Ristèard Unwilling Empress (3 page)

“I’ll roast his balls over an open flame and feed the rest of his ass to Katarina’s tigers,” her dad growled in a low, fierce tone. “If the man respects you, he’ll come ask me first. If he doesn’t, he isn’t worth Tony’s elephant piss, if you ask me.”

Ricki blinked several times before she bit her lip and looked toward the opening of the tent. “I… Stan,” she started to say before looking back at her dad.

“Stan already asked me if he could court you,” Walter replied with a sigh. “He has been bugging the hell out of me for over a year now.”

“Dad, you don’t think that maybe, courting might be a little old fashioned, do you? I mean, I am twenty-four,” Ricki replied in a gentle, soothing tone. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

She set the tablet that she was holding down on her lap when her dad reached his hands out to her. Grasping his smaller, thicker fingers with her long, slender ones, she felt his reassuring squeeze. Her face softened with love when she saw how worried he really was about her.

“You may be twenty-four, Ricki, but you’ll always be my little girl,” he said. “I’m an old-fashioned father, if you haven’t noticed. I promised your mother’s parents the day I asked for her hand in marriage that I would always protect her. I made that same promise to your mother when she found you. Personally, I don’t think any man is good enough for you, but if I had to choose one, Stan would almost be. He can be a goof-ball sometimes, but his heart is in the right place.”

Ricki looked down at their entwined fingers. She didn’t want him to see the hint of doubt and worry in her eyes. She knew Stan was a nice guy. The problem was, he didn’t make her heart race or her body heat up. Only one man had done that recently and it had been because she was angry enough to throttle him. It wasn’t often that she got annoyed at someone, but there was something about Ristèard Roald that had rubbed her the wrong way.

She thought back to almost a month ago. The first time she became aware of Ristèard Roald was when she caught a glimpse of him standing inside the entrance to the main tent. He had almost attacked Marvin and Martin. Now that she knew what the two Mimes could do, she almost wished her dad hadn’t interfered.

Still, it had been rather entertaining watching her dad as he lit into him. The expression on the man’s face had been priceless. He looked like he wasn’t sure what to do as confusion twisted his face as he stared down at her dad.

While he was extremely good looking for someone that looked like they had been dunked into a toilet tank filled with blue cleaning tablets, he was far too arrogant for her. She had met enough diplomats like him to last her a lifetime! It had only taken a glance at his stiff, broad shoulders and ruggedly handsome face, not to mention half the women and one or two of the men in the tent drooling, to let her know he was all too aware of his own importance.

The second time she saw Ristèard Roald had been the night that a horrible battle occurred. Ricki had been terrified, not so much for herself, but for her mom, dad, and her other circus family who had volunteered to help stop a horrible man, a Kassisan traitor, who had almost killed River, Jo, and Star. He had shown up for their first performance with more than a dozen mercenaries.

The fact that it was a trap to catch the man didn’t matter to Ricki. All she knew was that someone she loved might die that night. Stan had been concerned about her and had stopped her outside the entrance shortly before the performance. He had also wanted her to go out with him when it was over. Shortly after that, Ristèard had stopped her, demanding to know who Stan was and why he was touching her.

She had coolly dismissed his question, but he had gripped her hand, preventing her from completing her assigned task. If that hadn’t been bad enough, he had added an additional insult. Even now, she could feel her skin tingle from where he had held her hand and his intense, possessive gaze was burned into her memory.

“Good, I am claiming you as mine. You may go for now,” he had arrogantly said.

Ricki’s cheeks flamed as she remembered his haughty attitude. She never used profanity, but that night, she had on more than one occasion. It was what happened after the battle that sealed her intense dislike and determination to stay away from the man.

“Ricki, are you okay?” Her dad asked, bringing her back to the present. “You look a little flushed. Maybe you should see one of those doctors, or get Tank to take a look at you.”

Ricki blinked and squeezed her dad’s hands before letting them go. Picking up the tablet, she rose gracefully off the metal bench. She drew in a deep breath and smiled down at her dad.

