by 1
Hesta tied the bodice with the laces along Alex’s back and told her to turn around and face the mirror. Alex did so slowly, smiling at Ariel’s gasp of pleasure. She looked in the mirror and froze.
Was that her? She…she looked different. All feminine and pretty and soft. She brought a hand up to the dress’s neckline and flushed at her cleavage, recalling too readily Vasilis’s mouth and hands on her skin. She drew in a shaky breath and focused on her image. Her gaze went over her small waist, her bare arms, the black lace trimming the edges of the gown and she inhaled though her nose. Slowly, she turned to the uncommonly silent Hesta.
“How do I look?” she asked quietly. She knew Hesta wouldn’t mince words. She would tell her the truth.
“Child, you look breathtaking. The master’s heart will cease to beat when he sees you.”
Alex was relieved. She wanted to look nice for him tonight. The door opened. It was the woman who said she would escort Alex to the great hall.
She paused at the door, smiling. “You look beautiful, Milady.”
“Thank you,” Alex said shyly.
She’d never seen herself as a great beauty. Her ego always lay with her strength, and her weapons and combat skills. For the first time, she felt feminine and it made her feel uncertain.
“Are you ready?” the woman asked.
“Yes.” Alex kissed Ariel, told her to be a good girl for Hesta and then smiled at the healer. “I won’t be long.”
Hesta chuckled. “Child, after tonight, the master won’t let you out of his sight.”
Alex followed the woman down two flights of the grand staircase through the hall until they reached the massive double doors of the great hall. She heard harps and violins playing inside and the sound of loud conversation. Loud male conversation. The woman opened one of the doors and on nervous legs, Alex entered the room.
The great hall was exquisite with massive chandeliers, magnificent balconies lining the room above and an immensely long table draped in silk. The castle servants were going around the table filling crystal goblets. She froze.
Where were the women?
The table was filled with about thirty royal guards, all dressed in their finest warrior garb. She took an uncertain step forward, looking for Vasilis. The king sat at on one end of the table and on the other sat Vasilis, looking every bit as handsome and strong as she remembered. He was speaking with Malek seated to his right and her heart fluttered as she stood there, wondering what to do next.
As if sensing her presence, Vasilis stopped talking and slowly turned his head toward her. From where she stood, she could see him stiffen as he slowly lowered his goblet. One by one, the noise around the table stopped as all male eyes focused on her. She couldn’t look at anyone because Vasilis’s dark gaze held hers captive as he rose and made his way toward her. He seemed tense, his mouth almost a thin line, as he drew near to her. When he stopped, towering before her, she saw a curious muscle clicking maddeningly along his strong jaw. His gaze flickered over her appearance, resting a bit longer on her breasts. When he looked into her eyes, she felt breathless.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his tone deeper than she remembered.
“Thank you,” she replied in a small voice.
He put out his arm and she took it gratefully as he led her back to the grand table. He pulled the seat out on his left and she sat down. Malek smiled at her and she smiled back nervously.
“Welcome, Alex,” the king said loudly from the other end of the table.
“Thank you for having me here,” she replied.
“The pleasure is mine, my dear, as you will shortly be my daughter-in-law.” He raised his glass to her and the guards followed suit.
Alex froze. She hadn’t yet spoken to Vasilis about that and gave him a guarded look.
The king and the guards went about their conversations as Alex picked up her glass and took a sip of wine. She’d never gotten drunk in her life, but getting tipsy now didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“The contest is cancelled,” Vasilis began without preamble. “My father is announcing it tomorrow morning and we will wed in the evening.”
She was speechless.
His mouth tensed. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Didn’t you come here to compete for my hand in marriage?”
“Yes, but…but…” This was too easy. “Why are you doing this?” she asked quietly.
His face was grim. “Hesta is a miracle worker with her teas and herbs and I will have her care for Ariel even if you refuse to marry me,” he said abruptly. “But that would solve only part of your problem. If you marry me, I will make sure you and your sister are taken care of for the rest of your lives.”
“Why?” she whispered.
“And we can be married only in name,” he said roughly. “The only thing I ask is in the eves when it is time to retire, you sleep with me.”
Alex’s problems were solved—and she didn’t even have to compete with all those women. Ariel would have the treatment she needed and a chance at a grand life and Alex would never have to worry about their future.
A mixture of happiness and disappointment coursed through her veins, but it was the disappointment that disturbed her. He would marry her in name only, he said. He didn’t want to bed her because he would bed other wenches after they wed.
His face darkened. “Do we have an arrangement?”
He was right. It was what she wanted. “Yes,” she whispered.
He seemed to relax and lifted his goblet to take a drink. She was dying to ask him if he was going to bed other wenches, but she couldn’t very well ask that, could she? She had no right. He’d given her what she wanted and he wouldn’t have to go through the ordeal of a contest tomorrow. As well, she realised in afterthought, she knew he genuinely cared about Ariel and he must have been doing this for her.
The servants began serving dinner, roasted lamb, and she ate slowly, trying not to overly analyze his feelings toward her because the answers she kept coming up with left her feeling discouraged.
