aMy mama took a pie to her aunt the other day. The old lady said it was what theyad planned all along.a aI daresay she wasnat in town but a day when his Lordship claimed her. Imagine the likes, all of us having our hopes so high for so long. She comes along so merrily like, and he claims her right off, he does.a aYeah, and I heard she canat cook, you know. Itas her pleasures that sold her, thatas for sure.a The two girls laughed at this comment, and then realizing Tara could hear them, they started whispering.

Taraas blood started to boil. All of this was simply too much. Hearing that Reena had planned her claiming all along put Tara into a rage. Was it true Darius had claimed her before shead even gone to live in the house? The only time head seen her prior to that was in the alley when shead kept Torgo out of that fight. Did Reena know at that point and Hilda, too? The entire town seemed to know this casual bit of information and somehow had overlooked sharing it with her.

The young errand boy brought the basket to the counter with the items from the list. Thelga arranged the items in a brown paper sack and then smiled at Tara.

aDonat you worry yourself none about the comments of girls such as those.a Thelga didnat move her lips much, trying to speak quietly. aTheyave all tried for his Lordship and failed. Theyare jealous, they are. You hold your head high. You should be proud, you should.a Tara thanked her and quickly walked out of the store and to the car. Her eyes burned with tears of anger, and her hands shook as she drove back to Lord Dariusa house. Hildaas vehicle died so many times that Tara wanted to pull the circular handlebar from the inside of the car and hurl it out the window.

Darius had asked her about being claimed when theyad driven into the hills together. Had he already claimed her publicly by then? Could that be why shead been brought to the house?

Tara remembered watching him ride toward his house from her bedroom window, remembered how quickly head driven through the hills. That had to be the reason why he had hurried home that morning almost a cycle ago. She had been made to believe she was hired help, yet the whole thing was a faade.

She drove the car up the hill to the house with such a vengeance that the tires skidded on the gravel road. Grabbing the groceries, Tara nearly ran into the house. Darius was in the living room with his guards, and she stormed past them into the kitchen.

aI donat see why you donat listen to reason, my Lord,a the large guard whoad attacked her growled loud enough for her to hear.

aJudo, the reasoning isnat sound, it isnat. Iall not hear of it.a Dariusa growl chilled her blood.

aWhatas wrong with you? You wonat even listen to reason when it comes to that girl there.a Mikel, Lord Dariusa younger brother, shouted.

aWe wonat be talking of that today.a Darius had a tone in his voice Tara hadnat heard before. There was complete control mixed with anger. His baritone sounded very dangerous.

aYour brain isnat doing your thinking for you, my lord, it isnat. We found the bike, and you yourself have commented on her abilities. Her thighs are wrapped around you so tightly you canat see the truth. Sheas your Runner! Youave let her into this house, and now sheall bring down your kingdom, she will.a Mikel, Tara had noticed, was a smaller build than his older brother, but that didnat appear to intimidate him in the slightest. aOur Papa would be disgraced if he knew what you were doing.a aThatas enough!a Darius yelled so loudly that Tara actually jumped.

She quickly started to put away the groceries although her hands were trembling from her anger. She wasnat trying to bring down any kingdom and she sure wasnat going to be anyoneas claim.

Tara fought to clear her thoughts. Dariusa men knew her true ident.i.ty. And, from the sound of it, wanted her taken down. Yet Darius hesitated. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought that he hesitated because of a mutual attraction. But her mind told her that the man ruled a very powerful nation. His hesitation could be for other reasons, and Tara needed a clear head to determine his thoughts.

How many men were in the living room? Three or four? Could she take them all on and escape the house to her bike?

The front door slammed, and the house grew silent.

Had they all left? Tara knew she couldnat possibly return to washing the windows right now. She needed time to think. In the past, when her temper threatened to get the best of her shead usually taken off on her motorcycle and driven until the anger left. When that wasnat possible, shead pick a fight with one of the others in her clan until shead released all her anger on her poor victim.

The house still remained quiet, and Tara wandered cautiously out of the kitchen.

The living room was empty so she went upstairs. Hilda must have been asleep in her room, or at least resting. Tara couldnat imagine anyone being able to sleep through the tirade that had just occurred in the living room. Was the woman fearful that she had a Runner in her home?

Tara shuddered. She didnat have time to worry about that right now.

She wandered past the closed doors to her bedroom. The balcony seemed an appealing place to sort through all the thoughts she was having at the moment.

Tara had a compelling urge to leave Gothman and put as much distance between her and this nation as she could. Oddly enough, something just as strong was telling her to stay.

aTara, youare back. Will you come down? Iave waited for you forever, I have.a Tara looked down to see Torgo standing in the yard looking up to her.

