“The small rug.” She rubbed her temple and frowned. “Yeah, I think so. But that couldn’t have happened. A rug doesn’t simply float in the air.”
“This one does. A powerful sorceress created the tapestry a very long time ago.” Jace relaxed his stance as he continued speaking, keeping his arms loose by his sides. Darian carefully inched slightly behind Sam, ready to catch her if she decided to run.
“In Javara women are scarce and the sorceress gifted our world with the tapestry. Once or twice a generation, the tapestry brings a woman from another world to ours. It is a woman who has the potential to thrive in our world.” Jace frowned, still not understanding what had happened. “The tapestry has come several times in our generation and this is only the second time in history that the tapestry has taken any of us with it when it went to find the woman.”
Sam crossed her arms over her chest and scowled and Jace. “That’s all fine and good for you, but I want to go home.”
“Sam,” he began, but she wasn’t having any of it and actually stamped her foot.
“No, I don’t want to hear it. I want to go home. Now.”
Jace shook his head slowly, his heart breaking for her, for all of them. Obviously, the tapestry had made a grave error. Sam was a wealthy woman in her world, a landowner. Nor did it seem as though she was interested in them at all.
He, on the other hand, was totally enthralled by her, her strength and obvious courage, her beauty and kindness. She’d taken two strangers into her home, offering them refreshments from such priceless glass cups. What could they offer her here?
Their hearts and their love. It was all they had to give. Their loyalty and the promise of a family. But would it be enough?
Sam was desperately trying not to panic. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious, but it had to be quite some time. She definitely wasn’t on her farm or anywhere near it. The woods here were thick and moist from recent rain and a mountain rose up behind them.
It was obvious both men believed the tale they were spinning and expected her to do the same. Not happening. There were three horses off to her right. She planned on borrowing one and finding civilization. Her phone was still in her back pocket. As soon as she was away from Jace and Darian she’d call the authorities. She hardened her heart against the sadness in Jace’s eyes. They’d somehow kidnapped her. Still, she didn’t want to get them in trouble with the authorities. They were both like wild stallions and would die in prison.
“If you let me go, I promise I won’t call the cops on you.” That was the most she could offer them.
It was Darian who stepped up and took her hand in his before she could pull away. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “We will take you to our home. You will meet our mother. If you wish to contact anyone then, you are free to do so.”
Why did that sound all too easy? She glanced at Jace and he nodded his agreement. She slowly pulled her phone out of her back pocket. Both men watched as she tried to turn it on. It was dead. She didn’t know if it had been damaged when they’d taken her to this place or if the battery had simply died. She didn’t always remember to charge it.
Darian touched her face and she jerked her head up. He thumbed a tear from her cheek, making her aware she was crying. She never cried, couldn’t afford to. She was a Calloway, and Calloways were tough. They just did whatever needed doing without complaint.
“Do not cry, Sam.” Darian leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. The light brush of his mouth against hers sent all her senses spinning. Her lips tingled when he eased back. “All will be well.”
Sam suddenly wanted to crawl away somewhere safe and have a good cry for all that she’d lost—her brother, her father, her mother and, now, potentially her home. But she wasn’t safe and couldn’t afford to shed any more tears. She swiped them away with the back of her hand and straightened her shoulders. “Let’s get going.”
Jace reached out his hand to her and she walked toward him, but didn’t take it. He slowly lowered it back by his side. His expression didn’t change, but she felt as though her action had hurt him. She almost reached out and apologized before she reminded herself she was the injured party here, the one who’d been kidnapped.
“So where is Javara exactly?” She wondered if they’d tell her the truth or continue to spin their tall tale. No one liked a story better than a Texan and the wilder the better. But this wasn’t funny. This was her life they were playing with.
Jace shrugged. “Javara is our world.” He turned his back and strode toward the horses. “Come, we must be on our way.”
She followed him, with Darian right behind her. She didn’t think he was worried about protecting her as much as he was with keeping her from running. But where would she run to? She wasn’t stupid enough to take off into an unknown forest. She’d watch and wait for her opportunity. And, on the off chance they were being honest with her, and she thought they were, she could contact Tim when she got to their home. Wherever she was, Tim would come for her.
Whatever she could say about the men, they were damn fine judges of horseflesh. Sam’s eyes widened when she got a glimpse of a gorgeous stallion, a sturdy white mare with black stockings and a black gelding.
“Well, hello.” She spoke low and approached the animals slowly. The stallion stomped his feet, but the mare put out her head for Sam to scratch. “What’s her name?” she asked.
“Morning Star.” It was Darian who answered her. “We call her Morning.”
“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” Sam crooned to the gorgeous animal. Her eyes were filled with intelligence and she had elegant lines.
“Can you ride?” She turned toward Jace’s gruff voice and almost laughed. She was born and bred on a Texas farm. Of course she could ride.
“Yes.” She left it at that.
Darian hovered beside Morning as if waiting to help her mount, but Sam put her foot in the stirrup and swung up on the horse. She hadn’t ridden in a few months and the joy of being back in the saddle almost overshadowed the fact she’d been kidnapped. Almost.
Not matter how much she liked these men, they’d taken her from her home. The black gelding had no saddle, but Darian mounted him easily, gathering the reins. Jace swung up on the stallion and they were off with her horse situated between the two men and Jace in the lead.
The trees were tall and the path narrow. Sam was used to wide open spaces and now she felt hemmed in, almost claustrophobic at times. Yet, there was so much lush beauty surrounding them. There were trees of various kinds, shrubs, flowers and thick mosses on the ground. She saw several different kinds of mushrooms and heard several birdsongs.
They rode in silence for a long time and finally she couldn’t take it any longer. “Tell me more about this place.”
“Why?” Jace shot back. “You don’t believe what we’ve already told you.”
Darian interrupted and picked up the story where Jace had left off earlier. “Women are scarce here and, as such, are valued. Brothers will compete with one another to see who can win a woman’s hand. Only one brother can marry her, but all share in her bed.”
Sam pulled the mare to a complete halt. “Whoa. What do you mean, compete? And what’s this about being shared between a couple of men?” She didn’t like the sound of this at all. Were they taking her to a cult of some kind?
Jace pulled the stallion around in a tight circle until he was facing her. “The tapestry brought you to us. If you are willing, we will compete sexually for your favor. If you decide to stay you will pick one of us to be your husband, but the other brother will also share in your bed.”
Her imagination exploded with images of the three of them naked in a huge bed. Heat suffused her body and her pussy clenched. Oh God, it was all too easy to imagine Jace on top of her, plunging his cock into her pussy while Darian suckled her breasts. She’d read about ménage à trois scenes in some of the romance books she liked, but never had she really imagined being part of one.