Born of Stone

Chapter Two

Astrid gasped when they stepped into the bathing room, and Orestes looked down to gauge her reaction. Awe shined from her eyes as she took in the large pool, steam billowing off the clear water. He hid his grin, but satisfaction filled him at her response. Her small, fragile frame intrigued him. He’d never been interested in a human woman before because they looked so weak. However, something about Astrid called to him and he couldn’t dismiss her so easily.

He was wary of frightening her again and had no clue how she would react to his bathing her. However, he had no intention of leaving her alone to tend to her own bath. The poor thing was exhausted, swaying on her feet. She’d had a rough evening and he feared her falling asleep in the water. He didn’t know if she could swim and the water reached his chest. The top of her head barely hit the same spot. He smiled at the direction of his thoughts while he tried to justify his decision to stay. He was confident she wouldn’t argue if he simply didn’t leave.

Testing that theory, he led her to a marble bench and sat down. She watched silently while he removed his boots and socks, then he stood and removed the holster he wore like a vest. He unbuckled the second holster around his waist and laid his weapons on the bench, showing her more trust than he gave even his brothers. He doubted she would realize the significance of his removing all weapons in her presence, and tried not to consider why he was even doing it. Her eyes widened when he pulled his shirt off and dropped it to the floor, but she still said nothing. He loosened the ties on his pants before looking up into her curious gaze.

“Are you going to bathe in your dress?”

Her eyes widened further and she looked down at the rag hiding her body from his starving eyes. “Oh. Uh…”

He flashed a reassuring smile before stepping to the side of the pool and removing his pants. Without looking back to see her reaction to his nakedness, he dove head first into the warm water. By the time he surfaced, she had joined him, her dress in a puddle beside his pants. Disappointment flittered through him at missing her initial unveiling. He wanted to know if the scars he’d spied on her back were on other parts of her body as well. She had removed the feeble tie from her hair and a riot of curls framed her pale face.

He stood and walked over to where she clung to the wall. As he’d suspected, her feet couldn’t touch the floor if she wanted her head to stay above water. Moving slowly, so as not to frighten her again, he took her by the arms and pulled her against his chest. She gasped and blushed prettily, lowering her eyes to where her hands now rested on him.

“M-Master?”

“Orestes, sweet Astrid. You needn’t call me Master.”

Amazingly, her blush deepened while she nodded in agreement. “Orestes, what…uh, what are we doing here?”

He smiled at her but she still wouldn’t look up. He sighed and turned toward one end of the pool.

“We’re bathing, little star.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t say anything else when he pulled her to the small waterfall streaming over a manmade cliff. Her head turned from side to side as if she was trying to see everything at once. Orestes looked around at the room he’d taken for granted for years. Human houses tended to have bathing rooms as well, though none as large or opulent as this. The Masters had constructed their home on their own, planning and arranging each room with care and consideration. The castle boasted eighteen bedrooms, four bathing chambers, a massive kitchen, a large dining room and the biggest library in the kingdom. Not even the king owned so many books and scrolls as the brothers. Orestes had never been proud of that fact until he had seen the fascination on Astrid’s face while she gazed longingly at his books.

He set her down so her bottom rested on an outcropping. That put the waterline just below her neck and he couldn’t help a sigh of disappointment. Though he could see through the crystal clear water, he ached to get a full view of her small, round breasts. They would barely be a handful but he bet the light brown nipples would be sweet as honey. She seemed to finally notice the direction of his gaze and slowly raised her arms to cross them over her bosom. He looked up into her large brown eyes and was surprised to see confusion there.

“M—uh…Orestes, did you want me to bathe you?” she asked.

He nearly laughed but settled for wrinkling his brow and shaking his head. “No, sweetness. I shall bathe you.”

Her pretty mouth dropped open but no words emerged. Rather than wait for her permission or her anger, he reached for a tray of soaps on a nearby ledge. Most were masculine scents for him and his brothers, but there was a glass vial with a swirling pink concoction he hadn’t ever used. He pulled the stopper and sniffed, instantly pleased with the scent.

