In all Darronn’s years, he had never known such a frustrating and stubborn woman as Alexi. She defied him at every turn. She reveled in her rebelliousness, even.
Something far more important regarding the reason for her defiance lay in her past. Within his soul, he knew her heart needed to heal from past wounds—he sensed it as clearly as if she had told him aloud. He did not know what had happened to her, but he knew that she needed to give control to him so that she would no longer feel as though she must take on the world.
But how will I convince her of that?
He had already shown weakness with her. As any good Tarok King or Master should, he would become stricter, would rein the woman in and keep her under tighter control.
Yet even as those thoughts crossed his mind, he pictured Alexi refusing him at every turn. With his physical and magical superiority, he could force her to bow to him, could take everything away from her until she gave in to his demands.
But he did not wish to force her. He wanted her to experience enjoyment, not anger or frustration, or pain beyond what was exciting and pleasurable. No doubt her fiery spirit would not allow her to be dominated.
Do I want to break that spirit?
He held back a low growl and padded deeper into the forest toward his quarry.
No, he did not wish to break Alexi. He reveled in his future queen’s passionate nature. He admired all that he had seen of her.
How, then, to train her to serve at my side?
“Compromise” was the word that came to his mind, but the thought refused to stay. He was the ruler of Spades, damn the skies, and his subjects followed his orders without question.
Yet his mind turned the problem over and over. Alexi was not his subject, and had not been raised in the ways of his world. She would be his queen, not his servant. Could, perhaps, different rules apply to her?
Alexi had asked for clothing when he demanded it of her, but she had refused to call him Master. Was it enough that she asked for what it was that she wanted, without referring to him in such a manner?
A roar tore from his throat, the sound echoing through the Tarok forest. The buck bolted and birds and creatures silenced.
Damnation. Even away from her, the woman thwarted him at every turn.
Darronn shook his great head like shaking off water. Compromise was not something he would consider.
No. He was king, and she would respect that and bow to him as befitting his future mate.
CHAPTER SEVEN
A BEAST ROARED SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE CHATEAU and Alexi startled. “What the hell was that?”
Heart thumping, she scrambled off the bed and went to a pair of glass and wood doors that led out onto a balcony. She opened one of the doors but the moment she did, cold air chilled her mostly naked body. She nearly slammed the door, her teeth chattering. She walked to the hearth and let the heat from the flames warm her body.
She didn’t scare easily, but that roar had been terrifyingly close. What kinds of wild animals lived in the forest?
Darronn. She cocked her head and her pulse began to slow as she thought of him. He could shift into a tiger and back, and likely it was that bastard who’d roared. He was probably pissed or wanted to frighten her. Maybe both.
Hell if she’d let him intimidate her in any way.
She wished she had her cell phone. Was it even possible to call home? Or she could have used her 4G network Internet service to research Tarok to find out where she was. Surely someone else had been in this weird place. Maybe there were YouTube videos…
She groaned and put her hands over her face. Yeah, right.
A knock at the bedroom door made her jump and she lowered her hands and faced the door. “What?” she snapped, her skin tightening, her nerves and temper on edge.
The door opened and Alexi expected to see Darronn. Instead, a beautiful woman in a skimpy leather outfit slipped into the room. She carried a large tray and Alexi immediately smelled roasted meats and freshly baked bread.
“Greetings, Mistress Alexi.” The woman smiled as she approached. “I am Kalina and I have brought your dinner.”
Alexi studied Kalina, whose dark hair tumbled down her back. She wore sparkling red eye shadow, black eyeliner, and she had beautiful lips that looked naturally red.
No one should be as gorgeous as Kalina was. Supermodel material all the way, with the exception of her height. She was fairly tall, but not nearly tall enough.
Alexi didn’t want to be rude but she crossed her arms over her bare breasts even as she said, “Hi.”
As far as she knew, this woman didn’t have anything to do with this whole mess. She was probably a servant. Hell, Darronn probably screwed her on a regular basis.
