A Warrior's Quest (16 page)

“Female, I can be
both.
Sex can be a battle as much as a dance.” He manfully resisted yelping when she sank those fangs into a part of his chest that he was
not
expecting. This little Dardaptoan female was definitely a stereotype of her race—Dardaptoans were little
biters.
He pushed her deeper in to the mattress with his far superior weight. He wrapped his fingers in her hair and pulled roughly, exposing her pale neck to his own teeth. He was not a bloodsucker, but Dardaptoan females liked it. He had enough of his father in him to want to give his female what she wanted. He bit, hard. Not enough to draw blood but enough to have her gasping and trembling.

Yes; he would show her that she was vulnerable to him. Especially in this battle between the sheets. He slipped his hands up her arms and around her wrists. Yanked her hands over her head. Her eyes darkened; she did not like being in that position, under
his
control. But she would soon learn; he
was
in control of this. How could he not be? He was Incubus, after all. When it suited him to be. And it definitely suited him to be, now. What would a female like her want most in a bedmate?

She believed herself to be a strong woman and would want a male who was equal. But she was female, and they were inherently softer, weaker,
and more receptive. He shifted his hands until he could grasp both of hers in one hand.

He dropped his other hand to her knee and yanked it around his back, the move putting her softness against every hard angle he possessed.
  If he believed in gods and goddesses he’d be thanking them now. The female was perfect against him.

She kicked the knee he still held, surprising him out of his satisfied thoughts, then hooked it around his waist. That put her in even more intimate contact.

He took advantage, not caring that they had just started this battle of theirs. There would be plenty of time for more leisurely exploration of each other. But he had waited for so long to have this female beneath him, it seemed. Why would he want to delay what they both wanted playing games?

He hooked her other knee and pulled her into the position that he wanted her. Beneath him; vulnerable and in a position to receive all he had to offer. And he took what he wanted in return.

The warrior girl was as active a participant as he could ever have wanted. When they were finished he near-collapsed on top of her, shifting his weight at the last moment to avoid crushing her.

Once on his side he hauled her over his chest until he could sink his hands in her hair and pull her to meet his kiss. When he was finished he looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed still, her eyes beautiful. Her lips were swollen from his. Yes, she looked soft and perfect, like a female well satisfied.

The way a woman like her should look—satisfied from sex, not from sparring with a sword. Perfect. Just the way he’d imagined it.

“You are
mine.
Don’t ever forget it.”

He
’d remind her of that every day if that’s what it took.

What think you you
’re doing?” Ren’s words were tight, but the fingers wrapped around her arms a few hours later were tighter.

Aureliana shifted her arms around Thas. Her
Rajni
continued to glower down at her. Several of the healers surrounding them stopped to stare at the prince in their midst. He got attention wherever he went; she’d noticed that before. Gaia. Relaklonos. Levia. All stopped to stare at the large and imposing Warrior prince.

“Answer, female.”

“Excuse me?”

He ignored the bite in her tone. Was he that arrogant? He was; she knew he was. “Tell me…why would you be so foolish to bring yourself and
our spawn directly amongst so many beasts? We know not who was behind the Shojo attack. Not all of these lesser beings will understand that you are not just
servila.
” He slipped his free hand in to her hair and pulled her roughly into his embrace. “They will see you as little more than chattel. To be stolen; or just taken where you are. And you are mighty tempting.”

“Then that would be
their
foolish mistake, not mine.” Fight him off? Draw even more attention to the two of them? Neither option appealed. “Let me go, Ren. I’ve things to do.”

“There was plenty to do in my bed this morn. But you were not there when I woke.”

Was that what his anger was about? Heat hit her face as his meaning sank in. “Isolde…Thas…he was fussing. He wanted me.”

“You could not wake your mate to tell him thus?” He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck. Aureliana
’s pulse jumped. His grin told her he felt it. “You wronged me, pet. From now on, you stay in our bed until
I
wake.”

Now she knew he was an idiot. “Our bed?”

“Yes. I am having your things, and the spawn’s, moved to our suite now.” His fingers tightened on the back of her neck. He pulled her forward until her nose was nearly buried in his tunic. “You need only tell the servants where you want your things arranged.”

“I
want
them back in
my
room.” Surely he didn’t think things between them had changed
that
much? Enough that he got to even dictate where she and Thas
slept
? “You and I…it won’t happen again, Ren. I didn’t want to discuss this now…”

“What is there to discuss? I have chosen you as
gamata
and you have admitted I am your
Rajni.
In my realm, we are as good as married. You cannot break or escape that bond, now.” He let her pull away, but reached out and patted Thas on the rump. “Even if it were possible, I would not allow it. You are
gamata.
”

“Not without a choice, I
’m not.” Even as
Rajnis
they had choices. There had been a few rumors and legends of
Rajnis
choosing to be apart. It wasn’t entirely unheard of. He had said
nothing
of
gamata
last night. And she knew he didn’t want that. He hadn’t wanted to be her
Rajni.
And it was basically the same damned thing. What had changed between then and now? “You cannot force it on me.”

He took Thas from her and bounced him gently. “No. I cannot. Because I consider it already done. You will adjust. We are
Rajnis,
are we not? Therefore your very own goddess has decreed that you and I spend our lives together. What possible objections could you have to that?”

