“I wouldn’t know about that,” he replied calmly. “Are there other women here tonight? I hadn’t noticed… I only have eyes for you.”
“Hmmm… pretty words.”
“Yes, but true. Lexi, there is no other woman for me but you.” I swallowed and looked into his dark blue eyes, seeing that they had shifted to Dragon and were whirling slightly. “I want you, Lexi… forever,” he whispered.
“Gareth…?”
He blinked and brought his eyes back to normal. “I told you I would try to convince you to stay,” he warned me softly. “Seeing you here like this tonight… it makes me want you all the more. I just needed you to know.” And he kissed me, his lips brushing mine oh so sweetly there on the dance floor until my head swam. My heart hammered against my breast and the pleasure in me rose up and spilled over onto those around us.
“That was naughty,” Kit scolded me when my dance with Gareth was finished. “I believe there might be some people going home with someone other than their spouse, thanks to your little display on the dance floor.” I bit my lip but my eyes watched Gareth’s back as he moved through the crowd toward my parents. Kit sighed deeply. “The Black seems to have upset them both,” he told me softly.
“They think he’s a thug and too intense.”
Kit shook his head at me. “They don’t want him anywhere near you. None of us do.”
“I didn’t go looking for him, Kit.”
“I know, it’s just… we all agree Marcus is not suitable, so aside from you doing something foolish while trying to rescue him from the mess he’s gotten himself into, none of them perceives him as a potential rival for your affections. But there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with Dane. And he already calls you his Queen. It is worrisome.”
Queen… I thought, my mind trying to wrap itself around the term. Is that what he’d said earlier? Why would he consider me his Queen?
“Lexi, you are so naïve sometimes,” Kit chided me softly and sighed. We danced for a moment in silence and then he told me, “On the world that Gareth and Jace came from… their Queens were only ever Gold. Not Red or Green or Blue. There has never been a male Gold, and females were extremely rare even before their world tore itself apart. Mistress, you are more special than you realize. And while your Grandmother may or may not recognize you as a Princess, you are already a Queen, should you wish to claim the title… for there are none that survived the Everlasting and you are the only Gold in existence today.”
“Why hasn’t someone told me this before?” I demanded, thinking it was hardly the appropriate setting to be learning this sort of thing.
“I think it is not my place to say. If you wish that answer you must ask them,” Kit told me.
“It hardly matters now. The only thing that could tie me to another would be a child, and even that would not be permanent,” I told Kit bluntly. “I will decide when and if I wish to conceive. I think I’ve done enough in the past two days to ensure the survival of the Dragons. I am in no hurry to offer any additional assistance right this moment.”
“Yes Mistress, I suspect it will be some time before you’ve gathered all your potential mates. And then we will see.”
“What do you mean… we will see?” I asked sharply. “And how do you know so much about Dragons all of a sudden?”
Kit smiled down at me. “What do you think I’ve been reading up on since I got here?”
“Those books are full of Dragonlore? I thought you were reading Jace’s Demonology books?”
“Some, not all.”
“What did you mean by your other comment?”
“Only that it is the males who determine when a Queen goes into heat. Not the Queen herself.” Kit’s words were so shocking to me that I missed a step, which he gracefully covered. My eyes searched out Gareth and Jace, who were off standing with my father. All three of them were staring back at me and I knew they were following Kit’s and my conversation by the look on their faces. I lifted my head and found Dane leaning on the balcony above me, his eyes were intent and he had a pleased smile on his lips. I wondered how he could know this about me while I was obviously unaware. I dragged my eyes off him and glanced toward Marcus who had rejoined Valentine. He too was watching me from behind veiled eyes and I suddenly felt unsure of myself. Unsettled. Hunted.
I had a frightening insight and held out my wrist. “Kit… it won’t only be these will it?” He glanced at me when I lifted my hand from his shoulder and shook the little Dragons. His eyes went thoughtful and he glanced across the room to Gareth and Jace before shaking his head. “No, I suspect you will draw more than just your ten. Hush,” he whispered and stroked a finger down my cheek. “You still have time. Only two have come forward. It could take years for any others to find you.”
“The White will be next,” I told him while my hand clenched in his. “And it won’t be long. Oh no, Kit, I’m not ready for this.”
“How do you know the White will come next?”
“Because I dreamed of him. I dreamed I was being chased by Marcus and Dane. There was a White with them, and because of the portrait in my room.”
“Then we will deal with him when he comes,” Kit advised.
Chapter 18
I danced with Owen and then Cursed. What I had to discuss with Owen wasn’t for consumption on the dance floor so I held my thoughts and simply enjoyed the time we spent together. Cursed was distracted yet when I asked him what the matter was, he wouldn’t say, instead he placed his cheek against my temple and hummed along to the music, which in and of itself was surprising.
“I thought… living outside the Sidhe would be distasteful,” he informed me in Elvish during our second dance. He had neatly maneuvered us nearly clear across the floor so that when the music moved to the next song, it made more sense to stay on the floor together than to try and push through the press to change partners. It was the first time I’d actually seen the calculating side of him.
