He knew he should not get attached to her. She was human, and humans could not be trusted. He laughed inside his head. His own people couldn’t be trusted. Tomorrow, he would hunt Kripken down and he will regain what is rightfully his. Dragons do not murder, at least not the honorable ones. He considered himself honorable, and therefore, he planned to commit justice.
* * * *
Morning came with silence as Ketrine shot daggers at Lyra when Daene dragged her to the campsite for breakfast. Daene had graciously given her a sack to wear in place of Lyra’s clothing that she had stolen. Ketrine sat stiffly down at the fire. Lyra tried to hide the smile at the comical vision of Ketrine, but Daene caught it. So the Lady Prince did have a sense of humor. Daene handed her the confiscated knife, handle first, with a raised eyebrow. The sheath followed a bit more slowly.
“I took possession of it last evening but thought it best to give you your weapon after we settled matters between us.”
Lyra took the blade, and immediately her expression softened as she stroked the handle. She strapped the sheath to her calf. “I thank you.”
“Forgive me if I don’t say you are welcome immediately,” Daene remarked, putting the spit through the skinned rabbit in a well-practiced move. He’d gotten up early to hunt when visions of Lyra’s bare backside kept running through his head. “For I might find that embedded in my back some day.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Lyra replied coyly as she rolled her pants leg down and gave Daene her full attention.
“You are a reluctant partner. I would be remiss to forget that. There is no telling what you have planned for me. I hope it is as much fun as I hope.” To his surprise, Lyra let out a hearty laughter.
“You are the only man I know who would look forward to my vengeance. I do feel I am under pressure to perform. A revision of plans is in order. Perhaps I should consider introducing boiling pitch.” Lyra stroked her chin in mock deep thought.
Daene stood and slowly sauntered over to her. “You forget little one. I am Draegonii. That sounds absolutely intriguing.” Lyra held her ground as he began to circle her slowly. Her scent began to amplify as her hormones were triggered. He stopped behind her inhaling her exotic fare. Without even trying to restrain himself, he leaned in and licked her lightly on the nape. Her small frame shivered in reaction.
“You are taking liberties not agreed upon, Beast.”
If not for the slight shake in her voice, he would have taken her light threat seriously. “Feel free to take liberties with me as well, Lady Prince,” he urged her, stepping in closer so that her bottom was nestled against him. He began to slide his hands down her slim hips. He felt her light touch upon his hand. She stroked him for a second before both of her small hands grasped him around his thick wrist. In moments, he was airborne, then on his back and staring into her amused eyes.
“How about this liberty?” She laughed. “Do you think yourself so irresistible?”
“I’ve had many women fight their way into my bed. If I’m not mistaken, I detected desire for me in you as well.” He propped himself up on his elbows. She was quick and very efficient. He would have to keep that in mind.
“You read too much into things, Daene.” Lyra paused as if she were about to say something then thought better of it.
“Hmm, you’re right. Perhaps I am wrong.” Daene grinned at her as he rose. “We’ll get a bite to eat and bring something for the others.”
* * * *
“Lyra!” the girls screamed in unison as they rushed forth. Their excited chatter made it hard to understand what either girl was saying. However, when they spotted Ketrine, their expressions immediately turned sour.
“Bitch!”
“Traitor!”
Both young women tried to push past Lyra, but she kept them at bay with her outstretched arms. “There will be no bloodshed, girls. I know how you feel, trust me.” She cast a quick glance behind her at Ketrine. “But right now, I must ask a favor or both of you, two favors actually.” Jaen and Seven stared at Ketrine a moment longer before giving Lyra their rather distracted attention.
“Daene here has helped all of us. It appears he needs a bit of a favor.” Lyra went on to explain that the task would take place that night and that then they could leave first thing in the morning to continue their journey. “I need you girls to stay here until I return. Can you do that?”
“Of course, Lyra. We owe you our lives,” Seven reassured her.
“What night of waiting is worth a lifetime of freedom,” Jaen chimed in.
