Dragon Lords Books 1 - 4 Box Set: Anniversary Edition (84 page)

Z
oran groaned
, looking around in the darkness. His eyes shifted, piercing through the dark room with ease. Throwing the covers off his body, he noticed he was still dressed but his boots were on the floor. Yawning, he scratched the back of his head, not taking time to wonder about it. Throwing his feet over the side of the bed, he stretched his arms.

Making quick work of his clothes, he changed into more comfortable attire before going quietly to the door. It was in the middle of the night, but he was starving. The front room was just as dark when he passed through. His eyes automatically went to the couch. Pia wasn’t there.

He narrowed his gaze in curiosity as he heard a soft curse coming from the exercise room. A dim light shone from within. Pia was inside, bent over in pain as she gripped her wounded ribs. As he watched, she forced herself to stand, took a fighting stance and kicked lightly into the air. Stiffening, she held the stance for several seconds before letting her leg come back down to the side.

Zoran’s gut twisted into knots. She was so exquisite. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and he noticed the locks looked thicker, longer. He couldn’t help himself, couldn’t stop his feet as he silently crossed over the floor. She jumped in the air and kicked harder, testing her injury’s limits. With a gasp, she fell back, unable to land as gracefully as she’d hoped. Zoran swooped forward on instinct to catch her.

Pia jerked in surprise when she landed in his arms. He slowly righted her, letting her go so she could stand.

“You shouldn’t be pushing yourself like this,” Zoran said, his eyes filled with concern. He moved his hand as if he wanted to touch her, but he held back, remembering all too well the last time he’d held her. “You should be resting and taking it easy.”

“My father always said it’s good to know your limits when you’re wounded.” Pia absently rubbed her side. “Besides, I couldn’t sleep.”

“Nightmares?”

She sniffed wryly at that. “Uncomfortable couch.”

Zoran chuckled. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to sleep on the couch, that she could sleep with him on the bed, but thought better of it. She would surely take the gesture the wrong way—even if a part of him meant it the wrong way. After what had happened, he still couldn’t help it, he wanted her. Only now he wasn’t sure he deserved her.

“How about you?” she asked. “I was sure you’d sleep through tomorrow.”

“Hungry.” He grinned, pleased they weren’t fighting.

“Ah.” Moving past him, she shot him a sidelong glance. “Good plan.”

Zoran watched her go by, before following her to the kitchen. As she rummaged through the refrigerator, he hopped up on a counter to study her.

“What do you feel like?” she asked, peeking up from over the door.

Looking at her mouth, he murmured, “Something sweet.”

Pia smirked and shook her head in denial. “You didn’t buy anything sweet. You bought healthy food.”

Zoran laughed. Reaching over his head, he pushed the cabinet behind him open. Blindly searching, he arched his back and dug to the back of the top shelf. Pia shut the refrigerator door and came over to watch him. His shirt lifted as he moved, revealing a teasing peek of his muscular stomach. Her eyes drifted down to his waist. A victorious smile dawned on his face, as he drew out a bag.

“What’s that?” Pia asked, her gaze moving back up to his.

Zoran smiled, drawing out a sugared biscuit. Pia’s eyes rounded. He wiggled it at her. “Just a little something I took from my father’s office. It’s my grandmother’s old recipe.”

“Oo, I want one,” she insisted, holding out her hand.

He eyed her, a teasing light coming over him. “No, this is my last one.” To prove his point he dropped the empty bag in the sink.

“Hey,” Pia protested. “I can’t believe you were hiding those all this time. Here, I have been eating nothing but fruit and vegetable salads. By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, you’re not a vegetarian are you? Because I’m sorry, but if I have the forest to hunt, I’m going to get a steak.”

“No,” he said. “I just haven’t been hunting in a while so there’s no meat. The butcher rations out his portions fairly and I already brought home what little I could.”

Pia smiled. “Can we go?”

“Where?” he asked, making a great show of looking at the cookie and smelling it. A big, contented smile crossed over his features while toying with her.

“Hunting,” Pia insisted.

“We’d have to camp,” Zoran said. “All the good meat is to the North this time of year.”

Her expression answered,
so?

“Do you know how to track?” Zoran asked.

“Sure.”