“Surely you have lived outside the Sidhe before?” I replied, also in Elvish.
“No… not in this country. I was pledged to the Queen’s guard at a very young age as an act of goodwill between the courts. It was my Mother’s wish. I was already with the Seelie when we moved to this land and then directly to the Sidhe,” he replied.
“Goodwill or as hostage?” I asked, knowing that it was not an uncommon thing for those of royal blood to be pledged to the other court to ensure peace. I knew I was right when he nodded. His hair slid over my hand and I ran my fingers through a length of his midnight fall. “I love your hair,” I told him softly while he made a low purring sound in his throat and held me tighter. All of them had worn their hair down at my request tonight and the sight of it dancing about their slim hips had caused more than one female to catch her breath. I know it set my pulse to racing. “Are you worried about returning to the Sidhe?” I asked softly and felt his body tense against me.
“Yes My Lady,” he replied after several minutes. “I am torn between fear for your safety and those that will try to bend you to their will. You are much too beautiful and powerful to overlook.”
“What is it exactly that you fear, Cursed?”
He took a deep breath. “I fear I will lose you to the darkness,” he replied softly and I couldn’t help the shiver that ran up my spine. The music was still playing when he stopped us in the middle of the floor and dropped to a knee. His hand found mine and his eyes held me captive as he told me urgently, “By the Goddess, I pledge my fealty and swear to protect you with my life. As I have been given to you, so shall my heart remain yours forever. Do you accept?” He finished on a whisper, his black eyes urgent. “Do you accept, My Lady?” he asked and raised his hands to me. I reached for them and pressed them between mine.
“Yes, I accept your pledge,” I whispered and a loud shrieking noise filled the room. It sounded like a banshee cry as it echoed around the hall and up toward the dome. And then it was gone and Amras was beside us, his eyes wild. Around the room
women screamed and men muttered in fear.
“Cursed what have you done?” he breathed in Elvish while Cursed rose to his feet. “Goddess, protect us! You will bring him down on all our heads!”
“Not if she declares,” Cursed replied, his dark eyes intent.
“You wish her to declare?” Amras demanded in awe.
“Yes, she must. It is the only way.”
The music started up again and I turned and walked to the edge of the floor. I wasn’t certain Amras and Cursed knew I was going, they were so intent upon each other, but of course I was wrong. They followed me to the edge, still speaking in Elvish so softly I couldn’t hear their words. By the time I stopped and turned around, Amras had stopped looking so panicked and his violet eyes flicked between Cursed and me while he leaned in to listen to Cursed. I wasn’t certain what he was saying, but Amras finally nodded then moved to take my hand and edged me back onto the dance floor and into his arms.
“What just happened?” I asked in Elvish.
Amras pursed his lips and shook his head. “We shall discuss it later,” he told me.
“Fine, you aren’t going to… do what he just did are you?” I asked, worried we would cause another scene.
“I wish that I could, Princess. But I have already sworn fealty and unless released or until the Queen is replaced, I am not free to do so,” he told me gently, his voice sounding sad.
“Was Cursed not sworn to the Queen also?” I asked in surprise.
“He was… but she released him from his duty when she punished him and gave him to you. I do not think she realized he would swear to you.”
“And his Uncle?”
Amras shook his head. “You heard. He is not pleased.”
“You mean that was… the King was here?” I asked, my voice sounding as horrified as I felt.
“His spies,” he replied.
“I’m being watched?” I demanded angrily.
“For some time, Princess. I thought you knew?”
“No… I mean… no I did not know. Cursed said he was worried about me but I didn’t realize…” I trailed off biting my lip and glancing toward Cursed where he stood watching me from the edge of the floor. Gareth and Jace were next to them and he nodded once while they glanced between the two of us and spoke quietly with him.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on Amras. This could very well be the only opportunity I had to dance with him and I wouldn’t let my confusion over what had just happened ruin this moment. “Princess,” he murmured and aligned his body to mine. His lips pressed against my temple and I sighed in his arms. “I feel you slipping away from me and do not know how to prevent it,” he told me in a choked voice.
Tears filled my eyes and I buried my face against his neck while I held him tightly. “I am sorry. Please do not cry,” he whispered against my hair, which of course made me sniffle all the more. “Shush… you do not want to look like a raccoon,” he teased me gently and I hiccupped and tried to pull myself together. This would be so much easier if I could just be mad at someone. I thought and felt Amras stiffen, then chuckle against me.
“I wore waterproof mascara, just in case,” I replied in a muffled voice.
“I am not certain if that is a good thing or not, Princess.”
My lips found the skin between his jaw and the top of his collar and I kissed him several times. “It means I don’t have to worry about looking like a raccoon. Only a clown with a red nose!”
Amras sucked air into his lungs at the feel of my lips and hummed deep in his throat. “I don’t know about the red nose, but if you continue to do that, Princess, it will not be our only problem,” he assured me.
I ran my hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck, pressing my breasts against him. “Don’t you know by now, I enjoy your kind of trouble?” I teased him while his hands held my waist and back and he danced me across the floor toward the darker side of the room.
