Part 3 (1/2)

”How long have you lived here?” He asked between mouthfuls.

”A while,” she answered evasively. She was still wary of the man, and still tired from the days that she had spent nursing him.

”You cook well. You have put something into the meat,” he observed.

Aura shrugged a shoulder and changed the subject. ”You have removed the bandages from your arm. Why?”

”It got in the way. Besides the arm will heal quicker. Who taught you to set bones?”

”n.o.body,” Aura admitted then shrugged the matter off. ”Generally I believe common sense comes into it a lot.”

”So the people who know how to do it properly have told me. What is your name?” He asked, but received no answer.

The man a.s.sessed the woman before him. Somehow he knew she did not fit in the lifestyle she was living. Her accent was wrong. She had the manners and bearing of a lady, and who knew what else she hid behind that mask that she wore. He had to admit, she was rather attractive, and there was something about her that his instincts told him, was familiar. Something that he should recognize, and he frowned at the thoughts going through his mind. She wasn't the only fair maiden he had ever been attracted to, and he already had too many women throwing themselves at him.

After a while of watching her he wished that she would say something, anything to dispel the air of mystery that seemed to cloak her. It was not to be. She remained quiet, choosing to shroud herself in obscurity. For the first time in his life he had the feeling that he was with a woman he could trust. He was having a hard time justifying the feeling with his mind and he was surprised he was even trying. After all, she was just another woman.

Aura was less bold about her examination of the man, as she sat across the boulder from him. He asked her name, she had no intention of telling him. Something instinctive told her it would be a mistake. She didn't want to know him. She would help him and he would go, they would never meet again, that was for the best. They would never be more than memories with no names, no labels. It would be easier to forget that they had ever met, easier to pretend that the attraction she felt to this stranger had been no more than a fanciful dream.

She snuck little glances at him from under her eyelashes. He felt huge to her and he made her feel inadequate. That was something that should have irritated her, but failed to. Instead she felt drawn to him in ways that made her feel warm all over. She was very uncomfortable with the sensation. She accepted the fact that she knew nothing about men. She knew that without her back up team, Roger and Wolf, she would have been terrified of him.

She licked her dry lips to wet them as she considered the man before her. His hair hung past his shoulders in an unruly riot of waves and curls, which she thought would look better with another wash. She noted her own odor and decided she could use a proper bath as well. Despite that thought she wrinkled her nose in distaste at the smell of him. She finished her meal, got up, wiped her fingers and mouth on a makes.h.i.+ft napkin, and approached the man.

”If you have finished eating I will tend to your wounds now.”

He nodded as he scowled up at her, and reluctantly removed his tunic. She bit at her lip as she examined his cuts, his muscles twitched as her fingers seemed to play over the surface of his skin with a feathery touch. The role she played as doctor gave her a more secure feeling. It tended to distance her mind from her body's reactions to his presence.

The man was not so removed from his feelings. He felt his blood heat, and his hands itched to touch her. After being celibate for so long he was surprised that his more basic instincts had chosen this time to surface. But then again, why not, she seemed a likely candidate for his attentions. A smile spread across his face as an unlikely thought crossed his mind. Perhaps she even wanted his attentions. He had to know.

”You afraid to touch me, or do you wish to invite me closer?” He half growled, half taunted. He was unsure of what type of reaction he wanted from her. His mind and body were battling it out and he fought a growing sensation of l.u.s.t that burned hot through his veins and made him grow hard. No woman had ever made him feel this way before and he sought to suppress it by sheer will.

The question took Aura by surprise, and she felt a searing surge of anger at the implication. She tossed him a clipped laugh and snapped off a snarky reply. ”You are not that irresistible mister. If you are looking for a good time, go find yourself a red light zone. In the meantime, you seem to be healing well. In another couple of days we will take the st.i.tches out and you can go home.”

”I cannot wait that long, I should have left already.” Came his reply.

”That might be so,” Aura shrugged an indifferent shoulder as she answered him. ”But your injuries are not ready, so make the best of it. This might also be the perfect opportunity for you to take a bath. I will even supply the soap if you do. I made it myself and it really is quite good.”

”A bath?” The man asked as if he had never heard the word before.

Aura gave a groan of exasperation and rolled her eyes upwards as she snipped. ”Do not tell me, you have never heard of a bath or a bar of soap before. No wonder you could be smelled from a dozen paces when I found you.”

The man looked at her in disbelief as she spoke. He could not believe she was speaking to him in such a manner. Had she no respect for him? No idea who or what he was? She wanted him to bathe? Here? She could not be serious. What was he to bathe in? She had nothing large enough to hold the amount of water it would take him to have a proper bath. Or did she?

He frowned as he watched her, deep in thought. Perhaps it would not be so bad, especially if she joined him. She was rather attractive, if somewhat plainly presented. It was a thought that made him watch her even closer in his continued speculation before deciding that she probably was not his type. There was something about her that told him that she would be the kind to be very uncooperative.

