“What the...?” Grant’s voice drifted over them, sleepily. There was a noise as he stumbled about in the dark.
The woman shifted her weight and Tori fell over on her side, her head hitting Vitto’s leg. She could barely move, as the coverlet twisted around her. The woman’s head fell on her stomach, trapping her even more.
“Lights!”
Tori froze, gasping for breath. Quinn’s voice rang over the suite. The curtains slid around the dome. She blinked as a soft, diffused light flooded over them.
Her body was pinned between Vitto and Linzi. Linzi was naked, except for a robe. Tori flinched, trying to buck the woman off. Linzi screamed again, seeing that she was in the bed with the wrong people. Tori glared at Grant to shut the woman up. She couldn’t see Quinn, but she felt his presence.
Grant snickered in amusement, as he crossed over to the bed. He yanked Linzi’s arm and pulled her upright. She glared at him, then at the bed, before storming out of the room.
Tori wiggled around to see Quinn. His face was red with anger. He glared at Vitto. As she stared up at him, his eyes turned to her. His lip curled up in a snarl. Without saying a word, he turned and stormed from the suite.
“What the hell was that?” Grant asked.
“Help me out of this,” Tori demanded, torn as to whether or not she should chase after Quinn.
“Sequencing complete,” Siren announced overhead, making her mind up for her. All three scientists froze.
Vitto sprang into action, untangling their limbs. Standing, Tori gasped for breath and asked, “Siren, was there a match?”
“No match within my database,” Siren answered.
“Thank you, Siren,” Tori said, remembering what the king had said about the computer being temperamental.
“You’re welcome, Doctor Elliot.”
“What about King Kirill? Prince Quinn?” Tori asked.
“It’s not them,” Grant said. “They have a common thread that must have come from their father. I’m guessing it’s none of the princes.”
“That leaves the elders, Lord Myrddin to be exact.” Tori frowned, letting her professional calm overtake her. They’d discussed the possibility of him before. It was his land the biological weapons were on. His cave was the source of the black moss. Plus, Quinn mentioned he didn’t support Kirill’s rule. It only made sense.
“Once you have eliminated all the other possibilities the answer is what remains,” Grant said.
“Often the easiest, most logical choice is the right one,” Vitto added.
Tori nodded. “You’re right. I think it’s time I met this Lord Myrddin for myself.”
27
“No.”
Tori stared at Quinn in disbelief. After going back to her suite to take a quick bath, she’d searched the castle for him. Finally getting directions to his wing of the palace from one of the guards, she went to the hall where she’d first met him lip-locked to Linzi.
Quinn’s home was simple in its taste, colored with vibrant blues and cream. A couch sat before a large fireplace on a slightly raised platform. The couch was low and wide. Long pillows were laid out on the floor, perfect for lounging. The tiled floors stretched before the front door, elegant and immaculately clean.
Aside from the front, there were no doors in the prince’s home. Tall decorative arches in the wall led to a bedroom, a kitchen, and a large office. A wall of glass, so thick you couldn’t see through it, guarded the bathroom. An inlet next to the fireplace, near the kitchen, led to a large dining room. There were enough chairs in it to seat more than a dozen guests.
“It’s beautiful,” Tori had said in awe upon entering, her eyes wide.
“What do you want, Doctor Elliot?” was Quinn’s cold reply.
Now, staring at his dispassionate face, she stiffened. Looking at him was like looking at a stranger. There was no affection in him, no tenderness or teasing. He was all ambassador, and it stung her to the core. Any impulse she had to explain the morning fiasco was swallowed up inside her.
“What do you mean no?” Tori demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
“I’ve read your file. You have several degrees, Doctor Elliot. I assume you know the meaning of the word. The answer to your request is no.” Quinn studied her, his eyes burning hotly from his blank face. She shivered. “I won’t take you to Lord Myrddin, especially without knowing why you need to meet him.”
“Quinn,” she began, wanting to explain. His brow rose. Rubbing her temples, she shook her head. “I’ll file my preliminary findings with the king. Good day.”
