Dragon Lords 4-Warrior Prince (18 page)

"She hasn’t said anything to me. Did you ask her about it?"

"She said no, but that’s what puzzles me," Tal said, shaking his head in medical awe. "Her tolerance for pain is incredibly high--too high, especially for what I have seen in the other non-Draig women. The laser level I used would’ve made grown Draig warriors black out from pain. She barely even flinched."

Zoran glanced at Pia again. She was stretching her arm up. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she lowered it down, testing the wound’s limitations.

"I took a reading of her nerve endings to make sure there’s no damage in them," Tal continued. "She’s completely healthy--very healthy in fact."

"Thank you," Zoran said, puzzled by what the man said.

"Whatever she’s been through," the medic continued as he turned to leave, "it had to have been something terrible."

"Thank you," Zoran repeated.

"What was that all about?" Pia asked when Zoran came back inside. Frowning absently as she lowered her shirt over her ribs, she inquired, "Is there something wrong with me?"

"No," Zoran answered, before lying, "he was updating me on the soldiers’ medic reports. Some of them got in to a brawl the other night. They’re fine."

"Oh," Pia said. Her eyes devoured him, starved for the sight of him. She looked down at her lap. "So, is that where you were? With the soldiers?"

Zoran tried to smile, but the three long days of no sleep were getting to him and he yawned instead. "No, I had to attend some official business for the King. Nothing exciting."

"Oh," Pia mumbled, wishing he’d tell her more, but confident by the look on his face he that he wouldn’t. He yawned again. Black circles marred the skin beneath his light brown eyes.

"I asked Hume to tell you I would be gone," Zoran said softly. When he looked at her, he still wanted her. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, protect her. Right now, he wanted to curl his body around her and sleep next to her. With shame welling within his warrior chest, he knew that she probably only wished to be protected from him, not by him.

"Yes, he did," Pia said. "Thank you for the courtesy and for the communicator. I didn’t use it. I left it on the dresser for you."

There was a silence. Pia bit her lips, wanting to say so much, wanting to apologize for overreacting the other night, wanting more than anything to give it another try. But the words stuck in her throat.

"Pia--"he began.

"No," she interrupted, moving to stand. He looked so worn. "Why don’t you go get some sleep? We’ll talk tomorrow morning."

Zoran, too exhausted to protest, nodded. He wasn’t sure that anything he tried to say would come out right anyway. He slowly turned to the bedroom, glad that she hadn’t tried to kick him out of his own home. The sight of her beautiful body, her beautiful face, stayed with him as he fell onto this bed, instantly asleep.

Pia sighed, watching him walk away. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone think straight enough to talk to her. Hearing him fall on the bed, she waited. Then, going to peek in on him, she sighed. He was fast asleep.

Quietly, she snuck into the bedroom. Her eyes roamed over his body, making sure he was uninjured. She’d been so worried about him the last several days. Luckily Nadja had kept her so busy with training and beauty lessons that she hadn’t been able to dwell on it too much.

Pia took the boots off his feet, dropping them on the floor. He sighed, but didn’t wake up, hardly even moved. Then, covering him with a blanket, she hit the button for the curtain dome. Darkness fell over the bedroom as she softly shut the door.

* * * *

Zoran groaned, looking around in the darkness. His eyes shifted, piercing through the dark bedroom with ease. Throwing the covers off his body, he noticed he was still dressed but his boots were on the floor. Yawning, he scratched the back of his head, not taking time to wonder about it. Throwing his feet over the side of the bed, he stretched his arms.

Making quick work of his clothes, he changed to a more comfortable outfit before going quietly to the door. It was in the middle of the night, but he was starving. The front room was just as dark when he passed through. His eyes automatically went to the couch. Pia wasn’t there.

His gaze narrowed in curiosity as he heard a soft curse coming from the exercise room. A dim light showed from within. Pia was inside, bent over in pain as she gripped her wounded ribs. As he watched, she forced herself to stand, took a fighting stance and kicked lightly into the air. Stiffening, she held the stance for several seconds before letting her leg come back down to the side.

