Prince of Spies

by Bianca D'Arc

  Nico hesitated a moment before turning over the base of the glass rod to his friend. Drake was a rascal, but Nico knew he could be trusted. Nico moved away and watched Riki’s response as Drake settled on his haunches between her spread thighs.

  “All right?” He sent on their private path of communication.

  She nodded, shivering as Drake began manipulating the dildo, shafting it in and out of her hot body. “Come to me, Nico. I need you.”

  He could wait no more. Nico took up a position next to her head, raising her just slightly with some of the colorful pillows supporting her back. She knew just what he liked, taking his cock between her luscious lips as if savoring a special treat. He felt the swirling action of her tongue down to his very toes. Stars, what a woman!

  And she was all his. Forevermore.

  Nico’s eyes closed, savoring the feel of her eager mouth. She jerked and his eyes shot open only to find his rogue of a friend was now licking Riki’s clit, eyes smiling up at him from between his wife’s legs. The bastard.

  Nico shook his head and laughed. Give Drake an inch and he always took a mile. It was one thing they had in common. He should be mad, but Riki’s eager response diffused his anger. Riki had missed so much in life, he could at least give her this one small experience—never to be repeated, of course. Tonight was special, after all.

  Nico nodded slightly and cupped his hands around Riki’s head as she sucked him deep.

  Riki could hardly believe it when Nico asked Drake to use the dildo on her, but she was downright shocked when Drake used his tongue as well. She caught a little of the interplay between the men and heard the soft growl in Nico’s throat, hastily bitten back. She liked that he was possessive and liked even more that he’d let this incredible pleasure continue.

  She’d never felt so decadent or so wanton. Watching Drake shaft in and out of Estella had been exciting, but to have him do the same to her—albeit with a glass rod instead of his cock—was even more thrilling.

  The real thrill of it was in Nico’s reaction, oddly enough. Riki found herself watching for his possessive smiles, his pride-filled glances. She felt feminine and beautiful when he looked at her that way, and she’d never felt either of those things before.

  Nico’s generosity of spirit attracted her as much as his beautiful face, kind eyes and cunning wit. He was her savior and teacher in many respects, but she was fast learning he could be her partner as well. Nico encouraged her to find out who she was and explore her limits. He was perfect for her in every respect. And he was hers.

  For the first time in her life, she thought she felt the dragon stirring lazily in her soul, but she couldn’t concentrate on that when Drake’s tongue began circling her clit. He moved the dildo harder and deeper while his lips closed over the raised nubbin and pulled gently. Riki’s hips bucked, but Drake’s strong arm held her in place as his mouth closed over her clit and sucked gently.

  Riki flew to the stars on a moan. Nico pulled his cock from her mouth as Drake rode her through the powerful orgasm. She looked up to meet her new husband’s eyes and read the possessive pride there, as well as the hunger. Nico was still hard and ready.

  As Drake held on through the last echoes of pleasure, she felt her response rise again. More. She needed more.

  She needed Nico.

  “Thanks for warming her up for me.” Nico’s words were for Drake, but his eyes never left Riki’s face.

  Drake pulled back, leaving the dildo inside her channel. “It’s the least I could do.”

  “And the most.” Nico’s gaze moved to his friend with stern warning in his words. The boundary had been drawn, she realized. This was as far as Nico would ever allow him to go. Drake nodded with his ever-present roguish smile and moved off. The message had been delivered and understood.

  Drake moved back to Estella, Riki saw out of the corner of her eye. The other woman was recovered now from Drake’s earlier pleasuring and apparently ready for more. She welcomed Drake with open legs and he quickly slid into her.

  Nico flipped Riki over, handling her as if she were a doll. She liked the sensation, though she would never have tolerated such treatment from anyone but him. Nico positioned her on her hands and knees, bunching a few pillows under her mid-section for added support. The dildo slid out, but he rammed it back in, shocking her a bit.

