King's Throne

by D' Arc, Bianca

  “While I appreciate your confidence in me, I have to admit it all seems rather…” Mitch trailed off, unable to come up with adequate words. He sighed heavily, running one hand through his disheveled hair. “My apologies. I just don’t know what to think.”

  The king sat back in his chair and placed his palms flat against the table, his gaze troubled but patient. “That’s all right, son. A lot has happened to you in a very short time. I’d have been surprised if you didn’t question all this.” He pushed his chair back from the table. “Read the history. Study the Rule. Get back your strength. I’m always available to discuss anything you need. In the meantime…” He stood and everyone else followed suit. “I hear you’ve asked one of the Miller boys to spar.” The statement came out sounding like a question.

  “Paul agreed to help me get back in shape. All this lying around is getting on my nerves.” Mitch grimaced and the king laughed outright, clapping him on the shoulder in a fatherly way.

  “It is hard for a man of action to sit and watch from the sidelines. Believe me, I understand.”

  Mitch heard the regret in Frederick’s voice and knew the sincerity of his words. What must it be like for this vital, intelligent man to have had to stand by and watch his brother usurp the power that rightly belonged to the king alone? Torture, Mitch decided. A very special, very painful form of torture.

  The king and queen left shortly thereafter, promising to come back for lunch the next day as well. Mitch knew he had a lot of reading ahead of him, but he was looking forward to it. He’d always enjoyed studying history—especially the history of their people.

  But right now, Mitch needed to stretch his muscles more than anything. He craved a hard workout. Either that or a marathon session of hot tiger sex with claws out and all that entailed. Since the latter wasn’t forthcoming, he’d have to settle for the former. Of course, it was for his own good. If he had to fight a challenge in the coming weeks, he sure as hell had better prepare.

  Coming as close to death as he’d been, he had a ways to work to get back both his strength and his speed. He would probably take a pounding at Paul’s hands today, but Mitch looked forward to it with an animalistic glee. The tiger inside him wanted to stretch its muscles and try out its new fur—and any new abilities that might come with it. Mitch was a man of action, as the king had pointed out. Both sides of his nature had been sitting still for far too long.

  Mitch helped Gina clean the kitchen area and wash the dishes and then went to change. He’d wear a T-shirt and sweat pants to spar with Paul. Loose clothes that wouldn’t hinder his movements. After putting them on, Mitch moved to the center of the room and began a series of stretches. He’d have to do more before engaging in mock battle with Paul down in the barn later, but it felt so good to stretch out muscles that had been inactive far too long.

  It was some time before he realized that Gina was watching him.

  She sat at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee, pretending not to notice the play of sinuous muscles under stretchy T-shirt fabric. My, oh my, the man was smoking hot. Gina resisted fanning herself by wrapping her hands around the coffee mug.

  “See anything you like?”

  She’d been caught ogling his ass. Deciding to admit her attraction, she let her gaze roam boldly upward until it met his.

  “What would you do if I said yes?” She favored him with what she hoped was a come-hither smile.

  Apparently, she’d gotten it right. Mitch prowled toward her on silent feet, his gaze holding hers, his stare almost hypnotic. She rose from the chair, carefully placing her coffee cup on the table’s surface, ready as the tension in the room rose with each quiet step. He advanced until he was directly in front of her and then moved closer still, lowering his head toward hers.

  “I might do something like this,” he whispered, his lips against hers.

  And then he kissed her, taking what she offered and giving in return.

  It just felt…right. Everything about Mitch felt right to her inner cat and her outer woman. Everything he did, every touch he gave her, every one of his inner thoughts he shared with her only made her more attracted to him. He was a man of honor that spoke to her own moral code, and he kissed like a dream.

  Now if only he would take it beyond just kissing. She was old-fashioned enough to want him to be the aggressor, the dominant. Her inner tigress craved a man who could—and would—demand she give him everything, and give her everything of himself in return.

