“What is all this noise, son?” King Severin asked in their native tongue. His bride blinked, glancing back at him. Seeing her fear, he felt sorry for her. The urge to protect what was his became strong. Slowly, he came forward, watching her to make sure she didn’t try to run. Although, if she did, he’d easily be able to shift to his Draig form and catch her.
Once the idea entered his head, he had a hard time dismissing it immediately. That wasn’t such a bad idea. He wondered if his bride would like being hunted. The warrior inside him stirred. If he didn’t get her alone and naked soon, he’d burst.
“It is nothing, my king,” he said, keeping his words in the language his bride could understand. “Queen Galina, King Severin, may I present Lady Eve of the Earthen people. My princess and soon to be yours.”
Eve didn’t move, save to sway on her feet. A soft noise left her. It sounded suspiciously like a snort.
His mother stepped forward. Her voice was gentler than her husband’s and she spoke in words Eve could understand. “Welcome to the family of Draig, Lady Eve. I wish you much happiness and a blessed marriage.”
“Many blessings, m’lady,” the others agreed in unison.
“Come, dear,” Galina said, motioning with her hand. “You must be exhausted. Let me show you to the palace.”
Eve didn’t move. Galina waited a moment before lowering her hand. She glanced at her son in confusion. Kyran nodded for them to go so he could be alone with his bride. He saw the hurt in the queen’s eyes but could do nothing about that now. Galina knew, as did they all, that the human brides would need time to adjust.
“Eve?” he asked when they were again alone.
She didn’t speak.
“I like your name. It’s very pretty.”
“Don’t move. It will all go away.”
“What will go away?” he asked, concerned. She was acting strange. In truth he wasn’t sure what was considered strange for her.
“Don’t answer. He’ll disappear, like the others just did.”
“Eve?”
“I am not an alien princess,” she said, finally looking at him. “And you are not my incredibly hot new husband.”
At that Kyran quirked a brow. “Hot?”
“See, if this was real, you’d have two heads or suction-cup fingers or antennas or something. You look human. And logic would dictate that the chances of two like lifeforms evolving on two different planets were…you know, not likely. So there, I reasoned it out. You can go away now. The acid trip is over.”
“You wish to see our differences? I can show you, but I have no way of knowing how you’ll react to it. I’m told by the scouts that the shift can be frightening for Earthlings.”
“Oh, no,” she said, her tone dry as she waved her arms to the side. “Please, by all means, show me how we’re different. But I’m warning you. Just pulling down your pants and showing me that you have a willy isn’t going to work. I’ve seen naked men before.”
Kyran tensed. “You speak of other men to me? Your past is your past, but you dare to mention it? Now? On this day?”
Eve trembled, flinching as he reached for her. He pulled back.
“Oh, yeah, Kyran. I’ve had boyfriends. Lots of big, studly boyfriends. We had sex, lots and lots of sex in every position you could ever imagine. I’ve been ridden more times than a—”
“Very well, bride, it will be as you wish. I will show you how we are different.”
Kyran’s skin hardened as it turned a dark brown. A line grew out from his forehead, pushed forward to make a hard plate of impermeable tissue over his nose and brow. His eyes yellowed, able to see down to every microscopic movement of her body. Talons grew from his nail beds as deadly fangs extended from his gums. His dragon-like nostrils flared as he studied her.
“Maybe now you see why you should not upset me with your lies, m’lady.” His voice was hoarse with the transformation.
He waited for her to scream. Instead, she stared at him for a long time. Then, weakly, she whispered, “Yep. That would make you an alien all right.”
Kyran reached for her with lightning reflexes, just in time to catch her before she hit the ground. Sighing, he lifted her limp body easily into his arms. What an unusual way to begin their mated life together.
CHAPTER SIX
A sexy man who turned into a dragon-like beast? Alien planet? Three suns? Yep. It was decided. Eve was never drinking again.
She slowly opened one eye, hesitantly looking through a narrow slit. There was no red tent. That was something. However, the gray stone wall was little better. Groaning, she opened the second eye. “Where in the world am I now?”
The bed was enormous, carved from dark wood. It was the biggest she’d ever seen, raised up on a stone platform and reached by steps at the end. A barren fireplace dominated most of the wall in front of her. Its mantel was empty, but there was a large dark blue banner with a silver dragon hanging over it. The dragon matched the one embroidered on the bedspread covering her. Throw pillows at the end of the bed were opposite in color—silver with dark blue dragons. She tossed the bedspread aside and found that she no longer wore the strange gauzy outfit, but now a long cotton nightdress that looked as if it belonged on her great-great-grandmother.
“Okay, the dragon man I can handle,” she mumbled, “but who keeps changing my clothes?”
The bedroom was a large rectangle with a high-vaulted ceiling like a miniature gothic cathedral. At the very top, there was a domed glass window. A long pull string hung from the middle of it. By the soft light coming from outside, she easily guessed it was daytime.
There were no doors that she could see, only arched entryways. One led to a long room with chairs and a couch. Two giant dark wood wardrobes were set along one wall opposite a narrow slit of a window. The first wardrobe was empty. Inside the second were men’s clothes.