  Nico chuckled at her gasp and slapped her rear for good measure. Riki could feel the moisture between her thighs increasing at the thought of his hands on her and his cock in her. Then she felt the slippery slide of something faintly cold, but warming as Nico stroked it between her cheeks, around the hole there and just slightly within.

  “Nico?”

  “Ssh, love. It’s all right. Tell me if you don’t want this but at least give me a chance to prepare you a bit and try. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  Nico pressed close, his muscular thigh preventing the dildo from sliding out of her pussy. Every now and then he pulsed his leg so the shaft pushed in and then out again as he moved back, fucking her gently, reminding her of its presence. Riki looked sideways, noting the little tub of ointment Nico had open on the table. It was one more of the many things in the decadent tent she either hadn’t noticed or understood until now.

  The ointment smelled of herbs and she could feel it sliding, with Nico’s finger, in and out of her ass, evoking some incredible feelings. Her inner muscles clenched on the glass rod still impaling her as Nico added a second, then a third finger to her ass, stretching her.

  Riki moaned when he removed his fingers and moved his cock to her back entrance.

  “Push out a little, love. Let me in.”

  “Nico!” She whimpered, not in protest but in excitement as he pushed in.

  Riki was glad of the pillows he’d stacked beneath her as her arms trembled and gave out. Nico was fully inside her now, moving slowly, as if checking the fit.

  “All right?”

  Riki sobbed as he began to move gently in and out. “Give it to me harder, Nico. Faster!” she begged.

  Nico did move then, giving her what she wanted. He plunged in and out, gentle at first, then harder and longer as she begged him with every motion of her writhing body, every cry from her lips. She was so close, all it took was a few hard plunges into her surprisingly sensitive body and she came, crying out his name in a strangled voice.

  Riki heard her name on his lips a moment later as he joined her in pleasure.

  The next morning dawned bright and clear. Estella and Drake were gone from the tent when Riki woke, but Nico was there with breakfast and a brilliant smile. They ate together, made love, and then he took her outside the encampment to a small clearing where they could be alone and enjoy the crisp morning.

  “I’m glad to see I wasn’t too rough on you last night. Or this morning.” Nico leaned in to kiss her softly. “How do you feel?”

  Riki smiled up at him. “I feel like I could do anything!”

  “Anything?” Nico challenged her.

  She nodded, willing to see what he might suggest.

  “How about flying?”

  Riki knew he didn’t mean flying as a passenger on his back. He was challenging her to shift. The thought drove fear into her heart, but desire was there too—desire to spread her own wings and take to the sky. It was a fire in her veins as the sleeping dragon within her awakened to her new mate’s challenge.

  Riki held his gaze as she screwed up her courage and sought the dragon within as never before, willing it to come forward. She actually felt the dragon blink awake, regarding her from within her own soul with startlement for a moment before answering the call. Riki moved aside, letting the dragon form in her mind and in the physical world. She felt the dragon’s fire envelop her body as a swirling black mist rose before her eyes.

  It was happening!

  From one eye blink to the next, the way she viewed the world changed. Nico now stood below her, refracted in her vision by newly faceted eyes. Her head felt odd, moving sluggishly un
til she realized her neck was now several feet long. She was a dragon!

  “I did it!” She crowed as Nico shifted before her new eyes. Within moments, he faced her as a dragon, walking right up to her and twining her neck with his own in happiness.

  “I knew almost from the first, you were meant for me, Riki. After this, you can have no doubt. You are truly my mate in every possible way.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Far away in the capital of Draconia, Riki’s lost family was sitting down to breakfast in the castle.

  “The Jinn have taken over the town. It’s like a festival down there. You should go see.” Prince Collin entered the family dining room as his eldest brother, Roland, rose and went to the long window overlooking the town. His new queen, Lana, sat at the table.

  “When did this happen?” Roland asked as he surveyed the town of Castleton, far below. The castle was built into the side of a mountain standing far above the town, sheltering it in its shadow and warmth.

  “Overnight, it seems.”

  A herald came to the door and drew inside, seeking the king’s attention.