He smiled and waved. aHurry, I have a surprise. Oh, do hurry. Put on a pair of my pants if you will. But do hurry.a aAlright, boy. Calm down. Iall come down to you, I will.a Tara went to the boyas room and quickly changed into a pair of his pants. She didnat care if any of the guards saw her like this. It would serve Darius right.

If he had indeed gone and claimed her after she said she wanted the claim to be mutual, then he could suffer the consequences. Or, worse, if he had claimed her before and then mentioned that he could claim her just to tease her, he had insulted her intelligence. She fumed as she ran down the stairs.

The blue pullover shirt and tight dark pants she borrowed from Torgo fit snugly, and Tara guessed she probably showed a bit more of her figure through the clinging material than she planned. But she could move easily in the outfit and that mattered more to her than appearance.

aYou wonat believe what I got.a The boy danced around her when she entered the yard. aLook!a Next to the shed was a motorcycle about the same size as Taraas.

Torgo ran to it and patted the seat. aItas mine.a He glowed with pride. aDarius gave it to me just this morning.a Torgo looked around and then said quietly, aYou can ride. I know you can. I heard my brother talking with his men, I did. Will you teach me? My brother isnat in a very good mood today. He gave it to me and said we would ride, but then he got some kind of news, he did.a aWhat kind of news did he get?a Tara asked. And what else did you overhear your brother say? Tara knew asking Torgo would be fruitless. The boy wasnat interested in conspiracies. Head just received the most coveted thing a teenager could wanta"a motorcycle.

aOh, I donat know, Iam sure. What I do know is I want to learn to ride. Darius learned to ride when he had twelve winters. He told me so. I almost have thirteen winters, and I donat know how yet. Youall teach me, wonat you?a he begged, with gray eyes a softer version of his older brotheras. aI know some of my brotheras men think itas odd that you know how to fight. But I donat think itas strange at all. Your papa was smart to teach you all he did.a Tara wondered how the boy could be so open-minded when his older brother seemed so closed to new ideas. aOf course I will.a Tara ran her hands over the small bike.

It was well designed, painted a clean metallic red. On the side of the body, the word Bryton was written in gold. The seat curving up in the back was of the familiar Gothman style. It was an impressive motorcycle. Tara was just about to straddle the bike but hesitated at the surprised look on Torgoas face.

She turned her head to see Darius walking around the shed coming toward them.

Torgo looked as if he just got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. aUh, my lord, I was just letting her look at my new motorcycle.a Torgo blushed and leaned on one foot then the other.

Darius stopped next to Tara. He stared down at her.

She noticed the undeniable l.u.s.t in his eyes. Her insides quickened in response, but she still felt an outrage with the man and his claiming. She looked up at him and pretended not to notice, then looked back at the boy. aTorgo, a true warrior never lies.a She looked directly into the youngsteras eyes. aMy papa said that to my brothers again and again, and I think there is truth in it, I do.a Torgo took a slow deep breath and squared his shoulders. aTara was going to teach me how to ride because youare too busy.a Tara immediately felt very proud of him.

aTorgo, youall make an incredible warrior some day.a Darius gave away his feelings on the matter when a small, crooked smile appeared on his face. He was proud of his younger brother. aYouall have that lesson, but first I want to speak to Tara. Run on along now, boy.a Torgo looked at both of them and then slowly walked away from his bike.

Tara turned to face Darius. His shoulders seemed broad enough to block the sun. She felt he towered over hera"emphasizing his domination. And thatas when all the anger bottled up inside of Tara raced through her blood once again. If Darius noticed, he hid it well.

aCome here.a He walked back towards the shed and opened it, pointed to the bike inside, then stared back at Tara. aA true warrior never lies, those are your words.a She stared at her cycle before looking at Darius, and instinctively her hands moved until they clasped behind her backa"the stance of a warriora"as she awaited her next orders.

aCan you start this motorcycle?a She met his gaze and returned it, unwavering. d.a.m.n, he had her trapped by her own words. Not to be outdone she issued a challenge. aAnd you?a Her words shot laser beams his way. aIave heard the people say youare a true warrior.a Darius walked over to her bike. aAsk me anything. Iave no reason to lie.a He leaned on the handlebars and stared into her eyes.

aYouave already lied to me.a She glared back at him, wanting to pounce on his pompous a.s.s and wipe the smug look from his face.

Darius raised his eyebrows, looking surprised. Then his gaze narrowed and grew serious.