Astrid closed her mouth and remained silent while he poured a few drops onto the palm of one hand. Then he motioned to the waterfall with his chin.

“Lean over and wet your hair. I’ll wash it first.”

She glanced at the waterfall then back at him. With only a small hesitation, she dropped her arms to grab his shoulder so she could do as instructed. He remained stock still while her small hand gripped his skin. It nearly burned where her slender fingers held him. Arousal instantly shot through him from that innocuous spot to his groin. He was hard and ready in an instant and prayed she wouldn’t notice, lest it frighten her. He wanted her without a doubt, but he would cut off his own arm rather than scare her away.

“Enough?” she asked.

Her light voice brought him out of his lustful thoughts and he looked to see her mass of curly hair plastered to her head. It was an amusing sight but he sensed laughing would embarrass her. Instead he merely smiled and tilted her chin up with one hand.

“Yes, that’s good. Hold your head up so the soap doesn’t run into your eyes.”

She obeyed and shut her eyes tightly. It was another comical look but he again fought his humor. He rubbed the soap between his palms before smoothing it over her head as gently as possible. Then he eased his fingers through the tangled strands. It wasn’t an easy task. He didn’t want to hurt her but her hair appeared to not have been brushed properly for days. Luckily the soap he had chosen had a soothing property and within a few minutes, his fingers were easing between the strands unhindered.

As soon as he was satisfied that her hair was completely covered and the tangles smoothed, he cupped the back of her neck with one hand and her shoulder with the other. He eased her beneath the waterfall and rinsed the soap from her hair.

“There, now. Isn’t that better?”

She wiped her eyes before opening them. He was again struck by the innocence in her gaze. It was quickly replaced by wonder when she ran her fingers through her hair.

“Oh! It’s so smooth and soft. What by the Goddess did you use? It’s a miracle…or magic.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Neither miracle nor magic. Just a good soap crafted by a villager. Of course, it is possible she’s a witch. One never does know these days.”

She stared at him a moment as if to gauge his seriousness and he let out a laugh. “I’m joking, Astrid. No magic at all. I promise.”

She wrapped her arms across her breasts again and his amusement died. With a sigh, he grabbed another soap for her body.

Astrid was humiliated beyond all reason when Orestes bade her to stand on her perch. She nearly refused, but the look of determination on his face kept her mute. Why did he want to see her body, anyway? It was hideous, covered in scars and bruises. She was ashamed of the indentations from her ribs, which were clearly visible to his eyes. She slowly turned her back when he said and kept her arms over her breasts. He hadn’t ordered her to drop them so she held onto what cover she could. The hair between her legs was uncovered but there was nothing she could do about that. And why would he care anyway? She knew she was nothing in comparison to most of the women in the village, much less the women of Keva.

“Astrid, you have not worked here long enough to earn so many scars from Simon.”

The anger in his voice wasn’t surprising. It seemed the Masters were always angry over something. Since he hadn’t asked a direct question, she kept her mouth shut.

His large hands landed softly on her shoulders, making her jump and drop her arms despite the gentle touch.

“Calm yourself,” he murmured. “I’ve sworn not to hurt you. Remember?”

“Y-yes.”

“Now that I know of Simon’s treachery, I understand your fear. But I swear there is no reason for it.”

She tightened her lips while his hands smoothed down her arms to her wrists, then back up in a single glide. He slipped them between her arms and breasts. Before she could react they were gone again, gliding down her ribs to her hips. He ran them over her bottom and then back up her back. He soaped her nape before dropping his hands to her bottom again. Then he moved them below the water to her legs. By the time he reached her ankles, she was nearly breathless.

“Turn around.”

Surely he didn’t mean to give the same treatment to her front?

She did as he said. There really was no choice. Whether she liked it or not, he was her Master, and she knew better than to disregard anything he said.

Her position on the shelf put her one head above him but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. His perusal was like a physical caress when he glanced over her ruined body. Heat filled her cheeks the longer he looked, until she was certain her face would catch fire.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of. I find you quite beautiful.”

