"Oh." Her voice shivered, sounding very small.

Devil a bit, he felt no sympathy for her. That horse could have killed her. "Come here."

Her skirts rustled as she moved closer to him. At least she had dressed more sensibly than Aggie, wearing petticoats instead of hoops. Dominic grabbed her shoulders and roughly kissed her. d.a.m.n, he had wanted to do that all day.

She melted against him and despite everything, his kiss turned gentle. He brought his mouth to her ear, speaking in nothing but a breath of sound. "It's just fortunate for you that I happen to honor my obligations."

"What...?"

"Your dance, my lady. It brought me satisfaction and yet you had none of your own."

Her breath caught. He laid her down and pulled up her skirts before she had a chance to reply. Her legs shone whitely against the dark rug blanketing the floor of the tent. Dominic ran his hands up and down that smooth skin, pulling down her stockings in the process, until she quit trembling. When had he ever been so concerned about the satisfaction of his bed partner? And yet he could not shake the longing to see her face glowing with pleasure.

Dominic lowered his head and kissed a knee.

She jumped. He kissed the other knee, then began to trail kisses up her thighs, first one, and then the other, until he reached the dark triangle of hair between them.

"You... this... it's shocking."

He smiled and continued his explorations, finding the little nub nestled in her hair, flicking it with his tongue until she started to pant. Dominic raised himself up and picked up her hand, looking at her wedding ring. The petals of the rose had bloomed wide open, and he raised a silver brow at her. "Have I shocked you enough?"

"I don't... I don't think so."

"Excellent." He kissed the tip of her nose and slid down her body and resumed his ministrations. When he suckled her she cried out, and he distantly became aware that the conversation outside had ceased. Well, he was known for his prowess as a lover so he saw no harm in continuing.

She squirmed and cried out again. When her body loosened into spasms, the sounds of pleasure his wife made stirred his rod into painful hardness. But he had resolved not to take her. To deny himself, thereby proving he had nothing to fear from her.

When Lady Ca.s.sandra finally stilled, Dominic pulled down her skirts and gathered her into his arms. She lay quietly for a few moments and then said, "What about your duty, sir?"

He smiled for the second time that night and quickly wiped the expression from his face. He would have to be more careful, lest he betray himself that way when others were looking. "I don't feel the need."

"But..." Her hand brushed the hardness within his breeches.

"Hush, go to sleep. Haven't you caused me enough trouble for one day?"

Thank the devil, she listened to him. He felt sure the long ride contributed to her quick obedience to his words, for he soon felt the even rhythm of her sleep.

But sleep eluded him for a long time, and when he awoke the next morning he felt as if he hadn't slept at all. He saw to the disbandment of camp, his words surlier than usual. His men avoided his eyes but the courtiers watched him with eager speculation.

That day the journey seemed twice as long as the day before. He forced himself to ignore Ca.s.sandra, for if he looked at her, his groin quickly stirred to life. It made him even more determined to deny the ridiculous attraction he had for her and he took refuge within the elven side of his nature.

But d.a.m.n his human pa.s.sion, he could not stop thinking about her and chose a camp for the night before the sun had even pa.s.sed below the horizon.

Dominic ignored the curious glances of his men, the whispered comments of the court while they made camp, and he used his magic to light the fires. He washed quickly, wolfed down his food, and went to her before she'd eaten half of hers. But she didn't protest as he dragged her into the tent.

They sat on the rug facing each other, an undeniable chemistry crackling between them.

Daylight flooded their small chamber and he looked his fill of her, from her soft brown eyes to her mahogany hair, until she blushed and looked down at her skirts, which puddled about her hips as she sat on the floor across from him.

She looked stunning, a mix of innocence and fort.i.tude that made his desire for her uncontrollable. He'd never lost his control over a mere woman before. Had never felt the urge to possess her mind as well as her body. Had she thought of him today as he'd thought of her? Had she come to him out of duty?

