by 1
“I was. I…I couldn’t find her. There was a mist and I heard wolves—it was awful.”
“It’s over now. It was just a dream.”
“Yes.”
He wanted to say more, but couldn’t speak. He found himself running his gaze over her lovely face, her soft, vulnerable mouth, her lashes still damp from her tears and he felt pole-axed. This was a side of her he hadn’t seen. A vulnerable, frightened side that made his every male instinct violently surge forth to protect her. The sheer force of his emotions took him aback.
“Thank you…thank you for waking me up, Vasilis.”
She spoke so softly, he had to lean forward to hear her. And then she smiled, a shy, sweet smile. He couldn’t take his gaze off her mouth. Her lips were made for kissing, full, soft, inviting and without thinking, he bent his head further. He wanted to taste her.
She drew in a small breath and her lips parted slightly, her smile disappearing. Vasilis felt drawn toward her and leaned even closer, their lips barely touching, his mind on the pleasures her sweet mouth would provide. He could feel her breath.
Ariel moaned gently in her sleep and Alex drew back sharply, her expression confused.
“Thank…thank you, again, Your Highness. And I’m sorry…I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t you know you were standing behind me.”
He drew back slowly, disappointed. “You must call me Vasilis.” Her tantalizing scent still hovered around him and he rose abruptly, trying to put as much distance between them. He didn’t think ravaging her with the little one not far away was going to earn him any favours. “And no need to apologise. You showed extraordinary skill. Perhaps tomorrow we can talk more about that. I was hoping you could have your breakfast with me.” Was he asking her for a date? At odds with himself, he ran a hand at the back of his neck, trying to sort these unfamiliar feelings unsettling him.
She nodded slowly.
Relief flowed through his veins. “It’s done then. We’ll have breakfast together. Have a good night, Alexandra.” He strode out before he gave in to his baser instinct and kissed her.
As he returned to his tent, deep in thought, a shocking realisation hit him square in the gut.
For the first time in a long time, he’d almost felt human again.
Chapter Five
At sunrise, the guards milled about the campsite. Some were having breakfast while others were setting up the caravan to continue their journey back to the castle. Ortega and Krako stood guard on the perimeter.
“Did you notice the prince wasn’t himself last night?” Ortega asked. “I expected him to disappear with a couple of wenches as soon as we entered the tavern, but he paid no mind to any of them.”
Krako nodded. “Aye. He certainly had his pick of willing bed mates.”
“The curse of our Lycan blood is not the monsters we become every full moon to protect the kingdom, but the lust coursing through our veins continuously to find our soul mate.”
Krako raised a brow. “You believe in that part of the legend?”
Ortega shrugged. “It must be true. Look at how much the prince has changed since we all turned. He thirsts for wenches as much as you thirst for your ale.”
“You would think with all the bed mates he has acquired he would have already found his mate.”
Ortega shook his head. “Nay. The legend says your thirst for flesh will not be quenched. You can bed fifty women in one night when your time to mate has arrived, but if you do not bed your one, your lust only increases with each full moon.”
Krako raised a brow. “Do you suppose our turn will come and we will have the same thirst as the prince?”
“If the legend is true, yes.”
“That is why the king set up the Royal Contest, to help his son find his one sooner than later.”
Ortega nodded. “Better sooner, than later, my friend. Another delay and the king will raise the castle roof if we show up to the Royal Contest late.”
Krako’s face darkened. “Aye, but we risk being late because he bedded three wenches in the last village, my friend. I, too, would risk the king’s ire for a lust-filled night with three beauties. I’ve known him to be with two wenches, but three? When I saw him disappear into the back room with them, I would have given away all my coin to experience what he did.”
Ortega’s face darkened. “Aye, the prince must have been well sated by those beauties, especially the light haired one with the big bosom.”
They both chuckled.
Krako fell silent first. “But that night was before he met Alexandra. Last night he could have bedded two wenches within minutes of entering the tavern, but he denied them both.”
