Prince of Spies

by Bianca D'Arc

  “But my role is best played in other lands. At least for now.” A shadow of old pain crossed Drake’s chiseled face and Nico knew he was thinking of his family and the harsh words that had passed between father and son before he left home on his chosen path.

  Though in truth two fathers had raised him, it was clear from the shining blond hair and roguish features which of the knights was his sire. Sir Declan was a hard man, with few words of kindness for the son that was so much like him. But Declan was an exemplary knight, aide to the king himself and greatly respected. It had been hard for Drake, at the young age of fifteen, to live up to his example—and his expectations.

  “Your family loves you, no matter what path you choose.”

  Nico saw the grimace on Drake’s face, but the other man spoke no more on the subject. Some wounds were too painful to probe. Nico understood that.

  “We’d best make camp before it gets too dark,” Drake said quietly some moments later. “I know a relatively safe place just ahead.”

  The site Drake promised was as good as any and better than most in this land of skiths and hostile soldiers. Bordered on three sides by high rocks that would make it impossible for man or skith to approach, only one flank needed to be guarded and that could be accomplished easily enough by laying fires in the stone pits already in place for just such purpose.

  “This is a regular stopping place for the Jinn who travel this road. I’m a little surprised we’re the only ones here now, but with the Jinnfaire so close, I suppose they’ve all moved on farther north.” Drake was busy, dragging wood from the fringes of the trees and supplementing it with some of the supply he kept stored under his wagon. Fire was a necessity if you wanted to spend the night camping in Skithdron unmolested.

  When he would have set to work sparking flame off rock and blade, Nico nudged him aside. Calling up just a touch of his dragon heat, he set the kindling to smoldering and within moments a cheery blaze was going.

  “Nice.” Drake chuckled as they repeated the process in the other two fire pits, set in a line in front of the wagon that was now snuggly protected on all sides—from skiths at least.

  “I’d better wake Riki. She’ll want to wash up and she should eat.” Nico headed for the wagon, entering soundlessly so as not to startle his sleeping princess.

  A gentle nibble on her cheek first woke Riki. Her hand rose to brush away the distraction, but it was gently captured in a warm hand and her palm placed over a stubbly cheek.

  Nico.

  His name ran through her mind as his lips claimed hers in a joyous, gentle, loving kiss. Riki stretched under him, enjoying the way his hands molded her waist and brushed along her thighs as his lips played with hers.

  At length he pulled back.

  “Good evening, sweetheart.”

  “What time is it?” Riki wanted to look out the door of the little wagon, but her eyes stayed glued to Nico. He was so handsome and so kind.

  “It’s just before sunset and we’re setting up camp for the night.”

  “I’m all turned around. Staying up all night and sleeping all day. I don’t know what time it is anymore.”

  Nico chuckled and kissed her forehead before moving back. “It’s all right. You can wash up in the nearby stream, then we’ll all have a nice dinner and settle in for the evening. It’s too risky to keep traveling by wagon at night with the possibility of skiths.”

  That woke Riki fully to the continued danger. She sat up and stretched, leaving the wagon moments later. Nico kept watch for her while she washed up at the stream, then it was back to the campsite to see if she could help with dinner preparations, but the men had things well in hand.

  Drake had things set up along the bottom and sides of his wagon so everything he needed was within easy reach. Riki marveled at the hidden compartments built into the blue wagon. Some of them were truly ingenious and she was certain he wasn’t showing her everything. He was a spy, after all.

  Dinner was delicious and more so because of the company. Nico was attentive, filling her plate and refilling her cup when it ran empty, and the conversation was friendly and amusing. Drake told stories of his travels and some of the escapades he and Nico had gotten up to as youngsters. Riki understood better the deep bonds between the two men and she envied their tales of a carefree childhood and close friendship.

  Nico was so perfect, so caring. She blessed the day he’d come to her and taken her out of her misery with Lucan. Nico was magical—a dragon of legend—and a man that made her heart beat faster with undeniable attraction.