“I’m fine,” she promised. “I just wanted to go over a few things with you.”

“So, you agree about Stan?” Walter asked with a pleased smile.

Ricki schooled her face to hide her confusion. She didn’t have a clue about what her dad had been saying the last few minutes. Giving him a non-committal smile, she changed the subject.

“Stan and I are going out tonight,” she replied, grasping the tablet firmly in her hands. “Now, I really need to talk to you about ordering the items on this list. From the research I’ve done and the discussions I’ve had with Tony, Katarina and the others, they agree the food supplements should work if we gradually incorporate them into the animals' diets.”

Ricki breathed a silent sigh of relief when her dad dropped her love life and focused back on the circus. She wondered if this is why most girls moved out. She would have to ask Jo about it later.

“Do you have her in sight?” Ristèard growled into the comlink as he landed his air skid on the top of a nearby roof.

“Yes,” Harald replied. “They are sitting on the outside patio near the water.”

“I will be there shortly,” Ristèard snapped as fury poured through him. “If they leave, whatever happens, don’t lose them.”

“What if this alien male has already claimed her?” Andras asked quietly, shutting off his own air skid and stepping up next to Ristèard. “It has been a month since you left. If you have not shown your intention to claim her, she may have accepted another.”

Ristèard glared over his shoulder at Andras before he turned his attention back to where he was going. Night had fallen over the city, making it easier to move under the cover of its inky darkness. The moons would not rise for another hour.

Grasping the side of the building, he gauged the distance to the top of the building next door from one they landed on. He stepped back, ignoring Andras’ statement. It wouldn’t matter what the alien female decided, he had already told her that she belonged to him. When he made up his mind, he seldom changed it. He definitely had no intentions of altering it about this female.

Sprinting forward, he jumped on the low wall and catapulted himself to the roof below landing and rolling before standing up and moving to the edge of it. He heard Andras’ low curse drift through the air before his friend and security chief landed beside him.

“You know, we could have just landed closer,” Andras grumbled as he dusted himself off. “Might I also point out again that taking a female, especially one under the protection of the royal house, is not a good idea?”

Ristèard shrugged as he leaned over the edge of the roof to stare down at the open patio area of the dining establishment. His eyes were immediately drawn to the female with hair the color of the sun. She was sitting facing in his direction at a table near the water.

His fingers curled around the hard surface of the wall. She was even more beautiful than he remembered; a feat he didn’t believe was possible. Hot, molten rage swept through him when the male said something that caused her to laugh. It wasn’t the fact that she was laughing that angered him, but the way the male leaned forward and brushed a strand of her hair that had come loose in the light breeze back from her face.

“You’re growling,” Andras pointed out dryly as he studied the couple below them. “She is very unusual and I have to admit, she does look like the image of the Empress.”

Ristèard gritted his teeth to keep from roaring out and attacking the male when he leaned forward and brushed a light kiss on Ricki’s cheek as they stood up to leave. He studied the male. It was the same one from the night in front of the tent. He would recognize the male’s shaggy brown hair and lean frame anywhere. As far as he was concerned, the male was a dead man.

“Let’s go,” he ordered, turning and striding to the outer steps that led down off the terrace balcony. “I want the female.”

Andras eyed the woman who stood next to the alien male. With a shake of his head, he still couldn’t believe how an alien female was supposed to save his planet. Turning, he quickly followed Ristèard down the steps.

*.*.*

Ricki smiled at Stan and murmured her thanks as he held out her yellow sweater. She was wearing a light, sleeveless matching yellow dress that came to just above her knees and a pair of matching flat, dress shoes. She found when she wore heels that she often towered over the men she dated. While Stan was the same height as her, if she had worn the heels she had slipped on earlier, she would have been an inch taller than him.

At almost six feet three inches, she had learned to accept her unusual height. Still, it was nice feeling more feminine and delicate when she was with a man. She raised her face to the breeze and looked around her.

“It is beautiful here,” she admitted with a slight laugh.” If I didn’t know better, I’d think that we were back on Earth.”

