Crawling to the decontaminator, his groin so tight that he flinched each time he moved, he shut himself in. He stripped his clothes, letting the lasers run over his body, cleaning the sweat of exercise from his flesh as he touched his hard shaft. Even before he relieved his body of the tight pressure, he knew it wouldn’t really help. Still, what could he do? When he released himself, it was a painful surge that made him bite his lip to keep from screaming.
“Computer,” Reid said, breathless and panting in the aftermath. The immense pressure was gone, but the desire he felt wasn’t. “Define the human word, rogue.”
“Rogue,” the computer’s monotone repeated. “There are over five hundred reference listings in the computer. Definition one, a plant that has an--”
“Computer, in reference to humanoids,” Reid said.
“Rogue,” the monotone repeated, starting over. “A ne’er-do-well, a scamp, scallywag, charlatan, rapscallion, con man, crook, vagrant, beggar, devil, reprobate. One who is playful, mischievous. A--”
“Computer, that’s enough,” Reid said. It wasn’t exactly the ‘irresistibly charming sex god’ answer he’d been hoping for. He gave a weak laugh as he stepped out of the small room. Going to a dresser, he slipped on a pair of loose pants. He preferred to sleep nude, but he didn’t want to chance Jasmine’s body rubbing up against his. If it did, he’d be making love to her before he even woke up enough to know what he was doing.
He glanced at the bed. Her hair spilled over her shoulders, trailing seductively over the crimson shirt. For some reason, he found himself imagining what she would look like in the gowns of his people, dressed as a Var woman. This was a woman built with grace, elegance, and poise. Her very bearing did her proud.
What was he going to do with her? It was clear Jasmine wouldn’t appreciate being one of his many wives because that’s what he would someday have. And that was if she even chose to be a half mate. After what had been done to her, he could see why she would not wish to try marriage again.
Reid didn’t see himself giving her to another Var. He wouldn’t be able to stand seeing her--her stomach large with another man’s child, her body mated to another, belonging to another. The Draig were absolutely out of the question. He’d been at war with the dragon shifters for too many decades to allow that to happen, even if it would keep her from his sight. Maybe he should just let her go on Werten. She said that’s what she wanted, didn’t she?
Marrying one female wasn’t an option he’d allow himself to consider. Reid understood his father’s point when he’d taught his sons to never lifemate to a woman. Reid’s grandfather had suffered the folly of mating with one woman. She died when Attor was born and his father never recovered enough to breed more women with his sons. Although he took women to his bed, he left Attor without any brothers to help lead the Var nation. So, when Attor took over the throne, he became reliant on a few noble houses. One of those house nobles had actually tried to kill his sons, proving that it was wiser to have many children by half mates than risk having a few children by a full lifemate.
Reid sighed, staring at Jasmine. Perhaps he’d been looking at their situation all wrong. Maybe there was no need for them to mate at all. He didn’t have to take her as a half mate to be her lover. Why not teach her pleasure and get some for himself?
Perhaps this situation with Jasmine wasn’t as complicated as he’d made it out to be. Tonight, for a brief instant, he’d seen that she wanted him as he wanted her. It was a flicker of longing, fear, and anticipation. Tonight, he’d smelled her desire for him, the fragrance of it. Even now it wafted from her, teasing his senses and driving him mad. There was hope in that smell. Maybe all she needed was the right man, a man with experience, a man who knew a woman’s body, a man who knew how to touch. Maybe all she needed was a man like him.
Reid’s mouth opened and he was torn between a groan and a scream. Instead, he kept quiet, moving to touch her face. Letting a single finger trail over her soft skin, he asked her, “What are you doing to me, Jasmine? Why did you have to get on this ship?”
Jasmine didn’t move and Reid never received his answers.
* * * *
Jasmine didn’t wake up the next morning, though she did moan a lot throughout the long night. Reid laid by her side, her soft body curled into his harder one as he watched over her. He lay on his back, too afraid to turn to her, lest he start making love to her before he could stop himself. Already his desire for her towered from his hips, pushing at his pants until it looked like a tent had been erected.
