Nuworld: Claiming Tara (41 page)

“Did you submit a written test for the Test of Wills after I
told you not to?” Rolko barked as Tara got off her bike.
“Identify yourself, Runner,” Darius spoke a fierce cruelty
that made her heart pound.
All she could do was stare at Darius. Even though snow
fell steadily, it was no longer cold. Her gloved palms grew
damp from sweat. For a moment, she forgot the name she
had created to conceal her identity.
Darius stood in front of her, and in spite of his obvious
intention to intimidate her, all Tara saw was how incredibly
sexy he looked. Six cycles had passed since she’d had sex,
and her body screamed for him now. Physically, she no
longer cared what he had done. It was the emotional side of
her that was torn in two at the sight of him.
She wanted to hear how he had missed her. She wanted
to hear how sorry he was that he made her leave. Tara
wanted, more than anything, for everyone around them to
disappear and leave her alone with the man she loved.
His presence almost overpowered her. Why did he make
her feel like this? He had committed the ultimate of crimes
and needed to beg for her forgiveness. She fought for
words. “My name’s Leetha.”
Her voice hit him. Darius wasn’t able to conceal his
reaction to the sound of her. He stood staring, completely
shocked.
His guards gave him a questioning look.
“I’ll speak to her inside the trailer.” His scratchy whisper
sounded cruel, even to him. Darius made certain his
expression appeared as harsh as he sounded. In no way
would anyone see how desperately he needed Tara.
Darius wanted to grab Tara and run. He wanted to leap
and do anything to prevent her from moving an inch. He
wanted to hold her and make sure she never left his side
again. Darius didn’t do any of those things. The Lord of
Gothman wouldn’t be seen at the mercy of a woman. He
stared into those blue eyes behind her headscarf.
She never once looked away.
Rolko grunted and gestured to the trailer. “Be quick
about it, we have a clan to get settled.”
Darius held out his hand for her to lead the way, and
she obliged. He entered the trailer behind her and shut the
door.
“There is no Leetha of the Blood Circle Clan. Who are
you?” His growl was low as he watched the Runner walk
ahead of him slowly into the trailer.
She walked farther into the room before turning and
glancing up at him again once she’d reached the landlink.
He watched her every move, waiting for her to speak again.
Was this Tara? Damn! He wanted this to be her body,
her voice. She was in full Runner uniform wearing the
Blood Circle clan emblem. What was she doing with this
clan after all this time? And why was she entering the Test
of Wills? “I asked you a question, Runner.”
She put her gloved hands into her leather jacket pocket.
“Do you have Andru and Ana?” She asked.
Darius’ didn’t answer.
There
were
no words
for
a
response. Of course, he had their children. Tara would
already know that. There were so many other things to say.
He’d had so many thoughts about things he’d never
thought about before. There wasn’t any way to put into
words these thoughts that he wasn’t used to having. He
was a warrior.
The
best in
Gothman.
He
conquered,
claimed
what he
wanted,
and controlled
all that
was
around him. Apologizing wasn’t part of his thought
process. Nor were there words in his vocabulary to do so.
Not that he had apologizing on the mind. He had known
nothing but pain for six cycles. It had corrupted the blood
in his veins, turning it toxic, until every inch of him
eternally burned with a longing for her. At first, he had
lived with regret and anger due to a trivial act he may or
may not have committed. He regretted putting himself in
the position to decide. He had been angry that Tara had
wrongfully taken that choice from him.
Darius understood the
mixture
was self-destructive.
Before he had rid himself of regret, and overcome the
anger, Tara’s niece and the twins had been returned to
him. The cycles that followed would always remain a dark,
torrential blur of
unwanted
emotions for
him.
Every
morning he had awakened with knowledge that Tara was
not with him. That knowledge had festered his ability to
think or make command decisions.
Throughout those cycles he had been unable to accept
Tara’s death. Now he knew why.
He ripped the headscarf
off
the
Runner. Tara’s
light
brown
hair
fell past her
shoulders and over her face.
She reached up and shoved the hair from her eyes.
That festering disease of regret and pain vanished the
second he saw her. “Yes, I have them.” His voice cracked
with emotion, and he touched her cold cheek with his
fingertips.
