Taming the Barbarian

7

            Tess stared up at the man barking at her. She didn’t dare to get up again; he would only knock her back down. She had no idea what he was saying, but she was sure it was nothing good as he ranted at her.

            After a few minutes, Dax calmed taking a steadying breath. He looked as if he were trying to find the words that had come to him so easily earlier in the day. He opened his mouth to say something but then snapped it shut once more. Then he paced the small space quietly.

            Seated in the furs, Tess shivered from the evening chill. Though her dress was heavy, it did little to protect her from the cool fall evenings. It was getting colder every day, and soon, there would be snow. She missed the warmth of her bedchamber, the fire in the hearth and the thick blankets on her bed. She missed everything about being home safe and sound. She would give anything to be there right now.

            Dax paused in his pacing and studied her. “Are you cold?” He asked softly; his tone changed from the ranting lunatic he had been moment’s ago.

            “A little.” She admitted hugging her arms for warmth. Dax gathered up the fur cloak that lay over the chest and came over to Tess. He wrapped it around her shoulders and closed it tight around her to ward off the chill. He then gathered up some wood and started a small fire to heat the tent.

            She watched as he breathed life into the small flames building up a suitable fire on his hands and knees. He wore nothing but his tunic and breeches and seemed unaffected by the weather. “Are you not cold?” She asked curiously.

            Dax sat back on his heels with a smile. “No, this weather is quite nice compared to where I am from.” She would hate to see what the weather there was like. Dax rose to his feet and reached above his head to open the ventilation flap.

            Dax then came to sit in the furs with Tess. His closeness made her uneasy. She disliked it when he was so close; it made it hard to focus on anything else. His powerful body was both exciting and intimidating. She preferred distance; she preferred his scorn to his smile. That charming, seductive smile that made her heart flutter.

            Her gaze travelled over his long body as he stretched out beside her and reached out to pull her down on the furs with him. At first, she tried to resist, but his will was strong as was his grip. He pulled Tess into his arms and held her close pulling his large cloak around them both. At first, she thought he meant to try and seduce her, but when he simply held her near she began to relax, her head resting on his shoulder, the warmth of his body warming her own. If she was honest, she enjoyed the way he felt against her.

            “This is how we stay warm where I am from.” He said with that dazzling smile as he looked down at her.

            She had to admit it was a pretty effective way to warm up. But she couldn’t help but wonder how many women he had warmed. Or why it bothered her in the first place. She remembered what the other woman had said that more than half the camp had been in his bed. He was an unscrupulous rake. She shouldn’t care what he did with his time, but for some reason, Tess was becoming rather annoyed the more she thought of it.  

            “You should learn to be more…” He paused, trying to find the right word. “Agreeable? Obedient? Yes, obedient.”

            Obedience was for servants, Tess was nobility. “And you should let me go, but it does not look like either of us will be getting what we want.” She hissed, looking up at the scowl on his handsome face.

            “The other men will not tolerate your defiance.” He snarled. “You will have to accept your new station in life. Here men do not bow to the will of women.”

            “That is your problem, not mine.” She said, resting her head against his shoulder once more.

            “It will become your problem when you earn a beating.”

            Tess sat up and glared down at him. “Are you threatening me?”

            “I am warning you. Some men in this camp won’t think twice about beating a thrall regardless of who they belong to.”

            “But you said-”

            “I know what I said, and for the most part no one will challenge me, but if you offend the wrong person my influence may not cause them to pause if they believe themselves to be in the right and you are…” He paused to think, “The wrong rub?”

            “Rubbing them the wrong way.” She corrected him.

            “Yes.”

            “You have a remarkable grasp of the language.” She teased.

            Dax snickered and sat up. “Oh yeah well at least I can speak your language. In time you will pick up on mine.” He paused thoughtfully. “Perhaps I could teach you.”

            “I don’t want to learn your language.” She said firmly.

            “It would make life much easier if you did.”

            “I don’t intend to stay here long enough to bother.” She said stubbornly.

            Dax laughed and laid back down his hands behind his head. “And where is it you intend to go?”

            “Someone will come for me. It is but a matter of time.”

            He rolled his eyes. “No one is coming for you. This is now your home you should accept it.”

            “The English do not accept defeat.”

            “Funny the English I have known not only accept it, but they cower and kiss my boots, begging for their worthless lives.” He shot back. “They are a spineless lot of self-righteous cowards.” He hissed. “Even you cowered when we met.” He mocked.

            “I will not cower from you twice.” She snapped, standing up and throwing aside his cloak.

            “Is that so?” He said dryly.

