Ryder sat in a ceilingless room-illuminated by starlight-high in the spiraling tower of Fairhaven. He let one leg dangle over the edge of a huge tub of hot water-an extravagance to say the least. The Broken Spear had boiled the water over the fire and carried it in buckets all the way up the stairs to this chamber. Giselle had ordered the water be drawn and had given Ryder the privilege of the first bath.
The tub itself was huge-easily as big as the public baths in Duhlnarim. When he was younger and had thought he could make a life somewhere off the farm, Ryder had taken a job in the nobles' quarter, cleaning up after the rich people. Scrubbing out the bath basins had been the last straw. The wealthy people of Duhlnarim were far filthier than even the pigs on the farm. He had decided, then and there, knee-deep in a dirty public bath, that he would far rather slop the filth of the animals than the filth of Duhlnarim's upper class.
His experience made him appreciate just how much work had gone into preparing the bath before him. Somehow, the absurdity of his location and the extra effort required to produce such a lavish thing made it feel that much better. He lowered himself fully into the water, closed his eyes, and took in a deep lungful of warm, humid air.
As the warm water relaxed his muscles, he let his thoughts drift back to Samira. She had always loved baths. She would certainly enjoy this one. When he got back, the first thing he was going to do was take a long bath with her.
He imagined her with him in the giant tub. He though back on baths he had taken with her before. The memories were so vivid he could almost feel her skin on his.
A hand caressed his shoulder and ran up the side of his neck. The sensation sent a warm tingle down his spine. It had been so long since he'd been with a woman, even his fantasies felt real.
The hand massaged the sore muscles on the back of his neck, and Ryder let out a sigh.
'If only,' he said.
'Are you enjoying this?'
Ryder's eyes shot open. He spun around in the water.
On the floor beside the huge basin sat Giselle. She was wearing only a woven shirt, loose at the neck, that stopped just at the top of her naked thighs.
'Uh…' Ryder said, trying not to linger on the smooth arch of her hip, 'hi.'
Giselle smiled and raised an eyebrow. 'Hi.' She stood up.
Ryder looked up. She was stunning. With his eyes he traced up her long, soft legs-from her bare feet crossed on the stone edge of the basin, all the way to the edge of her shirt. Above that, the loose neck of the garment was open to the middle of her chest, exposing the subtle curve of her breasts.
Her hair was tied into a knot behind her head, and as she reached up to untie it, the bottom of her shirt lifted up even higher. 'Do you mind if I get in?' She let her long black hair fall down over her shoulders.
Ryder felt the same warm tingle run up his spine and spread out across his arms and chest. 'Uh… uh…'
Giselle laughed. 'I'll take that as a no.' She lifted her shirt up over her head and let it fall to the floor. She dipped her foot into the warm bath, making little circles in the water with her big toe. Then she crouched at the edge of the gigantic basin and lowered herself in.
Fully submerged to her neck, Giselle splashed the warm water, circling around Ryder as she did. She kept her eyes locked on him the whole time.
'You showed courage out there,' she said, slowly moving her arms back and forth under the water.
Ryder could feel her movements. The waves pressed up against his chest and moved the tiny hairs on his legs. It was as if her hands extended through the water, reaching out to caress his skin.
He looked away from her eyes. 'I would say the same about you.'
Giselle moved back into his field of view. 'I'm glad you were with us.' She moved closer, putting her hand on his arm.
Ryder looked down at where she was touching him. 'You are?'
'Uh-huh.' Giselle slid her fingers down his arm and took his hand. 'Come here,' she said, pulling him toward her and placing his hand on her hip.
Ryder felt the urge to pull away, but Giselle stepped in closer, pressing her chest to his. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he could feel his heart quicken.
She ran her hands along his back, pushing him against the edge of the tub. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. They were soft and warm, and they felt so good. He stood there, letting her kiss him, not knowing exactly what he should do.
She must have sensed his hesitancy because she pulled away.
She looked disappointed. 'What is it?'
'It's just…' He looked into her eyes. In the flickering candlelight the dark brown appeared almost black. They were so deep. 'I could get lost in those eyes.'
Ryder reached around her hip and wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her back to him and plunging into a deep kiss. Giselle pressed herself against him, seeming to almost melt in the warm water into his skin.
She placed her head on his shoulder. 'What are you thinking?' she asked.
'I'm thinking,' replied Ryder looking once again into her eyes, 'that I am a weak, weak man.'
Then, grabbing her with one arm, he lifted the two of them out of the tub and gently pushed Giselle down on top of the warm stone. Starting at her lips, he kissed her skin, following down the arch of her neck.
Giselle closed her eyes and leaned her head back, moaning softly.
'A weak, weak man,' repeated Ryder, as he continued across her belly.
Chapter 18
Liam looked down at himself. There were leaves and splinters of wood sticking out of his armor at odd angles. He shook himself and scanned the ground for his sword. It was nowhere to be found.
The elf vampire stepped up beside Liam, dropping Knoblauch on the ground. The veteran groaned and shifted, but he was obviously in worse shape than Liam.
'I think I'll start with you,' she said to Liam. 'I prefer fresher, younger blood.'
Dropping to her knees, the vampire straddled his chest and leaned down close to his neck. Under different circumstances, a woman pressing herself against his chest might have been nice. As it was, he struggled to get free.
'Hold still,' hissed the vampire into his ear, 'and this will only hurt a little.'
Liam could hear a pop as the vampire opened her jaw. His hands probed the ground, searching frantically for the hilt of his sword. As the warm, damp air from the elf's breath hit his neck, Liam's fingers closed around something. It wasn't his blade, but he'd use anything he could get.
Lifting his makeshift weapon in the air, Liam jammed it down as if stabbing himself in the stomach. Whatever he had grabbed impaled the vampire in the back, and she let out an otherworldly howl.
The creature spun away and off of Liam, flailing around on the ground as if she were a stuck pig.
Liam struggled to his feet, ready to beat the undead elf to a second death with his fists if necessary. But as he got up he saw what it was he had stabbed the vampire with-a shattered tree branch. Its tip plunged deep into the creature's back, right between the shoulder blades. Liam realized his luck and, as the creature squirmed, he jumped on her, slamming his boot into the makeshift wooden spike and pushing it through the elf's chest.
The vampire hissed one last time then slumped to the ground motionless.
Liam took a deep breath. His hands were shaking, and his brain was buzzing with adrenaline.
'I told you,' he shouted at the finally dead vampire, 'nobody bites me.'
Knoblauch groaned and pushed himself up onto an elbow. Having partially regained his composure, Liam went to the veteran's side.
'You showed her,' said the older soldier.
'That was a nasty spill you took,' said Liam, grabbing Knoblauch's arm and helping him to his feet.
The veteran drew air in through his teeth, obviously in pain. 'Not the most graceful way to get off a horse.'
The bushes rustled, and Liam stepped in front of Knoblauch, putting himself between the veteran and