Stan’s chuckle blended with hers. “Yeah, if you can get past the glowing crystals, the purple water, and the fact that we’ll be staring up at twin moons, it is just a walk through Paris,” he teased, sliding his arm around her. “There is a boardwalk that runs along the river that I thought you might enjoy.”

Ricki nodded. “That sounds very nice,” she said, stepping around the tables. “How did you find this place?”

“I asked River and Star,” Stan admitted. “Then, came and checked it out a couple of days ago.”

Ricki gazed around as they stepped back into the street. Thin pillars stood every ten feet along the busy roadway. They glittered with a bright light that caught and shone a soft light for the pedestrians milling about the open store fronts. Transports with no tires slid past them with just enough of a purr to warn those crossing to beware. Even the sidewalks lit up as they stepped on them.

“It all seems so magical,” Ricki commented as Stan guided her around several people who slowed to stare at them. “I’m not used to being stared at so much,” she admitted with a shy, self-conscious laugh.

“Neither am I,” Stan admitted with an easy grin. “We’re usually behind the scenes. Come on,” he muttered, sliding his arm from around her waist so he could grab her hand. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being the main attraction.”

Ricki laughed when he suddenly began to jog slowly away from the growing crowd. They were both breathless and laughing when he finally slowed down as they passed through the gates of a riverside park. She pulled away and stepped closer to a nearby bench that was in the shadows of a large tree. Setting her silver purse down on the bench, she reached up to redo her long hair back into the bun she normally wore.

“Don’t,” Stan suddenly said in a husky voice. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair down.”

Ricki paused, startled. A delicate frown creased her brow. For a moment, indecision swept through her. She really had enjoyed her evening, and while the evening had been almost magical, it was more due to the location than to the handsome man standing in front of her.

“Stan,” Ricki started to say before her voice faded.

Stan reached up and gently pulled her hand away. The long, golden strands shimmered in the faint light cast by the glowing pillars. Ricki heard his breath catch in a gasp when he saw how long and thick it was.

Her hair was one of her most treasured assets. She was very self-conscious of her size eleven shoes and size B cup breasts. Her eyes were not an amazing dark blue like River’s, but an icy blue that was very useful in keeping uncooperative officials in line. She had perfected a certain look over the years that could freeze an argument within seconds.

The one thing she did love about her appearance was her hair. It glittered with a sheen that caught the smallest fragment of light and made it almost glow. It was so blonde, that at times, it looked as if it was blended with the white threads of a snowflake the way it glittered in the light.

“It is beautiful,” he whispered, threading his fingers through it even as he stepped closer. “Just like you, Ricki.”

Ricki’s lips parted in surprise when he suddenly slid his other arm around her waist and pulled her close. Her hands rose on their own to slide between them, spreading across his chest to instinctively stop him, before she forced them to relax. She wanted, needed to know, if there was any spark between them.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as he pressed his lips to hers in a slow, sensual kiss. She analyzed the kiss, noting the warmth and firmness of his lips, the slight pressure on her lower back and in her hair, and the way he tilted his head. He tasted like the hot drink they had sampled that was similar to the coffee she enjoyed in the mornings. It wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, the kiss was probably, on a scale of zero to ten, about a seven or eight, she decided as he pulled back.

Her eyelashes fluttered before rising to look at him in curiosity. Silver eyes, touched with a hint of exasperation combined with amusement, glittered back at her. Her lips parted as she drew in a deep breath.

“I swear I could hear your mind working,” Stan observed with a hint of dry amusement in his voice. “Would you be interested in sharing your deep thoughts?”

Ricki blushed, but didn’t look away from him. Tilting her head to the side, a smile curved her lips before a low chuckle escaped her and she shook her head. She started to lower her head, but stopped when he caught her chin in the hand that had been in her hair and tilted her head back.

“Tell me,” he insisted.

Ricki bit her bottom lip and looked at him in indecision. “You aren’t going to like my answer,” she cautioned.

