Dragons Among Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice)

by Kyra Jacobs

  And why did it hurt her so much to see him walk away without looking back?

  With a sigh, she continued on to her own room. A servant girl was there, adding water from a kettle into a large wooden tub. “Shall I help you with your dress, miss?” she asked.

  “No,” said Addie. “Thank you.”

  The servant curtseyed and exited the room, leaving Addie alone for the first time in what felt like forever. She stripped out of her scratchy disguise and the jogging outfit beneath. Would she ever get to wear normal clothes again? A real bra instead of the sports one she’d been crammed into all this time? A pair of jeans, or even a comfy tee?

  Addie dipped her hand into the tub and found the water to be only three or four inches deep. And though it felt hotter than her normal baths, she climbed in anyway. The water scorched her skin, eliciting a sharp intake of breath as she stepped one foot in and then the other. Slowly she sank down, letting the bath’s lavender scent wash over her and soothe her weary muscles.

  Unfortunately, in the quiet of her room she had no distractions to keep her mind busy, and images of the past day assaulted her in reverse order.

  Memories from the park. Berinon. Today’s long journey. Her night with Zayne.

  The attack at Forath’s wall. The arrow in Korey’s chest.

  Addie reached for the bar of lye soap waiting on the tub’s ledge. She scrubbed her body, her face, her hair, trying to wash away filth and memories. A man was dead because of her. She scrubbed harder and harder, but the images of his dead eyes, his blood pooled on the ground, refused to go. Finally, after pouring cup after cup of hot water over her head to rinse soap from her hair, the gruesome scene playing in her head began to fade.

  Both mentally and physically exhausted, she leaned back to rest her head on the tub’s edge and lay still. What else could she do? Addie was trapped in a world she neither knew nor understood, a world she’d supposedly been to before, yet had no memory of. And all of that had come from a wizard who had just openly admitted he’d been at the park that day, watching the whole ball rescue scene unfold.

  But why had he taken her watch and not tried to track her down and return it? How had she not seen him there—surely he would have stuck out in his wizard robes. Or had he been in disguise that day? And how many more days could he have been there, watching her?

  Addie frowned at the ceiling. She’d hoped the bath would help bring her clarity. Instead, all it had brought were more questions. Questions for which she was beginning to fear the answers…

  * * * * *

  Zayne lay awake, unable to silence his mind after the earlier encounter with Berinon. He stared at the canopy over his bed, hearing the wizard’s accusation again and again in his mind.

  “…as you are so ready to lay down your life for your mate…”

  How had Berinon known when Zayne himself had yet to realize the fact?

  Ah, but it was true. Being with Addie was like standing in quicksand—with every word from her lips or touch of her hand, he sank deeper and deeper in love with the fair maiden. Though he knew it couldn’t be, oh how he longed to make her his. To bond as mates for the rest of their days and need never let go.

  Not in all his twenty-plus years had the prince encountered a woman who could ignite fire inside his veins with but one look. Rosalind, the woman to whom he’d already been sworn, elicited no such response inside him. While he’d spent but fleeting moments with the princess this past year, his men had gathered information about the woman on his behalf. Time and again, the stories that came back were all the same: the woman was cold, calculating, and hungry for power—everything Addie was not.

  His marriage to Rosalind would be the death of him. Not physically, perhaps, but Zayne feared that over time her icy demeanor would inevitably freeze his heart. When that time came, he’d be no better than his father. A physical death would be more welcome.

  Was that why he longed for Addie now? Ached for her gentle touch and soothing words because all too soon he’d be tethered to a wife by virtue of definition, not by love?

  When he could stand being apart from her no longer, Zayne rose and drew on a pair of silken pants. In silence, he passed down the hall to her room. As quiet and fatigued as she’d been at dinner, he was certain his fair maiden would have long since been asleep. His intentions were not to wake her, but to steal a glimpse of her beautiful face as he had the night before. Asleep, she looked innocent as a lamb, though he knew the tigress she could be in his arms.