Aura noted his frown and sighed in misunderstanding. Did that mean that they did not bathe here? She was not going to let that stop her from getting clean. The water in the pond outside of the cave was beginning to get very cold with the coming of winter, but it still would serve for more baths for a while. Believing in a definite order to things Aura decided to straighten up the cave first, then she brought in some wood, this time with the man's help. He was feeling stiff, sore and weak, but he was dammed if he was going to let a mere slip of a maid see to him like some mewling babe. When she was finished with the wood she bundled up the moss that had served as their mattress and, much to his surprise, she burned it. As the fire reduced the ma.s.s to cinders she spread some fresh moss, picked up a bar of soap and a large towel. She then turned to the man to give a few last minute instructions as he fed the fire.

”I am going to the pond, you are to rest. You look as if you could use it. I will return to make you some dinner.” Then she left.

To say that he was bewildered would have been putting it lightly, as once more he felt that she had no respect for him. He could not see how. She gave no exceptions for his status. Had she lived alone so long that she did not recognize him for what he was? Then again, perhaps she did not even care. It was a matter that he was determined to bring up with her later. In the meantime; he admitted, she had been right about how he felt, he was very tired. Then again, maybe not as tired as he thought, he considered while his eyes followed the hypnotic sway of her hips as she walked away from him.

Perhaps she had been right before, he smiled to himself. Perhaps a bath was just what he needed. It would make him feel much more refreshed, and he had to admit he did feel dirtier than usual. His smile widened as he picked up another bar of soap, as she had done, and a towel, before following her to the outside pool.

By the time he reached the edge of the water Aura had already finished was.h.i.+ng. She had soaped down her hair to clean it, and when she heard his approach, she dove into the depths of the pond, to swim under the surface to the deeper most center part of the basin. Her head broke the water as she floated for a few moments, and she watched as he pulled off his s.h.i.+rt, and tossed her a smile. She slipped back under the water, like a seal headed for safer waters.

The man gritted his teeth against the cold of the water as he entered the water. How could she seem so nonchalant about the temperature, it was freezing! He looked about for her as he reached chest deep in the pool, following the direction she had taken earlier, and frowned as he saw her wrapped in her towel. She had her clothing in her arms and was heading for the entrance of the cave.

Oh well, he sighed. He was wet anyway, so he might as well take advantage of the opportunity. He had to admit that he had felt very disappointed to see her leave. He chided himself as he accepted her decision. What had he expected anyway? She was obviously still a maiden, though she was old enough to have had a few children by now. He wondered why she had remained alone. He pushed the thought aside as he tended to his own needs. It was past time he quit daydreaming about someone who obviously wanted nothing to do with him in an intimate way.

By the time the man returned to the cave Aura was dressed and was sitting by the fire, combing her hair out as it dried. She glanced at him as she wondered how much he had seen, and blushed. He stood near the entrance then, slowly walked to the side of the fire to warm his body as he continued his perusal. She looked different with her hair loose and hanging down, and he stared at her as if he was mesmerized.

d.a.m.n but she was beautiful, he thought. Why did she hide it? Half the women he knew at court would kill to look half as well as she did. He felt a heat rising within his body as he continued to watch her, and without realizing it, he was striding swiftly around the fire.

Aura had watched him warily as he had entered the cave. He looked as if he was feeling better and completely refreshed, the bath had done him a lot of good in that respect. It had also loaned him an air of danger, giving her the impression that she was trapped, which was ridiculous as she was very well protected with Roger and Wolf as allies. She watched how he looked at her and she felt, and saw his change of mood, which was reflected in his eyes. He could rape her in his present state of mind. She was not about to let that happen. She sprinted to the other side of the fire as he stalked her and called to her wolf for help.

Wolf, hearing his mistress scream his name in panic, ran to her side. He could sense her fear and determined it was the man who was to blame for it. He gave a deep throaty growl of warning at him and bared his teeth at the perceived danger.

The man's attention immediately s.h.i.+fted from the woman to the wolf. Under the circ.u.mstances the wolf was not an adversary that the man was prepared to face at the moment. He was neither dressed, armed, or in any condition for a confrontation. At another time he might have considered it, but not in the shape his body was in, even if the woman looked as if she might be worth it. He backed off and she retreated into a different corner of the cave, where she finished combing her hair then braided it in her usual style. He frowned his disapproval, as he watched her.

When Aura felt safe again, she came out of her corner to make a stew, which they shared in silence. She, however, continued to watch him. There was no trust left between them. He had tried to force himself on her. She was afraid to have him nearby. What if he came after her again? Wolf might not be close enough to save her the next time. Her mind filtered though all the possibilities. The bottom line, however, was that she thought he wasn't strong enough to travel on his own. It was a problem she would have to do some serious thinking about. So when they finished eating she cleaned up, and spent the rest of her day divided between Wolf and Roger as she decided what she was going to do.

