“Because you found harmony?”
“More recently, because we discovered that we face a common threat. This is what enabled us to move beyond the loss of the verran. Each rotation of our system brings both planets closer to our sun. It is forecast by both the astrologers and the sorcerors that soon both planets will fall into the fiery heat of the sun and be destroyed.”
“How is any son you bear supposed to prevent that?”
Drakina shrugged. “I don’t know.” She put down her fork, deciding to be honest. “I don’t actually believe it can be done.”
“The kingdoms could unite and colonize.”
“And each surrender some authority to the other? You know little of dragons, Carrier, and less of kings. They will each die in their respective kingdoms. We are comparatively isolated in the galaxy and transport is expensive. It may not even be possible to build enough transport vessels for the entirety of both populations. The kings must work together for a solution.”
“But if you don’t believe in the prophecy, why are you here?”
“Because my father does believe and because I am prepared to fulfill his desire in exchange for mine.”
The Carrier arched a brow.
“Freedom,” she said. “The right to choose.”
“What would you choose to do instead of being a crown princess?”
“Do not be impertinent, Carrier,” Drakina chided. “The royal whim is not yours to know.” He fell silent, though there was a predictable mutiny in his eyes. At least he kept his mind to himself. She finished her meal and pushed the plate aside, wishing there had been more bacon.
She looked up to find his eyes twinkling. How had she ever thought them small and beady?
“Again?” he murmured.
Drakina smiled. “You read it in my eyes.”
“You’re an open book, princess.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “You desire only more of my truth.”
The Carrier leaned forward, an alluring intensity in his manner. “I like pleasing you,” he whispered, his words sending a thrill through her. “Slowly and thoroughly.” Their gazes clung over the table and Drakina’s mouth went dry. She let him see the truth of what she wanted to do to him, in her eyes. The Carrier swallowed and moved restlessly on the opposite bench, showing a most enticing impatience.
She would convince him of the merit of fast sex before their ways parted.
“Again,” she agreed. “And possibly once more after that. I believe I will be needing my strength.” She smiled at him. “It might be wise to fortify yourself as well, Carrier.”
Chapter Three
“So, you’re the oldest?” Troy prompted when Drakina was tucking into her third breakfast. He was wondering how to bring the conversation back to her marriage. What had happened to the lucky guy? He liked that she confided in him, but then she was a dragon shifter. She wasn’t going to lose many fights. “Of how many?”
“There are twelve princesses in the royal brood of Incendium.”
“All dragon shifters?”
She nodded, as if this was self-evident.
“But if you’re the oldest princess, shouldn’t you be making a dynastic match?”
Drakina’s smile was quick. “My father tried that.” He guessed his curiosity was obvious because she set down her fork. “Once upon a time,” she began and he almost laughed. “The Queen of Regalia bore twelve sons. The King of Incendium, my own father, sired twelve daughters.” Her expression turned rueful. “If you know anything at all of kings and their desire to organize the lives of those beneath their hand—or claw, as the case might be—you can guess what happened.”
“They wanted to match their daughters and sons in marriage.”
“So predictable.” Drakina surveyed the remainder of her meal and reached—predictably—for the bacon. “And so I was to be the first because I was the oldest. So was he. The betrothal was announced, and the preparations were made. The heralds were dispatched and the festivities arranged.”
“What was he like?”
She gave him a chilling glance. “Sinewy. It must have been all that jousting.”
Sinewy?
Troy stared at her as she calmly ate another piece of bacon.
She nodded, as if in recollection. “With a definite and lingering aftertaste.” She shuddered. “I’d so hoped he’d be sweet.”
“You ate him?”
“I had just cause.” Her manner was prickly. “The tribunal court agreed.”
“I’m skeptical of that.” This put a different slant on being the Carrier of the Seed. She had mentioned that her cousins eliminated their mates once they had fulfilled their usefulness. Would killing Drakina be an act of self-defense?
Drakina granted him a simmering glance, then leaned forward, stabbing one finger into the table as she argued her own case. Troy felt the force of her anger, but he knew it would be foolish to retreat. He might end up looking like lunch.
She breathed the words so low that the table vibrated. “He. Stood. Me. Up.”
“Not at the altar.”
Drakina returned to her meal and ate with savage haste, her eyes flashing. “Of course, at the altar. In my father’s palace. With dignitaries from every ally in attendance. Do you know what that wedding cost my father? What it cost his kingdom? And that foul excuse for a prince didn’t even have the courage to break off the engagement in person. He sent a clerk.” She sneered and Troy was sure he saw sparks. “Canto was no warrior.”
“He was unworthy of you.”
“Exactly.” She shoved the plate away with such force that it clattered against the wall at the end of the booth. There was even a piece of bacon on it still. She glared at Troy and he thought she might shift shape on the spot.
