Dark Prince (27 page)

Mede’s gaze shifted to gold with her meaning. Olena listened silently.

"He has put his every chance at happiness in you, Olena. He gave his life to you," Mede said. "There will never be anyone else for him so long as he lives. That is a long time for our people, and for you. By giving you his life, he shortened his and extended yours so your fates could remain together. If you were to choose to leave him, he would be alone for the rest of his days. That is a long time of loneliness. When he took you to his tent, it was his choice. When you stayed, that was yours. There will be no other in his bed or his heart. There simply can’t be."

"I am such an idiot. But if you say he can feel me then can’t he feel that I was just scared? That I don’t intend to go?"

"Ah, they may hide it well, for our warriors are men of extraordinary albeit sometimes frustrating pride. But inside they are still men and men have fears like all others," Mede said. "And I think that it might be worse for our husbands, because they will never permit themselves to show it."

"They’re afraid?" Olena asked, suddenly breathless.

"Deep down at their core they are impossible romantics." The Queen moved to stand and smiled a secret smile. "They fall hopelessly and unreservedly in love at first sight and can never hope to fall out again."

* * * *

Olena’s nerves jumped with nervous tension. Queen Mede’s words fluttered in her head for the rest of the day, distracting her. She went to bed early, only to rise before dawn. She had no idea when Yusef would be back, but she wanted to be ready for him. Mede thought they should expect the men to return late morning.

Olena bathed and dressed in her most alluring of clothes--which unfortunately was plain cotton pants and a tight black shirt that showed only a hint more cleavage than the rest. She let her hair dry in soft waves over her shoulders.

"Olena?"

Her heart jumped. Yusef was finally back. Taking a deep breath, she fussed with her locks in the bathroom mirror.

"One second," she yelled. Then, to stall as she pinched her cheeks, she asked lightly, "How was the battle?"

"King Attor is dead," came the tired answer. She could hear him moving around in the front hall, putting down his sword and kicking off his boots. "We tried to arrest him but he called his troops to fight."

"Uh-huh!" Olena hardly heard a word, as she adjusted her breasts beneath her top to get the maximum affect. She wondered if she should just take it off altogether, but then thought better of it. It wouldn’t do to distract him before she said everything she needed to.

"Attor’s son will take the throne," Yusef said. "Olek is speaking to him now, negotiating a peace. It looks hopeful that our battles have ended."

Yusef sighed, ready to get back to his simple life at the Outpost with his wife. It would be slow going, but peace could be achieved. Some of the older nobles would protest on both sides. However, in the end, they would bow to the decision of their leaders.

"What are you doing in there?" His voice had drawn closer. Olena took a deep breath and rushed out to meet him. Her eyes lit at the sight of him. They roamed over his body. She could hardly even tell he’d been stabbed in the back. When he moved, he looked completely healed and his arm wasn’t in the sling.

"I," she began. Her eyes found his gray ones flecked with a subtle gold and she forgot everything that she had spent all night rehearsing. "I need … to talk."

Yusef’s face darkened but he nodded.

"I’m a pirate," she admitted, weakly, captured by the smell and look at him. Oh, but he was a handsome man, so dark, so strong.

"I know." He nodded. There was a sadness to him as he said the words and his body stiffened as if he braced himself.

"I mean … I was a pirate. Jack was my pirate father. He took me under his wing and showed me how to protect myself, how to steal, how to convince people to believe whatever I wanted. It was his idea that I stay a virgin so when I went through security checks--anyway. He taught me how to seduce men to get what I wanted from them."

Olena frowned. Her words weren’t coming out right at all.

"And you miss it," Yusef stated, as if he understood.

"Yusef, I," she hesitated. Her eyes teared. "Jack taught me everything I know. But, he didn’t teach me how to love."

Yusef closed his eyes, a pain searing through him. She was incapable of loving him.

"I…" She felt his pain and all masks dropped from her features. No longer caring that her speech was all muddled up into a blob of incoherent half-thoughts, she said the most important truth, "I love you. I’m pregnant and I love you. And I’m scared that you don’t feel the same way, because I can’t … tell … what love would look like on you."

