Any Price (5 page)

“Good thing you’re not the queen.” Lore grinned down at her worried face. He had to agree, it was eerily similar. The attempt at humor didn’t calm her though.

“Yeah,” Kenna agreed dryly. “Good thing.”

Kenna looked away and tried to drag her thoughts off the morbid certainty that every bit of Grandmother’s stories had been true, making her the descendent of that unfortunate woman. The similarities didn’t end with her being the blood of one of the principals involved in that long-ago kidnapping. Lore was without doubt the descendent of the king her ancestor had been in the act of marrying when the Mongolians stormed the cathedral and kidnapped her. All she had to do was look up a little to see the spires of that same cathedral.

Same blood, same players. She couldn’t be sure about their opponent though. Who knew if he were a long-lost relative of the feared invaders?

The formal thrones did not allow Lore to put an arm around her and it bothered him. The cocktail of possessive protectiveness and physical hunger was growing at an uncomfortable rate. Each moment that passed it became more difficult to remember the woman beside him was technically a stranger.

He knew when she looked at the tray of food and wanted something to eat or drink. Supplying those comforts before she voiced them surprisingly took the edge off his drive to hold, possess and just flat out drag her into a cave and block the entrance. Not to imprison her, no, to secure her safety.

Kenna was doing her best to keep up, but fear and exhaustion were both taking a toll. His need to protect was so sharply focused on her that sensing her natural struggle dealing with the conflict created an anger response. He didn’t want her to read the anger. She needed safety and confidence from him.

They appeared to be watching the events, but in reality they were both concealing tension that kept cranking up. Kenna could feel him and it would have been frightening if she weren’t very sure all that power was on her side at this moment.

Deep down his emotions boiled, but on the outside he was icy calm. Marveling at the contradiction kept her mind off what she was hiding as well, but it wasn’t a good solution. The contact point of their hands kept her constantly tuned in to the relentless sexual tension.

He thought he was shielding her. Honestly, he was doing his best, and she knew it. The calm, attentive man holding her hand and enjoying the spectacle before them was a good act. He was working at giving her the impression of confident security and she appreciated it. What lay beneath was burning her alive. Iron control of his responses did not mean there wasn’t a blast fire at the core of this man. Kenna began to inch her hand out from under his. His hand tightened.

“No,” he objected quietly.

“It’d be easier on both of us,” Kenna insisted.

“No.” Lore took a deep breath and loosened his hold.

“You’re struggling. It’d give us both a rest from this damn clawing sexuality,” Kenna argued quietly.

His eyes cut down to her. “Doubtful,” he disagreed in stark simplicity.

Kenna left her hand under his. The raw attraction was insane. Yet the strength that was ruthlessly reaching for her held him still. The male animal might be raging but the warrior remained in control.

Her own discomfort burned down her body. This constant sexual buzz inflamed all the most sensitive places. Her breasts ached, but that was nothing compared to the damp, pounding demand that wouldn’t quit between her legs. Shifting, she crossed them for some relief. He hissed a barely audible drawn-in breath and she realized he’d felt what she felt.

“Damn it, Lore. We can’t take this. Give us a break.” Kenna tugged at her hand again. “Okay, perhaps you can but I can’t take it much longer,” she clarified in the hopes that he’d let her hand go if she used that tact.

“Then I’ll take care of it,” Lore stated.

On the field, two finalists were about to settle the day’s champion. The boisterous crowd cheered their favorites. Huge steeds pawed the ground at either end of the long space. Lore was suddenly permeating her mind with a soothing warmth that caused her to gasp.

Neither of them moved physically, but the vision he gave her was a spring meadow beside a lake. A blanket picnic lay between them as they lazed in the sun. He was not touching her in the mental vision. Safety and contentment wafted in the air around the charming scene. And then he did something she couldn’t understand, it was as if he were actually in her mind, cutting her off from their sexual tension.

Kenna turned a shocked face to him.

“Rest, baby,” he commanded softly, his eyes never leaving the list field as the chargers took off. The two knights met in a thundering clash and the crowd roared.

It was perfect, it wasn’t real. Even as they rose to applaud the champion, Lore was somehow supplying the strength and calm need to endure. Her exhaustion melted like mist on his lake. The vision faded but the man remained in firm control, supplying his strength.

Dimly she realized what he felt. Physical pain as he absorbed her exhaustion.

“What are you doing?” Kenna’s voice was low.

“I took care of it, baby. No more pain,” Lore assured her as the crowd continued stomping the wooden stands as they shrieked while the victorious knight and charger pranced the length of the field in a parade high step.

Abruptly the connection between them was gone.

Kenna took a step away from him and turned to face the field, clapping with the crowd. Her back slowly straightened and her neck seemed to lengthen as her body stiffened to its full height, her head held high.

“What…?” He reached for her.

“Do not touch me.” Kenna leaned away from him, pretending to keep her eyes on the prancing champion, avoiding his hand.

“Kenna?” Lore tried again.

Kenna carefully moved to her chair but didn’t sit as the configuration of the field in front of the royal box was being altered by scurrying pages.

An increase in power allowed her to change the dynamic between them. Before she’d removed herself from his grasp, the connection had been forcibly blocked. By her. She didn’t care where the ability came from. The deep, overwhelming need to do it apparently meant she could.

“Kenna. What did you do?” Lore questioned tightly.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself she asked, “What’s next?”

Lore eyed her with a frown. “We present the prizes,” he answered. “Tell me why you removed our connection.”

A page opened the gate in front of the royal platform with a bow, indicating everything was ready for them to step onto the presenting stage.