“Sure?”

“It depends on what I’m tracking.”

Camping in isolation with the beautiful vixen before him didn’t sound so bad, though hunting for food had no place in his sudden fantasy.

“I’ll see if I can arrange it,” he answered.

Pia smiled brightly. “Now, hand over that cookie. If you only want to look at it, I’ll draw you a picture.”

“What? You want this sugared biscuit right here?” Zoran questioned, his expression filling with mischief. Pia nodded, bringing her hand expectantly closer. He took a bite and moaned dramatically, nodding his head in delight. Talking with his mouth full, he admitted, “Mm, this is really good.”

“Oh, you really are incorrigible!” Playfully, she went to him. Her hand rested on his thigh and her body came between his legs. His brow rose and he lifted the treat above his head. Pia jumped, using his leg for leverage as she tried to grab it.

Zoran laughed, dipping it down within her reach only to snatch it away when she came too close. Pia chuckled, feigning anger. Zoran tilted his head back to take another bite.

“Oh, that’s it,” she said.

She pushed up on his legs and pressed her knee between his thighs. Kneeling over one leg, she tried to steal the sugared biscuit away from him. Zoran crushed the whole thing in his mouth, his cheeks puffing up as he chewed enthusiastically.

“Oh!” she huffed, hitting his chest.

“Careful,” came his muffled warning as she wobbled on her precarious setting. He automatically fitted his hands against her hips to hold her up.

“What else do you have hidden up here?” Pia stretched up, trying to see the top shelf.

Zoran swallowed. Her breasts were really close to his face. His grip tightened on her hips. His body lurched. Unbidden, torturous thoughts entered his mind.

“Ah-hah!” Pia cried in victory, clearly finding the other bag. Her body lowered and his thigh bumped between her legs. A jolt of awareness shot through his body at the intimate contact. Zoran gave her a small, smoldering smile. Pia turned bright red and instantly slid down. Pretending there had been nothing in their shared look, she wiggled the new bag. “I think someone has a sweet tooth.”

“Hey,” Zoran said in instant protest, as if seeing what she had for the first time. He hopped down off the counter to go after her. “Those are mine.”

Her face rounded in mock horror and she took off running with her prize. Calling over her shoulder, she taunted, “Not anymore.”

When Zoran caught up to her she had the bag opened and was beginning to stuff her mouth full. Pia lifted the prize high over her head, turning to keep an eye on him.

“Mees ar verre goomph,” she mumbled her taunt, laughing and covering her mouth.

Zoran swept her into his arms, reaching and grabbing the bag from her. She protested, doing her best to chew and swallow over her fit of laughter.

“Ah, great,” Zoran mourned before turning to her. He pressed her firmly to his chest with one arm as he examined the bag. In his most serious tone, he said, “These were the very last of what I had.”

Pia swallowed, still giggling, “You’re a prince. Can’t you exploit your power and pass a law or something? Or threaten to throw the baker in the dungeon if he doesn’t bake you sugared biscuit cookies?”

Zoran grinned, pleased by the easy way his title passed by her lips. “These things are impossible to get. The queen holds the recipe hostage. She won’t even tell the palace baker.” Taking the opportunity, he said, “Speaking of being a prince, I need to tell you something.”

Pia, as if suddenly realizing he held her closely, artfully pushed back from him. Her expression fell slightly. “I already know about the coronation.”

“Oh?” he questioned in surprise, disappointed by her withdrawal.

“Yeah, Nadja told me. I already know you have to ask me to go and need me to act happy for the sake of the kingdom or whatever.” Pia shrugged. She quickly pulled the bun out of her hair to show him it was longer. “She also grew my hair out for me so I wouldn’t embarrass you.”

Zoran’s eyes dipped over her face. He really wanted to kiss her. His mouth burned with need, as did his body.

“So when is it?”

“Tomorrow night,” he answered. He lifted his hand to touch one of the golden locks. “You don’t mind going, do you?”

“No,” Pia yawned, “it’s fine.”

“It’s late.” Zoran grew braver and touched her cheek. His voice didn’t waver, as he suggested, “Why don’t we go to bed?”

Pia glanced away.

Zoran saw her anxiety and was sorry for it.

