Tale of Obsession: Courting Daphne Ch. 05

Gabriel still chuckled, patting her hand. "And here I was thinking that a mischievous girl like you can never be commanded by any man." He rose from the loveseat and smiled down at her. "Very well. I shall amuse you. I give you leave to do anything you wish. Do as your heart desires; I will faithfully back you up."

She was just about to thank him when Gabriel added, "But if anything goes wrong -- anything at all, Daphne... I will have your head."

Daphne nodded, confident in her plans. "As you wish, Your Grace."

The young duke helped her to her feet, staying way too close, but Daphne refused to point that out lest he changed his mind. "Will you grant me the right to kiss you, though, my lady?" he asked softly, his eyes burning with desire.

It was the least she could give him. Daphne stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, but Gabriel deftly manoeuvred her so that he could kiss her lips instead. What was supposed to be a brief kiss quickly became heated as passions ran high and Gabriel took control. Yet, even as her body yielded, Daphne's mind was asking her to push the duke away.

His tongue pushed into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Daphne groaned at the back of her throat, not denying the pleasure that the kiss was giving her. Still, she managed to put her hand on his chest, gently pushing Gabriel away until his tongue stopped their relentless pursuit.

"Are you sure you do not want this?" Gabriel asked, his voice husky with desire.

Daphne shook her head, knowing that she might be tortured by her body tonight, but that she would never forgive herself for sleeping with another man when she has already freely given both body and heart to the man who has watched over her from afar since she was a babe.

"Let me walk you to your room, then," he offered, adjusting his clothes so that his erection would not be too obvious.

They walked arm in arm in silence down the hall and up the stairs, with two of the duke's guards closely following. When they were already in front of the door, Daphne finally thanked him.

"Do not thank me until you have realized all your goals," Gabriel said, smiling at her. "I still have an axe hanging over your head until then."

She nodded, knowing the truth of his words. "Have a good night, Your Grace."

Gabriel bowed to her and kissed her hand. "You, too, my lady. And if ever you change your mind, you need only to approach a guard and ask where I am."

A soft blush coloured her cheeks even though she was aware that the guards would not know what it was that the duke meant. She once again thanked him, receiving the kiss he placed on her forehead, before she retreated to the sanctuary of her room.

As soon as she was able to lock the door, Daphne shed off her clothes. Desire has staked its claim on her body again, but there was no Leander to ease her pain for her. Not for the first time that day, she wished that she had never left him. He introduced her to physical pleasure, and Daphne was afraid that she would always yearn for it -- but only from him.

Whimpering like a defeated child, she threw herself in the middle of the bed, lying face-down. She closed her eyes to imagine Leander's face close to hers, his hard body beneath hers, his hands on her hips. Daphne moaned, feeling pleasure pooling between her legs, lubricating a passage where no cock would visit tonight.

Determined that she should lessen the ache she was feeling, Daphne rolled over to lie on her back. Still with eyes closed, she began stroking her body. It was easy to imagine Leander watching her as she played with herself, touching the private parts that only he was allowed to ever explore.

Placing a hand between her thighs, Daphne began stroking gently along her folds, feeling her slick wetness. Her face burned with embarrassment, for this was the first time that she would relieve the nagging ache herself, and even with -- or perhaps because of -- Leander's image in her mind, she proceeded hesitantly.

She bit her lips, moaning, as she let two fingers tease her clit, the way that Leander would do every time he played with her before he claims her wholly. With the other hand, Daphne caressed her breast, pinching a pebble-hard nipple. Her ministrations only increased the demands of her body, so that, after a few minutes, Daphne was already sliding two fingers in and out of her -- something that she never imagined ever doing to herself. While doing this, she continued to play with her clit, until she cried out in pleasure and collapsed on the bed.

Reaching her climax should have satisfied her, but as soon as her breathing calmed down and her body lost its demanding heat, she shivered, feeling so cold. Slipping between the sheets, she curled up in a ball, sobbing.

