As the prince proceeded to peel the fruit and place the morsels back on the platter, Remi’s nerves settled a bit. Apparently he wasn’t upset about her striking him. She really needed to find out what she was supposed to help him with, so she swallowed with difficulty and forced herself to speak.
“As I said, my name is Remunada Summer, I am the daughter of Olivia Summer. She was the daughter of Glory Summer, who was the daughter of Alexis Summer. Alexis, according to whispers and rumors, was the illegitimate daughter of a disowned daughter of one of the noble houses. The stories say many things, but most agree she became with child while out of wedlock and her family would have nothing to do with her.” Remi paused to take a sip of water.
“What has this to do with you being here?” Xan asked, pausing in peeling a fruit to look at Remi.
“I’m getting to that, Your Highn—”
“No. You will never call me by a title. You may call me Anaxandros. You may call me Xan, as my family and close friends do. You may pick another name if you so choose, but from this moment forward, you are to consider yourself my equal, if not my superior.” Xan’s eyes had that strange flame again, but Remi refused to be afraid. For some reason, she believed him when he said he would never hurt her.
“All right…Xan.” Xan nodded and pushed the platter of fruit toward her before resuming his peeling.
“I live in the province of Edessa. The women of my family have been healers as far back as at least Alexis. For one reason or another, there has always only been one female child, and each girl has had the gift. I studied the healing arts at my mother and grandmother’s knees from the time I could walk. I can fix or cure almost anything. I won’t say I’m the best, but the people usually seek me out because I actually care. Most physicians are just in it for the money.”
Remi paused to pick a piece of the fruit laying on the platter and noticed Xan sitting still. Glancing at his face, he stared at her. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no. Something you said sounded familiar, but I can’t place it at the moment. Please continue.” Xan poured water into his cup and began eating some of the fruit.
“A little less than a fortnight ago, a squad of soldiers wearing the uniform of The Royal House showed up in Antioch, on the south side of Lake Cyrene. I live in a small hamlet called Cynia about a league northwest of Antioch. After a couple of days, the soldiers came to Cynia asking for me. When they found me, they pulled me from my home, saying that the king commanded my presence here in the capitol. They put me on a horse, and we rode nonstop for about a week. When we got to the castle, four of the soldiers ran on into the building above us. The rest pulled me into a side door and down into this place. They threw me into the cave and locked the door just as Prince Jarok arrived. Your brother stated something along the lines of a prophecy saying certain women could save you and it was down to me.” Looking at Xan, she continued. “Do you know what they were talking about? How is your soul in danger and how am I supposed to ‘heal’ it?”
* * * *
Xan looked at this vulnerable, beautiful young woman and felt the anger build in his gut. He also felt the rage mounting in his dragon. His own soldiers had dragged his True One out of her home, forced her into a dangerous, arduous journey to the capital at his father’s orders. She had been alone in the borderlands with a squad of soldiers. While he doubted any of his soldiers would rape a woman, the thought of what could have happened only caused the anger to grow.
But right now, he had to maintain control because a lot needed explaining to his little one. Remi had no clue about what was going on, let alone what was about to take place. He discretely sniffed and smelled only his scent on her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have someone waiting for her in that pissant little town. Xan also felt like she held something back, a part of her story she glossed over. Pausing to control his emotions, he began an explanation that might take a while, so he’d wait on exposing her secrets.
“Most of what I’m about to tell you is knowledge only the noble houses have known. Let’s start with the basics. Everyone knows that ages ago, a great warrior named Tchon-Xi asked the gods for advice on how to stop the many clans from warring. Tchon-Xi knew that the battles would eventually kill the majority of the people, leaving only the weak and old to live, meaning no children would be born and our people would die out.”
