Prince of Desire

by Donna Grant

  She smiled wistfully as she placed her chin on her hand. “I’d love to see such a place.”

  “Then I’ll take you there,” he said, his breath caught in his throat

  She cocked her head to the side as she gave him an indulgent smile. “If you love this place so much, why did you leave?”

  “I had to,” he said as he glanced down at the cup. “I’m looking for someone.”

  She turned her blue eyes away from him and drank. “Have you searched long?”

  “Nearly two winters.”

  “It must be someone of great importance.”

  “She is.”

  Her eyes flew up to meet his, and for a moment Lucian thought she might ask who it was he sought. Instead, she lifted her cup and took another drink.

  His patience was about to run dry. But, he recalled the words his father had told him.

  “Go slowly, son. Doona rush your mate. She has to realize the truth on her own. Bringing her here against her will is worse than never finding her at all.”

  Yet, even the reminder of his father's words didn't stop the impatience as it usually did. Now that Isabelle was here with him, he wanted to hurry back to Drahcir, convincing her on the way of just who she was. But she wouldn't believe him, and in the end he would fail, sending his beloved kingdom to doom.

  “Where are your parents?” he asked, needing to turn his mind away from his quest for a moment.

  “I was raised by my grandparents, who I lost last winter. My mother died giving birth to me.”

  “I'm sorry. And your father?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve never met him. What of you and your family?”

  “Both my parents still live. They wait expectantly for my return.”

  “And I suppose you cannot return until you find who you seek.” At his nod, she continued. “It’s your sister then?”

  Lucian laughed. “I've no sister. Just three brothers. One elder and two younger.”

  His breath caught as she closed her eyes and smiled. “To have siblings. It’s something I’ve always wanted.” She opened her eyes and looked at him while she flicked her braid over her shoulder. “Do you love your brothers?”

  “Verra much. We’d die for each other.”

  She ran her finger around the rim of the cup. “Your village and your family sound almost like a dream. Do you never fight?”

  Lucian chuckled, recalling the many – and various – arguments. “Loudly and frequently. It’s what brothers do.”

  “How much longer will you search before you return to this heavenly place of yours?”

  Lucian watched her closely. He knew he had to earn her trust, it was the only thing keeping him on his own side of the table. “I have another cycle of seasons before I must return.”

  “What will happen if you don’t find this woman?”

  “That's not an option I can even consider,” he answered before he sipped the tea.

  He lowered his gaze to her hands. One held the mug, and the other lay near his hand. He reached over and covered her hand with his. Her gaze snapped to his, but she didn't pull away.

  “You’ve nothing holding you here. Come. Return with me to my home,” he urged.

  “Why?” she asked, her brows knotted. “I don't even know you. What about the woman you seek?”

  Everything, Lucian's family and the kingdom itself, hinged on his next words.

  “I found her.”

  Chapter Three

  Isabelle could only stare, dumbfounded, into Lucian’s dark eyes. The world began to swim around her, and her only anchor was the mysterious, gorgeous man who held her hand.

  She drew in a deep breath, wondering why she’d felt compelled to ask about the woman he searched for. Never had she thought it could be her. A beautiful maiden of noble blood, aye, but never her.

  Yet, she couldn’t deny the invitation to return with Lucian held promise, a potential she suddenly wanted to grab with both hands and never let go. The possibilities of her life opened before her, as if a dam had been broken by Lucian’s words.

  His black eyes watched her carefully, his thumb tenderly caressing the back of her hand. Her skin tingled from the contact, and the pull, the attraction she’d felt the first time she’d seen him intensified until it was a living, breathing thing in the cottage with them.

  “Isabelle?” he promoted, his voice soft, a hint of uncertainty lacing his deep baritone.

  Strong, stubborn, unmovable was how she expected Lucian to be. The anxious man before her she somehow knew was completely opposite of who he really was.

  Was he nervous waiting on her answer? More than that was a burning question she had to have answered.

  “Why me? You don’t know me.”

  He leaned closer and wrapped his other hand around hers. “Please understand, Isabelle, I want to tell you everything, but I doona want you thinking I’m daft.”

  “Well, I think it’s a little late for that,” she said, amazed that she could tease him after such a serious matter.

  One side of his lips tilted in a heart-stopping smile. “It’s you because I know it here,” he said and touched his chest over his heart. Then he put a finger to his temple. “And here. It’s a…gift…my family was given. We know our mates instantly.”

  She tried to swallow, finding her mouth suddenly dry. Isabelle couldn’t look away from his penetrating gaze. He believed everything he said, the truth of it shining in his eyes. “Tell me of this wonderful place you come from.”

  He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his massive chest as his eyes crinkled in the corners, as if he was pleased she asked. “It’s deep in the Ben Nevis Mountains.”

  “Now I know you're jesting,” she said as she finished laughing. “There is nothing in those mountains but wild animals, snow, and ice.”

  Instead of arguing with her, he continued to smile. “But what if I was right?”

  “Nothing can survive in those mountains.”

  He leaned forward and placed his hands over hers again. For a moment, time stood still as she gazed into his dark eyes and something passed between them. It left her dazed but wanting to experience it again.