He stared at the ceiling, to where the monitor would appear if he ordered Earth porn. If he was a cad, he’d do it. Unfortunately, he was finding he had more morals than he’d ever given himself credit for. Although, this self denial crap was getting really old.
At first Reid thought she was just sleeping off the liquor, but as morning turned to afternoon and afternoon to evening, he knew he had to do something. Jasmine was sick. She wasn’t waking up.
Jarek landed The Conqueror on Werten to get fuel. The shift into the planet’s atmosphere was a bumpy ride. Reid was curious to see other planets, but didn’t leave his room. With Jasmine asleep, there wasn’t much option as to whether or not they should leave her behind. Secretly, he was glad for it.
As the guys stretched their legs on the planet’s surface inquiring after a doctor for Jasmine, Reid stayed by her side. According to Rick, all they’d found was a fueling station and a small settlement. The people of Werten hadn’t seen a doctor for years. They’d left as quickly as they landed. Take off was just as bumpy.
Rick apologized repeatedly for letting Jasmine drink. Reid wanted to be mad at him, but he was too worried. If he’d been paying more attention to her, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to drink so much. She was his ward, he’d sworn to protect her, but he’d been too self involved with his own arousal to pay the proper attention to her.
The door to his room opened and Reid looked up from where he sat by Jasmine on the bed. He’d dressed, wearing loose clothes to hide his obvious arousal from everyone.
“Well?” Reid demanded.
Evan nodded. “I think your suspicions are correct. I don’t think it’s possible for her to be allergic to the medical booth. I think her husband must’ve told her that so she’d hide the bruises he gave her. It would look strange if she was seen getting fixed up every week.”
“You’re sure?” Reid frowned, looking at Jasmine, willing her to wake up. “I don’t want to make her worse.”
“Every book I’ve looked in says she’ll be fine. Maybe we can try it on her wrist first?” Evan frowned. “The new booth allows for laying down, but I’m not sure we should use it until it’s been checked out. It came from Nozando and if she won it, there might be something wrong with it. The old one is an upright model. Perhaps, one of us can hold her up or something.”
Reid reached over to his side and grabbed a large bottle of pills. “These were in her bag. I’ve seen her taking them a few times. Actually, more than a few times. She eats them two, maybe three times a day. I can tell because she gets a strange smell afterwards--not bad, just different.”
Evan arched a brow.
“She smells sterile,” Reid said. “Like a medical ward.”
“What are they?” Evan asked, taking the bottle and uncapping it. A bunch of small white pills slid into his hand.
“I don’t know,” Reid frowned. “Anyway we can analyze them?”
“Not onboard the ship,” Evan said, weighing them in his palm before sniffing them. “Maybe Princess Tori could when we get back to Qurilixen.”
Reid nodded. “Sit with Jasmine, would you? I need to go talk to Jarek and then we’ll try the medical booth.”
Evan sat down on the bed. Reid went in search of his brother, finding him in the cockpit with Rick and Lochlann. Reid eyed the Draig warily, but said nothing. Lochlann nodded once. Jarek pretended not to sense the obvious tension between the two.
A small brown planet w
as slowly disappearing along the edge of the viewing screen. Jarek glanced at Reid before nodding at the planet. “Dust ball of a place, Werten. You didn’t miss anything.”
“How soon can we get back home?” Reid asked without preamble.
Jarek glanced at Rick. The man pushed a few buttons on the console in front of him and then answered, “Day if we give it all the ship has and the course is clear.”
Jarek looked back at Reid. “We need to do it?”
Reid nodded. “Jasmine’s sick. She won’t wake up. I want Tori to take a look at her.”
Reid knew his brother needed no more explanation beyond that. Lochlann stood and whispered something to Jarek. Jarek nodded and the Draig left the cockpit.
“Do it,” Jarek said to Rick, as if he hadn’t been interrupted.
“Give me twenty minutes to plot the course,” Rick answered, turning back to the computer. His brows furrowed in concentration and all traces of the devil-may-care man were gone, replaced by a studious Rick they rarely saw--a Rick bent on doing his job.
