To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2) Read online

  “He gave me his blessing to marry you.”

  Relief washed over him, and he bent his head to kiss her sweet lips. They still tasted of honey and apricots, which only heightened his desire to make love to her again.

  “And he called me daughter.”

  “No surprise there.” He grinned. “I could see he felt bonded with you from the moment we brought you here.”

  “We have to take care of him in his old age, Yavi. I’m claiming him as father. I want to visit him here often.”

  “Done. Agreed.” He caressed her rounded cheek, then kissed her lips again.

  “I didn’t ask him about the bride oil, though. Did you?”

  “Yes. He said he could send a monk to purchase it in Parvata as a wedding gift to us.”

  She stretched up to hug his neck, pressing herself against him. He encircled her waist with his arms, pulling her up higher to taste her lips more fully, caressing her back.

  “Ahem.” Yajna’s voice came from behind them.

  Yavi set her down and took her hand, turning to face his pest of a brother. “Can’t you see you’re interrupting?”

  Jiandra came up behind Yajna and hit his arm. “Yes, husband. Stop annoying your brother.”

  Yajna slid his arm around his wife’s shoulders and addressed Yavi. “Do you mind telling us what you are doing out here making love to my sister-in-law after having a secret meeting with Master Volkan?”

  Yavi glanced down at Graciella’s face, then at Jiandra. “I’ve asked him to perform the rites for me to marry Graciella tonight. I hope you agree, Jiandra.”

  She smiled broadly. “If that is my sister’s wish, then of course I agree.”

  Graciella squeezed his arm. “It is definitely my wish, sister, and you know it.”

  Yavi hugged Graciella in to his side, kissing her temple.

  “Congratulations, brother.” Yajna extended a hand to him.

  Yavi grasped his brother’s wrist, and Yajna returned the gesture.

  Jiandra hugged Graciella. “I love you, sweetie.”

  “I love you too.”

  Jiandra released her and grasped Yavi’s hand. “I am happy for you, Yavi.”

  Yavi brought her hands to his lips briefly. “Thank you, my sister.”

  “Treat my sister well.”

  “That will always be my first priority.” Yavi smiled and placed an arm around Graciella’s shoulders. His sweet bride smiled up at him, melting his heart. He stared at her luminous eyes for a moment before looking at Yajna and Jiandra. “The wedding is at eight o’clock this evening, and you are both invited.”

  “You’ll be our only guests, besides Rafe,” Graciella added. “I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I want him to be there too, if he is able.”

  “Let’s inquire if we may see Rafe this afternoon,” Jiandra suggested. “We’ll invite him then.”

  Yavi kissed Graciella, unable to resist her ripe pink lips any longer. “It looks like we’re all set, my love,” he said to her softly. “I am eager to become your husband.”

  She reached up to grasp his neck and pull him down for another kiss, then whispered in his ear, her lips brushing the rim of it. “I’m eager to get that oil.”

  His cock sprang to life, and he swallowed. “Excuse us, please,” he said to Yajna and Jiandra. “We need to go make preparations.”

  He didn’t miss Yajna’s raised eyebrow as he led his beauty away. And he didn’t care one whit, either.

  §

  Graciella giggled as Yavi opened the door to their room and scooped her up to carry her quickly inside, then closed and locked it behind him. He strode with her toward the rumpled bed.

  “I’m practicing carrying you to bed for later tonight,” he said, silver eyes twinkling mischievously.

  “Yes, you need lots of practice.”

  He growled and nuzzled her neck before laying her on top of the blankets, then sat on the mattress beside her. He tried to roll closer, then muttered an oath, reaching down to adjust the skirt flaps of the robe. “Confounded garment. How do the monks live with these robes tangled around their legs all the time?”

  She laughed. “I think they probably don’t get in bed with a woman while wearing them.”

  “Good point.” He leaned over her, bracing his forearms on either side of her face.

  She grinned up at his handsome face and reached up to stroke his cheek. He dipped his head to kiss her lips, sweeping his tongue over and between them. Graciella reveled in the feel of his firm, sexy lips, hugging his neck.

