The Stone Warriors: Nicodemus Read online

  Without warning, she swung her legs around and slid up to her neck into the pool. Nico grabbed for her, but it was too late. And before he managed to snap the necessary trigger for the offensive spell he’d had ready, she was stroking her way to the warmest center of the pool, while cooing in delight.

  “Oh, you have to feel this. It’s lovely. Come on, I’ll protect you!” she added on a laugh.

  Well, fuck, he thought. He couldn’t huddle on the edge while she called his manhood into doubt. Hoping he wasn’t making a mistake, and there wasn’t some man-eating beast in the depths of the pool who farted up those hot bubbles to lure unwary males into the water, he sat down, pulled off his boots, and slid into the water, just in time to catch her lithe body as she paddled back his way.

  ANTONIA TURNED her head to kiss his jaw when they met, but his lips were already waiting. Their kiss was clumsy and wet, both of them laughing as much as kissing. But the sensuality of the moment, their cold bodies heating as they wrapped around each other, the press of her nipples against his hard, bare chest, soon took over. Gentle became desperate as he reached down and shredded the undergarment that was her last bit of clothing, then lifted her just enough that he could bend his head to her breast and suck the delicate flesh into his mouth. His mouth was so hot on her still cool nipple that she barely felt when his teeth closed over the hard bud, as what might have been pain bloomed into sensual pleasure. She gripped his long hair, impatiently ripping away the leather tie, and taking a few strands with it, though he didn’t seem to care. She twisted the wet strands around her fingers and tugged hard, when he switched to her other breast, bringing the same erotic pain that had her crying out in a way she would have considered far too wanton before she’d met Nico. She hungered for this beautiful man in a way she had no other—a way that she knew she’d never experience with anyone else.

  Sobs choked her throat and tears sprang to her eyes as her body soared with desire. She loved him so much that she thought her heart would burst with the fullness of it. Given the smallest chance, she’d have abandoned everyone she loved, forsaken every responsibility, and let him spirit them both to another world. Somewhere they could live together, unconcerned with enemy sorcerers and war, with politics and dynasties. But what chance did they have of that? If she left Sotiris, he’d either chase her down and imprison her in his tower, or simply kill her and Nico, both. He would make it his sole purpose in life to erase them both from the history of their world, not only her betrayal but the man who’d been the cause of it. And how could she do that to Nico?

  “Hey,” he said softly, kissing away the hot tears filling her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she lied and pulled him into a tight embrace. “I’m just happy.”

  He pulled back to study her face, and she could see by his expression that he didn’t believe her, but after a moment more, he hugged her close and murmured against her ear, “Shall I fuck you here, or on the bank?”

  She gasped in mock outrage, but quickly wrapped her legs around his naked hips. “Here.”

  A moment later, he had his back against the side of the pool, and was gripping his cock in one hand, while palming her ass to position her sex until, with a powerful flex of his hips, he thrust deep inside her, while switching both hands to her butt and slamming her against his erection until she felt the slap of his balls.

  He paused then for just a moment to meet her eyes solemnly and say, “I love you, Antonia.”

  She knew it was too soon for such declarations, too fraught with danger to utter such words, but if she was going to lose him, then he would first know how she felt. “I love you,” she said and had to hide her face against his shoulder, thankful for the noise of the water that hid her tears of despair that she should have met the one man she would love more than any other at such an impossible time for them both.

  Their lovemaking was frantic after that, almost desperate, as if they both knew deep in their souls that this might be the last time they had together, the last time their bodies would join in a climax of such ecstasy that their hearts might well stop beating for the joy of it.

  But then, if they were going to die for loving each other, was there any better way to do it, than in each other’s arms?

  Antonia groaned at the hard thrust of his thick shaft, as her inner muscles strained around the sheer size of him, the dull ache deep inside when he could go no farther, as if he’d run into some hidden part of her body. She drank in each minute of their coupling, memorizing every ache and pain, every spiraling joy, until the orgasm swept through her, starting in the center of her sex and spreading outward like an exploding sun, until she was so full of heat and desire that she could only cling to Nico while her back arched and her body convulsed in his arms.

