by Missy Lyons
"Isn't there a captain's cabin we can use for more privacy?” he asked her.
"Yes but—” She didn't think she could withstand any more assaults on her senses.
"Which way is it?"
"No.” Her logic broke into her thoughts. Once she gave up herself, there would be no return and with him she would be hopelessly chained to him by love. If she gave him her body, there would be no hope for her future. She would be his. Completely his. She registered the seagulls again and, without thinking, asked for their aid and their interruption. Their response was immediate.
They swarmed the ship, swooping down, attacking Xanther's head, meant to intimidate more than harm. She felt their wings beat against her chest and it worked. Xanther let her go from their embrace.
Xanther only fought them for seconds before they all landed quietly on the rail of the ship. As if nothing had just happened. He was mad. “What did you do that for?"
"I don't know. I can't get kissed by you again, Xanther. My brain goes to mush."
"So you used compulsion on some birds?"
"I guess."
"My dear, if I decided I was going to take you, a flock of elephants wouldn't save you, even if it was only a kiss I was after.” He tipped her chin up to meet his hard eyes.
Alyssa swallowed hard, choosing to remain silent.
"I told you I would wait for you to come to me before we mate, but we will mate. You need me as much as I need you.” He was confident and bold with his words.
"But you kissed me, without asking."
"And I will kiss you again. Anytime I want. So you better get used to my kissing.” That was when he kissed her again and her world spun out of control. He kissed her with such skill and experience that her senses were soon overwhelmed by pleasure. As if he sensed this, his lips separated from hers.
His eyes were moody and his glare deliberate. She had pressed herself wantonly against his body, molding her frame to his. His voice was controlled when he said, “Tell me that you do not want me."
"I can't.” Because she did want him. More desperately than she ever wanted anyone or anything, she wanted Xanther.
* * * *
"Will you forgive me?” Jonathan asked, searching the prince's face for some sympathy. “I thought you knew. ‘Twas the king's mark upon that paper. That is why I looked only to see whether the female was of our blood or not."
He was not asking for her forgiveness but the prince's. He was a loyal man. Alyssa felt some of her sadness lift as she talked to Jonathan. She had originally felt he was one more villain, but he had been tricked in a sense, too. But she was still a little angry.
"If you but asked me, removed my gag and let me answer, I could have told you all."
"I am but a servant, milady. It mattered only whether you were of our blood or nay. Which was discerned without speaking to you."
Still no apology? “Regardless, I didn't want a tattoo and I must protest I am most certainly not a dragon!"
"Yes, you are.” Both men spoke at once.
Alyssa took a step back, growing pale at the thought. “I'm not.” But her words of protest were weak.
"Ma Kerima, you are. Just as the ocean cannot change that it is made of salt water, you can not change the blood you carry in your veins."
"You should be proud of who you are, my dear. I am truly sorry that I didn't understand the deception that Drake played in this or I would have attempted to intervene,” Jonathan said, attempting to console her.
Finally, the apology she sought. Her spirit lifted, hearing he would not have participated as much. But it still bothered her that she had a tattoo she didn't want.
"You did your job. I guess that is all that could be expected,” Xanther said. His words, relieving Jonathan of his guilt, flared her temper. She was beginning to see red.
"I can expect more,” Alyssa huffed. “I can expect to be given a choice and not be forced to submit to some stupid mark, because of what you think I am."
"Alyssa,” Xanther warned. “I think it is time to go."
"No, Xanther. I will speak my mind.” Alyssa waggled her finger at both men, chiding them both. “You don't have the right to take free will away from me and neither did Jonathan. And for that I will not forgive you, Jonathan, or you, Xanther.
"Now we can go."
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Chapter 13
The next day they returned for the ammunitions, the stockpiled arms, the cannons, and the gunpowder. Someone on the island was preparing for war or a damned long siege.
Since Drake McAllister had no record of the arms being sold, it was highly suspicious that he was planning to use the arms himself. Xanther and Alyssa had returned with a full garrison of men, and Xanther insisted Elsbeth come along since it looked like it could have some foul play to do with it.
The morning was cool and overcast; the fog had not burned off with the morning sun yet. Perhaps that is why Elsbeth listened with her mind more that morning. She normally didn't listen to the mindless chatter, or the whirling thoughts of other people's minds, but something caught her attention. She didn't know if it was because of the color at first, or the defensive wall she had to overcome, but when she heard Xanther's name she honed in on those thoughts. She instinctively knew it was another dragon, because his thoughts were surrounded in colors, the muddied brown hinting at deceit and treachery.
Careful now, you only have one shot. Is he within target yet?
Quiet. No, he isn't.
There were two of them and they meant to harm Xanther. Suddenly Elsbeth reached out for Alyssa's mind, letting her know the impending danger.
Listen to this, Alyssa, someone means to kill Xanther.
Closer now. The man's voice echoed in their minds. They were walking into a trap.
There was definitely a danger to Xanther. Alyssa scanned the crowd around them. Where were they? And what did they mean to do?
Nearly there.
