In the Flesh

by Livia Dare

  Tears fell. “My father…If there was another war…”

  “I’ve made overtures to the King of Sari,” he said swiftly. “And he has agreed to meet with me to discuss the possibility of cease-fire agreements and new treaties. I won’t say there will never be another war, but I swear to do my best to prevent one.”

  “It’s impossible.”

  “It isn’t.” Wulf’s strength of will was so powerful it charged the air around them. “I won’t lie and say things will be easy. I can’t promise you a happy ending, where everything is wonderful and our families coexist peacefully. I can only promise to love you, to make time for you, and cherish you. I’ll never give you cause to regret the sacrifices you’ll make to be with me. We’ll survive the trials together. We’ll find a way. And when we can’t, we’ll still have each other.”

  Her heart ached. “I love you.”

  “That’s all we need. Say yes.”

  Sapphire nodded, her throat too tight to speak. He wanted to bind himself to her, at great personal and political cost. She couldn’t refuse. She wanted him just as badly.

  He flopped backward in an exaggerated collapse. “Good.”

  She managed a smile. “You look so relieved.”

  Wulf’s returning smile was sinful, yet ardent.

  She sat up, taking his thickening cock to her deepest point. “What would you have done if I’d refused you?”

  Wulf flexed inside her. “Moved to Plan B.”

  “Which was?” Though she suspected she knew.

  “Kidnapping you again and keeping you trapped in my bed until I convinced you to marry me.”

  She released a mock sigh. “I should have held out for Plan B.”

  One black brow rose. Wulf gripped her hips, lifting her. “Well…” He pumped upward in a breathtaking thrust. “Just because Plan A worked doesn’t mean we have to forgo Plan B.”

  Her head fell back on a low moan. “I’m all yours.”

  “Yes,” he purred, taking her. Loving her. “You are.”

  Wulf was starving. Seated at the small metal table in the sitting area, he plunged into his meal with gusto. He looked at Katie and his heart ached. Her lovely lips were curved in an indulgent smile, her dark gaze filled with love as she watched him. He thought about their future and how he would see this same vision every day for the rest of his life. He hadn’t thought such joy was possible.

  There was a soft beeping at the door. He called out permission to enter. The captain and Dalen walked in. They bowed, then straightened, looking grim.

  “What is it?” he asked. “What did you learn?”

  The captain stepped forward. “Your Highness. We have identified the target.”

  Katie stood. Her voice was tight when she spoke. “The prince is in danger, isn’t he?”

  Wulf rose and went to her, drawing her into his arms.

  The captain shook his head. “Gordmere was hired to capture you.”

  Chapter 18

  “I’m the target?”

  Wulf looked down into Katie’s pale face and his gut knotted. He held her tighter, his gaze moving between Dalen and the captain.

  “It’s extremely fortunate that you left the terminal before the courier from Sari arrived,” the captain continued. “Gordmere was given a disk with video footage of his target, whom he knows only as ‘Katie Erikson.’ When he views the data, he’ll realize Dalen’s mätress and Katie Erikson are one and the same.”

  “I don’t understand.” She frowned. “They were after Prince Wulfric before…”

  “That was a different assignment, which was interrupted when Gordmere was captured by Sarian troops. Smithson exchanged His Highness for Gordmere, forfeiting that bounty.”

  “Who hired him?”

  “I don’t know. That information is something Gordmere guards very carefully. I believe he’s the only one of the group who ever knows where the money is coming from.”

  “So someone out there still wants Prince Wulfric?” Katie asked.

  Dalen nodded. “Gordmere intends to use the credits he earns with your capture to finish that previous job.”

  “How many buyers are there?” Wulf asked. “Is it one person after both Katie and I?”

  “Why would anyone want me?” she queried. “I’m not important.”

  “You’re important to men of importance,” Dalen pointed out. “However, my understanding is that these are two separate assignments.”

  Wulf looked at the captain, who nodded. “I agree, Your Highness.”

