“Mei,” Jarek said from her side. “Come, meet my family.”
She turned in time to see a man as large as Dev coming out of the palace door. Only this man had tanned brown skin, not red. Every inch of him bulged with muscles, from his thick arms to his broad shoulders, his hands, his chest. He didn’t smile when he looked at them. The rigid size of him gave her pause, and she moved closer to her husband.
Jarek hurried forward, pulling her by her arm. “Mei, this is Falke, Commander of the Guard, leader of the Var military.”
“Falke,” Mei said, bowing her head. “I have heard many things about you.”
“Falke, this is Mei,” Jarek paused. “My wife.”
“Wife?” Falke asked, a smile spreading over his face. It instantly changed his appearance. “You did not tell us of a wife!”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Jarek said.
Falke laughed. “You’re just in time for a surprise of your own. Jasmine is giving birth.”
“Now?” Jarek asked. Falke nodded. “When we got the call that you were coming, they sent me to get you. Come. We’re waiting in Quinn’s quarters.”
“So Reid is here? At the palace?” Jarek asked, following Falke as he moved toward the door.
“He’s been staying here for a month. Our queen demanded it until Jasmine had the babies.”
“Babies?” Mei asked, catching the word.
“Yes,” Falke nodded. “Twins.”
“But,” Mei blinked and touched her own stomach. Twins? She’d never thought of that. Suddenly, she was nervous.
“You are with child as well?” Falke asked, looking at where her hand hovered over her stomach. “This is truly a blessed day.”
Jarek led her inside, stopping when he saw a man. “Tal, please tell my crew to wait in the dining hall. Have the servants get them drinks and tell them what is happening.”
“Welcome back, Prince Jarek,” Tal, a palace guard, answered before going out to greet the crew.
“It’s beautiful,” Mei said in awe, looking around the palace hall. If she thought the outside was impressive, the inside took her breath away. She was amazed to find herself staring at the intricate carvings over the arched doorways. There were particularly beautiful, symmetrical patterns of brilliantly displayed colors—blue, red, orange, gold, and green—inlaid into the walls.
“I will show it all to you later,” Jarek promised. He grinned, clearly excited about the news of Reid’s twins. For a couple of big, gruff warrior men, the brothers really did look extremely excited about the prospect of babies. Mei would never tell them, but she found it adorable.
The brothers led her quickly past two open doors leading to an empty banquet hall. From what she could see, it had a high domed glass ceiling and mosaic patterns on the walls and floor. Flowers swept over the walls in long garlands and over the long tables and bench seats. Mei tried to slow her step, but Jarek pulled her on.
“We’re preparing the celebration for Reid and Jasmine tonight,” Falke said, noting her attention. “And now we will celebrate your mating as well.”
With each step, they seemed to walk faster until Mei was nearly jogging to keep up with their larger stride. Tripping, she gasped when Jarek swung her up into his arms, carrying her with him.
“I can walk,” she protested.
“Ah, but I’d much rather carry you.” He didn’t set her down until they were at Prince Quinn’s personal wing within the palace. Falke merely grinned as if such things were commonplace. Considering the almost barbaric air about the men, she assumed it most likely was. She was beginning to realize that Jarek’s people were much more relaxed when it came to decorum.
Without knocking, Falke entered Quinn’s home. “Look what I found!”
Mei remembered Jarek telling her that Prince Quinn was married to Princess Vittoria, or Tori as the family called her. Their home was simple in design, colored with rich blues and creams. The wide tiled floor stretched before the front door, elegant and immaculately clean. A couple of men sat on a low, wide couch near a raised platform before a large fireplace. Long pillows were laid out on the floor near their feet, perfect for lounging, which one man did. The man on the floor played with a baby. He was obviously the boy’s father, as they looked exactly alike. Next to them, a black animal slept curled into a ball on the floor.
Aside from the front, there were no doors in the home. Tall decorative arches in the wall led to a bedroom, a kitchen, and another room. A wall of glass, so thick Mei couldn’t see through it curved around one side of the room. An inlet next to the fireplace, near the kitchen, led to a large dining room.
