“You mean the pills Tori analyzed?” Quinn asked.
“Yes.” Jasmine nodded. She glanced around the room before looking at her hands. “According to human law, you have to be legally of sound mind to make a binding contract. I wasn’t of sound mind, haven’t been of sound mind for several years. I’d say that pretty much voids any marriage contract I had with Chad.”
Reid’s whole body was tense as he watched her. Why hadn’t she said any of this before? Why let him believe she was married? If there was nothing between them, then they…she… Then the realization dawned on him. She’d not told him because she wanted it between them.
“This is my problem,” Jasmine said when silence filled the room. She finally looked at him. Reid tried to read something on her face, any emotion that would tell him how she felt. She was blank, like when he’d first met her, like when she’d been on those damned pills. “You’ve all done so much for me, and I truly appreciate it and will never forget it. But, if Chad is coming here to get me, then I’ll go without a fuss. He’s my problem to deal with, and I think it’s about time I faced it.”
“Jasmine,” Reid began. She looked away from him. He felt his brother’s eyes on him. What could he say? Feeling helpless, he looked at Kirill, begging him to say something.
Kirill met his eyes, seeming to understand. “I would like to offer to let you stay at the palace. My wife is very fond of you, and I don’t want her upset during the last of her pregnancy. Please, consider staying.”
“You’re too kind, but I hardly doubt Queen Ulyssa is so delicate that she needs me, a stranger, to stay on this planet,” Jasmine said.
Kirill nodded, chuckling. “You’re right. My Lyssa is no delicate woman. But it is still our wish that you stay and let us help you.”
“I thank you, your majesty, but this is my fight. I’ll deal with it. You don’t need this hassle here. As you said, your wife is expecting. This is one less stress you need on your kingdom and your wife. I will go.”
“My lady,” Falke said. “We’ve dealt with the Medical Mafia before, and we’ll not leave you to face them alone.”
“You know?” Jasmine gasped. “You know about the Medical Alliance’s connection to the Medical Mafia?”
“Wait,” Reid stood, glaring angrily at her. “Are you saying you knew that Chad was part of the Medical Mafia, and you still intended to go back to him?”
“I wasn’t going back to him. I was facing my problem,” Jasmine argued, returning his heated glare.
“After what he’s already done to you?” Reid growled, taking a menacing step forward. Instantly his brothers stood, blocking his path to Jasmine. It wasn’t necessary. He could never hurt her. “What makes you think you can—?”
“Reid, now is not the time,” Quinn said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “We’re here to bring you back to the palace. If they do come for her, Jasmine will be safer there.”
Reid nodded.
“Wait, don’t I have a say?” Jasmine demanded. “It’s not like the Mafia wants me, just Chad.”
“No, my lady, I’m sorry. You don’t have a say in this. I tried to give you one, but you wouldn’t agree to it,” Kirill said. “We have dealt with the Mafia before. Trust me, we are more than equipped to handle this.”
31
Jasmine refused to talk to Reid the entire way back to the palace. They’d stayed at his home long enough to eat. It had been a tense meal, one that Jasmine could barely force down her throat. The Var men complimented her on her cooking and tried to make a few jokes to lighten her mood, all of them but Reid. It was pointless. She was upset with him, and hurt. After the meal, she hadn’t been given a choice but to leave. With five very large Var warriors walking around her, she didn’t stand a chance of escape.
A diffused light fell over the dense forest in a soft green haze. Reid and Jarek walked ahead of her. Kirill and Quinn stayed at her sides, and Falke brought up the rear.
Damn him! Jasmine thought, reminding herself to be mad as she glared at his back. More often than not, she found herself staring at his tight butt and not concentrating on her anger.
How dare Reid let his family make decisions for her without even asking her opinion? It wasn’t as if she was ungrateful for their offer, and on a very base level she was relieved that they wanted to take control over the situation, but out of principal she was outraged. She was living her life, not the royal cat-shifter family. Jasmine wanted to make her own decisions, whether good or bad. She was tired of being told what to do.