She quickly took a step away from Lore as if to give him room to perform his royal duties. They were closely attended as prizes were placed on a table and pages made sure the king had the correct name and rank of each winner.

The joust might not have been exactly as it once was, what with modern sanitary arrangements, but the colorful event held all the splendor and pageantry of the bygone age. The last contest had been between fully armored knights and enormous steeds thundering across the afternoon with thrilling intensity. The last prize presented was the tournament champion who’d just won the joust.

A large man stepped forward and removed his helmet. Kenna recognized Thomas. The knight nodded at Lore and stepped in front of Kenna to sink down on one knee.

“Thomas is Kersonovian,” Lore explained quietly. “He wants you to hand him his prize. Say exactly what I tell you as loudly as you can without yelling. Okay?”

Kenna nodded.

Lore handed her a small pillow with the trophy statue resting on it. Then murmured the Hungarian phrases she needed to say. Kenna repeated them faithfully.

Thomas accepted his trophy solemnly. His intelligent face was serious as he looked into her eyes, but the words he spoke were Hungarian so she smiled and nodded, which seemed to be the right thing to do. The crowd erupted again and it took a bit longer to get out of there.

The walk back to the limo was silent. In the car, Kenna scooted to the far side, giving Lore plenty of room. After Lore, Yuri, commander of the royal guard, took the seat across from them.

Lore gave him a questioning glance, Yuri nodded. “Your friends are collecting the trash and searching for more.”

As the vehicle door closed, Kenna knew she couldn’t handle the personal issues crashing around her. She needed to focus on something that didn’t involve the man beside her and the unfolding power they both were wielding. She assumed the military speak meant the U.S. team had done their job.

“The bombs are gone?” she asked just to be sure.

“The two we know of have been safely disposed of,” Lore confirmed. “I suspect the threat of another is a bluff.”

Kenna turned her face to the window and closed her eyes. They were going to play chicken with the crazy people who loved killing. It was the only plan that made any sense and it was insane. Time to think of something else.

“What did Thomas say to me? Why did the crowd go crazy like that?” Turning from the window, she directed the question to Yuri.

Lore exhaled deeply and glanced at Yuri.

Yuri spoke up at Lore’s look, his stern face relaxed in an obvious attempt at a pleasant expression. “Thomas is my younger brother, my lady. He pledged himself to you and your protection. It is the oath of allegiance given to a Kersonovian monarch by a knight. It hasn’t been spoken since we had our own queen before we became a protectorate of Covia, seven hundred years ago.”

“Why would he do that? Was it drama for the crowd?”

Yuri’s eyes flicked briefly to Lore and then took to studying his large hands loosely clasped between his knees. The commander seemed uncomfortable, but as he met her gaze again, he smiled and shook his head. “My lady, once spoken, the oath cannot be recalled. It’s a blood oath. However, it was a nice touch, the people loved it. Wouldn’t you agree?” His weak attempt to distract her didn’t work.

“What do you mean, can’t be recalled? Yuri, tell me what this means.” Oh, this was so not good. Kenna forced herself to remain outwardly still as she processed the implications. This was heading down a very dangerous path.

Yuri tapped the button to raise the window between front and back. When it was up and they were assured of privacy, he continued, turning to Lore.

“Your highness, please understand that this does not affect my loyalty to you in any way. My brother spoke the oath to my lady because he knew I could not do so and fulfill my responsibilities on your behalf.”

Yuri shifted his gaze to Kenna. “The bomb threat and your connection to his highness have rightfully consumed your attention, my lady. You have not been able to absorb a lesser recognition that lies beneath it. I believe my sister Julianna mentioned my siblings and I are descended from the queen’s maid. She was not a maid. She was a…not exactly priestess, but something close to that in a society much older than recorded time.

“I’m sure you know the historical facts this festival is commemorating. The Kersonovian queen was abducted during her wedding ceremony. The death of Alexander the First in his attempt at her rescue is the last public record, but it is not the last private record of her life. Our queen escaped the Mongolians and returned. Her lover was dead, his brother on the throne of both kingdoms, and she was pregnant. It was her own family who had made a deal with the Mongolians to have her and Alexander killed. Survival meant she must flee the reach of the current king and her own family.

“My ancestor did not flee to the west with her because then everyone would know our queen lived. The bond between them was never broken though the connection in the way of our people could not be maintained. My ancestor and each succeeding generation have known your family survives. We did not know where or when we might find you, but we have always known you exist.

“If you become very still and shut out other distractions, you will find you can feel the three of us.” Calm in the face of the shock from both Kenna and Lore, Yuri continued. “It’s not as if we can listen to what passes between the two of you. It’s totally separate from your communication. Yet if she wants, her highness can send her emotions or needs to any one of us.”

Stunned silence followed Yuri’s explanation.

After a moment Lore turned to Kenna. “Well? Can you feel them?” he questioned.

“How should I know?” Kenna snapped, shocked he was focusing on the connection part of all that. “The very-still-and-quiet business hasn’t happened.”

She was certain Lore’s agile mind would get to the really bad part of her being a “descendant” fast. Now was the time to get information from Yuri. He probably wouldn’t be answering her questions when she was in a cell. “What do you know of my family?”

Yuri shrugged. “Nothing yet, my lady. You will tell us what you wish when you wish it. Our knowledge is limited, though perhaps we have a bit more comfort in this event than you and my lord. The connection grows? We are happy but surprised at how you affect us.”

“Are you some secret society?” Lore demanded, choosing not to discuss what exactly was growing about the connection. His natural caution would not let him expose any part of this that might endanger Kenna.

“Sir, we do not speak of it. If you were not the match to my lady, you might never have known of us. We are not a secret society as you are thinking. There is no agenda.”