“What is the other favor?” Seven asked.
“I need you two to keep an eye on Ketrine.”
Both girls fell silent. Their eyes, however, spoke volumes. “You do realize she told us both we would fetch a hefty sum of money for her,” Seven bit out.
“She left us there just as she did you, Lyra. She would have sold the lot of us if Daene had not intervened.” Jaen sniffed.
“Yes, I know this, but she was acting out of desperation. Her father had every intention of selling her…” Lyra was cut off by Ketrine’s muffled protests. Ketrine’s garbled words were hard to understand. Lyra rolled her eyes, walked over, and then yanked the gag out of Ketrine’s mouth.
“He’s not my father,” Ketrine confessed. An expression of shock crossed Lyra’s face. Daene even looked at the young girl in surprise. “The man you took me from was not hired by my father. I hadn’t met him before he kidnapped me from my father’s home.”
“What?” Lyra asked, suspicion tainting her words. Daene knew by instinct the girl was not lying. “That makes no sense, Ketrine. Why would he kidnap you and then offer to pay you for my apprehension?”
“First of all, he never offered to pay me to turn you in. He mentioned some man named Kripken wanted a royal bride and was paying him good money for a blue-blood whore,” Ketrine repeated in disgust. “He kept telling me how this man would make it known to my father that he had possession of me and that he would tell everyone I was his concubine unless my family accepted him openly as a member of the family. I’m not a bartering tool. I am a person. I couldn’t allow that.
“Once a girl leaves home, you know she either comes back with a husband or she is considered a whore. When you rescued us, I knew there was no way for me to return home. Those men spoke of one day capturing and selling the famous Lady Prince on the black market. They spoke of contacts who were in place if they ever succeeded.”
“So you decided to betray us all.” Lyra shook her head. “You do realize no man would have ever paid you and let you walk away.”
“Since Seven was of royal blood like myself, I thought I could pretend to be you and sell her to Kripken. Then turn you in. I would get enough money for my freedom since I could no longer return home with honor.”
“If you had succeeded, no matter where you went, you would have had no honor.” Seven attempted to charge at her, but Lyra held her back.
“I was desperate,” Ketrine whispered low.
“You should have trusted me.” Lyra let out on a breath. “I understand. You were afraid and you wanted some control over your life. However, your way, it would have been short-lived. I still want to help you if you let me.” Jaen and Seven snorted in disbelief.
“Thank you,” Ketrine said in a small voice. “I’m sorry, if I’d known…”
“Forget it. You were merely looking out for yourself.” Lyra walked over to a wall in a cave and slumped down. “We all have our demons.”
“My father wanted me married off as well. He never even checked the credentials of the Wife Dealers when they came to our house. He couldn’t let word get out that I was a …” Seven paused. “He simply sold me to them and wished them a great return on their investment.”
“My family sold me as well. There were other mouths to feed and I was the oldest child. They said it was my duty,” Jaen sadly chimed in.
Lyra stood. “Real families stay together. I have seen it in my travels. They don’t sell eac
h other. They look out for one another. You will all get your chance at a new life. Just give me this night, and I will come back for you. Agreed?”
The girls mumbled their agreement. Seven insisted that until she could be trusted, Ketrine should remain gagged and bound. Daene, however, had much darker thoughts on his mind.
He felt anger well inside and threaten to boil over. It was the most ingenious, twisted plan he’d ever heard. Ketrine’s family was so concerned about status and appearances that Kripken was assured a royal marriage. Daene stood, turning his back to the women as pure anger pumped through his veins and a realization set in. Without realizing it, he voiced his thoughts out loud. “He means to breed a new line.”
Chapter 6
A hot wind swirled around her, and she turned to see that Daene had stood and turned away from them. Lyra got up and walked around and faced the large man. Every muscle in his body was corded with tension. His eyes had bled to garnet. It was getting easier to guess his moods.