Ortega nodded. “Do you think Alex is his one?”
Krako growled. “My friend, if we should be so lucky.”
* * * *
After she relieved herself in a private, secluded area, Alex went back to her tent. The sun was rising and the camp was already rustling with activity. She glanced at the guards packing away their gear while others sat on crates eating their breakfast.
She thought of Vasilis and smiled, her spirits lifting. She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit she was excited about having breakfast with him. He was going to kiss her last night. She was sure of it—and she would have welcomed it.
The sound of deep voices stilled her thoughts. It was Ortega and Krako behind the corralled horses.
She heard Krako say, “Aye, but we risk being late because he bedded three wenches in the last village, my friend. I, too, would risk the king’s ire for a lust-filled night with three beauties. I’ve known him to be with two wenches, but three? When I saw him disappear into the back room with them, I would have given away all my coin to experience what he did.”
Then Ortega said, “Aye, the prince must have been well sated by those beauties, especially the light haired one with the big bosom.”
They both chuckled.
Alex froze. So last night he’d been with three women? At the same time? She hurried back to her tent before she heard more. How soon after or before he’d nearly kissed her had he been with them? She felt ill. Ill and furious! What a fool she’d been, thinking he wanted to kiss her because he liked her or even cared for her. He’d just wanted to add her as another notch to his bedpost, she thought resentfully. She slipped into her tent, careful not to wake Ariel and the healer and crawled back into her cot. Well, let him wait for her then! She wasn’t going to have breakfast with him.
An hour later, she was up having breakfast with Ariel and the healer near a clearing by the horses.
She looked up and tensed as she watched Vasilis stride purposefully toward them. “Did you not say you would breakfast with me?” he asked abruptly once he reached them.
She pursed her lips. “I did.”
He raised a brow as he glanced down at the bread in her hand. “I went to your tent and didn’t find you.”
Alex shrugged. “Well, I’m here.”
Suddenly his face darkened. “Did I misunderstand you last night?”
She gave him a pointed look. “We both misunderstood each other last night.” Alex had had enough. Ignoring him, she smiled at Ariel. “Eat up, honey. We’ll go for a walk around the camp this morning.”
“A short walk,” Vasilis said abruptly. “We leave in an hour.” Without another word, he left.
Hesta chuckled, giving Alex an interested look. “My child, what have you done to the prince?”
“Nothing.” After what she’d heard this morning, she’d better not forget her initial plan, to win the contest, wed him and never let him touch her.
Ortega and Krako appeared before them and Alex smiled up at them.
“Good morning,” she said,
Ortega cleared his throat. “His Highness asked that we accompany you and your sister on your walk around the camp.”
Her smile froze. “Oh? Well, you can go back to His Highness and tell him I wish to have some alone time with my sister and will be taking the walk without you.”
Now she was irked. Who the hell did the prince think he was ordering her around? If he thought she was one of those wenches he could do with as he pleased, he had another think coming.
“I said,” she replied slowly, “tell him I refused your chaperone.”
“Aye,” Ortega said, looking nervous as he left with Krako.
“Alex, are you mad at the prince?” Ariel asked once the guards left.
“No, honey. I’m not.” She leaned over and kissed her sister on the head. “I want to have our walk alone. Just you and me.”
“Uh, is the prince mad at you?”
Alex laughed, but it sounded strained to her ears. “Of course not.”
Ariel didn’t look convinced as she looked over Alex’s shoulder. “Er…he’s coming back, Alex and he looks real mad.”
The healer chuckled under her breath and Alex stiffened, scowling at her.
“Ortega and Krako will accompany you and that’s an order, woman,” Vasilis said, planting his massive form in front of her.
His two guards stood behind him, looking very uncomfortable. Alex fastened her gaze on Vasilis and clenched her teeth. “I don’t take orders from anyone. I will be walking with my sister alone this morning.”
