Tag: Raphael

Another excerpt from Raphael…(Current WIP)

Chapter eight

Raphael swung at the air in frustration. His so called “savior” had not only abandoned him, but now she was pulling out all stops to ignore and evade his advances. To finally have met her in person, and not as an apparition or in the form of a vision had been the greatest joy he had experienced since his imprisonment. Sure she was a bit inexperienced in her gifts, but the fact remains that she is gifted indeed, and perhaps much stronger than she knew. Her grey eyes were unmistakable; such a peculiar shade of grey, smoky and indistinct; with a deep blue tint to it. He wondered where she inherited the gene. But besides all of that, she fooled him, disappeared and then using not only her powers but her wit to avoid him. However,  he doubted her wit would best him when it came to a test of wills. Since she mentally blocked him from visiting her in her dreams, he would appear in every single one of her reflections until she is driven to the point of madness. He would disrupt every moment of her daily life until she consented to freeing him from this cursed dungeon. He would free himself and his brothers, and rid the world of the person responsible. He knew she had the power to not only free him but send him back to his time where he could regain his life back, raise his children and recommit himself to his wife. After that, she could go back to whatever life she was living undisturbed.

He opened his mind to search for the connection to her, and to his dismay, she was sleeping and therefore had him blocked. He would reach out to her again in a few hours when he was sure she was awake. But in the meantime, at least he knew for a fact she was of age and ready to assist, and he would do whatever it took to convince her to do so. He took a seat against the wall, and rested his arms onto his knees. It had been centuries since he had tasted food and drink; centuries since he felt the tender touch of a woman and almost a millennia since he wielded his sword. He had been suspended in time, trapped in isolation and for the life of him could not figure out why-well, he knew why or at least part of the why: the bastard was after his land…and his poor wife.

He knew that he and Annamarie were not exactly on the best of terms prior to his capture. For whatever reason she had distanced herself from him, perhaps to deal with her fears regarding the pregnancy alone since she wasn’t one to really share her thoughts and feelings anyways. But no woman could resist him. He had never had a problem when it came to winning the heart and body of a woman, but for this woman, he actually had to put in effort to win her affections; and when he did the victory that followed felt…hallow.  Even when he took her on their wedding night, he recalled her response to be less than enthused…

The eating and drinking and the rest of the festivities that took place from the moment their vows were exchanged would probably continue well into the next sunrise for this was a momentous occasion for the Caspian men. Raphael was the first of his brothers to wed, and the people that his family had protected since the dawn of time were anxious for another heir.  Raphael whisked his new bride away to a small castle that his father had built from the ground up as a wedding gift to his mother. After her death, Raphael had sworn that he would give whoever the lucky woman that won his heart the very home that his father had built for a woman that had done more than won his heart. And so, that is what he did. Once he secured her onto his horse, her long white gown flowing across the back of the white mare and onto the grassy plain, he hopped on effortlessly and off they went into the wind. The crowds behind them cheered them on, and although he himself was filled with joy, his new bride did not possess the beaming quality most women wore when they finally wed the man that their hearts desired. He managed to brush it off as wedding jitters, and with her still being a virgin, he could understand her fears. But he promised himself that he would take his time, be as gentle as he could with her, and make sure that she enjoyed every second of his love. He kissed her lovingly on top of her head as they rode off into the distance.

Night had come when they reached their destination. The castle had been prepped for their arrival; the staff was ready at the gates to greet them; the banner with his family’s crest was lifted and on full display, and once she was safely off of the horse, he carried her across the threshold just as any doting husband would. Once inside, he personally gave her a tour of the home he grew up in, and every now and then she would admiringly gaze at the pictures of his family that hung sporadically throughout the halls. She seemed impressed with the décor: a cross between two periods of Gothic and Medieval and a few items here and there that differed in culture and theme. He wanted to show her every nook and cranny of the 14 room abode, but there were more pressing things that he was anxious to get to, and one of them creating a magnificent bulge in his britches.