“What is it Daene?” Lyra spoke softly. She wasn’t quite sure if he would turn unexpectedly violent. Everything about his posture suggested he wanted to inflict a little violence.
“He means to breed a new line.”
“Who?” Lyra asked, touching his bicep lightly. Suddenly, the temperature began to drop and the air ceased its frantic whirl.
He looked down at her, his eyes bleeding back to black. “We need to get them all on that ship. Now.” Lyra could see the urgency in his eyes. Seven looked at the two of them with wonder.
“We can talk about this while they eat and then discuss what the situation is,” Lyra suggested.
Daene looked down at her, and Lyra had to fight the urge to stand on her toes and place a kiss on his tense lips. Instead, she opted for running her fingers up and down his arm again in comfort. Immediately, the spark shot through her fingers. She caught her breath as he looked down at her, desire beginning to cross his features. She licked her lips wanting him to kiss her and at the same time, terrified of her reaction if he did.
“That is a sound idea,” he said at last before turning to unpack the satchel of food.
Lyra let out a breath, trying to steady the dizziness in her head. He affected her too strongly, too soon. She barely knew him, and yet she wanted to not only touch him, but also be touched by him. She closed her eyes and tried to count her desire away. By the time she got to ten, she knew it was a lost cause.
As soon as the food was portioned out, Jaen and Seven ate quickly. They all started for the shipping port. Daene stayed to the trees as lookout. Lyra had a ton of questions to ask Daene. She wanted to know more about Kripken. Why exactly Daene was tied to him? His need for revenge ran deep, and Lyra wanted to know why. It amazed her that she felt a degree of loyalty to him. She couldn’t figure out why she was so attracted to him when all he did was annoy her, sort of.
When not gagged and bound, Ketrine proved to be good company. She told stories that Lyra had never heard before and, to be honest, found herself entertained. In less than two hours, they made it to the small port town. Lyra went aboard the ship and assured the girls’ passage. The ship would be leaving in moments.
“Despite being a day early ladies we are in luck. I know the cook on board and he has helped me in the past. Roarden will see to your needs. He will dress you as boys, and you are to work in the kitchen. Do not talk to any other on the ship. Don’t use your real names. Some of your fathers are well known. Once off the ship, you should be safe. This ship is headed for a cold climate. You will land in the city of Tesla, but from there, you will have choices.
“Thank you, Lyra.” Seven cast Lyra a determined scowl. “I hope one day to make your proud.”
Lyra grinned at the young girl and handed her a map. “This map is to the city of Tesla. It is not a rich city by any means. You will need to earn a living on your own. I cannot help you any more than this.” Lyra put the money she had gotten from their kidnappers in her hand. “Split this three ways. I wish you well.”
“Thank you, Lady Prince.” Seven bowed slightly to Lyra.
“Wait.” Lyra laid her hand lightly on Seven’s arm.
“What is it?” Seven cocked her head to the side, looking at Lyra closely. Lyra motioned for the other two girls to begin boarding the ship.
“What is the secret you father wished to hide about you?” Seven shifted uncomfortably, looking at the ship instead of Lyra. “I know it is your secret. But can this secret possibly jeopardize your freedom in the future? Because if it can, tell me now, and I could probably help you.” Lyra could feel the turmoil inside the girl. Whatever Lyra sensed, Seven was not ready to share it.
“As you have said, Lady Prince, we all have our demons.” Seven set her mouth in a firm determined line. She gave Lyra a warm hug.
“Thank you. Go now, Seven, Roarden waits impatiently. He will work you hard, but he is fair and will protect you.” Lyra allowed a small smile as Seven walked up the ramp. She waited until all the girls were onboard before she returned to the lush forest. Daene dropped down out of a tree and fell in step as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“You have ethics, Lady Prince. That is very rare.”
“I don’t need your approval, thief,” Lyra retorted with not as much sting as she would have liked.
“You have it anyway,” he answered. Lyra refused to look at him. She would see his smile and her heart would soften toward him and nothing good could come from that.
