The Red Queen

by Meg Xuemei X

  “She’s better off without you,” Ashburn said. “Why don’t you do us all a favor? Get off this island and disappear.”

  “Want to get rid of me?” Vladimir laughed viciously. “It won’t happen. I stick to her. You, on the other hand, should get lost.”

  Earlier on, she’d worried that none of them found her attractive, but that had been baseless. Look at how they were fighting for her! She couldn’t help but curl her lips in a grin.

  “I know all about your dirty secrets,” Vladimir said, a menacing smugness flashing in his eyes. “Yes, I know what that thing in you has been doing to her. Even now you’re influencing her. Remove yourself this second, or I’ll remove you myself.”

  The thing in Ash? What was the Czech prince talking about? She did feel an unnatural pull from Ash. Was he trying to do her harm too? Both of them? Her breath shortened.

  Rage turned Ashburn’s eyes to stormy gray.

  Oh, this one is so pissed. Was he going to leave? Lucienne leaned toward Ashburn. If he exited from the scene, she’d lose a suitor. The Czech boy was starting to grate on her nerves.

  Her movement brought back the attention of both boys. The Czech prince gazed at her, almost pleading. The vast gentleness in his hazel eyes failed to melt her heart. Lucienne was no fool. She didn’t fall for pretty, dangerous men easily. No, he was the fool to hope she threw herself into his arms while all she had in mind was to punish him for his rudeness. A cruel smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she shoved him away. The tremendous hurt in his eyes appeased her sense of justice. He’d hurt her first. Ash had spelled out the truth.

  “Let’s go for a walk, Ash,” she said, reaching for his hand and leading him out of the sun room and down the long hallway.

  Ashburn clasped his hand around hers tightly. Vladimir and the guards fell in behind her. The Czech prince’s jealousy and anger were sizzling. Lucienne rubbed her face against Ash’s shoulder briefly to make the prince even madder. How easy it was for her to wrap them around her fingers. Lucienne was pleased with herself, but she hid her smirk.

  The air was crisp outside the mansion, and the red forest ahead promised a good walk. Giddy, Lucienne quickened her pace, her hand still interlinking with Ashburn’s. The touch felt luscious. If she lured Ash deep in the woods, away from these prying eyes, he might kiss her.

  “Are you cold, Lucia?” Ashburn asked.

  “I’ve never felt better,” she said.

  “Lucia,” Vladimir called after her, demanding her attention, but she purposefully ignored him. She allowed him to tag along just to torment him. She let her hip brush against Ashburn’s with each gait.

  Like a flash, Vladimir darted to her other side. She’d seen him limping. How had he moved this fast? “Lucia, come to see my collection?” he coaxed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, trying to turn her away from Ashburn. “I’ve acquired a rare sword—”

  “Do I look like a tomboy who’s into weaponry?” she scoffed. “You’re crazy.” Why did everyone wince when she said the word ‘crazy?’ She shook off the prince. And what kind of idiot would want to win a girl with a display of swords? She was disappointed in his courting skills. “And you should have a doctor treat your face. You don’t look good!”

  Pain welled in Vladimir’s eyes, and beneath it, a dangerous glint. Would he challenge her then? Danger served as her companion since childhood. She gave him a defiant glare before turning back to Ashburn, whose eyes brightened at watching her scorn his rival.

  His delight brought something alive. As energy rippled in the air, an unseen cord formed, chaining her and Ash together. The Lure. She recognized it. It wasn’t a stranger. It always gave her a high. Time to ditch their audience. “Bring Spike, Ash,” she said. “We’re going for a ride.”

  “But—” Ashburn said.

  “You will not take her.” Vladimir advanced to Ashburn’s side, blocking him with a threatening look. “You know better.”

  What a continuing nuisance! “You just have to go against me, don’t you, Blazek?” she asked. “From the day I met you, you were plotting against me.”

  “I plot against you?” He narrowed his eyes, as if he’d had enough. “Darling, you do have a selective memory.” He fixed on Ashburn again, as if he wouldn’t want to bother with her. “Take her back to the house. Now. She isn’t well.”

  Ashburn’s eyes turned metal gray. “Back off, Blazek,” he said.