“I was mortified,” she said, her words thrumming. “My father was furious. My mother was a wreck.” She straightened, seeming to notice that the waitress and the cook were looking. She did a creditable job of composing herself before she continued. “So, I did the only reasonable thing. I left immediately to ensure justice. I shifted shape right then and there. I left the festivities in a cold, lethal rage, and hunted Canto to the ground. Just as he deserved.”
It said something about her world that this reaction could be considered the only reasonable thing to do. Troy could just imagine her shifting shape, right in front of the company, then taking flight. She’d probably breathed a bit of fire as she’d flown around the building.
“My father was a bit vexed about the hole in the roof, but he understood my impulse. I think he might have let it pass if I hadn’t found Canto so quickly and things hadn’t been resolved so…absolutely.” She lifted her hands. “He could not even hide well!”
“You might have let him live?”
She grimaced. “I might have been more temperate if there had been time for my temper to cool, but as it was, that was out of the question.”
Troy thought it was a good idea to learn as much as possible about escaping her wrath, even though he didn’t intend things to get to that. “Why was it out of the question?”
Drakina shook her head. “He liked a particular perfume and wore it often. He thought it was alluring.” Her expression revealed that she didn’t agree. “I believe the scent is known here, as well.” She frowned and pulled out that small computer again. It was a kind he’d seen many times since he’d left Earth. It was so thin that it was essentially a film, and could be folded or adhered to skin, hidden in a tiny pocket like the one in Drakina’s dress, yet had an astonishing computing power. Troy was belatedly impressed by her command of Terran English. She hadn’t used the interpreter much at all.
She must have studied in preparation for the trip.
She laughed then and put the interpreter away. “A similar Terran perfume is called myrrh. But the ancient Egyptians used it for the embalming of corpses. I think I should have liked these Egyptians.”
“They’re long gone.”
“So I see.” She seize
d the final piece of bacon. “Well, it led to his funeral, because I could have followed that trail of scent anywhere.”
“What scent do you find alluring in a man?” Troy wanted to know and thought it would be a good idea to calm her temper.
Drakina’s eyes sparkled immediately, then her voice dropped low. “His own. I like the musk of warm skin. It reveals desire and hints at pleasure.” She leaned over the table and held his gaze as she inhaled slowly. “Your scent is good, Carrier,” she whispered. “Man not meat. Warrior, not courtier.”
That was good to know. “I’ll guess there were repercussions from you hunting down the groom.”
“A diplomatic incident, as they say, and my father’s wrath to be faced. In the end, it was only the dire situation of our two planets that drew Regalia and Incendium into reluctant alliance again. At least, there is no question of my securing the bond.”
“One of your sisters will have to do it?”
“Gemma is betrothed to Urbanus, the new crown prince, and I wish her luck. He’s probably even less toothsome than his brother.”
Urbanus? Troy’s thoughts flew as he realized that the bet that had sent him on this mission wasn’t a coincidence at all. There couldn’t be two men named Urbanus, both the crown prince of Regalia, and both with a prince’s conviction that his will should be done. Troy had hated the gambler on sight.
If his brother Canto had been anything like him, he would have been glad to see Drakina devour him.
But it explained why Urbanus wanted Drakina dead.
And wanted her assassinated badly enough to make a wager on Xanto.
Troy looked around, feeling a strange lack of interest in fulfilling his mission, the one that was his only chance to survive. Was he losing his mind?
Or did he and the dragon princess have something unexpected in common, in that they had both been unjustly condemned?
Drakina cleared her throat delicately. “Strangely enough, the festivities have been delayed repeatedly.”
“Maybe she shares your view.”
“The astrologers keep saying the time is not right. I have wondered whether she is bribing them. Gemma tends to achieve her goals more quietly than I.” Drakina considered Troy with a smile. “So, you see, I have been ill-fated in courtship and will only be pragmatic in future. I come here with one purpose. I want your Seed. Let us come to terms, Carrier. Incendium falls ever closer to the sun.”
Troy had to prolong their discussion. “Don’t you think that what I want matters? Just a little?”
She was clearly startled by the notion. “Why should I? I am a royal Wyvern. I am doing my duty in conceiving a son for the good of the realm.”
“But you need my help to do that.”
Drakina was both intrigued and surprised. “What do you want, Carrier?”
“That would be your third question,” he warned.
“And it is a good one. I accept that it is my last query of you.”
Troy didn’t know what he was going to say until the words fell out of his mouth. “I don’t want to be alone anymore, princess.” Once he had said it, he knew it was true.
Even better, he knew he had to find another solution.
Somehow, he had to have Drakina and win the bet to survive.
Drakina’s gaze brightened with curiosity. “Indeed?”
“I’m thinking that no matter what lies ahead for you and me, I’m going to want to see my son. Repeatedly. Maybe constantly. There will be no seed from me unless we come to an agreement on that.”
Her eyes narrowed but her tone stayed level. “Terrans are not welcome in Incendium.”
“You and I could stay here.”
Drakina inhaled sharply and cast a glance of disgust about herself. “It’s so primitive! You cannot mean to insist upon such a condition!”