Reid nodded to his brother and went to get Jasmine.
Chapter Seven
Jasmine yawned, opening her eyes. A thin thread of light shone from her feet, slicing through the darkness. The bed was soft and much bigger than Reid’s bed on the ship. It took a moment for her to gain her bearings and even then she didn’t know where she was.
Did Reid leave her behind? In a moment of panic, she sat up, scrambling to the end of the bed toward the ray of light. Her heart beat fast in her chest. Pushing aside long velvet curtains, she looked out into the room. She definitely wasn’t on The Conqueror anymore.
The room was huge, bigger than any hotel she’d ever stayed in with Chad and twice as luxurious. The curtains hung all the way around the bed to block out light. The deep purple color was brilliant in its jewel tone. By the soft, natural light, she could construe that it was daytime.
On the wall opposite the bed, a long blue banner hung with a stylized wild cat on it. Was it possible she was at Reid’s home? He was a prince and this room was very palace-like. How long had she slept? Why had he brought her here?
Jasmine felt her head, waiting for a wave of nausea. Wouldn’t she be sick after drinking so much? Then, eyeing her wrist, she frowned. She vaguely remembered spraining it when trying to get away from Reid. Though, to look at it now, you wouldn’t know it. It was completely healed.
Jasmine closed her eyes, remembering. She’d said some really nasty things to Reid and had been scared of what he might do if he caught up to her. If she ever talked to Chad like that he would have beaten her within an inch of her life. Truthfully, she’d only said what she did about Reid’s manhood because she was hurt that he would pawn her off on someone else. It was like she was a burden to him. He’d made it clear from the beginning that he didn’t want her on his ship.
Jasmine pulled her gaze away from her wrist and looked around the room once more, trying to figure out where she was. More velvet drapes hung over a raised platform. She couldn’t see what they hid behind them. There were long windows behind the curtained enclosure, showing off a blue-green sky. So, she was on a planet, not a starship.
Werten? Had Reid left her behind like she’d asked? She’d never been to the planet so had no idea what it looked like.
A barren, circular fireplace and couches made up the rest of the room. Swallowing nervously, she came off the bed and stood on the tile floor. She wore a loose fitting gown of dark gray. Its shapeless form draped over her body and bulged oddly in the middle. Her feet were bare.
Gasping, she looked up toward the ceiling. A large chandelier hung beneath a dome of tinted glass. The crystal shards hung down like raindrops, lighting the large oval room. Staring at it as she walked, she slowly made her way across the room. It would take five men, arms spread wide, just to make a ring around the stunning light fixture.
Jasmine found no joy in the luxury around her. Seeing a door, she automatically went to it. Wherever she was, it felt like a prison. The room reminded her of the gilded bars of her marriage. Pretty, sparkly things did not buy happiness. She’d rather live alone in a hovel than belong to a man in luxury--even if that man was Reid.
The door to the room was unlocked and she didn’t stop to think as she poked her head out. There was no guard and the hall was empty. She didn’t care where she was going, so long as she could go.
Running, Jasmine made her way through the maze like halls. She ignored the intricate carvings over the arched doorways. The floors were checkered with gray and white tiles, constructed from a stone much like Earth marble. There was also a definite medieval castle influence at play within the basic structure. The walls were decorated with symmetrical tiles inlaid into the walls. They were a brilliant display of colors--blue, red, orange, gold, green. Circular designs seemed to be a central theme in many of the halls. Jasmine didn’t stop to admire them.
Rounding a corner, she almost ran over someone. She jumped back, her eyes rounding in horror. A large Var man was before her. He was half-shifted, his features not all cat and not quite human, and he wore the Medieval-like tunic. A light tiger striped fur covered his face and neck with orange and black, mimicked by the fur on his hands. His voice was a gravelly pitch, as if garbled by the beginnings of a roar, as he asked, “My lady?”
Jasmine found she couldn’t speak. Tears sprung into her eyes. She’d seen Reid shift, but somehow when he did it she hadn’t felt threatened. Now the fear was almost overwhelming. She stared at the tiger-man’s teeth, slowly backing away from him.
