by Day Leclaire
Dont, she whispered.
He spoke without volition, drawn to tell her the truth regardless of the consequences. Im honor bound to protect Verdonia from you.
Am I such a threat?
A threat to my country. His mouth twisted into a ghost of a smile. But a far worse threat to my honor.
As though to prove it, he lowered his head and captured her lips. They were every bit as soft and lush as he remembered, honey sweet and welcoming. A half-hearted protest slid from her mouth to his and he absorbed it, wanting to absorb all of her in every way possible.
How could she have been willing to give herself to von Folke? Didnt she realize it was criminal? More criminal than his abduction of her, and he told her as much with sharp, swift kisses. Then he sank back between her lips, reacquainting himself with every warm inch within.
He knew her mouth now. Laid claim to it. Drank from it. Possessed it, just as he planned to possess her. She went boneless in his arms, a surrendering that was every bit as wrong as it was overwhelmingly right.
The instant he released her mouth she whispered his name and it shivered between them into the velvety silence of the night. You promised, she said.
What did I promise?
That you wouldnt.
Wouldnt what?
Her head moved restlessly on the pillow. I cant remember.
Neither can I. Nor did he want to.
He found her mouth again and there was no more talking. Lips clung, then parted before unerringly finding each other again. Hands brushed, tangled, then released. Sweet murmurs filled the room, broken words that shouldnt have any meaning, but somehow spoke volumes.
Desire fired his blood, filling his heart and mind, crowding out rational thought. He needed more. Wanted the woman in his arms as hed never wanted anything before. Clothes impeded him, taunting him, as they came between him and the warm, soft skin he so desperately craved. Skin that teased him with an irresistible perfume that had burrowed deep into his subconscious.
He found the belt that kept Alyssa from him. The knot fought his efforts to release it. And then it gave up the struggle, just as the woman had. He parted the coarse terrycloth and found the silken flesh within, soft and fragrant and burning hot.
I swear, Ill make this good for you.
But the second hed said the words, he knew hed lost her. She stiffened within his arms and the desperate heat that had burned in her eyes only moments before faded, replaced with horrified distress. The princess had awoken from her enchantment and discovered she wasnt with Prince Charming. Far from it.
Her breath came in short, ragged gasps. I want you to stop.
Desire rode Merrick hard and it took every ounce of effort to pull back from the edge. Easy, Princess. Ive stopped.
But his assurances had little effect. Panic held her in its grip and wouldnt let go gently. You claim youre honor bound to protect all of Verdonia. Doesnt that protection extend to me, as well? she demanded. Or does your code of honor allow you to rape helpless women?
She couldnt have chosen a more effective insult. He tamped down on his anger with only limited success. It wouldnt be rape, and you damn well know it.
Maybe not. But it wouldnt be honorable, either. Not when Im being held prisoner. And not when you cant be certain I havent given in because I fear the consequences if I dont.
He swore, long and violently. Hed never had his honor called into question. Not ever. Even so, he knew she was right, which disgusted him all the more. If matters werent so desperate, hed never have abducted her in the first place. He told her there were lines a man didnt cross. But hadnt he just stepped over one of them? Hell, hed run full tilt over it, which bothered him more than he was willing to admit. Honor was everything to him, as was duty. Hed had a lifetimes training in each and in one fell swoop, had destroyed both. But no matter how far hed sunk, forcing himself on a woman was unimaginable.
Sweeping the edges of her robe closed, he secured the belt, making certain every inch of her was covered, from neck to ankle. Turn over, he ordered. No more talking.
And no more touching. He needed every remaining hour to recharge his batteries because he could predict exactly what sort of trouble the morning would bring.
Eventually his prediction was proven all too correct. At dawn the next day Merrick awokeas he was certain he wouldwith guns pointed at his head.
Four
A lyssa stirred, switching from soft, sweet dreams to heart-pounding alertness in a single breath. She didnt understand what caused the sudden burst of fear. She only knew that it slapped through her, causing her pulse to race and a bitter metallic burn to scald her tongue. She started to speak but Merricks arm tightened in clear warning and she fell silent.