  And just when Antonia finally thought she might return to earth, Nico’s shouted grunt of pleasure had his heat filling her womb while his cock bucked in the grip of her inner muscles, and she was thrust into a second orgasm that left her limp and exhausted, while Nico clutched her against his chest, and somehow kept them from drowning.

  When she woke, she was lying on Nico’s chest, moving up and down to the sound of his breaths. She didn’t remember getting out of the pool, and thought she must have passed out, leaving Nico to save her from drowning by lifting them both out safely. And since she was lying on him, he had to be lying on the rough ground at the pool’s edge, which couldn’t be comfortable. Although from his steady breathing, she thought he must be asleep still.

  On the other hand, because she was on top, she became aware that the cave was darker, and the temperature colder. The air outside the cave must have cooled with the lowering sun, leaving the pool’s heat insufficient to counter the cold air coming inside. Which meant, night couldn’t be far, and they had to get back to their world before they were missed.

  She sat up abruptly, straddling him while she searched futilely for her undergarment, before remembering it was probably snagged on some sharp knob inside the pool, if it hadn’t been reduced to wispy strips of cloth that were bouncing around whatever jet of hot water bubbled up to the top. Thank the Goddess most of her clothes were lying outside on the dry bank, or so she hoped.

  “It’s late,” she said urgently, when Nico grunted awake and gripped her thighs with both hands.

  He yawned, but said, “It’s all right, love. I magicked us here in sunlight. I can return us home at the same time. No one will know that you took advantage of my weakness, and ravaged me into unconsciousness.”

  She glared down at him impatiently. This was no time for quips. She wondered sometimes that Nico had managed to defeat Sotiris time and again in battle, when he was so rarely serious.

  He smiled crookedly, as if reading her thoughts. “Rest assured, my beautiful Antonia, that I am deadly serious in battle. My fighters depend on me for their lives, and I do not take their courage lightly.”

  “Can you read my thoughts?” she demanded, eyeing him narrowly as she took advantage of his willingness to support her to pull on her now-damp socks and boots. She’d have to bury everything she’d worn deep in a laundry basket when she returned home.

  “I could if I wanted to,” he said agreeably. “But that would be an unforgiveable intrusion, and something I would never do. No, my love, you simply have an expressive face, and with every hour we spend together, I learn your thoughts a little more.”

  Antonia wasn’t sure she liked that, and thought maybe she should begin scrutinizing him the same way. “We should go,” she said simply.

  “We will,” he said, sitting up and offering her a hand to help her stand.

  Standing after her, he pulled her into his arms for a last, hard kiss. “We’ll get dressed outside. If the clothes are wet,” he added, stopping her objection, “I’ll dry them. And we’ll go back to where we started, on a sunny afternoon, and then ride back to the estate as Mas
ter Petros and his new apprentice candidate. Would you like to succeed in your ambitions to be my apprentice?”

  “I think not,” she chided. “And please be serious.”

  He laughed, then pulling on his own boots, guided her back through the freezing water and into a day that was, as she suspected, well into evening with air that was far too cool to be wading through water all but naked.

  NICO HELD THE mare’s bridle as they rode through the gates to Sotiris’s estate and went directly to the barn. True to his word, as always, the sun was no more than an hour lower in the sky than when they’d left, and the guards gave him a sympathetic look, assuming from his grip on the bridle that his apprentice candidate had proven himself unworthy of the task.

  Once in the barn and out of sight, he lifted Antonia from her saddle, sensing her exhaustion despite her best efforts to conceal it. “Go,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’ll take care of the horses. It is my job, after all.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “When will I see you?”

  “I’ll be here whenever I can.” He looked at her seriously. “Antonia, I understand why you came to me last night. But I don’t ever want you to risk doing that—”

  “You’re taking risks.”