He guided her to their room, where he had hoped to spend a great deal of time in; and she nervously glanced around at the hundreds of tiny candles that he had his servants light to create a romantic and calming ambiance to set the mood. The massive bed was scattered  with rose petals from the garden, and he had the purple drapes opened just so that the light of the moon could serenade them a silent song of light. He wanted to show her that he was more than a warrior-he was a man of worth; someone who was thoughtful, open and ready to give whatever she asked for. He would be her slave tonight and she would be his master. His manhood thickened in anticipation. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and when he neared her, she jumped up quickly and said, “I-I need to freshen up.”

“Don’t worry about that Annamarie. I know that you were bathed and prepped for this moment,” He whispered gently to her. “I want to taste everything about you…and I don’t mind a little sweat.”

“But we were on the horse a good while and-“

“Come to me as you are darling. I cannot bear to wait another second for this moment…”

She tried to resist but he quickly took her mouth with his and he held there, tasting every nook and cranny of her mouth… he scooped her up and gently laid her on the bed, positioning her beneath him. Kicking off his boots and removing his sword, he went to work on unfastening each button, untying each lace before her smooth naked body tremored beneath him. His mouth went dry the moment his eyes were greeted with the most perfectly large breasts that fit so naturally with her curvy body. Her green eyes staring back at him in nervous anticipation. He unfastened the tightly wrapped coils that were her hair and watched it cascade down in waves across her chest. The creamy mounds of flesh that made up her breasts were topped with a cherry of nipple that tightened from the chill of the night air, and once he spread her legs before him, her valley, now fully exposed and ready for his exploring made him dizzy from the sight. Her legs were already trembling and he had yet to do anything other than kiss her, but he figured it was nothing but anxiety from this being her first encounter. He crushed her body with his, and she gasped while he kissed her deeply and lovingly. He left trail after trail of kisses until her face flushed crimson and she cried out for more.

Delirious from pleasure and hungry for more, he hurriedly stripped from his clothing before crushing her again, this time anxiously easing the tip of his prized possession into her core. She flinched only slightly from the invasion, but even in his pleasure maddened state, he realized that there was no barrier as other maidens had upon their first encounters. He should know… As he pushed himself deeper, and she cried out from the pleasure, and still…no barrier…no resistance at all. His body responded in kind to her slick, wet, cavern and he proceeded to take her in the manner that any other man would. All gentleness went out of the window as his demands took over; and she responded in kind. She bit her lip, scratched his back, and opened her legs wider to take more of him into her, and he rode her until her legs could no longer tremble and she was weak from exhaustion. His climax was intense and when he finally rolled from on top of her, she rolled over and said not one word until the time came for breakfast that morning.  He never brought it up to her either, he simply let the concern go in hopes of being able to enjoy what was supposed to be the happiest moment of his life. Although, when he did take her several more times before heading back to his main fortress with the rest of his family, the fact that there was no barrier plagued him; and since that day he never brought her back to that castle. He would allow one of his brothers to have it if requested.

He shook off the memory. There were many more like that and most of them he swept under the rug for the sake of his marriage. There was no question Annamarie had been with another, perhaps that man he had wooed her away from, he was not that naïve. The question that had always remained in his heart was did her love equal to that of which he carried in his own heart? The only way to find out would be through this Winnie woman. She could set him free and send him back. He would just have to work harder to convince her; and he would do so by any means necessary.

(Release Date: TBD)

New Character Alert: Raphael (Book 1 of the Marked Series) Release Date TBD

Chapter Two A Slave With Two Tongues

1350 A.D.

Nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat flooded his brain as he drove his blade deep into the chest cavity of the entity that had long plagued his village with a war that seemed to be as endless as Time itself. The two clans had been warring for so long that no one really knew how or when it started. But he knew one thing; he was going to finish it one way or the other. He would not bring his children into the world to fight what their father could not, and never know the sweet joy of what true peace felt like. They would never live in fear; know what it takes to the learn the mysteries of the swords they would carry…no. This fight would end before they entered into the world; there is already enough evil and turmoil in the world that they would have to adjust to and dealing with the Lizard clan was not an option.