An icy hand clenched her chest. They meant to kill him.
"Xanther, stop.” She pulled the lead of the horse to a stop, and grasped his arm. She felt panic rise in her when she could not tell where the danger was coming from. Each person that walked by clouded her senses with another thought. She needed to get him out of there, but she didn't need to be running directly towards the danger.
There. She saw movement on the roof. A flash of silver. They had a gun!
Do it now. He is within sight.
Alyssa sensed the gunman's determination. If she didn't act now, they would take his life. She was about to lose the man she loved.
Did she just think those words? That she loved this man? She knew it in her heart; it was already too late to stop it. She had fallen for him.
"What are you doing, Alyssa?"
"Xanther, no!” There wasn't time to think. The man was pulling the trigger. She thrust herself in front of him, and a gunshot broke the air.
A sharp pain in her shoulder brought her down against his body. Pain sliced through her. She couldn't breathe for the pain.
"Alyssa! What did you do?"
Xanther sensed the change in her body immediately, the way her muscles stiffened, and she used him to support herself. He held her to him, surveying her body to find the wound, running his fingers over her for what he knew was there. She winced, letting out a sharp hiss when he touched her shoulder. Then he saw the blood beginning to seep through her clothing. He tore the clothing aside to bare the wound.
His soldiers were already crowding closer to him, surrounding him on all sides to protect him with their bodies. A sign of respect and loyalty.
"Oh no.” The blood was thick and the wound could have damaged the bones beneath her flesh.
"Xanther, it was meant for you."
"I know.” He held her tightly against him. “What did you think you were doing?"
"Let me go, Xanther. They are still up there."
"Who? Did you see them, Alyssa?” Elsbeth asked.
"Yes
, they are on the miller's roof.” Alyssa struggled against Xanther. She had to pursue them. This would be their one chance to stop them. “Let me go, Xanther."
"No. You're hurt, you're not going anywhere."
"Then you have to stop them, Elsbeth."
Elsbeth was already shoving through the confusion and the soldiers’ barricade. It wasn't enough for Alyssa; she wanted to be sure of their capture and their punishment.
"Alyssa, cease your struggles."
"Damn you, I don't care.” A ball of anger flared in her mind. Her vision was clouding over, everything washed in red. “They need to die."
"I need you to worry about yourself. It can wait."
"If we hurry, we can still catch them."
"Later. Right now I have to get you somewhere safe where this can be looked at. I should never have endangered you."
"You didn't."
"Stop struggling, you will lose more blood."
"Then stop fighting me,” she cried out, growling a protest, releasing the fire within, to ignite the air with instant flames, setting the miller's thatched roof ablaze.
"Fire!” The crowd began panicking around them, voices and thoughts confusing her, circling until she lost her focus on the minds of the men she hunted.
"It's a fire!"
"Someone get some water!"
It didn't take long for the building to be claimed with the tricky flames. The blaze burned brightly, stealing the roof, the walls, until the entire house crumbled into ashes.
The efforts of the villagers were in vain to save the house, but they did stop the spread of the flames to the other buildings.
Xanther had insisted she receive immediate medical care, and a local cobbler's wife had helped to remove the shell and cleanse the wound. She bandaged her as best as she could. Xanther did not leave her side, nor did he waste time in getting her back to the castle.
"Did they catch the men who tried to assassinate you?"
"No. In the confusion they escaped."
Alyssa felt guilt blacken her heart. What if she had not interfered? What if she had allowed someone else to go after them? Would those men still be out there? Still be waiting for the next opportunity to kill Xanther? She would never know now, but she regretted her decision. Her pain kept her movements limited and they reached the castle again in half of the time it took them to normally travel. His soldiers had split up in two groups. One group had stayed to finish working on the investigation and transport the arms, the other group had escorted Xanther and Alyssa back to the castle for their protection.
* * * *
Alyssa woke up in a cold sweat. She had kicked off the covers in her sleep; they were irritating to her sensitized skin. She had tried to remove her clothing without waking Xanther, as her clothing chafed and burned her. But removing the clothes didn't help the heat dissipate or the sensitivity lessen. She was trying to control her writhing movements; the last thing she wanted to do was wake Xanther. The man that slept beside her. As much as she fought it, something inside of her called to her to reach out to him, as if that would somehow ease the aching of her body.
In her impatience not to waken him, and to cool her body, she only glanced at his sleeping body. She was so consumed with fighting herself and her rising heat level, that when she saw his stillness she just assumed he slept. Never once looking at his face in the darkness, to see the fire in his eyes or his nostrils flare. It was like staring into the eyes of a beast ready to strike.
She was too embarrassed to even try to explain how she felt. She must look a sight; she felt disheveled and she had to spread her legs wide, because even the touch of her own skin was driving her crazy. The heat was so intense, all she could think about was that she needed sex. And that relief was sleeping right next to her. Now he was staring at her straight in the face.
Lord, she felt she may just die of embarrassment. Especially if she had to admit what she wanted. No way was she going to utter those words. It was his voice that made her realize he had not been sleeping peacefully next to her. “When were you planning on telling me?"
