He raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Forgive me. I did not mean to speak out of turn.”
“I welcome what you have to say.”
Leola chided herself for speaking before the thought had fully formed. How would he take what she had to say? Would it anger him? His hard stare made her realize there was no retreating. “Perhaps one day there might be peace between our people?” she asked softly.
He eyed her for a long time before replying. “Perhaps,” he finally said, his voice almost wistful as he looked off into the distance. He shook his head. “Let us not waste this beautiful day on diplomacy,” he said, his hand falling from her shoulder. “We’ve taken some sun and some fresh air. A feast awaits us in the evening. In the meantime I intend to deliver the corrections that you’ve earned.” The way he glowered at her this time was different. There was something almost playful in his eyes. “And if you take them like a good plaything there might be some reward in it for you, too.”
A shiver of excitement raced down her spine. Days ago she would have responded to what he’d said with fear and trepidation. Now it held the promise of excitement. And the shame she felt for wanting it paled in comparison to the anticipation that caused that need to blossom in her sex. “Of course, Master,” she said, lowering her eyes and obediently nodding.
She took his offered hand and together they headed up the hill, anticipation coursing through her at his promise of a reward after her corrections.
Chapter 10
Walking back through the village, then up toward the camp, Leola couldn’t help but notice the sly and knowing smiles of onlookers.
Sedrak seemed to ignore the whispers and giggling that followed them but she could not.
“There he goes with her.”
“Taking her into the tent to show her who her master is, no doubt.”
“She’ll be limping after he’s through with her.”
Each of them caused fresh humiliation to swell through her. Knowing that the townsfolk and soldiers they passed knew exactly what would transpire inside the canvas walls, that she would be bared to him and made to accept him in any way he chose, was a shameful thing.
She was puzzled as to why she didn’t care. Or, rather, why it didn’t make her want to crawl into a hole and never see the light of day again the way she had just days ago.
Now as they walked she was filled with anticipation at the ways Sedrak might use her. It was a horrible, vulgar thing for a young woman to think, she was sure of it, but she couldn’t stop herself.
When they walked into the tent and Sedrak reached for the leash hanging by the entrance, a bolt of excitement shot through her that caused her sex to wet.
Turning to face her he attached the leash onto the collar she was still wearing. Then, with his big fingers fumbling with the buttons at the back of her dress, he undid them from their loops one by one. Placing his rough hands on her shoulders he slipped off the soft fabric of her dress until it fell into a green puddle at her feet.
Leola’s skin prickled at the way his finger glanced against her shoulder blade. She felt him lower his face and press his lips against the nape of her neck. Her nipples hardened as he drew in a breath and held it, as if scenting her.
“Your beauty hardens me, pet,” he whispered.
Her eyes shot open and her back straightened at the unexpected compliment. Thus far their encounters had been lewd but straightforward. Her position had been clear: a subservient pet for her hungry barbarian master. Hearing him speak of beauty muddled all of that.
Does he really think I’m beautiful?
The question formed before she could resist it. The tempo of her heart increased. That insufferable ache returned, hungry and gnawing at her insides.
“You have nothing to say to me?” Sedrak asked, drawing a line down her back with a finger.
“I… I’m glad I please you, Master,” she whispered.
Putting his hands on her shoulders he spun her around to face him.
Her nipples hardened at his firm touch. She shuddered at the way his gaze seemed to penetrate to her softest place.
“You do more than please me,” he growled.
She swallowed but could think of nothing to say in reply.
He glared at her, excitement and heat shimmering in his half-smiling eyes. “You excite me. Seeing your naked body makes me crave you like nothing else.”
She gasped at the admission. Surely he wasn’t serious? Perhaps this was all part of his game? To make her want him, need him, and then discard her when the time came? Just thinking it twisted her insides into an angry mess.
So why did she cling to the glimmer of hope at the center of that anger? Why did her resolve crumble when he said it? Why did she even entertain the notion that it might be true?
He reached out.
Leola thought he was going to grope her bottom or her breast. She drew in a breath when, instead, he put a hand behind her neck and drew her lips to his.
His tongue plunged into her mouth in a hungry kiss.
Shocked, she succumbed, pushing back, letting him taste her. The heat between them lit a fire inside her and she let the need pulsing from her sex engulf her completely.
His hand fell from where it had touched her chin, down to her chest. He palmed the soft curve of her breast, twisting the tip of his thumb around her nipple. Pulling away from the kiss, he gazed into her eyes with his dark stare.
Her gaze darted down and settled on the large bulge that had formed underneath his loincloth. She stared at it, repulsed by her