The sound of young boys playing echoed around them as they neared the city. Reid turned to her. Jasmine glared back, giving him her most evil look. He actually had the nerve to look surprised at her hostility.
They walked quietly through the city streets, winding along the maze-like roads. Beautiful woven rugs and blankets hung outside in the sun, drying on lines. Clay pots set outside doorsteps, some with flowers and other native plants. The walls were decorated with tiles, less intricate than the palace, but still lovely. The palace stood tall over the city, outlined by the blue-green sky. Jasmine stared at the square turrets, doing her best to pretend that she didn’t see the curious eyes of the Var population on her.
They walked through the front gates of the palace. Quinn and the king took their leave to go and find their wives. Jasmine was almost jealous over the eager way they went to their women. Reid would never get so bent out of shape over her. Hearing laughter, the small traveling party turned toward a banquet hall. Jasmine didn’t have much choice but to follow. With the giant Falke behind her, she didn’t exactly think she could sneak away, and his size alone gave her reason enough not to try.
The banquet hall had a high domed ceiling of glass that let in the diffused light of the three suns. There were mosaic patterns on the walls and an exquisitely tiled floor. Long tables and bench seats were along the floor for group dining. At the front of the hall, on a raised platform, was the king’s table. It was empty.
The laughter came from Princess Samantha and the members of Jarek’s crew at one of the lower tables. Rick and Evan sat at her sides, grinning widely. Dev, Jackson, Lucien, and Viktor sat across from her. Lochlann was the only one missing. Remembering that he was a dragon-shifter and not Var, she wondered if Lochlann wasn’t welcome at the palace. Jarek slid into a seat next to Jackson. Seeing how close Rick and Evan sat to Sam, Jasmine glanced back at Falke. He was smiling.
Sam saw her husband, and her whole face lit up with pleasure. She pushed on Evan’s shoulder, using him to help her stand. Then, unashamed, she ran to Falke, jumping up to throw her arms around his neck. He kept walking as he hugged her, carrying her so that her feet dangled off the floor.
“Your son is making me tired,” Sam said, giggling softly as she kissed Falke.
“That’s just because his mother’s lazy,” Falke answered, his voice teasing.
Jasmine’s jaw almost dropped. Did the big Commander Falke just make a joke? Sam’s laughter rang out over them. Apparently, he had.
“I need to talk to you.” Reid pulled on her elbow.
Jasmine turned, partially melted by the loving display of Falke and his wife. She looked up, seeing Reid’s dark eyes. Then, as his words penetrated her brain, she jerked her arm from him. “Fine.”
“Alone,” he said under his breath, glancing around at the full table. Jasmine followed his gaze. They were being watched.
“Fine,” she repeated, this time not so loud.
Reid turned and led the way from the hall. He glanced back several times as if making sure she followed him. Jasmine did, her body stiff. She plastered a determined look of anger on her face. Reid had to learn that he couldn’t boss her around. So what if she appreciated the Var’s help and didn’t know how to handle the situation on her own. She didn’t belong to him, no matter what intimacies had transpired between them.
They walked in silence through the maze-like halls. Then, stopping, Reid turned to a round mosaic pattern on the wall. He pressed a ser
ies of tiles on the circular pattern. The tiles didn’t move as he touched them, but as he finished and pulled his hand away, the whole center circle pulled into the wall to reveal a screen. Jasmine gasped. It was a computer. She would never have guessed.
“Give me a strand of your hair,” Reid said.
“What?” Jasmine looked at him, confused.
Reid reached for her, plucking a single strand from her head. It didn’t hurt, but she protested anyway. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
Reid sighed and didn’t answer as he pressed a button. A tray slid out, and he placed her hair strand inside. “Siren, please record DNA for Jasmine.”
“Jasmine recorded, Prince Reid,” a sultry voice answered.
“Who was that?” Jasmine needlessly glanced around. They were alone in the hall.
