"No!" Anna's voice was panicky but clear, and it was enough to make Roman pause. The man beneath him struggled, trying to say something, but no words came out.
"Leave him alone," Anna said, coming closer. He could hear her trying to suppress the tremor in her voice, and fail. Roman raised his head, looking at her, and she flinched back but then stepped forward again. Her hands were outstretched, making little calming gestures.
Under him, the assassin whimpered with relief and closed his eyes. Roman cocked his head at his mate, trying to think. The blood-lust of the hunting lion was strong, but his mate clearly didn't want to see him kill this man.
Let her look away then, his lion said. This man attacked us! Threatened her! He has to die.
But Roman couldn't do it. Not with Anna there. It wasn't simply that she didn't want to watch him make the kill. No, he could see in her eyes that she didn't want the man killed at all. And Roman didn't want to do something that would traumatize her.
Calming himself, Roman relaxed. Better this way, he told himself, trying to convince his lion. He might lead me to whoever sent him against my family, and that's who I really want. No point in killing one attacker at a time when we can find their nest.
The lion grumbled at that but gave in. Stepping off the assassin, Roman raised a paw, showing his sharp, dagger-like claws and seeing the fear in the man's eyes. He waited a moment and then slammed the paw down, sheathing the claws as he struck. The heavy blow knocked the attacker's head against the concrete floor, leaving him unconscious but still breathing.
Once he was sure the man was safely out, Roman turned to Anna and shifted back into his human form.
"I'm sorry," he said. He could feel the grin spreading across his face, a reaction to the exhilaration of surviving an attempt on his life. "I wish you hadn't had to see that."
Anna stared at him, and he realized that he was bleeding. And naked on top of it, but her eyes were on his side where blood trickled from a wound. "Don't worry, it was just a glancing blow," he told her, looking down to check his injury. The silver bullet had scored a red mark across his ribs, but only that. He shook his head, only now realizing how close that bullet had come to doing him a real injury.
"Shouldn't you be calling the police or Royal Security or something?" Anna asked, her face white with shock. She crossed the distance to him, and Roman was impressed by her courage. Most people would run away from a man they saw transforming into a lion and back again, but she was made of sterner stuff.
Even so, she shook like a leaf as she approached. Roman stayed still, not wanting to spook her any more than he already had, and let her look at him. Her eyes were wide in wonder as she reached out to touch him. Her trembling fingers brushed over the wound on his side and her eyes met his, full of emotions he couldn't place. He saw fear there, and hope, and doubt.
"I didn't mean to—" she started, and then she was falling backward in a faint.
7
Anna came slowly back to consciousness in the darkness, her eyes blinking open. For a moment she wondered at the strange dream she'd been having, not sure whether it had been a nightmare or not. She'd warned Roman Alexander of an assassin, seen him shift, and seen him spare the man who'd tried to kill him.
Oh, she realized as she sat up. That wasn't a dream, was it?
The room around her was unfamiliar, but even in the darkness she could tell it was huge. The bed alone was bigger than some rooms she'd slept in, and the echoing space beyond it felt bigger than her whole apartment back home. Blearily, she pulled off the light cover and swung her feet to the floor.
Where am I? The carpet underfoot was thick and luxurious, and now that her eyes were adjusting, she could see daylight leaking around the edges of a curtain. Memories bubbled up from her subconscious, and she had to hold down an edge of panic as she crossed the room to pull open the curtains.
Light streamed in, illuminating a room that looked like something out of a museum. It was even bigger than she'd thought, and the walls were covered with pictures. Paintings of people dressed in the clothes of centuries gone by shared the room with landscapes showing the Leotanian mountains, and inevitably a portrait of the late King. The bed she'd slept in was a heavy wooden antique itself, and the rest of the furniture matched it. The only thing that didn't look like it belonged in a history book was her bag, incongruously sitting on a dresser. Beside it was a box wrapped in a ribbon.
Oh crap, I'm in his home, Anna realized, and for a moment considered fleeing out of the window. One look out dispelled that idea: the view was stunning, looking out over the mountains, and the drop was far steeper than anything she'd dare try to climb. Peering down, she gulped, seeing the cliff-edge below.
No, I'm clearly not leaving that way, she told herself, trying to think. She wasn't locked up, which meant Roman likely didn't know that she'd been part of the attempt on his life. That was good news. On the other hand, she'd failed her mission, and she didn't know how she felt about that. Not yet.
Looking down at herself she was relieved to see that she had been put to bed in her clothes. She didn't want to think about the alternative, about Roman stripping her, his fingers undoing her jeans and... I said I don't want to think about that! She pushed the thought away, flushing and biting her lip, and hurried to the dresser.
In front of the bag was a note.
Dear Anna,
Good morning, I hope you slept well. I'm sorry if waking here is a shock, but rest assured you are safe in my home. I didn't know where else to take you, since I have no contact details for your family or friends. I've taken the liberty of sending up some clothes for you. If there is anything else you need, ring the bell and a servant will attend to you.
I hope I shall see you for breakfast in the morning.