  “Yes, piss off, Blazek,” Lucienne joined in. “I don’t appreciate your attitude!”

  Ash had been hesitant to take her for a ride, but that was before the Czech prince had enraged him. All she needed was to give Ash a nudge. “Please, Ash.” She conjured up her damsel-in-distress voice. “It’s suffocating to be inside that white prison. Don’t you want to make me feel better?” She batted her eyelashes. “We used to go watch the sunrise in Nirvana, remember? That was a good time.”

  Ashburn grimaced. Then Lucienne recalled that it hadn’t been a wonderful time for him. She’s drugged him when the orange sun leapt from the rings of the silver mountains of the futuristic town. When Seraphen had arrived to pick a fight, she’d pondered whether to kill Ash to win the battle. What was she thinking by bringing up the irony of it?

  “Well, I’m so sorry for what I did to you last time, sincerely,” she said. “Take me for a ride, Ash. Let me make it up to you.”

  “You. Will. Not. Take. Her. Away!” Vladimir said with all the menace in the world.

  Ashburn gave Vladimir a look of full disdain before he whistled to summon Spike.

  Lucienne’s eyes lit up as Spike, the machine made of light, beamed into existence beside her.

  “Ashburn, you can’t do that.” Duncan, the guard, stepped forward. “You can’t take the Siren off Sphinxes.”

  “You see that, Ash?” Lucienne grabbed Ashburn’s arm. “My jailors watch me twenty-four/seven. They say I’m sick and try to lock me up in the house. You’re my only true friend, Ash. Will you let me taste freedom again, even for a few minutes?”

  “Send the darn machine away!” Vladimir demanded.

  “Chief McQuillen will have your head, Ashburn, if you do this!” Duncan added hotly.

  “Then let him have my head,” Ashburn said.

  The guards and Vladimir lunged at Ashburn in unison. Ashburn raised a hand and shot out dark lightning, sending Vladimir and the guards flying to the trees.

  “They had to learn the hard way.” Lucienne giggled. “Good for them. They’ll think twice next time if they decide to go against me—us. But you must teach me how to throw lightning so I’ll have them taste mine if they bully me again.” She climbed onto the seat of Spike, and Ashburn slid behind her in a second.

  “She needs this.” Ashburn turned to the guards. “I’ll bring her back safe in an hour. I promise.”

  As Spike took off, Lucienne turned to look down at Vladimir and blew him a loud kiss.

  His suffering was her joy.

  Spike zoomed out of Sphinxes and soared higher until Earth was a blue marble, half covered by clouds of different shades. The artificial lights on the land were like numerous tiny fires. And a wild fire lit in Lucienne.

  “Fascinating,” she said in amazement, nestling her head against Ashburn.

  “I’ll take you to the moon one day,” Ashburn said.

  “Why not now?”

  “We don’t have enough time. Your people worry about you. Even now, Dragonfly is tracking you.”

  “They should stop bothering me,” she said in irritation. “All I want is a little fun.”

  “We’ve had fun flying this high. We should go back before they panic.”

  “Not yet! I have a better idea.”

  Ashburn’s body tensed as if he were afraid of her idea.

  “How about we visit your mom and dad?” she said. “They’ll be thrilled to see us. I like the jasmine tea Clement made.”

  “We’ll visit them another day.”

  Lucienne leaned away from him. “Are you ashamed of
showing me to your parents?”

  “Ashamed of you? You’ve visited them a hundred times already.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Then what’s stopping you?”

  “I haven’t seen them in a while. I don’t want to visit them empty-handed.”

  “Then let’s buy them gifts, as many as you want.”

  “I have no money on me, and neither do you,” he said. “I insist we visit them next time.”

  “But—”

  “You see that place, Lucia?” Ashburn pointed at the landscape far beneath them.

  “Where?”

  “There, the greenest forest on earth.”

  “Yeah, very green,” she said indifferently. Her interest was Ash, and she wanted him to reciprocate.

  Spike abruptly descended from space, plunging toward the forest. Lucienne didn’t blink an eye at the speed. The air and wind whooshed by, but didn’t affect them as Spike’s force field shielded them. Lucienne’s eyes widened in excitement as the lighted machine pierced the clouds. She stretched a hand to touch them, but Spike’s power blocked their icy mists.