“Pia,” he began, softly. An ache started in his chest. He wanted to move closer to her, but held back. “The other night I didn’t mean to hurt you. I...” Zoran looked down her body and sighed, remembering the blood. “Are you...?”

Pia delicately waved the question away. “I’m...it’s fine. I’ve had worse pain. I probably overreacted a little. I wasn’t sure what you...what was happening.”

Zoran frowned.

Pia turned her back on him. “Can we not discuss this? Everything’s fine. I just want to forget about it.”

Zoran nodded, realizing she couldn’t see him.

“Come on.” He drew his hand tenderly to her shoulder. He told himself to win her, not conquer her. “It’s late. Let’s go to bed.”

Pia tensed.

He quickly added, “I promise not to lay a hand on you unless you want me to.”

She let him turn her around to face him. He tried to smile. She shivered.

Pia allowed him to lead her to the bed. The bedroom was still dim when they crawled under the covers. Zoran’s eyes shifted so he could study her face in the dark. She looked nervous, staring up at the ceiling. She gripped the coverlet tightly, working the smooth material. When he spoke, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Sleep well, Pia.”

“
G
ood night
.” Pia shivered. She really wanted him to lay his hands on her. Her body hummed with desire for him, but she didn’t know how to ask for it. She looked toward him, searching in the dark but unable find his face.

Turning her back toward him, she did her best to fall asleep.

Z
oran was gone
for most of the day. Nadja came over in the afternoon to help Pia curl her hair and pick out an appropriate dress. Pia made an effort to move around as if nothing had happened. She refused to listen to another of Nadja’s apologies. The woman’s guilt was written all over her face, but Pia didn’t hold a grudge over a silly accident.

Blinking as Nadja darkened her eyelashes, Pia asked, “You said your father was a doctor, right?”

Nadja glanced down wearily from her task. “Uh-huh.”

“Would it be possible for, say, a doctor to make your body more...sensitive to...?” Pia frowned. How to phrase such a thing?

“Just be blunt,” Nadja said. “I never knew you to skirt around an issue.”

“I want to know if a doctor altered me to make me feel...lust,” Pia stated, her mouth twisting to hide her mortification.

Nadja giggled as if she couldn’t help it.

“I knew I shouldn’t have said anything,” Pia mumbled, turning away to look in the mirror. She eyed Nadja’s handiwork with forced indifference.

“Are you feeling lust?” Nadja asked.

“I don’t know.” Pia tried to dismiss the topic, sorry she brought it up. “Forget I asked about it.”

“I’m sorry,” Nadja said. “No, it’s not possible for a doctor to do something to you to make you feel lust. The only way I’ve ever heard of is through medicines. But you would have to take them on a regular basis, and more than likely you would know if you were being dosed. Normally there would be telltale side effects. Though, I suppose nerve-ending repair is possible to revive lost sensations, but that would be a surgical repair, not inciting lust where it normally wouldn’t be.”

“Oh.” Pia said, somewhat dejected.

“Did something happen between you and Zoran?” Nadja curled a strand of hair before pulling it up at the sides to create a cascaded of curls around Pia’s face. Pia knew Nadja felt sorry for her, and thought Zoran was a beastly, humorless man. The woman was too polite to say her opinion outright, but Pia picked up on it all the same.

“Nothing, well, we did...and I hit him off,” she admitted. “There was blood.”

“Oh?” Nadja began, then seeing Pia’s meaning in her blushing face, she said, “Oooh.”

“Is there something wrong with me?” Pia asked. She thought that perhaps the bleeding was her fault, like she wasn’t built right or the surgeries had altered her insides.

“Oh, no,” Nadja said softly. “No, there isn’t anything wrong. It was your first time with a man?”

Pia nodded.

“Didn’t your mother...?” Nadja tried to be delicate.

“She died,” Pia stated flatly.

“What about your father?”

“Dead.”

“The blood is normal the first time,” Nadja said. “I don’t know if this helps, but my mother told me once that it means you’re just being broken into sex. The second time shouldn’t be bad and the third time better.”

Pia nodded weakly, before eyeing the formal hairdo in the mirror. “This isn’t going to be too much, is it?”

“It’s a coronation,” Nadja announced. “I think it will do perfectly!”