“I need to see them,” she whispered.
He pulled his mouthpiece out of his pocket and wrapped
it around his ear. Sliding his hand down it, he reached for
the switch to activate it.
“No, don’t.” She grabbed his hand. “You can’t.”
“What do you mean, I can’t?” He took her hand in his
before she could pull away, put her fingers up to his
mouth, and kissed them. “I am telling Patha.”
Tara pulled away her hand. “You can’t. It will ruin
everything. If I announce I’m back, the Test of Wills will be
cancelled. That would cause an up rise among the clans
that can’t be allowed to happen right now.”
“There is no longer a need for it. You’re Patha’s heir. It’s
your right to lead, my lady. You’re not giving that up.”
“I have no intention of giving up my right to rule the
clans.” Defiance put color in her cheeks. “I’ve entered the
contest and shall win.”
Darius never thought he’d be so happy to see her
insubordinate nature. His Tara had returned to him.
In spite
of
her
intention to
remain aloof, Darius’
presence
in
front
of
Tara
was too
overwhelming,
and
arousing. She didn’t have the strength to stop him when he
lifted her off her feet and into his arms. Darius held her
with one powerful arm and lifted her face to his with his
other hand. Without hesitation, he covered her mouth with
his and kissed her. His overwhelming power and aggressive
masculinity softened her defenses and she melted.
Passion that had been dormant for too many cycles
soared to life. Tara was instantly intoxicated from need that
surpassed her rational thought. She wanted to rip this
man’s clothes from his body and make love to him,
forgetting the rest of the world existed. She wanted him to
hold her, and talk to her for hours and hours, until they
both knew each other’s hearts again. But Tara also wanted
to hear Darius swear unconditional loyalty and love—to her
and their family. He needed to prove his love through his
actions, and not his words. Although her heart wanted the
words, too.
It was harder than she thought it would be to put her
desire for him to the side. Her arms didn’t possess the
strength to
push
him away.
Already his
hands were
underneath her shirt, searing her flesh. His mouth had left
hers and his lips pressed sexual promises down her neck.
“No,” she gasped before she was able to raise her head.
Already, it had fallen back to give him free reign again.
She wanted him inside her now. But it would have to
wait. A political agenda existed, and it must be handled
first.
“My lady,
you
think
you
can defeat
all
the
other
warriors?”
She fought against his grasp now. Darius held her with
one strong arm, and struggle as she would, she couldn’t
release herself until he let her go. She backed up and faced
him as if he’d just challenged her.
“My lady, do you know how strong some of the entries
are?” Darius’ gaze dropped as he looked her over.
“I will be triumphant. There’s no doubt about that. Now,
what you need to do is tell Rolko that I am Leetha, and
you’ve agreed to let me take my argument to Patha when
we reach the Blood Circle clan.”
“Why would I tell this lie?” Darius grabbed the side of
her head, wrapping her hair around his fingers, and pulled
her to him.
Tara pushed against Darius’ chest but felt his breath
when she looked up at him. “You can’t create more of a
scene than you already have. These people are primed for
the Test of Wills. I’ve heard the stories around the fires of
their predictions of victory. If I announce my presence,
there will be so much adrenaline, and nothing to do with it.
It will cause a stir and create unrest among the Runners. A
true warrior prepares for battle and then wants to fight.
The Test of Wills can’t be reversed once the process has
started.”
Something cold and brutal melted in those gray eyes.
Darius’ expression softened considerably. “So you’ll put
your life on the line to keep peace, will you?”
“I will live through this, Darius,” she whispered, as she
searched his face, and her hands went from his chest up to
his shoulders.
“You’ll be an outstanding leader, Tara. Your point is
taken, and I’ll inform Rolko.”
“You should do that now,” Tara said, but any strength to
leave his arms was gone.
“I’ll not lose you again,” he whispered. There was a snarl
in his voice, almost animalistic, definitely possessive.
“That means you’ve learned how to behave.” Her whisper
was just as harsh, and she hoped the fire in her eyes
brought his blood to a boil.
“We will discuss that later.”
Tara found her strength and tore away. “There are cold
Runners out there.” She ripped her headscarf out of his
hand and put it on her head. Then she opened the door
and walked out into the cold.