  “Your Majesty, an ambassador from the Jinn has arrived and seeks an immediate audience.”

  It was unusual, but not unheard of, to entertain ambassadors at breakfast. Roland looked around the room. It was just family here. They all knew of the troubles facing their land and were united in helping him protect the people and dragons of Draconia.

  “Show him in.”

  The herald coughed politely. “It is a woman, Your Majesty. Magda of the Black Dragon Clan is the name she gave.”

  Now this was different. Most often, Jinn women were seen and not heard. All Roland’s previous contact had been through male ambassadors, but he was by no means averse to dealing with women.

  “Thank you. Show the lady in.”

  The herald retreated, appearing a few minutes later with a woman in tow, though she towered over the teen. She was raven-haired and buxom, a fact he saw his younger brothers note with interest. He sent them a private warning.

  “Put your tongues back in your mouths, boys. This is a diplomat and we cannot afford to offend her.”

  Lana heard the comment in her mind as well. She rose to greet the woman with a warm smile hiding her amusement.

  “Be welcome, Lady Magda. Will you have some breakfast with us?” Lana was already making motions for another place to be set at the long table, across from her and Roland.

  The Jinn woman smiled and her beauty only seemed to increase. She had startling green eyes, Roland saw…the color so very familiar.

  “You must be Queen Alania. I am Second Steward of the Black Dragon Clan, come to bring news of your sister, Arikia.”

  “My sister?” Lana’s face lit with eagerness and went pale with fear at the same time. “What can you tell me of my sister?”

  The woman sat as Lana did. Roland took his wife’s hand and squeezed it in support as the other woman spoke.

  “Prince Nicolas has found and rescued your sister. They are even now with my people at the Jinnfaire near the northern border of Skithdron. A messenger arrived in the night with the news and bid me gather all the Jinn here, for their homecoming. They were married last night, in the ways of our people, and your sister was crowned Queen of the Jinn.”

  “What?” Lana’s eyes were bright with unshed tears of joy. “Nico and Riki? That’s fantastic! But how can she be Queen of the Jinn? Was she with your people all this time?”

  Magda shook her head and told them all she knew of Riki’s imprisonment and escape. Magda had a great deal of information from reports of the Jinn musicians Lucan employed. They’d watched the sad, green-eyed girl and reported news of her over the months of her captivity, each separate report coalescing over time to indicate she might be the girl of whom the seers spoke.

  Roland listened with quiet interest. What this Jinn woman told them was nothing short of miraculous. When she explained the origins of the Jinn, he was completely astounded to find there were other descendants of Draneth the Wise spread all throughout the lands. Even more fascinating was the idea that the Jinn were a matriarchy, not a patriarchy as he had always assumed. Oh, these people were clever. Not even his infamous Spymaster brother had divined all their secrets.

  “There is more, Your Majesties,” the woman continued speaking as breakfast was all but forgotten. “The Black Dragon Clan counts many shapeshifters among its ranks. I am one. The First Steward, Estella, is another. But we add another to our ranks today. The visions proclaim Queen Arikia of the Jinn will find her wings this very morn. Your brother and his mate will fly home together. They will bring an honor guard of black dragons, sent here as liaisons between our forces and yours.”

  “More of the Jinn are coming here?” Collin asked from his seat a few feet down the table. “I thought all of them were already in town.”

  “All who were within a night’s ride, Prince Collin,” the woman said softly. “The Jinn are numerous and spread all over the lands in many different clans, but all are ruled by my sister, Estella, Steward of the Black Dragon Clan and now by your sister, our new Queen, as well. Our seers tell us a time is coming soon when our forces will unite and fight together to prevent catastrophe for all the lands.”

  Roland stood, pacing, while he tried to absorb the strange turn of events.

  “Your news is both welcome and troubling,” he said at length. “While I’m overjoyed my wife’s sister has been found and my brother married, I’m concerned by these dark visions of the future. I respect the reputation and skill of your Jinn seers, but I can only hope they’re wrong about what’s coming.” He held up one hand to forestall the argument he could see forming on the woman’s lips. “Nevertheless, all help is welcome, and new black dragon kin even more so. I’m pleased to welcome your people as allies, Magda, and hope we can find a way to work well together.”