Zoran’s gut pulled into knots. She was so exquisite. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and he noticed that the locks looked thicker, longer. He couldn’t help himself, couldn’t stop his feet as he silently crossed over the floor. She jumped in the air and kicked harder, testing her injury’s limits. With a gasp, she fell back, unable to land as gracefully as she’d hoped. Zoran swooped forward on instinct to catch her.

Pia jerked in surprise to land in his arms. He slowly righted her, letting her go so she could stand. She looked at him, her hazel eyes wide.

"You shouldn’t be pushing yourself like this," Zoran murmured, his eyes filled with concern. He moved his hand as if he wanted to touch her, but he held back, remembering all too well the last time he’d held her. "You should be taking it easy."

"My father always said it’s good to know your limits when you’re wounded." Pia answered, absently rubbing her side. "Besides, I couldn’t sleep."

"Nightmares?"

She sniffed wryly at that. "Uncomfortable couch."

Zoran chuckled. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to sleep on the couch that she could sleep with him on the bed, but thought better of it. She would surely take the gesture the wrong way--even if a part of him meant it ‘the wrong way.’ After what had happened, he still couldn’t help it, he wanted her. Only now he wasn’t sure he deserved her.

"How about you?" she asked. "I was sure you’d sleep through tomorrow."

"Hungry," he grinned, pleased that they weren’t fighting.

"Ah," she said, moving to walk past him. Shooting him a sidelong glance, she said, "Good plan."

Zoran watched her go by, before following her to the kitchen. As she began rummaging through the refrigerator, he hopped up on a counter to study her.

"What do you feel like?" she asked, peeking up from over the door.

Looking at her mouth, he murmured, "Something sweet."

Pia gulped. Her heart caught in surprise. Shaking her head, she smirked, "You didn’t buy anything sweet. You bought health food."

Zoran laughed. Reaching over his head, he pushed the cabinet behind him open. Blindly searching, he arched his back and dug to the back of the top shelf. Pia shut the refrigerator door and came over to watch him. His shirt lifted as he moved, revealing a teasing peek of his muscular stomach. A roguishly victorious smile dawned on his face, as he drew out a bag.

"What’s that?" Pia asked.

Zoran smiled, drawing out a cookie. Pia’s eyes rounded. He wiggled it at her. "Just a little something I picked up at the local bakery."

"Oo, I want one," she insisted, holding out her hand.

He eyed her, a teasing light coming to his face. "No, this is my last one."

To prove his point he dropped the empty bag in the sink.

"Hey," Pia protested. "I can’t believe you were hiding those all this time. Here I have been eating nothing but fruit and vegetable salads. By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, you’re not a vegetarian are you? Because I’m sorry, but, if I have to kill the cow myself, I’m going to get a steak."

"No," he said. "I just haven’t been hunting in awhile so there’s no meat."

Pia liked the idea of hunting. "Can we go?"

"Where?" he asked impishly, making a great show of looking at the cookie and smelling it. A big, contented smile crossed over his features to drive her crazy.

"Hunting," Pia insisted.

"We’d have to camp," Zoran said. "All the good meat is to the North this time of year."

Her expression said, so?

"Do you know how to track?" Zoran asked.

Does tracking men count? Pia thought. "Sure."

Zoran thought that camping in isolation with the beautiful vixen before him didn’t sound so bad, though hunting for food had no place in his sudden fantasy.

"I’ll see if I can arrange it," he answered.

Pia smiled brightly at him. "Now, hand over that cookie. If you only want to look at it, I’ll draw you a picture."

"What? You want this cookie right here?" Zoran questioned, his handsome face turning with mischief. Pia nodded, bringing her hand expectantly closer. He took a bite and moaned dramatically, nodding his head in delight. Talking with his mouth full, he admitted, "Mm, this is really good."

"Oh, you really are incorrigible!" Pia said playfully, coming forward. Without stopping to think, her hand rested on his strong thigh and her body came between his legs. His brow rose and he lifted the cookie above his head. Pia jumped, using his leg for leverage as she tried to grab it.

Zoran laughed, dipping it down within her reach only to snatch it away when she got too close. Pia chuckled, feigning anger. Zoran tilted his head back to take another bite.

"Oh, that’s it," she said. She pushed up on his legs and pressed her knee between his thighs. Kneeling over one of his large thighs, she tried to steal the treat away from him. Zoran crushed the whole thing in his mouth, his cheeks puffing up as he chewed enthusiastically.