Never in her life had she ever felt so alone -- or so empty.

*****

As soon as it began, Daphne knew it to be a dream. She was back in her father's ducal estate, strolling in the garden as the sun kissed the first blossoming flowers of that early morning. Serene calm enveloped her soul, yet she knew that this was not the life she wanted; this was not the life she belonged to.

She continued her walk, increasingly panicky after every step she took. Where was he? He was supposed to be there, waiting for her. He promised he would come!

Now afraid of the peace that her station in life easily afforded her, Daphne began running, not knowing where exactly she was heading. Anywhere, as long as it was away from this virtual world of peace. Anywhere, as long as he was there.

And she found him, standing outside the gates, sitting astride his magnificent black stallion. Her heart leaped inside her chest, and she found herself running towards him. But his blue eyes were cold as they watched her, his face a mask of unforgiving indifference.

"Leander," Daphne whispered his name, running after him even as he turned his horse around. "Wait... Wait for me!"

She ran after him, as fast as her legs allowed. But feet were not designed to outrun horse's hooves, and she watched helplessly as horse and man vanished along the horizon, leaving her shivering in the middle of the burned village where she used to live with her aunt.

Heartbroken, Daphne turned around, choked in tears, only to find Leander glaring at her angrily. Daphne's insides grew cold, as she did not know how to deal with this furious general. She found herself stepping backward, away from him, until she tripped on something and fell --

Onto his bed, the one he shared with her in his camp. Daphne looked down at herself and was shocked to find her clothes gone. Leander advanced towards her, still looking like a furious god ready to exact retribution upon a mere mortal.

Daphne whimpered, turning her back on him and attempting to crawl away. But Leander caught her by the ankles, dragging her back to the edge of the bed. Daphne felt his erection pressing against the back of her thigh, and she moaned, partly due to fear and partly due to passion.

"Leander, please," she found herself begging, although she knew not what she was begging him for. For him to release her or to claim her?

He thrust his hard member inside her, earning a cry from Daphne. God, it hurt! She was not even prepared! Yet, as soon as he was inside, as soon as he was moving in and out of her, Daphne felt nothing but pleasure -- unadulterated pleasure that only he could give her. She gasped his name aloud, unable to stop the wave of passion that claimed her body as she collapsed on the bed, writhing in pleasure.

Her merciless lover did not seem to notice as he continued thrusting into her in a fast rhythm. Her orgasm has not yet ended before another one took her. Daphne cried out loud once more, her fingers clutching on the sheets beneath her. She felt his fingers seeking her bud of pleasure as he continued moving in and out of her, and as soon as he found it, Daphne was once again taken over the edge.

It was only a second after that that Daphne sat up on the bed, gasping for breath. Her cunt was aching so much that she did not know what to do to ease her pain. She was perspiring heavily as the sheets that was supposed to be keeping her out of the cold were uselessly wound around her waist. Looking around, she realized that she was inside the chamber that the Duke of Northcove assigned to her as a guest in his palace.

With a sob, she let herself fall back on the bed, closing her eyes. She could not do this. One night without Leander and she felt as though she would die. No, this could not go on for much longer. She needed to see him, to be with him, to be loved by him. She had to do something to put her plans into action much, much sooner than planned.

Admitting that she would not be able to fall back to sleep, she slipped out of the bed and started putting on the nightgown she was supposed to have put on the night before. She looked for a quilt and found one, wrapping it around herself before walking out of the room.

She had to talk to Gabriel and tell him of the change of plans.

Gods, she should have thought about this before she ran off and away from Leander. Bitterly, Daphne thought that this served her right for not caring to explain anything to the general. So much for trying to get away from him; she needed him way too much. And for her betrayal, this should be her punishment -- the harshest punishment that she would ever have to endure.

As she walked after a guard to the duke's bedchamber, she prayed that Gabriel would behave and keep his hands to himself as she was in a very vulnerable, easily-seducible state.