Troy knew in that moment how he might change her mind. “I like it. It’s home. You might come to like it too.”
She arched a brow.
He smiled at her undaunted. “And the seed is mine to give or not.”
Drakina’s lips tightened but Troy didn’t blink. Then she leaned across the table and dropped her voice low. Her fingertip landed on the back of his hand, then trailed upward. “I could seduce you into complying,” she murmured and Troy knew she had a good chance of succeeding.
He drew his hand back, although he didn’t want to. “You could,” he admitted. “But it would hurt my feelings to be used like that, and you’ve already given your word that you won’t injure me.” It was a long shot and a technicality.
But it worked.
Drakina inhaled sharply, sat back, and glared at him. She drummed her fingers on the table. “Another sinewy one,” she muttered. “Just my luck.”
Troy smiled, just a little, and a flame lit in her eyes.
“Convince me of the merit of this place, Carrier. There must be some reason you are fond of it.”
That was exactly what Troy had hoped she would say.
And he hadn’t used his MindBending skills at all. He felt encouraged.
“That’s why we’re going on a little trip, princess. Wish number two.” He surveyed the empty dishes. “Think you can last a couple of hours without a meal?”
“My curiosity is awakened. Where are we going?”
* * *
The strange thing was that the more her mate challenged her, the less unattractive Drakina found him to be. His intelligence shone in his eyes, along with his determination and his desire. His body was muscled and very alluring, his embrace both tender and tough. She liked that she could provoke his reaction with her touch. She liked that he talked to her. She liked best of all that he provoked her, both with words and deeds, and was unafraid of her.
He was such a warrior that she began to think that he was worthy of her.
After so many exchanges with the Regalian crown princes—who were supposedly so rugged and fearless but simpered and shook like butterflies in the presence of a Wyvern princess—his attitude was a relief.
It was also intriguing. He believed she would keep her word. Of course, Drakina would keep her word, but mortals who made tasty snacks for dragons were usually far less trusting.
He wasn’t MindBending. Now that she was paying attention, she knew it. She had only to hear the sound of an intruder once to be alert to it forevermore.
Troy. She let herself think his name, then reminded herself not to get soft.
What gave him this confidence?
What had made him so resolute?
Drakina reminded herself the egg within her was ripe, and that it should be fertilized soon to avoid the potential for undesirable mutation. If her son was to save Incendium, he had to be perfect and whole. She had to have the Carrier’s Seed soon.
Now.
As soon as his second wish was fulfilled.
He led her out of the diner and to an establishment across the street. The door was locked and he tapped on the glass. A woman appeared in the shadows of the darkened store and unlocked the door.
“Not open for another hour,” she said.
“Could you make an exception?” the Carrier asked, and Drakina couldn’t be sure whether he was MindBending or just using his natural charm. He seemed to have a lot of that. “We’re in a bit of a hurry.”
The woman pursed her lips. “Suppose it’s foolish to turn down any business, now that the festival’s over and done.”
“The lady needs jeans and a jacket,” the Carrier said. “Boots, too. We’ll be riding my Harley.”
The woman’s face lit with an understanding Drakina did not share. She welcomed them into the shop and hastened to one side, almost dancing between the racks of garments and Drakina. “Try these first,” she said, holding up a garment that would sheath her legs. “Our most popular line.”
Drakina smiled at the Carrier in gratitude.
Within moments, she was more modestly clothed, the dress and sandals packed in a bag. When she came out of the small chamber in the jeans, the
Carrier caught his breath in a most satisfactory way.
“Fit you like a second skin,” the woman said.
Drakina found pleasure in the gleam of the Carrier’s eyes.
By the time they left, she had a shirt and a jacket, a pair of gloves and boots. The Carrier led her to the back of the hotel, where a two-wheeled chariot awaited. He donned a helmet, handing a second one to her, then sat astride the bike. He started the engine, which had a very pleasing roar. Drakina climbed onto the vehicle behind him, liking that she could wrap her legs around him.
She caressed the tight curve of his butt and he cast her a look. If he was trying to look stern, the twinkle of his eyes undermined the effect.
“This is a Harley,” she said, savoring its sound.
“This is my Harley,” he corrected, then turned out of the lot. As soon as they were on the open road outside of town, he accelerated. The motor thrummed in a most satisfying way. The land raced past them. Drakina leaned against him, loving how vital and alert he was.
“It’s almost as good as flying!” she shouted at him.
“That’s what I always thought, princess.”
It was too hard to talk so Drakina just enjoyed. She held tightly to her mate, feeling his muscles flex beneath her hands. They leaned into the curves together, and she reveled in the steady beat of his heart. She saw a mountain rise before them, way out in the distance, and believed there were trees upon it. It could have been Sylvawyld, except for the ribbon of road, for there were few other vehicles and they saw no people. The sky was clear overhead and their sun shone hot.
They could have been alone in Troy’s world, just the two of them with no duties or obligations. Drakina found that a strangely alluring prospect.