That immediately had her gaze snapping to his and irrational anger filling her gut. How dare he mock her so?

“Oh, aye. Beautiful as a crumbling statue of the great and hideous Medusa, perhaps.”

The bastard grinned and shook his head. “Of course not. I find beauty in the strength it obviously took to endure this abuse.” His grin faded along with her anger. “I speak truly, Astrid. I find you very lovely indeed.”

“Oh…”

As if that was his cue, he took the vial of soap between his hands again for another dose. Then he treated the front of her body to the same sensual assault as the back. She kept her gaze firmly fixed on a spot on the far wall, trying in vain to ignore the feelings his touch ignited. However, she couldn’t help flinching the first time his rough hands passed over her erect nipples. She gasped and nearly moved away but he grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

Without a word, he palmed her breasts and squeezed lightly. Her pulse sped up and her breathing became labored. How could such a simple touch affect her so? She’d been with men before. Two to be exact. But now that she thought back on those wholly unremarkable experiences, she knew their hurried groping in the dark was nothing like this simple touch. Orestes was akin to the most skilled sorcerer conjuring magic from her weakened body. She wanted to fall at his feet and beg for more but feared to even speak.

Then his hands slipped down to her flat stomach and she could breathe again. She ignored the disappointment singing in her veins and tried to remain still as his touch tickled her navel. Nervousness flittered through her when his fingers neared her lower curls. But what could she do? She didn’t have the strength to stop him or the will to move away from his touch. So instead she shut her eyes tightly and prayed to the Goddess he would finish quickly.

Was she innocent then? Orestes honestly couldn’t tell from the play of emotions crossing her lovely face. He knew there was one sure way to tell, but feared she would either scream or claw his eyes out if he attempted it. No, for now he would touch only the surface of her body. Anything else would have to wait until he had earned at least a little more of her trust.

He skimmed his fingers through the bushy hair at the apex of her legs. It was an odd sensation. He was used to the smooth mons of the Keva. They kept their bodies hairless with oils found only in their tropical home. He vaguely wondered if he could attain some of those oils for Astrid’s skin. Would she even allow him to apply them? He didn’t mind the hair so much. It was just different. With soapy fingers, he delved into the curls and ignored her gasp. She began to tremble when he gently cupped her sex and flexed his fingers.

He soaped her well, causing her to widen her stance. She grasped his shoulders for balance and he kept his gaze firmly on his hand lest he frighten her. If the hunger slowly building in his body showed even slightly on his face, she would be frightened for sure. Luckily the water hit him just above where his erection already stood proudly from his body. Had she noticed? The temptation to look at her face was strong but he fought it. For now, he would satisfy himself with this simple touch and cleanse her.

He hadn’t delved as deeply when her back was turned. He did so now, keeping one hand on her sex while wrapping his other arm around to the back. She gasped again and her grip on his shoulders tightened, but she didn’t cry out or pull away. He took that as permission to gently explore her secrets. One hand slipped between her nether lips while the other dipped between her cheeks. They met in the middle at her most sensitive flesh and he massaged her slowly with two fingers. Her breathing stuttered before speeding up and her grip tightened further until her short nails bit into his flesh. His cock was so hard he feared he might come just from touching her this way.

Finally, he could no longer resist temptation and lifted his gaze to look at her expression. Her eyes were tightly shut, her head thrown back. The pulse in her neck beat a frantic tempo and her breasts heaved. She was the picture of feminine passion and there was no way to stop himself from indulging. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss at the base of her throat. When she didn’t stop him, he did it again. Then again with a small bite. She moaned and pushed her hips forward against his hand.

“Master…”

“Uh-uh, my little star. I told you to call me Orestes.”

“Oh….Orestes…I…oh…”

Her brow furrowed and her hips sped up. He watched her lovely face while her body trembled in his arms. She was close. So close he could almost taste her arousal on the air. Had she ever felt this passion before? For another man? A deep growl left his chest before he could stop it at the thought and her eyes flew open. Her pupils were dilated, making her brown eyes appear even larger. It gave her a look of innocence that deeply contrasted the wanton movement of her hips. He growled again.