  So much had happened in so short a time, it was difficult for Riki to take it all in. Nico had swooped in at the least likely moment and rescued her from a sadistic tyrant, flying her away with him and keeping her safe. Add to that the incredible attraction she felt for him—even before she knew he could possibly free her—and Nico was a potent temptation she longed for with all her heart.

  Why was she so zealously guarding her purity anyway? Now, fully rested and thinking more clearly as Drake strummed a quiet tune on his lute and they sat around the fire savoring a delicious port wine, Riki thought over her options. While it was true her virginity had protected her from the worst of Lucan’s perversions, Riki knew his temper. She also knew by escaping as she had, should Lucan ever manage to recapture her, he would not go easy. He would beat and torture her in every way he could, as punishment for defying him. He’d done it before.

  Lucan was so crazed at this point, she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t kill her. The reasoning part of his brain had seemed to be in less and less control of late, as the evil animal inside him took over. Lucan could easily kill her and she knew it would not likely be a quick or easy death. No, Lucan would make her pay cruelly before finally ending her life.

  So what did it matter if she was virgin or not? In one way, he might kill her quicker if she lost her healing power. Once Lucan discovered she was no longer of use to him in that way, his rage might cause him to strike her down quickly. She could only pray for such an end if he did manage to recapture her.

  Or she could kill herself before Lucan had the chance to do so. Riki wondered if she had the courage to do it if capture became inevitable. She wasn’t sure, but if it came down to death at her own hands versus slow, painful, torturous death at Lucan’s, she thought she just might choose the former. The lovely, sharp blade Drake had bought and Nico had given her ought to do the trick.

  She wore it now, as they told her most Jinn women did, tied discreetly to her thigh under her skirts. There was even a small slit in her pocket through which to access it without raising her skirt. Jinn women were apparently skillful in their own defense and Riki thought it must be nice to be Jinn—to be free to roam wherever the wind took you and live your life on your own terms.

  A copper coin landed in her lap and Riki turned from her ruminations to look over at Nico. His smile was warm and engaging. He nodded toward the copper penny.

  “For your thoughts,” he said, tempting her to tease him right back.

  “Oh, they’re worth more than this, I’m sure.”

  Nico chuckled and dug into his pocket, leaning over and showering a handful of coins into her lap.

  “This is just part of what you earned with your beautiful song last night.” He shrugged. “It’s yours anyway, but I’m still curious about what put such a hard expression on your face.”

  But Riki didn’t want to revisit the dark thoughts. Instead, she played with the tinkling coins, running them through her fingers. She’d never had any coins of her own. Not like this.

  “I really did earn these, didn’t I?” The thought astounded her.

  Drake ended his song on the lute. “You could make quite a living as a bard, milady. When you’re tired of Nick here, why don’t you look me up? We could make beautiful music together.”

  His comic leer made her laugh, though Nico bristled a bit in good-natured fun. These men were both so special to her. The Mother of All had been smiling on her when She pu
t Riki into Nico’s path.

  “I’m sorry, Drake. My heart belongs to Nico.”

  The thought slipped out before she could censor her words. She heard Nico gasp and she dared to peer over at him in the firelight. He looked stunned. A little like she felt.

  Did she love him?

  Did she dare?

  The answer came back in a heartbeat…a resounding yes. Riki’s heart sped as she realized the truth. She was in love—deeply in love—with Nico. There was no denying it. No going back now.

  She loved him.

  Riki never thought she’d ever feel anything like this light, buoyant feeling. She never thought she’d have the chance. But the knowledge that she loved Nico sang through her soul, lighting the dark places and bringing hope where only moments before there had been despair.

  The feeling shocked her down to her toes and she wanted a chance to hug it tight, to bask in it and examine it, but Nico was looking at her strangely. He eyed her as if he knew something was going on in her mind and it had to do with him.

  Guzzling the last of her port, Riki stood somewhat awkwardly from her seat by the fire.

