“Oh,” Rick said, drawing the sound out. “Crap.”
Jasmine sat up. They were all still looking at her. “I’m going to leave.”
Jasmine walked to the door, not meeting any of their eyes. She felt horrible. Obviously, she was a burden to them.
“Way to go,” she heard Evan drawl as she left. The lounge exploded with low murmurs as she walked away.
“Okay, okay, don’t get your panties in a twist. I don’t know what the big deal is. Sam never cared,” Rick said.
“Sam was different,” Evan admonished.
Jasmine heard footsteps coming after her. She tensed. Rick called, “Hey, Jasmine, I mean, my lady.”
Jasmine stopped. She looked at him, arching a brow. “I’m not a lady.”
“Oh, the Var call all women lady and insist we do so as well, especially with you belonging to Prince Reid and all.”
“I don’t belong to him,” Jasmine denied. Surely, Reid wouldn’t like hearing Rick say that. It wasn’t as if the Var prince actually still wanted her. He was gone every morning when she awoke, and he didn’t talk to her when he saw her. In fact, she’d say that he definitely didn’t want anything to do with her.
“Well, you know what I mean. With him claiming you as his and all.” Rick smiled. “Anyway—”
“He did?” Jasmine gasped. “What are you talking about?”
“Yeah, Jarek said you were Reid’s ward. Actually, I was eavesdropping and didn’t hear everything they said.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “But the gist of it is that you’re under Reid’s protection. I mean, have you seen those guys fight? Or shift and fight for that matter? Yeah, they’d rip my balls off and shove them down my throat if I were to even think about…”
Rick paused, looking pained by his own crass phrasing. Despite his rather obvious flaws, Jasmine liked Rick. He never took anything seriously, always was quick with a joke and winked audaciously at her almost every time she saw him as if he couldn’t help himself. Oh, and he seemed to have an affinity for ancient Old Earth culture. Panties in a twist? That was one of many sayings she’d heard from the man. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what it meant.
Rick continued as she stared blankly at him. “Ah, yeah, anyway, I did hear that Reid’s going to marry you off to one of the Var soldiers or something. You’re very lucky. I mean congratulations and all that. I know a lot of women like to do the marriage thing.”
Jasmine felt the color draining from her face. Reid wanted to marry her off? Surely Rick was mistaken. Even if he weren’t, she’d just refuse.
“My lady? You all right?” Rick asked. “Are you waiting for me to apologize for having a big mouth? I’m sorry if I offended you in there with the talk of porn. I didn’t know you were so delicate.”
“I’m not delicate. Apology accepted, though not needed.” Jasmine nodded once. “Good day.”
She turned to go. Rick sighed heavily behind her. “You want to go get drunk or something?”
Jasmine felt her lips twitch despite herself. Trying not to laugh, she kept her back to him as she said, “I don’t drink, but thank you for the offer just the same.”
“Well, why the hell not?” Rick had stepped closer.
The man was trying, she’d give him that. Somehow, Jasmine got the impression Rick didn’t know how to talk to women unless he was coming onto them. It was adorable to watch him try to be nice to her. She much preferred him treating her like one of the guys than coming on to her anyway.
Jasmine turned to him. Her smile faltered as she laid her hand on her chest. “Heart condition.”
“Ah, that sucks.” Rick looked sorry for her. “Want to come watch us get drunk, then? You shouldn’t be spending so much time alone. I guarantee we can get the rest of the crew to make asses out of themselves. All but Dev. He’s a wet blanket. Though, he’s easy to rile and turns even redder when he’s mad. It’s damned funny.”
A wet what? Jasmine shook her head. “No, I—”
“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Rick winked, nodding emphatically.
Jasmine opened her mouth to answer. She didn’t manage to get a word in before Rick continued talking.
“Did we ever tell you the story of how we met up with these Var princes?” Rick asked. He slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her alongside him as he spoke. Jasmine’s mouth stayed open, but he kept talking, ignoring her feeble protest as she tried to pull away from him. He clearly wasn’t taking no for an answer. His arm tightened on her, not inappropriately, just keeping her in step with him. The weight of it pressed into her and the easy contact was so strange that she finally just went with it. “You see, there was this scavenger hunt for the giant market on Torgan. You ever hear of it? Bunch of ships go around collecting things and then sell them on the market while hoping to win a prize for finding the best stuff.”
