Claiming Their Maiden (5 page)

friends.” Her only friend, Mrs. Embers, was dead. Trent didn’t need to know that though. Her

lies tasted bitter, especially in the face of Trent’s promise to protect her, but she didn’t want to

plant the idea in his mind that she might be a murderer.

“Well, Amelia, you’re not alone anymore.” He gave her hands a squeeze and smiled

down at her.

“I’m a stranger. You just met me. How can you make such promises?”

His eyes darkened with impatience and he sat straighter beside her. “The Goddess gave

you to us. Any gift from the Goddess is to be treasured, especially a mate.”

“I will not be your mate!” She yanked her hands away from his and tried to stand up.

Trent caught her arm and drew her into his lap, circling his arms tight around her.

His hot breath hit her ear. “Do you find me so repulsive?”

“I find you terrifying. This whole situation is ridiculous to me, and I wish you’d let me

go.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, girl. You’re mine. Ours.”

Amelia snapped, much the same way she’d snapped last night when she’d slapped him.

Except this time she couldn’t slap him because her hands weren’t free. Biting him seemed like

the next best thing, so she sank her teeth into the side of his neck.

A firm hand yanked her head back, and she released her bite. His fingers tangled in her

hair, tightening in a strong grip. To her surprise, a smile played across his lips, and his eyes

gleamed with laughter, and something much darker. Lust.

“So you like it rough, eh?” he asked.

“No. I don’t like it rough. I don’t like it at all. I…” Her voice trailed off. She’d never

been with a man before. She’d never even been kissed. No one wanted to romance the orphan

girl who refused to take her place as a whore.

His smile faded, and he regarded her with astonishment. “You’re a virgin.”

Her response got stuck in her throat, and she felt his erect cock beneath her. A cold

tremor shook her from the inside out. She was about to lose a part of herself. A part of herself

she’d spent years carefully guarding. If she had her virginity, she had her dignity. Except now

her dignity didn’t matter in the way it once had. She wasn’t in the village anymore, and she had

nothing left to prove to those who’d wanted to turn her into the newest sexual plaything.

“Yes,” she whispered, meeting his eyes with a pleading look. “I—I’m a virgin.”

Shock clouded his features, and he lessened his hold on her. She took the opportunity to

draw in a few deep breaths.

He cleared his throat. “Forgive me for assuming…”

She smiled. “…that I spread my legs for money?”

He at least had the grace to blush, and for an instant he looked harmless. “You said you

didn’t have any family. Most village girls who don’t have a support system are left with little

choice.”

Knowing he wanted her, even when he’d thought her to be a whore, caused her heart to

contract. Warmth spread out from this new emotion inside her chest, chasing away the chill that

had fallen on her only moments ago. She stared up at him in wonder. Not even the poorest

village men married whores. Trent hadn’t mentioned marriage, but being taken as his mate was

the Banded Men’s equivalent of marriage. It spoke volumes for his character that he’d accept her

as she was—perceived sins and all—without question.

“One of the street boys taught me how to pick pockets and hide under carts in the market

to swipe food. So I became a thief instead of a whore, though I haven’t thieved in months.”

Curiosity lit his face. “Why haven’t you thieved in months?”

“A kind woman gave me a job.” Her throat constricted with sorrow. Damn him for

making her open up. She couldn’t help it. She’d never had anyone to talk to. Not even Mrs.

Embers. Amelia hadn’t dared burden the seamstress with her worries out of fear she’d ruin her

first chance at a real job.

“If circumstances recently changed for the better, why run off? Why risk your life

running through the forest?”

Amelia dropped her gaze to his chest. Confusion and uncertainty swept over her as she

considered whether or not it was smart to speak the truth. To completely drop her guard. To trust.

To take a risk.

Trent cupped her face in his warm hands. Spellbound, she peered into his blue ceaseless

orbs. “I am drawn to you unlike any other woman, Amelia. I wanted you when I thought you

were a whore, and I still believe the Goddess led me to you in the forest. Whatever happened to

you, I promise you can trust me with your secrets. Now tell me, girl, what were you running

from?”

When he called her
girl
in a gentle voice, she crumbled to pieces. Tears of anger and

despair came pouring down her face, and she began talking rapidly. She confessed the story

about the fire was a lie, and continued on to tell him all about Mrs. Embers and horrible Beatrice,

and how she’d run, knowing her word wouldn’t hold up against the priest’s daughter. Trent

stiffened when she spoke of a price likely being on her head, and how she’d run out of fear of

bounty hunters chasing her down for a few gold coins.

Trent’s forehead pressed against hers, and his hands remained cupping her face, catching

her tears. “You belong to Gavin and me now, and we will protect you with our lives. This castle

is far from the reach of any human village. We’re on the other side of a mountain from where I

found you. I promise you’re safe, and I’m sorry about the pain you’ve suffered.”

Strong arms circled her, and he pressed her face to his chest, offering her comfort. At

least he wasn’t trying to have sex with her at the moment. Relief filled her. At least he seemed to

believe her.

Peace settled over Amelia as she listened to the rhythmic beating of Trent’s heart. She

was glad to know he had a gentle side. His heart beat on and on, and she closed her eyes and

smiled.

* * *

Trent loved the feel of Amelia in his arms. He still couldn’t believe he’d found the

woman of his dreams. Literally. He’d seen her image at night many times during the last year. A

woman with flowing brown hair, sad green eyes, pale silky skin, and a spattering of freckles on

her nose. The dreams had given him hope during the war against the River Lord, and now he

finally had her in his castle. He’d heard her screams while hunting in the forest and instinctively

knew to go to her. To chase away the mountain cat and catch Amelia just as she fell. When he’d

gazed down at her for the first time, he realized the Goddess had blessed him with a gift more

precious than life.