  “Do you believe in magic?” he asked so solemnly that she knew he was serious.

  “Nay.”

  He frowned and sat back once more, releasing a long breath. “That’s too bad, Isabelle.”

  She loved the way her name rolled off his lips. Who would have thought her name could sound so wonderful? So sensual and alluring.

  How strange that just the sound of her name on his lips could have her contemplating things she would never dream of doing otherwise, things that made her blood heat and her heart skip a beat.

  And her body burn.

  In order to try and regain some composure, she rose and faced the hearth. Either the man in her cottage was daft and needed to be put somewhere safe, or he was telling the truth.

  “You want to believe me,” he said near her ear, his hot breath brushing the nape of her neck.

  Chills raced down her spine at his words…because they were the truth. She had no idea when he had risen from his chair. He moved as silently as a spirit, his body a hot, hard presence behind her that urged her to lean back against him, to believe in everything he said.

  She had always dreamed as a little girl that there would be more to her life, that she was destined to be something…more. Her dreams had even gone so far as to make believe she would be taken away and made a princess.

  “Let yourself consider the possibility.” He softly took hold of her upper arms and drew her back against his chest.

  His warmth spread around her, enveloping her in a cocoon that did anything but soothe her. She was all too aware of the very male, very solid man at her back. She imagined his large hands moving over her body, his arms holding her close as he kissed her, languidly, deeply. Thoroughly.

  His head nudged hers aside so he could nuzzle her neck. His warm breath caused chills to race over her skin. �
��Come see my birthplace, Isabelle. See the splendor, the hidden beauty of it all. My parents await my return. They await you.”

  Her breath hitched when she was sure she felt his tongue touch her ear.

  “Our city is hidden, but it thrives. You can do anything you want there, be anything you want. The gates to the city will open upon our return. We’ll travel down the road paved with blue stones that leads to the castle sitting high up on the mountain. The people will come out to see us, cheering that I’ve returned with my mate. It’s a place of magic, a place of indescribable beauty. We have seasons, but the winters are no’ harsh. Game is plentiful, the grass greener, the flowers more vibrant. You’ve never seen such majesty before.”

  She closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine a place like the one he had described and, to her astonishment, was able to envision it clearly. “I won't belong there,” she whispered.

  His voice, smooth and soft, replied, “You doona belong here. You belong with me in Drahcir.”

  Her eyes opened. It was as if Lucian knew all of her secret longings, all of the dreams she’d barely allowed herself to imagine. It frightened her the same time it excited her. She turned in his arms and looked up at him. Her fingers itched to trace the strong line of his jaw, to know if his lips were as soft as they looked.

  She inhaled and breathed in the scent of pine, sandalwood, and leather. It was a heady mix combined with a man such as Lucian. He tempted her body, and his words tempted her soul. Did she belong with him? Or did she belong in the tiny village she’d grown up in?

  There was nothing holding her here. Her grandparents were gone, her friends were few, and the likelihood of finding a husband was as slim as her tugging a star from the sky. She was tired of being alone, of having no one but herself to come home to. How she yearned to share her troubles, to have someone to eat with, to face each new day with.

  Someone she climbed into bed with each night.

  “I’ll take you away at first light, if you let me. You need never work in a tavern again or want for anything. Please, Isabelle, believe. That’s all you have to do. I’ll do the rest.”

  The gleam in his eye was one of hope, of anticipation. He was daring her to trust him. And before she even knew what she was doing, her soul already accepted his words as truth.

  His arms came up around her. “Believe.”

  “I don’t think I can.” She’d seen her reality, lived her reality for too long to do anything else. The disappointment in his black gaze was like a punch in her stomach.

  She wanted to explain to him, but his nearness jumbled the words. He confused her, spun her about until she wasn’t sure what was right and what was wrong. Her body craved him, longed for him.

  And her soul cried out as if had found its other half.

  “You’re the woman I’ve searched for, the woman that I can no’ leave here without.”

  His words sent a sizzle of awareness through her. He lowered his head. His hypnotic eyes held her spellbound. She lifted her hands to his chest, telling herself it was to help keep her balance, but really it was because she wanted to feel him. Even against the coolness of the leather jerkin beneath her hands, she felt the heat of him.

  “Believe me,” he whispered just before his lips touched hers.

  His lips were soft, yet insistent as they nibbled and kissed her mouth. She moaned softly as she let him guide her against his body and his arms wrapped securely around her. His arms were like bands of steel, his chest an unmovable force. The kisses became more urgent, deeper with every taste, and Isabelle felt herself awaken, slowly, fully. The fire started to burn, and her body trembled as she ached for more of Lucian.

  Even her hands wanted more of him as they roamed over his thick chest, wide shoulders, and into his dark, silky hair. When his tongue swept into her mouth, she sighed as a rush of pure passion and excitement ran through her.

  In that moment of such exquisite pleasure, she would have promised him anything.

  Lucian knew he couldn't continue to kiss her and remain in control. He was still amazed to find he wanted her as much as he did, yet “want” was mild compared to how he truly felt. He ached, he hungered. And only Isabelle would be able to ease him.

