CarnalPromise (9 page)

Her brother swerved and perched his knuckles on his hips, a smirk
clearly planted on his regal face. “So, you haven’t heard.” He arched a golden
brow at Drakkar. “We did try to keep quiet about recent news but I would have
thought your mate would have told you.”

The Vulgarian cleared his throat. “There wasn’t time.”

“I see.” Rurik huffed and somehow managed to lace sarcastic
derision in the sound. “Mother’s pregnant.”

“What?” The surprise shook Jinn, stunned her like a phaser
blast. “Is she all right?”

“She’s fine.”

“I didn’t know she had a lover.”

“Neither did anyone else.”

“Who is it?”

“Alaric.” The twist of Rurik’s lips proved to Jinn he
relished her astonishment. “Your new stepfather.”

“But…but…but…” Jinn gaped. She couldn’t help herself. “He’s
your best friend! You grew up together!”

Rurik shrugged. “Get used to it. Apparently it’s been going
on a long time. They’re in love.”

In love. God’s teeth.

Rurik strolled to her. “It happened a long while after
father’s death.” He shook his head once, as if to ingrain the truth in himself.
“It’s a new world, Jinn.” He glanced at Drakkar again then back at her. “Time
to take your place in it.”

Jinn didn’t like the sound of that. Her brother had returned
to his headmaster role. She crossed her arms, the only defense she had from
him. “I won’t bond with him. Not now.”

“Why not?” Rurik growled.

Jinn pressed her lips together. “I didn’t promise anything
immediate. And I didn’t promise I wouldn’t be a warrior any longer. He wants me
to stop.”

“So do I. You’ll be having children. My nieces and nephews.
Do you think I want you taking risks with their lives as well? And you’ll get
no help from mother. She agrees with me.”

“It isn’t your choice or mother’s, for that matter. This is
between Drakkar and me. It’s personal and it doesn’t have anything to do with
the treaty you both have negotiated.”

Drakkar snorted behind her.

Rurik bristled. “Shatz, you’ve already broken our law. What
am I supposed to do about that? If you don’t bond with him, I’ll have no choice
but to put you up on charges.”

She winced. “It wasn’t intentional. I’d already taken the
military oath and started my training when I realized I was fertile, so
technically, I didn’t break any law.”

“Jinn, I’m warning you…” Her brother wagged his finger at
her.

“Warn away, Rurik. It doesn’t matter if you take away my
funds and ban me from the family or have me up on charges, I won’t. Not until
I’m ready.”

“Which will be when? After Craddock kills you? Dammit,
Jinn.” He drew a hand through the strands of his shortened blond hair and paced
again. “What the man did was not your fault. If anything, it was more mine than
anyone’s. I should have seen it.”

Jinn pressed her lips tighter together to stop herself from
yelling at him, revealing more than she cared for anyone else to know. Nothing
had been Rurik’s fault. There was no way he could have known about their uncle.

The fault had been hers.

“I’ll take you without an official ceremony if I have to,”
Drakkar’s hard voice rasped behind her. “I don’t give a damn,” he whispered in
her ear. He grasped her upper arms from behind and pulled her into him. “It
took me too long to find you. I’ll not lose you again and you’re not going to
put yourself in jeopardy, especially when someone else can do the job.”

She twisted to loosen his hold. Freeing one arm she turned
to him. “And what are you going to do? Hold me prisoner?”

“Not a bad idea,” Rurik snarled in low tones from the middle
of the room. “At least that would keep you from hurting yourself.”

She swallowed, pissed, yet knowing she’d pushed both men’s
limits. Once more, she took in a deep draught of air to steady herself, to hold
off the shaking that threatened to consume her. “Unless you physically abscond
with me, I will not go. I was granted sanctuary in this place from Calixte. She
is an official of the Nyphosian government. I stand on that. You take me and
you will have to legally fight them.”

“Woman, if you think…” Drakkar’s lips thinned as he pulled
her closer.

“Like hell,” Rurik argued, stomping toward her.

The two of them spoke so fast she wasn’t sure whom to
address first.

“Gentlemen.” Sophos stepped forward and parted the two,
silencing them as she pushed them away from where Jinn stood. “You cannot force
her to say the words.” She eyed Jinn. Her crystal-topaz gaze penetrated the
veneer of protection with which Jinn had surrounded herself. “Perhaps I could
have a few moments alone with your sister, Rurik.” Sophos’s alluring, feminine
voice settled over the room and seemed to still the heated energy within.

