by Dakota Trace
“That’s enough. Quit acting like a spoiled child, Deanna. I’m more than a mere half-breed Earthling. I’m a Level Ten witch and I’ve had enough.”
“You lie! No Earthling has ever tested that high.”
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“You forget about my Venusian blood. My father is a Level Eight wizard.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“I don’t care if you believe me or not, it’s the truth.” Gracie turned away. She arched her back when a bolt of lightning came toward her from behind. It bounced harmlessly off her shields and skittered away.
She turned back around. “You had the audacity to strike a member of the royal family?”
Deanna laughed. “A bastard member.” She flung another spell at Gracie.
With a wave of her arm, Gracie brushed it aside. “That is enough! ”
“I’ll decide when I’ve had enough, and I’ve decided that until Randall de Carthwright is mine, it’ll never be enough.” Deanna was furious at the swift ease this upstart blocked her most powerful spells. Gracie continued to stand there untouched but now on her guard.
Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she finally glanced at the raging woman. “This is all because you want my husband?”
“It’s not a true bond. Your amulet didn’t shorten. Once this business with the High Council is done, I plan to have your marriage annulled. Without the amulet’s shortening it’s not valid.”
A fury consumed Gracie – it would’ve surprised her if she’d been thinking clearly.
“He’s mine and you’ll never have him.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ll kill you, you little bitch, if I have to.” Deanna screamed and launched herself at Gracie. Gracie had only enough time to fall back on the Vindexicis training Pati had taught her and, combined with Zara’s energy, the struggle was over 246
rather quickly. Gracie looked in dismay at the mess they made of the dining hall.
Stepping around Deanna, who was lying sobbing on the floor, she reached for her power to restore order. She was unprepared for the wave of agony as Zara, sensing the enchanted but deadly knife the other woman held and was preparing to use, did the only thing left to do. Gracie cried out at the sudden pouring of Deanna’s power into her unsuspecting body while Zara stripped every bit of her sentient power from the other woman. Deanna was left mentally dazed and the useless knife clattered to the floor.
* * * *
Mica and Colin were headed towards the banquet hall when they heard loud screams, a series of crashes and then silence. “What the hell?” Both ran down the hall. Flinging open the door, they found Gracie standing but doubled over and shaking while Deanna lay on the floor crying uncontrollably.
Colin rushed to his daughter. “What happened?”
“She attacked me…but it’s too much power.” Her teeth chattered as she tried to control the excess power.
Mica helped Deanna to her feet. She was pale and looked lost. “It’s gone.” She tried to lunge towards Gracie. Grabbing Deanna, he blocked her and carried her out of the room. “Stop it right now, Princess Deanna.”
“Let me go! She can’t win - the little bitch. I’m going to kill her!”
* * * *
Rand felt a vigorous tug on his power. Centering himself, he tried to figure out what was bothering him. 247
“Help her, boy. She’s in trouble!”
“Who’s in trouble, Ruzac?”
“It’s your chosen. Something’s wrong.” Ruzac sounded bewildered.
“Damn it - without my amulet I’m too far away.”
"Prince Randall, what's wrong?" Katrina glanced at him before returning her eyes to the road ahead. They were headed to the Eastern Iowa Airport. She’d explained it would be his best chance to find transport to an authorized spaceport.
"My chosen. There's something wrong, but without my amulet I’m too far away to contact her.”
"Are you connected psychically?" She pulled into the parking lot and threw the car into park. Turning to face him, she had a curious look on her face.
"Yes. It's part of the bonding process between chosens."
"Can you utilize any kind of power or does it have to be specific?
"It doesn’t matter. I can utilize any kind of magical power to connect with her. Think of it like a solar panel. I absorb the power and convert it into psychic waves.”
"How desperate are you to contact your chosen?"
"I’d give about anything to reach her."
"Okay. I can’t believe I’m offering this. I'm going to open myself up to you, Prince Randall, use what power you need." Holding her hand out, she offered it to him.
Rand looked over at the little Earthling. Slowly grasping her hand, he was immediately aware of the strong surges of latent power inside her. Looking into her eyes, he slowly drew from her power and combined it with his own to connect across space to Gracie - his chosen one, his wife - his life.
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He was shocked when he found Gracie floating in limbo on the psychic plane. She had such a bright aura to her that he almost had to look away.
“Gracie, sweetheart. What are you doing out here?”
“She’s absorbed too much power.”
“What happened, Zara?”
“She ended up fighting for her life with Princess Deanna and had to drain her.”
“Boy, I told you it was necessary for you to tell her about Deanna. If you had,
she wouldn’t be in this predicament. I could’ve warned Zara and she would’ve
been able to protect her.”
“When are you two going to realize I don’t need protecting?”
“Mine to protect, Gracie. I took the vows seriously. You and our children are always under my protection.”
“What children?”
“The ones we conceived on our wedding night.”
“I have a baby inside me?”
“Actually you’re carrying our triplets, Gracie. Two boys and a girl - our sons and daughter. They need you to survive. Their father needs you to even more. I love you, Gracie, and I won't let you go. If you need to give me some of Deanna's power to survive, do it. But survive you will. I’ll accept no less.”