snow had stopped, and along with low hanging gray clouds
created an insulation that made the night air crisp but
tolerable.

Tara heard music and singing as she rode into the
camp. Nostalgia crept through her. Several huge bonfires
sent streaks of fire shooting up into the thick gray sky. She
heard loud drunken yelling and laughter coming from the
fires as mugs were passed and ale poured. There were so
many familiar faces, unaware of her presence. There were
also many newcomers who had arrived at the clan. But no
one bothered to look up as she drove by.

She knew there was no way she
’d be able to slip into one
of the circles around the fires this evening. She’d be
recognized the second she spoke. Tonight wasn’t a night to
hear stories around the fires.

There were two people she had to see immediately, her
children. Darius said he had them, so she knew they would
be in their bedroom, probably asleep. She wouldn’t wake
them but she had to see them, to touch their soft skin. Her
heart ached as she slipped away from the clan and slowly
drove through the thick trees around Bryton and toward
the large house on the hill.

It would take a skilful eye to track Tara as she moved
through
the
woods. She
knew how to
stay invisible.
However, it was just that skilful eye that watched her now.

Darius sat motionless on the side of the road and
observed her every move, following her as she passed
among the trees and the large rocks jacked up out of the
earth. He had known it was Tara the moment she rode
away from the clan. His landlink picked up the code from
the monitoring device that had been installed on her bike.
Not that he needed confirmation.

Now she was moving at almost a dangerous speed,
considering the limited visibility from the night and the
snow. It suddenly occurred to him where she was going. He
left the roadside and tore through town to his house. More
than one head turned and more than one body jumped out
of the way. Darius slid to a stop in front of the house and
ordered the guard to take care of his bike as he ran inside.