Vasilis’s face turned a dark shade of red. She saw him clench both fists at his sides. Anyone else should have been frightened by his imposing stance, but Alex wasn’t. She’d faced more threatening perils in her life than an arrogant, conceited, womanizing prince.
A deep growl rose from his throat and Alex parted her lips in shock at the sound. It was inhuman. She stared at his eyes and drew back sharply as a yellow tint seemed to glow from their dark depths. Was the sun causing this strange reflection? His low growl rose and his face darkened with rage.
“Your Highness, no!” Ortega said loudly as Krako grabbed Vasilis by the arm.
* * * *
Vasilis inhaled sharply as he took a staggering step back. He’d almost lost control and in broad daylight! Damnation, this woman was driving him to the brink of insanity. He stared at her ashen face, her lips parted in surprise, her breasts rising and falling and he willed his hammering heart to slow down. He’d almost lost control. He’d almost shifted in his Lycan form and raised his head to the heavens to release a pent up, frustrated, outraged howl. He felt Krako’s hand on his arm and shot his guard an angry look.
“At ease,” he barked.
Krako immediately withdrew his hand.
Vasilis drew in another sharp breath and looked back down at Alex. If not for the people around them, he would have taken her in his arms and surrendered to his baser need. His need to claim her. To take her and make her his.
At the thought, he stiffened violently. He’d never wanted to claim a woman in his life. He’d only wanted to bed them and temporarily sate his lust. He stared incredulously at Alex. No, this was impossible. There was no woman alive who could tame and calm his beast forever. One woman for all eternity? Ridiculous heresay, he scoffed mentally. The legend was not true.
Tearing his gaze away from hers, he looked at Ariel who was staring at him with wide eyes. He swallowed hard, pushing the bewitching Amazon from his mind. “Have your walk with your sister alone, little one. Ortega will come and tell you two when we’re about to leave.”
Ariel nodded slowly. “Okay.”
With a curt nod to Alex, he turned on his heel and left. In the privacy of his own tent, he went to his basin and splashed cold water on his face. He swore roughly under his breath as another rush of heat tightened his loins. He still wanted her. He still lusted after her. Dear God, he still wanted to claim her and make her his forever.
Was he going mad? How could one woman affect him with such powerful force when he could have anyone he wanted?
He stiffened. Was his father right? Was it time for Vasilis to mate?
Alex’s beautiful face swam before his eyes and he clenched his jaw as his heart thudded in his chest. Her sweet scent still hovered around him, seducing him, teasing him and he threw back his head, squeezed his eyes and released a long, gut wrenching howl.
“Dear God,” he whispered hoarsely when he fell silent. “What the hell is happening to me?”
Chapter Six
Alex stared at Ariel napping on her lap. The wagon came to a stop and she looked up and saw Malek riding back along the caravan, informing everyone this was their last stop before they arrived at the royal palace tomorrow. Alex nodded at him as he rode past her wagon and she caught the hint of a smile on his face.
Vasilis had avoided her all day and she still hadn’t told him she’d be competing for his hand in marriage. More importantly, she hadn’t told him she would never assume the role of a real wife. At her first opportunity, she’d tell him, but for now, she had a bigger worry to contend with.
She touched Ariel’s cheek for the tenth time. Her sister was warmer than yesterday and the shadows under her eyes were darker. She stirred on her lap and Alex murmured soft words to settle her.
She had to see the healer now. The old woman had to do something. It could take weeks before Alex settled and found a healer.
Gently, she settled Ariel on the makeshift bed. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” she whispered as she kissed her on the forehead and went to the edge of the wagon. She slid down to the ground.
She heard Ariel’s dry cough in the wagon and her stomach twisted in fear as she ran to the healer who was up ahead on her horse. She passed Vasilis talking to Ortega, both of them on horseback and didn’t even bother stopping to acknowledge them. What if the healer couldn’t do anything, she thought with rising panic? She choked back on a sob when she felt a firm hand on her elbow halting her sprint.