“My lady?” he insisted, moving as if to touch her.
Jasmine squeaked in fear and ran from him, going full force down the hall. She heard footsteps behind her, or thought she did. But when she braved a glance back, the man wasn’t following her. The hall was empty. She stopped, shivering violently.
“Jasmine?” Jasmine jolted in alarm, hearing Reid’s voice. “Jasmine?”
She watched him turn the corner, coming for her. Jasmine backed away, her whole body shaking as she looked him over. She felt shaky, weak, strange. She couldn’t explain it, but she was frightened and nervous, but also elated to hear Reid’s voice, to know he hadn’t abandoned her on a strange planet.
“Jasmine, wait,” Reid ordered, catching up to her. He pulled her arm. A strange shock went over her system at the touch. She screamed, jerking away. His face fell as he looked at her and he didn’t try to touch her again. “Jasmine?”
“Where are we?”
“Qurilixen,” he said. “At the Var palace, my home. You were sleeping so we brought you here. If I’d known you were up, I’d have come for you.”
Jasmine was confused, overwhelmed with feelings and weak at the same time. She was at his home? The palace? She couldn’t concentrate. Her heart was beating too fast. She was sick, getting worse by the second. Just how long had she slept? Days could’ve passed without taking her pill.
She didn’t speak. As she stared at him it was like seeing his muscular form for the first time. Jasmine had always appreciated his looks, but now it was like she was mesmerized by not only the look of him, but the texture of him, the subtle nuances of his body as he moved. Why didn’t she see it before? There was something slow, primitive, seductive in the way he carried himself--like a hunter stalking his prey. It was like the marble statue came to life for her and she wanted to touch the art instead of merely seeing its beauty.
Did he always look like this?
Dark stubble shadowed his chiseled jaw, giving him an animalistic appeal. Long, dark hair spilled down over his broad shoulders in waves. He always wore his hair down, but why hadn’t she noticed the soft texture of it before, the inviting silkiness. She found herself staring at it, really staring at it.
Reid was perfectly built, not too broad and not too thin. He wore an outfit much like the first one she’d seen him in on Nozando. Only this time black leather bands with threads of gold gripped tight to his biceps and wrists, wrapping around both of h
is arms. Why didn’t she look at it longer that first time? Surely his muscles had been just as exposed. Why hadn’t she noticed?
Jasmine’s eyes dipped over him. Her mouth was suddenly dry. His black tank shirt was held together by black and gold cross lacing beneath his arms, leaving his sides and waist exposed. Her heartbeat picked up, becoming even wilder in her chest as she looked over his lower half. A belt matched the armband, clinging around his narrow waist. His pants were of the same material as the shirt, soft, yet molding to his firm body. More cross lacing was over the outside length of his thighs, revealing hard, tanned flesh all the way up his hip. No indention of firm muscle was left to the imagination.
Jasmine could barely breathe. There was something else that didn’t require her imagination--the giant length of his arousal. It was full, large and pressing against the tight pants.
“Ah,” she said, unable to tear her eyes away. Why hadn’t she noticed the particular girth of that part of him before? What was happening? “Ah-ah.”
A low growl sounded in the back of Reid’s throat. Her eyes whipped up to his. Too late, she realized she’d been staring senselessly at him. His pupils shifted as he took an aggressive step forward. She saw the beast he could become in his eyes--the untamed man with wild passions. The fire of his gaze burned brightly. Unlike before, she was terrified by it. Why had his shifting not bothered her before, only to terrify her now?
Jasmine’s stomach hurt and suddenly her whole body throbbed and ached. Something was definitely wrong. Her heart was beating so fast she was sure it would explode.
The low growl sounded in his throat, cutting off her words before she could even think to protest. He took an aggressive step forward. His nostrils flared as he sniffed her. “I don’t know how you were hiding it from me, but I smell you now.”
Smell what? What was wrong with him? Why was he looking at her like that? Like he was possessed by the devil?
The Rogue Prince Page 10