Alexi held back a frown at the jealousy that shot through her. No way was she jealous of anyone who might be screwing Darronn. She didn’t give a damn about him.
Kalina’s friendly smile made it difficult not to smile back, but Alexi managed. The woman set the tray at the center of a black granite table not too far from the doors that opened onto the balcony.
“In the morning you will see that King Darronn has a beautiful view from his chambers.” Kalina nodded toward the doors.
“Humph.” Alexi wasn’t in the mood for chitchat. “Are there any clothes around that I can wear?”
Kalina tilted her head to the side. “After you bathe it will be time for rest. We do not wear clothing when we sleep.”
Alexi held back a groan but her stomach growled and she imagined the sound as fierce as the beast she’d heard outside. Well, she’d been in the stockings for this long, so she supposed she could last a little longer. “I’m hungry.”
“Please.” Kalina gestured to one of the chairs in front of the table. “Sit down and enjoy your dinner.”
Grudgingly, Alexi walked away from the fireplace and took the seat that Kalina had pointed to. The food smelled so good that she felt like stuffing her face like a starving street urchin in the movies. She managed to maintain her cool as she stared at the tray of bread, meat, cheese, and what she thought were fruits and vegetables. She wasn’t sure where to start, so she grabbed the metal tankard and swallowed down some damned good ale. It was cool down her throat but warmed her belly.
“Enjoy.” Kalina gave a slight bow from her shoulders and started to turn away just as Alexi set down the tankard.
“Can you stay?” Alexi surprised herself with her outburst. “Please sit with me.”
Kalina hesitated only a moment before she returned to the table and took the chair across from Alexi. She looked relaxed and comfortable, not anything like Alexi thought a servant might act.
“You’re not a servant or a slave.” It was more a statement of fact than a question as far as Alexi was concerned.
Kalina raised an eyebrow. “There are no slaves in all the Land of Tarok, and that includes the Kingdom of Spades. However there are servants in the employment of King Darronn. You are correct that I am not one of them.”
Alexi studied Kalina. “What is your role here?”
“That is a complicated question.” Kalina gestured to the tray. “Eat. You are hungry.”
Alexi couldn’t argue with that. A fine brass plate was on the tray at the center of the table. She set the plate in front of her and started serving herself a little of everything. She’d never been a picky eater and loved to try different ethnic cuisines in San Francisco.
“Why don’t you have some?” Alexi nodded toward the tray. “There’s enough for three here.”
Kalina smiled. “I have eaten, but I thank you.”
Alexi tore off a chunk of bread from a small loaf and buttered the piece with a steak knife that had been next to a two-pronged fork.
Her knuckles didn’t ache much anymore from slamming her fist into Darronn’s eye. She gave an inward smile of satisfaction. She wondered what his people had thought of their king and his black eye when the pair of them had ridden on the back of that horse-like animal through the village.<
br />
“So what’s so complicated about your position here?” she asked before taking a bite of buttered bread. It tasted like sourdough.
“I am what you would consider to be an advisor to the Kings of Tarok.” Kalina crossed one graceful leg over the other. “I currently serve the King of Spades.”
Alexi finished chewing a mouthful of the bread before she swallowed it down with ale. “There are other kings?”
“Three others.” Kalina looked relaxed as she settled with her back against the chair. “The four are brothers. Jarronn is High King and is also the King of Hearts.” Kalina hesitated, as if there was something more she wanted to say but thought better of it. “Karn is the King of the Realm of Diamonds, and Ty is the King of Clubs. You, of course know Darronn is the King of Spades.”
Alexi tried a bite of meat as Kalina spoke. The meat reminded her of the venison Annie had cooked one night. Annie had been given the meat by a neighbor who liked to hunt. This Tarok version was saltier but not as tough. It was delicious.
“Who names kingdoms after cards?” Alexi snorted, a bad habit when she doubted whatever information she’d been given and wanted to laugh. “I mean, really. Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs?”