She could tell her look and words affected him. But she was the enemy here, on his land. She knew, as he did, that there was no way she could beat him in hand-to-hand combat, yet shead still take him on if she had to. Her anger was genuine. Shead become involved with this culture and this family. If she became a part of this family, it would be her decision, not his. It would not be because some man who didnat even know her had taken a fancy to how she looked. They had experienced wonderful s.e.x together, but s.e.xual compatibility wasnat enough to build a relationship. Head know her first. Of that she demanded. And she planned on him knowing her well, in every respect. Mind, body, emotions. She wanted him to know everything about her.

aYou think you know what you need to about me, but you havenat asked me anything. You donat even talk to me.a She grabbed on to the back of her bike with clenched fists, growing more outraged at the thought that he would claim her with so little prior knowledge of her wants, her desires.

aYouare even more beautiful when youare mad.a He smiled and reached for her face.

Tara smacked his hand, knocking it away with all the emotion in her heart. aIam not unclaimed land to be taken without asking.a He pulled back his hand slowly and raised one eyebrow. He spoke quietly, almost in a reprimand. aIf youare referring to the claiming, Iave broken no laws. Iave a right to any unclaimed lady in Gothman. Thereas no discussion required. Thatas been the law of the land since before my Papa was born, or his Papa before him. Are you trying to tell me you are not affected by the laws of this land?a He straightened and crossed his arms across his chest.

Tara watched his muscles twitch with the action. He stepped to the side of her bike with his face close to hers. She thought for a moment she saw amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes. aItas a bad law,a she whispered. aIall not be claimed unless I say Iall be claimed.a Darius slowly moved his gaze from her face down to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The tip of his finger stroked the fuel tank on her bike. aCan you start it?a he asked softly.

The sultry whisper challenged and seduced her simultaneously. Tara took a step backward.

Darius grabbed her.

His touch sizzled her skin, and the smell of man and leather consumed her senses. But outrage overpowered her.

He must have surmised that his touch wouldnat cause her to swoon because his expression became serious. aThis is your bikeaa He wrapped his long fingers around her arms. aaAnd you are a Runner. Start this bike, and Iall never tell a soul. Iall say I started it. At this point your only threat here is me, and my dear lady, Iam no threat at all.a He yanked quickly before she could react, and she fell against his chest. He let go of one arm, and placed his knuckle under her chin, then tilted her head back so he could meet her lip to lip. Touching her mouth with his, he growled, demanding a response when she did nothing.

Tara pushed away and gasped for air, trying to get her bearings. She studied his face and hoped she wasnat making a mistake. Darius had told her he was not a threat.

She would honor him as a warrior and trust his word.

Tara broke away from Dariusa grasp and walked around him, and for some reason, he didnat stop her. Touching the bike, she ran her fingers over the handlebars for a moment, then grabbed it without looking up and rolled the bike into the sunlight.

He followed her with all the eagerness his younger brother had displayed a short time ago. aIad love to ride it. It must possess a speed not known in Gothman.a He watched her every move as she climbed aboard.

Tara looked around to ensure the yard was empty from any of Dariusa guards. Immediately she took off with a jump, causing the bike to literally leave the ground.

aYou can ride it if you can catch me,a she yelled over her shoulder.

aAh, you want to play, do you?a Darius literally ran to his motorcycle, which was parked along the side of the shed.

Tara raced her bike to the edge of the backyard and then spun around and stopped. She would make her challenge a fair one. It would not do to beat him and have him say she had some kind of edge.

He quickly pulled his bike up beside hers and stopped, letting the motor of his cycle idle. aWe both know your bike is designed to be faster than this one.a There was fire in his eyes.

She could tell at that moment that he was indeed a true warrior. He was thrilled by her daring and excited to take her on in a physical activity other than the act of lovemaking. Tara smiled wickedly. aThis bike may be faster, but you know the land like you know the gloves upon your hand. Itall be a fair race. Just name the destination.a aWeall race to the cliff I wanted you to climb. Youare not in a dress today.a He grinned as his gaze raked down her pant-clad body. aAnd, my lady, the claim stands.a Tara didnat respond but instead took off across the meadow with all the skills of her Runner heritage.

Darius was quickly at her side, dodging the rocks and ruts in the earth that opposed both of them.

The two sped so fast across the land that the naked eye had a hard time following.

Although Tara didnat know the terrain, shead traveled at high speeds across many a land she hadnat known. She didnat look next to her to watch her compet.i.tor but instead kept her eyes ahead of her, soaring over the gullies in the land. She pa.s.sed hill after hill, and when she spotted the crag with the rocky road outlining it, she added to her speed and easily left Darius behind.