“That’s Siren, the palace’s mainframe computer.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Jasmine,” Siren said in a tone that dripped honey and sounded like a pout. “My lord, what security clearance?”
Reid glanced at her.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Jasmine demanded.
“Eight, please, Siren,” Reid said.
“Eight?” Jasmine asked, her tone hard.
“Very good, my lord, Jasmine stored,” Siren said. Reid didn’t take his eyes off her.
“What is eight?” Jasmine demanded. Reid opened his mouth to speak, but she asked instead, “Siren, what does eight security level mean?”
“Level eight is confinement to the palace, my lady, and limited privileges,” Siren answered. Reid grimaced.
“What do you think you are doing?” Jasmine yelled, not caring if she was overheard. “Erase it at once.”
“No,” Reid said. “Don’t think I couldn’t see your mind plotting ways to defy the king’s order. I saw you looking for a way to escape. Now you will be confined to the palace. If you leave, or if anyone tries to take you from the palace, Siren will sound the alarm. It’s for your safety.”
“This has nothing to do with the king’s order,” Jasmine yelled. “This has to do with you not giving me the right to make up my own mind. You have no right to keep me prisoner here.”
“Haven’t I?” Reid asked, his voice dipping. He reached a hand to cup her cheek. Why was he looking at her like that? All soft and tender and sad? Jasmine jerked back, staying out of arm’s reach. “When were you going to tell me you weren’t married, Jasmine?”
“What does that have to do with anything? You didn’t seem to care so much about it when you were sleeping with me.” Jasmine backed away. How could he do this to her? How could he not trust her enough to make her own decisions? How could he make her a prisoner? Why did he have to look so handsome at this moment?
She tried to walk away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. “I asked you a question, Jasmine.”
“And I gave you the only answer I’m going to give you. I didn’t tell you because my relationship with Chad is none of your business.”
Reid drew back as if she’d hit him. Slowly, he nodded his head. His voice calm and his face suddenly very passionless, he asked, “Do you know the way back to your suite? Or do you need me to show you?”
“I’ll find my way to my gilded prison just fine, thank you, your highness. I’m sure if I don’t go there, your little slut of a computer will be happy to tell you,” she spat. Turning on her heels, she stormed away from him.
Reid watched Jasmine go. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Didn’t she understand that he logged her into the palace computer to protect her?
“Siren,” he ordered.
“Yes, my prince?”
“Make sure she gets back to the purple guest suite,” Reid said. “And monitor her life signs at all times. If she even appears to be in danger, I want to know about it.”
“Yes, my prince.”
Reid turned to go back to the banquet hall. He needed to talk to Falke and find out everything he knew about the Medical Mafia’s ship. Since Jasmine had interrupted them earlier at his home, he knew he hadn’t been told everything. His brothers looked at him as Jasmine’s guardian and would let him decide how to best take care of her.
Stopping, he added, “Siren, please ignore her slut comment. She didn’t mean it. She’s mad at me, not you. Don’t do anything to her, all right?”
Reid sighed. He’d called Siren a couple of names in his time. Damn Jarek for that. His brother had programmed the computer to be touchy to insults. Once, the damned thing had even locked him in the weapons chamber.
“As you wish, my lord, but I would rather log an apology from her,” Siren pouted.
“She’s my wife, Siren,” he said softly, remembering how he’d marked her during sex. She’d been pinned up against the wall, and he’d never felt more complete. That was before Jasmine went on and on about how they were only lovers and their relationship meant nothing to her and that it was an affair of the bodies only. How could he tell her what he’d done after that? “Take her apology from me.”
“Yes, my lord. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Siren.”
32
Jasmine paced the guest suite for all of fifteen minutes before knocks sounded on her door. It was the same suite she’d woken up in. First came Queen Ulyssa and Princess Tori. They instantly hugged her, looked her over to ensure she was in one piece, and then hugged her again. Next was Princess Sam, her mouth pink and swollen as if she’d just been thoroughly kissed before stumbling through the door. She gave a guilty smile at Ulyssa’s look and shrugged.