  She sensed Mitch was just the man to do it, but so far, he hadn’t stepped up to the plate. And it would sort of defeat her purpose if she had to tackle him…though she was increasingly tempted to do just that. She wanted him and she wanted him bad. But more than just the physical need, she wanted him to want her and be bold enough to take what he wanted.

  As he was doing now. He’d been the one to call her out for ogling him. He’d prowled closer to steal this incredible kiss. Her toes curled at the magical sensations roiling through her bloodstream. And then she realized…it was magic. There was some kind of magical exchange happening between them, but it didn’t drain her. In fact, she was gaining energy, not losing it. Was she draining him?

  She put her palms against his shoulders and pushed, trying to break the kiss. He didn’t let her go right away, but eventually her urgency seemed to get through to him and he raised his head. His pupils were dilated, as she was pretty sure hers were. Pleasure did that to a tiger.

  The hunger in his dark-gold eyes almost made her forget why she’d denied herself more of the incredible pleasure of kissing him. But the dazed look to his features reminded her.

  “Am I draining you?” she asked quickly, her voice breathless and her breathing rate still elevated from their kiss.

  He shook his head. “What?”

  “Power drain. Magic. Do you feel it?” She wasn’t really able to string words together into a full sentence yet, but he seemed to understand. His golden brows drew together for a moment as he seemed to think about what she’d asked.

  “No. If anything, I feel energized. I think you’re giving me power. Are you okay?” His expression turned to one of concern as he focused on her, and his arms gentled, holding her close against his chest almost protectively.

  “I’m fine. Great, in fact. I felt a boost in magical energy too.” There. She was able to speak a complete sentence at last. She thought of it as a small victory.

  “Really?” Concern turned to intrigue on his face.

  She was getting better at reading his strong chin and gorgeous golden eyes. He didn’t give away much, but now that she’d gotten to know him, she could figure out the subtle changes that echoed his mood.

  His head dipped lower and she knew he was going to kiss her again…and then the phone rang. The loud bleat of her cell phone broke the spell they’d both been under and he released her. Gina swore silently that she was going to murder whoever it was on the other end of the call.

  She stomped over to the end table where her phone lay charging and punched the button after seeing the name on the display. Paul Miller. Drat the man. He was one of her best friends, but he really needed to work on his timing.

  “Hey,” she answered abruptly, not wanting to take her frustration out on him, but he heard it anyway.

  “Sorry. Bad time?”

  Paul didn’t usually tiptoe around her, but their relationship had changed a bit now that he was married and she wasn’t constantly underfoot. When they’d been in school, she’d been his pesky younger sister. Now there was a distance between them that she didn’t like but understood. They’d grown apart a bit. It was only natural, but she missed having him around all the time.

  “Coulda been better,” she groused, but her good humor was returning. She could never stay mad at Paul for long. “What’s up?”

  “I just called to ask your guest a question or two. My brothers are around and I wanted to know if Mitch didn’t mind having a few more bodies to pummel and be pummeled by.”


  It was odd phrasing but she knew what he meant. Paul had a way of overcomplicating the English language that never failed to amuse. Like her, he had been born in Iceland, but he’d been older and had had to learn English as a second language. Gina was lucky in that respect. She’d learned both languages side-by-side as she’d grown up. Paul didn’t have an accent, but he did like to structure his sentences oddly from time to time.

  “Hang on a minute. I’ll give him the phone.” Gina held out the small device to Mitch and he took it, jumping right into the conversation with Paul. Shifter hearing was sharp and he’d heard Paul’s end of the conversation almost as clearly as she had.

  The men arranged to meet earlier than previously agreed and then have dinner at the Miller’s. Mitch ended the call, already gathering a change of clothing in the duffel she’d picked up somewhere along their journey here. She added a few things she wanted to bring with her and within a few minutes, they were ready to go.