Dont move, sweetheart. Merrick whispered the instruction, his mouth nuzzled close to her ear. Ill protect you. Just do exactly what I say. Andtrust me.
Trust him? Of course she trusted him. The thought was immediate, instinctive and totally wrong. In the next instant, her brain kicked into gear and she remembered who he was, what hed done. How his actions had put her mothers life in jeopardy. And she remembered a lifetime of her mothers warningsnever trust a man. Theyll always betray you. No, she didnt trust him. Not in the least.
Squeeze my hand if youre ready.
With no other choice, she did as he instructed and he shifted her within his arms, just the gentlest of movements, as if they were lovers easing into a more comfortable position. And then he seemed to explode. One instant she was held in the sweetest of embraces and the next she found herself cocooned in pillows with her face pressed against Merricks broad back.
Hed somehow grown during the night, turning into a human wall. It was the only explanation for how hed become twice as tall and broad as hed been just hours ago. The muscles across his back were roped into taut steely cables, contracting smoothly in preparation forfor what, she wasnt quite certain, other than it would undoubtedly be violent. She dared one quick peek around her human Stonehenge and stopped breathing.
There were six of them. Each wore the sort of black special ops gear that her abductors had the previous day. And each held an assault rifle pointed directly at Merricks head. She shuddered. Not good. Not good at all. She could sense Merricks compulsion to act, which would have only one horrific outcome. She needed to put an end to their little standoff, and fast, before matters escalated out of control. Without giving herself time to consider, she rolled out from behind him and scrambled to the far side of the mattress.
One of the gunmen caught her by the shoulders and dragged her from the bed, his grip painfully tight. Ouch! Let go of me. Im surrendering, you idiot. See? She held her palms up and out. This means surrender.
Merrick hadnt moved from his crouched position on the bed. He simply cut his eyes toward the man who held her and said, Take your hands off her.
He issued the order in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. But something in the tone had the ability to liquefy bone. Everyone froze for a brief instant and the man shed been grappling with released her. Amazing. Then the leader of the group barked out an order and she was once again wrapped up in a crushing hold. Worse, Merrick received the brunt of the leaders displeasure, taking a fist to the jaw.
She cried out in protest, not that anyone listened to her. The assailants pulled Merrick from the bed. It required four of them to secure him and she took a vicious pleasure in that. If they didnt have guns, she suspected that even six to one odds would bring into question the outcome of this little sortie. Shed have put every last penny she owned on Merrick. Unfortunately, guns were an issue and he must have realized as much because he stopped struggling.
He stood immobile a short distance from her, topping the four men surrounding him by a good three or four inches. Shed heard the term noble savage before but until that moment shed never fully appreciated the meaning. Dressed in black boxers and endless muscle, he exuded elemental male at its finest and most noble. But the expression on his face read pure savage. He ad
dressed the leader of the assailants in Verdonian, a man she suddenly recognized as Tolken, von Folkes right-hand man. Her heart sank. Not assailants, she realized, but a rescue party.
Yes, old friend, I know whats at stake, Tolken replied in English, apparently in response to Merricks question. And its the only reason youre still alive.
Merricks eyes filled with fierce conviction. This is wrong, Tolk. You know that. Our people should be free to choose who they want for their king, not have it orchestrated for them. How many times did we discuss that very issue in university?
Silence!
The order came from one of the men holding Merrick, who followed with a fist to the gut. Not that it had much impact, Alyssa realized, biting back a cry of protest. Lord, the man must have steel-belted abs. Tolken rapped out a reprimand and the man whod hit Merrick stepped back, looking sullen.
Youll have to excuse his manners, Tolken said. Hes understandably upset. You took something that didnt belong to you and there is a price to be paid for that. Consider those two blows a down payment.
It was too much. Alyssa fought the man restraining her. Or did he think he was protecting her? Not that it mattered. She didnt like being held by him any better than she liked the attack on Merrick. Hes unarmed. You have no right to hit him.