  He ached for her in a new way now. To hold her again, to taste her. But he wouldn’t disrupt Adelaide’s sleep to meet his selfish needs. The wizard advised them to stay hidden for three more days, and Zayne intended to spend as much time with her as possible—whether Emeline approved or not.

  Three days, he thought with eager anticipation. If Fate smiled upon them, he’d hold Addie naked in his arms again soon enough.

  No light shone from under her door. He stole silently inside expecting to find Addie in bed fast asleep. Instead, she stood before her room’s open window, the vision angelic. Moonlight washed over her, turning her thin, silken gown a glowing white against the shadow of her otherwise naked profile. She’d left her long hair down after bathing, and the scent of lavender greeted him as the golden waves fluttered in the night’s breeze. Zayne drank in the sight, his earlier plans to steal but a glimpse of her quickly fading away. In haste, he turned to latch the door from the inside, to prevent the entry of unwanted guests.

  She turned at the sound, and he was dismayed to see her cheeks wet with tears. Zayne crossed the room and took her gently into his arms. Addie remained silent as she laced her hands around his waist and sighed against him. He didn’t push her to speak—Zayne knew her well enough now to know she’d do so when she was ready. Until then, he would offer her comfort, reassurance.

  Love.

  After a long moment, she pulled back and wiped at his damp chest with a grin.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  Zayne tipped her face toward his and bent to kiss away the tears on her cheeks. On her lashes. Her warm breath washed over his neck, and the fire in him ignited once more. To soothe her was to please her, and that he knew how to do and do well. His lips pressed to her cheeks, the corners of her mouth, her chin. She arched into him, her silken gown gliding along his bare chest. Zayne braced her back with one hand and cupped one of her breasts in the other. She drew in a sharp breath as his thumb traced over her peak, and he took that moment to claim her mouth with his.

  Addie’s hands left his waist to weave up into his hair and pull him tighter against her. The lamb was gone, he realized with delight, and the tigress awakened. She opened her mouth and let him explore, their kiss deepening. When finally they broke free to drag in ragged breaths, she released his hair and slowly slipped to her knees. In the moonlight, her fair skin appeared nearly white against his as she removed his clothing. She grasped his cock with her ever-cool hands, and it was his turn to draw in a sharp breath. He drew in another as she took him into her mouth. Slow and methodical, she slid her lips down his length then up, down and up. Her pace accelerated, and the pressure increased. Her tongue flitted and lapped at his shaft all the while.

  His fingers wove into her hair, coaxing her to continue. In the deep recesses of his mind, Zayne knew he should stop her, should ease from her mouth and return his focus on trying to please her instead. But as he’d never experienced such an act, he didn’t dare break her concentration. The room around him soon began to sway, and Addie pulled back to look up at him, concern in her wide, crystalline eyes. Before she could ask if he was all right—he’d grown accustomed to her ways by now—he lifted her off the floor and carried her in his arms to the bed.

  Carefully, he lay her upon the mattress, removed her gown, and began to explore her body with his mouth. Her neck, her breasts, her waist, the V between her legs. When his tongue flicked over her hard, wet nub, she sucked in a startled breath and tried to pull away from him. But n
ow was no time for her to plead modesty, and he held tight to her smooth thighs and licked her again. He watched as the fight in her body was quickly replaced by desire, and Addie whimpered as she arched up with need.

  Over and over, he lapped at her, his fingers pressing into her velvety folds. He didn’t tease but drove her straight to climax, eager to be inside her once again. She bit back a scream as the orgasm washed over her, the sight of which nearly drove Zayne mad with desire. The moment she stilled, he rose to his knees and eased inside her. Zayne nearly came with a single thrust, but he held back, refusing to rush the moment. Instead he rocked his hips in time with hers, intentionally keeping their pace slow and steady.

