Dragon Lords 4-Warrior Prince (32 page)

"They have wise leaders," Pia said. "Aggravating, but wise."

"Only because our women make us so." Zoran laughed. He moved toward the bathroom. Throwing off his shirt, he soon stood naked before the hot spring. Pia trailed behind him, her lips curling as she saw his very firm backside. He again stretched out his arms, causing the muscles to ripple over his back in gentle, undulating waves.

"If our battles have ended," Zoran said. "I might be out of a job."

"Oh, I don’t know about that," Pia said. She stepped up behind him. He tensed as her fingers walked up the middle of his back, pressing lightly along his spine to his neck. Then, lifting the blindfold, she placed it over his eyes. "I might have use for you."

Zoran grinned. "What use is that?"

Pia merely hummed to herself, as she slid out of her clothes. Then, running her hands over his body, she moved to stand in front of him. Zoran shivered at her light touches but didn’t reach for her.

Pia loved looking at her warrior husband. She loved watching him move. She loved feeling his texture. She loved him.

"Well, you did promise to take me hunting and camping," she began, circling his nipples in absent trails.

"And so I shall," he said. Pia licked her lips to watch his mouth move.

"And you do owe me a naked dance."

"You shall have as many as you desire," he murmured, using his senses to lean down to her to find her lips.

Pia let him kiss her, her hands moving down his arms. When he pulled away, she whispered, "Let us go camping very soon. We can dance naked under the stars."

His mouth cocked to the side. He didn’t pull away from her lips or remove the blindfold. "Why soon? The best hunting isn’t for many months."

She worked her fingers down to his wrists. "If you say so, but I would recommend you changing your mind."

"And why would that be?" Zoran asked, tempted to taste her lips once again.

"Because in several months you’ll have to carry me up the mountain," she whispered. She drew his hand forward to her stomach. "The doctor said you grow in me."

Zoran’s hands lifted to push back the blindfold. A hesitant smile came to his face.

"Are you saying...?"

"I’m saying, stubborn man, that I love you," Pia answered. Her eyes dipped ever so shyly. He wasn’t supposed to have taken the mask off until after she told him. She didn’t have time for embarrassment as he lifted her off the ground. Her feet dangled off the floor and she wrapped her arms around his thick neck for support.

His body pressed into hers as he stared deeply into her eyes. A wide grin of pure happiness spread over his features, as he whispered in awe, "I love you, too, wife."

Pia let him kiss her. A well of emotion sprung up between them, connecting them. There were no more boundaries, no more fears, no more doubt.

Pia pulled back. Still dangling, she said, "You got that I’m pregnant, right?"

Zoran only grinned, looking like he’d conquered the world.

Pia smiled naughtily back. With a stiff jerk, she pulled the blindfold back over his eyes. "Now, blind dragon, feel your way into the bath."

Zoran chuckled. He lowered her to the ground, only to press her into his arousal. "I would much rather feel my way into something else."

Pia’s laughter rang out over their home.

"You’ve felt yourself into my heart, Zoran," Pia whispered. She took his face in her hands, holding him against her. "And I’m afraid there’s no escaping. You are my prisoner."

Zoran kissed her, hard and sure, maddening their bodies with love and passion. "As you are mine, love, as you are mine."

There was nothing left to be said as he swept her into his arms, blindly kissing her and never intending to stop.

Epilogue

Almost nine months later...

The halls of the Draig Palace were rampant with hysterical men. Ualan, Zoran, Yusef, and Olek all paced a narrow stream down the halls length, only to turn and find their way back. Whenever a scream sounded, piercing the air, they would freeze. Their wide eyes would turn to the medical ward. And, in the following silence, they would curse their damned tradition of kicking fathers out of the delivery room.

Hearing Pia calling his name, Zoran tried to break down the door, only to be subdued by his brothers. The pacing resumed once more, this time joined by the curses of the four men. Hours and many laps later, the gaunt, frightened warriors were allowed to go inside the medical ward.

A nurse came forward, holding out a strong, proud son to Ualan--a beast of a child with his mother’s dark hair and his father’s brown eyes. A doctor brought forth an even larger boy, handing the baby to Yusef. The child had hair of red flames and grey eyes that sparkled with mischief. Olek’s son, a tiny lad, was swaddled in Queen Mede’s arms. The queen gave the boy to his anxious father who couldn’t stop grinning.

Zoran, standing tall above his brothers, eager to hold his son, looked over at Pia on the bed. She smiled dreamily at him, her hand twitching for him to come to her. Zoran thought she’d never looked so beautiful.

The doctor stepped forward and handed him the tiniest bundle yet. Zoran blinked in surprise. Pia had given him a very healthy, bald little girl. As his daughter’s eyes opened, it was his own light brown staring out from her mother’s perfect face.

Going to their wives, the Princes held the babies to their chests, grinning and fawning like fools. The Princesses just smiled sleepily, marveling at how four strong Draig warriors could be brought low by helpless little infants.

THE END

A sneak peak at

LORDS OF THE VAR: THE SAVAGE KING

By Michelle M. Pillow

COMING FEBUARY 2005 FROM NCP!

Kirill watched the door to his bedroom open. He’d been sitting in the dark, trying to relieve the stress headache that built behind his eyes for the last week. The pain started at the base of his skull and radiated up to his temples until he could hardly see straight.

A heavy responsibility had been thrust on his shoulders, a responsibility he really hadn’t prepared himself for--the welfare of the Var people. King Attor did not leave him in a good position. He’d rallied the people to the brink of war, convinced them that the Draig were their enemy, and even went so far as to attack the Draig royal family.

