“I wish to thank you as well,” he whispered. He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t.
Tori nodded. She was suddenly drawn forward into his arms, as she rushed over the distance to be near him. Tears entered her eyes as threw her arms around his neck. She wasn’t sure why she was crying, she just was.
“I killed him,” she whispered, forlorn and so very lost. A dam broke within her and only in Quinn’s arms did she feel safe. “I killed him. I only meant to stop him and I killed him instead.”
“He deserved it. I would have done the same,” Quinn whispered, stroking the wet hair down her back. Her shoulders trembled violently.
“It’s not my decision to make,” Tori sniffed. “I can’t play God. I can’t! I-I killed him.”
“Shhh,” Quinn hushed. “You did what you had to do. You saved a lot of people.”
“No, you don’t understand, Quinn,” she tried to pull away but he didn’t let her. His arms held her tighter and she let him, needing his comfort more than anything. “I’m a scientist. I’m supposed to save lives, make them better. I-I need you to kiss me. Just kiss me, Quinn, please.”
The fight drained out of her limbs. She pressed her mouth to his, searing him with her passionate kiss. Everything she’d been through since coming to Qurilixen rushed over her, overwhelming her. The only thing good she could find in the whole mess of emotions was Quinn.
“Ah,” she gasped, pulling her mouth away, panting for breath. Her hands skimmed over his body, tearing at his shirt as she pushed him across the suite to the bed. “I need you to make me feel. I need to feel anything but sadness. I just want to forget.”
Quinn didn’t resist. His hand dove into her hair, bringing her lips once more to his. She moaned as his long tongue rolled into her mouth, making her knees weak. Her robe fell aside at his gentle insistence, baring her body to him. His fingers explored everywhere at once, her breasts, her stomach, the small of her back.
As they finally reached the bed, Tori pulled her lips away and continued tearing at his clothes until she’d stripped him completely. His erection stood tall, exciting her, making her forget everything but him. She walked around him slowly, dodging his hands as he tried to grab for her.
She loved the look of him--the strong curve of his spine, hidden between gloriously smooth muscles. His hips were slender, showcasing his incredible butt. Tori reached forward, touching him, squeezing his cheek lightly. Her stomach tightened. Moisture pooled between her thighs, readying her body for him. She wanted him, always wanted him.
Letting the robe glide off her arms, she shivered as it fell to the floor. She explored his back, his legs, his hips, touching him everywhere. By the time she made her way around, he was panting wildly. His eyes shifted to green in his passion.
Tori placed her finger on his chin and slowly drew it down over his throat. To her surprise, his eyes darkened and his body lurched, tensing as she continued to slide her hand down the middle of his chest. Tilting her head to the side, she watched her finger circle his navel. Heat radiated off his body, stirring her blood. She felt him as if he was already inside of her, part of her.
Quinn’s hands lifted as if he would touch her, but he drew them back, letting her take the lead. Tori grinned, moved her hands to his hips, and sank to her knees before him. She flicked her tongue over his hard shaft, playing with the tip until he groaned and begged mindlessly for more.
Her lips wrapped around him, her tongue rolled, her mouth sucked, her teeth grazed. He was too big to fit in her mouth so her hands lifted to help, stroking him, playing with the soft globes she found underneath. Suddenly, he tensed, groaning loud and long, as he held himself back from the edge.
Quinn grabbed her by the arms and lifted her up. A throaty laugh came from her throat as he tossed her easily on the bed. She bounced on the soft mattress.
“You’re too much,” he growled, crawling over her with a streamlined grace. “You drive me to distraction.”
Tori shivered, her body worked up with anticipation. Quinn looked every inch the stalking beast as he came over her. His knees brushed her thighs open and she didn’t resist. His strong arms bent slightly at the elbows. He lowered his mouth to take hers, kissing her with a savage heat that consumed her.
He thrust forward, lifting up as he delved inside her. Their shared moans filled the suite. He felt so good, so right. Tori never wanted it to stop. She met his body as he moved within her, confident and sure, gliding in and out of her moistened depths.