Dominic unb.u.t.toned his breeches and reached for her. Shoved her skirts up her thighs. Pulled her toward his kneeling legs.

"I've been thinking about what you showed me last night-" she started.

He kissed her, trying to devour her.

"-all day-" she managed.

Dominic plunged his tongue inside the sweet softness of her mouth, trying to still her tongue with his own.

Again, she managed to pull away and speak. "I should like to try-"

Dominic covered her lips again, holding her with one arm while his hand quested with the other. He quickly found her hot opening and groaned with relief. Wet. Ready for him. Physically, at least, she wanted him, and he should not have felt so grateful. With his elven beauty he'd yet to find a woman who could resist him. And yet that didn't seem quite enough. Dominic wanted more from her, wanted her spirit as much as he needed her body... and cursed himself for the mere thought. He could not have such a void inside of him that needed filling. He would not.

He grabbed her bare bottom with both hands and pulled her onto his lap. A bit higher and the tip of his shaft met her soft flesh. He groaned.

Ca.s.sandra spoke no more. She clutched his shoulders and pulled herself closer to him, fully encasing him within her. His fingers tightened on her b.u.t.tocks, and he rocked her back and forth on his lap, the pressure of her weight on him pulling him deeper inside her than he'd ever dared. She threw her head back, the velvet skin of her throat bared to him. Dominic buried his mouth in that softness as he set a rhythm that had her panting his name.

He sucked at the skin of her neck, trying to smother his own groan of release as his body exploded. He was just as unsuccessful as Ca.s.sandra as her own climax quickly broke.

His foolish attempt at denying himself the day before had only made his want of her even stronger. Dominic didn't even try to suppress his groans when he took her the second time that night. And late into the morning, the third. And when he stepped out of the tent, he knew he'd made a mistake.

Aggie studied him with shrewd eyes. He had never made such sounds of pleasure with her. His officers quickly hid their grins but the n.o.bles felt no such compunction, jabbing each other with their elbows and snickering behind their hands. He could imagine their gossip-a woman had finally snared the elven b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Could he be more human than elven after all?

For the entire day a trickle of worry kept him even farther away from Lady Ca.s.sandra than usual. But he noticed a few of the male n.o.bles rode alongside her, trying to engage her in conversation and curry her favor. Fortunately the women stayed huddled around Lady Agnes, continuing their cold treatment of Ca.s.sandra but now occasionally throwing her looks of disgust.

Perhaps he hadn't blundered too badly, then.

Still, Dominic breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the town of Devizes. Despite the lateness of the day the market bustled with activity. It distracted the courtiers and fortunately his wife as well. They pa.s.sed stalls and tables of every cloth imaginable, draped to show the sheen, arranged to reflect the softness of the weave. He did not stop and did not concern himself with the n.o.bles who chose to linger in the marketplace. Lady Ca.s.sandra stayed with his troops.

Dominic knew something had gone wrong the moment he reached the Fire and Water Inn. It should have been filled with the king's advisors and court. Only an old man and a drunk sat at the wooden tables.

General Raikes called for the innkeeper, who emerged from the back room, wiping his hands nervously on a cloth, a tremor in the jowls of his cheeks.

"Where is he?"

The innkeeper bowed his head. "I know not, my lord. His rooms have been prepared, I a.s.sure you."

Dominic waved a hand dismissively. "There must be rumors. There are always rumors. What have you heard?"

The portly man glanced up, his eyes flitting nervously from Dominic's face to the sword at his side. The pistol in his belt.

"They say..." His voice broke. "Arumph. They say that the king refuses to leave Bath. His court is quite comfortable there and he has no desire to take up residence in London."

Dominic's lip twitched. Surely the king realized he had little choice in the matter. But Imperial Lord Breden obviously supported him, making their victory as difficult as possible or just extending the game. Only the lord of Dewhame knew what that game might be. The elven lords had a unique sense of what relieved their boredom.

Dominic spun. "Mount up," he barked to his troops, heading for the door.