At Falke’s words, Jarek set her down on the floor. The men stood and hurried forward, excitedly greeting their space exploring brother with hugs and punches. One even grabbed Jarek by the neck and play wrestled with him.
A tiny little girl poked her head around the corner of the couch and squealed, “Da da!” She waddled to Falke, lifting up her pudgy arms and grinning with dimples in the most adorable chubby cheeks.
“A girl?” Jarek asked, in amazement, reaching to touch the child’s hair. She smiled sweetly, sniffing at his hand before letting him touch her.
Falke grinned and presented his daughter. “Payton. Payton, this is your Uncle Jarek.”
The little girl made a small noise of contentment and put her face in Jarek’s large hand.
“She grows fast,” Jarek observed, glancing from the girl to her baby cousin.
“Her mother is part Ticaron,” Falke explained. “Already Payton speaks like a child twice her age.”
“She really is one in a million,” Mei said. Falke could not have been prouder as he nodded in agreement.
“Mei, this is King Kirill, and over there is his son, Korbin,” Jarek said, motioning to a dark animal asleep on one of the pillows.
Kirill smiled at her. He had the same dark eyes as Jarek.
“And this is Quinn, our official Var ambassador,” Jarek said, pointing to the man who’d come up from the floor. “And the little one with him is my nephew, Roderic.”
Roderic held back, growling mischievously in the back of his throat. His eyes lit with the threat of a shift, and he grew little fangs. Turning in her father’s arms, Payton opened her bowed little lips and let out a deafening roar. Mei jumped, startled by the ungodly sound coming from such a little thing.
“Payton,” Falke scolded though parental pride was evident in him. “I told you, no roaring in the house.”
“Torry, da da,” she apologized, chewing on a finger.
“Did I hear Payton?” Another joined them. Mei stared as a man, eerily identical to her husband, came into the room. The only thing missing was Jarek’s black markings on his arm and neck. “Jarek!”
“Reid,” Jarek said, hurrying to hug his twin. “Congratulations, brother, on this wonderful day.”
“Thank you,” Reid said. “I can’t believe you made it back. And today of all days.”
Mei stood back, smiling. Seeing her, Falke cleared his throat, drawing the brothers’ attention.
“Brothers, may I present to you Princess Mei, my wife,” Jarek said.
“And she is with child,” Falke added as if he couldn’t keep the secret any longer.
Mei’s heart fluttered in her chest. He looked so proud as he said the words. The already excited brothers broke out in rounds of congratulations and enthusiasm, demanding to know all about her. It really was a touching scene. Jarek answered for her the best he could amidst the commotion, which wasn’t too much considering everyone was talking at once.
“Reid,” a woman scolded, peeking out of the same room he’d come from moments before. Her red-blonde hair practically gleamed in the light coming from the fireplace. “I told you to keep everyone quiet. Jasmine’s—”
A loud baby’s cry interrupted her and the woman hurried back into the room without finishing. Reid ran after her, tripping over his feet to get back to his wife.
“Oh, Sacred cats,” Reid holl
ered after a pause. “Jasmine?”
Jarek, Falke, Quinn and Kirill instantly were on guard, rushing the door.
“Ulyssa,” Kirill ordered. As they tried to go in, the same woman was there to meet them, instantly pushing the brothers out.
“Lyssa,” Payton cooed happily.
“Quiet my little princess, all right?” the woman said. “Hush for Jas-jas.”
“Jas-jas,” Payton repeated softly, nodding.
“What is it, Ulyssa?” Quinn demanded. “Is Jasmine all right?”
“She’s fine,” said Ulyssa, who Mei knew was the queen.
“What’s wrong?” Kirill asked, trying to get past his wife.
“Stay back,” she ordered. “I can guarantee Jas will not be happy if you go barging in there now. And trust me, your own wives won’t be too pleased with you either.”
“Ah,” a woman screamed. “Lys-s-a!”