“Kyran,” she whispered, touching the sleeve of a blood-red tunic edged with black. Next to the wardrobe on a low table was an array of jewelry—metal armbands, a silver and gold crown, a collection of brooches. She lifted a brooch, studying the intricate design. Glancing up, she saw an array of vicious weaponry hanging on the wall—swords, knives, axes, maces, a few things she didn’t even know what to call. Her fingers shook and she dropped the brooch. “Oh, crap. I’m on a planet stuck in the medieval period. I think I’d rather be crazy.”
Crossing to the narrow window, she tried to peek outside. All she saw was the tops of trees below in a valley, as if the home stood on top of a mountain.
Leaving the giant dressing room, she tried the next arch. It led to another long room with a desk and several thick chairs. Rolled parchments of paper filled wooden boxes along one wall. A blue feather quill and a jar of ink were on the desk. It appeared to be someone’s office.
The third archway held an enclosed stairwell. Running her fingers over the cold stone, she walked down the dim stairwell, following the curve of the steps. The floor was cool against her bare feet. The light from above made it easy to see. She neared the bottom and hesitated.
“Hello?” she whispered. “Is anyone there?”
No answer.
Eve stepped into a large, open room, and gasped. The domed window in this section was bigger than the bedroom’s and the arched ceiling seemed to spiral up toward it. A curtain covered most of it to block the majority of light. Two thick columns came down on either side of the dome. Between the columns, the floor sank into a large oval. Circular gray couches surrounded a gigantic pit fireplace in the middle. Blue throw pillows with the embroidered insignia of a dragon rested neatly on the suede-like material. The black grates in the center surround a fire that was left burning.
Kyran slept on a couch. Orange firelight framed his face and danced erotically over his flesh. A blanket covered his legs, but his arms and chest were left bare. The curve of his smooth hip teased her with what lay hidden. The sculpted muscles formed a strong stomach, the indentations like the product of an artist. Now, sleeping
, his breath rising and falling, he looked very human.
Eve bit her lip. This wasn’t so bad, this surreal moment standing in an alien’s home. Kyran really was a handsome man. It was no wonder she’d been attracted to him from the first. She actually preferred him out of the cowboy attire. Then, blushing, she wondered if he wore the Polynesian style, plain-colored lava-lava around his waist all the time. Probably not. The other men had been in tunics and laced shirts.
Tiptoeing past him, she continued exploring. A partial stone wall blocked a bathroom from view, though it technically had no door. The long bench with a hole and a lid appeared to be the toilet. She didn’t see any paper, and the place didn’t smell like a campground outhouse. A huge stone tub dominated the center of the room and was filled with bubbling, steaming water like a natural hot spring.
The next room was a small kitchen. It had a red stone sink with running water and a matching smooth stone countertop with the black insignia of the dragon inlaid on the top. There was a stove grate over a fire pit, a brick oven and a variety of appliances she would never know how to use. Pulling at a hatch in the floor, she felt cold air hit her. It was the refrigerator.
“We usually take our meals in the common hall, so I don’t have much in here. But if you’re hungry, I’m sure I can find you something.”
Eve jumped at Kyran’s voice and dropped the hatch. It slammed shut with a heavy thud. He stood in the door way. Her gaze automatically traveled from his bare feet up to his startling blue eyes. He wore a loose pair of linen pants and nothing else. Seeing him, so perfectly male in appearance, she was sure the dragon shift had to have been her imagination.
When she didn’t move or speak, a provocative smile curled his lips. “Or perhaps you’re hungry for something else, m’lady?”
Heat flooded her cheeks and she was mortified to realize she was blushing.
“There is no need to be self-conscious.” Kyran took a step toward her then stopped. “Though it pleases me that you are nervous. It means you care about pleasuring me.”
Huh?
Eve stared at him, taking a moment to process his words. When they finally made it from her ears to her numbed brain, she stiffened. “Confidence is one thing, but you’re bordering on arrogance.”
Kyran shrugged, unconcerned.
Eve straightened. “I want to go home.”
“This palace is your home, and this wing of the palace is our private quarters.” His smile faded and his expression became a blank mask. “Feel free to go where you will. You are my princess. What is mine, is yours and what is yours is—”
“Still mine,” Eve quipped, pushing past him.
His hand shot out and grabbed her by the upper arm. “You test my patience, my bride.”
“And you test my sanity, psychopath. Now release me.”
He studied her for a long, hard moment before letting go. “It’s late. Go back to bed. We’ll discuss this, and what is expected of you as my wife, in the morning.”
“Late?” Eve glanced up to the light coming from the dome.
“Qurilixen isn’t like Earth. Our three suns keep us in daylight except for one night a year when the suns align perfectly with the one moon. Right now, it’s the middle of the night. If the light bothers you, pull the curtains. Now go to bed.”
“You’re not the boss of me. I’ve been on my own since I was seventeen. I don’t need someone to tell me when to sleep. I happen to like sleeping during the day and being up at night.” Eve suddenly remembered her band. She groaned. “Oh, great. What time is it exactly? I’m late for work. Ah, man, my guitar. How could you take me and not my guitar?”
