"Shiek" - читать интересную книгу автора (Connie Mason)

Zara stared into his eyes, stunned by the intense longing within their dark depths, and the ability to speak left her.

"Say the words, sweet vixen," Jamal repeated. Silence. Zara still hadn't found her tongue. "That's what I thought," he said smugly. "You can't say it because it would be a lie."

His smile turned predatory as his mouth burned a path to her breasts. Her erect nipples became the objects of his attention as he kissed and sucked the tender buds, then nipped them between his strong white teeth. Zara arched and cried out, wanting this yet denying her need for the handsome sheik with her whole heart.

"Shall I get the silver balls?" he asked huskily. "You seemed to enjoy them the last time."

"Nay!" Zara choked out. Allah help her.

Jamal shrugged and lowered his head to resume his assault upon her succulent nipples. When his lips traveled downward to her smooth mound, Zara finally found the courage to say the words he had demanded of her.

"I do not want you! Pray stop!"

Jamal raised his head and gave her an amused smile. "Too late, sweet vixen. You had your chance. Now you must pay the consequences. Come, Zara, yield to me."

His head lowered and his tongue parted her, finding the tiny jewel at the top of her thighs. He spent several breathless moments tormenting her before sucking the erect bud into his mouth. Zara screamed, stiffened and then went limp.

Jamal shifted upward between her outstretched legs, flexed his hips and prepared to thrust into her. Suddenly his eyes grew murky and a confused look passed over his face. Then his eyes rolled upward and he dropped heavily on top of her. The sleeping potion had finally worked!

Zara poked Jamal and called his name. He did not budge. She let out a sigh of relief. For a time she had feared the powder wouldn't work. Now she realized that Jamal had such a vigorous constitution that it had taken longer than usual to take effect. She squirmed from beneath him, breathing hard from the effort, and stared at him. He was so still it frightened her.

She felt his neck for a pulse and found it beating strongly. She nearly collapsed with relief. She had no idea how long he would sleep, but at least she was assured that he would wake up. She was shaking when she pulled a light blanket over him and backed away.

Zara found her caftan and donned it quickly. Then she rummaged in Jamal's chest until she located a black djellaba and pulled it on over her caftan. Next she opened the casket holding the key to her father's jail and removed it, replacing it with the emerald Jamal had given her. Then she sat down to wait. According to her calculations, Rachid wouldn't arrive with the camels for several hours yet.

She watched Jamal sleep, unable to turn her gaze from his handsome features. He was so strong, so virile, so absolutely captivating that it was going to be difficult to forget him. Perhaps it would be easier to forget him if she thought of him as the man responsible for Sayed's death, not as her lover.

She breathed in a shaky sigh and stared into the dark courtyard, noting that the moon had slipped behind a cloud and the shadows had deepened. Still she waited. Finally it was time. She gave Jamal's sleeping form one last, lingering look and slipped out into the courtyard. She made as little noise as possible, aware that Hammet slept on a pallet outside Jamal's door.

Zara was nearly invisible in her black djellaba as she crept through the darkness. She watched in silence as the sentry walked past her father's prison and disappeared around the corner. A sigh of relief slipped past her lips when he failed to see her. She was shaking like a leaf when she fitted the key into the locked door and turned it. The door swung open on noiseless hinges, and she whispered her father's name.

"I am here, Zara," Youssef said, appearing in the opening. "Where's the sentry?"

"He passed by a moment ago. We must hurry and release the others before he returns."

Youssef stepped into the night shadows, closed the door to his prison and locked it. Then he tossed the key into the bushes. The other Berbers had been imprisoned in a common hut not far from Youssef's tiny prison. The door had no lock but was barred from the outside with a stout board. Youssef lifted the bar and gave a hushed command. One by one the men crept out of their prison, merging into the shadows to keep from being seen.

"Instruct the men to follow the wall to the back gate, Father," Zara whispered. "I'm right behind you." She was thankful that the Berbers' blue robes blended into the darkness so well.

Hugging the gate, Youssef and Zara made their way to the back gate, keeping their eyes peeled for the sentry. He passed them without incident as they crouched behind a fig tree. Once the guard had continued on his way, they crept along the wall to the back gate. Luck was with them. They found the gate unguarded. Unfortunately, it was locked.

"Climb over," Youssef hissed. "I'll give you a boost."

Moments later Zara was scrambling up and over the gate, followed closely by her father. At first they didn't see Rachid, and Zara panicked. Then she spotted him, leading a string of camels from a grove of olive trees.

"Thank you, my friend," Youssef said, clapping his tribesman on the shoulder. "You will receive payment for your camels."

"I ask no payment, Youssef. It is the least I can do. Your daughter is a brave woman. She's the one who deserves praise. Allah be with you."