Jasmine nodded. Rick failed to mention that Torgan was mostly known as being a black market planet, filled with space pirates and those running from the law.
“Captain Sam, ah that would be Samantha, Lucien, Viktor, Evan, Dev and I were a crew. We all got drunk one night, well, not Dev, like I said, wet blanket that one. Anyway, Sam, Evan and Lucien decided that they were going to get a wild beast for the scavenger hunt.” Rick led her back into the lounge grinning. “They were toe up drunk and kidnapped Prince Falke in his shifted form.”
“Oh, you’re not telling her about that,” Lucien protested.
“And why not, rocket boy?” Viktor demanded of his brother. Then, turning to Jasmine, he asked, “Rick tell you that they stole my Torganian Rum?”
“Torganian Rum?” Jasmine repeated. “You mean rum as in roome-a? It’s not even liquor. It’s a psychotropic given by Torganian shaman to enlighten their minds. I wouldn’t recommend humanoids drinking it.”
The men looked at her as if she’d sprouted a new head. Evan smiled. Lucien’s jaw actually dropped. Viktor slowly nodded and held out his hands as if to say, ‘thank you!’
“We know that now,” Lucien mumbled, giving his brother a grumpy look.
“So you actually kidnapped a prince?” Jasmine asked, intrigued by their story. “How are you not in jail?”
“Falke fell in love with Sam,” Evan said, smiling wider. “They’re married, even expecting a baby.”
“They’re going to name the baby Rick,” Rick said.
“You wish, fly boy,” Lucien contradicted. “Sam already told me it’s going to be baby Lucien.”
“She did not,” Evan laughed. “Stop telling lies.”
“Good thing she did marry him or else we’d really be in a sling.” Rick finally let her go but stood between her and the doorway so she couldn’t easily escape. He grinned at her, his eyes sparkling as if he knew exactly what he was doing in making her socialize with them.
“So how many Var princes are there?” Jasmine asked. She noticed Lochlann in the back corner, sitting by Jackson. The man shifted uncomfortably in his chair but said nothing.
“The oldest is Kirill. He’s just become king and married the woman who tried to have him arrested for some biological weaponry the HIA found on their planet,” Lucien said.
“Ah, then there is Falke, Commander of the Var armies,” Evan added.
“You not only kidnapped a prince, but a commander prince?” Jasmine asked. Curious, she sat down, taking a chair closer to the men. They grinned at her. Rick left his post by the door and went to a cabinet, pulling out a bottle of liquor and some large glasses.
“Yeah, wait until you see him too,” Rick added, setting the glasses down on the card table. He twisted off the bottle’s cap and began to pour generous amounts. “He’s huge.”
“Anyway,” Lucien interrupted. “Next are the twins, Reid and Jarek.”
“Jarek is the runaway, out here with us scamps,” Jackson said. Coming forward, he took a glass, lifted it up to Rick in salute and began to sip.
“And Reid is the Commander of the Outlands,” Evan said. He glanced at his hand-held and Jasmin
e could see that part of him wanted to get back to his book. “But you probably know all that.”
Jasmine didn’t say a word. Essentially, she didn’t know anything about Reid. How could she? He didn’t talk to her. Her heart did little flops in her chest. Reid was a commander? A warrior? It explained his size and his very toned physique, but knowing he was a warrior made her a little nervous. Strangely, though, she wasn’t scared of him per say, just apprehensive of his vigor and prowess.
“Then there is Quinn, the true Var ambassador, married to an ESC scientist who came to rid the planet of the biological weaponry the HIA found.” Rick smiled, before tipping his glass back and swallowing the dark brown liquor in two large gulps. Sighing, he set his glass down and refilled it. “That’s all of them.”
“Wow, five princes,” Jasmine said when the men looked at her. “So who are the Draig?”
The men shifted their eyes to Lochlann. He raised his hand, giving her a slow smile. “We’d be the enemy to the Var.”
Jasmine stared at him. He was a traitor?
“Were, I suppose is the better word,” he amended as if seeing her thoughts on her face.