Yusef’s heart stopped beating. He opened his eyes. She was trembling, beginning to cry. A flood of her emotions, so sweet and insecure, washed onto him. All walls were broken, all her defenses crumbled at her feet until she could no longer hide behind her mask of mischief.

Yusef rushed forward, sweeping her up into his arms. Before she could even blink in surprise, he kissed her deeply, letting her body fit into his, letting her feel his arousal, his unyielding, unending heart’s desire for her.

"If you can’t see that I love you, foolish woman," he said into her mouth, "then feel that I do."

Olena beamed happily, her whole world colliding into this one perfect moment. A stream of feeling rushed into her from him, warm and secure. She ran her hands over his body, eagerly dipping along his neck to find his naked back beneath his tunic. Lifting her swiftly into his arms, Yusef hugged her to his chest and broke his lips free. Her feet dangled above the ground.

"I believe I’m ready to collect on my bet now," he said. Slowly, he set her down on the floor. His hands were on her shirt, pulling it up over her head.

"What would you have?" she murmured in full invitation. Yusef pushed her drawstring pants off her hips. Her fingers were on his waist, trying to free his center to her. "You get one demand. I can’t complain."

"I would have you stay with me always, as my wife."

"Done." Then, batting her eyelashes, she said, "Now take me to bed and make a few more demands."

Yusef grinned. Lifting her up, he pressed her back into the white wall. With a swift stroke, he was inside her willing body. Olena gasped in delight, never wanting him to stop. Yusef buried his face into her hair, and asked, "Who can wait for a bed, firebird?"

* * * *

Four months later…

Yusef frowned, following his wife at a distance as she made her way towards the east pond. It was late in the evening. Olena did not detect him as she searched the dimmed trees. His Draig eyes darkened to a bright gold, seeing her slightly rounded waist--a testament to his growing child in her womb.

Hearing a low whistle, foreign to Qurilixen, Olena grinned. The demons had finally come for her. Covering her mouth, she trilled softly in return. Soon the path was alive with beastly figures.

"Captain!" one of the men cried.

Olena yelped in excitement and Yusef watched as she jumped into a pair of hairy arms.

"MoPa!" Pulling back, she said, "Hedge, Lufa, Caz, I can’t believe you’re here!"

"Ah, Captain," Lufa’s voice gurgled. He was a giant upright amphibian. "You could’ve picked a closer planet."

Olena grinned.

"So you ready to go?" Hedge, a prickle-headed being, asked. "We’ve got a transport waiting."

Olena’s smile drifted. She had missed them so much.

"What happened here?" MoPa glanced down to her stomach where he’d felt a slight bulge.

"The nightmares are gone, MoPa. I’m not going with you," she whispered. The men’s faces fell and they protested--all but MoPa who nodded, a gleam of happiness in his eyes for her.

"Quiet, now!" MoPa ordered darkly. "You don’t dare question the Captain’s orders."

"You all can stay with me, MoPa," she offered. "You will be protected here."

"There now, Captain," Hedge said. "You know we can’t be doing that. The high skies call us. It’s in our blood."

"I’m not your Captain anymore." Olena reached behind her back and pulled out her gun. Handing it over to MoPa, she said. "But I am your friend. MoPa, the crew is yours. Do your worst."

MoPa smiled, he solemnly nodded his head at her. She saw his look and knew he would be sorry to see her stay behind.

"Give this planet hell," he stated quietly. Olena nodded. With a flick of MoPa’s hand, the crew disappeared into the trees as if they were never there.

She stood silent, watching where they had disappeared. There was no long last look, no goodbyes. It was the pirate way and she understood it all too well.

Startling slightly, Olena felt Yusef’s strong hand on her shoulder. She smiled, turning around into his awaiting arms. Her cheek pressed into his chest to feel his heartbeat, before she pulled back to look at him.

"What was that?" Yusef asked, basking in her loving expression.

"Ah, just the demons coming to visit," she said. She felt a hard press against her back. Frowning, she reached behind her to pull a carving out from her husband’s fingers. It was a figurine of her, her stomach slightly rounded. Chuckling, she said, "You really need to get a new model for these things."

"Why, firebird?" he asked, lifting her up into his arms. "When I have no desire to look at anything else?"