  Just touching her was enough for him to realize what kind of future they could have. Her beauty was just one part of it. He felt the passion within her, waiting to be released. She was stubborn but kind, stalwart but sympathetic.

  The fear that had taken root in him months ago when he thought to never find his mate began to loosen. The longer he kissed her, the more he knew he couldn’t live without her. He…needed her.

  Not just because of the stupid curse. Because she was the other half of him, the part he hadn’t realized he was missing until he’d found her. He couldn’t explain it, could barely comprehend it himself. There was no denying it.

  He ended the kiss and inwardly smiled when he heard her groan in irritation. With his hands, he smoothed back the tendrils of hair that had come loose of the braid and tilted her head up to him.

  “I know you felt what I did,” he said.

  She licked her swollen lips, nearly sending him to his knees with need. “Oh, aye. I felt it.”

  Lucian tried to control his ragged breathing. “Then you also feel the connection between us.”

  He held his breath as she cocked her head at his words.

  For several heartbeats, she didn't speak. He feared he had gone too far, said too much too soon and had lost her forever. But it wasn't just the fear of losing his home and sending the kingdom into nothingness, it was not being able to be with Isabelle as well. Though he was just getting to know her, already he felt as if he had known her his entire life.

  When she stepped out of his arms, he clenched his jaw to keep silent and let her think. It wasn't in his nature to have patience, but more was at stake than just what he wanted.

  “I do feel something,” she finally said.

  He sighed in relief but saw the look of doubt on her face that told him she was far from convinced. How could he tell her that once they had found each other, they would forever yearn for the other, only to be whole together? He’d wanted to tell her that after they reached his kingdom, but he might have to tell her sooner.

  She walked around the small kitchen, rubbing her neck. “I don't know who you are. Your likes and dislikes. What meal is your favorite? What are your vices? There are too many unknowns for me to agree to go with you tomorrow. I need time.”

  “Time isna something I have.” After a deep breath, he sank into a chair at the table and folded his hands over his stomach as he regarded her. It was time. She needed to know everything. “Then I will tell you. All of it.”

  “Really?” she asked, her brows raised. She took the chair opposite him. “Then, begin. Please.”

  “I am a prince of my kingdom, Drahcir.”

  Her lips flattened, and she shook her head. “Aye, you said that name a moment ago. I've never heard of it. I thought you said you were from the Ben Nevis Mountains.”

  “I am. You’ve never heard of my kingdom because it’s hidden from the world.”

  “By a forest or something?”

  “Nay. It’s a special place, Isabelle, a place that can no’ be opened for just anyone. What makes it special is the people who reside within the gates of the kingdom. If the other kings, lords, and mercenaries find my home, the kingdom will be overrun with the worst kinds of people.”

  “And your people will be driven out, leaving Drahcir to the very people you are hiding from,” she finished.

  “Not hiding exactly,” he said. “The kingdom has been in existence for centuries. It wasn't hidden on purpose. At one time, Drahcir was visited by people all over the world despite its location making it difficult to get to. Now, that is what keeps it hidden.”

  “Why did people stop visiting your kingdom? Was there a plague?”

  “Drahcir simply vanished one day. Or that’s what everyone believed.”

 
“Vanished? There is much more to your story, aye?”

  “My family, the Sinclairs, have always led the kingdom. However, there was one of us that went too far.”

  “Which king did he anger?”

  Lucian swallowed and glanced away. “Not a king. A princess.”

  She leaned forward eagerly. “Don't keep me waiting. I love a good tale.”

  “She was a princess of the Fae.”

  Isabelle rolled her eyes, not wanting to be taken in by the jest. She chuckled, realizing belatedly that Lucian hadn't joined her. Her smile faded as her stomach feel to her feet at the look of sincerity in his eyes. “A Fae?”

  “Aye,” he said earnestly. “They do exist.”

  This was too much to believe. First, a hidden kingdom, and now the Fae. But, no matter how much she told herself to rise and demand he leave, she couldn't. Everything about him intrigued her, but the tale, as fanciful as her best daydreams, urged her to discover more.

  After a moment, Lucian continued. “The princess and my ancestor fell in love, or so the Fae thought. In truth, my ancestor merely dabbled to see if he could.”

  “Not a very noble gesture.”

  “True. He had no idea of the consequences of his actions until afterwards. Once the princess discovered his treachery, she cursed our kingdom from then until the day this world no longer exists.”

  Isabelle found her gaze riveted on Lucian and the sadness in his eyes. Even if she didn't believe him, he did believe it.

  Every word.

  “And the curse?” she asked. “What is it?”

  “Every prince and princess of the Drahcir must find their mates and return with them by a designated time. If even one fails, the kingdom will vanish. For all eternity.”

  Her heart hammered in her chest as she repeated his words in her head. Mate. Mate. Return to Drahcir. Vanish. Mate.

  Slowly, her gaze found his and saw the truth in his eyes. “How do I know what you're saying is the truth?”

  “Come here,” he said and held out his hand.

  She didn’t hesitate to rise and take his hand. He pulled her around the table onto his lap. Then he leaned her back until he cradled her head with one hand.