  “I’m going in. Goodnight, Drake. Nico.” They’d discussed earlier how she would sleep in the back of the wagon while the men would take turns on watch and sleeping in the front.

  Riki knew she was being a coward, but she had to think this through. She had to reevaluate her decisions in light of this new discovery. Love changed everything. At least it did for her. She’d never been in love before, and it colored all her perceptions of what was most important.

  Nico.

  Nico was the most important thing in her life. Not her safety. Not her worries about being recaptured by Lucan’s men. Not anything else but Nico and making him happy.

  And she knew just how to do it, but she was still afraid.

  Only the fear had shifted from the possible consequences of making love with Nico to the actual act itself. She was a virgin and though she’d seen Lucan take his lovers in every which way, she’d never experienced it herself. She was afraid it would hurt. And she feared looking like a fool.

  Though she knew Nico would be patient and kind, she still didn’t want to disappoint him with her lack of experience. She’d quickly given up on the idea of remaining a virgin. That seemed so insignificant now, when faced with the possibility of never making love to the man she loved. No, she wanted Nico more than anything—her own safety, her healing powers—anything.

  “Riki?” Nico came to her inside the wagon, concern on his handsome features and she knew she was lost. “What’s wrong?” He took her in his arms as she trembled, her decision made.

  “Make love to me, Nico,” she whispered in his ear, nibbling softly on his earlobe. “I don’t want to be a witch anymore. I want you to make love to me.”

  Nico pulled back, shock clear on his face. Shock and a tender blooming passion in his eyes.

  “You’d give up your only protection from Lucan for me?”

  “I’d rather die than not be with you.”

  The breath caught in Nico’s chest. He felt it too. He needed her so badly, he would give up anything—his home, his title, his family, even his life—just to be with her. Nico wanted her with a passion unsurpassed by anything else in his life. She was his. It was just that simple.

  “I want you so desperately, my Arikia.”

  His stark words seemed to stun her as her eyes filled with tears. But they were tears of joy, Nico knew, because he was feeling the same wonder as their souls reached out to each other, forming tentative bonds that would only grow stronger with time.

  “Oh, Nico!” Riki reached up to kiss him so deeply, so tenderly, it touched his very soul. When she pulled back, tears were streaming down her face. “I need you too. So much. I never thought…”

  Nico crushed her to his chest, reveling in the moment. Never before had he wanted so desperately to hear those words from a woman. In fact, he’d never said them before to any woman of his acquaintance. Until this moment—this woman—he had never truly loved before. It was all perfectly clear. Riki was his destiny, as he was hers. Together they would face the rest of their lives, however long or short that may be.

  How he wanted her! And he would have her, but she had to know the truth first.

  “Riki, my darling, I’m honored you would willingly give up your power and your only protection, for me. You’ll never know how much that gift means to me.” He stroked back her hair tenderly. “But you need to know, you won’t lose anything except your maidenhead when I take you. Your gifts will remain and will only grow stronger with time.”

  She blinked up at him skeptically.

  “Are you certain? Lucan always said—”

  “I don’t know where that maniac got the idea, but it’s totally false. Your sisters and mother are married and certainly not virgins, and their powers are among the strongest in the land. You won’t lose your gifts, believe me.” He kissed her forehead, unable to resist nibbling on her soft cheeks.

  “But Loralie the witch told him it was so.”

  Nico straightened but didn’t release her. He would never let her out of his arms again, if he had his way.

  “Loralie seems to be involved in much where the safety of Draconia is concerned, but whether for good or ill, ultimately, I cannot clearly say.”

  “When Lucan allied with King Salomar, part of the bargain was that Loralie would come to Lucan and treat him…turn him into what you saw.”

  “She tried to merge him with the skiths.” His tone was grim.

  Riki trembled in his arms as she nodded.

  “And Loralie told Lucan you’d lose your healing gift if not a virgin.” Nico rubbed comforting circles on her back as he held her, thinking through all the information he had on Lucan’s sinister doings. “It might surprise you to know that Loralie also told your sister you’d be found in Skithdron.”