Vasilis spun her around and she stared up at his handsome face shadowed with concern.
“What is it?” he asked, gripping her firmly by the arms.
It was the first time he’d spoken to her all day since that dreadful breakfast scene. She tried to pull away from his grasp. “Let me go. I have to see Hesta.”
He ran his gaze over her face. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he asked roughly, his hold tightening.
She saw his concern deepen his features and she released a shaky breath. “It’s Ariel. She’s ill. I think she has a fever.”
His mouth tensed and he straightened immediately, letting her go. “Return to the little one,” he said, his tone firm. “I’ll be there in a moment with the healer.”
She nodded, the back of her eyes pricking. She blinked rapidly. “Th…thank you.” She watched him dip his gaze to her quivering mouth and he swallowed hard.
“Go,” he ordered.
She nodded again and ran back to the wagon. A few moments later, she sat next to Ariel and her heart filled with utter dismay. Ariel’s breath started to come out in small rasps. Alex panicked. She knew that sound. Her sister was having a hard time breathing again.
She placed her hand over Ariel’s heart and felt it race. “Breathe, baby. Please, breathe,” she said, choking back on a sob.
Alex winced at the familiar wheezing she’d heard so often in the past. She inhaled sharply, fearing the worst. A gentle hand on her shoulder startled her and she looked up and saw Vasilis towering over them.
“Fear not. The healer will take care of her,” he said deeply, his concern reaching down and calming a remote region of her heart. She nodded numbly. “Come,” he said gently as he took her hand and helped her rise.
The healer bent over Ariel, touching her forehead. “This child has a fever.”
Alex raised a shaky hand to her mouth. “Can you…can you help her?”
The healer shot her a grave look. “I’ll try, child, but her breathing is worrying me.”
“She…she’s had trouble breathing all her life.” She noticed Vasilis snap his gaze to her. “The attacks have been coming more frequent this past year.”
“I see,” Hesta said, redirecting her attention to her patient. She pressed
the skin behind Ariel’s ears, touched her wrist and waited and then gently roused Ariel to awaken.
“Open your mouth, child. I need to look inside.” Sleepily Ariel did as she was told and the healer looked in her throat.
“Alex, I’m not feeling well,” Ariel whimpered. “My…my chest hurts.”
“I know, baby. That’s why the healer is here, to make you better. Just do as she says and everything is going to be all right,” Alex said.
For the first time, Ariel’s eyes brightened, but only for a brief moment as a fit of wheezing wracked her little body. Alex wanted to die. She felt so helpless, so useless and wished she could do something.
“I’ll be better now?” Ariel asked. “Like you said, I’ll grow up big and strong and be happy?”
Alex swallowed the painful knot in her throat. She couldn’t speak, so she smiled tremulously and nodded.
The healer was busy searching for something in her bag as Ariel looked at Vasilis. She smiled shyly up at him. “I’m glad Alex won the contest,” she said weakly. “She said I’d feel better when she became your princess.”
The healer placed her hand on Ariel’s cheek and said, “Hush, now, child. You must rest while I put this on your chest.”
Ariel’s weak state had her confused and Alex panicked. She thought Alex already won the contest and she’d hired the healer who was going to save her. She stole a glance at Vasilis standing silently at her side and braced herself, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at Ariel, his expression sombre.
“You will feel better, little one. Very soon,” he added quietly. As Ariel closed her eyes, he turned to Alex and his expression hardened.
“Let the healer work. Come with me,” he ordered, grabbing her arm.
She shrugged herself out of his grasp. “No. I don’t want to leave Ariel.”
“Go with the master, child,” Hesta intervened. “Your sister will sleep now. She won’t even know you’re gone.”
Numbly, she nodded and let Vasilis help her off the wagon. Without a word, he took her hand and led her to a wooded area past the side of the road, away from everyone. She practically ran to keep up with his quick, long stride.