It was pointless to struggle, but she didnt care. She wanted their attention on her. It never occurred to her to wonder why shed be so intent on protecting her abductor. She only knew she didnt want him harmed. She kicked at her captor, her heels pounding against vulnerable knees and ankles while she sharpened her fingernails on defenseless skin.
The recipient of her attack must have had enough of her antics. He gripped her wrists in one hand and lifted his other, planning to backhand her. Stop, you fool! Tolken commanded, furious. Have you lost your mind? Thats Princess Alyssa, the duchess of Celestia.
Merrick didnt wait to see whether the order was obeyed. Though his arms were pinioned, his legs were free and he put them to good use, lashing out with his foot and knocking the man to the floor. It earned him another fist. Dropping to his knees, he shook his hair from his face and fixed his gaze on Tolken.
If your man touches her, or even attempts to touch her again, hes dead.
Once again, the words were barely above a whisper, and once again they had an immediate effect on the rescue party. It was subtle, but more noticeable this time, perhaps because she was in a better position to observe. Every one of them stiffened, including Tolken, coming to attention the way subordinates do in the presence of a superior.
As soon as Merrick saw he had their full attention, he added, And if I dont succeed in killing him, von Folke will.
Tolken hesitated only a moment. She could see the inner battle he fought played out in the souring of his expression. Part of him wanting to defy Merricks demand, to establish who was in control. The other part recognized the validity of those two simple threats. With a harsh curse, he barked out another order, this one in Verdonian, an order that had the man holding her scurrying from the room. They must not have considered her much of a threat because no one else attempted to secure her. It was a reasonable assessment. She wasnt a threatat least not in a physical sense.
Merrick maintained eye contact with Tolken, not sparing her so much as a glance. She wont go with you until she knows her mothers safe.
She didnt miss a beat. Hes right. Im not leaving here until I talk to her.
Tolken dismissed her with barely a glance. You will leave when we tell you. As for your mother, Prince Brandt will allow you to speak to her when he sees fit.
Your Highness, she retorted icily.
The man frowned. What?
You will address me as Your Highness, or as maam. But dont you ever again speak to me in that dismissive tone. Not if you value your current position.
Shock slid across Tolkens face, followed by a wash of mottled red. His hands collapsed into fistsfists itching to wrap around her neck if she didnt miss her guess. No doubt Merrick could sympathize. As though aware of his regard, she spared him a brief glance and he gave the barest nod.
Get my mother on the phone. Now.
I cant do that, Your Highness, Tolken said through gritted teeth.
Folding her arms across her chest, she dropped to the edge of the mattress. Then Im not going anywhere. One of his men took a step toward her and she shot him a warning look, deciding to follow Merricks lead. Dont even think about it. I may not have the power to stop you right now, but as Prince Brandts wife, I plan to have a long and vindictive memory. If you dare put your hands on me again, Ill make you pay. And Ill make sure its both inventive and painful.
To her surprise the man believed her. He stopped in his tracks glancing helplessly from her to Tolken. Behind him Merricks lips twitched, forcing her to struggle at maintaining her ice princess demeanor. Damn the man. Didnt he understand how difficult she found all this? They had guns, for crying out loud. Prince Brandt held her mother hostage. And shed been abductedtwice in two days. It wasnt a game and it sure as hell wasnt amusing, no matter how absurd the situation had become.
The stalemate lasted for endless seconds before Tolken caved. Plunging a hand into his pocket, he yanked out a cell phone and placed a call. Alyssa was fairly certain he spoke directly to Prince Brandt. They conversed for several minutes in Verdonian before he handed her the phone.
Ally? Baby, is that you?
Static sounded in her ear, but Alyssa could still make out her mothers distinctive voice and it brought tears to her eyes. Hi, Mom. Are you okay?
Whats going on? Fear rippled through her question. Whats happened? Why is everyone so angry? Where are you?