“Queen Elinara and King Cynrik divided the Land of Tarok long ago into five—” Kalina seemed to back peddle “—into four kingdoms and named them after suits from a card game they altered that our people invented.”
It was Alexi’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “You’re telling me that this world invented a card game with the same suits we use in my…” Alexi frowned. Was where she came from considered to be a different world? Realm? Dimension?
Kalina nodded. “Our people taught yours the original card game during your 10th century Asia. Sometime in your 15th century France we introduced the version created by Queen Elinara and King Cynrik.”
Alexi wanted to roll her eyes. “Everything you’re telling me sounds ludicrous.” She thought about what she’d experienced since the idiot jerked her through the mirror and she shook her head. “Or maybe not so ludicrous.” She took a forkful of something that looked like purple mashed potatoes. It was creamy and had a nutty flavor to it. She swallowed.
Kalina laughed. “I have divined much about your world and it is quite different than ours.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Alexi ate more vegetables. Strange stuff in weird colors, but good nonetheless. “You said divined. Are you a fortune teller?”
Kalina tilted her head to the side. “I am a sorceress.”
Alexi digested that piece of information as she stuffed a piece of fruit that looked like a blue fig in her mouth. It tasted like crap and she almost spit it out. After she got it down, she said. “So you’re a sorceress. Interesting.”
Kalina said nothing, just watched Alexi eat.
“What kinds of things does a sorceress do in this—” Alexi waved her arm. “—Land of Tarok? Magic and stuff?”
“I divine the future and seek answers from the past.” Kalina brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “I have healing powers that I use to make salves and oils. I do wield magic beyond that of most of the people of Tarok.”
Alexi found herself more and more intrigued as Kalina spoke. With prompting, the sorceress explained the village and their way of life, and assured Alexi she would see it for herself.
The conversation turned back to the kingdoms and the four suits. “Each suit represents qualities of its king,” Kalina said.
“Oh, this I’ve got to hear.” Alexi couldn’t wait to hear what qualities Darronn was supposed to have.
“Hearts is strength, love, and fairness. It also includes power, the requirement of complete trust, and obedience.” Kalina continued. “Diamonds has to do with garnering worldly riches, both material and mental, with the purpose of helping others.”
Alexi nodded, waiting to hear about Darronn’s supposed qualities.
Kalina went on. “Clubs encompasses humor, joy, and the pleasure in good things. Duty and honor are also traits of the king.”
“And Spades?”
“Passion and compassion,” Kalina started.
Alexi snorted. “Compassion. Right.”
“One would not guess how compassionate Darronn is.” Kalina smiled. “His work ethic is extraordinary, his mental and physical discipline exemplary.”
Alexi shook her head. “You lost me at the compassion part.”
Kalina shrugged. “You will see.”
After they had talked awhile, Alexi looked at the tray and was surprised to see how much she’d eaten in a short amount of time.
Her black-and-white lawyer’s brain that dealt with facts and not fantasy had a hard time absorbing everything about this strange world. She wanted to tell Kalina to “prove it” and show her magic.
But when Alexi thought of Darronn and the examples of magic she’d seen him use, she knew she didn’t need the sorceress to show her anything. It would probably be too much for her lawyerly head to handle, anyway.
A feeling of exhaustion settled on Alexi’s shoulders. “Maybe I’ve had enough for today.” She hated to admit it, but her normally sponge-like brain was feeling overtaxed.
Kalina rose gracefully to her feet. “I will summon Kira to draw your bath.”
“Where’s the bathroom?” Alexi looked around the room, and then spotted a doorway and gestured to it. “Through there?”
Kalina nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m glad you have running water.” Alexi pushed back from the table. “I can take care of my own bath.”
“We have water pumped into the chateau in the kitchens.” The sorceress casually waved in the direction of the door. “Water will need to be heated and brought in.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. No running water?” Alexi dropped back into her chair. “Okay, please send in Kira and let’s be done with it.”
“I will see to it.” Kalina gave a slight nod and started to turn away.