Roman
Anna dropped the note and looked up at the box. She had clothes in her luggage, of course, but an old t-shirt and comfortable jeans would hardly fit in while she was staying in a castle. She hadn't packed anything remotely appropriate for that. On the other hand, what would her father say if she took comfort from the enemy?
She didn't really have a choice, she told herself. She had to have something to wear while she was there, and there wasn't anywhere else to get it. But it still didn't feel right to take a gift from Roman. She wasn't sure whether it was because he was her enemy, or that he didn't know that she was his enemy, but something was wrong with taking it. Putting off the decision, she looked for a bathroom to clean up first.
Behind the first door she tried was an en suite bathroom that was beautiful enough to make her stare. Unlike the bedroom, the bathroom was modern with heated flooring and gorgeous fittings. Anna looked at the beautiful bathtub, freestanding with golden lion's feet supporting it. She was drawn to it, imagining soaking in hot water, but then shook herself and turned to the large shower cubicle set against the wall. Better to be done fast as I can, she told herself, quickly pulling off her clothes and jumping under the hot water. It was a luxurious experience after the last day's events, and she had to force herself to not dally too long.
Someone had left her a bathrobe, slung over a heated towel rack. Feeling much more human, Anna made her way back to the bedroom and looked again at the box Roman left for her. It can't hurt to have a look, she thought as she undid the bow.
She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but the outfit inside was a simple skirt and blouse, along with black underwear to match. Looking at it dubiously, she picked it up. It wasn't, she was half glad and half disappointed to find, anything particularly exciting. She'd feared that he'd try and dress her up in something slinky and low-cut, and Anna wasn't sure how she would have responded to that. Part of her would have welcomed it, she knew, and that scared her.
Glad that she didn't have to worry about it, she dressed quickly and found that everything fit her perfectly. While the cut wasn't daring, the way it accentuated her curvy figure was stunning. Looking at herself in the mirror, she turned this way and that admiring he
rself in surprise.
It was a remarkable transformation. Before she'd been bedraggled in wrinkled jeans and a t-shirt. Now, despite her damp hair, she looked elegant in a way that she had never managed before. The clothes fit her curves in a way that even she had to admit looked good, despite herself.
I'm not sure what to think about that, she thought, frowning at her reflection. How did he find clothes that fit me so well anyway? It was a little disconcerting, but she didn't want to abandon this new good look. She couldn't help wondering how Roman would feel about it, and imagining his burning amber eyes on her made her blush again.
Stop that! It's time to find a way out of here. She tried to be firm with herself and shake off the thought of him, but it wasn't easy. Taking a deep breath, she slipped out into the corridor.
* * *
Roman growled to himself as he paced the floor of his rooms. It had been years since he'd spent any time in the castle, and the fact that it might well now belong to him was finally starting to sink in. The place was ancient and beautiful in its centuries-old way, but it was also annoyingly out of date in many ways. His phone had no signal here, the landline in the office wasn't connected, and there was no internet access at all. I'll soon put that right, he snarled.
"Prince Roman?" a voice interrupted his angry pacing. "I apologize for keeping you waiting, sir."
He turned to see a woman looking up at him from the doorway, and blinked as he recognized her. Sophie. They'd hardly talked since childhood; after the attack Roman and his brothers had been sent out of the country quickly. Even before that, she'd been kept away from the princes. He could hardly blame her parents for that, not after being near the princes had nearly gotten her killed.
In the years since then she'd taken on her father's position as Chief Secretary to the King, and it suited her. She looked efficient and calm, though Roman thought he saw a hint of nerves in her eyes. The old fashioned style of her suit and the deliberately severe way she wore her hair pulled back made her look like she was in mourning. She probably is, Roman realized. Just because he and his brothers didn't care for their grandfather didn't mean that his staff weren't moved by his death.
And now I've just arrived and already I want to throw my weight around. Maybe that's not the best first impression to give on my return.
"Please come in, Sophie," he said, forcing down his impatience and anger and gesturing to a seat. He threw himself into the chair behind the desk and looked at her. He might not know Sophie well, but she'd run the castle for his grandfather for years and he had to respect that. Anyone who could keep up with the old man's demands and temper must be pretty capable.
"Thank you, Highness," she said as she sat. "How can I help you?"
"You can start by knocking off the 'Highness' stuff, Sophie. We grew up together, remember? Just use my name for God's sake. Secondly, I want to know what security has learned about the attack on Anna and me at the airport."
"As you wish, Roman." Sophie looked pained as she left off his title. Her tone was coolly deferential, but she was clearly a little unhappy dropping the formality. "The attack is, of course, a serious concern. There haven't been any rebel cells active in the country for a decade now, and we had no reason to suspect that you would be attacked on your journey."
Her face darkened as she looked at the papers on her clipboard and she seemed reluctant to meet his eyes. "I should have taken better precautions and had security meet you at the airport."
Roman shook his head decisively. "No, Sophie. I arranged to make my own way here, and it's not your fault that you followed my instructions. I wouldn't have thanked you for sending me a security detail, and practically speaking, we might not know that someone is targeting me if you had. The assassin probably wouldn't have attacked if I'd been surrounded by guards."