Amelia’s sobbing gradually subsided, and she seemed content to rest against him. He felt

her softening, and he suspected his promise to keep her safe had something to do with her sudden

change in demeanor. The poor girl had been through a lot, and his heart ached to imagine how

hard her life had been. No parents. No family at all. No one to love her. No one to care that she

was gone from her village. No one to be angry that she was wrongly accused of murder.

He stared out the window at the darkening sky. A storm was rolling in. Gray, ominous

clouds moved overhead, blocking out the sun. Lightning flashed, and a crack of thunder caused

Amelia to jump in his arms. He tightened his embrace and inhaled the floral scent of her

shampoo.

A virgin.

The Goddess had sent him a virgin.

It was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she was innocent and pure, and he and

Gavin would have the pleasure and honor of teaching her their ways in the bedroom. A curse

because she was frightened, and he doubted she would be eager for him anytime soon. And he

needed to act quickly. To claim her body in order to protect her. Once he possessed her, he’d

gain the ability to sense when she was in danger. Gavin would gain the same ability when he

possessed her as well.

Of course, Trent’s desire to protect Amelia wasn’t the only reason he wanted to possess

her. After dreaming of her for so long, he couldn’t wait to strip her gown off and run his hands

over her body, exploring her and branding her with his passion.

His cock jerked, and Amelia stiffened in response.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, his lips brushing the soft lobe of her ear.

She pulled back to search his face. Outside, rain streamed down the window, and the

thunder and lightning continued its assault on the surrounding forest. Summer storms were

wicked on this side of the mountain.

“I want to leave,” she said. “Right now.”

Trent wanted to smack her for being so stubborn and silly. He’d given her his protection.

He’d told her she would be his mate, and Gavin’s as well. Besides, the storm outside was only

getting started. She was crazy if she thought he’d actually let her go outside and risk getting

struck by lightning, even if he did decide to set her free.

But he wouldn’t free her. She was his.

“You’re not going anywhere, girl,” he said firmly.

Amelia tried to slap him, but he caught her hands in his.

“That was a very naughty thing to try, young lady. Perhaps Gavin didn’t punish you

thoroughly enough.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps I should bare your bottom and

inspect my brother’s handiwork.”

The color drained from her face, and her lip trembled. “Oh, no. Please don’t do that.”

He leaned closer, until their noses nearly touched. “You’re my mate. I will do whatever I

damn well please with you, and it pleases me to inspect your punished bottom.”

A shaky breath left her mouth, and she shook her head. Her fear, her shyness, and her

vulnerability called up his arousal full force. She was so lovely, so innocent, and all his to do

with as he pleased. Oh, she belonged to Gavin too, but right now in this electrically charged

moment, she belonged to Trent alone.

He enjoyed the struggle that ensued. Amelia was tough, but she was no match for his

strength, and he soon had her stomach down on the bed beneath him. He straddled her and

removed his belt. Her eyes grew wide as she peered over her shoulder at the thick leather in his

hand.

“Oh, please. No, no, no…”

“There will be times when you feel the sting of this belt, Amelia, but right now isn’t one

of them.” He proceeded to use the implement to secure her wrists to the small railing inside the

headboard. “I don’t want your hands getting in the way when I inspect your bottom.”

He pushed her gown up to her waist, taking great pleasure in the process of baring her.

She whimpered into a pillow. A hint of flesh teased him from the slit of her drawers, and his

cock hardened further as he parted the fabric to reveal her recently spanked backside. Raw desire

swept through him and his blood heated at the picture before him.

Gavin had indeed given her a good, hard spanking. That was clearly evident in the red

that still marred her bottom. A darker splotch marked the very center of each cheek, evidence of

where she’d been spanked the hardest, but the rest of her backside was the same shade of red.

Trent loved the sight of her punished bum, and he stroked her naked flesh, parting her drawers

even wider as he explored.

“Ah,” he said. “It appears my brother did give you a thorough spanking. Did you learn

your lesson?”

“I apologized for slapping you, didn’t I?” came her retort.

Trent responded to her belligerent tone by parting her cheeks to expose her little

puckering hole. She protested quite loudly and attempted to thrown him off, but he settled his

weight on her legs more fully, restricting her movement even more.

“Naughty naughty,” he scolded, pushing a finger to her secret hole. He didn’t push inside,

but he did push against it, loving the way it pulsed and quivered at his prodding. He was making

her nervous. “I suppose you’re a virgin here too, aren’t you?”

She didn’t answer, but he sensed her whole body flushing with embarrassment. It was a

heady feeling, having her restrained beneath him in bed. Even though he ached to sink into those

plump, pink folds he glimpsed with her bottom wide apart, he decided it best to take his time and

prepare her to receive him. Slowly, he traced the outer rim of her pussy lips, edging inward with

each touch, closer to her hot center. To his delight, he found her growing wet within, and he

spread her juices around as she whimpered. He coated her clit with her moisture, swirling around

the bud until her hips moved, proof of her response to his ministrations.

“What are you doing to me?” she gasped, her head turning from side to side.

He chuckled and slipped a finger into her weeping canal, and groaned at the scent of her

feminine arousal reaching his nose. “I’m getting you wet and ready for my cock, girl. Can’t you

feel how moist you’ve grown between your thighs?”

She mewed and bucked her hips, and pulled at the belt circling her wrists. Trent stripped

off his shirt and stood up long enough to remove his boots and pants. She met his gaze, and her

eyes drifted lower and soon widened. He stepped nearer to her face, his cock jutting out, pre-cum