Pulling her close to him, he touched her lips with his. He was immediately bombarded by the excess power Gracie was storing inside her psyche.
“Good lord, boy, how has she survived for as long as she has with this much
power bouncing through her?”
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Rand stiffened as a portion of Deanna's power surged into his waiting body. The flow of power broke his concentration, and he jerked back into his own body, leaving Gracie alone on the psychic plane.
"Did you contact her?" Katrina’s voice was weak when she pushed her hair behind her ear.
"Yes, Mistress Katrina, I did. I thank you for your generous use of your power." He sank back against the seat of the car while some of his tension faded with the contact with his wife. It would be just enough to take the edge off until he reached home.
* * * *
Princess Deanna gasped when Charles moved in and out of her savagely. After Mica had escorted her back to the suite she’d shared with her husband and explained what had happened, Charles had gone dominant and set out to prove he owned her body, if nothing else. When they were together, passion always fogged her mind and she lost sight of the plans Aric and she had made so many years ago. Once her chosen found out what she’d done, she knew he wouldn't even look at her, let alone be buried deep inside her willing body. "Charles." Her body went rigid with pleasure.
"That's right, Deanna. Only Charles can give you this pleasure." Rolling over onto his back and holding her hips, he watched as she straightened up and began moving against him while he continued to hammer up into her waiting depths.
"Yes!" As her body exploded, she screamed.
"That's it, baby!" Her tremors shot him over the edge. At the same moment the soft puff of a silencer filled the room. Charles watched i
n horror as a soft moan of pain 250
escaped Deanna. Then he heard the thud of a bullet hitting the headboard above his head. A small hole appeared between her swaying breasts and a tiny trickle of blood ran down her torso. She collapsed forward onto his heaving chest.
“Deanna?" He lifted her head.
"I’m sorry…" Her breathing ceased and the last gasp left her body.
"No!" He growled in despair, waiting for the link to draw him to his death with her.
Even though they were not bonded magically, she’d been his chosen…and the link between them drew him down into blackness as it was severed.
* * * *
Patience lifted her head from the pillow. After the trying day, she’d been tired and returned to the suite she’d shared with Jonathan. Waking up the next morning and looking around the deserted bedroom, she missed him. At first she panicked, thinking he had left her alone. But then she heard him coming. "I see you’re finally awake, sweetheart." Jonathan walked in with a tray loaded with breakfast. "Sit up and I'll feed you some breakfast. I'm sure you’re hungry. I know I was when I woke up this morning."
"Yes, I am.” She propped herself against the headboard. Vague memories from the night before flooded her mind, and she noticed she was naked while Jonathan was wearing just a pair of jeans - not even buttoned. She felt her face heat with embarrassment.
"As attractive as I find that blush, sweetheart, there is nothing for you to be embarrassed about." Jonathan sat down next to her on the bed. Arranging the tray across her lap, he smiled and offered her some fresh fruit.
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"Last night, Jonathan, that wasn't really me," Patience tried to explain. "It was the drugs..."
"I hope to God, it was you Pati. Because you're the only one I want to fuck like that,"
Jonathan’s voice bluntly brought back memories of the Raz-ice’s vicious return and her chosen’s unexpected dominance in trying to conquer it.
"Jonathan!" Her face grew even warmer.
"I won't lie to you, Pati. You’re mine. I hate the idea you were drugged, sweetheart, but I’m going to be here until we’re no more. It’s my pleasure and my duty to take care of you, in every way. Popping a berry into her surprised mouth, he continued. “So when are we getting married?"
"Jonathan!" Pati warned after she finished chewing.
"Don't 'Jonathan', me. We are getting married, Pati. You already wear my amulet, so what’s one more bond? "
“It's not fair to saddle you with an addict, Jonathan. I'll continue to be your chosen if that's what you want; but until I kick this addiction, I won’t marry you." Looking away from him, she slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom, leaving a stunned man sitting on the bed.
Jonathan shook his head slowly in anger before storming after her. He found her in the shower. Stepping out of his jeans, he flung the shower curtain open and joined a very startled Patience under the pounding spray.
Taking the loofah sponge away from her, he backed her up against the shower wall with his hard body.
"Jonathan!"
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The dazed pleasure in her eyes when their skin touched had him snarling softly.
"Mine!" He lowered his head and fastened his mouth on the side of her neck. Suckling strongly, he left a telltale mark on the side of her neck for the whole world to see.
"This won't change anything!"
"We'll see about that." His voice was filled with desire and anger. Lifting her up, he parted her legs then ordered, "Wrap those legs around me." He sank deep inside her with one harsh thrust.
"Yes!" Pleasure exploded through her lower body.
Turning her towards the spray, Jonathan grasped her ass in his hands and began to move her up and down on his cock. Taking her earlobe between his teeth, he nibbled on it.
"Please!" She skated on the edge of release.
"No! You think the Raz-ice is a demanding taskmaster? It has nothing on me." He jerked out of her, allowing neither of them to climax. Setting her back on her feet, he smiled wickedly.
