Hello readers. I'm continuing the serialisation of Her Protector. Here's chapter 2. It is unedited.
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Peter Mensah in Spartacus is the inspiration for Jide |
Oma stood with her back against
the smooth cool wall of the private chamber. The rest of the palace guards
shared quarters. However due to his rank and stature as head of palace
security, Jide had his own lodgings.
Self-consciously, she rubbed her
arm where he had been holding her previously. Her skin still tingled from his
touch. His heat.
“Sit down,” Jide said, waving his
hand across the space.
He stood in the middle of the
large room. With his back to her, slowly he loosened the leather belt that held
his scabbard and whip.
Mesmerized, she observed the
contours of his expansive back, the ridges of scars and the markings that
identified him as a warrior. Instead of being afraid of the mystical runes that
were supposed to protect him against enemies, she wanted to trace the symbols
and welts with her fingertips.
Gently, carefully, he folded the
strap and placed it on the wooden trunk at the foot of the bed. His movements
were sensuous and practiced.
She pictured his callused hand
moving fluidly across her skin. The ramming of her heart increased. Her breath
hitched softly.
Unhurried, he turned his head,
his dark brow raised mockingly.
She stiffened her stance in
annoyance at being arrested by his watchful gaze while staring at him. It
seemed she was no champion at discrete observations.
And she was expected to be a spy.
Her body ached with tension and
rigidity. Yet she remained standing. She stared balefully at the raised bamboo
platform covered with a raffia mat. It stood against the far wall. At the other
corner of the room stood a wooden bench and a table. She ignored those too. Her
chest rose and fell as she fought to control her temper by breathing evenly.
“What am I doing here?” she
asked.
“I told you already.”
With a relaxed demeanor, he walked
to the bed and sat on it. The wood creaked beneath the strain of his bulk.
She glanced around the room. It
was neater than any male accommodation she’d been into. The prince’s quarters
were always neat because servants ensured it. Jide had no servants or wife, to
her understanding.
The wicker lamp on the table lit
the chamber. The ox-blood colored walls were bare. Except for a mantelpiece
that had an assortment of weaponry laid out on it.
There were different sizes of
machetes and knives, some in their scabbards. In the lamplight the unsheathed
weapons gleamed and showed evidence of polish and care. There were no visible
blemishes.
She couldn’t help think that Jide
was a meticulously tidy warrior. His chamber showed evidence of care. It was
organized with no stray items of the floor. Everything seemed to have its
place.
It added to her curiosity about
this man.
So many things about him
flummoxed her. She had thought he would strap her on the wooden palisade in the
courtyard and whip her with the cattle whip he had on a loop hanging on his
belt for her offenses. It was the punishment for a spy.
Instead he had dragged her to his
quarters. What does he have planned for me instead?
She glared at him and noticed his
intense heated gaze. Her body flushed with heat and she turned away, biting her
cheek.
Does he intend to keep me in
his room?
Surprisingly, the slow ache
returned to her belly with the worrying thought. She bit her cheek harder,
letting the sting give her strength.
She took a deep breath to quell
her rising panic. As much as she dreaded the lash of the whip, there was far
greater danger with her being alone in this man’s chamber. Brutal and
frightening, he could easily overwhelm her with his strength.
“Am I now your captive?” she
asked to distract him while her gaze roamed the sill searching for a weapon she
could utilize to defend herself.
She would kill him first rather
than have him forcibly take her.
“Until I know your intention for
being in the heir’s private quarters, yes,” he replied, his tone matter of
fact.
“You cannot keep me captive.” She
moved closer to the wall with the weapons, one foot shuffle at a time.
“You will find that I can and
will. Or would you rather I bind you to the picket outside like a common thief
and whip the truth out of you.”
She turned her head sharply and
raised her gaze to meet his.
His expression cooled, his lips
pursed in a tight line.
Cold sweat broke on her forehead
as her skin crawled with nervousness and fear. She had witnessed the effects of
the whip on grown men. Seen them break down and cry for mercy as their skins
flayed, blood and liquid oozing from the welts.
“Y—you wouldn’t,” she said
bravely.
Inside she fought to control her
stomach from churning and her feet from taking flight.
“Wouldn’t I? One thing the king
detests is spies. I have the authority to mete out instant punishment to
offenders.”
He stood and stalked toward her,
a tiger prowling.
Instinct told her to pushed back
and cower before him. To plead for mercy. She needed to survive so she could
take care of her sibling.
Yet the thought of falling on her
knees for another man who would take advantage had her bristling with anger. Despite
her rising trepidation, she stood tall and met his stare without flinching. She
kept her hands by her sides, rubbing her clammy palms against her skirt.
He stopped within reach of her
but didn’t touch her. Instead, he crossed his arms across his chest. The
flickering low lamp cast his features into shadows. She couldn’t read his
expression.
“So if you have no wish for the
whip tonight, you will stop your insubordination immediately and do as I tell
you.”
His command grated on her nerves.