"Telling you what?” She decided playing innocent might be her best tack. This may not be her body going into heat. How was she to know? She had never experienced anything like this before.
"Don't try playing games with me, Alyssa.” His body moved to dominate hers, sliding into position on top of her.
It felt so right. She let out a groan of anticipation, and rubbed her pelvis against his. This is what her body needed, the one thing that soothed that aching need inside of her. “I don't play games."
"Good, because I am not sure I could stop myself right now."
"Xanther, I don't want to do this, but my body...” She shuddered in agony, her urgency pressing into a fervor she could not control.
"Needs relief, I know. This is what it feels like to be in heat."
"Does that mean I could get with child if we do this?"
"Yes."
She bit down on his neck, scratching and clinging to his body, “I tried not to wake you. I really didn't want to wake you."
"Oh, next time, please do. I have always wanted to serve you in this way. It will be my pleasure."
Did he just growl at her? Then she heard it again, a low warning rumble emanating from deep in his throat, raising every hair she had on the back of her neck. Damn, he just growled at her.
You would think she would want to run.
She was embarrassed to feel a slick moisture flood her crotch and her nipples harden in anticipation. Her body was preparing itself for her mate. She was about to have sex with this man and she didn't want to stop.
* * * *
As much as Alyssa enjoyed waking up next to Xanther, it was with a regretful delight she escaped him one morning. He was sleeping soundly, one leg thrown over her. An arm draped possessively over her breast. The man was barbarically possessive even in his sleep. She had feared waking him, but when she removed his offending appendages from her body he still slept, leaving Alyssa to pursue her freedom.
Her wound had healed over; it was still tender, but she longed to exercise and use those aching muscles. Xanther had been twice as protective since she had received that gunshot for him.
She hurriedly dressed. She wished that she had her leather trousers. The only thing that Xanther allowed her to wear was that silver dress, the one with the open back that displayed her tattoo. Probably some primitive display that she belonged to him, and in this house, she thought.
Alyssa was startled to find Elsbeth at the table, so long had she gone without seeing her sister.
"Good morning, Elsbeth."
"Good Lord, Alyssa! What are you wearing?"
"This? Yes, well it is something of a disagreement between Xanther and myself. He seems to think I should wear the colors of his harem and I, well ... Oh never mind, but since I am in a good mood, I won't slit your throat over the comment."
"I didn't mean it like that. It's actually pretty, I just ... You know, Alyssa, I have been meaning to talk to you."
"Me too. I haven't seen you since we got here. Xanther has not let me out of his sight. I imagine it's the same for you watching over the king."
"Not really. I have free reign. The king is still safely abed."
"You what?"
"That is not what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to apologize for my past behavior. It should not have mattered who you are. I should have treated you the same where ever you came from."
"I need to say I am sorry too, Elsbeth. I should never have attacked you, but I have never understood why you hated me."
"I never hated you. I was just jealous of all the attention you got."
"You were jealous of me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"The attention you get. Everyone thinks you are part of the prophecy, so you can do no wrong. You might be good at fighting but even when you did a spell wrong you got praised for it."
"I'm nowhere near perfect. My spells never
worked right. In fact if it were not for me we would have caught those two.” Alyssa remembered one in particular that seemed so simple even she thought she couldn't mess it up. It was a sleeping spell. The spell made the girl sleep too deeply. Everyone thought she was dead, and she was dead at that moment. With no heartbeat and no breath, it wasn't sleep that claimed her. Alyssa pounded on the girl's chest for a minute before the girl finally drew air into her lungs again.
It was amazing her power had not killed her and more amazing that she could be brought back from death's unforgiving claim. That was when Alyssa started to refuse to say any more spells aloud. She would not kill another person by inaccuracy.
"Only because the spells you wrought were too strong. Everyone but you knew that your magic is the most powerful. Why do you have to do everything so perfectly?"
"I don't care what other people think."
"No, but I was the strongest. I am supposed to be next in line to take over the Elisaid. Then you, perfect in every way, came in, and you suddenly were better than me. You could have stolen everything from me without even trying. That's what upsets me the most about you. You wouldn't even have to try."
"Elsbeth, I am not out to get control of the Elisaid. I never meant to make you feel threatened."
"Even with the men. You stand out from everyone else and get more attention than me. Every man that sees you first wants you, not me."
"Another thing I don't want. I have no desire for a man."
"Not even Xanther?"
"Especially not Xanther. In fact why don't you take him?"
Elsbeth let out a puff of air at that remark, “Are you sure? He is quite a catch and a prince at that. Oh well, he sure wants you. I seriously doubt you will be going home to the Elisaid next year."
"Me either, but not because of Xanther.” It doesn't matter what I want, I have a job to do.
"I have never been second best and then you come along and all I hear is Alyssa this ... and Alyssa that ... How can I compare to you?"
"Elsbeth, I am so sorry you felt that way. I am glad we talked though, so we can put this behind us and deal with the business at hand."