  “Why would she do that?” Riki’s spine stiffened as she regained some of her composure.

  “I begin to suspect she’s not quite as evil—at least not in some of her actions—as we have always believed. Perhaps she told Lucan to keep you virgin to spare you rape and sexual torture by that evil creature she’d helped create.”

  “I don’t understand why she would help me even that much.”

  Nico rubbed her shoulders, needing to refocus her mind on much more pleasant matters. “It will all come clear in time, I’m sure. But for now, sweetheart, I believe we have more important matters to tend to.”

  “Such as?” She smiled up at him coquettishly, making his heart stutter a bit at her beauty. She never failed to steal his breath.

  “Pleasure, my sweet virgin. For us both. But especially for you. This first time, I want you to learn the pleasure I can bring you. I want you to enjoy every moment. If anything I do bothers you, I expect you to tell me right away.”

  Riki looked up into his eyes, smiling her trust in him. It was a heady responsibility and one he would cherish for the rest of their lives. Gently, he lowered his head, touching his lips to hers in a brief salute as he drew her closer against his straining erection.

  She tasted of honey and roses, sweet and pure. Nico feared she was too good for the likes of him, but he didn’t have the strength to let her go. No, he wanted her all to himself for the rest of their lives. Nico had finally found his mate and he would cherish her and hold her close forevermore.

  But first he would claim her.

  Nico coaxed her tongue into his mouth, sucking lightly, enjoying her little whimpers of excitement. She was so new to this kind of loveplay she squeaked and Nico relished his role as teacher. He’d never had a virgin before and he knew with certainty, he would never have another woman ever again. Only Riki.

  It might take some time to talk her around to believing that, but he’d enjoy every moment of it. Still, Nico decided to go as slow as he could so as not to scare her off. Riki was still a little skittish, with good reason, and he wouldn’t risk losing her because
he’d pushed too far, too fast.

  “Nico,” she moaned into his mouth and the sound had him straining against her.

  As gently as he could manage, he tugged her pretty dress up over her shoulders, parting from her only enough to remove the barrier between them. Her fingers went to the ties of his shirt, inflaming him. She was eager and ready, nearly desperate for what he could give her, and Nico’s chest pounded with satisfaction and desperate hunger.

  “Do you know how special you are?” he whispered against her ear as he moved downward, his mouth worshiping her skin. “Can you feel what you do to me?” Nico ground his hips forward into her thighs, relishing her softness against his very hard cock. “You set me on fire, Arikia. Only you.”

  He trailed his lips down her soft body, pausing along the way to tease her breasts, but also stopping here and there to kiss the scars left behind by her ordeal as Lucan’s prisoner. Nico knew she needed his tenderness as well as his passion. She’d undoubtedly seen things that would make her afraid of what could occur between a man and woman. In light of that, Riki’s willingness to make love with him astounded and humbled him.

  Pausing to lick a small scar that traced down her abdomen to her belly button, he delved inside the little indentation with his tongue. Riki’s girlish giggle as he tickled her was music to Nico’s ears. That was what he wanted. He wanted to release her carefree nature, to reach the woman who should have been sheltered and loved all her life and never known a moment’s pain. Nico knew he couldn’t take away all the hardships she’d faced, but he could shower her with love and caring for the rest of her days. And he would.

  But first he would make her his in every possible way.

  Nico’s mouth trailed down her body until he came to rest, kneeling before her. Looking upward, Nico met and held her shocked gaze as he lifted one of her sweet thighs over his shoulder. Nico smiled with satisfaction as the dragon in him trumpeted. This woman was his!

  Leaning forward, he licked the little button of her clit, loving the gasping moan that issued from her lips and the warm cream that slid from her opening. With gentle fingers, he played at her entrance, coating his hands with her cream, sliding first one, then two fingers within, stretching her just a bit for what was to come.