“All right.” Pia was skeptical, but she had never been to a formal function before. “Just as long as I’m not the only one wearing a dress tonight.”

“
P
ia
,” Zoran called. “Come on, it is time to leave.”

He frowned, knocking lightly on the bathroom door. Pia had been hiding from him ever since he arrived home. At first, she said she was getting dressed, and now she said she was too sick to come out.

“You’ll just have to go without me,” she called. “I’m too nauseous. I think I caught something.”

“Pia—”

“No, Zoran, I’m sorry. Just make my apologies to whomever. Go have fun. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Pia, I need you there,” he insisted. “It’s your coronation. You need to be there for it. Can I at least come in?”

“No—oh, fine,” she ended with a growl, her tone growing stronger with irritation. “But you can’t laugh at me.”

A quizzical expression crossed over Zoran’s features as the sick voice suddenly disappeared into a confident growl. He slid open the bathroom door with one finger.

Pia stood stiffly, her pale face studying at him. Her hair cascaded down over her shoulders in curls. His gaze instantly roamed over her dark red gown. The satin was simplistic, hugging to her frame, parting at mid-thigh to bell out in a sweep of material around her legs. The sleeves were short, and capped over the shoulder. The neck dipped low, sweeping lightly over her breasts to give just enough teasing mystery to instantly drive him mad with desire.

Her eyes wide, she said, “You look so handsome.”

Zoran grinned at her breathless words. Her face flushed red and she shook herself to her senses.

“I can’t go with you,” Pia stated. Frowning, she looked down at her dress as if that could explain everything she was thinking. “I think Nadja overdid the hair and this dress...it’s all wrong.”

Zoran stepped forward, his body lurching with desire. “You look perfect.”

“No, it’s too much,” Pia insisted. “I’ve got those black pants you bought me with the dragon emblem. I’ll wear those.”

Having decided, Pia strode past him. Zoran’s arm shot out catching her about the waist. He curved his arm around her, making her back up so he could continue to look at her. He wasn’t quite done with his examination.

“It’s perfect,” he repeated, giving her a heated look over the satin. He flexed his hand on her waist. Unable to stop himself, he groaned. Leaning over, he cupped her face and kissed her gently. She jumped slightly in surprise. Her lips parted and he deepened the kiss. Instantly, her arms wound about his neck in encouragement.

Zoran felt her melting against him and had to pull back. He slid his hand over the satin covered curve of her lower back. If this continued, he wouldn’t be making it much further than the bedroom for the rest of the night, and his father would be livid.

“Um,” he sighed, pulling her back. He licked his lips. “We can’t do this. We’re already late.”

“I don’t have a dragon,” she said, her eyes wide as she looked up at him.

“What?” He blinked in confusion, still too busy staring at her shaded lips. He’d never seen her in makeup before. He thought her beautiful either way.

Pia touched the black dragon patch on his chest. “I don’t have a dragon emblem. I think I’m supposed to.”

Zoran chuckled. “Wait, I’ll find you one.”

Pia walked slowly behind him as he went to the bedroom. When he came back he was holding his armband from the Breeding Festival. Pushing at it, he bent it smaller to fit her arm.

“I wish I’d thought to get you some proper jewelry,” Zoran admitted. “But I’m afraid I don’t always remember to think about those kinds of things. This will have to do.”

Pia let him slide it over her wrist, adjusting the dragon to wind around her upper arm. She smiled. She loved it. The jewelry was perfect.

“What’s on your feet?” Zoran asked, seeing her black boots.

Pia grinned. “Can you believe the woman tried to make me wear dress slippers? I had her give me these instead.”

She pulled her skirt to the side to show the knee high black boots over her bare tanned legs. Zoran’s eyes instantly traveled higher to her exposed thigh. If she lifted just a bit higher, he would see the curve of her naked hip. This was going to be a very long night.

“They’re perfect,” he said, his voice a bit husky.

Already he could picture her in the boots and nothing else. Or even better, that dress pushed up over her hips as he took her from behind. His gaze traveled up her waist to her cleavage. How much trouble would he get in if they didn’t show up tonight? Maybe the king wouldn’t notice. Maybe...

Clearing his head, Zoran grunted roughly, “We need to go.”