She was starting to care for him and the thought of him being with other women distressed her.
“Are you enjoying the lamb?” he asked.
“Mm, yes. Thank you.”
“Ariel liked the gowns and nightwear I sent her?”
Shame made her face grow warm. “Oh, yes. Vasilis, I’m sorry I didn’t thank you right away for your generous gifts.”
He gave her a hooded look. “You liked your gowns?”
She smiled at him. “I did. They’re all lovely.”
He nodded, his expression satisfied. “Alex, there are things you need to know.”
Slowly she put her fork down and looked at him. “Okay.”
“The king, the royal guards and most of the villagers are Lycans. The ones who are still human can choose to turn whenever they want. My father, me, the guards—our oath is to protect our people.”
She didn’t say a word and he continued grimly. “Our palace was attacked years ago by our evil kind on a full moon. It took one bite and we turned instantly, but we all refused to follow them and so we fought that night for our lives, our families, our land and we drove them away. Since then, on every full moon, the castle doesn’t sleep. We’ve had battles since, but less and less over the years.” He paused. “I am immortal, Alex. Our castle was attacked over two hundred years ago.”
“I know.”
His brows went up.
“The man who taught me everything I know was a very wise and knowledgeable man. He was my mentor. My teacher. He was the father I never had,” she said, her voice breaking.
“He was the one who told you of my kind.”
“Yes.”
“I would like to hear about him,” Vasilis said quietly.
Surprisingly, she heard him above the noise in the room and oddly enough, she felt as though they were the only two people in the great hall.
“I was eighteen at the time and I was coming home from the market. My father had jus
t remarried and my stepmother sent me to pick up some wheat. Anyway, I was still grieving over my mother’s death a couple of months prior and I was walking home, sobbing. I didn’t want the town folk to see me so I took a different path home. I happened along a small road and met a nice man. He lived in a small hut tucked away in the woods. I remembered my stepmother talking about him, calling him the yellow skinned man with the slanted eyes.” She tensed her mouth. “He was different and everyone avoided him, but I didn’t. I went back to see him nearly every day.”
“He taught you how to fight.”
“Yes. I trained with him for six years, but that wasn’t the only thing he taught me. I learned to read and write. He taught me philosophy and astronomy. And…and he told me about Lycans.”
“I see. Did he ever see one?”
“No, but he believed they existed. That’s why he fashioned all my weapons out of pure silver.” Her gaze fell. “He died in his sleep six months ago. I was the one who discovered him.”
“I’m sorry.”
She reached for her wine, giving him a small smile. “It’s okay.”
“And your father?”
“He died when Ariel was one year old.”
“So it was just you, Ariel and your stepmother the past few years.”
She nodded, unable to speak.
“Am I correct in assuming you’ve been more mother than sister to Ariel since she was born?”
She didn’t want to talk about this. “Yes, please can we drop this sub—”
“Your stepmother marked your back, didn’t she?” he asked, his tone dropping dangerously.
“Yes.” She saw him clench his fist on the table as he inhaled sharply though his nose.
“I cannot allow her to get away with this.”
“Vasilis,” Alex said. “She’s dead. I…I killed her the day before I received the royal parchment for the Royal Contest. I packed up Ariel and myself and left right after that.”
“What happened?” he asked, but she could see the black of his eyes changing colour. Turning amber.
“Vasilis,” she urged, taking his hand in hers. He blinked and looked down at their hands. When he raised his gaze to hers, his eyes had returned to normal. “I killed her because she was about to hurt Ariel. For years, I suffered her abuse so she wouldn’t harm Ariel. She was about to take the whip to Ariel because she was having a breathing attack and wouldn’t stop. I snapped and fought her. She lunged at me with a knife, we scuffled and I stabbed her.”
“I would kill her myself today if she were alive,” he said, his dangerously soft tone hinting at the violent truth behind his words.
She believed him. “It’s over now.”
“Yes. To beginnings.”
“To beginnings,” she whispered back, removing her hand from his and taking her glass.
She didn’t exactly know what she was toasting to, but she prayed he meant them.
* * * *
Vasilis and Alex stood behind the king as he faced the crowd of women.
King Drago raised his hand and all the women fell silent. “I have an announcement to make. Some of you may not like what I have to say, but once you hear me speak, I am sure you will all be satisfied.” He paused, looking around the crowd. “I am cancelling the contest today. My son has already chosen his bride.”
A deep, wide grumble rose from the crowd and King Drago raised his hand again. “We will be handing out bags of coin and gold to all of you for your time and trouble.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact one of us could have been crowned princess,” someone yelled from the crowd.
Alex peered into the large group of women and tried to see who said that.
“Yes, one of you would have been crowned princess and the rest of you would have left empty handed. This way all of you are winners because you all go home with coin. Coin and gold more than sufficient for the time you took to come here.” A mumble of satisfaction ran through the crowd until one by one, the women applauded.
“And now,” the king continued, “I want you all to welcome Alexandra.” He motioned Alex to step forward and she did so nervously.