He smiled down at me and pressed the long hard length of himself against my stomach. “It has been too long.”
“Yes, it certainly is long,” I agreed and he flashed me a smile that lit up his beautiful eyes and he threw back his head and laughed. The clear tone caused every woman within hearing to turn and stare at him.
“It is good to laugh.”
I ran my fingers through his pale hair and brushed a lock back behind his ear, taking my time to trace the delicate tip down to his lobe. “Kiss me, Amras,” I whispered and the humor on his face melted into something so intense it nearly curled my toes.
His eyes searched mine and he smiled… hungrily. “Not here, Princess,” he replied. “Though I want to very badly.”
“Why not?” I asked, tilting my head to the side and pushing out my lower lip.
He took a deep breath and splayed his hand across my back. “Because I want to make love to you, and kissing you now would not be a good thing,” he informed me. “I am not certain I could restrain myself. You are that tempting.”
“Hmmm,” I replied. None of my men had ever refused me before and it was novel.
“Do not think of it as a refusal, Princess. Think of it as a rescue.” And he released me and stepped back, bowing from the waist as he turned and left me standing there on the edge of the dance floor across the room from my other men.
“I believe this dance is mine,” Bodark informed me and I jumped and turned to see him push away from the wall. “You did ask me to dance… yes?” he stated while I pulled air into my lungs and tried to control myself.
“Sorry, give me a moment,” I replied as he lifted an eyebrow and flared his nostrils.
“I think…” he replied and pulled me in against him. “I think you smell… very intoxicating. And perhaps your elf should be taken to task for delivering you to me in such a state. I am after all… mortal. Do you think your men will notice if I dance you out the arch behind us? And have my wicked way with you in the hall?” he leaned down to whisper.
“I think it would be best if you would just dance with me and not say anything.”
“Ah, but what would the fun be in that?” he teased while he tucked me in against the long length of him and made pleased noises in his throat. “Tell me what you did the other night when your Dragon… is it true the little black and silver Dragon is the same as the tall man with the red eyes and black hair tipped in silver?” When I nodded he continued, “Tell me what you did when he was on the table and looked like he was going to attack Alan.”
“I breathed lust at him. It spilled over onto you,” I replied, and smiled when he cursed under his breath.
“Lust eh? Yeah that would explain everything,” he replied. “Can you do it whenever you want to?” he asked, his voice sounding curious and maybe just a little daring.
“Yes, but all you got was a little spill over,” I warned him. “It is just one of my many talents,” I said flippantly.
“Really? What else can you do?”
“Stuff,” I replied and chuckled when he growled softly.
“What kind of stuff.”
“Oh you know… this and that.”
“You aren’t going to tell me are you?” he replied, his voice sounding disappointed.
“I like you, Bodark.”
“Hmmm, that’s nice,” he replied and held me closer.
“No, I mean I just like you.”
“Oh God, that’s the kiss of death,” he replied with a grimace and I chuckled.
“Now don’t be like that… I’m way too high maintenance for a guy like you. You need a nice ferocious little she-bitch all of your own. I’d only make you miserable. But we can be friends.”
“You really know how to tear a guy’s heart out don’t you?” he grumbled.
“Don’t take this wrong, but I think you are very sexy. I’d very much like to see you happy.”
“Just not with you, eh?”
“No. Did I mention that I’d make you miserable?”
“Yes you did say something like that. You know it�
�s sometimes okay to find these things out through trial and error. Are you sure we couldn’t… you know try a little first?”
I laughed and hugged him tight. “You are just so cute.”
“I’m cute and sexy and friend material. Oh God, when did this happen to me?” he mumbled and I laughed again.
“You know, Bodark. I don’t have many friends. Lovers I have in abundance. But I can count my friends on one hand and have lots of left over fingers.” That seemed to impress him and he appeared to think about it for a moment or two.
“Really?”
“Uh huh. Scouts honor.”
“So who is it you wanted to introduce me to?” he looked down at me and asked.
We were near the stairs and I glanced around but couldn’t see Margie over the crowd. “Let’s go up the stairs a ways. I can’t see her in the crowd.”
“Why did I know it was going to be a her?” he muttered under his breath and I clasped his hand and dragged him up to the platform. Head’s turned in our direction but I ignored them and finally spied Margie standing at one of the tables talking to Alan of all people.
“There she is… come on,” I urged him and nearly bounded down the stairs dragging him behind me. I waved my fingers at Gareth and Jace who were frowning up at me with curious looks on their faces.
We did the whiplash thing through the crowd, who actually parted for me. Poor Bodark was left to apologize behind us as I nearly pulled him into several couples. I had to smile at the memory of Margie doing the same to me in the Salty Dog. It just seemed appropriate.
Alan turned to watch us approach and beside him Margie’s eyes widened as I bore down on her, dragging Bodark behind me. I smiled and she glanced from my hand up over my shoulder and I noticed her cheeks turn slightly pink. “Hi, Margie,” I told her, dropping Bodark’s hand and reaching out to give hers a squeeze. “I wanted to introduce you to my friend.”
Dragon Rage Page 24