“A thousand!”

“Then tell me of them, so that I can resolve them for you. Before our spawn here needs fed.”

He was
leading
her down the hallway toward his suite. Why had she not noticed that? Was he that much in need of control? “I don’t
wish
to be.”

“But we are.”

“No, we’re not.”

“We will not be arguing it. You and young Thas will be in my wing. He will have his own nursery, next to Cerridwen
’s and Isolde’s rooms.
You
will be in
my
bed; where my female belongs. There is no question of that now. Rathan has been informed of your new status. As has the head of your own family line. Both approve. Notice has been sent to all of the lesser kingdoms of your new status. The congratulations are already arriving.”

“You did all this just
today
?” She couldn’t fathom it. Why had he done this? “Without even bothering to consult me.”

“Of course not.” He pulled her in to the stairwell. “I started days ago. There was much to be done, as prince of Relaklonos, my taking
gamata
was newsworthy.”

“We slept together. Once. It does not mean we are bonded now. Far from it. I have slept with other males. You were not the first.”

His expression darkened. “You will not speak of them again. Lest I be tempted to find them in Gaia and kill them. You are
mine.
None will ever see you and think differently.”

She took Thas back from him. The boy was wide awake, and seemed to be paying attention to the conversation between the adults around him, though she knew that to be foolish. He was just a babe, after all. “I belong only to myself. My family. My Kind.”

“And to your mate.”

He meant it. He honestly, to the goddess
’s last breath,
meant
it. “You seriously think this changed things between us? To the point where I would be willing to tie my life to yours indefinitely? It was just
sex
, Ren. Sex. I’m sure you’ve heard of it before—your father was Incubus!”

He shocked the three hells out of her when he simply lifted her off her feet, one arm going beneath her knees, the other her back. She squeaked. For the first time in four hundred plus years, she
squeaked.
Her arms tightened around the now giggling babe.

Everyone was staring at them. Ren didn
’t seem to care.

He tilted his head back and yelled. “She is mine! I claim her
gamata!”

“
Ren!”

He grinned as he carried her out of the large assembly hall. “There, now it has been said amongst witnesses—and
you
did not object or stop me from carrying off my female. You are mine. Mine. And I shall keep you well.”

***

It took her hours to extradite herself from his presence. He followed her everywhere, even on her assigned tasks for the Summit. Kindara was far too fragile to handle most of the administrative and organizational duties of running such a huge conference, and Aureliana had several strengths in those very areas. She had long handled those duties for her brother’s men. Back in Gaia.

The first place she went after shaking herself free of Ren was to her brother
’s suite. If anyone would understand her fears, it would be her sister-in-law Mallory. Mallory had accompanied Aodhan to the demon realm, but Aureliana knew the young woman was very nervous of this place. And how could she blame her? Until nine months ago, Mal lived in a world where demons—and Dardaptoans—didn’t exist. To travel to another
realm
was something the girl could never have foreseen.

And to be surrounded by these demon beasts with their very
different
than human appearances, demon beasts that all knew weren’t to be trusted, would make the often fearful Mallory very nervous.

But Aodhan had claimed Mallory without her consent back then, too. At the time Aureliana had been on her brother
’s side. Now she wasn’t so sure.

Mallory opened the door at Aureliana
’s knock. “Auri? Are you ok? Aodhan is off with Rathan right now.”

“I
’m fine. I just need to speak to you. Can I come in?”

“Of course.” Her sister-in-law stepped to the side and Aureliana carried Thas into the suite. “How is the baby?”

“He seems to be thriving. We still don’t know what he is, though.” Aureliana stepped to the window and looked down to the courtyard below. Ren was down there, drilling with his men and organizing them into ten-team security bands to patrol the area surrounding the castle. Her sister-in-law stepped up to her side. Mallory was quiet for the longest time.

“You
’re scared. Of the Beansidhe?”

Aureliana thought for a moment. The Beansidhe was a very real threat—in Gaia. As long as she stayed in a realm other than her home one, she should be safe. She could live another thousand years before the Beansidhe managed to come for her. “No. Not of the Beansidhe.”

“Of this place? It’s definitely not what I pictured Rathan’s home being like, by any means.” Mallory and Rathan were particularly close friends; Aureliana knew and understood that. “There’s quite a few creatures downstairs that would like to eat us—or so your brother warned.”

“I got that impression, too. Ren threw a fit when I tried to go help out. This place isn
’t much different than the sixteen hundreds.”

“So what
’s bothering you? It can only be a guy.” Mallory took Thas and cooed at him. He grinned back, then nipped the finger the redhead held out to brush his little lips.

“Yeah, I wouldn
’t do that. He’s a bloodsucker. Literally.”

“He
’s beautiful.” Longing was in the other woman’s voice. A longing Aureliana understood. “Your brother still wants to wait until Kindara and the others can find more about potential demon-based drugs before we have a baby. But…”

“But your arms still ache. I understand.” And she did. She
’d waited so long for a babe to call her own. But she could not fault her brother for his fear. Dardaptoan females were so often lost during delivery—he brother would not want to risk his female. Not for anything. Many of their males felt the same.