“The gods, speaking through the Seers, told Tchon-Xi to go to the Great Mountain and speak with the White Dragon. Tchon-Xi did as he was told, and with great effort, arrived on the mountain summit to speak with the White Dragon. The stories do not say what happened while he remained there, but after seven days and nights, Tchon-Xi came down a changed man. He became an even more fearsome warrior, being capable of changing his form into that of a dragon, winning battle after battle until he had conquered all the continent. Tchon-Xi married and had thirteen sons. He carved the continent into eleven provinces and the capital region.”
“Yes, yes, Your…Xan. This is history tales that all children know. Are you saying the legends are true?” Remi looked both doubtful and amazed.
Xan grinned. “Hold on, little one. I’m getting there. Tchon-Xi sent one son to each province to become Governor-General and his two oldest sons he kept here. The oldest son became heir to the throne, and the second son became General of the Armies. This way, the oldest son could concentrate on problems of the entire kingdom and the second oldest would be not only General, but heir apparent should the first not have a child. That policy is still in place to this day. While my father is still on the throne, I am the first son and heir apparent. When I ascend, my brother Jarok will become heir apparent until I have a child. Do you understand so far?”
At Remi’s nod, Xan continued. “All right, little one. Now for the things the general population might or might not know. Tchon-Xi had thirteen sons and five daughters. His children, combined, had sixty-five sons and only eight daughters. Each succeeding generation had less daughters until eventually, none were born. My sister is the first daughter born into my family’s Royal House in four generations. The other noble houses have had daughters, but generally no more than a quarter of the houses have daughters in any given generation and usually no more than one to each of those houses.”
“The fifth generation back saw only two daughters born into any noble house. One of those women only had sons. The other, from what I can understand at this moment, would have been your great-great-grandmother. I don’t know her name. All record of her, except her birth and banishment as an unnamed daughter, has been stricken from our history. The family died without further children being born. When we get back, I will have the scholars research further. Since then, each generation has only had three or four females born into the entire noble houses bloodlines, and as I said my sister is the first to be born into our house in generations.”
At Remi’s choked sound, he reached out and enfolded her clenched hands in his. “I’m sorry, little one. I know it’s a lot to take in, but there is more you need to know. Are you okay to proceed?” Remi reached for her cup and drank deeply before nodding at him. Releasing her hand, Xan ran both his hands through his hair, debating how to proceed.
“All right, little one. Here’s the hardest part. Things the public might speculate about but not know for sure. All the noble houses are related, albeit very distantly now, to each other. From almost a millennia ago, we all share the ultimate father of Tchon-Xi. All of Tchon-Xi’s sons could shift into a dragon, in varying degrees of power.”
“For example, I have more gifts from the dragon than someone from one of the other, smaller noble houses. Not because I’m from the oldest son of Tchon-Xi’s line, but because that is how I was born.” Xan paused and stared Remi in the eye. “I have more powers than my father, but I would not seize the throne from him just to seize power. My youngest brother Nicholas has certain…skills that far outweigh mine. But his is a kind soul, whereas mine is a soul of a warrior.” Xan broke eye contact as he stood and started pacing the room.
“What no one knows, even among my immediate family, is exactly what the bargain between White Dragon and Tchon-Xi detailed. But the males of the noble houses can change form, not all but most. The Dragon Guard, the king’s personal guard, is made up entirely of lower ranked males of the noble houses. All of them have some skill at changing shape, or in the use of magic. All of them are dedicated to maintaining the peace of the kingdom for they have blood-bonded to my House. It is considered an honor among us to be Guardians of the Kingdom. But the curse that the gifts bring can be just as deadly as a plague among the population.”
When Xan paused both in his pacing and his story, Remi prompted him with a question. “So basically, with your great powers comes a possibly greater threat, correct? I’m taking it that there is something that can be done to negate this threat because I’ve not heard of any major disasters happening in over a century. What is it I must heal for you? What can I do to right whatever it is that brought me here?”
When Xan turned toward the table, he saw Remi leaning forward in her chair, a look of concern on her face. Gone was the fear and trepidation that had shaken her just an hour ago, the same fear that had driven into him like a sword. His heart began to beat faster, knowing that this amazing woman belonged to him.