The sword pierced the black heart of the Lizardman before exiting through his back. The creature’s eyes widened, his red pupils expanding then retracting as he screamed and gurgled before his body finally succumbed to the darkness from which it originated from, and Raphael watched without emotion as the lifeless body collapsed onto the muddy ground. His brothers were busy themselves, fighting back the enemy that had destroyed the hundreds of small villages that surrounded their main stronghold. The Isle of Capsos’ which was just north of Ireland and almost twice its size had become a booming nation in the sea trades, and his family had not only been one of the few ruling class families that dominated the ports, but were also of warrior blood. Training in combat had been one of his family’s specialties, and many generations before him, men of his breeding also took interest in the business of mercenary work; hiring off their skill set in exchange for exorbitant pay by the princes, kings, and men of power and prestige seeking to put an end to their enemies.

He skillfully dodged a swing from behind, and turned to face his enemy: another one of those disgusting soldiers. Red hateful eyes greeted him with a twisted snarl. The human entity that met him with a serrated toothy grin, stood at almost 9 feet in height, and built like one of the many Redwoods that offered a protective refuge to his camp. The Lizard man, as those of his kind were called, wore nothing but tattered rags that barely covered his waist, leaving a great deal of his body exposed and vulnerable. Raphael reacted quickly and lowered a powerful punch into the creature’s jaw, forcing it to stumble back. Despite its lack of protection, the Lizards were a powerfully formidable race. They possessed skills that rendered them almost unstoppable in battle, well except for him and his brothers. They knew exactly how to kill them.

The creature quickly recovered and charged, moving at a speed impossible for the human eye to follow and slammed into Raphael, knocking him to the ground and into a thick puddle of mud. The impact, despite the muddy cushioning not only left him stunned, but left at a disadvantage. The entity, now piled on top of him, layered a series of punches to his face, and had it not been for Micah’s arrow piercing the creature from behind, Raphael knew that today would have been the day he met his fate. He rolled the creature off of him, as his brother emerged from the shadows, cautiously surveying the scene for a potential ambush. When he saw there was none he hurried over to his brother’s side and extended his hand which Raphael gratefully grasped, and helped him to his feet.

“Looks like you almost had it there brother,” Micah mused pointedly.

“Indeed I did…”

“Are you well?”

“Not a scratch.”

“How many?” Micah quizzed  still looking around. The sun had long set, and the surrounding darkness did nothing to ease the sense of dread that begun to fill the pit of his stomach.

“Twelve this time. They attacked the villagers on the eastern side of the lake. It was another ambush. Half of the village is either dead or dying. A few managed to escape and are taking refuge in the church where we have men standing guard.”

“They are becoming much more aggressive in their tactics brother,” Micah said rubbing the stubble that was forming on his narrow chin.

“Indeed. We need to figure out the source of their power; we know very little of their origins and have only within recent centuries have uncovered their vulnerabilities. Father says they may-“

“Enough for now,” Micah exhaled with a slight grin. “Your wife awaits you. She sits by the window  watching the sun rise and set as while the young within her grows. I believe she fears that someday you will not come home. Mother has tried to persuade to come to the gardens with her but she declines…”

“Ah, I will go to her. I had no idea that she awaited me with such longing. I have been too preoccupied with-“

“Winning a war that cannot be won. Our men are dying-“

“Which means our children will have to pick up the fight.”

Micah ran his fingers through his dark shoulder length hair that was  pulled back tightly behind his ears, and lowered his gaze. “It is an unfortunate fate to inherit.”

Raphael said nothing more as he tried to wipe away some of the mud from the back of his leathers, and tried not to think about the growing distance that seemed to have his pregnant wife beyond the edge of his grip. Something was amiss with her, and he had spent many days trying to convince her to open up but to no avail. He figured her moods may have something to do with the pregnancy and hoped by the time the babes were born, she would return to her normal talkative self.