  He broke off the kiss to nuzzle her neck again, tugging at the tie at her waist.

  “Yavi, I should admit that Volkan told me to rest today. He said we’d be going to battle tomorrow.”

  “I will be going to battle tomorrow. You’re staying here.”

  She frowned. “I want to go with you, help you.”

  “The best help you can give me is to stay safe and protected here at the monastery.”

  “What if Uman’s people find me here? You said you’d never let me out of your sight again.”

  He fell silent.

  “And what if you get killed and I never see you again? I’ll wish I had every last moment I could with you.”

  “Don’t talk like that,” he ordered softly, his voice rough. He caressed her cheek. “Tejeshwar willing, I will come back to you, victorious.”

  Tears stung her eyes as she stared up at his face.

  “Be strong for me, Graciella,” he urged. “Seeing you suffer is torture for me.”

  She nodded mutely.

  “Sweet, precious one.” He kissed her lips. “I love you so much.”

  “Then take me with you.”

  “Let’s talk about it in the morning. Today is for rest, for joy. For love.”

  “Okay.”

  He patted her midriff, leaving her robe tied. “Perhaps I’d better let you nap.”

  “Stay and nap with me. Don’t leave.”

  “All right.” He settled his head onto the pillow, facing her, and wrapped a powerful arm around her waist. “We’ll see if I can sleep with this stiff cock under my skirt.”

  Graciella felt a surge of arousal at that image. She grinned and turned toward him. “Is it stiff? Can I see?”

  “You really do want to torture me, don’t you?” he complained, grimacing.

  She felt along his hip, searching for the opening of the robe. Finding it, she slipped her hand inside the flap and burrowed through the fabric until she encountered his hard thigh muscle. He tensed and reached down to grasp her hand. She thought he was going to drag her hand away from its objective, but instead, he guided her to it.

  “Mmm,” he groaned as she encircled his shaft with her fingers. He leaned forward to kiss her jaw, untying his belt and spreading his robe apart to give her more access. Graciella stared at the hard ripples and muscular planes of his chest and abdomen, at the bulging sinews of his thighs. He covered her hand with his, making her stroke him up and down. She eagerly followed his lead, loving the sight and the feel of his masculine arousal. She found moisture seeping from his flaring tip and used it to make her palms glide over his skin more smoothly. She pushed her hands down to the base, gripping him there before sliding back up. She kissed his lips, sucking the lower one into her mouth while stroking him a little harder.

  He shuddered and pushed his pelvis into her hands, eyes squeezed shut. “Graciella,” he choked. “You do that so well.”

  She smiled and pressed another kiss to his lips as she stroked him, enjoying his body’s reactions. She moved back to gaze at him again, at the hard lines and planes of his muscular chest, abdomen, and pelvis, the taut muscles arrowing down to his hard, swollen cock. Her own body was responding in kind, tingling and moist. She desperately wanted to feel him inside her.

  He pressed his head back into the pillow, eyes shut and body tense as she continued to stroke him up and down. Soon he reached over the side of the bed to grab a towel they’d left there from last night, ho
lding it near his hip.

  “Keep going, Sheir-zin,” he begged huskily.

  She did, and just as a stream shot forth from him, he covered himself and her hands with the towel. Seeing and feeling the warm liquid aroused her even more, so when he finished cleaning himself and her hands and reached for the ties on her robe, she raised no protest at all.

  “I know I should let you rest.” He tore at the ties, spread her robe open, and stared down at her body. “But how am I supposed to lie still and sleep next to this?”

  “Yavi, please.” She tugged his arm toward her waist. “Do something.”

  He grinned, positioning himself on his knees between her legs. “Oh, I’ll do something.” He hovered above her and dipped his head to taste her breasts. Her nipples were sensitive from that morning’s lovemaking, and they strained as tight as little pebbles as he licked and sucked at them. Eventually he trailed kisses lower, over her belly, and still lower, to kiss her and make love to her with his mouth like he’d done that morning. She writhed and moaned beneath him, disbelieving that he could give her so much pleasure, climaxing quickly as he ravished her with his lips and tongue.