Reena and Hilda looked up astonished as he bolted in
the front door.
“Do not come upstairs.” He barked the order and leapt
up the staircase, taking three at a time.
The excitement in the community had proven to be an
excellent distraction. Tara found herself behind the old
familiar house without drawing any attention. She parked
the bike in the seclusion of the trees and bushes and
slowly moved into the shadows of the large home.
The best place to enter, she decided, was through her
old upstairs bedroom. She easily climbed the trellis, free of
ivy right before the new winter. Tara hoisted herself onto
the walls of the balcony and hopped nimbly onto the floor
outside the closed door.
The room was vacant and dark, and the warmth from
the house created moisture on the windows. As she opened
the door an inch to peek into the room, she heard voices
coming from downstairs. The upstairs appeared to be quiet,
and she entered her old room, then started down the
hallway to the nursery at the other end.
She was surprised to hear a low, quiet voice coming
from behind the
partially closed nursery door. It was
Darius, and she was very much surprised to hear him
softly singing a Gothman folk song. He wasn’t visible
through the half-closed door, but from where she stood,
she spotted Andru sitting in his crib watching his papa.
Tara froze at the sight of her son. He was so big! So
grown up! Had she only been gone six cycles? He didn’t
look like a baby. His blond curls fell loosely around his
head, and his eyes were large
and a deep gray. She
watched him move his small hands and wiggle the toes that
were sticking out from under his blanket. He was pudgy
but not fat, very cuddly looking.
Tears welled in her eyes. Her vision blurred. She swatted
the tears away, now wanting anything to stop her from
seeing Andru. There was nothing to stop the pain building
inside her. Part of her son’s life was lost to her. She’s never
get that back. It was a physical effort not to run into the
room and scoop the small child up into her arms. She
wanted to bury her face next to his and whisper how sorry
she was. She wondered what kind of adjustment he and his
sister
must have
gone
through. How traumatized had
losing her been for them?
After several minutes of staring at her son in the dark
hallway, laughter from downstairs brought her back to the
reality of her situation. She stepped away and entered the
bedroom she’d shared with Darius. The door adjoining the
room to the nursery was closed, and all Tara could do was
stand and listen to the song Darius was singing. He ended
the song. Long moments of dark silence followed. She
pressed her ear to the closed door and listened, trying to
determine what Darius was doing. She heard nothing.
Suddenly, the door to the nursery flung open, causing
her
to
jump
backwards. She
struggled
to
regain her
balance in the dark room and not trip over furniture.
Before she had her bearings, a large hand wrapped around
her neck. Instantly she was lifted off the ground.
“What is it that you plan to do, my lady?” Darius’
whisper was more like a snarl.
She wrapped her fingers around his hand and struggled
to no avail.
He threw her back.
She slid across the floor, skidding to a stop before she
hit the wall. Tara flipped her legs around and looked like a
cat ready to pounce as he came at her again.
“You are not taking these children anywhere!” This time
his snarl was more apparent than the whisper. He lunged
toward her.
She rolled out of his way and sprang to her feet. “Darius,
all I wanted to do was see them.” She stood there ready for
him this time. “If I wanted my children to leave this house,
I wouldn’t have crept down the hallway while you sat in the
nursery obviously waiting for me.”
“Why should I believe you?” He reached out to grab her.
Tara dodged his hand and punched him squarely in the
stomach.
He didn’t flinch but instead, leapt at her.
She tried to turn away, but he locked her in his arms
with her back smashed against his body.
“I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” she said, relaxing
her body in his arms. With that comment, he released her.
She looked toward the nursery door and then back at
Darius. His expression remained wary, and the anger was
still there. His gray eyes appeared almost black.
“Please, Darius, my children…our children…I need to
see them.” Her voice cracked but her desperation for her
children didn’t sway her. Tara took off her headscarf and
draped it over a chair. “Please, I need to hold them. I need
to see if they remember me.”
Darius walked over to her and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Don’t let them see you crying. Andru and Ana have heard
many great stories of their warrior mama.” He took her by
the hand and led her into the nursery.
The
two children lay
in
their
matching
beds. Tara
couldn’t stop the tears as she stroked their hair and
squeezed their tiny hands. Ana pulled Tara’s hand up to
her face, and Tara felt the small child breathing gently
against her skin. She knelt down and stared, stroking her
beautiful baby girl’s hair with her free hand.
Darius was behind her when she stood, and he wrapped
his arms around her waist. “They’re absolutely beautiful
children, my lady,” he whispered into her ear. Then he
gently kissed her neck. “You’ll be amazed at how smart
they are and how they chatter all day long.”
His grip around her waist tightened, and she placed her
hand on his and squeezed back. “When I found out how
long I’d been gone, all I could think about was getting back
to my children.” She turned around in Darius’ arms and
looked up. “I thought about you, too. I wondered if you
believed I was dead.” She wanted to add, and I wondered
how you felt after I left you, but didn’t voice the thought.”
With his hand on her back, he led her out of the nursery
and back to the bedroom. “The Neurians escorted Syra and
the children back here and offered their regret that you
were killed in a fire. They said you died a warrior’s death,
that you saved one of their best scientists from burning
alive.” He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed,
then squeezed her arms and finally her waist. “You are so
thin.” His large hand held her face up to his. “And, my
lady, you are out of shape. What did they do to you?”
Darius didn’t share his feelings with her. She would
allow him this much. If he wanted to discuss the facts first,
that would be fine. But she would hear his formal apology
and his desire to keep her in his life, without any other
women.
Tara stood in Darius’ arms and told him everything.
His arms tightened in anger as she spoke, and he pulled
her very close to him when she’d finished. “I wouldn’t
accept the fact that you were dead. My mama kept saying I
was denying your death and that I would be happier when I
accepted it.” He pulled her so close to him she could hardly