"But my lord," called the innkeeper, "night is falling, and your horses-"

If the man hadn't sounded so genuinely concerned for the beasts, Dominic would have ignored him. The roads to Bath were notorious for their ruts and deep pits, and a horse could easily break a leg traveling on a dark night.

Dominic raised a hand and lit the ceiling of the inn with cold white fire. The drunkard fell off his chair and the old man covered his bald pate with his thin arms. The innkeeper squinted at the brilliance that would light any road the general chose to ride.

"Don't forget whom you are speaking to again."

"No, no, my lord, most a.s.suredly I won't."

But the innkeeper had done him a favor, for the light revealed a small figure huddled in the corner, her brown eyes wide and her lovely hair curling about her cheeks. Dominic couldn't tear his own eyes away from hers.

"Innkeeper," he barked as he neared her. "See that my new bride is well cared for."

"Oh... oh yes, my lord. Of course, my lord."

Lady Ca.s.sandra rose, as if fully intending to follow him despite his words. He gave her a cold look that should have frozen her in place. "You will stay here."

She looked confused, as if she couldn't fathom why he would deny her company. "But Sir Ro-the king. Perhaps I can help convince him to come."

"I will do the convincing," snapped Dominic, completely out of patience. "Something is afoot and I will not allow you to be caught up in an elven game. And you will obey me this time." He couldn't afford a drain on his power if he faced a battle in Dewhame but he had to be sure of her safety and held up his palms, surrounding her in a ring of dull gray fire.

Her mouth dropped open quite becomingly; he could just make out her features through the gray flames. She held out her arms and touched the walls of her prison, and then shoved at them. Gray fire wouldn't hurt her but it would remain impenetrable until he snuffed it, which he would not do for several hours. By then his men would be well on the road to Bath and she could not follow.

Dominic gave a grunt of satisfaction and strode out of the inn, mounting his horse in one smooth leap. When darkness fell he lit their way with white fire and they made good time on the road. Halfway to Bath he called a halt, sudden winds buffeting his horse and men.

Ador landed just beyond his magical light, a black gleaming shape in a dark meadow. Mor'ded slid down from his perch and waited for his son to come to him.

Dominic remembered to release the spell of gray fire from around Ca.s.sandra, wishing he could have been there to see her face, then quickly dismissed her from his mind as he reached his father. He glanced at Ador and the dragon blinked one red eye at him in acknowledgment.

"Where are you going?" demanded Mor'ded.

The general stiffened. "The king is not in Devizes. It is said that he refuses to leave the comfort of Bath."

"Interesting. So Breden wants to extend the game."

"So it seems."

Mor'ded almost smiled. "I wonder what is on his clever mind. Too bad it can't be anything on a grand scale. He knows better than to interfere directly in the game."

"He can only support the king's folly, nothing more. I will take care of this, Father. Your presence here might be misconstrued." The Imperial Lords rarely consulted with their commanders once a game had begun. It broke their rules of giving the orders and watching the humans try to follow them. For them, that was the most amusing part of the game. But Breden had technically started a new one, so Mor'ded had a right to discover the nature of it and perhaps issue a few new orders.

But it would look better among the elven lords if he allowed his champion to decide what action to take. Mor'ded nodded and returned to his dragonsteed, mounting in one fluid motion.

The horses and his men looked better for the halt and they made good time for the rest of the journey, arriving in Bath with the dawn.

His men narrowed their eyes against the glare of the sun's rays as they rode through the cobbled streets. It always appeared brighter in Bath, indeed, in the entire sovereignty of Dewhame, due to the reflection of the light bouncing off so much water. Small fountains of flowing urns and spouting creatures decorated every doorstep. Larger fountains stood within every square, their spray a loud hiss in the quiet morning, a cold spatter against Dominic's face. The buildings lining the streets had been painted in muted tones of blues and greens, and they all lacked a single straight line, the walls and roofs rounded like the swell of a wave.