“Hey, Kalina.” Alexi drew the sorceress’s attention. “Thank you for staying with me and talking.”
Kalina smiled. “It was my pleasure.”
Alexi flopped against the back of her chair and stared at the open-beamed ceiling. The place was rustic, charming, and beautiful all at once.
She wasn’t in the mood to be charmed. She wasn’t in the mood for any of this crazy, incredibly annoying situation that was tearing her carefully ordered life apart.
She thought about how Alice loved social media and often used Twitter and Facebook. What would her sister say about all of this?
@AliceOBrienSF thinks her twin @AlexiOBrienSF has gone off the deep end.
Alexi had a Twitter account to appease Alice, but didn’t often use it or her Facebook page. She was too damned busy.
Her muscles tensed. Speaking of busy, she had an important sexual harassment case that she needed to prepare for. Damn it. She had to get home and keep her practice up and running while she searched for her sister. If she didn’t, she’d end up living on the street like her mother, with no home for Alice when Alexi finally found her.
Alexi closed her eyes and took deep breaths, drawing in a lungful of air and breathing out slowly, just like she’d taught Alice to do whenever she was upset.
A strange feeling came over her. It was as if her bond with Alice had strengthened and Alexi’s heartbeat felt stronger. The bond had never been severed since Alice’s disappearance, which was one reason Alexi had been certain her twin was still alive.
However, since Alice vanished, Alexi had never felt so close to her sister as she did at this moment. Maybe it had something to do with being kidnapped and estranged from the rest of their family.
Alexi straightened in her chair and put her palms flat on the table.
What if Alice was in Tarok, too?
Was that too bizarre to even consider? Alexi’s brows narrowed as she thought about the chance that it could be true. After what she’d experienced since coming here, nothing was out of the realm of po
ssibility.
When a knock came at the door for a second time that night, Alexi automatically said, “Come in,” not really registering her own words.
She stared at her hands. Everything had turned upside-down with that one thought. Could Alice be somewhere close?
“Milady?” A soft voice entered Alexi’s consciousness and she turned her head to see a pretty honey-blonde haired woman of maybe twenty. She wore a strappy leather outfit, which did not surprise Alexi. The woman smiled. “I am Kira. I have come to help you with your bath.”
“My name is Alexi.” Alexi had a hard time focusing on her own words, which wasn’t like her at all. “Please don’t call me anything else.”
“Yes, M—Alexi.” Kira gave a bow from her shoulders. “I will call for you when your bath is prepared.”
“Thank you.” Alexi didn’t know what else to say, so she just watched Kira walk toward the bathroom.
Judging by every sensual movement Kira made, she obviously relished wearing her skimpy leather outfit that exposed more boob than it hid. From what Alexi had observed, women enjoyed their roles in this world. Everyone Alexi had seen in the village, as well as Kalina and Kira, appeared to be in good spirits as they went about their duties and acknowledged Darronn.
Kira came out of the bathroom and left the chambers. Moments after leaving the room, she returned with two men who carried big buckets of water. After they went into the bathroom, Kira saw them out.
Alexi found every bit of what had happened mind-boggling. She was a stranger in a strange land, and her head was jammed with so many thoughts that she had a difficult time organizing them into neat boxes.
She’d been told that she compartmentalized and thought much as a man did—she hadn’t been sure how to take that statement. At a friend’s recommendation, she’d watched a YouTube video of a man named Mark something or other, a motivational speaker and relationship expert, who explained—in a hilarious way—the differences between men’s and women’s brains.
When Alexi had finished watching the video, she had to admit that she often compartmentalized her thoughts and her life into little boxes like men tended to do. But she showed more emotion and she didn’t have a “nothing” box as Mark said men had. She was too busy to do something as mundane as sitting still in a boat fishing, or flipping through channels with a remote. Yes, she was more like a cross between thinking like a woman and thinking like a man.
Claimed by Pleasure: King of Spades (Wonderland Book 2) Page 7