His body fell forward so he was lying on top of her, bracing his weight with his elbows. Tori met his kiss. Fingers glided down her body, moving her leg over his shoulder so he could go deeper still.
“Tori,” Quinn groaned into her mouth, over and over again.
The tension built. He pumped faster. Her leg looped behind his back, driving him deeper, harder. Tori’s back arched off the bed, her body so close to finding fulfillment. She tried to fight it, not wanting the pleasure to stop. With a sudden force that stole her breath and numbed her mind, she climaxed. Her whole being trembled so violently that she was sure the whole planet surely moved with the intensity of it.
“Quinn,” she cried, over and over. “Quinn! Quinn! Yes, Quinn!”
Quinn’s body couldn’t resist the call, as he joined her with his heavy release. His mouth opened, soundless, stretching wide as he drained completely into her body. He was stunned, surprised, frightened--stunned by the force of their joining, surprised by the depth of his feelings, and frightened that he was soon going to lose her.
“Tori,” he groaned, wanting to hold onto her forever.
“No,” she whispered. “No words. Not tonight. Tonight I can’t think. I don’t want to feel anything but this, but us. All right, Quinn? Please.”
“Yes, nothing but us,” he promised, content to pull her tight into his arms as he held her.
“I can’t face it,” she whispered, her heart aching as she nestled into his strong, protective embrace. She didn’t want to leave him, but he hadn’t begged her to stay. He hadn’t even asked her. And, if he did, she wasn’t sure what she would say anyway. “Make love to me again, please, Quinn.”
He chuckled softly. “Just try and stop me.”
Tori smiled, hiding the sadness under the pleasure he gave her. He made love to her three more times, each release better than the last, until they were too exhausted to move. Sighing in contentment, she fell asleep in his arms.
* * * *
You are mine ... forever. The words were a whisper, spoken from Tori’s parted lips. Quinn opened his eyes, waking from a dream. He’d been kissing Tori, making love to her. She was his, completely his. Her dark eyes were staring up at him and she promised to never leave him.
You are mine....
The thought echoed in his brain, a bittersweet torment. Reaching for Tori, he found the bed was empty. He frowned, though he was hardly surprised. She had a habit of sneaking away while he slept. Sitting up, he ran his hand through his hair. Then, slowly, he crawled out of bed, found his clothes, and got dressed.
“Siren,” he ordered. “Find Dr. Elliot.”
“Good morning, my lord. Dr. Elliot is not in the palace.”
“I’m not surprised,” he whispered, letting loose a humorless chuckle. Anger built inside him. How dare she go back into the forest without telling him? Quinn surged to his feet and stormed out of the suite.
Her scent was still on his skin. Her voice was in his brain. Quinn growled, feeling his heart like a lead weight in his stomach and he knew he’d never be free of her.
You are mine ... forever.
* * * *
“There is something wrong with me,” Quinn announced, walking into the king’s office. Kirill looked up from his desk, his dark eye narrowing at the comment. Quinn swallowed, took a deep breath, and uttered, “I’m ... broken.”
Kirill frowned, standing. His eyes roamed down over his brother looking for injury. “How do you mean, broken?”
“It will be easier to show you.” Quinn’s face turned a dark shade of red and for a long moment, he stood, not moving. Kirill waited patiently. Finally Quinn sighed and called over his shoulder, “Come in!”
Kirill’s features flooded with confusion, as he watched a harem woman come into the office. She was very pretty--young, with dark hair and exotic eyes that could easily tempt any unmated man. When the woman sighed and came to stand next to Quinn, a quizzical smile twitched the corner of the king’s mouth. As he watched them, Kirill moved to lean on the corner of his desk. He didn’t say a word.
“Do it,” Quinn ordered the woman, not looking at all pleased. He didn’t care what he looked like. He wasn’t pleased. Tori had ruined him somehow and he wasn’t happy about it. His first impulse had been to run after her when he discovered she was again missing from his bed, but pride kept him from going. That was two days ago and he refused to go crawling back to her. He had to retain some dignity. He had to forget her. When the woman didn’t move, he said, “Go on. Do it.”