  “You’re right, I am. But I am also far more powerful than you, and able to conceal or defend myself as necessary. More importantly, there is no one watching my comings and goings. No one spying on me, or following my every move. Take this.” He took a talisman from the inside pocket of his leather vest and handed it to her. It appeared to be an ordinary gold coin, until one looked closer and saw the tiny imprint of a star in the very center of one side. “Keep it with you. If you need me for any reason, speak these words.” He leaned close and whispered a word, which made her smile.

  “Very original, Lord Nicodemus.”

  He grinned, and in that grin, she saw Nico, not Master Petros, despite the seeming still in place. It was reassuring in one way, but in another it made her fear for his safety, should an enemy see him behind the spell the way she did.

  “Say that word, love, and I’ll come. No matter when, no matter why. Do you understand?”

  “Of course. I’m not a dimwit.”

  “No, you’re my beautiful, stubborn Antonia. If you love me, take care of yourself. And use the talisman if you suspect you’re in danger. Take no chances. I’d rather you use it unnecessarily, than risk not using it when it’s needed.”

  “All right,” she said with a touch of impatience. “I understand, and I promise to use the talisman should I need it.”

  He studied her a moment, then nodded. “Good. Go now. I’ll see you soon.”

  She looked around quickly, then went up on her toes and kissed his mouth. “You take care of my Nico, too, or I’ll be very angry.”

  He grinned. “I might enjoy seeing you angry.”

  “Nico,” she snapped.

  “Fear not. I love you far too much to play reckless with my life. I will guard my safety.”

  “Good.” She sighed. “I really must get back to the tower.” She started to walk away, then turned to add, “I love you,” in a whisper, before running from the barn.

  Chapter Seven

  A WEEK LATER, Antonia woke with the morning sun, filled with purpose. Today was the day. Sotiris had declared war on Nico, or Nico on Sotiris, to hear him talk. It didn’t matter who had cast the final die, the war had been just over the horizon for months, and no one was surprised when it finally cast its shadow on the sunrise.

  Climbing from bed, she bathed her hands and face, and changed into fresh clothing suitable for a long afternoon and beyond cooped up in her tower room doing research. It was time to take the final steps toward the hexagon’s completion, including priming the device to designate its target. As she’d told Nico, once the target was fixed, it couldn’t be changed. The only uncertainty for her had been the freshness of the required blood sample. She’d worried that the sample would deteriorate if she collected it too soon, since blood retained its liquid form and appearance for only a short time once drained from the body. Those concerns had complicated this most important step, but she’d had a solution in mind and was confident it would work. If it didn’t, then no harm, since the device would remain inactive and waiting to be primed. But if her solution did work, then she would be ready to deliver a finished weapon to Nico, with Sotiris as its sole target.

  In plain terms, if she succeeded in arming the device against Sotiris, she would have no option but to take the hexagon and leave his estate immediately. Because Sotiris would know the instant the weapon was primed and would come looking for her. She had to be gone before then, or he would seize and possibly destroy the device. Though he’d probably kill her first.

  She worked through the afternoon and was about to break for dinner—which was the only meal Sotiris expected her to attend on a regular basis. She didn’t know why he cared. It surely wasn’t because he enjoyed her company. She was a tool, a necessary expedience in his goal to acquire allies among the elites of their society. Beyond the bare requirements of civility, he otherwise ignored her. Except for her research. He paid a great deal of attention to that, and considered it to be his property, since she was his tool.

  Fortunately, just as she’d begun organizing her notes in anticipation of the necessary dinner interruption, she received word that Sotiris wouldn’t be able to join her for the evening meal, as he was deep in discussions with his generals regarding the pending battle with Nicodemus.