  Katie’s hand clutched his forearm where it crossed beneath her breasts. “So what do we do?”

  “Dalen’s out of commission now that his motives are known,” the captain said, “but I’ll remain with Gordmere and learn what I can. I don’t think he’ll give up the job, even though his group has been infiltrated. Once he watches the disk and sees how well his quarry can fight, he’ll realize she’s the one who killed Tor Smithson. From what I’ve gathered of his personality in these last weeks, Gordmere will hunt her merely to avenge his friend.”

  Wulf stared at Katie. The forthrightness in her returning gaze answered his unspoken question. He reeled at the knowledge that she’d killed a man for him. The man who’d tortured him until he prayed for death.

  Pride swiftly overcame his shock. He would kill for her, die for her, do anything necessary to keep her safe. She’d proven again and again that she felt the same way. He gripped her convulsively, his insides squeezed in the grip of fear. He hated the feeling of having so much to lose. “Does Gordmere know why this person wants her?”

  “No.” The captain exhaled harshly. “Frankly, he doesn’t care. His orders are to bring her to a drop-off point that has yet to be specified and that’s all he’s concerned with—where, and how many credits are involved.”

  Wulf pressed his lips to the crown of Katie’s head, holding her extra tight in response to the surprising way she clung to him. He was out of his depth here, away from his home and the safety it represented. “If we have to battle a malicious force, I would prefer to do it on ground I’m familiar with.”

  “I agree. It’s not safe here on Tolan.”

  “Go back to Gordmere. Katie and I will depart in the morning.”

  “As you say, Your Highness.” The captain bowed. “I’ll contact you whenever I find the opportunity.”

  Wulf turned to Dalen. “It’s too risky for you to return to your previous lodging. You’ll stay here tonight. The servants will see to your comfort. I owe you a great deal for your support.”

  Dalen bowed. He looked at Katie and offered a reassuring smile. “You’re in capable hands, Mistress. Not that you need them. Your own hands are sufficiently capable.”

  Katie managed a faint smile. None of them understood what was happening.

  Wulf wouldn’t rest until he knew.

  Crown Prince Wulfric Andersson of D’Ashier was handfasted to Katie Erikson, a common citizen of Sari, with little fanfare in the Interstellar Council Embassy on the foreign planet of Tolan.

  He wore no crown, only a simple travel robe. The consort-to-be wore a deep red gown with long bell sleeves and slender waist. A golden girdle hung low on her hips with a length of chain that fell to her knees. Dangling from the end was the jeweled crest of the royal house of D’Ashier. They’d bought the gown and girdle off the rack at a local shop. The jewel-encrusted crest had been brought by the prince from his homeworld.

  The only other person in attendance was the embassy cleric, a thin man with a bored expression which altered when he reviewed the license.

  “Your Highness.” He bowed. “I am honored to preside over your marriage. Come with me. I have a much more suitable venue for such a momentous occasion.”

  They could have been wed in a transport cargo bay for all the prince cared. It was the bride herself who mattered to him. But he followed with a hand at her elbow, eagerness lightening his steps.

  The massive embassy ballroom stole Sapphire’s breath away. The ceil
ing rose at least four stories above them. The chandeliers that lit the room were the size of small antigrav-crafts. Silver and gold satin ribbons crisscrossed the skylight above them, dappling the sunlight, which glittered on the marble floor.

  The brief ceremony passed in a daze. She remembered little of the proceedings, only the soothing timber of Wulf’s voice as he vowed his troth and the sharp prick of the needle in her fingertip as they placed their palms on the blood collector to seal their marriage in the interstellar records.

  Awareness began to set in when Wulf lifted her hand and slipped the gold and talgorite promise ring on her finger. On her right hand she wore a signet ring like Wulfric’s, only much smaller—her means to transfer back to the D’Ashier palace, just as Wulf had done when he’d first stolen her away.