So concerned for his well-being, even without knowing him, she wanted to do whatever it took to help him without question. Sitting there in his shirt, her braid gripped tight in her hand, Xan felt real love begin to grow in his heart, not just the connection to his True One.
His long strides took Xan to his chair, and he once again took hold of Remi’s hands. “Those of us who can shape-shift into the dragon are plagued with an extreme…physical need for release. It’s almost as if the dragon side of our personalities has an insatiable need to…” Xan stopped and looked around, for once embarrassed by the sexual appetites that overwhelmed him sometimes. How to explain to someone who didn’t know the clawing need for sexual release, the driving need to find one’s soul mate.
“You have an insatiable need to have sexual relations? Is this what you need me to cure?” Xan saw the look of concern still on her face, but not comprehension.
“Let me explain, little one. For each shape-shifter, there is only one true love, one true soul mate that we call our True One. The curse gives us a sexual drive that is like nothing you’ve probably heard about. When we hit puberty, the sex drive for us kicks in, and it’s generally in proportion to the skills you have. The more skilled or gifted you are, the greater the sex drive. Generally, the shifter has found his True One by the age of twenty-five winters and everything is all right. But…the older you get, the more desperate your dragon becomes to find your soul mate, and if you don’t find it, you can go mad.”
“There have been a few cases in the last few centuries of this happening, but luckily, the guard has taken care of it before he killed anyone. I’m thirty-two winters and have been showing signs of…devolving into madness. From what I can make out, I let my family put me into this cave in hopes of containing me until my True One could be found. For the last couple weeks, as far as I can remember, I haven’t changed from my dragon form. Then my True One was found.”
“Wait.” Remi stopped him by raising a hand. “If your True One has been found, why isn’t she here? You need her, not a healer.” Xan saw that she still didn’t realize or understand. She saw herself only as a healer, not as a woman, so he said it bluntly.
“You are my True One, Remunada Summer.”
Chapter 4
Remi sat speechless as Xan stared into her eyes. She would swear he had just said she was his True One, but that couldn’t be possible. She was a nobody from nowhere, no matter what the tales said of her genealogy. He was a prince and she just a healer. He would be king and she…oh gods, if he was telling the truth, she would be queen.
She shook her head as she stumbled to her feet and started walking away. “No. Nononono…no way can I be your True One. There has been a mistake. You’re a…and I’m…” Shocked, Remi couldn’t even finish a sentence.
Remi spun around when Xan stood up. “The other women…your brother said there were other women on the list of possible True Ones. What happened to them?”
Xan’s cheeks turned a shade darker as he dropped his gaze from her. “I’m afraid I scared them. All I remember over the time I’ve been in here, is that three other women have come into the cave and my dragon tried to attack them. He wanted control, but I held him back enough for them to escape. The dragon would scream and dive at them from the ledges around the cave. I don’t think any of them were physically hurt, but I know I could hear them crying and screaming at the door to be let out. I will need to make amends for that.”
Remi felt her heart melt that this man, most obviously a warrior, worried that he had frightened women and whether or not he had hurt them. Remi twisted her hands together and took a deep breath. “What exactly do you mean when you say soul mate? I mean, are you talking about me being your mistress or…” She didn’t even get the sentence finished before Xan stood in front of her. One hand tangled in her hair while his other grabbed her chin and angled her head.
“You are mine. My heartbeat. My breath. My reason for living, for being. From the day we bind ourselves together, you will be it for me. I will want no other. I will not be able to cheat on you. If I find out you have cheated, I will kill any man who has touched you, but you I will never hurt. Ever. You will be my wife, my queen. You will rule by my side until we both pass into the next world. If you pass before I do, I will follow you. If I pass before you do, well…the females of a True mating have choices. There are other conditions and problems we can discuss later.”