The woman frowned, looking dejected. “Again, my lord? I don’t think it will make a difference.”
Quinn looked at her. She shrugged. Reaching forward, the woman grabbed his crotch.
“Ha! See that!” Quinn yelled instantly, as if proving some point. Kirill merely continued to stare, confused. Ignoring the woman, the prince pushed her hand aside and waved her out of the office, “See, broken! She has ruined me!”
“Who? Dr. Elliot?” Kirill asked, realization dawning on him. He motioned to the harem woman to leave. She curtsied and obeyed. Quinn ignored her.
“Yes, Dr. Elliot!” Quinn growled, as if the answer was obvious. “She has driven me to madness! I can’t eat, can’t think. I can’t seem to breathe without her in my head! I-I need a cure.”
“Quinn, wait,” Kirill said in his reasonable older brother tone. Quinn frowned to hear it. He didn’t want reason. He wanted to be free of Tori, as she was obviously free of him. “Why ... all this? Has something happened between you and Dr. Elliot? Did you fight? Did she say something?”
“No, she left me without a word! She stole out of my bed, yet again, to run off with those two ... scientists.” Quinn slashed his hand through the air in agitation. When he discovered from Reid that the scientists would be gone for a week, camping again in the forest, he’d been livid. Of course, they had an armed guard with them this time and weren’t to be left alone, but it didn’t matter. He remembered Vitto’s words of love. He was a fool to believe she wasn’t sleeping with the man.
“You’re jealous,” Kirill stated, grinning wider. “You’re jealous of the male scientists.”
“I’m glad my pain amuses you brother,” Quinn growled. He felt helpless, not knowing where to go or what to do. All he could think about was her.
“If you are so concerned, why don’t you just go out there to see what’s going on?”
“And humiliate myself by crawling at her feet?” Quinn had already thought of that, but he didn’t think it would work so he saved himself the embarrassment of begging for her to love him.
“Quinn, no--”
“Don’t you get it, Kirill? I am not whole!” he cried. Quinn’s hands lifted helplessly and his whole frame shook. “Can’t you see it? Something has happened to me. I’m ruined, broken, and insane!”
Kirill slowly pushed up from the edge of the desk. His smiled faded. “Quinn, it’s all right. Try to calm down. I’ve never seen you like this.”
“You don’t understand. I can feel her in me right now. I feel as if I hear her thoughts, but they’re unclear. I taste her mouth. I can smell her hair--right now, as I stand before you! My heart beats and it feels her. I want it to stop.” The brightness was faded from his eyes as he looked around him. “This is the madness King Attor spoke of. You might have gotten lucky, but not I. I should have heeded our father’s warning. I should have stayed clear of her.”
“Quinn, you don’t--”
“I’m broken,” Quinn interrupted, nearing complete desperation. He fell to his knees and buried his face into his hands. His words were muffled, as he hoarsely whispered, “I’m broken, Kirill, and I don’t know how to make it go away.”
“No, brother, you are not broken,” the king said softly. He crossed over to him and placed a hand on his brother’s arm. Quinn’s eyes rose to meet the king’s dark ones. “You are life mated.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Tori, this is stupid.”
Tori blinked in confusion, looking up at her brother from the ground. The comment came out of nowhere. He held a drill in his hands, waiting as she injected the last of the formula into the last hole. They’d been working for three days, traveling around the marshes, injecting the ground, watching the black moss die a quick death.
Their task had gone a lot smoother than they had at first hoped. Everything looked as if it would be all right. Even the preliminary tests they’d done on the soil looked promising. Within ten years the shadowed marshes should be thriving again with life. There was a deep satisfaction in knowing they had done that.
“What are you talking about?” Tori asked, turning back to her work. “It’s a good thing we’re doing here. We’re saving a planet. We’re saving lives. How can you call that stupid?”
Vitto didn’t say anything for a long time. Tori turned back to her work. When she finished and moved to push up from the ground, he said, “I’m not talking about our work. I’m talking about you and Prince Quinn. I’m talking about how the two of you are acting like children.”