The man could only stare and wonder at her manner as she played with her pets. She was, he was sure, trying to ignore him and keep him at a distance. She was different than any woman he had known. He wondered what it was that made her seem so special. He knew that tonight he would sleep alone and he sighed in regret. She had been nice to wake up to, with her curled up next to him, even if he knew she had done it to keep him warm in the night, while she had sought to break his fever. She had smelled so fresh and clean, and the scent in her hair had reminded him of a field of fragrant wild flowers. He would miss her by his side, strange to think he could grow to need her so quickly. He had never felt so dependent on another human being before.

He felt his body respond to the memories of her lying close to him, and frowned at the emptiness her distance and silence made him feel. He had, along with other things, found that he rather liked her voice, it was syrupy, yet clear, and he was sure he had never heard anyone with that particular accent before. To try to fill the void within himself, he spoke, in an attempt to draw her out again.

”I should leave in the morning. I have pressing matters to attend to.” It was time, although he sought more of a reaction to his announcement than a desire to leave. He knew his men would be looking for him, but as far as he was concerned at the moment, he did not care if they ever found him. Not as long as he was with this woman.

Aura was surprised by the man's sudden decision. He watched her mull over his announcement then, to his disappointment, shrugged the matter off.

Perhaps it was for the best, she decided. She was beginning to get used to the company, and that could only bring her future pain. It was also obvious that his intentions were less than honorable. He had showed her that he was not to be trusted. He had attacked her once, and in her opinion he might again. The next time she might not get away from him so lightly. Yet there was something about him that drew her in a manner she found frightening. She avoided looking at him, as with little imagination she could see herself nestled against his great muscled form. His mere presence set her body tingling and his gaze on her made her feel breathless and weak. It was not something she wanted him to see or know, for she felt he would be quick to exploit her feelings.

In a medical sense she knew he was not quite ready to leave, yet, if he insisted, she would let him go. He would need to be warned about the dangers. He could rip open his sutures and cause himself even greater problems than he already had. There was also the possibility that the three men who had attacked him were still waiting somewhere for him, though that was highly unlikely. If they had thought that he had lived they would have finished him off as he lay on the ground before them. With this in mind Aura decided to just warn him of the medical dangers. He would be familiar with the dangers of the outside world he was about to face. This was his time, his home, after all.

”Your worst wounds are not healed sufficiently to travel and could become septic if not cared for as they should be. The st.i.tches are definitely not ready to come out. If we try to remove them now the wounds could reopen and you would be in no better shape than when I found you. On your own you would not stand a chance against the same fevers you have already lived through.”

He took note of her objections to his leaving and gave her a bright, hopeful smile, as he asked. ”You want me to stay?” Perhaps he had misread her and she desired him as he did her. If that was the case he was ready if she was.

Afraid he might misinterpret an affirmative answer, she replied. ”It might not be necessary. I can show you how to remove the st.i.tches tomorrow then you would be free to go as you please.”

He nodded in reply, feeling a deep-seated disappointment he found impossible to justify. She wanted him gone. The thought of her rejection made him feel lonely. Why did her acceptance mean so much to him? Especially when he knew that if she were any other woman than whom she was she would be laying under him right now, enjoying his attentions to the fullest. He squirmed at the discomfort this thought caused him and tossed her a dark look. Why was she so different? Why did he find it impossible to take her out of pure l.u.s.t? Had his self enforced celibacy done this to him? He had to admit he had been without a woman for a long time. Then again he had never believed that rape was acceptable. Seduction was another matter, but first he needed to know if the woman was even in the least interested. She was sending no messages to him to make him believe his desires were returned. That made him feel guilty about the way he was thinking about her.

He turned from her in self-disgust and threw himself onto his bed, wincing as he hit the hard ground. He would think about these feelings another day.

Early the next morning he woke to the sound of something moving in the cave and he reached for his sword. He had learned in the past to never sleep without a weapon close at hand in case he needed one. The grating sound the steel made against the stone of the cave floor woke Aura and she jumped in reaction. Sitting up she looked to see what was the matter. She was just in time to see Roger rear over the man. She watched how the man swung his sword at the snake in a reflex action, cutting the head from the body.

A split second later Roger coiled and thrashed about in his death throws. The man moved to escape the path of the flailing body of the snake while Aura threw all regards to safety to the wind and ran towards her dying pet. As she brushed past the man she felt an arm wind itself about her waist and she was slammed backwards against his solid body.

”Do you want to die?” He growled out at her, to shock her back into using her sense.

She just turned on him and hit at his chest with clenched fists. He stood stationary and let her pommel him. She was not as strong as he had thought. In fact, she was not very strong at all. She quit, her body shaking with the effort she seemed to be making to control her grief, and he felt sorry for her. He raised his free hand to stroke the hair on the back of her head until she calmed and seemed to regain her composure.