"What?"
"You want release, little one, you're going to have to give me what I want. I’m not above using this to get you down the aisle." He turned to leave but before departing, he cast a potent spell on his very shocked chosen.
"What did you just do?" Patience cried.
"I'm going to give you a taste of what your sister and Rand went through, Pati."
" The mezclar? "
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"Yep. When we get married, then and only then, will I give you release. Go ahead and try to sate the ache by yourself," Jonathan dared her before he spun around and left the shower.
"You bastard!" Patience cried as she ripped the shower curtain back.
"You know where to find me, Pati," he told her, as he jerked his clothes on. "And you know what I want."
"This is blackmail!"
"I know." Sadly, he walked out of the bedroom. A few moments later she heard the suite’s door open and then close behind him, leaving her alone.
* * * *
Gracie slowly opened her eyes, only to find that she was no longer in the dining hall. If she was not mistaken, she was lying on the bed in the room she shared with Rand.
Turning her head, she saw her father sitting half-slouched in the chair next to the bed.
"Daddy?" Her voice came out as a croak.
"Gracie, you're awake!" Sitting up straighter in the chair, he took her hand between his.
"Yes." She slowly sat up. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I shouldn't have done what I did. Zara was protecting me. If I’d realized I was pregnant, perhaps it wouldn’t have happened."
“Like hell, sweetheart. What good am I if I don’t protect my host and her
offspring?”
“Shut up, Zara! You’re not helping matters here.”
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"You're pregnant?" His eyes were drawn to her belly. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand off the bed before letting it rest on her belly. In spite of the circumstances, the tremble in his hand surprised her. Is my dad scared of becoming a grandfather?
"With the extra power I took from Deanna, it allowed me to reach Rand. He was the one who informed me. ‘You’re carrying our triplets, Wildcat. Two boys and a girl. Our sons and daughter. They need you to survive.’ Like I would willingly endanger my babies?”
Colin chuckled at her mimicking tone. “Damned if you don’t sound just like him. I took a look at the security vid from the dining hall. I admire the restraint you used to keep from being drawn into a physical fight. What happened is not your fault. You tried to reason with her and she chose to act the child. I told Mica the severe reprimand he gave her after the attack at Rand’s Gathering wasn’t enough. At the time, her father was still alive and a very powerful wizard in his own right. Mica was walking a delicate line.
The last thing we wanted was to be drawn into a civil war because of his daughter’s temper tantrum. Looking back now, perhaps it would’ve been worth it. I’ll kill her myself if she hurts my grandbabies.”
“They’re safe, Daddy. But thanks to Auntie Clara’s prophesy, I was at least prepared.”
“Of course you were. Why else would I tell you of your prophesy if I didn’t want my great niece to be prepared?”
"Auntie Clara, I’d thought you’d left.” Even to her own ears her voice sounded shaky.
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"Now why would I do that? Especially when I know the penchant you’ve got for finding trouble?” Glancing at Colin’s hand, still resting on Gracie’s stomach, Clara smiled. “Looks like you found it in spades, as your darling mother would say.”
“Now, Clara…” He stood up, hovering over his daughter.
"Hush, Colin, you’ve always protected that girl of yours. When are you going to accept she’s a grown woman and ready to stand on her own two feet?" She shooed her nephew out of the chair and sat down next to the bed.
"Daddy, I can handle it. What do you want Auntie Clara?"
"I've come to see how
my oldest niece is faring. I wanted to see if I was correct. By the looks of you, I am. Your aura is stronger and brighter than it ever has been." Turning to Colin, she looked pointedly at the door. “I’d like to speak to Gracie alone, Colin.”
“But –”
“Go ahead Daddy. Why don’t you go and tell Mom the good news?”
He looked bemused for a moment before he wandered out of the room.
“Now, girl, tell me why you’re fighting the bond between you and your husband?”
She looked Clara warily. “I’m married to him and I’m expecting. I wouldn’t call that fighting him.”
Clara reached over and fingered the amulet resting on Gracie’s chest. “This begs to differ.”
Leaning back against the pillows, Gracie wrapped her hand around the amulet.
“I don’t know how to explain this to you, Auntie Clara, without coming off like a spoiled child.”
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“Dear, you’re about as spoiled as I am. Colin and Olivia raised you right. Spoiled is the last thing I would call you.”
Closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts, she finally opened them. “I want more than what Rand is willing to offer me.”
“And the crown and the babies aren’t enough?” Clara’s tone was gentle.
“No. I could care less about the crown and I’ll love our babies to a distraction. I never planned on becoming royalty. I wanted to serve our nation. I wanted to be more than a brood mare and wife. I wanted to contribute. I know - a lot of I wants.” She laughed at herself. “I was devastated when Daddy came to tell me I’d been placed on the list, but figured there’d be a lot of other candidates on it. Our friendship precluding, I naturally assumed he’d pick one of the others and I could follow in Daddy’s footsteps.”
“What made you think that, Grace Anne? You knew when your powers bonded with his at his Gathering. It was the beginning of the prophesy. Then you came to me, confused and hurt by his apparent rejection of you.”