She knew every woman here had her own story for competing in the contest and she wasn’t without understanding.
The women applauded respectfully and Alex smiled with relief, looking over her shoulder briefly at Vasilis. He stared at her with a look on his face that took her breath away. It was possessive, warm and proud.
Chapter Nine
She was getting married in a few hours.
She stared out of the window and watched castle employees dismantle the tents. She withdrew from the window and went to see Ariel.
She was taking her afternoon nap in the massive bed. Alex smiled as she recalled last night after the dinner when she had slept with Ariel. She had had to tell her three bedtime stories to get her to sleep finally, from all the excitement of staying in the castle. Alex kissed her sister on the forehead and checked the water jug. It needed filling. She picked it up and went to the door, giving Ariel one last look before leaving.
As Alex descended the grand staircase and passed the great hall, she heard loud noises coming from inside. The maid had told her earlier the guards would be celebrating with the prince on his upcoming wedding and she wondered if women were present at this party. She swallowed the wave of jealousy threatening to suffocate her. Pursing her mouth, she passed the great hall and made her way to the kitchen.
Hesta told her if she needed water, it was out in the back of the kitchen, through large doors that led to an outdoor well. After a few minutes of walking through the vast castle, Alex found the well.
She placed her jug on the ground and, as she leaned forward to grab the pulley, heard an angry female voice behind her, making her jump.
“I would have won the contest.”
Alex turned around and saw a tall, dark haired woman standing by the shed. She seemed unkempt in a soiled dress and messy hair.
The woman gave her a malevolent glare and for a split second, Alex was afraid. There was something odd about her face, her eyes. Alex frowned, peering closer at the woman’s face and gasped, jumping back. Her irises were changing colour. They were turning amber.
“You’re a Lycan,” Alex whispered, staring at the scratches on her neck.
“Ah, so you’re familiar with my kind,” the woman growled. “You ruined all my chances. For that you will die.” She brought a rough hand up to her neck and clawed her skin, nearly drawing blood with her nails.
Alex was too numb to be afraid. “No.”
“Yes. I could have finally been happy.”
Alex tried to remain calm. “Ma’am, you must realise how crazy this sounds. I don’t even know you. The king gave you gold.”
She spat angrily on the ground. “Do you think a few paltry pieces of gold would make me happy? I wanted it all. I deserve it all after the hell I’ve lived with for two years.”
“You turned two years ago?” Alex asked, playing for time. Surely, someone was going to come along soon.
“Yes and I would have preferred death to living like this, with ants crawling all over my body, day and night, scratching me, tormenting me. When I heard of the Royal Contest, I realised some good could come from my condition. You see, even in my human form I possess incredible strength and speed—and I would have won!” she screeched.
Alex ran a quick gaze around her to see if she could find anything sharp that was made of silver. Nothing! She brought her gaze back to the woman. Maybe she could calm her down.
“Look, I’m sorry you wasted your time. I understand you had hopes of winning this contest, but you must know I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn’t ask the prince to choose me.”
The woman’s face twisted with torment as she brought her hands up to her face and dragged her nails up and down her gaunt cheeks. “I can’t stop them from crawling all over my body! Make them stop! Please make them stop!” she pleaded desperately.
Alex
sucked in a harsh breath. This woman wasn’t evil. She was mentally unstable and needed help. She took a step toward her. “It’s…it’s going to be okay. Let me get you help.”
The woman screeched again and clenched her fists at her sides, glaring at Alex with hatred and rage on her face. “Bitch! You bitch! Because of you, now I will never be happy. My skin will always crawl with maggots and worms and ants. I will never find peace under my skin. Never!”
She then shifted into a seven foot Lycan as Alex recoiled in horror.
* * * *
Vasilis took a big swig of his ale. He looked around him and watched his guards enjoying themselves. He was getting married soon and judging by the drinking and laughter around him, he knew his royal guards were satisfied with his choice for a bride.
King Drago chuckled at Vasilis’s side. “I think Hesta will have a few patients to attend to later. Krako has nearly drunk a keg to himself.”
Vasilis tried concentrating on what his father was saying, but all he could think of was Alex. A marriage in name only! He grimaced. He was mad! After what happened yesterday in his tent, he didn’t think he could control himself with her anymore. Still, he didn’t want to rush her into anything she wasn’t ready for and in time, he would make her grow to love him.
He froze. Love? Where did that come from?
His father made a comment to him about Ortega’s intake of ale when something violent slammed into Vasilis’s gut. He dropped his glass of ale and it crashed to the floor, splintering in a thousand pieces. He sucked in a harsh breath, swearing roughly as he staggered to his feet.
“Son, what is it?”
“I don’t know.” Vasilis said, breathing hard. “I…I feel something. Holy Mother of God! I think it’s Alex,” he rasped.
Stunned at the powerful feel of her everywhere, he swallowed hard and looked wildly around him. What the hell was happening? He could feel her. Sense her. His Lycan blood pounded in his ears. His heart raced with terror. She was in mortal danger!