Kirill would see peace in the land. However, he knew the facts didn’t bode well for it. The Draig had a long list of grievances against King Attor and the Var kingdom.

Before his death, Attor had ordered an attack on one of the four Draig Princes, all of which ended horribly for the Var. Prince Yusef was stabbed in the back, a most cowardly embarrassment for the Var guard who did it. If he hadn’t of been executed in the Draig prisons, he would’ve been ostracized from the Var community. Luckily, Prince Yusef survived or else they’d already be at battle.

Attor had also arranged for the kidnapping of Yusef’s new bride. Princess Olena had been rescued or else that too would’ve led to war. The old King had tried to poison Princess Morrigan, the future Queen, on two separate occasions. She too lived. And those were only the offenses that Kirill knew about in the few weeks before Attor’s death. He could just imagine what he didn’t know.

Kirill sighed, feeling very tired. He’d known since birth that the day would come when he’d be expected to step up and lead the Var as their new King. He just hadn’t expected it to be for another hundred or so years. His father had been a hard man, who he’d foolishly come to look at as invincible.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty." His lovely houseguest’s whisper drew his complete attention from his heavy thoughts.

Ulyssa bent over like she expected him to answer to the insulting call. He dropped his fingers from his temple into his lap and a quizzical smile came to his lips. As he watched her, he wasn’t sure if he was angered or amused by her words.

"Are you in here, you little furball?" she said, a little louder.

She wore his clothes. Never had the outfit looked sexier. His jaw tightened in masculine interest, as he unabashedly looked her over. All too well did he remember the softness of her body against his and the gentle, offering pleasure of her sweet lips. She’d made soft whimpering noises when he touched her--yielding, purring sounds in the back of her throat. Even with the aid of nef, he was surprised by how easily and confidently she melted into him. The Var were wild, passionate people and were drawn to the same qualities in others. He suspected she’d be an untamed lover.

Too bad she’d belonged to his father first. In his mind, that made her completely untouchable--though none would dare question his claim if he were to bring her to his bed. Technically, by Var law, she belonged to him until he chose to release her. For an insane moment, he thought about keeping her as a lover. He knew he wouldn’t, but the thought was entertaining.

Kirill’s grin deepened. Ulyssa strode across his home to the bathroom door with an irritated scowl. It was obvious she didn’t see him in the darkened corner, watching her. He detected her engaging smell from across the room--the smell of a woman’s desire. It stirred his blood, making his limbs heavy with desire. And, for the first time since his father’s death, his headache relieved itself.

"Hum, maybe I’m looking too high. I’m sure there has to be a little cat door here somewhere."

His slight smile fell at her words. It was easy to detect the mocking in her.

"Where’s your little kitty door at, huh?" Ulyssa whispered to herself, her blue gaze searching around in the dark.

Kirill grimaced in further displeasure. He watched her open the door to his weapons cabinet. Her eyes rounded. She nodded in appreciation before closing door and continuing her search for an exit.

She stopped at a narrow window by his kitchen doorway. Her neck craned to the side, as she tried to see out over the distance. Kirill knew she looked at the forest. From under her breath, he heard her vehement whisper, "Where exactly did you little fur balls bring me? Ugh, I need to get out of this flea trap, even if I have to fight every one of you cowardly felines to do it. I’ve fought species twice as big and three times as frightening. A couple little kitty cats don’t scare me."

If this insolent woman wanted to play tough, oh, he’d play. Curling gracefully forward, Kirill shifted before his hands even touched the ground. He let one thick paw land silently on the floor, followed by a second. Short black fur rippled over his tanned flesh, blending him into the shadows. His clothes fell from his body and he lowered his head as he crept forward. A low sound of warning started in the back of his throat. He was livid.

Ulyssa froze, hearing the growl behind her. She really hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room or else she never would’ve ranted like she did. Biting her lip, her eyes automatically scanned for a weapon as she turned.

Seeing the oversized panther stalking her, its body low against the ground as if she were its prey, she gasped. "Oh, whoa, easy there big fella. Are you one of them or are you just a pet?"

Ulyssa had fought all kinds of alien species and yet somehow her training hadn’t prepared her to face a wild animal like this one. She could see the tempered speed in the panther’s streamlined body. Steeling her nerves, she looked him in the eyes and reached out the back of her hand. "Are you in there, Var…warrior…man? Can you hear me?"

The animal roared, loud and long, brandishing his deadly fangs. She jolted back in surprise. His jaw snapped shut, as if he would bite her. His beastly yellow-green eyes narrowed in warning.

Ulyssa lost all bravado as she backed into a wall. Her heart let loose, hammering in her chest. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, making her shake. Her breath came out in ragged pants. She was terrified, too frightened to scream.

The animal crept closer. To her shame, she felt tears threaten to fill her eyes. Some agent she turned out to be! Her programming for this planet didn’t include animal combat. Weren’t you supposed to cower before wild animals and let them have dominance? Or was it the other way around? For the life of her, she couldn’t remember. It’s not like they had many wild animals left running around Earth these days. Those they did have were in locked conservatories, kept away from human interference, and left to their own devices.

The panther roared, bringing her attention back to the trouble at hand. Ulyssa recoiled, lifting her arms to protect her chest and face as she pressed into the stone wall. A dark blue banner waved near her nose as she turned her head away. The image of a styled panther fluttered before her. She whimpered, closing her eyes. Her body tensed, bracing for the initial attack. Silence followed and she couldn’t move.

"Shhh," a gentle whisper soothed. "I didn’t think you’d be so scared of me."

To learn more about the Dragon Lords series, or to see what happens in the lives of the Dragon Lords’ enemy Princes in, The Lords of the Var, please visit Michelle M Pillow’s website (www.michellepillow.com).