"Nonetheless," Sophie said, "we won't put you at risk again. You'll have security from now on."
Roman sighed but didn't argue. The poor woman was already upset that she had let him get attacked and refusing her attempts to keep him safe would only make her more anxious. But he had no intention of having strangers following him and Anna around. We can have that argument later, he thought. Even if I do end up followed by guards it will only be for a little while.
Unless I'm picked to be king, he thought glumly. The idea of being surrounded by security for the rest of his life didn't sound very appealing. Even less than being stuck in this castle.
"I'm more interested in catching whoever attacked me and dealing with them properly than I am in worrying about another attack," he said, sidelining the question of bodyguards for the time being.
"Of course," Sophie said, a small smile showing on her face. If Roman was any judge, she approved of that. Maybe it reminds her of my grandfather. "The police will investigate every lead, but as of yet there is little to go on. Your arrival wasn't advertised, and per your instructions, hardly anyone aside from me knew when to expect you. It's possible that the rebels were watching arrivals for you since the King passed away, but it's unlikely. The airport's security would have spotted who stayed around like that, and the security tapes don't show anything.
"Instead, the attacker seems to have moved into position exactly as your plane was disembarking. He must have known when you were going to arrive precisely, despite the delay."
Roman thought about that. Anyone could have looked up the flight's arrival time, but who had known what flight to watch? Only his brothers and the staff at the castle should have known, but there were ways to find such things out. Maybe I was already under observation; if someone's hacked my emails they'd have the details.
If that was the case, then they wouldn't have much luck from now on. Without an internet connection, he wasn't going to be doing any business over emails. That was possibly the only advantage to the lack of modern technology in the castle.
"What about whoever drove the car down for me?"
"That was me," Sophie said. "And one of the security team who drove me back to the castle after I parked it for you. And that was a day before you arrived, so if someone was watching for that they would still have been waiting around for a day. No, someone knew when you were getting in exactly."
Roman growled angrily. "What about the attacker? Has he said anything?"
"No. He has been entirely uncooperative, and claims to have acted entirely alone," Sophie told him. "The security services will continue to question him of course, but truthfully, he probably doesn't know much. The attackers are unlikely to have sent someone with any detailed knowledge of their operations, after all. It's even possible, though highly unlikely, that he is a lone attacker."
Roman grimaced. It wasn't a happy feeling to know that someone wanted him dead and that he had no way to strike back. But there was nothing to be done about that, at least not immediately, and there were other matters that were, if not more important, more urgent to deal with.
"Keep me informed if anything turns up," he told Sophie. "Now, what about Anna?"
"Miss Hall is awake and looking for you," she told him with a smile, the first she'd given him. "I've taken the liberty of having breakfast set up for the two of you on the veranda. I imagine you have a lot to talk about."
8
Outside her room was like nothing Anna could have prepared for. Immediately opposite her door, a suit of armor stared back at her, and the hallway seemed to stretch forever in either direction. More portraits hung on the walls, and the floor was covered in a deep, soft carpet. It looked more like a museum or a gallery than somewhere people would actually live.
Wondering if she'd be able to find her way out, Anna turned left at random and tried to look like she knew where she was going. Of course, she could ring for a servant, but that would mean letting them know that she was up and around.
The exit will be easy to find, she told herself, trying to believe it. I'll just go quietly before anyone notices I'm up. She tried not to think about how difficult it might be to get away. She only had to
get into range of a cell tower, after all. Then she could call for her family. That couldn't be that hard.
She wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but the longer she put it off the worse it would be. Trying not to think about how few cell towers there were in Leotania, she pressed on.
Making her way to the end of the hall, she found that it opened onto a stairway. It was a grand staircase, watched over by several portraits of men in military uniforms of centuries past, their faces dark and foreboding. Of course, most of them bore a striking resemblance to Roman. The royal house had a strong tradition of military service, and these had to be his ancestors.
Quietly as she could, Anna descended the stairs. The portraits seemed to be watching and judging as she walked beneath them, and their cold eyes found her wanting. Shut up, she wanted to tell them. Leave me alone!
"Madam?"
The voice made her jump. Squeaking in shock and alarm, she spun to look at the man who'd spoken: an elderly man in a dark suit, plain but clearly expensive. He raised a white-gloved hand to his mouth and coughed politely. "Do pardon me for startling you, madam, but Prince Roman asked me to see if you had awoken. Since you have, perhaps you would care to follow me and join Prince Roman for breakfast?"
Anna's mouth moved but she couldn't get out words. Being caught skulking around the halls of Roman's castle was the last thing she wanted, and the servant's politely concealed amusement just made things worse. Eventually she just nodded, her cheeks burning.
The man turned smartly on his heel and guided her deeper into the castle. Anna followed along wordlessly, not knowing what else to do now that she had been caught, letting the man lead her along the beautiful, picture lined hallways.
It didn't take long for the atmosphere to become oppressive, and Anna forced herself to break the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"
The servant turned and smiled. "Of course, Madam. How can I help?"
The Lion's Castle (The Lion Princes Book 1) Page 5