Even though he walked next to her, she heard not a footfall. Occasionally, she stole a glance to see he was already studying her rather intently. They walked together naturally, comfortably as if they were old friends.
“You seemed to have gotten attached to the one named Seven.”
“I’d forgotten some of the tales of the Fire Beast, and they’re unnatural abilities. You’d make a great spy.” Lyra smiled. “I know the dangers that lie ahead for those young women. They have a lot to learn about the world.”
“You are not the hard Lady Prince you pretend to be.”
“I don’t pretend to be anything.”
“Tell me who looks after you?”
“You know the rules. I am on my own. I knew this when I sought my freedom.”
“Being alone doesn’t bother you then?” Daene stopped walking as he waited on her answer.
“It did bother me,” Lyra began. “It does, to be more accurate. I would rather be alone than living with someone who owns me. I would be alone, if not more so, if I were married.”
Daene appeared to consider her words for a moment. “Being alone, you miss out on things two individuals can share that can be so gratifying.”
Lyra took a deep breath and finally stopped her slow steps. She knew she was walking into some sort of trap and yet… “I eat alone, and my food is still tasty. I bathe alone, and I get just as clean. Tell me, thief, what could be more gratifying with two people than with one?” Lyra already had a good idea. She was flirting, and she couldn’t help it. Daene was so handsome. Every time she looked upon him, she grew hot and she wanted to touch him in ways and places that a true lady wouldn’t dream of.
“There’s this.” He sauntered up to her and laced her fingers with his until he was holding her hands in a firm warm grip. He used this grip to pull her flush with his. “I dare you to find a way to do this alone and find it gratifying.” Before Lyra could ponder the meaning of his words, his lips came down on hers, soft at first. It was Lyra who deepened the kiss.
He was the wildest thing she had ever tasted. His lips pressed against hers were so natural. She stepped closer to him, feeling the heat rippling off his body. She was drawn to the heat. She tilted her head back, allowing him total access to her mouth. He released one of her hands and caressed her backside, pushing her closer to him until there was no mistaking the feel of his erection through his breeches. Feeling the length of him against her, Lyra gasped. Ever so slowly, he pulled away from the kiss. “Can you do this alone, Lyra?�
� he asked in a husky voice.
Lyra couldn’t answer if she wanted to. Her head spun from the lust that spiraled up and consumed her. Blindly, she reached up for him, pulled his head back, and kissed him with complete abandon. He growled into the kiss. This time pulling her so tightly against him, she gasped but did not break the kiss. Her legs wanted to buckle, to make her lie down for him. Alarm spread through her at the thought. She broke the kiss, reprimanding her own behavior. What was she doing anyway? Not to mention he was a thief and a murderer. “You’ve proved your point.” She managed, at last, taking a step back.
Lyra began to reason the only way to stay sane with her knees locked together was to stop giving in to his easy charm. This was a business arrangement. She owed him, and she would pay her debt and move on. That was her plan.
Despite her intentions to stay aloof, Lyra found she was opening up to his cleverly worded questions about herself and her family. Because they talked, the journey didn’t seem half as long. To her surprise, she even found herself smiling in companionable contentment. Quickly, she brought the conversation back around to their arrangement.
“We’re almost to Evera. Are you sure the one you seek is there?” Lyra asked, unconsciously checking for her blade.
“Yes, but I think it best to enter the city at night, after the guards have been drinking. If we enter during the daylight, we risk scrutiny,” Daene replied thoughtfully.
“Feznik might recognize me.” Lyra turned to look at Daene, whom she found was grinning rather mischievously.
“Not this night. It seems he fell ill, food poisoning, I think.” Daene looked at if he were truly sympathetic.
Lyra stopped walking and just let the grin happen. “Your work, I take it?”
“Do I look like a cook?” Daene said innocently.
“No, but I have seen the rather buxom cook, and I am sure she is no virgin. It would not take much to seduce the willing.” Lyra took a step forward to continue walking.
The Lady Prince Page 4