  Sighing in relief, Antonia requested a dinner tray and bent her head to her work. When she next looked up, it was late in the night and the slender moon, which had been high in the sky, was already beginning its descent. She stared at that night sky while something very close to fear choked the breath from her throat, making it difficult to breathe as she contemplated what she was about to do. What she had to do.

  Turning back to her desk, she contemplated the hexagon where it sat in its velvet-lined box. It was almost beautiful, with its unusual shape, and hidden glints of crystalline color. But evil often hid behind a beautiful face, so why shouldn’t a weapon against it share the same beauty?

  Inhaling deeply, she stood and gathered the instruments she needed, then clasping them to her breast, she crossed to the small sleep chamber which adjoined her workroom, and closed the door. She wanted privacy for what she was about to do, and since she often rested in the small chamber when working late, the maids knew not to disturb her for anything less than a demand from Sotiris himself.

  She lit the bedside lantern from the candle she carried and removed her outer clothing. She’d practiced what she was about to do on a sheep or two, sneaking into the covered pen at night and herding one of the animals into the barn for her experiment. Since she required only a small amount of blood, it hadn’t hurt the animals, though she’d still felt guilty at the need to knock them out for a short period of time. She wasn’t skilled enough to draw the blood while the animal was thrashing, and besides they were far too noisy and would have attracted attention.

  Still, she’d never done it on a person, much less herself. She had considered asking her personal maid to volunteer as a test subject, but had rejected the idea in the end. The woman had kept more than one secret on Antonia’s behalf, but this one might have stretched her loyalty too far, and possibly even put her in danger.

  Sitting on the bed next to a pile of clean cloths, which might be necessary to control her bleeding, Antonia covered herself with one of the big aprons that hung in the kitchen for anyone to use. Bracing herself for what she was about to do, she picked up the small, hollow, wooden tube she’d carved herself, checked to be sure that the short length of pig’s gut was securely attached to one end, then drew a deep breath and stuck the other end into herself, shoving it deep until blood began to flow.

  No more than a minute or two
passed before the small vial was filled, though it seemed much longer to Antonia. Tears flooded her eyes from the pain, and her face and chest were covered in a cold sweat. Wiping her eyes with one of the clean cloths, so she could see what she needed to do, she withdrew the sharpened tube and set it carefully aside, along with the precious vial of blood. Not until that was secure did she turn her attention to the damage she’d inflicted, which was substantial, if the blood still trailing from the wound was any indicator.

  She’d learned wound care at her mother’s knee, since it commonly fell to the ladies of any court to tend to fallen fighters who returned injured from a battle. She’d never put those skills to that purpose, since her lady mother hadn’t engaged actively in any wars since Antonia had come of age, and Sotiris preferred to treat fighters on the battlefield, and then return them to their own villages and farms, rather than bring them to his own estate.

  Antonia was grateful for those lessons as she now found herself treating her own bloody damn wound. The bleeding continued for longer than had been necessary for the withdrawn sample, but eventually it stopped long enough for her to place a thick wad of clean cloth over the puncture hole and bind it tightly. She used care in redressing herself, both to avoid disturbing the wound, and to ensure there was no outward sign of it.

  With the worst of it completed, Antonia laid back on the bed for a short rest. Her heart was still beating too fast in her chest, and she was mildly lightheaded, though she thought that was probably due not only to her blood loss, but to the absence of sleep, and frankly, fear. So much could go wrong at this point. She had to be clearheaded for this next, final step. Because it could not be undone.

  Finally feeling better, she sat up slowly, poured a cup of water and drank it down, then picked up the vial of blood and walked out to her workroom to prime the hexagon. She couldn’t get Sotiris’s blood without alerting him to what she planned, but the blood of his child . . . She thought it would work. Hoped it would work. Else, she’d have risked her life for nothing. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” The roar of Sotiris’s demand shocked Antonia so badly, she nearly fell from her high stool when she spun around to face him. He must have snuck up the stairs for her not to have heard him coming. His usual habit was to storm up so forcefully that she knew he was coming after his first step.