“Get them out,” another ordered. “Quinn, you’d better keep your brothers out of here.”
“Yes, Tori,” Quinn hollered. “I love you!”
“I love you, too,” was the woman’s answer. “Now quit talking. I have to concentrate.”
“Sam?” Falke called.
“Yeah, yeah, I love you, too,” Sam said.
“How is she?” Falke demanded.
“Everything’s fine,” Sam answered from the other side. “Leave us alone. Go away.”
“Jarek’s here,” Falke yelled back. “And he’s got a pregnant wife with him. She’s as tiny as you are!”
“What?” the word was yelled in unison, in a chorus of female voices.
“I said, Jarek is here, and he brought a pregnant wife with him and she’s as tiny as Sam—” Falke tried to repeat.
“We heard you the first time,” Sam yelled. “Blessed stars, here it comes! You can do it, Jas. Tell her not to go anywhere. Jarek, you’d better not take your wife anywhere. We want to meet her.”
Ulyssa pushed the men before going into the room once more. “Stay out.” Then glancing at Mei, she waved and then disappeared through the doorway.
Mei wanted to laugh at how easily the women ordered about their husbands and the men seemed to listen to them quite well. They trailed back into the waiting area, still looking worried. Jarek came to her side, holding her close as all four big men stared at the door, waiting.
Suddenly Reid burst from the room. “Girls!”
“What?” the brothers said in unison.
“Twin girls,” Reid proclaimed, holding a swaddled baby in the crook of each arm. “I swear it on our dead father. They’re girls. I made Tori check them to make sure nothing fell off. It’s definite. They’re girls.”
Mei tried not to choke on her laughter. Reid said it with such seriousness.
“They’re lovely,” Mei told him.
“Yeah,” Reid agreed, completely enamored with his children, “they are, aren’t they?”
“Um, I think now would be the best time to remind you of what you said to Falke the day Payton was born,” Quinn said. “You’re going to have your work cut out for you. There will be a lot of boys—”
He never finished the words. Reid paled, groaning loudly as he pulled his daughters closer. “You’re right. We’re going to have to tighten up security around here. And I’ll have to find some female maids, perhaps from father’s old harem brides. Oh, and they definitely aren’t going to be leaving the palace.” To his daughters, he cooed, “That’s right, girls. Daddy’s not going to let you out of his sight, ever.”
“Reid, you will do no such thing.” Ulyssa came out of the room followed by two women. She came forward, cooing to the babies, “Don’t you worry sweethearts, Aunt Lyssa will make sure your mean old daddy doesn’t keep you locked in a tower.”
“A tower,” Reid repeated. “Hey, you know, that’s not a bad idea. Kirill, I’ll need the palace architects to get started on a tower right away.”
“But, you live in the outlands,” Kirill said, arching a brow.
“Oh, right. Well, in that case, I’ll need the architects to come out to the forest and build one there. And I’ll need Falke to start training female guards.”
Ulyssa rolled her eyes. “Reid, you are not hiring a bunch of female guards. In case you forgot, this is a male dominated planet. You’re not going to find women that are equipped to fight.”
“Eunuchs?” he suggested hopefully.
“Girls, you are so lucky you have us,” Ulyssa said to the babies. Then, seeing Mei, she smiled. “You must be… Welcome to the family…ah?”
“This is my wife, Mei,” Jarek said. “Mei, this is Ulyssa, Tori, and Sam.”
Tori wore all black and had long dark hair and dark eyes. Sam was petite with short, choppy blond hair. A streak of purple slashed through the bangs. The lock fell forward over her face, partially hiding her round violet eyes. She wore pants and a tank shirt with cross laces like all of the men. A blue tattoo wound around her upper arm.
“And she’s pregnant,” Falke offered again.
Sam grinned up at her giant of a husband. “You’re just a big softy, aren’t you, baby?”
“Congratulations,” Tori said. “We are so happy to meet you.”