“There is no need for you to work.”
“Ew. Nice picture you’re painting here, princey boy. No working, no staying up late, no guitar. Is this a castle or reform school? I mean really, do you want me to kill myself?”
At that, his face hardened into an angry mask. What was that she’d said about the dragon thing being her imagination? Yeah, Eve now saw her mistake. His eyes turned to golden fire. The skin around his eyes darkened like a hard shell. She gasped, automatically jerking back. Kyran surged forward, grabbing her wrist.
“You will never threaten to take your own life,” he growled. “I forbid you to kill yourself.”
Eve was too scared to think of a retort. With a loud growl, he stormed toward the stairwell, pulling her behind him. She stumbled, trying to keep up and get free at the same time. They reached the top of the stairs and Kyran maneuvered her toward the bed.
Moaning weakly as tears streamed down her cheek, she tensed. If a big man like Kyran wanted to force himself on her, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. Even as she thought of it, the idea of sleeping with Kyran wasn’t completely repulsive. But she didn’t want it like this—not angry, not by force. His aggressiveness terrified her even as it excited her. He was bold, confident and a complete pain in the ass.
“Kyran,” she whispered, her voice shaking as badly as her body.
He stopped by the bed.
“Please, don’t do this.” It took all her willpower to get the words out. She was never one to beg, no matter what life threw at her. Still, this was one battle she couldn’t win.
He took a deep, ragged breath. When he turned, his eyes were back to the brilliant blue. “I won’t hurt you.”
For some insane reason she couldn’t name, Eve believed him. Kyran climbed onto the bed, taking her with him. She didn’t protest as much as she should have. Then, lying down, he tugged her next to him and pulled up the covers. He rested on his side, slowly stroking the hair back from her brow.
“This isn’t…” Eve wasn’t sure what she was trying to say.
“I was going to let you have the bed but cannot remove all the weapons from this room tonight to keep you safe, so it is my duty to lie here and make sure you do not hurt yourself.” He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. “I’m a trained warrior. I will hear you if you try anything foolish. I have no wish to shackle you, but I will if that is the only way I can ensure your safety.”
Eve lay on her back, watching his even breathing. She would never seriously kill herself, but apparently figures of speech weren’t a big thing on this planet. His arm rested near hers and the warmth from his side soaked into her bones. She really wasn’t tired, but being cared for in such an extreme way was somewhat comforting, and she found herself closing her eyes and relaxing.
Just when she was sure he was sleeping, he said quietly, “You’re so soft. It’s taking all my willpower not to touch you.”
“You are touching me.” Eve opened her eyes to look at him.
“Not as I wish to be. I would that you asked me for more.” He remained still, not bothering to open his eyes to look at her reaction.
He was asking for permission?
The hazy light from above shadowed his face. She didn’t need to see his features. Already she had them memorized. His body was warm against hers, heating her already aroused blood. What was it about this man? He was arrogant. He was her alien abductor. Yet, here she was, lying next to him thinking about how good his lips had felt against hers and how good he’d tasted.
Bits and pieces of their first night together filtered through her mind. Parts of it were still hazy—like actually travelling through a wormhole to another planet. However, she remembered that she had been the one to buy him a drink. She’d taken his hat. She’d made him dance with her—well, she’d danced and he’d stood like an incredibly dorky column in his cowboy getup. She’d been the one to touch him first, kiss him first, clearly emboldened by the numerous shots of tequila. In fact, if she remembered it correctly, he’d tried to resist her charms. She was the one who’d flirted with him, coming on very strong. Almost every time, she’d been the one to initiate their contact. Even now, he’d only grabbed her wrist because she’d threatened to end her own life.
Curious.
Eve had never been one to be completely freaked out by the unexplained and often surged forward i
nto the unknown without serious thought of the consequences. Sure, she sometimes got into trouble, but she also got to experience really cool things—like ghost hunting an abandoned asylum overnight. They hadn’t found evidence, but it had been exhilarating.
It was jarring thinking that aliens were real and that she was on another planet. But if she stopped and thought about it, life was all about the roller coaster ride. This was an adventure—possibly one of the biggest adventures in mankind’s history. And she was on it. How many people could say the same thing? If she just accepted that what was happening was real and pushed past her own fears and doubts, where would this adventure lead?
So did she surge forward and take the chance? Or did she miss an opportunity and wonder forever what an intimate night with a man like Kyran might be like? She’d been ready to sleep with him after a night at the bar.
“Do you?” Eve shivered, glancing down his lean form. “Are you…? Is your kind, um, made to, um…?”
His chest vibrated as he suppressed a chuckle. He finally turned to look at her. “You wish to know if I am made for you?”
Eve nodded. Fear and excitement made her blood pump wildly through her veins, drowning out reason. He rolled toward her and adjusted his hips, pressing his hardened shaft to her side. The heat of it seared her through her clothing, letting her feel how very much he desired her. Not only was it like fire, it was big—a veritable weapon. Kyran leaned into her ear, licking at the lobe, “Why don’t you discover the answer for yourself?”
Determined Prince Page 4