Tori turned and walked out the front door. Her shoulder’s jerked, but she refused to cry. She had to be strong.
Quinn watched the door close behind her. His hand reached forward to go after her, but he pulled it back to his side. In the brief moment she said his name, her eyes had been defeated, sad, exhausted beyond measure. He wanted to comfort her, to hold her. However, the memory of her on the bed with Vitto and Linzi wouldn’t leave him. Later, after he calmed down, he realized he hadn’t known what they were doing, or if they were doing anything at all. But, it had taken him a long time to calm himself to that point.
Quinn took a deep breath. His sudden jealousy over it was too potent to ignore. He’d been mindless with rage, and that wasn’t a good sign. It meant he was starting to feel more than just a passing connection to her. He couldn’t afford distractions in his life, not to the extent that he couldn’t function. His father’s incessant words came back to him.
“This kingdom is what makes us, Quinn, this land. A man cannot bow to a woman and still call himself a man. To fall for a woman is to fall for weakness. We are men. We conquer and rule. We must be strong and, as ambassador, you must be the strongest of mind. If you allow yourself to ever be distracted, your folly could be the death of our race. Remember that, the next time some pretty thing turns your head. If ever your heart begins to beat a woman’s name, think of the Var race rotting in the sun in a sea of corpses. That is what love can do, my son. Take your pleasure, enjoy their soft company, but never get attached. Duty must always come first.”
Closing his eyes, he could still see his father’s grave expression as he said the words to a young prince who would help lead a nation. Afterward, King Attor had smiled at him, a rare expression on the old king.
“Besides, women are like fruit on the vine, each piece sweeter than the first. Why sample one, when you can sample them all?”
Quinn turned and forced himself to go back to the tall stack of papers in his office awaiting his attention. He was smart enough to understand that his father didn’t know everything. Hell, King Attor had been wrong when he had the biological weapons brought to the planet. The man was no saint. But, for all his faults, King Attor had been wise. His logic in many things could not be discounted.
Kirill had found happiness with his wife, but could Quinn hope ever to have the same? Shaking his head, he highly doubted it. Ulyssa evidently returned her husband’s love. Doctor Elliot, however, barely appeared to give him a second thought unless he was standing in front of her, blatantly demanding attention with sexual overtures. No, falling for the scientist wasn’t a safe bet and a man in his royal position couldn’t afford to gamble.
28
Tori gripped her report in her hand, crumpling and twisting it, as she nervously waited for the door of the king’s office to open. She’d spent the entire morning writing the thing and still wasn’t satisfied with it. Her thoughts were too distracted to focus on anything but Quinn. The only reason she wrote the thing to begin with was because she’d told Quinn that she would. He’d just frustrated her so much when she went to his home. Well, if he wanted to act professionally, she could behave professionally.
“King Kirill,” Tori nodded her head, stepping into his office.
“Ah, doctor,” the king said, standing up from his desk. He smiled kindly at her.
Tori nodded, stiffly trying to return the friendly gesture.
“Doc
tor Elliot, I don’t believe we’ve had a chance to meet properly.”
At the statement, Tori turned to Queen Ulyssa. The queen was a beautiful woman, one who looked incredibly happy. Even when she wasn’t smiling, the love shone from her eyes.
“Majesty,” Tori said.
Ulyssa laughed. “Oh, not you, too. Please, call me Ulyssa. I still haven’t been able to get used to this ‘Your Royal Highness’ business. But, at least you didn’t curtsey. That’s something in your favor.”
Chuckling, Tori couldn’t seem to help herself. Ulyssa’s expression was too open and friendly.
“So, how do you like working for HIA?” Ulyssa asked, laughing at her own private joke.
“It’s...”
“I know,” Ulyssa put forth when Tori hesitated. “They don’t give you much choice, do they?”
Tori glanced at the king and then back to Ulyssa. “No, not really.”