  Then he was kissing her with passion, his arms wrapped around her, warm and protective. Everything came into crystal clarity. Wulfric was hers. Forever.

  “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

  Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I love you, too, my darling Wulf.”

  D’Ashier, the Royal Palace

  “Nervous?”

  Sapphire nodded in answer to Wulf’s gentle query, although nervous didn’t come close to describing the turmoil she felt.

  He pulled her closer to his side, offering her the support of his powerful frame. “Just be yourself.”

  “The last—and only—time I met your father, it didn’t go well,” she reminded him.

  “You were an enemy’s concubine then. Now, you are a Princess Consort of D’Ashier.”

  “I’m pretty sure that isn’t going to make me more likeable,” she muttered, her slight confidence faltering.

  He grinned and kissed the tip of her nose. “Every time you start to have doubts, I’m going to remind you that it’s too late to change your mind.”

  “It’s never too late for a woman to change her mind.”

  “It’s too late for you,” he growled.

  Her lips twitched. “I love you, my arrogant prince.”

  “Much better. Now smile and show my father how thrilled you are to become my wife.”

  She turned her gaze to the double-doors that led to the king’s wing of the palace.

  It was time to face Wulfric’s family.

  Fingers linked with Wulf’s, Sapphire entered the informal receiving room, a part of the palace she’d not been allowed to see before.

  Sunlight flooded the intimately sized chamber and illuminated the dark-haired man who stood within a golden halo. The royal palace in Sari was beautiful and many centuries old. The D’Ashier palace was much newer, using more advanced technology in the design, which allowed the use of massive windows without compromising security or cooling efficiency. The walls were made of a beautiful white stone, heavily decorated with multicolored jewels of all shapes and sizes.

  Sapphire fought the urge to spin around and gape in wonder at the magnificence of the home—a residence that was now her home as well. She promised herself to explore every millimeter of it at her first opportunity.

  Turning her attention to the sovereign who awaited them, she tensed against her will, feeling a profound pressure to make this meeting pleasant for Wulf’s sake.

  The King of D’Ashier was impressive. A handsome man, every bit as virile and healthy as his sons, both of whom looked so much like him. Tall, dark, and barrel-chested, he was formidable, a monarch who easily commanded respect with the force of his presence alone. The lines of strain around his mouth and eyes didn’t diminish him, but they did betray how he felt about the news Wulf had broken to him earlier.

  Sapphire was about to prostrate before him when her movement was checked by Wulf’s hand at her elbow. She shot him a quizzical glance.

  He shook his head.

  “Don’t start me off on the wrong foot,” she protested.

  “Father.” Wulf raised his voice. “I have advised Katie to curtsey, as befits her new position.”

  The monarch’s full mouth, so like Wulf’s, thinned. “You’ll do whatever you like, as usual.”

  She hid a wince and curtsied. “Your Majesty.”

  The king studied her carefully, from her head to her toes. “I think my son is wrong about you. But Wulfric is stubborn and does as he pleases. I have to trust that he will manage you when that becomes necessary.”

  “I love him. He is the most important thing in my life. I will do everything in my power to keep him safe and happy, and to make him proud.”

  Sapphire wasn’t surprised that Wulf’s father said nothing and continued to look at her with enmity, but it still hurt. Her grip on Wulf’s hand tightened.

  “Excuse us, Father,” Wulf said, his voice harsh. “Katie and I need to make arrangements for our shahr el ’assal. We will be leaving after breakfast tomorrow.”

  “Wulfric.” The monarch’s voice carried a note of steel. “You are the Crown Prince. The people want a union they can celebrate, one that would strengthen them. Not one certain to take them to war.”

  “The binding is done, Father,” Wulf reiterated. “Certified in the interstellar records for all to see. You may arrange a reception with dignitaries and other important persons, if you like. Hell, arrange a second wedding if you want the people to celebrate. Choose whatever day you like, but the marriage stands.”

  Sapphire was stiff. She felt the corresponding response in Wulf, he was so attuned to her.