“I will not let her go, Sophos,” Drakkar protested,
tightening his hold on her. “I have claimed her, as is my right.”

“I understand.” The Nyphosian negotiator only smiled.

Jinn looked at Drakkar and swallowed, seeing the intensity
in his eyes, knowing he’d be true to his word on that. Biting the inside of her
lip, Jinn looked at Rurik again. His rigid body seethed with anger yet his eyes
showed the worry she knew he felt.

Her brother exhaled a long breath and glanced from her to
Drakkar then back to Sophos. He nodded. “We’ll wait in the hall.”

“No,” Drakkar pulled her to him. “This has to end. Now. The
treaty must be made official so our people can move on. I’ve spent too long
trying to secure her. You are not the only one who has important things to do.”

Rurik stepped closer. For a moment, Jinn grew afraid the two
men would come to blows, although Drakkar’s thought of her not being
important—other than to complete the peace agreement—riled her.
Damn prick.

“I understand,” Rurik said, sounding calmer than what Jinn
knew he felt. She could tell by the muscle that ticced in his jaw.

Her brother glanced around the room. “There is no way out of
here, captain, other than through that door and we will be out there waiting.
The room can’t be penetrated with any teleportation beam.” His eyes narrowed as
he looked at Jinn. “Unless she has found a damn good blocker or something else
to get around that.”

Jinn huffed in disgust. “He has my pack and he knows I don’t
have anything else on me.”

Rurik bit off a jaundice smile. “Ah, that’s right. You two
entertained each other this morning. I hope your search was thorough?” He
looked at Drakkar.

Drakkar nodded. “It was. I only gave her the clothes on her
back—after I checked them, of course.” He rubbed his chest where she had bit
him. “As far as entertainment, I could have thought of something better to do
than what we shared this morning.”

Rurik threw his head back and laughed. “Well, I’m glad you
won. Perhaps I should have asked you how you fared instead.” Rurik snickered in
a deprecating way that only a big brother could.

“Funny.” Jinn jerked her arm free from Drakkar and glared at
her older brother. She’d had enough.

“Jinn.”

She snapped her head back to Drakkar. His look had grown
softer, desperate.

No
. She closed her eyes a brief moment. She couldn’t
let his need, this wanting between them, deter her. She steeled herself. “I
will not yield.”

Drakkar sighed as his jaw set. A seriousness and a sadness
surrounded his eyes. He looked to Rurik then Sophos. “Speak to her, then.” His
voice grew quiet, lonely. “Try to convince her but I’ll take her with me, in whatever
manner she wishes.” He looked warily at Rurik. “I hope that will be acceptable
to you.”

Rurik nodded. “She promised herself to you and I know how
the need takes a man.” He shot a glare at Jinn. “And I’ve seen what Jinn is
like when you’re around her and not on that infusion. I know she needs you.
Besides, you can keep her safe from Craddock until I can deal with him. You’ll
get no argument from me.”

“Good. I’d hate to have another fight, especially with my
only brother-in-law.”

As if what she thought didn’t matter. The both of them
could go to hell.
“Rurik, you’re my brother and commander but you can’t
tell me what to do in this. And you.” She poked Drakkar in the chest. “You
baseborn son of a bitch, if you think I’m going along with you, you’re full of
shatz—big time.”

The corner of Drakkar’s mouth quivered but Jinn had to give
him credit, he didn’t laugh. Instead the look in his eyes hardened into
Ploruvian steel. He grabbed her raised hand and held it fast.

“First, Beloved, let me state that my parents were properly
bonded—not like we’ll be, it seems. Second, I may not have the ancestors’ royal
blood in my veins as you do but my family is well respected among our people
and have always provided leaders. And last, if you think you’re getting away from
me”—he leaned his face close to hers and murmured—“think again. You need me
Jinn. Like I need you. Whatever your issue is with me, we’ll work it out.
That’s what couples do.” He straightened. “I will not let you go.”

With that he released her then turned and marched from the
room. The others poured out as well but before Rurik followed, he arched that
damn imperious brow once more—questioning her decision in this, already knowing
the answer that she would give.
No
.

With a huff and a smirk, he turned and walked to the door.