“I was sorry to hear about Doctor Martens. He was a nice man.” The queen crossed over and laid a gentle hand on her arm. Tori nodded, her expression fading into a blank mask. Her attention was again drawn to the report clutched in her hand. Leaning forward, Ulyssa whispered in her ear, under the pretense of giving her a hug, “These Var men are a handful, but I promise their brains do eventually catch up to their hearts. I know it’s frustrating, but try to have patience. And, if that doesn’t work, be blunt or hit Quinn over the head until he sees reason or blacks out.” The queen pulled back and winked. “Either way, I guarantee it will make you feel better. Quinn’s a good man and he’ll be honest with you if ever you have a need to demand the truth from him.”
Tori wasn’t sure what to say to that. Did everyone assume that since she and Quinn were lovers there was more to their relationship? She did care for him, and his dismissal earlier had hurt a great deal. Smiling politely, she nodded as the queen pulled completely away.
“I’m here if you need to talk,” Ulyssa said. She crossed over to her husband and, without embarrassment, wrapped her arms around his neck. He leaned down, returning her light embrace as he gave her a gentle kiss. Pulling away, she said, “I’ll see you in an hour. Don’t make me come back here and force you to eat. It won’t be pretty if you forget again.”
“Yes, dear,” he laughed, not looking at all threatened.
Tori averted her eyes at the loving interplay. Ulyssa touched her shoulder as she walked past, leaving her alone with King Kirill.
“I prepared a report on our findings,” Tori announced. She stepped to the desk and held out the papers. Kirill glanced at it and slowly took it, before setting it on his desk unopened.
“It wasn’t necessary for you to go to all this trouble,” Kirill said. “Oral reports are fine.”
“You’ll find on page three the DNA evidence we were able to salvage from Doctor Martens,” Tori said.
“I can tell by your tone that you suspect one of my people,” Kirill returned, his voice quiet. An extreme sadness crossed over his features. “For that I am sorry. Why don’t you tell me what you know?”
Tori took a deep breath. Following Kirill to the chairs by the fireplace, she sat down. It took a moment for her to speak. Then, looking at his concerned face, she told him everything they had discovered.
When she was finished, the king said, “I hate to admit it, but I agree that Lord Myrddin is the most logical choice. The news about the black moss is disturbing to say the least. Do you think you can help us stop it?”
Tori nodded. “I believe we can, given enough time. If we know exactly what the black moss is and how and why it was created, that would speed up the process. It’s imperative I speak with Lord Myrddin. Not only do I need a DNA sample to rule him out, but I need to know what exactly they were doing in that cave. The records we took were too corrupted by time and moss overgrowth to translate into any kind of recognizable data.”
“Prince Falke and Prince Reid are going to Lord Myrddin’s home. They leave tomorrow. You may accompany them if you wish.” Kirill stood and moved to place his hand on her shoulder. “I want you to heed their advice while you’re gone. Actually, I insist upon it. They know Lord Myrddin, and they know the marshes.”
“Thank you. We will.” Tori stood. Kirill’s hand fell from her arm. “Please let Prince Falke know that we’ll be ready to leave at first light.”
Quinn stormed into his brother’s office, scowling as he demanded, “What do you mean she can go? Are you insane?”
Kirill had the audacity to grin at him. “I wondered how long it would take you to find out.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Quinn put forth, ignoring his brother’s teasing. “Would you send Ulyssa?”
“Ah, you see, Ulyssa is my mate. Doctor Elliot is a scientist who means nothing to us, except on a professional basis. Isn’t that what you said earlier?” Kirill’s grin widened as Quinn’s expression hardened and turned red. “Besides, with Ulyssa I wouldn’t allow anything, she’d just do it. I can’t stop her from being who she is. It’s one of the reasons I love her.”
Quinn began to curse, a long string of words in their native tongue.
“Feel better?” Kirill asked with he’d finished.
“No,” Quinn grumbled. “If that foolish woman insists on this madness and you are too ignorant to stop her, then I must go with them.”
Kirill’s mouth opened. Before he could speak, Quinn growled.
“I’m not asking for your permission, brother,” Quinn stated. “I’m going with them.”
Kirill didn’t move. Turning on his heel, Quinn left the office the same way he’d come.