  The king’s face reddened. “This is intolerable.”

  “We appreciate your felicitations,” Wulf said dryly, leading her away. “Good night.”

  “That was horrid,” she whispered as they exited the room.

  He squeezed her hand. “Lucky for you, I’m worth it.”

  She leaned into him. “I hope you think I’m worth it.”

  “You’re worth far more to me. I’d fight any war for you.”

  As they walked the length of hallway toward their rooms, she asked about Prince Duncan, knowing that was yet another battle he would face to be with her. “Why wasn’t your brother with the king?”

  After a brief explanation of the drafting, he said, “By all accounts he has adapted to military life. He’ll be commissioned First Lieutenant soon.”

  “Your punishment hasn’t adversely affected his feelings for you?”

  “At first, it did,” Wulf admitted. “Basic Training is difficult and he was singled out by my order for the harshest assignments. Now, he says he appreciates my decision.”

  “Will he resent me?” Sapphire had her own resentments to overcome and doubted her ability to do so, even for Wulf’s sake. She’d found no redeeming qualities in the young prince.

  “No more than you do him, I imagine.” His fingertips caressed the center of her palm. “He understood when I sent him away how important you are. Everyone will afford you the respect you deserve or they will answer to me. I assure you, no one is eager to try my patience. Duncan especially.”

  Later that night, Sapphire slid from their bed and padded over to the massive windows overlooking the capital below. She stood there, shadowed in darkness, and wondered if she was up to the task she’d accepted by agreeing to become a royal consort.

  She’d dreamed of the happiness inherent in claiming Wulfric as hers and hers alone, but she’d naïvely considered him only as a man, not as a monarch. She saw him as her lover, but the rest of the world revered him as a fierce crown prince, a warrior whose skills were legendary. She was a match for the man. Was she equal to the king he would become?

  “I love you,” Wulf murmured, his warm arms wrapping around her from behind.

  Wondering—not for the first time—how a man of his size could move so silently, she leaned into him and asked, “And love conquers all?”

  “You’re damn right it does. You can’t change your mind now. You made it clear that I couldn’t have you as anything other than my wife. I made the commitment, now it’s your turn.”

  “You don’t have to sound so disgruntle
d about it,” she protested.

  “Disgruntled? Katie, I knew that night in Akton that I was going to propose to you. If your father hadn’t interceded, we could have been spared a lot of suffering. After six weeks of torture, I have a right to be disgruntled with you.”

  He tugged her away from the window. “Come back to bed. I can’t sleep when you’re not next to me and we have a busy day tomorrow.”

  “Ah, yes. You’re going on a honeymoon tomorrow,” she teased, following him.

  “I’m taking you to my favorite place in the universe. I’m going to lay blankets on the sand and make love to you under the stars. I’m going to fuck your luscious body until you can’t move, can’t think of anything but me and how much I love you. And how much you love me back.”

  She smiled. “Do I have to wait until tomorrow?”

  Wulf swept her off her feet and carried her back to bed.

  Chapter 19

  They raced across the desert with reckless abandon.

  As the skipsbåt skimmed the desert dunes at high velocity, Katie clung tightly to Wulf’s waist and laughed with joy. The cooling wind whipped through their hair and the setting sun glimmered off the shifting sand. Their hearts light, they hurtled through the air to the spot where he’d promised to take her.

  This oasis had always been Wulf’s favorite place, his retreat where he rested when winding down. After tonight, it would be “their” place, their shared escape from the problems of the world, a refuge for their love when the demands of their lives became too great.

  Guardsmen were all around them, flying alongside in various antigrav-crafts. Ahead, the oasis was encircled with soldiers, the scene already set to his specified design. But all would keep their distance, allowing Katie and him the illusion that they were utterly alone.

  Just the two of them in a world of their own.

  As he heard her delighted laughter, Wulf sped up, anxious to hold her and revel in the fact that she was finally his.