saw it, he'd had little choice but to 'entertain' the embarrassingly desperate widow, on a nearly nightly basis. After all, he needed for her to want to keep him around as a guest, in order to facilitate the escape. What other choice did he have? When the time was right, he would be able to move about the plantation without arousing suspicion. Then he, along with Knorr and several others, would be free to make a break for it.
“How does she treat YOU? Better than she does us, I'll wager.” Knorr snorted, still unable to hide the hurt in her voice.
“Sweet Knorr, you know why I have to.....humor that woman.” he replied in a quiet voice, then sat down behind her, pressing his face into her thick braid and inhaling the scent of honeysuckle. “What I do, I do in order to help free you and the others. But especially you, my love. When the time is right, we'll leave, and can start our own family.” Wrapping his strong arms around her waist, he pressed his lips to her neck. “You're the only woman who possesses my heart.”
Squirming, she was both frightened, yet exhilarated by the sensations that coursed through her as she felt his lips on her bare neck. Pretending to be aggravated, she struggled to contain a giggle. “Stop it, your beard is itching my skin!
“I'll shave it off, LATER!” he murmured, then resumed his earlier activities.
Thinking about what she and Lilith had talked about earlier, her smile faded, and she spoke with a heavy heart. “Lilith says you're trifling with my feelings. That no white man can truly love a negro woman.”
“Lilith isn't me, and doesn’t know how I feel, or you feel.” He murmured.
“I want to believe you, I...” she whispered before being interrupted.
“The first time I laid eyes on you I knew you were my soul mate. I knew it just as surely as I knew the sun would rise the next day. Our souls are one now, until the end of time.” he whispered as he turned her in his arms. Slowly dipping his head, he kissed the tip of her nose, then both cheeks, the base of her throat, and finally, his hungry lips sought hers.
Melting in his arms, she moaned contentedly, suddenly convinced he was speaking the truth. It did feel as if their souls were one.
When he finally broke the kiss and raised his head, his mesmerizing gray eyes twinkled.
Caressing his bearded face with one hand, she closed her eyes when he grabbed it and kissed the inside of her palm. “Gavin, Mistress Whitman is evil. Folks say she's a mountain witch. Many slaves have suffered horrible deaths at her hands. If she finds out about us, I'm afraid of what she will do to me.” she whispered, feeling her body shake as she spoke.
“Darling, I won't let her or anyone else hurt you.” he vowed, deciding that he would get her off the plantation that night, after he returned from an errand in town.
****************************
Later that Night
“Soul mates live as one
I ask you my dark lord
to give me the power to keep their
souls apart for all time!” Mariotte chanted.
“You fool, did you think I would let him choose a slave over me? Did you think I wouldn't FIND OUT?” a furious Mariotte screeched as she drained blood from the dying girl into a golden chalice.
Knorr's breath rattled as she struggled to hold on to the last bit of life. “Ta..take..my soul..please don't kill...Gavin.” She wheezed, begging for mercy for the man she loved.
“Your soul for his life? Do you mean it? And you will give this freely?” she hissed like a snake, leaning over and looking into the glazed eyes of her hapless
“How does she treat YOU? Better than she does us, I'll wager.” Knorr snorted, still unable to hide the hurt in her voice.
“Sweet Knorr, you know why I have to.....humor that woman.” he replied in a quiet voice, then sat down behind her, pressing his face into her thick braid and inhaling the scent of honeysuckle. “What I do, I do in order to help free you and the others. But especially you, my love. When the time is right, we'll leave, and can start our own family.” Wrapping his strong arms around her waist, he pressed his lips to her neck. “You're the only woman who possesses my heart.”
Squirming, she was both frightened, yet exhilarated by the sensations that coursed through her as she felt his lips on her bare neck. Pretending to be aggravated, she struggled to contain a giggle. “Stop it, your beard is itching my skin!
“I'll shave it off, LATER!” he murmured, then resumed his earlier activities.
Thinking about what she and Lilith had talked about earlier, her smile faded, and she spoke with a heavy heart. “Lilith says you're trifling with my feelings. That no white man can truly love a negro woman.”
“Lilith isn't me, and doesn’t know how I feel, or you feel.” He murmured.
“I want to believe you, I...” she whispered before being interrupted.
“The first time I laid eyes on you I knew you were my soul mate. I knew it just as surely as I knew the sun would rise the next day. Our souls are one now, until the end of time.” he whispered as he turned her in his arms. Slowly dipping his head, he kissed the tip of her nose, then both cheeks, the base of her throat, and finally, his hungry lips sought hers.
Melting in his arms, she moaned contentedly, suddenly convinced he was speaking the truth. It did feel as if their souls were one.
When he finally broke the kiss and raised his head, his mesmerizing gray eyes twinkled.
Caressing his bearded face with one hand, she closed her eyes when he grabbed it and kissed the inside of her palm. “Gavin, Mistress Whitman is evil. Folks say she's a mountain witch. Many slaves have suffered horrible deaths at her hands. If she finds out about us, I'm afraid of what she will do to me.” she whispered, feeling her body shake as she spoke.
“Darling, I won't let her or anyone else hurt you.” he vowed, deciding that he would get her off the plantation that night, after he returned from an errand in town.
****************************
Later that Night
“Soul mates live as one
I ask you my dark lord
to give me the power to keep their
souls apart for all time!” Mariotte chanted.
“You fool, did you think I would let him choose a slave over me? Did you think I wouldn't FIND OUT?” a furious Mariotte screeched as she drained blood from the dying girl into a golden chalice.
Knorr's breath rattled as she struggled to hold on to the last bit of life. “Ta..take..my soul..please don't kill...Gavin.” She wheezed, begging for mercy for the man she loved.
“Your soul for his life? Do you mean it? And you will give this freely?” she hissed like a snake, leaning over and looking into the glazed eyes of her hapless
Similar Books
Cole in My Stocking
Jessi Gage
The Sandman
Erin Kellison
Games Divas Play (A Diva Mystery Novel)
Angela Burt-Murray
Marilyn's Last Sessions
Michel Schneider
The Marked Girl
Lindsey Klingele
Deep in the Heart
Staci Stallings
Once Touched
Laura Moore
The Sight
David Clement-Davies
One Good Thing
Lily Maxton
Crossing Savage
Dave Edlund