  The raven-haired girl beamed at him then, and he saw his brothers’ jaws drop as her beauty stunned them. Luckily, the Jinn magic had no effect on him. He loved Lana too much to have his head turned by a pretty girl. Jinn or no.

  “With your permission, then…” Magda rose and ruffled her full skirts around her legs, “…we will set an encampment to the east of the existing town, at the base of the castle mount, bordered by the river tributary on the east, the existing town on the west and the open fields to the south.”

  “You planned ahead, I see,” Roland teased as she grinned. “Just how many of your brethren are you expecting?”

  Magda shrugged daintily. “Several thousand at least, by week’s end. Castleton will become a city by month’s end, and we have plans to develop the open fields to the east, to grow crops to support our people. If we have your permission, of course.”

  Roland knew when he’d been outfoxed. The idea was mind-boggling. The Jinn, who were known far and wide as homeless nomads, were putting down roots in Draconia. At the base of his castle, no less. Never did he think to see anything like this in his time.

  “Your people are welcome to farm any land not already claimed, Magda, but you realize we must keep the herds for our dragon kin, right?”

  Magda laughed and the tinkling sound had his younger brothers squirming in their seats. “But of course! The Black Dragon Clan, above all, knows the importance of working with dragons. We have no desire to rule, but we will fly into battle at your direction, King Roland. We will need training though, with your Lairs. Unfortunately, flying is something we have only done in secret up ’til now and we need more practice working with other dragons in battle.”

  Just at that moment, a dragon-sized door opened at the end of the large family chamber and a gleaming silver dragonet tumbled in. He was huge by dragonet standards and far shinier than any other dragon in the land, but he was family. Tor, the baby Ice Dragon, stopped short when he saw a visitor in the room, eyeing her carefully as he came to sit on his haunches behind Lana and Roland.

  “Son, this is Second Steward Magda of the Black Dragon C
lan of the Jinn. Her people will be building on to the town below.”

  “Greetings, Sir Tor.” Magda surprised them all by speaking in the silent way of dragons. “I’ve heard much about you.”

  “Lana, she feels like a dragon.” They all heard Tor’s words in their minds. “Like you and Roland.”

  Magda laughed, the pleasant sound teasing everyone’s senses. “That’s because I am.”

  Riki spread her wings, flying in a secluded area near the Jinn encampment with Nico watching over her every move, coaching and coaxing in the most loving way. The feeling was just amazing. She’d never felt so free in her life, nor so happy. The man she loved flew beside her, guiding her, showing her how to be a dragon, encouraging her and yet, letting her fly free. He was such a special, thoughtful, attentive partner, but never stifling. He was just perfect.

  A slithering form below caught her eye and struck fear into Riki’s heart.

  Skiths. A lot of them. Heading straight for the Jinn encampment.

  “Nico!”

  “I see them.” His voice sounded grimly through Riki’s mind. “Come on, we’ve got to warn the Jinn.”

  Turning more sharply than Riki could follow, Nico winged back toward the Jinn encampment, but she wasn’t quite so agile in the sky yet. Cutting her corner too tightly, Riki began to lose altitude, coming dangerously close to the skiths far below.

  “Nico!”

  But it was too late. Riki’s panic translated poorly in her newfound dragon body. She began to tumble, falling closer and closer to the danger below. In her panic, she began to shift, the black mist swirling as her body instinctively sought a more familiar form. The wings slowed her descent at first, bringing her closer to the canopy of tall trees, but then the wings were gone and she started to pick up speed.

  Riki reached out blindly, falling through the tops of the trees, breaking the smaller branches near the tops, slowing her descent once again. Leaves and branches struck her tumbling body, slapping her in the face and causing her to cry out in pain until finally she came to rest with a jolting thud.