  As they left the clouds and upper atmosphere behind, a gem of ocean expanded beneath them, reaching out to the horizon, then blurred as Spike whisked by. The machine dove toward the trees. An instant later, it glided over an endless sea of rainforest.

  It was spectacularly beautiful, Lucienne had to admit, but it wouldn’t be a romantic getaway for her to seduce Ash and have her way with him, even though this jungle would be the last place anyone would ever come to interrupt them.

  “This is the most dangerous, uncharted jungle in the world,” Ashburn said. “A beauty it is.”

  She needed to distract him from this dangerous beauty and return him to hers. She twisted her body on Spike and gave him a sensual smile. The Lure responded to her desire, pulling Ashburn toward her. He gazed down at her lips subtly parting for him. With a swallow, he glanced away.

  “In this forest dwelled the most deadly species that,” he muttered, trying to get back to his former subject, “humans —humans haven’t known about.”

  “Ash.” She pouted. “Must we forever discuss hazardous species?”

  He gave her a look, then pointed toward the yellow mountains at the far end of the rainforest, separated by a vast river. “See the mountains?”

  At last she realized where he was going. He was stalling. He pretended to be oblivious to her feminine charm, but was doing a poor job of it. His racing heartbeat betrayed him.

  An amused smile crossed her lips.

  “Within three months,” he continued, “that volcano is going to erupt.”

  Lucienne didn’t care about volcanoes or rainforests or yellow mountains. She must end his silliness and take the lead when it came to romance. “We’ve seen enough of jungles and mountains, Ash,” she purred, knowing the effect her silky, honey voice had on men. It always worked wonders on the Czech prince. “Can we go to Ghost House? We won’t visit your parents, but we can sit on the roof and talk and do something really fun.”

  Ashburn studied her with uncertainty, but Lucienne knew he was tempted, especially when she pressed her face against his chin. The Lure approved, rewarding her with a distinctive pleasure. Ashburn grew tenser, but he bent toward her despite himself.

  She knew she had him. He could no longer keep her at bay. “Please, Ash,” she whispered in his ear, her warm breath caressing his skin. “I haven’t had a good time in so long.”

  He caved. “After that, we’ll go straight back to Sphinxes, where you won’t come up with another idea.”

  “Deal,” she said, her cheek gently rubbing against his jaw one more time before she turned back and hid a smug smile.

  Spiked pulled up to the high sky at a 45° angle. When it dove again and touched down, Lucienne was on the rooftop of the Ghost House.

  Lucienne swung her legs off the machine in giddiness.

  Nirvana stretched under her feet like a garden of gems. It was nowhere near its glory day when she’d first spotted it several months ago, but it was still one of the most beautiful, sheltered towns, thanks to Ashburn, who powered it with TimeDust. Lucienne knew Ash had no love for the king, the queen, or its residents, but he maintained the town for his adopted parents. Once they passed away, Ash would extract his power, and this legendary lost city would be overcome by harsh climates and erode through by time.

  Her memory was doing a funny thing to her. Until this moment, she hadn’t connected his great power to Nirvana’s survival. She breathed out a deep sigh. Soon this gorgeous, powerful man would be hers. She was the luckiest girl in the world!

  Lucienne sprawled in the center of the roof and flashed Ashburn a lazy, disarming grin. He stayed on Spike, watching her every move, smitten, yet careful. She adjusted her position to lie on her side, her leg bent slightly, showing her curves to him.

  The rooftop appeared to be made of ice, giving the illusion that she could fall through, but she knew it was more solid than anything built on earth. She glanced at the distant ring of silver-capped mountains before sliding her gaze back toward Ashburn—her true target. Her eyes invited him to come to her, and evidently drawn by the Lure and her wiles, he left his machine and jogged toward her.

  He sat down beside her, his body taut.

  “Lie down and you can see the faint moon,” she coaxed. “I won’t bite.”

  The Lure, a tempting mistress, worked with her. As he lay on his back, it wrapped them inside an invisible, enchanting dome. Lucienne wondered why she’d ever fought it.

  She eyed the two and half feet between her and Ash, and inched closer to him.