But they could not compare to Dewhame Palace, the home of Imperial Lord Breden. As Dominic and his men approached the looming structure, he marveled again that something so seemingly soft could be so impregnable. The walls surrounding the palace had been crafted to resemble ocean waves, one rolling atop the other to create one large barrier. Elven magic made the waves appear to actually flow, but the palace walls themselves really did move with water. It erupted from the top turrets of the palace to cascade down the ridged walls, a translucent shimmer of color in the morning sunlight.

A flood of water drenched Dominic as they pa.s.sed through the open gate and he didn't get any drier when he reached the waterfall-surrounded courtyard. Water rained down from the palace walls and splattered from the waterfalls and swirled about his horse's hooves. The general's wool coat stuck to his shoulders and back and made him itch. He scowled. Wet wool stank.

And the king didn't want to leave this place?

Dominic's scowl faded a bit though, as a welcoming party splashed forward to meet him. Two liveried footmen held an enormous umbrella shaped like the wings of a seagull over the wigged head of a heavyset gentleman. His bearing struck Dominic as someone of importance, and as he neared, the piercing intelligence in the man's darkish-colored eyes confirmed it.

"Lord Raikes?" the man inquired, his voice raised to a shout to be heard above the waterfalls.

"General Raikes," Dominic replied. He had no aspirations to be a lord. Although he supposed that because of Ca.s.sandra his children would have that distinction-He cut off the thought.

"Yes, of course. Well met, General Raikes. Allow me to introduce myself. Sir Robert Walpole, at your service. My most humble apologies, sir, to both you and your men, for having to come an additional distance to fetch your king. But we would be most honored to have your escort to Devizes, and then, of course, on to Firehame Palace."

"Indeed? The king has reconsidered his attachment to Bath?"

Something flickered in those intelligent eyes, but too quickly for Dominic to guess the emotion behind it.

"Not quite, General Raikes. However, I have packed up the court and we await you at the side gate."

"And the king?"

"You will find him in the Royal Bath. Down this street a ways. A large statue of Zeus fronts the building."

The general raised a brow.

"His royal carriage will be waiting for him by the time you... escort him forth."

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet such a sensible man, Sir Robert."

"The pleasure is all mine, I a.s.sure you. I've heard much about the champion's exploits on the battlefield."

Dominic nodded his head brusquely, tired of the polite speech, the hidden implications. He turned his mount and sloshed back through the courtyard into the relatively dry streets, easily finding the large statue of Zeus. His men circled the front of the building, his lieutenant ordering half of them to surround the back exits without having to be told.

Dominic expected Breden's army, or what was left of it, anyway, to appear within moments. His men readied themselves, drawing forth their pistols and frowning, wondering if the shot was still dry. Most of them drew their swords.

Dominic waved off the men who tried to accompany him, entering the building by himself. A mosaic of Zeus decorated the floor, sea monsters and mermaids frolicking about him. Not a single guard stood attention at the door to the baths and with no opposition Dominic strode into a marbletiled room.

A very small old man sat up to his neck in the waters, two women his only companions, one thin and the other heavyset. Dominic didn't waste time with words-he already knew what the situation required. He reached down and pulled the king out of the water, grateful that propriety required a bathing costume. He did not relish having a man's naked b.u.t.tocks so close to his face.

He set the king on his feet, gave him a respectful bow, and before the old man could protest, slung him over his shoulder.

The king cursed at him in heavily accented English, then switched to his native German. The two women scrambled from the bath and followed, screaming for help throughout the now long walk across the mosaic hall.

Dominic hesitated before he stepped outside, fully expecting to hear the sounds of battle. But only his troops waited for him and as promised, the king's gilded coach. Dominic handed his burden off to Sir Robert, who waited inside. The two ladies quickly followed their monarch and the general slammed the door behind them and nodded at the driver to move.

His troops surrounded the ornately decorated coach as it made its way through the empty streets. The men who had covered the back of the building joined them.

"Nothing?" asked the general.

"No, sir. I don't like it, sir."