  They got outside, but there was only the one snowmobile. They had to ride double down the hill and over the fields to the Miller’s barn. Mitch let her drive, which was only sensible since she’d practically grown up on one of these machines. But having his big body spooning her from behind made it the most…um…exhilarating ride she’d ever had on one of them.

  She didn’t feel the cold. Not with Mitch’s big body giving off heat like a furnace. And his arms around her middle made her wish there wasn’t a wad of bulky fabric between them. It made her want his hands to roam up, under her parka and sweater. Up, over the bare skin of her torso and into her bra. Up, over her breasts, cupping them, caressing her nipples.

  She had to clear her throat as she pulled the snowmobile up in front of the barn. Damn. He hadn’t even done anything to her and she already needed a moment to calm down. A cold shower might help. Or a roll in the snow. Naked. With Mitch inside her.

  Ug. She had to stop thinking about it and quit stalling. She secured the machine as Mitch hefted their two bags and waited in a ready stance. Ever the protector.

  She realized once again how close he’d come to dying. And how quickly he’d bounced back. There was deep magic involved, of course, but her analytical side cautioned her to warn him.

  Gina stepped close to him, taking one side of his collar in her fingers and stroking him through his jacket. The mood was intimate all of a sudden. Just them, surrounded by snow and the ticking of the engine as it cooled next to them.

  “Promise me you’ll be careful. I know you feel better, but it wasn’t too long ago that you were not long for this world. It would…hurt me…if you died, Mitch.”

  “Hey.” Mitch cupped her cheek in one big hand, his voice dipping into low and intimate tones. “I’m not going to die. Not today. And I have you to thank for the fact that I didn’t die from the poison. You and your amazing blood.” He stroked his thumb up and down over her cheekbone in the most tender of touches. And then he let her go and stepped back. She dropped her hand from his collar. “But if I’m going to stay alive through the challenge, I have to get back into fighting form.”

  There it was. The shadow that hung over him. Over them both. The challenge.

  She was quickly coming to despise the thought that he was going to have to fight Uncle Gisli. She didn’t know how it all would end, but there was every possibility that Gisli—deadly fighter that he was—would prevail. Just thinking about it broke her heart, but she couldn’t do anything about the future that had yet to form. She had to deal with the here and now.

  “Just try to be careful. You won’t be able to do everything up to your usual standard right away. Be gentle with your healing body.”

  “I promise, Doctor.” He smiled and winked at her, emphasizing her title. “I can’t afford to pay you for any more in-home visits. I must owe you a small fortune by now.”

  “It’s okay,” she found the nerve to answer. “I don’t want your money. You can pay me in kisses.”

  A spark ignited behind his golden eyes, making them flash amber at her. He liked her daring, it was plain to see.

  “You don’t say.” He stepped closer to her, snaking one arm around her waist as he pulled her close. Her breath caught at his actions. This was the man she wanted. The one who reached out and took her—with her enthusiastic permission. “I’d better start paying down my debt right away,” he whispered against her lips, their breath steaming in the cold.

  And then he was kissing her again. A little whirlwind of a tempest that knocked the breath from her, showered her with a dazzling magical storm of energy and left her breathless as he let her go. She wanted to follow him and beg for more, but she became aware of just why he’d stopped.

  The door to the barn had opened and Paul was standing in the open doorway, frowning at her. Damn. Caught necking in the snow by her would-be older brother.

  Gina brazened it out, trying her best to ignore the hard looks that passed between Mitch and Paul. She stepped away from Mitch, internally aware that her balance was off. Mitch had literally made her head spin. But she did her best not to let it show on the outside as she smiled at Paul and walked past him through the open door and into the barn.

  Inside, it was set up like a dojo with an entrance area with places to stow your stuff. The central area of the big building was filled with light that filtered in through high, discreet windows placed strategically on every side of the big building for maximum effect. The middle of the floor was covered in mats with other equipment around the circumference of the room.