The next thing Remi knew, the hand in her hair cradled her head, refusing to let her move and his other hand squeezed her hip, pulling her into his embrace. His lips came down on hers, but instead of being forceful, they were gentle and seduced her senses. He nibbled at her bottom lip, pulling it out and sucking on it before letting it go with a pop, only to start again and again. His tongue licked along the curve and tickled at the corner where her upper lip met her lower lip. Only to run along her top lip to the other side and start again.
Xan’s other hand slid from her hip to her ass where it massaged and clenched. Remi gasped, and Xan thrust his tongue into her mouth, exploring and tempting her tongue to chase his back into his mouth. He caressed her tongue with his lips before gently sucking on it. Remi felt her head start spinning as he moaned and squeezed her ass tighter. She gripped the open sides of his shirt and hung on as he seduced her into a haze of pleasure. She had never known kissing could be like this. The fire, the passion, all with a gentleness that touched her soul.
Xan’s hand let go of her head and caressed down her back and joined the first in its squeezing and caressing of her ample backside. As he pulled her tighter against him, she felt his erection through his soft pants. His cock, so hot and hard, pushed against her lower stomach and felt way too big to ever be used for the purpose nature intended. Just as she started to pull away to say something, Xan’s hands found their way under the shirt and clenched on her ass cheeks.
Deep within her, Remi felt her muscles squeeze at nothing and moisture begin dripping from her. She had never felt these sensations for any man, although her mother had told her the signs of lust. When Xan tightened his grip and lifted her off the ground, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and moved her arms up around his neck.
Xan moaned deep in his throat again, and his lips got a little rougher as he began walking. Remi’s head fell back, and she gasped as his hard cock rubbed against her pussy. Xan’s mouth moved down her jawline to her throat where he began sucking and nibbling. His hands were still kneading but now were also rocking her against him. Remi felt him sit down, then felt the covers under her feet and legs.
Xan’s hands reached around and pulled her legs from around him. He lifted his head and murmured, “Kneel above me little one. Please.” His voi
ce became rough and gravelly as he helped her kneel astride his lap.
As her pussy came fully into contact with his erection, they both moaned as he grabbed her hips and rocked her back and forth on his cock. The cotton of his pants shot her arousal up as the friction on her clit increased. Even as she threw her head back in pleasure, Xan’s hands came up and, with one great rip, shredded the shirt she wore down the front. Xan pulled the remnants from her and threw them to the side.
His hands returned to her hips, gripping more forcefully as he ground her onto his cock. Xan ducked his head and latched onto one of her nipples. Drawing it deep into his mouth, he suckled strongly, causing her nipple to sting. But it was an exquisite pain, walking the edge of pleasure. Remi threaded her fingers through Xan’s hair and looked down at where his lips and mouth enclosed her.
His eyes were closed, his lashes a dark sweep along his cheeks as his lips worked against her breast. She felt herself clenching again, needing something, instinctively knowing Xan could give it to her. As she watched, Xan released one nipple and nuzzled his way to the other, treating it much the same. As she felt the strong suction all the way to her womb, she ground down harder onto his shaft and pulled his head closer. Remi arched her back trying to get closer to the wonderful feelings Xan produced inside her, whimpering the whole time for something she didn’t understand but knew she needed.
Xan’s arms wrapped around her and Remi felt herself spun around. Her back hit the furs as Xan grabbed her thighs and forced them wider, all without losing suction on her breast. Xan’s hips began thrusting in long strokes, sending the fabric of his pants sliding over Remi’s clit. The friction sent sparks of lightning shooting through her body, setting brush fires as they went. She felt her pussy clenching tighter and tighter the more Xan moved.
Suddenly he moved his hips in a circular motion, and Remi screamed as the fabric ground against her clit. Stars burst and streaked across the back of her closed eyelids as she arched into the pleasure. Nothing had ever felt so good in her life! The pleasure was indescribable as every muscle in her body clenched in perfect harmony prior to going limp in a sweet release.
The Dragon's Soul: Xan (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 3
