even fully rested, much less completely
exhausted. Rest was something he himself needed if he was to go into battle
again in a few hours. Verdun would be left in charge of seeing to her needs but
he would also leave a shadow scout to watch her movements covertly. She’d made
it more than clear she didn’t want to be here, but if she tried to leave…well.
He’d warned her.
Chapter Five
Gwen felt as if she was swimming through layers of sludge,
trying to get her eyes open. She heard the sound of clinking metal, the subdued
voices of men and the soft grunts of her daughter stirring for a feeding. But
it was so hard to wake. Her body still cried out for rest and the heavenly
warmth under the covers was almost impossible to leave. But Evelyn’s grunts
became increasingly irate, culminating in a short little cry, which propelled
Gwen to full wakefulness in a heartbeat.
She sprang up in bed with a moan, rubbing sleep out of her
eyes and pushing her hair off her face. Slowly everything came into focus as
she gently lifted Evie out of the cradle for a quick soothing cuddle before
looking around for their duffel bag so she could change Evie’s diaper before
she ate. But their bag was no longer where she had dropped it by the table.
What she saw instead was a perfectly groomed Helion, once again in his armor,
eating a meal with four other Keepers, conversing in a strange-sounding
language. It was beautiful, lyrical and totally foreign.
Now the blood had been washed from Helion’s hair, it had an
incandescent glow to it in the morning light streaming into the tent. Such
glorious hair, falling thick and straight down his back. It really should have
been feminine but it was entirely masculine on him. God, she’d never seen such
a hot man in her whole life. Sex on legs. So focused was she on Helion’s hair
Gwen didn’t notice all the Keepers had gone quiet and were staring at her.
“Good morning, my lady,” Helion called out, his face
impassive.
None of the previous night’s flirtatiousness echoed this
morning, if it had occurred at all. Gwen told herself she was grateful not to
have his attention in that way but knew she was lying to herself. The previous
night seemed like a dream to her. Seeing his naked body from behind,
remembering with embarrassment how she’d contemplated feeling him up…and more.
Gwen thought back and had to wonder whether her captor’s statements had really
been as heavily laden with innuendo as she imagined. Had he really been
tempting her to look at him, to touch him?
Regardless, the bed she’d been given was like a cloud, the
blankets soft and warm, the pillows plush. Her poor, tired body had sunk into
it with a sigh of pure pleasure and a moan of delight. Once she’d been assured
that Evie was slumbering deeply, so warm, safe, and content, Gwen had leaned
back into the pillows and given herself up to sleep, a pair of cold green eyes
lingering in her mind as she succumbed.
“Would you care to break your fast?”
Gwen hesitated, not wanting to be rude but one hundred
percent not willing to sit with five intimidating males while she wore only
thin pajamas and had sleep-mussed hair.
“Thank you, but I need to change Evelyn and feed her before
I have breakfast,” she replied, jerking her gaze from Helion’s with effort to
once again try to locate the bag with their supplies. “Do you know where my bag
is, Commander?”
Helion gestured to Verdun, who pulled her duffel out of one
of the intricately carved wooden chests against the far wall of the tent. He
brought it to Gwen quickly, releasing it with a small bow. She changed her girl
efficiently, trying to ignore how closely Verdun seemed to be observing the
act. As were the other Keepers. One would think they’d never seen a baby’s
diaper being changed before. Then again, maybe they hadn’t. Who knew what
differences there might be in Keeper society?
“My lady, that garment you just removed from the young lady,
will you be
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