breathe. “I had the strangest dreams, though. They kept
repeating themselves. I was assured you were alive, and
you would come home.”
Tara whispered, “Was it an old lady who turned into a
dog?”
He stood there, shocked. His whole body went numb.
“How did you know?”
“I met her. She helped me escape. She told me my work
here wasn’t done. I know my muscles have atrophied, but I
will be triumphant in the Test of Wills. Crator is behind me.
I don’t understand Him yet, but he wants me here.”
“Crator is an old woman who can turn into a large dog?”
Darius asked, frowning his confusion.
“No. The old woman isn’t Crator. I don’t know who
Crator is. The old woman seems to know Him though. She
has told me more than once what Crator wants me to do,
or not to do. When I listened, things worked out the way
they were supposed to.”
“You will ask her to take us to see Crator.” Darius
decided. “Yes. That will work well. We will negotiate with
him to help us further when we need it.”
Tara laughed and touched Darius’ cheek. “My lord, I
don’t think it works that way. All you have to do is believe
in Him.”
“Believe in his what?” Darius frowned.
“Believe he exists,” Tara said.
“Easy enough.”
Apparently Darius
decided
their
conversation about
Crator was finished. He picked Tara up and carried her to
the bed, and was on top of her immediately. “I’m afraid
your work here will never be done,” he whispered, and
kissed her.
She returned his kiss, but was the first to break it off. As
desperately as she wanted him, she wanted his apology. If
he was going to take his time, she would continue their
conversation.
“What were your dreams about?”
Darius propped up onto one elbow and looked so damn
hungry. Lust made his gray eyes more intense. Her insides
burned for him but her mind knew how it had to be. She
did her best to look calm as she waited for him to answer.
“Ever since you left, I’ve had this one dream that comes
again and again. It’s not like that usually. My dreams are of
war, victory, making love to you.” He kissed her again.
She
felt
him harden.
His arousal
ignited
the
fire
smoldering deep inside her, an ache growing painfully.
More than anything at this moment, she wanted to make
love to him and hear him cry out his unending devotion.
“In this dream I was a child,” he continued, but began
nibbling on her on the neck as he spoke. “I’m walking with
a large dog—it’s protecting me. Then I’m walking with an
old woman, and she’s teaching me. It’s very important that
I learn everything she says, I know.” He slid down on the
bed and unzipped her coat. “I wrote down some of the
things she’s said.” His hands now worked on her black
leather pants. “Remind me to show them to you some
time.”
“Why can’t you show me now?” Tara ran her fingers
through Darius’ curls and held his head as he kissed from
her belly button to her hip bone. He slid open her pants
and tugged.
“I have something else to show you now.” Darius’ breath
tickled her when he spoke. He continued to pull her pants.
She arched her hips, making it easier to remove them.
“Do you?” Tara pushed herself to her elbows, kicking her
pants to the floor when Darius had them to her ankles. She
grabbed his shirt when he turned to crawl toward her and
pulled it. “What do you have to show me?”
Darius crawled until his face was inches from her, and
on hands and knees, he covered her body with his own. “It
will take a lifetime, my lady.”
Tara moved her mouth to say the word, “oh”. But
nothing came out other than a mere whisper of the word.
The man had rendered her speechless, and although her
thoughts leapt at what might take a lifetime to be shown,
she wanted – no - needed to hear it.
Darius kissed her curved lips, sucking on her lower lip,
then nibbled enough that she gasped at the tingles of
electricity he
sent
through
her
with the
action.
She
straightened her arms and collapsed onto her back, then
reached for his shirt with her hands and tugged it up his
torso. Darius pushed himself to his knees and pulled his
shirt off.
Her fingers immediately tangled through his dark golden
chest hair. “Tell me Darius,” she whispered. His muscles
jumped underneath her fingertips as she traced patterns
down his chest to his pants. “Tell me what will take a
lifetime.”
“My lady, it will take a lifetime to show you all the love I
have for you.” Darius flattened the lower half of his body
against hers, preventing her from sliding her fingers into
his pants. He lowered his mouth over one of her nipples.
Tara gasped. The heat from his breath through the
material of her shirt, and his words, brought her to her
first quick orgasm. Darius smiled against her breast as she
came.
Tara grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, and
smiled up at him when his eyes feasted on her breasts.
“Do you love me, Tara?” Darius didn’t make eye contact
with his question, but instead lowered his body until he
rested on his elbows and began sucking on her nipple.
“Oh.” Tara arched into Darius and held his head in place
as he adored her breasts. “I… You… Don’t stop doing that.”
Darius lashed her nipple with his tongue, rolled it gently
with his teeth, then sucked the hardened nub until Tara
contorted her body, heat saturating her.
“Darius,” she whispered. “Please.”
Darius moved away from her breasts. Her nipples were
still damp from his attention, and Tara suddenly felt chilled
and exposed.
He began a trail of kisses down to her belly button. “I
asked you a question,” he whispered into her belly button,
sending shivers throughout her body.
“You did?” Tara lifted her rear end off the bed and
pushed down on Darius’ shoulders.
He chuckled as he scooted lower on the bed, then placed
a hand under each of her legs, lifting and spreading them
apart.
Tara kept her knees bent and reached between her legs
with both hands to stroke herself while he watched. She
touched herself, running her fingers over her soaked flesh
until need swelled inside her again. She slid a finger inside
herself, and then pulled it out, spreading the fresh wetness
over her swollen nub, gasping as she did. Her muscles
tightened and released. She watched Darius’ gaze fastened
on the action of her fingers. She inserted a finger inside
herself again, then pulled it out and extended it to his
mouth.
Darius sucked her finger readily, and she smiled.
“Do you love me, Tara?” Darius asked when she pulled
her finger free.
When he stroked her soaked, tinder flesh, Tara almost
leapt off the bed. Then he lowered his face between her legs
and kissed her.
Tara felt another explosion surge through her body,
gathering inside her, increasing the swollen sensation. “Oh
please,” was all she managed to gasp, as Darius teased her
with his tongue. She heard his question, but her need to
explode fogged her senses. She knew there was an answer
but at the moment couldn’t find the words.