  He tensed with expectation and wanting, yet opposing it all the same. “Lucia—”

  She set the distance between them to a foot and angled her body toward him, elbow on the roof, chin on her palm. “Yes, Ash?” She gazed at his perfect, symmetric features and his bright silver eyes.

  The magnetism between them crackled in the air.

  Ashburn turned his face toward her, looking at her sideways through his silver lashes. As Lucienne slowly edged herself toward him until there was only half a foot between them, he became very still.

  This chase was fun. “I’m so glad we’re finally alone,” she said with a honeyed voice.

  “Yes, I’m glad too,” he murmured, having a hard time focusing.

  Lucienne eliminated the space between them and pressed a hip against his thigh. His heat radiated to her. Eyes glinting, he rasped. Still, he didn’t move, but managed to turn his gaze away from her to stare at the sky to mask his emotion. That didn’t discourage Lucienne; it only drove her on.

  “Ash?” she whispered.

  “Yes?” he answered, holding his breath and not looking at her. As if by not gazing into her eyes, he wouldn’t fall into them.

  It wouldn’t work. She saw through him. He was so hot for her. She could feel it as if it were burning inside her. She lifted her head and smoothly laid it on his broad shoulder. They fit perfectly. She placed her hand against his heart. It beat into her palm so fast and powerfully that she felt she was holding his lifeline in her hand. Her heart pounded just as equally strong.

  “We probably … should head back,” Ashburn said with great difficulty. “Kian is yelling at everyone. He’s beyond mad and … concerned. He swears he’ll snap my neck himself at the first sight of me.”

  “Don’t worry about him. I outrank him,” she said. “I outrank everyone in Sphinxes.” She felt her own warm breath on his face, as her lips were an inch from his.

  The Lure went wild. Heat surged between her thighs. Lucienne moaned.

  He stared at her lips, his eyes glowing the brightest silver, thick with lust. He managed a sentence, his minty, ragged breath mingling with hers. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “I’ll decide what a good idea is,” she said as her eyelids went heavy. “Do you not want me?”

  “I’m aching for you,” he said fiercely. “I wanted you the first time I laid my ey
es on you. You have no idea of what hell it is to control myself. You’re the only girl I’ve ever wanted ….”

  Too many words made her dizzy. She spoke with action. Lucienne climbed on top of Ashburn. A wave of electricity shot through her. Such pleasure!

  Ashburn arched his back. The Lure rewarded him with the same bliss.

  “Lucia, my love,” he said.

  “Take me,” she said in her most sultry voice. “Give me everything you have.”

  He tore her red robe from her shoulders, pulling it down to her waist, and ripped her shirt aside. He stared at her exposed breasts, licking his lips.

  Lucienne grabbed his hand and placed it over one of her breasts.

  As his hand tightened while cupping her, Lucienne inhaled. The pleasure was like no other. She’d been such an idiot to deny herself this unmatchable carnal joy. She ground her hips atop him, feeling his body hard and taut as a bowstring.

  He couldn’t help but gasp. Then he seemed to collect himself, if only barely. “Lucia, stop.” His voice was rough, husky. “If you don’t, I won’t be able to stop later.”

  “I don’t want you to stop, now or later,” she said, pressing herself harder against him, desperate to remove any negative space between them. “Nothing can stay between us now. Undress me completely.”

  A ravenous hunger twisted his face. He pulled her robe above her head, followed by the torn remnants of her shirt, tossing them onto the ice-like roof.

  “This long pent-up passion is killing me,” she said. “Release it.”

  “Nectar, your perfume,” he murmured as if drunk.

  Lucienne bent down. Just before her lips touched his, he pulled her face up and held it there. “When you become yourself again, you’ll hate me as much as you’ll hate yourself,” he said. “And I’ll never forgive myself for taking advantage of you.”

  His talk of hate and consequences was like unexpected cold water spraying on her face. However, that ounce couldn’t quench the fire inside her. “I am myself,” she said, “and I’m yours to take and savor.” She fought to get free of his hold. Once her mouth moved over his, he’d never resist her again. But he was stronger. He was as strong as any of her warriors, and that surprised her. “You said you want me!”