“Oh, Orestes.”

He moved his fingers faster through the moisture seeping from her body. Then she cried out and threw her head back again as her small frame shuddered. She was falling apart in his arms and he had never seen a lovelier sight. He kept his fingers in play until her muscles relaxed and she whimpered. Then he slowly pulled them away and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. Her head rested just above his heart. Could she hear it racing? He’d never been so aroused without a single touch from a woman.

He kissed her forehead and she looked up at him with a dazed expression. Masculine pride filled him at knowing he had satisfied her so well. But there was so much more he wanted to do with her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He frowned. “Sorry? Whatever for?”

She chewed on her bottom lip a moment before slowly raising her head to meet his gaze. It appeared to take a supreme effort.

“For what just happened. I know you were only trying to wash me.”

He threw his head back and laughed, tightening his grip on her slender body. Once his amusement subsided he caught her gaze again and instantly sobered at the uneasiness he spied.

“My precious lady, you have nothing to apologize for. I assure you, I enjoyed that as much as you did. If not more.”

True confusion spread across her face. “How?”

He turned to sit on the shelf so he could hold her in his lap. She sat up so she was nearly eye-to-eye with him. She couldn’t possibly have missed his erection pressing into her hip, though she ignored it.

“Have you never had a man pleasure you before?” he asked.

She chewed her lip again and shrugged. “Not really. I mean…I’ve been with a man before. Er, two men…but it was nothing like that.”

He growled once more, the sound unbidden while anger over another man touching her went through him. He didn’t even question the emotion. Like his kin, once he decided he wanted a woman, he wanted her all for himself. True, it didn’t happen often and he usually lost interest quickly. But there was just something about this little human that intrigued him. He honestly couldn’t imagine losing interest quickly this time.

“Ma—er…Orestes?”

He took a deep breath and released it slowly, holding her gaze. She didn’t look away but a shiver went through her frame.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

She shook her head even as he wrapped his arms more securely around her. “No.”

Pure joy filled him when she didn’t attempt to pull away. She was now firmly against his chest, his hard cock pressing into her soft body. He growled again at the sensation and couldn’t help rocking against her slightly. A light blush reddened her cheeks and she dropped her gaze to his chest.

“Do you need me to…um…take care of that?”

His thick eyebrows shot up and she thought she would die of humiliation on the spot. Did he have to seem so surprised by every word out of her mouth? It made her feel like a child.

“Take care of it?” he asked. “And how would you do so?”

Could she die from all the blood in her body rushing to her face? If so, it would surely happen very soon. All she could so was shrug and chew on her lip again. Soon it would be a raw sore.

“I’m not certain, sir. I mean…the others just…they put it inside me and then were done.”

He chuckled but it didn’t sound nearly as amused as his earlier laughing. She dared a glance at his face and found him frowning.

“Did they?” he asked. “Did you enjoy that?”

“No, sir. Not at all. I was just happy when they finished so quickly.”

Did he just growl again? The first time the deep rumbling had sounded from his chest, she had frozen in fear. She was growing used to it, but certainly didn’t understand it.

“I assure you, Astrid, I have no plans to finish quickly. And you will enjoy every second of my touch.”

He stood then as if the conversation was over. She didn’t understand any of this but remained silent while he moved beneath the slow waterfall. The warm spray washed over them and he dropped her legs so he was holding her flush to his body. She threw her arms around his neck in fear he might let her slip from his grasp. Here the pool was deep enough to reach his shoulders. She would surely drown if he released her.

“Fear not. I won’t drop you,” he whispered.

His warm breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine and she tightened her grip. Once they had sufficiently rinsed, he cradled her to his chest again and walked to a set of stairs on one end of the pool. Then he walked out of the water and set her on her feet. He wrapped a towel around her shoulders and another around his waist before grabbing his weapons in one hand and pulling her from the room with the other.