasped for breath. He tried to turn his mind to a matter of distraction but failed as his mind brought forth images of her eyes, lips, and body. In spite of her tricking him and his hostile attitude toward her, he couldn’t deny the desire that surged within his body. From the first moment he’d seen her, he had wanted her.
Her hot breath feathered his ear, as her voice caressed his soul. “Tristan. Touch me. Feel me. Be with me.” Her voice held no trace of the commanding tone as it had earlier. He could sense that she didn’t want to force him into this. She had given him a display of her power over him, but she wanted him willing.
Her hands were at the waist of his pants and pulled on the strings. He felt one of her hands dip inside and take hold of his hardening length. Her other hand slid up his body and gently took one of his nipples between her fingers. Tristan braced himself against her sensual touch. He tried not to show her how much she affected him, but his body was alive with tremors and longing.
Tristan’s hands finally lifted of their own accord and started their exploration of her body. He felt the heat rising from her skin. Her breath quicken as his fingers brushed over her nipples. He cursed himself and his body for wanting her so much, yet he couldn’t help himself. No matter the circumstances, he ached to be with her. These feelings were not because of her magic but because it was what he truly desired.
He pushed her back on the floor. Was that animal skin there before? The question flashed through his mind but he was soon discarded by the sight of her naked flesh stretched out before him. His primal instinct took over as his mouth traveled down her body, tasting her, devouring her. His kisses led him down to her already moist core. He took a moment and inhaled her scent. It was the same as she tasted, sweet, but it was mixed with something else. Perhaps it was the obvious magic flowing in her veins.
No longer fighting or thinking, he tentatively flicked his tongue over her clit. He felt encouraged when her body jumped in response and she let loose a low growl. He began exploring her folds with his tongue. Her moans grew louder as he began dabbing the throbbing center of her desire. Her hardened nub pulsed stronger as he