  “That was too fast,” he chided. “You have to hold back, let me build it higher and stronger before you let go.”

  Graciella’s heart was pounding, and she was panting a little. “Honestly, I don’t think I could handle it much stronger than that.”

  “Yes, you can,” he chuckled, nuzzling her neck. “I promise you that you can. I want you to enter another realm completely when I take you to climax.”

  She thought about that. “Okay. This morning I entered that realm, I think.”

  “Yes. It was breathtaking to watch.”

  She giggled self-consciously. “You really just want to…watch me, enjoying this?”

  He stared at her lips, traced the line of her chin with his fingers. “Yes. Is that so hard to believe?”

  “Well, sort of. I thought men were more or less in it to satisfy their own needs, in general.”

  “My need is to know that I have thoroughly pleasured you.”

  Her mouth went a little dry as she stared up at his sexy face. “Oh.”

  He grinned at her mischievously. “Hold back this time.”

  “What?”

  He moved back down to kiss her belly.

  “Yavi! You should rest.”

  He licked her sensitive spot, then covered it with his warm mouth, sucking gently. She squealed, arching under him. “How am I supposed to—oh, Gods.”

  Soon she entered that world of pure ecstasy, of loss of contact with anything in the world other than his touch, his presence, his heart.

  He seemed satisfied, and then, finally, they napped.

  §

  Uman stood at the front of the sanctuary and surveyed his hideous, glorious army. Their ranks had grown to 250 Vyrkune, more than enough undefeatable, flesh-hungry beasts to rip Darpan to shreds. His mother’s runes had revealed that the Zulfikars had not returned to Darpan, but had gone into hiding like the cowards they were. It was the perfect time to take the city and the palace.

  “My brothers!” Uman cried, raising his arms. “There will be plenty of fresh meat tonight!”

  They cheered, their hoarse growls echoing loudly off the fortress walls.

  Seventeen

  That night, Graciella stood beside Yavi facing Master Volkan in the sanctuary. Their wedding attire was monks’ robes and sandals, but she didn’t mind. Her older sister and younger brother stood to her left, and to Yavi’s right stood his twin brother. A small group of Tylvan monks encircled them, holding candles. Their warm yellow glow illuminated the ancient stone walls and flickered in Yavi’s silver eyes as he held her hands in his and gazed down at her, his expression full of love.

  Beautiful bells chimed, echoing hauntingly off the walls, summoning more monks to come and fill the sanctuary. They filed in solemnly, each of them carrying a small candle. Once they were all gathered, the sanctuary glowed brightly with blazing candlelight.

  Master Volkan raised his hands in prayer, and the room fell silent. He closed his eyes and murmured in an ancient tongue for a moment, then placed his hand first on Graciella’s shoulder, then on Yavi’s, praying for each of them.

  When he opened his eyes he asked loudly, “Why have you come, Yavi of the Zulfikars?”

  “I have come to take this woman as my wife.”

  “Why do you wish to take her as your wife?”

  Yavi looked down at her. “I love her with all my heart and soul, and I wish to be irrevocably joined with her forever.”

  “And what do you offer this young woman as her husband?”

  Yavi smiled, holding her gaze. “I offer her my heart, my soul, and my body. I offer her protection, provision, and comfort. I offer her my life itself. Forever.”

  Volkan turned to Graciella. “Do you, my daughter Graciella, accept Yavi of the Zulfikars as your husband?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Why do you desire to have him as husband, my child?”

  “I love Yavi with all my heart and soul, and I wish to be joined to him forever.”

  “What do you offer Yavi as his wife?”

  This was unrehearsed, so Graciella spoke her heart. “I offer him my love and devotion, my wisdom, laughter, companionship, and physical comfort. My loyalty and my service. Forever.”

  Volkan smiled. “Good, my daughter.” He turned back to Yavi. “Do you, Yavi, wish to claim Graciella Stovy as your wife?”

  “I do. With all my heart.”