Princess Tori’s sentiments were repeated by the others. The women instantly rushed forward in a scene very much like the one their husbands had put on when they’d found out.
“You have to tell us everything. How did you and Jarek meet? Where did you come from? Where can I get a skirt like that? It’s gorgeous,” Ulyssa exclaimed, taking Mei by the arm.
“You have to meet Jasmine,” Tori said, taking her by the other arm. The women started leading her toward the door. “You can tell us all about how you and Jarek met and got together. And we’ll tell you all about how we found our husbands. We’ll be as close as sisters in no time.”
Mei looked over her shoulder at Jarek, only to see the petite ex-Captain Sam confronting him.
“You’ve had her long enough, Jarek,” Sam said, placing her hand on his chest. “It’s our turn. We’re going to make sure you didn’t act like your brothers during the courtship. Trust me, if we find out you’ve been a royal ass, we’ll be having a chat later.”
“But,” Jarek tried to protest. He looked powerlessly at Mei. She gave him a smile.
“Nope,” Sam interrupted, holding up her hand and refusing to let him speak.
“I didn’t—” he started.
“Ah, no, not a word,” she said, stepping away. The petite woman was little bigger than Mei, but she had a presence that could command a room. “We’ll talk later.” Then as an afterthought when she joined the others at the door, she said to him, “And you’d better have taken care of my crew. I miss that lot of misfits.”
“They’re in the hall, all safe and sound,” Jarek assured her.
“They’d better be, or it’s your head,” Sam said.
“It’s a good thing you got Rick back, isn’t it qin ài de?” Mei winked mischievously at her husband, and he tried to shake his head to stop her.
“What? What happened to my Rick?” Sam demanded. Then motioning into the bedroom, she said, “Never mind. Come inside and meet Jasmine and you can tell us everything. We want all the details.”
The men laughed.
“I’m glad it’s you and not me,” Reid said. “You are in for it now, brother.”
“Yeah,” Quinn agreed. “Trust me, when those women are mad…whoa. I don’t even want to think about it.”
“Give me a niece,” Kirill demanded, crossing over to his brother. Before being dragged into the room to meet Princess Jasmine, Mei saw all five giant Var princes hovering over two very tiny little girls. Jarek looked at her, smiling brightly, his eyes so happy.
“I love you, fea,” he mouthed.
Mei grinned, trying to answer, but her new friends swept her away too quickly. Her heart filled with the love from Jarek’s family. It was in the very air around them.
* * *
The End
* *
*
The books continue:
Dynasty Lords: Seduction of the Phoenix
CLICK HERE to read about Princess Mei’s family
* * *
Space Lords: His Frost Maiden
CLICK HERE to read about Jarek’s Crew
The cursed crew…
Find out what happens to Jarek’s crew, thanks to Rick’s big mouth.
The series continues
His Frost Maiden
Space Lords Book 1
Empath and space pirate, Evan Cormier is obsessed with decoding an ominous premonition about his future. When a fellow crewman angered a spirit, the vengeful Zhang An took her wrath out on everyone in the vicinity. Evan just happened to be one of them. He’s now facing a future in which he’ll be forever alone.
Lady Josselyn of the House of Craven has been betrayed. With her home world on a Florencian moon under attack and her family dead, she finds herself at the mercy of the one who deceived them. There is only one thing left to do—die with honor. But before she can join her family in the afterlife, she must first avenge all that she held dear. Falling in love with a pirate was never in the plan. Evan and his thieving crewmates might have delayed her fate, but they can’t stop destiny.
His Frost Maiden
CLICK HERE to read the book!
His Frost Maiden Excerpt
Craven Estates, Earth Settlement, Florencia’s Fifth Moon
“Lift her,” the General ordered, his shiny boots walking away from her, taking her reflection with it.
Two men hauled her to her feet, holding her up by her arms. Josselyn suppressed a cry as they jerked her dislocated shoulder. She couldn’t see their faces, didn’t need to. Her body hurt so badly she couldn’t tell where the pain was coming from anymore.
The Pirate Prince Page 19
