Faire Justice
Page 7
Getting kidnapped by King Attor, she's left in the Var harem to await his return. But, when the King dies in battle and doesn't come for her, she's stuck dealing with his son, the new savage King of the Var. This is one complication Ulyssa didn't need.
A royal complication…
The Var Princes were raised by a hard man who put no stock in love-especially love with one woman. Bred to never take a life mate, these men will do everything in their power to live up to the dead King Attor's expectations and never fall in love.
Kirill is a man who must do his duty, only he didn't expect to do it so soon. When his father dies, he knows it's his destiny to be King. What he didn't expect is the troublesome mistress that's now his to deal with.
About Lords of the Var (Books 1-5)
You met their father, King Attor, in Dragon Lords Books 1-4, now meet the Var Princes!
The Var Princes were raised by a hard man who put no stock in love—especially love with one woman. Bred to never take a life mate, these men will do everything in their power to live up to the dead King Attor’s expectations and never fall in love.
The Savage King Excerpt
Kirill watched the door to his bedroom open. He’d been sitting in the dark, trying to relieve the stress headache that built behind his eyes for the last week. The pain started at the base of his skull and radiated up to his temples until he could hardly see straight.
A heavy responsibility had been thrust on his shoulders, a responsibility he really hadn’t prepared himself for--the welfare of the Var people. King Attor did not leave him in a good position. He’d rallied the people to the brink of war, convinced them that the Draig were their enemy, and even went so far as to attack the Draig royal family.
Kirill would see peace in the land. However, he knew the facts didn’t bode well for it. The Draig had a long list of grievances against King Attor and the Var kingdom.
Before his death, Attor had ordered an attack on one of the four Draig Princes, all of which ended horribly for the Var. Prince Yusef was stabbed in the back, a most cowardly embarrassment for the Var guard who did it. If he hadn’t of been executed in the Draig prisons, he would’ve been ostracized from the Var community. Luckily, Prince Yusef survived or else they’d already be at battle.
Attor had also arranged for the kidnapping of Yusef’s new bride. Princess Olena had been rescued or else that too would’ve led to war. The old King had tried to poison Princess Morrigan, the future Queen, on two separate occasions. She too lived. And those were only the offenses that Kirill knew about in the few weeks before Attor’s death. He could just imagine what he didn’t know.
Kirill sighed, feeling very tired. He’d known since birth that the day would come when he’d be expected to step up and lead the Var as their new King. He just hadn’t expected it to be for another hundred or so years. His father had been a hard man, who he’d foolishly come to look at as invincible.
“Here kitty, kitty, kitty.” His lovely houseguest’s whisper drew his complete attention from his heavy thoughts.
Ulyssa bent over like she expected him to answer to the insulting call. He dropped his fingers from his temple into his lap and a quizzical smile came to his lips. As he watched her, he wasn’t sure if he was angered or amused by her words.
“Are you in here, you little furball?” she said, a little louder.
She wore his clothes. Never had the outfit looked sexier. His jaw tightened in masculine interest, as he unabashedly looked her over. All too well did he remember the softness of her body against his and the gentle, offering pleasure of her sweet lips. She’d made soft whimpering noises when he touched her--yielding, purring sounds in the back of her throat. Even with the aid of nef, he was surprised by how easily and confidently she melted into him. The Var were wild, passionate people and were drawn to the same qualities in others. He suspected she’d be an untamed lover.
Too bad she’d belonged to his father first. In his mind, that made her completely untouchable--though none would dare question his claim if he were to bring her to his bed. Technically, by Var law, she belonged to him until he chose to release her. For an insane moment, he thought about keeping her as a lover. He knew he wouldn’t, but the thought was entertaining.
Kirill’s grin deepened. Ulyssa strode across his home to the bathroom door with an irritated scowl. It was obvious she didn’t see him in the darkened corner, watching her. He detected her engaging smell from across the room--the smell of a woman’s desire. It stirred his blood, making his limbs heavy with desire. And, for the first time since his father’s death, his headache relieved itself.