“And are you a prince as well?” Jasmine asked.
“No, the Draig have four princes—Ualan, Zoran, Yusef, and Olek,” Lochlann said. “I am not one of them.”
Jasmine got the feeling he didn’t want to speak of it, so she changed the subject back to the Var. She wanted to know more about the Var, about Reid. “You said the oldest Var prince is the king now? I take it their parents are deceased?”
“Falke’s mother is alive,” Rick said.
“Oh, I see,” Jasmine said. “The king was married more than once.”
Rick smirked, as he poured shots. “You could say that.”
“What?” Jasmine sat forward to get a better look at his face. “He was married many times?”
“You could say that,” Rick repeated.
“How many wives did he have?” Jasmine asked. Viktor mumbled something. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear.”
“He said,” Rick grinned, winking at her, “King Attor had over a hundred and fifty wives at one time.”
“Oh,” Jasmine gasped. Why was she suddenly thinking of Reid? And why was she suddenly jealous to think he might have just as many wives? If he was married, then why in the world did he get upset because she was? “That is…extremely excessive.”
Remembering what Rick had said about Reid wanting to marry her off, she tensed. She didn’t like the idea of marrying again, but she liked less the idea that Reid would try to give her away. It’s not as if she wanted to be one of Reid’s hundred and fifty wives, or any man’s for that matter. She already tried the marriage thing and it was a mistake she wouldn’t be repeating.
“Obviously,” Jasmine said, when the men continued to look at her. She saw the glass in Rick’s hand and stared at it. She’d only had a few sips of liquor in her life. Why was she suddenly tempted to try more? “It’s a…ah, many such cultures have those types of practices.”
Rick lifted the glass to her, offering it up. Jasmine met his eyes. Slowly, she stood and nodded. She took his glass, glanced around and then drank it as Rick had, taking it down in two big gulps. The liquor burned, choking her. Coughing, she nearly gagged at the horrible taste. Rick laughed, patting her on the back.
“Rick,” Evan scolded. “What did you give her?”
“Just a little whiskey,” Rick protested. “Nothing the medical booth can’t take out of her.”
“Damn it,” Evan said. “She’s allergic to the medical booth.”
“Oh,” Rick looked guilty. He patted Jasmine’s shoulder. “Maybe you should take it easy, then. Didn’t you say your heart—?”
“Another,” Jasmine said, liking the combination of fire and numbness in her blood. “My heart will be just fine.”
“I don’t think—” Rick began.
“Another,” Jasmine insisted. She managed a smile for him and sat down at the card table. “So, gents, what’s the game?”
“Kiss My Comet,” Lucien said, laughing.
“The children’s game?” Jasmine asked in surprise.
“It’s all we can remember how to play when we’re drunk,” Lucien admitted. “Rules are, for each wrong guess, you have to take a drink. So if you ask me for an eight, and I don’t have it, you drink. If I do have it, I drink.”
“Sounds simple enough,” Jasmine said. She looked expectantly at Rick for her own glass.
Rick glanced around. Then, shrugging, he said, “I’m going to need another bottle. I’ll be right back.”
19
Reid stretched his arms over his head as he left the VR room. He was tired from fighting the Grogs with Dev and wanted to go to sleep, but he knew he couldn’t go back to his room yet. He didn’t want to face Jasmine. Instead, he went to the lounge, knowing the guys were probably gathered there—drinking and playing cards. Hearing laughter, he smiled slightly. But, as he heard Jasmine’s voice joining theirs, he tensed.
“So you’re saying,” she said, her voice abnormally loud, “that you think you could please that many women?”
“I know I could,” Rick boasted.
“You’d try,” Lucien teased.
Reid stayed behind the corner, listening. It took him a moment to get over the shock of hearing Jasmine laugh. Then, knowing he’d never accomplished so much as making her smile, he felt his gut tighten.
“I should think King Attor’s wives would be very lonely,” Jasmine said, laughing harder. Reid’s tension only intensified as he heard her speak of his father. What did she know of it? Of the Var way? “I mean, it’s complete arrogance to think that they would all be satisfied by one man. I highly doubt the old king could make three women happy, let alone hundreds. If they were happy, they found pleasure in the arms of another to be sure.”