            Tess turned and saw his battleaxe leaning against the chest. It was the size of a small child with a long thick wooden handle carved with images of ravens and other buzzards. The blade looked terribly sharp, fashioned securely to the handle with iron and decorated with braided twine beads. Tess grabbed the handle of the axe with both hands and tried to lift it. She would do the world a favour and dispatch the Demon with his weapon. Only she couldn’t lift it. Tess dragged the weapon a half foot with a grunt of effort. It was much heavier than it looked.

            Dax laughed out loud at her failed attempt and came to his feet. With one hand he took the axe from her and lifted it, resting it over his shoulder. He made it look so easy. “Perhaps you should try a lighter weapon.” He teased, drawing a dirk from his belt and holding it out to her.

            Annoyed Tess snatched the blade from him and held the weapon in her hand. Even it felt heavy for what it was. It was a wonder he could carry it all on him in battle. Perhaps that explained his size and strength. One would have to be to rush into battle weighed down so terribly. “I shall end you.” She warned jabbing the blade at him. He dodged her twice with a chuckle.

            “Not like that you won’t.” He laughed, catching her wrist with his spare hand and spinning her around, so her back was to him and the blade still in her hand but at her throat. Her pulse was racing as he dropped his axe, and his arms came around her, pulling her back against him. Tess remained motionless as she felt his body against her own. She didn’t believe he meant her harm only that he was amusing himself at her expense. “Would you like to try again?” He teased, forcing her to drop the blade.

            “Release me.” She scowled and tensed when she felt his lips at her neck.

            “But I do enjoy holding you.”

            Tess squirmed to free herself as his mouth left butterfly kisses against the column of her throat. A shudder of delight quivered through her body from his lips to her very core. It was shameful how he could reduce her to a frazzled state with the merest of touches. “You release me you brute.” She hissed. “Stop manhandling me.”

            At that Dax released her and Tess turned around putting distance between them. A glower had replaced the smile on his face. “Why must you insist on calling me names? I have been nothing but nice to you.”

            Tess laughed. “You consider abduction nice?”

            “If it were not for me, you would be dead three times over. You should show me some gratitude.”

            “If you do not like the names then perhaps you should stop acting like a brute.”

            His eyes narrowed in annoyance, and Dax left the tent, leaving Tess alone. She should have been happy he left her be, but she couldn’t fight the sense of loss she felt. She spent the rest of the evening alone, wrapped in the furs trying to ward off the chill in her bones. She was having trouble falling asleep; she was so cold. It must have been very late when she heard Dax come in. He had been gone for hours, and she could smell the ale on him as he lowered himself onto the furs next to her.

            She tried to ignore him and pretended to sleep, but she could not stop from shivering. Then she felt Dax roll over and wrap himself around her before dozing off, his body keeping her warm. The heat he generated soothed Tess, and soon she dozed off.    

***

            Tess’ legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him deeper. He was a creature of passion and lust, a temptation of divine proportions; it was imposable to resist his animalistic magnetism. She wished things could have been different. That she could be with Dax under different circumstances. If only he had not been a barbarian, if she were not a thrall, if he had been an English gentleman, things would have been perfect.

            Tess held tight to Dax. Her arms are hugging his solid torso. Her fingers are digging into his muscular shoulders. The sensation building within her until she overflowed with pleasure. Dax is panting heavily against her ear as his pace quickened. His body is shaking while he spilled into her.

            Tess’ eyes flew open adjusting to the darkness of the tent. Dax’s arms were still draped around her. It had been a dream, oh god what a dream. It disturbed her so. Why could she not stop thinking of being with him, now he was haunting her dreams? Tess rolled over in his arms and watched him sleeping. He was a sound sleeper; he hadn’t even felt her move.                                                                              The moonlight filtered in through the flap in the roof of the tent bathing Dax in soft light, shadows dancing over his handsome face. He had chiselled features, hard with straight lines and rugged beauty. She wanted to touch him, but she didn’t want to wake him. He seemed so peaceful sleeping next to her. So trusting and gentle.

            He sighed and rolled onto his back, moving away from her, his eyes still closed. His hand draped over his chest as he slumbered. He had stripped down to his breeches when he came to bed. His bronzed skin exposed to the chill, but it didn’t seem to bother him. It baffled her that he wasn’t cold.

            Tess laid back down, pulling the cloak up around her shoulders. She tried to go back to sleep, but she felt uncomfortable. Biting her bottom lip with indecision Tess slowly inched closer to Dax, hugging his powerful arm and staying close. In this place, it felt safer to have him close. Erotic images flashed in Tess’ mind, and her eyes opened once more. Sleep was not going to come easy tonight.