The rock-strewn road was steep, and her bike was not designed for such travel. Tara decelerated, fearing the bike would literally slip out from under her. She crept up the hill aware that Darius quickly approached from behind. She knew the dust from the gravel impaired his vision and intentionally spun her tires on the road to further slow him down. A large rock came up on her before she could react, and Tara slid to the side of the road, sc.r.a.ping her leg. The sting in her leg intensified when she put her weight on it, but she would not allow an abrasion to cause her defeat.

She glanced down at Torgoas torn trousers and the scratched skin underneath. You can handle it, warrior. Itas no more than a sc.r.a.pe.

Darius came up behind her and slowed his bike. aAre you okay?a His face showed concern.

Tara righted her bike and took off, yelling, aGothman have never cared about Runners, why start now?a She placed a big smile on her face as she reached the patchy area surrounded by the pine trees where theyad had s.e.x.

She looked at the rocks Darius suggested they climb and drove over to them, then parked. Knowing there was no way she would be able to ride up the jagged rocks to Dariusa cliff, Tara jumped off her bike and lunged for the first group of rocks.

Shead rock climbed for sport as a child and from what she could see, the jutting wall offered little challenge. Nonetheless, her heart pounded as she grabbed the first tier of rocks and pulled herself up. When she anch.o.r.ed her foot against the next level up, the sting from her sc.r.a.pe raced up her side, letting her know the extent of damage shead actually incurred. But more than anything, she wanted to beat Darius, to show him they were indeed equal.

When she glanced down, she realized the man was good, real good. Reaching the first ledge of rocks, she had turned and looked below. The tree-covered hillside, hiding a rocky ground strewn with protruding roots, hadnat slowed him in the least.

Darius had parked his bike next to hers and also jumped for the rocks. His skill at climbing obviously matched hers, as he appeared to crawl up the side of the cliff with little effort. She remembered now that head told her this was a place head come to since he was a boy.

The second set of rocks was more jagged, and she was forced to move around them since she had no gloves. Ahead of her, a good fifteen feet above, she could see what appeared to be a flat ledge. Ignoring the sharp jabs from the rough boulders, she hurried to reach the top. As she crested the rise, she looked out over the scene and was immediately overwhelmed by the view.

No wonder head chosen this place as his sanctuary. A leader could easily be reminded why he was willing to fight for his land when it was laid out before him in such a panoramic fashion. She pulled herself up to a stand and sucked in her breath as she witnessed the glory before her.

The countryside was beautiful, providing a view to the north as far as the eye could see. The rolling hills went on for miles, and although not visible on the horizon Tara could imagine the mountains that she already knew existed there. As a young child, growing up, she had traveled the land she now saw from a distance.

It seemed as if the sky was higher, spreading out farther than usual. It looked bigger to Tara than she knew it should. Very few clouds prevented the aqua color above from almost overwhelming the vast shades of green below. For a moment, its beauty transfixed her.

But she had a man to whom she needed to prove herself. With a quick glance around her, she reached for the next ledge and pulled herself up to lean on her elbows. Thatas when she saw the gra.s.sy flat, a small area secluded from the rest of the world. Tara relaxed her sore leg for a moment, before putting her weight back on it, and took a deep breath so she could judge the depth of her injuries. As she did, she noticed Darius pulling himself up from the other side of the plateau. Head been behind her!

He pulled his body over the ledge with ease and sat on the ground, catching his breath for just a brief second. Then he moved over to her and reached to help her up.

aGet back, you!a she said through clenched teeth and pulled herself up. Tara didnat take defeat well. She cursed the time shead wasted enjoying the view, knowing the victory would have been hers otherwise.

The smug grin on his face showed that he would enjoy gloating. aI won. You have to let me ride your bike now.a Darius sat back on the ground and smiled broadly.

Tara sat next to him and pounded the ground with her fist as she scowled.

Darius leaned forward and brushed her hair away from her face.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and then broke out laughing. She knew herself well. Not an hour ago, she was fuming with anger. The ride and the intensity of the rock climbing had freed her of all hostilities. Physical activity cleared her head every time. aYouare lord of all this great land.a Tara swung out her hand, gesturing to the magnificent view in front of them. aHow can an invader of your country possibly stop you from riding that motorcycle?a She pointed to her bike parked next to his.

aYouave done a good job of stopping me so far, you have.a He laughed with her.

aSo how long have you known I was a Runner?a She looked at him, serious now.

aEver since you shot that trash can to prevent my little brother from getting the tar beat out of him. Although, I daresay, for skipping school, he should have had worse than that beaten out of him.a aI donat understand. Why didnat you capture me right then?a aYou had my curiosity going, you did. We were scouting the town, looking for a Runner, an enemy of our land. I didnat see an enemy. I saw a woman acting differently than other women. I saw a woman, beautiful beyond all measure that made my blood race in my veins. You appeared to be out of place, but not a threat.a Darius blew out a breath and stared down at their bikes.