  But the beast within him refused to be delayed for long. All too soon, he lost control once more and was driving into her, faster and harder until his climax pushed him over the edge. Biting back a cry of his own, he shattered as his release came. Mercifully spent, he dropped onto the bed beside her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “For the distraction.”

  “Always at your service, my lady.” He reached for her and drew her up and onto his chest so he could better see her face. Addie chewed at her lower lip and refused to meet his gaze. “What is it, sweet Adelaide?”

  Her face flushed scarlet in the moonlight. “What I did to you earlier, on my knees? Did you…like it?”

  “Aye,” he said, eyes wide to emphasize the point. “Dear Lord, yes. Could you not tell?”

  She grinned sheepishly up at him. “Maybe.” The grin dimmed as her brows drew into a small upside down V. “It’s just…you’ve been so good to me. With everything.”

  “Do not confuse me for a saint. My selfish ways rob you of your sleep even now.” He traced a thumb along her delicate cheek. “You were crying when I found you. Why?”

  With a sigh, Addie laid her cheek upon his chest. “It’s stupid, really.”

  “I doubt that.” He brushed her golden waves back from her face. She remained silent for a long moment, but he refused to let this go. If something had brought his bold, strong lass to tears, Zayne would do all he could to make sure it never happened again. “Did it have to do with the wizard’s words, Adelaide?”

  Her shoulders sagged, and she nodded in silence.

  The prince wrapped his arms protectively around her naked body. “Tell me.”

  “I just didn’t have the greatest childhood, you know? And that stunt Berinon pulled earlier, taking me back to some supposedly pivotal day of my life, brought a lot of memories to the surface, memories I’ve worked for so long to bury.” She raised her head up to meet his gaze. “Could you see any of it?”

  “No,” he said.

  She nodded and burst into a yawn. “But you heard it all. And yet, here you are.”

  “Aye, though without your vision, it made little sense to me.” He frowned then. “What did you mean, and yet here I am?”

  Addie lowered her cheek onto his chest once more. “I don’t know. I guess I thought if you saw what a mess I was as a kid and how vastly different my upbringing was compared to yours, you might think less of me. Everyone else who knew me then did.”

  “Again, I say, do not mistake me for a saint. Regardless, neither of us chose to be born into our families or their unique circumstances. For me to judge you over something of which you had no control would be quite unfair indeed.”

  “If only the kids back home had been half as noble as you.” She sighed.

  “Would you like me to hunt them down and make them pay for their unkindness toward you?”

  “No,” she said with a giggle. “Though it would have been funny to sic a dragon on them back in the day. Man, why couldn’t our paths have crossed back then?”

  Zayne kissed the top of her head. “’Tis probably best they did not. Sadly, my actions were not always so noble. Though, I would have gladly transformed to try to impress you even then.”

  She yawned again as her eyelids dropped lower. “Is that why you transformed in the woods my first day here? To impress me?”

  “No,” he whispered. “I changed to save you.”

  Addie mumbled something in response, too low for the prince to hear. He knew she’d slept little the night before and endured a great deal with both her body and mind today as well. He drew in a deep breath, memorizing her clean, lavender scent, then placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead and carefully shifted her from his chest onto the bed.

  “Rest now, sweet Adelaide.”

  Her eyes opened to meet his gaze. “Please, don’t go.”

  Zayne’s heart swelled at her pleading look. His presence brought her comfort, just as hers did to him. What had he done to deserve the gift of an angel? “If that is what you wish.”

  “Aye.”

  He smiled at her use of his people’s language. And as they lay together, her small body perfectly curled against his as though it had been created to do precisely that, a new thought entered Zayne’s mind. He loved everything about this woman, from her curious nature to her giving, free spirit, and couldn’t bear the thought of life without her. There was no denying Berinon’s words, merely acceptance of them. Which was why instead of merely savoring their time together the next three days, he would use that time to convince her to stay.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Helena watched as Robert stepped into her royal suite, glassy-eyed and with a goblet of wine in his hands.