“Hum, maybe I’m looking too high. I’m sure there has to be a little cat door here somewhere.”
His slight smile fell at her words. It was easy to detect the mocking in her.
“Where’s your little kitty door at, huh?” Ulyssa whispered to herself, her blue gaze searching around in the dark.
Kirill grimaced in further displeasure. He watched her open the door to his weapons cabinet. Her eyes rounded. She nodded in appreciation before closing door and continuing her search for an exit.
She stopped at a narrow window by his kitchen doorway. Her neck craned to the side, as she tried to see out over the distance. Kirill knew she looked at the forest. From under her breath, he heard her vehement whisper, “Where exactly did you little fur balls bring me? Ugh, I need to get out of this flea trap, even if I have to fight every one of you cowardly felines to do it. I’ve fought species twice as big and three times as frightening. A couple little kitty cats don’t scare me.”
If this insolent woman wanted to play tough, oh, he’d play. Curling gracefully forward, Kirill shifted before his hands even touched the ground. He let one thick paw land silently on the floor, followed by a second. Short black fur rippled over his tanned flesh, blending him into the shadows. His clothes fell from his body and he lowered his head as he crept forward. A low sound of warning started in the back of his throat. He was livid.
Ulyssa froze, hearing the growl behind her. She really hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room or else she never would’ve ranted like she did. Biting her lip, her eyes automatically scanned for a weapon as she turned.
Seeing the oversized panther stalking her, its body low against the ground as if she were its prey, she gasped. “Oh, whoa, easy there big fella. Are you one of them or are you just a pet?”
Ulyssa had fought all kinds of alien species and yet somehow her training hadn’t prepared her to face a wild animal like this one. She could see the tempered speed in the panther’s streamlined body. Steeling her nerves, she looked him in the eyes and reached out the back of her hand. “Are you in there, Var…warrior…man? Can you hear me?”
The animal roared, loud and long, brandishing his deadly fangs. She jolted back in surprise. His jaw snapped shut, as if he would bite her. His beastly yellow-green eyes narrowed in warning.
Ulyssa lost all bravado as she backed into a wall. Her heart let loose, hammering in her chest. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, making her shake. Her breath came out in ragged pants. She was terrified, too frightened to scream.
The animal crept closer. To her shame, she felt tears threaten to fill her eyes. Some agent she turned out to be! Her programming for this planet didn’t include animal combat. Weren’t you supposed to cower before wild animals and let them have dominance? Or was it the other way around? For the life of her, she couldn’t remember. It’s not like they had many wild animals left running around Earth these days. Those they did have were in locked conservatories, kept away from human interference, and left to their own devices.
The panther roared, bringing her attention back to the trouble at hand. Ulyssa recoiled, lifting her arms to protect her chest and face as she pressed into the stone wall. A dark blue banner waved near her nose as she turned her head away. The image of a styled panther fluttered before her. She whimpered, closing her eyes. Her body tensed, bracing for the initial attack. Silence followed and
she couldn’t move.
“Shhh,” a gentle whisper soothed. “I didn’t think you’d be so scared of me.”
Solo Tu by Mandy M. Roth
Paranormal Vampire Shifter Romance
A witch by birth, Francy Montgomery feels she's merely a fledgling in the eyes of the supernatural world. Only one man believed in her abilities, a man who ignited a magical fire within her that burns for his touch, despite his rejection. Now she has to face him again, and tell him of her intent to marry another rather than wasting her life wanting what she can never have.
Dante Guerrasio's patience has just run out. The mate he's waited centuries to find is now at a point in her life that's she's ready to be claimed as his. In fact, she'd be his already if some meddling magic hadn't interfered and kept him at bay when she was eighteen. The wolf inside him needed her then, but the man he is knew that Francy needed to taste her freedom before he could taste her. How did his suggestion that she experience life for herself lead her into the arms of another man—his sworn enemy.
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