Stan gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m a big boy. I think I can handle it,” he assured her.

“I was analyzing your kiss,” she explained. “It was very interesting.”

Stan’s eyes widened at her surprising statement. A low chuckle escaped him again and he shook his head. Ricki could see he was fighting his curiosity to know what conclusion she'd come or whether he was better off not knowing.

“Okay,” he laughed. “I think this is a first, but go ahead. I’m fascinated to discover your findings.”

“That will not be necessary,” a menacing voice snarled out of the darkness.

Ricki gasped as the familiar form of Ristèard Roald stepped out of the shadows of the tree near them. She took a startled step back when the light from the nearby pillar briefly washed across his face. He looked furious!

“Hey, I know you,” Stan commented with a frown. “You're that Grand Ruler or something from Elope-something or other, aren’t you?”

“Elipdios,” Ricki automatically corrected as Ristèard stepped closer to them. She eyed him warily. “Grand Ruler,” she greeted in an icy tone.

“Take your hands off her,” Ristèard demanded, his eyes glued to Ricki’s face.

Stan instinctively did the opposite. His right arm slid around Ricki’s waist, pulling her protectively closer to his body. Ricki saw the confused frown darken his face as he tried to understand what was going on. She was just as confused.

“Sir, there is no need to trouble yourself,” Ricki explained in a soothing tone. “Stan and I are having an enjoyable evening out together. If you don’t mind, I’d like to continue it without interruption.”

Ricki knew immediately that she had said something wrong, though she couldn’t think what it could have been. She replayed her statement in her head, turning it over to see if there could have been anything offensive in it, and drew a blank.

“Take him out,” Ristèard ordered as two other men appeared out of the darkness behind him.

“Take me…,” Stan repeated at the same time as Ricki did.

“Take him… Now, wait just one minute,” she exclaimed, trying to step in front of Stan. A loud gasp escaped her when a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her up against his body. “I… Oh, what do you think you are doing?!”

Ricki frantically pushed against the broad, muscular shoulders. Her head turned quickly when she heard the sound of scuffling behind her. Panic erupted through her when she saw Stan strike out at one of the men.

“Stan!” She cried out, struggling to get free.

“Run, Ricki,” Stan yelled to her before he grunted as the second man grabbed his arm and hit him in the stomach.

Ricki’s head swiveled back to look down in fury. Raising her right hand, she started to swing it in an effort to strike Ristèard across the face. A low cry escaped her and her hand fell back to his shoulder when she felt her body sliding down his until her feet touched the ground. His hand swept up to grasp her wrist when she started to swing again.

“I don’t think so,” he growled in a low tone.

Ricki’s eyes flashed in vehemence when she saw the amusement in his eyes. He thought attacking them was funny? He thought she was some delicate little flower that couldn’t defend herself? Well, she had learned a thing or two over the years from her circus family and one of them was to never give up.

Pulling unsuccessfully on her wrist in an attempt to break free, she reacted instinctively, raising her knee at the same time as she used her nails to pinch his ear with her free hand. A grimace escaped her when she felt her knee connect with the soft flesh of his balls. She refused to feel any sympathy for the sudden flash of surprise, followed by intense pain that entered his eyes. If she hadn’t been so tall, it would have been impossible for her to have used that maneuver on him.

Triumph filled her when he bent forward and braced his hands on his knees in an effort to remain standing. His shuddering breaths were a testament that she had struck him hard. Taking advantage of his vulnerability, she pulled back and popped him on the tip of his nose just like Marvin had taught her. She remembered that Martin always told her to hit her attacker while they were still disoriented. The double assault sent Ristèard backwards onto his ass along the soft grassy surface that edged the walkway.

Turning away, she saw Stan striking out at one of the men attacking him. She focused on the man closest to her that was trying to circle back around behind Stan. The moment the man turned his back to her, she kicked out her leg. Her foot connected with his backside sending him headfirst into the other man when Stan suddenly twisted.

“Run!” She cried out, reaching for Stan when he jerked backwards out of the way of the two men.