  “Welcome back, my queen.”

  He closed and latched the door. She prayed for courage. And his cooperation.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.” She yawned.

  “Are you well rested after your journey?”

  To anyone else, the tone of his voice may have sounded light, curious. But Helena knew better—his visits were never on a whim. He crossed the room, sat his goblet at her bedside, and began to undress. After being married to the man for over twenty years, she knew well that look in his eyes. The king was after two things: answers and pleasure, in that order. A shudder rippled down her spine.

  “Yes, my king.”

  He removed the last of his clothing and slid into bed beside her. One of his rough hands reached to fondle her left breast. “And?”

  She swallowed back the bile rising in her throat. There had been a time when she’d wanted to love him, to please him. That time, however, had long since passed. Robert had grown fond of but one thing: power. All else came in a distant second, including her. Still, she had a role to play. Zayne’s future depended upon it. Berinon’s words ghosted to her mind.

  “Do whatever it takes to make him drink the potion…”

  “Your son was attacked at the wall. His actions were noble.”

  The king paused for a moment as though considering her words. Then he rolled on top of her, tugged her nightgown up, and pushed inside her without further preparation. Helena bit back a cry of pain.

  “You spoke to him?”

  “No, my king. I sought him at the high wizard’s cottage, but he had yet to arrive. Berinon told me—”

  “Berinon would tell you anything. I have seen the way he looks at you.”

  Heat rose to her cheeks, but Helena worked to feign indifference. “I went to him for answers, nothing more.”

  He thrust into her again, harder this time. She grimaced with discomfort.

  “Still, I have no doubt that your arrival was a delight to him. Pray tell, did he say where Zayne was?”

  She shook her head then braced herself for his reaction. “No, my lord. Merely that our son would return to the castle by week’s end.”

  To her surprise, Robert laughed. “Excellent. I shall ready the dungeon.”

  “Please, sire. Have mercy on our son. The attack on his men was unprovoked!”

  “Silence, woman,” Robert hissed as he increased his tempo. “His actions jeopardized the peace of our lands. His punishment is for me to decide.”

  Helena closed her eyes and waited for it to be over. There wouldn’t be a climax for her, as she’d become a mere aftert
hought to the king in so many ways. Today, that played to her advantage. Her husband would soon be spent and thirsty. She’d anticipated the king’s actions and hidden the vial within reach.

  Eventually, the beast above her shuddered to a stop. Robert rolled to her side, chest heaving from exertion, and demanded his drink.

  Helena gladly shifted away. “Yes, my king.”

  In one smooth motion, she reached for the vial, drew back its stopper, and added its contents to the wine. A sleeping potion, nothing more, but it would silence his rants for the next three days. By then, if Berinon spoke the truth, the unrest in their lands would be over, and Forath happy once more. Silently she set the vial behind the other items on her nightstand then rolled back to hand the drink to her husband. His gaze locked with hers as he took the goblet from her hand.

  “You seem tense, my dear.”

  She blinked twice, surprised to find he’d paid her such close attention. Fighting back panic, she offered him a coy smile. “Merely aroused, my king.”

  His right brow arched as he sipped from the cup. “It seems I have not lost my touch.”

  “No, Your Majesty,” she offered in her most sultry voice. Again the bile rose in her throat. Again she bit it back.

  The king raised his cup between them. “Help me to finish my drink, then I will help to finish you.”

  She hesitated, and the spark of something she hadn’t expected to see flashed through his eyes: suspicion. The king’s brow crept higher.

  Whatever it takes…

  Helena took the cup and raised it to her own lips. “Yes, my king.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Zayne stood at the bottom of the stairs, nervous as a young lad preparing to embark on his first hunt. But it wasn’t a hunt he faced this morning, it was the first day he would earnestly seek to capture Addie’s heart. If he succeeded, she’d have no reason to return to her world. And with her at his side, he’d find the strength to one day become a stern but well-loved king.