Everythings fine, Mom. She used her most soothing tone, one that came naturally whenever she spoke to her mother. After all, shed had a lifetime worth of experience calming her, reassuring her, taking care of her the best she knew how. Ill be there soon. I promise. Before she could say more, Tolken yanked the phone from her hand. I wasnt finished, she protested.
Dont push your luck, Your Highness. Weve done as you asked. Now you will come with us without any further argument or discussion. He put the phone to his ear and spoke for another moment before breaking the connection. Thrusting the phone into his pocket, he addressed his men. Our top priority is retrieving the princess and ensuring her safe return to His Highness.
Alyssa struggled to maintain her composure while they spoke around her, referring to her as though she were a package. A possession. Thats all shed been since the moment shed stepped foot in this blasted country and she was getting darned sick and tired of it.
What about the commander? one of the men asked, nodding toward Merrick.
Alyssa sat up straighter. Commander? Commander of what? Not that she had the opportunity to ask, not while they were busy determining Merricks fate. She shot him an apprehensive glance. He didnt seem the least concerned. She remembered comparing him to a lion when shed caught her first glimpse of him. Perhaps shed been mistaken. He was more of a leopard than a lion, she decided, all lean muscle built for power and speed. There was also a ruthlessness about him, she associated more with leopards than lions, a deadly intent. A crouching watchfulness that preceded explosive action.
His eyes glittered a hard, winter-bright gold, watchful and determined. Whether these men knew it or not, theyd already lost. This man didnt fail, no matter how huge the odds or how dangerous the mission. She took a fierce pleasure in the knowledge before realizing that should Merrick succeed, she would lose. Hed prevent her from returning to her mother by any and all means at his disposal. How was it possible that every instinct urged her to trust him when it put her mothers life in jeopardy?
But no matter how hard she tried to picture him as the enemy, what she recalled most strongly were his arms wrapped tight around her and his hands and mouth offering the most intense pleasure shed ever experienced. Trust me, hed said. She wanted to. God help her, she wanted to. And perhaps she would, if it werent for her mother.
; Tolken had reached his decision and he confronted Merrick. I know you, old friend. Its too risky to bring you back on the helicopter with us. Well secure you here on the premises. He stabbed a finger at three of the four remaining guards. You will remain behind and guard him. He can be retrieved later and dealt with at that point. You will make sure he doesnt escape. His Highness will be most disappointed if you fail to do so.
Prepare to be disappointed, Merrick murmured. I wont be here when you return.
One of the men still surrounding Merrick raised his hand, but a single glance at Alyssa had him thinking better of it. Still, it prompted her to sweep to her feet. Enough! I wont have a man beaten in my presence. In fact, you will keep your hands off him until hes turned over to Prince Brandt. Is that clear? She didnt dare wait for a response since she didnt know how much longer she could maintain her bluff of future retribution. She turned to Tolken. I need clothing, including shoes.
Of course, Your Highness. He looked discomfited. I
Closet and dresser, Merrick said. Youll find everything you need.
Tolken signaled his men to secure Merrick and leave. Alarmed, Alyssa took a swift step in his direction, only to stop short when she realized the inappropriateness of her actions. She stared at him in dismay, bewildered when he returned her gaze with one of calm confidence. A half smile hooked the corner of his mouth, his scar giving him a mischievous appearance that sat at odds with his warrior nature.
She didnt understand it. They were going to take him away now. Theyd tie him up while they returned her to Prince Brandt. Once on the princes turf Merrick would be punished, severely, she suspected. And there was nothing she could do about it, nothing at all, not if she wanted to protect her mother.
She should hate Merrick for what hed done, but she didnt. For some strange reason, she wanted to protect him every bit as much as she wanted to protect her mother. How could that be? Hed abducted her. Stripped her. Bound and gagged her. He thought she was motivated by greed and ambition. Hed taken her captive. Forced her to share a bed with him. Held her in his arms. Kissed her until she couldnt see straight. Touched her in ways no man had ever touched her. She ought to congratulate Tolken and his storm troopers. Offer profuse thanks. Instead, she wished them all a swift journey straight to hell.