She bit her tongue, quelling her sharp retort. She had no wish to have her skin
flayed, or to be displayed publicly as a spy.
Flashing him her most disdainful
glare, she asked, “What would you have me do?”
He might have her at his mercy
but she didn’t have to make it easy for him.
“Get on the bed.”
Her eyes widened with shock. He
isn’t really going to…
Panicked, she lunged at one of
the knives on the shelf, grabbing it quickly, unsheathing it and pointing it
toward Jide.
He made no move toward her. He appeared
unperturbed though she had a weapon pointing at his bare chest.
“What are you doing? Put the
dagger back on the mantelpiece,” he spoke so calmly, a chill passed through her
body.
“I will kill you before you turn
me into your whore,” she replied angrily.
“Do not delude yourself to think
you could hurt me with that. You are more likely to hurt yourself.”
Realizing he spoke the truth, she
shook her head. She wasn’t a trained killer and he was. This was why he stood with
confidence and remained undaunted by the weapon in her hand. There was no way
she could attack him without him stopping her.
So she turned the sharp point of
the knife toward her belly.
Then he moved. His hands unfolded
and straightened down his sides clenched into fists. Worry lines appeared on
his forehead and furrowed his face.
“Oma, put that dagger down now.”
She shook her head. “I would
rather kill myself than have you defile me.”
In a flash of lightning, he
grabbed her hands and applied deft pressure to her wrists. She cried out in
pain and dropped the knife. She’d never seen anyone move so fast.
He picked her up and tossed her
on the bed. His body covered hers as he knelt above her. He didn’t release his
grip on her arms. He was so close; the heat from his skin warmed her body. The
scent of his skin wrapped her in spice. She swallowed hard.
“Don’t ever do that again!”
His expression was thunderous—an
odd mix of rage and torment.
Stunned, she didn’t say anything.
Her mind wandered. Why should he be so disturbed because I threatened to
stab myself? Why should he care if I die? There is only one person who will
miss my absence. And it isn’t the man looming dangerously above me.
“Did you hear a word I said?”
The vice of his grip tightened,
sharp pain shooting through her arm.
She winced. “Yes, I’ll not do it
again.” she said hoarsely, her throat clogged with a lump of tear. She’d never
had anyone worry about her well-being like that before.
His clasp on her arms loosened.
He sat back on his hind legs.
“I have never forced a woman to
my bed. I’ll not start with you.”
He released her arms and got off
the pallet.
“And in case you hadn’t noticed,
you’re not the only maiden in Umunri. Moreover, I have no desire for spies and
liars.” He pursed his lips in contempt.
Somehow his rejection and scorn stung.
Hurt. More than any lash of the whip he could have taken to her skin.
It hurt because his words were
true. She was a liar and a spy. A dirty shameful stain on Umunri. And she hated
herself for doing it.
It hurt because for a moment when
he’d kissed her earlier, she’d thought that he was the one. Her life mate. Now
it would never be.
Her heart sank into her stomach.
More tears stung her eyes. She turned her head away to the side so he couldn’t
see the tears.
“Do not move from this bed
tonight. Sleep. Perhaps in the morning you will see the wisdom of telling the
truth.”
She heard receding footsteps and
then nothing. She turned and looked around.
Jide was no longer in the
chamber.
He’d truly meant to leave her
alone. Her sadness deepened, digging its claw into her flesh. At that moment
there was a flash of lightning and thunder. The sound of heavy rain drops on
the thatch roof resounded in the room. The air chilled.
Without her sleeping wrapper to use
for cover, Oma pulled her knees closer to her chest to keep warm. After a short
while the sound of the rain lulled her to a fitful sleep.
Copyright Kiru Taye 2012
Jide is one hunk of alpha male Kiru. There's so much emotion, atmosphere, action and suspense here. Wonderful! D.
ReplyDeleteLOL. We like alpha males around here. Thank you, Denise. More coming soon.
ReplyDeleteYou got my attention from the first chapter. I love the chemistry between these two. You bet I'm going to read on to find out why and for whom Oma is spying. Love it!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've fallen in love with Oma and Jide too.
DeleteI was supposed to write a 5000 words or less short story but at the last count this is over 8000 words.
Yessss Kiru, yes!
ReplyDeleteAlpha males; gotta love em. I want Jide for myself, lol. I love the brooding but fierce types. Everything is always so intense w them.
LOL. Geri, you might have to fight Oma for Jide. She's got her sights set on him and she's can be fierce too. :)
DeleteYES! YES! KIRU!! PUURRRRRRRRRRRRR
ReplyDeleteLOL. Thank you! :)
DeleteLove it! Love it!! Jide is just d man 4 me and i will keep my eyes open 4 more of his exploits with Oma.
ReplyDeleteThank you, prettypat. :)
DeleteIf there is anything I enjoy about this work it is the picture created. This is indeed a well-told story. Do you intend to continue the story?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joshua. To answer your question, chapter 3 is up. :)
Delete