Olena laughed softly. And, as she kissed him, she murmured, "You could at least put clothes on me. Our son will think I walked naked the whole time I was pregnant."

"Ah," he murmured against her. Yusef swept his wife away with him to their home and into their bed. "I think such a thing can be arranged."

THE END

A sneak peak at

THE DRAGON LORDS: THE WARRIOR PRINCE

By Michelle M. Pillow

COMING JANUARY 2005 FROM NCP!

Zoran watched her in silence. She seemed completely unaware of the effect she was having on him, as she placed fruit in her mouth and licked absently at her fingers. Every once and awhile she’d sigh as if she were bored. He poured her wine and handed it to her. She took it and sipped dutifully, though he noticed she didn’t swallow it.

Pia hated wine. The smell of it made her sick to her stomach. Holding her breath, she pretended to politely drink and set the glass down. She took more fruit, her stomach beginning to stir with delight at finally being fed.

Eating a few more pieces, she nodded her head at him. "Well, thanks for the snack. It’s been real … entertaining."

He did not miss the sarcasm. She didn’t try to hide it.

Zoran lowered his head. His arm whipped over the table so he could gracefully stalk forward on all fours. Pia watched him, wondering what he was up to. Seeing the look on his face, she stiffened. Her mind told her to stand, that whatever he planned boded ill for her. But she couldn’t move.

A trance fell over her, growing with each pulsing beat of the glowing crystal necklace. Firelight gleamed off the gold bracelet on his arm. She’d been trying to feign disinterest in him as she ate, but her eyes hungrily sought to study him. It was torture to want him and know he couldn’t possibly want her.

Pia’s lips parted in breath. He did not stop until he’d crawled completely to her. His brown eyes unflinchingly bore forward, trying to claim her soul as they explored her. In that moment, she felt him connecting to her. It was strange. It was almost like she knew him and that he wasn’t a stranger at all. But how could she know him? She’d never been to this quadrant before.

Zoran’s hands settled on either side of her thighs. He trapped her down without touching. His eyes dipped to her lips, still moist with juice.

Pia’s eyes widened as his closed. She swallowed nervously, pressing her lips shut to him and pulling them tight against her teeth as he neared her with a kiss. The first brush of him sent a shockwave over her spine. She trembled violently, feeling the rough texture of his tongue as he licked over her bottom lip.

Pia did not return his peculiar kiss. Zoran took his time, licking the fruit juice from her. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth, prying her lips easily apart as he pushed deeper.

Zoran could feel her breath deepen, detected the heady scent of her fragrant longing. His probing met with the barrier of her teeth. His lips moved to suck her bottom lip between his. A jolt washed over them both at the intimate act. She stubbornly refused to allow him entrance.

Pia was frozen with shock. She didn’t know what to do. It felt wet and wrong, yet so incredibly right. Her head lightened, nearly swooning with pleasure. His lips pressed closer, trying to get hers to move. She didn’t know how, had never kissed a man. To her amazement, she realized the doctors had repaired not only her skin, but her nerve endings as well. She tingled with feelings. Before, her whole left side had been dead to the lightest of touches.

Zoran worked forward, his kiss forcing her to lean back. He didn’t look at her. She couldn’t stop staring at him. She couldn’t believe it was happening. Then, the dark demons of her past reared their ugly heads and she pushed his shoulder violently to stop him.

"That’s enough." Her whole body ached in protest of the broken contact. The ache had begun to grow, spinning its web within her stomach. Her words were not as strong as she would have liked, as she whispered, "You’ve had your fun. Now point me in the direction of my ship."

He shook his head. Her hand was still on his shoulder, trying to hold him back from her precarious position. It would be so easy to pull him back to her or push him firmly away. She wanted to pull him close. Zoran leaned over to nip playfully at her wrist. Pia snapped it from him as if he had tried to sting her.

"Come to the bed." His eyes shifted and flashed with danger.

"No!" She scrambled back on her feet to get away from him. She should have known that is all he wanted from her.

Zoran stood, hopping up in one swift movement to tower above her.

"Stay back," she commanded, her eyes glowing with hazel fire. "I am not a prostitute! I’ll not whore for you."

That stopped him.