  “By my power and authority as a priest of Tejeshwar, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your bond be secure, your love burn strong, and your home flourish and prosper all the days of your lives.”

  “May it be so.” Yavi brought her hands to his lips for a kiss.

  “Yes, may it be so,” she repeated softly, not sure what her response was supposed to be.

  Volkan raised his voice to address the assembled crowd. “I present to you our Lord Emperor, Yavi of the Zulfikars, and his Empress wife, Graciella Stovy.”

  The monks bowed their heads as Yavi swept her into his arms for a kiss. Graciella clung to his strong neck and kissed him back with all her might, hardly believing this moment had finally arrived, that her long-held dream of becoming his wife had come true.

  They were escorted ahead of the assembly of monks to a large dining hall and seated on cushions at the head table with Volkan, Jiandra, Yajna, and Rafe at their sides. Servants brought out a simple but delicious meal of lentils, flatbread, and herbed rice. A light, fruity red wine was served in modest wooden cups, and platters of fresh fruit were laid out as well, laden with apricots, apples, and figs from the monastery orchard.

  To her delight, Yavi never stopped touching her as they enjoyed the food and the wine, hugging her waist, nuzzling her ear. Toward the end of the meal, he pulled her close. “I love you, my beautiful wife,” he whispered, his warm breath prickling her skin.

  Graciella stroked his jaw. “I love you too, my handsome husband.”

  Yavi winked at her before rising from his seat, and the dining hall fell silent. He spoke in Nandalan, then translated it to Villeleian. “My family and friends, I thank you for your well-wishes on this, my wedding day, and the day of my joining to this beautiful, valiant woman at my side.”

  Graciella smiled up at him, her heart pounding.

  He held her gaze a moment before turning back to his audience. “It is time for us to take our leave for the evening. Please, enjoy the rest of your dinner. We bid you goodnight.”

  The dinner guests rose to their feet, bowing to Yavi as he led Graciella out of the dining hall. Once she and Yavi were outside in the cold air, he squeezed her in close to his side and pulled her along with him to their sleeping quarters. They hurried through the garden and into the stone building, then down the long hallway to their door. Yavi pushed it open with his foot and scooped her into his arms to carry her inside.

  He set her d
own, latched the door, and led her to the fireplace. He stoked the fire with the poker, stirring up the flames, then set the poker aside to rub her small hands between his larger ones, warming them.

  She shivered, more with anticipation than with cold. “Do you have the bride oil?”

  He looked around the room. “They said they were delivering it here this evening.” He went to retrieve a small burlap sack tied with strings from the table at the side of the bed. He opened the bag to reveal a rose-colored bottle, then pulled the cork and sniffed it. He brought it over for her to smell as well.

  She caught the scent of balsam and jasmine. “Mm.”

  He re-corked it, slipped it into the pocket of his robe, and bent his head to kiss her lips gently. “Are you tired, Sheir-zin?” he asked, caressing her back.

  “No. The soak in the hot spring pool this afternoon plus our nap gave me plenty of energy.”

  “Good, because we may not get much sleep tonight.” His silver eyes were mischievous.

  She giggled and tiptoed up to wind her arms around his neck. “Fine by me.”

  He bent his head to claim her lips in a hungry kiss, then pulled her toward the bed. He set the bottle of bride oil on the bedside table and reached down to untie the belt at her waist. Graciella stood still and allowed him to remove the robe, baring her body to his view. He lay the robe over the back of the chair, gazing at her.

  “Sundarra suauf de solil. Beauty that overwhelms my heart.” He cupped her cheek and tasted her lips a moment, then bent down to draw the blankets back on the bed. “Lie down on your stomach for me, Sheir-zin.”

  She complied, stretching out on the mattress and turning her head toward him on the pillow, eager to see what he was up to.

  He shrugged out of the sleeves of his robe, baring his torso but leaving the robe tied around his waist, then took the bottle of oil and knelt on the bed beside her. He moved some escaped strands of her hair out of the way and drizzled the oil over her back. Then he leaned over her and began to massage her shoulders and neck in his strong, warm hands, the oil instantly warming under his touch.