“I missed him,” Sam said by way of excuse.
Tori went to a hidden food simulator by the giant Var banner and materialized drinks. Whatever it was, it was fizzy and made funny bubbling noises.
“Don’t worry, it’s not liquor,” Ulyssa said, as they all sat down around a table. “It’s an old Earth drink. Soda. One of the Draig princesses gave it to us. They found the simulator programming codes in the Draig royal library.”
Jasmine nodded, taking a sip. It was sugary, but not bad. “I was under the impression the cat-shifters and dragon-shifters didn’t get along.”
“Actually, we’re trying to change that,” Ulyssa said. “My husband has been working for peace for the last several months.”
Jasmine nodded, very curious about the Draig. Reid never wanted to talk about it. Besides, it was nice to think about something that didn’t directly concern her or her future. Her mind needed a break.
“We’ve signed a treaty and have made a betrothal agreement,” Ulyssa’s eyes fell.
“Betrothal agreement?” Jasmine asked. “As in an arranged marriage? Between who?”
“It’s more of a formality,” Tori said, patting Ulyssa’s hand.
“If one of the Draig princes has a daughter, which is highly unlikely considering that the blue radiation makes female children all but impossible, she will marry the king’s oldest son,” Sam said. She too gave Ulyssa a sad smile. “It was a very grand gesture on Kirill’s part, to join the future Var king to a Draig woman.”
Jasmine glanced at the queen’s belly.
“There are four of them, and they’re all married with children due very soon,” Ulyssa supplied. “We expect to get news any day that the princesses have delivered.”
“And you’re fine with this?” Jasmine asked, already suspecting the queen wasn’t.
“The Var are my people now, and I love them,” Ulyssa said. She placed her hand on her stomach. “But this is my baby. I wouldn’t have him forced into a loveless marriage. What scares me is that he’s his father’s son and will undoubtedly be compelled by duty. My only comfort is that in time peace could be achieved another way and that this betrothal could become unnecessary. Besides, it’s unlikely that the Draig princesses will give birth to a girl.”
Jasmine opened her mouth. Ulyssa held up her hand.
“It’s all right, really,” the queen said. “I have great hopes that we will have peace before my son reaches marry
ing age.”
“Yeah, we have, what? Eighty? Ninety years?” Sam laughed.
Jasmine giggled, thinking they were joking. Then, seeing their faces, she stopped. Her eyes rounded. “How old is Reid?”
Tori laughed. “Let’s put it this way. Quinn’s the baby, and he’s fifty-six.”
Jasmine’s jaw dropped.
“Let’s see,” Ulyssa mused. “Kirill was about thirty-seven when the twins were born. He’s ninety-eight now so that would make Reid…ah…”
“Sixty-one,” Tori calculated. Jasmine gasped.
“Cat-shifters tend to live for hundreds of years, so technically, they’re still young men,” Ulyssa said.
“I had no idea.” Jasmine was stunned. Before she could stop and think, she blurted, “And this doesn’t bother you to know that your husband will outlive you by so long?”
“Outlive us?” Ulyssa repeated.
“Oh, no,” Sam said, taking a sip. “We’re Var now. They shared their lives with us. We’ve bonded. They call it life mating. It means we’ll live for hundreds of years as well.”
“So, you’re not half mates?” Jasmine already knew the answer, but she said the words anyway, thinking of Reid. “Or do half mates live longer as well?”
“We’re life mates,” Ulyssa said, smiling. “I could never share Kirill, and he will never take another. That’s how much he loves me. Half mates are more like the harem girls. They’re bonded, but not as deeply and the bond can be broken if both parties will it. At least that’s the way I understand it.”
“Var men can only have one life mate. It’s why they act the way they do toward their women,” Tori said. “That and because women are so rare they feel they need to be protected.”
The Rogue Prince Page 17