29
Tori stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Everything the three scientists needed for the trip was packed. They weren’t taking much, except for some basic instruments and their personal belongings. Looking at Vitto, she opened her mouth to speak. Before she uttered a syllable, the door to Grant’s suite swung open.
“Quinn...?” she began, standing up. His face was red with anger, and she knew he’d found out about her plans to confront Lord Myrddin. Trembling, she took a step back.
Quinn stormed forward to grab her. Vitto came forward to block his path. The prince looked at him, his eyes shifting dangerously as he growled in warning.
“Vitto, no, it’s all right,” Tori said, not wanting to see her brother hurt. “I know what this is about.”
“Prince or not…” Vitto warned under his breath before stepping aside.
“Come on,” Quinn growled. He grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her out of the door. Dragging her down the long halls, he didn’t speak.
“Quinn, what are you doing?” Tori demanded, trying to pull her arm free as she tripped to keep up with his swift pace. “Let me go. You’re hurting my arm.”
They came to the hall before his home, and he stopped. Turning to her, he dropped her arm. His eyes dared her to try and run. Tori didn’t move, sensing that he would surely catch her if she tried to escape. She shivered, seeing how close he was to shifting. Claws were drawn on his fingers. Looking at her shoulder, she tensed. They’d ripped through her lab coat and ESC jumpsuit.
“Quinn? What’s going on with you?” Her words were a whisper, shaking slightly in light of his outrage. “You’re not the same as when I met you. Are you...sick? You don’t seem well. I’m a doctor, granted not that kind of doctor, but I can help you. Are you sick?”
“I told you no,” he stated, ignoring her questions. “It’s not safe for you to go to Lord Myrddin’s. I don’t want you going. Let Grant and Vitto do it.”
“That’s not your decision to make. It’s mine. Besides, it’s my job to go.” Tori took a calming breath, trying to sound reasonable. “I owe it to Simon to uncover the truth. Furthermore, I started a job on this planet, and I intend to finish it. I’m the one in charge, and I refuse to hide like a coward just because I’m scared.”
“It’s my duty to protect you,” Quinn growled in frustration. His chest heaved. “How can I protect you if you don’t listen to me?�
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The comment struck Tori as odd. She swallowed nervously. “Why is it your duty? Because I’m a scientist and you the Var ambassador?”
Quinn’s expression hardened at her words, and his eyes darted away. He hesitated, before stating, “Yes, that’s why. It’s my responsibility to make sure what happened to Doctor Martens doesn’t happen to the rest of you. If you truly believe Lord Myrddin is the killer, then it’s not safe for you to confront him. You’re human. He’s a Var warrior. He’ll be able to kill you with one swipe of his claw, and you won’t even see it coming.”
“Your concern is noted,” Tori answered, hardening her look to match his. “Prince Reid and Prince Falke will be escorting us. I have no doubts they will provide adequate protection for myself and my team. If you’re concerned about political backlash from HIA should something happen, I’ll be happy to sign a waiver.”
“I’m coming, too,” Quinn answered. His jaw flexed. His bright blue eyes were rigid with anger. She was sorry to see the playful expression he usually carried was completely gone.
Tori glanced down, seeing his claws hadn’t retracted. He might be trying to hide it, but he was still very angry. Unable to answer, she merely nodded. She was surprised by his admission though she knew she shouldn’t be.
“You will obey my orders while we are gone,” Quinn continued, working back into his rampage. His voice rose, dictating as he said, “This is not negotiable.”
Tori bit her lip and lowered her voice as she stepped closer to him. Very clearly, she answered, “I will tell you what I will do while we are gone, Prince Quinn. I will question Lord Myrddin about Doctor Martens. I will clear Qurilixen of biological weaponry. I will find a way to stop the black moss from continuing to spread. Do you realize that in anywhere from ten to thirty years your entire planet could be dead from it? Now, if in doing these three very crucial things I happen to obey your will for me, then great. But, if your will jeopardizes my ability to do my job, then—ahh!”
The Playful Prince Page 12