"Oh!" she huffed, hitting his chest.

"Careful," came his muffled warning as she wobbled on her precarious setting. He automatically fitted his hands to her hips to hold her up.

"What else do you have hidden up here?" Pia stretched up, trying to see the top shelf.

Zoran swallowed. Her breasts were really close to his face. His grip tightened slightly on her hips. His body lurched. Unbidden, torturous thoughts entered his mind.

"Ah-hah!" Pia cried in victory, finding an unopened bag. Her body lowered and his thigh bumped between her legs. A jolt of awareness shot through her at the intimate contact. Zoran gave her a small, smoldering smile. Pia turned bright red and instantly slid down. Pretending there had been nothing in their shared look, she wiggled the fresh bag. "I think someone has a little sweet tooth."

"Hey," Zoran said in instant protest, as if seeing what she had for the first time. He hopped down off the counter to go after her. "Those are mine."

Pia’s face rounded in mock horror and she took off running with her prize. Calling over her shoulder, she taunted, "Not anymore."

When Zoran caught up to her she had the bag opened and was beginning to stuff her mouth full. Pia lifted the bag high over her head, turning to keep an eye on him.

"Mees ar verre goomph," she mumbled her taunt, laughing and covering her mouth.

Zoran swept her into his arms, reaching and grabbing the bag from her. Pia protested, doing her best to chew and swallow over her fit of laughter.

"Ah, great," Zoran mourned before turning to her. He pressed her firmly to his chest with one arm as he examined the bag. In his most serious tone, he said, "You know the baker only makes these once a year and these were the very last of what he had."

Pia swallowed, still giggling, "You’re a Prince. Can’t you exploit your power and pass a law or something? Or threaten to throw him in the dungeon if he doesn’t bake you cookies?"

Zoran grinned, pleased by the easy way his title passed by her lips. Taking the opportunity, he said, "Speaking of being a Prince, I need to tell you something."

Pia, realizing he held her closely, artfully pushed back from him. Her face fell slightly, "I already know about the coronation."

"Oh?" he questioned in surprise, disappointed by her withdrawal.

"Yeah, Nadja told me. I already know you have to ask me to go and need me to act happy for the sake of the kingdom or whatever." Pia shrugged. She quickly pulled the bun out of her hair to show him it was longer. "She also grew my hair out for me so I wouldn’t embarrass you."

Zoran’s eyes dipped over her face. He really wanted to kiss her. His mouth burned with need, as did his body.

"So when is it?"

"Tomorrow night," he answered. He lifted his hand to touch one of the golden locks. "You don’t mind going, do you?"

"No," Pia yawned, "it’s fine."

"It’s late," Zoran murmured. He grew braver and touched her cheek. His voice didn’t waver, as he boldly suggested, "Why don’t we go to bed?"

Pia blinked, swallowing nervously as she glanced away.

Zoran saw her anxiety and was sorry for it.

"Pia," he began, softly. An ache started in his chest. He wanted to go to her, but held back. "The other night I didn’t mean to hurt you. I...."

Zoran looked down her body and sighed, remembering the blood.

"Are you...?" he began, worried.

Pia flushed, more embarrassed than anything. She delicately waved the question away. "I’m ... it’s fine. I’ve had worse pain. I probably overreacted a little. I wasn’t sure what you ... was happening."

Zoran frowned.

Pia turned her back on him, embarrassed. "Can we not discuss this? Everything’s fine. I just want to forget about it."

Zoran nodded, realizing she couldn’t see him.

"Come on," Zoran urged. He drew his hand tenderly to her shoulder. He told himself to win her, not conquer her. Gently, he said, "It’s late. Let’s go to bed."

Pia tensed.

He quickly added, "I promise not to lay a hand on you unless you want me to."

Pia let him turn her around to face him. He tried to smile. Pia shivered, really wanting him to lay his hands on her. She would never ask for it. It was too embarrassing.

Pia allowed him to lead her to the bed. The bedroom was still dim when they crawled under the covers. Zoran’s eyes shifted so he could study her face in the dark. She looked nervous, staring up at the ceiling. She gripped the coverlet tightly, working the smooth material. When he spoke, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Good night, Pia."