He picked up his sword that had fallen just a few feet or so away from the fallen entity and returned it to its sheath. He took one last look at the creature whose race had plagued this nation’s history since its inception, and made a mental note to return after consorting with his wife, to properly dispose of the body. There was already enough death that haunted the valleys that kept his people awake at night, and the last thing he needed was an epidemic like that of the Black Death that was currently sweeping through Europe at rate that was almost exponential. When he was ready, he allowed his brother to take the lead, so that he may have time to gather his thoughts.

This was life for him and the people of Capsos; when night fell the blossoming economic cities had to take refuge behind monolithic gates made of iron, and the small villages had to hunker down as best they could underneath the protection of the masters of the castles that ruled over them in the areas that extended far beyond the grasp of the cities. And once daylight arrived, what it would reveal would haunt the memories of the people for a lifetime. Small towns burned to the ground, some of its residents left half eaten, or worse: turning into one of those lizard entities just to begin their own reign of terror in the next village.

They continued their walk in silence until they reached their horses on the other side of the bank, safely hidden behind a thicket of trees and bushes that provided the landscape a protective covering that would have been the perfect escape route for a villager on the run from the menacing jaws of Lizard men. Once he mounted his horse, an all-white mare of impeccable breeding, he would only have a few short hours to recover before he was out to battle again. Being a Shadow Warrior was indeed an unfortunate fate to inherit.

Annamarie sat nearest the window facing the gardens inside the stone walled monolith that not only protected her and her family from the rest of the world that is now being terrorized by the race of demonic men whose purpose was unclear. She brushed her hand across her belly, feeling the firm roundness and the tiny indent where one of her young had pressed upon with she assumed to be its foot. She smiled, but only for the minute joy of giving birth to children that are undoubtedly hers. Since the moment her nursemaid informed her that she was with child, while her husband found every moment he could to celebrate, and the entire fortress lit up with excitement, she knew that time had become her prison. Once the children were born certain undeniable truths would be uncovered, and then she would either have to flee for her life or risk being executed by the same man who protected her valiantly.

She blinked twice to shed the huge droplets that were making her eyes blurry at the thought of what may be a part of her fate. She hoped that the children come out looking so much like her that no one would dare to question their paternity, but then that was nothing more than hope. She had seen families where an entire brood of children looked like mini replicas of their mother while the father looked like the odd man out. It made her wonder if Raphael knew about her indiscretions and was simply waiting for the moment of truth before coming to a conclusion, but then again, unlike his brothers, Raphael was always the first to react.

She looked down at the gardens where she and her husband used to stroll hand in hand prior to the wedding. Unbeknownst to him, her heart belonged to another although there wasn’t anything about the warrior that made him difficult to love. It was just her father did not like the man that had stolen her heart, and he wanted her to marry someone that not only could protect her but provide for her as well; and although Raphael took his responsibilities seriously, and nor did he fail in any shape or form, but the one who was meant for the soul is the hardest to release, and that was just it in her case.

She carefully stood up so that she could grab a taste of the moonlight that washed over the acres of land that Raphael had declared as hers. The phantom moonlight caress was all that she needed to return to a semblance of “normal” just in time for her husband to arrive. She could hear him down in the main room with his brother Micah, his voice low in less than audible whispers for reasons she assumed to be so that she may be unaware of his recent battle. She dared not leave their bedroom where she had confined herself for many days because for one she was underdressed in the night gown that now failed to cover her growing assets, and two, because she just wasn’t ready to face her husband. She purposely kept her distance from him, and she hoped to do the same tonight.

She crawled into their spacious bed blanketed with bear skin, and thought to pretend to be ill so that she could avoid any of his questions, but most importantly his touch. She tied her thick waves of blonde hair high above her head to prevent him from being tempted to run his fingers through it. It had been months since they had joined together as one, and despite his bedroom skills were legendary, the burden that she carried did not allow her to enjoy his touch or his masculine scent the way that she used to. The idea of him touching her was enough to make her vomit.  She snuggled deeper underneath the blankets and closed her eyes and prayed that sleep would find her. As she heard his heavy footsteps in the hallway, his destination clear, a plan began to weave its way into forefront of her mind; and once she heard the door to the room creak open announcing his presence, she wondered if time would permit such betrayal.