  Gina had spent many afternoons as a youngster learning how to fight and defend herself in human form in this makeshift dojo. Even more time had been spent in her fur, out in the woods, grappling and playing with the Miller brood. A quick look around the dojo told her that all four Miller brothers had come home at their father’s call.

  Gina greeted Tad, Harry and BJ with smiles and hugs as they came over to say hello. Paul and Mitch finally showed up inside and Gina introduced Mitch to the rest of the guys, silently wondering what had gone on outside after she’d left Paul and Mitch alone. She wouldn’t ask, but she knew Paul. He had to have shared some choice words with Mitch after catching them in that clinch. He was too much her big brother to let something like that pass.

  She wouldn’t comment on it now. She was already feeling weird enough as it was. Better to pretend that everything was normal.

  Mitch came over to her as she made the introductions and put an arm around her waist, shocking her. Was he staking a claim? Among shifters, this sort of action meant even more than it did in the human world. Was Mitch feeling possessive or merely protective? It could be either. Or even a little of both. One could mean something very special. The other less so, but still nice.

  And what in the world had Paul said to him to make him react this way? Gina was full of curiosity but remained silent.

  The Miller men were friendly enough toward Mitch, and before long they were out on the mats, trading punches. Gina was glad to see they started off slow and worked their way up to more intricate moves. She watched carefully from the sidelines as she began her own series of stretches. Mitch wasn’t the only one who liked to keep in shape.

  When the door to the barn opened about twenty minutes later, Gina was thrilled to see Mandy Risling, who was married to Tad, and Adele Miller, who was only a couple of years younger than Gina. They came in with the baby of the Miller horde, their little sister, Violet.

  Gina ran over to them and exchanged hugs all around. It had been a while since their merry band had been all together in one place.

  “Is that him?” Vi asked as the women settled in to watch the men at work.

  Chapter Seven

  The ladies would take their turn on the mats, Gina knew. And not alone. The women would spar with the men. It was good practice since you never knew who your opponent would be if you got into a fight in the real world. But for just a few minutes, they were observers as the Miller brothers escalated the workout, testing Mitch’s reflexes and lev
el of skill.

  “Yeah,” Gina answered, unable to keep her gaze from Mitch.

  He was poetry in motion, and though she worried about the athletic level at which he was operating, she couldn’t find any fault in his form or delivery. He was in the zone and clearly able to take on all the Miller men at once and still search for more opponents. He was an even better fighter than Gina had imagined.

  “I heard he was a Royal Guard,” Violet prompted, clearly wanting more information about the newcomer in their midst.

  “Yeah,” Gina repeated, knowing she sounded a bit dopey but unable to really concentrate on anything except the play of muscles as Mitch moved. He was a beautiful animal in his fur and in his skin.

  Gina heard snickering from the older women that finally drew her gaze away from Mitch. Mandy and Adele were making faces at her and she swatted at them playfully, glad to have her childhood friends once again at her side.

  “Ooh…Gina’s got it bad, girls,” Mandy said in a voice only the women could hear. “Looks like the hunka hunka burnin’ tiger over there has caught the eye of our little snow princess.”

  “Is it true he turned white for you?” Violet asked, a flavor of awe in her tone.

  Gina had to laugh. “I wouldn’t say he didn’t just for me, exactly. And I don’t think he had any control over it. It just sort of happened. I gave him my blood and the next time he shifted fully, he was white. Surprised the heck out of both of us.”

  “You gave him blood?” Violet asked. Apparently, she hadn’t heard the entire story.

  “He was poisoned. Almost died a few days ago. It was touch and go for a while, but he’s made what appears to be a miraculous recovery.” Her gaze traveled back to him, watching his every move. “You wouldn’t know it to look at him now, but he was as close to death as I’ve ever had one of my patients go without taking that final journey. I thought I would lose him a few times, but he has a warrior spirit and he fought through.”