Tara could tell he was choosing his next words carefully and watched him while he thought.

aRunners donat enter Gothman, at least not since I was a child. Why are you here?a aThe need to explore is in a Runneras blood, my lord. Iave heard the stories of Gothman, and they fascinated me. I wanted to see how a nation could be so powerful when half of its race had no clue how to fight or defend itself.a aAnd what have you concluded?a aWhy do you care what I think?a she answered sarcastically. aI didnat think it was my mind that impressed you.a Darius smiled and put his arm around her. He took her chin and lifted her face to his. aAt first, that was true. You are so beautiful. There is more to you than that, there is. I didnat know women like you existed. Iave yet to find a man that is my match, much less a woman. But you may be that exception, and not many have the nerve to be that way, no.a Darius looked so focused, yet his expression remained gentle. Tara felt something release inside, like a dam breakinga"something shead never felt before. He had made her so angry yet she felt such a longing to be right here by his side indefinitely. Patha described love to her once, when she asked. He told her that love was when you were content to be with one person no matter what you were doing. He had said that when you werenat with this person they were somewhere in your mind always. He had also told her that no matter how mad you may get at that person, true love never allowed you to stay mad for too long.

aAnd to be certain, my Lady, youave made it quite clear I canat do anything with you unless you say itas okay.a He brushed his lips gently across hers. In one quick motion, he stood and pulled her with him then held her closely at his side. He pointed to the countryside that lay magnificently in front of them. aLook at it, Tara. We could rule this together, you and I. You must say that has some appeal to you.a aDarius, weare enemies,a she stated, although she made no attempt to be released from his arms.

He turned her towards him and kissed her pa.s.sionately.

She wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss. Heat from their pa.s.sion set her blood to boiling. Tara arched into him, pressing the length of her body against his. Every inch of him that touched her felt so hard and sent rushes of energy through her. She grabbed his arms and then let her hands slide up to his shoulders, clasping her fingers behind his neck. Tara felt his hands on her rear end, pulling her closer to him.

He nibbled her bottom lip and she gasped, heat rushing through her fast enough to make her dizzy. Darius tasted her, sending a trail of kisses to her neck as she let her head fall back. Darius maintained a tight grip, his touch fueling the fever within her. She realized through fogged senses that he interpreted her reaction to his pa.s.sion as submission. He wanted to control her.

With a silent chuckle, Tara knew she would have to show him how Runner women expected to be treated. At that point, she decided to end the kiss on her own, just to show him she could and take the lead.

It took more effort than she figured it would.

aYouare not my enemy,a Darius said, once their lips parted. aYouare my match in every way. I donat want the likes of you as an enemy.a She smiled at him and then went up on tiptoe and kissed him once again. aSo, do you want to ride that motorcycle?a aIn a minute,a he said and pulled her to him. His hands reached under her clothes, down into her pants, and clutched her rear end. He shoved her into him and set her on fire.

She fell back, pulling him onto her. She needed to feel skin, wanted to explore this virile body that had grown to be more than a distraction. She yanked at his shirt.

He a.s.sisted by putting enough distance between them to take off the offending material. He reached for his pants.

But she stopped him. aI want to do it.a Her voice sounded husky, and he smiled. Tara pulled free the belt and then tugged down his pants. She placed kisses around the thick ma.s.s of hair that did nothing to hide his rock-hard arousal. She offered his erection no attention, but kissed her way down his legs as she pushed his pants to the ground.

Darius reached under her arms and pulled her back up along his naked and aroused body. He shocked her wherever he touched her, and the moisture between her legs soaked through all that she wore.

Darius didnat take as long to remove her clothes. She was naked within seconds, and he held her as he rolled to his side, then placed her on her back. He took her hands and laid them above her head. Then, slowly, he began to kiss her. And slowly, so slowly, he moved down her, kissing every inch along the way. His hands caressed and stroked as he continued his exploration of her body.

There was no rush this time. The newness from the first time was gone. He wanted to explore and get to know, very well, every inch of her. He spread her legs, and she didnat fight him. Instead she lifted her hips from the ground, and he let out a low chuckle as he blew soft air onto the downy hair between her legs. Tara gasped, and he enjoyed watching the quiver race through her body. He opened her up and could see the glistening moistness, proving how aroused she was. He kissed the moist area first, then ran his tongue up and down, tasting her.