More laughter sounded. Reid was sure he heard Lochlann’s voice with the others. Stepping around the corner, he quickly assessed the room. Jasmine sat at the card table, laughing as she took a drink. They were all drunk, and no one even noticed that the cat-shifter prince was watching them. Rick, Lucien, and Viktor joined Jasmine at cards, laughing as hard as she. Jackson and Evan watched the game, their backs to him. Lochlann’s eyes were the first to meet his. He sat alone in a corner. His smile faded, and he leaned back, not moving. Reid ignored him.
“My father pleased his women just fine,” Reid stated coldly. He stared at Jasmine. What was she doing laughing and smiling? She never smiled at him. Anger rolled in him until he resented her. How dare she laugh at his family? How dare she question his father’s honor? Attor was dead, unable to defend himself to her. Jasmine’s smile faded when she looked at him. Her eyes flickered down to the glass in front of her before boldly lifting back up to meet his.
“Sure, he did,” Jasmine said, returning his hard stare. Was she angry with him? She dared to glare at him? “I’m betting he was a real…” She glanced at Rick. “What was that word you used? Stud.”
“Reid,” Rick began, standing on wobbling feet as he shook his head. “We weren’t disrespecting your father at all. We were just talking about wanting to own a harem. We’re jealous of him, truly.”
“I thought you didn’t drink,” Reid said to Jasmine, not taking his eyes off her as he ignored Rick. She frowned and lifted her glass, defiantly tossing back the liquor.
Evan stood, coming to Reid’s side. Quietly, he said, “She only had one real glass. Rick’s been pouring her watered down whiskey the entire night.”
Reid glanced at Jasmine’s glass, noticing the liquid in it was indeed lighter than the men’s. He nodded once at Evan to signify he heard him, but that was all he could manage. Just one look at Jasmine’s flushed cheeks, and swaying body told him she was drunk regardless of what they had given her.
“I’m not your ward, your highness. I don’t belong to you. I will never belong to you or any man ever again. I can do whatever I damned well please,” Jasmine said. She pushed to h
er feet, wobbling violently at the sudden movement. Rick and Lucien were instantly by her side, holding her up by her elbows. She weakly tried to shrug them off. “You actually thought I would go to your barbaric planet and marry some stupid, primitive warrior? Dream on. You don’t own me.”
“You asked to be under my protection,” Reid said, his tone warning her to back down. He made a move toward her. She flinched.
“I asked for safe passage. You don’t own me, Reid. You can’t decide to make me marry some stupid kitty cat-shifter thing. I don’t want to be married at all.”
Reid felt his face change subtly. The half shift was just as frightening as the full. The pupils in his eyes bent, becoming oblong as he scanned her body. Her pulse was quick. He heard it in his head. Her chest deepened with breaths and he smelled the liquor emanating from her pores. It was a subtle smell, but he had no problem detecting it. Breathing hard with the effort it took not to strike her, his voice became garbled by a roar, as he said, “Insult my people again and you’ll pay.”
“Truth hurt?” she snapped. “Please. I’ve seen what you’re capable of. Don’t tell me you can honestly claim that you could satisfy a hundred women.” Her eyes slipped dispassionately over him, and she gave up trying to shake off Rick and Lucien’s arms. “I doubt you could satisfy one.”
Reid’s rage slipped. She dared to call his manhood into question? She dared to insult him? The men gasped. Rick and Lucien looked at Jasmine in horror.
“Jasmine,” Lucien began. He made a move to stand in front of her.
“You better run,” Rick told her, trying to do the same.
“Reid,” Evan said to his side. “She didn’t mean it. She’s drunk. She doesn’t know what she says. She can’t handle her liquor.”
“She’s human. She doesn’t know the depth to which your kind takes insults,” Lucien added.
“Yeah,” said Rick. “It’s not the same for humans. We joke about prowess all the time and don’t mean anything by it.”
“What would you know of it?” Reid asked Jasmine cruelly, not taking his shifted eyes from hers. He ignored the men’s protests on her behalf. “You can’t even feel a man’s touch. How did you put it? You’re colder than an ice cap on Sintaz.”
The Rogue Prince Page 9