Tori felt the blood drain from her features. Her heart skidded nervously in her chest. She’d been refusing to speak of Quinn since they’d come out to the forest. The morning they had come out to the marshes, she had awakened by his side, shaken to the core by a strange dream. In the dream they were happy and so in love. He promised never to leave her.
You are mine ... forever.
She could still hear his voice in her head, whispering to her. Even now she felt like he was next to her, trying to whisper into her brain. She was terrified that she could feel so much for a man who’d made her no promises. Trying to bury herself in work, she thought to forget him. But, it hadn’t worked, not this time. He was always there, ready to torment her thoughts. She could barely eat or sleep and she could very well forget about concentrating on anything more than two seconds at a time.
You are mine ... forever.
She’d looked at Quinn’s face, peaceful in sleep as he lay in the bed next to her. His hand had been on her breast, possessively holding her. Tori shivered anew to think of it. She’d been frightened by her feelings, was frightened still.
Tori looked at her hands, pretending to concentrate on dusting them off. It didn’t matter, as she was covered in sweat and mud. “What about Prince Quinn? I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Damn it!” Vitto growled. “Vittoria Rosemary Elliot! So help me you are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, or the most stupid!”
“What?” she defended, surprised that Vitto yelled at her in such a tone. He sounded like their father in that moment. “What did I do?”
“They say love is blind, but in your case I’m assuming it’s also deaf, dumb, and completely brain dead.” Vitto shook his head. “Did you think we wouldn’t notice that you ran away from the palace, coming out here to hide?”
“Hide?” Tori shot in return. “I came out here because I had a job to do.”
“Hmm, yeah, that’s why we found ourselves roused from our beds before dawn to sneak out of the palace--yet again, I might add. You’re afraid to face Quinn. Admit it!” Vitto’s eyes glared down at her and he didn’t give her a chance to answer. “Grant and I have been waiting for you to work whatever nonsense is in your head out, but I give up. If you’re not going to call a spade a spade, then I’ll have to say it for you. I know you, Tor. I’ve known you my whole life. You know I love you and always will. We’re family. And that’s why I can say this to you
. You’re being a stupid ass. You need to stop being so involved in your work and you need to concentrate on you. You’re in love with him, Tori. You’re in love with Prince Quinn.”
“But, Vitto--”
“No buts!” Vitto growled. Tori jolted in surprise. She’d never seen him like this. “I’ll not watch you throw your life away because you’re too stupid to see the answer that is right in front of you. More often than not, the simplest solution to a problem is the right one.”
Tori’s mouth trembled, as she fought to hold back her tears. “Vitto, I know you mean well, but you don’t understand. What I feel is one sided.”
Vitto snorted, looking like he was about to argue. She held up her hand.
“Please, Vitto, don’t make this harder on me. He’s made me no promises,” Tori swallowed.
“Have you given him a reason to?” Vitto asked, drawing her forward into his embrace. “I know how you are. You’re safe, cautious. You’ll only proceed when the answer is clear. As a scientist, that little characteristic is great. As a woman, it just plain sucks. He probably had to tell you fifty times that he was attracted to you before you’d sleep with him.”
Tori turned bright red. Quinn had said he wanted her several times before she’d finally given in, even though she’d wanted him just as badly from the very beginning. Vitto was right. She did play it safe.
“Men are stubborn creatures and these men are more so than others. I was talking to Reid and from what I gathered about their upbringing, their father wasn’t exactly the best teacher. They weren’t lucky like we were. We had parents who loved us openly, and knew how to express it with and without words. Quinn and his brothers weren’t raised to recognize emotions like love. And if he can’t recognize it, why do you think he would know how to express it?”
Tori shivered. Vitto’s words made sense. King Attor had been a horrible man, an unworthy father--unloving, murderous, a tyrant. Quinn did have a strong sense of duty and commitment to his people. But, aside from Kirill with his wife, she’d never seen any of the brothers confess or show that they cared for each other--at least not openly so. The respect and closeness was there, but she doubted any of them knew how to express what they felt with words.
The Playful Prince Page 17