“Bastards. Both of you,” she muttered to her brother’s back.

Rurik only shook his head then closed the door after him.

From the middle of the room, Sophos released a long sigh.

Two down, one to go, Jinn thought, pressing her lips together
to fortify herself. Drakkar and her brother had the brute strength for combat.
That she knew how to fight. But Sophos had the skill, experience and intuition
to undermine her plan—a definitely more formidable foe in this conflict. Jinn
had not been trained for diplomacy.

Lifting her chin, Jinn turned, ready to do battle.

Sophos smiled at her. “They are definitely an interesting
pair, are they not?”

Jinn hiked a thumb over her shoulder. “Rurik and Drakkar?”
She couldn’t help but return the woman’s smile with an iota of pride. “On the
same side, they would be unbeatable.”

The Nyphosian negotiator smiled. “I agree. Although you have
handled them quite well today, considering the circumstances.”

Jinn cringed, knowing the fight was not over, yet Sophos’s
soft voice eased her some, the sound like a Maloran wind chime, gentle, light,
and all feminine. The ability to put one at ease was a keen trait of Nyphosian
females and especially true of the woman in front of her. Jinn wanted to be
jealous of that, of the Nyphosian’s ability to be so feminine and yet so
powerful and effective at the same time, but Jinn cared for Sophos too much to
harbor such destructive emotions. Sophos had been there when her father died.
Provided comfort to Jinn when her mother was wrought with sadness. And the
Nyphosian was her mother’s friend, a friend that under most circumstances, Jinn
liked.

Sophos’s mien grew serious. “Jinn, you know Calixte’s
protection will only last for so long. Rurik and Drakkar will circumvent you.
Talk to me.”

Jinn swallowed, not sure what to say, knowing this woman had
an uncanny knack for seeing through lies, so she stuck with the truth. “I don’t
want to be told how to live my life.”

Sophos nodded, as if she understood, then a light twinkled
in her amber eyes. “Both your people have an interesting way of classifying
females. Women are both second-class citizens and worshiped as goddesses at the
same time. Generally, a society such as yours, one that lets one sex have an
upper hand, has either one or the other trait, not both. It’s interesting.”

Jinn swallowed at that, still keeping her internal guard up,
the one that hid her feelings.

“What do you want?” Sophos drew closer, brushed a lock of
hair from Jinn’s face and gazed at her with motherly reflection, letting the
back of her fingers brush down her face until she dropped her hand. “I remember
you as a child.” A wistful look entered her eyes. “You were so content. I can
still see you playing with the other girls, planning for the day you’d be
bonded. You never gave a thought to being a warrior then. Not until your father
died.”

Jinn bit the inside of her lip and swallowed, wishing she
had foreseen that Sophos would use Jinn’s pampered past against her.

“Do you truly want to be a warrior now?” Sophos’s golden
eyes studied her, trying to penetrate Jinn’s emotional bulwark.

Jinn couldn’t let her. “Yes,” she quipped too quickly and
prayed Sophos didn’t hear the small hitch in her voice.

Sophos paused a moment more then nodded. “I shall see what I
can do, however be prepared to give something up. You know Drakkar and your
brother will not let you out of here without getting what they want. And Rurik
has already agreed to let Drakkar take you. Would you rather the man do so by
force? Or would you rather go under some conditions acceptable to you? It’s
your choice.”

Jinn tensed with frustration. This was not going well at
all.

“Once on Vulgaria, you know Drakkar will ensure you do not
use the infusion that prevents him from scenting you,” Sophos said. “And he
will not use it on himself as well. He will want to mate. For you to have
offspring. That is the way of your people, the way of your ancients. He will,
as will most of your peoples, see the intermingling of your two families—the
two families that have warred the most—as securing the peace. He wants that
badly you know. Peace. He’s willing to sacrifice almost anything he has for it.
I’ve seen him do it. You know, Jinn, once the need hits you—or him—any logical
reasoning will be sublimated to it. Now is your time to think rationally about
this to get what you desire.”

Oh, God. Children, a mate.

Jinn had avoided the thoughts for so long she didn’t know
how she felt about it anymore, except it wasn’t deserved, not with what she’d
allowed to happen. She swiveled around so Sophos couldn’t see the emotions that
Jinn knew flashed in her face.
I can’t do this. Not yet.
There were too
many things left undone. Too many things to make right.