Prince's Fire (17 page)

Val raised his hands. “Our people, please stand. It is with great love that I present to you, Gitana, my mate and your future queen.”

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Her voice threatened to crack as she spoke. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say except I am glad that I am here.”

The people cheered then grew quiet, waiting for her to finish. “Our enemy thought to encroach our world by finding one amongst us to betray you all and to capture me. As you can see, their attempt has failed, and will continue to do so because we will remain strong and persevere. We will take our worlds back, one planet at a time.”

“I urge any chosen ones within the sound of my voice or in the sight of the lights of the monument to return home to your people and to your mates. They are good men.”

* * * * *

“Did you really have to meet each and every one of the villagers?” Val asked, his hands sliding up her thighs.

“I wanted to, and they deserved to administer judgment of their own upon the

gatekeeper.”

Val grumbled as he kissed her, his mouth trailing a path down her neck and resting on the swell of her breasts. His fingers tweaked her nipples. “This is what I wanted to do.”

“What else did you want to do?” Gitana bit his shoulder playfully and giggled when he tickled her.

Fingers ran down her spine and around her waist to sweep between her legs. She gasped as they entered her.

“God, you’re so wet for me. I can’t wait to be in you.”

Her hand gripped his rigid cock. “And you’re equally hard for me.” She spread her legs, welcoming his cock inside of her. “I’ve been wanting you to fuck me for too long.”

Val growled against her ear, his mouth claimed hers. Her tongue darted into his mouth and dared his tongue to accept the passion she had.

She gasped as he entered her in one powerful thrust. “It’s about time.”

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“I wasn’t the one that spent six hours saying hello to every single person on the planet.”

Gitana laughed and ran her hands down his chest, rocking her hips in time to his movements. “Well, if you would have done things my way, we could have enjoyed each other before the ceremony even began.”

“Careful, princess, or I will fuck you hard all night.”

“You promise, my prince?”

He moved faster and deeper inside of her. She clung to him as a series of orgasms swept across her. She thought she would explode from the pleasure. “Have I told you I love this?”

“I love the way your hot pussy clutches my cock.”

“I love the way I feel in your arms.” He cried out as his release overtook him. She moaned and ran her hands across his back, wrapping her legs around him and milking his cock with her pussy.

“I love the smell of your hair draped across my face in the morning, and waking up to your beautiful smile.” Val kissed her neck. She cuddled against him and draped his arm around her shoulder. Resting her head on his chest, she sighed.

“You always say the sweetest things.”

“If you tell my brothers that, I will spank this gorgeous ass of yours ‘til it is red.”

She laughed. “You promise, warrior?”

* * * * *

Gitana could not get the smug look of satisfaction off her face, even with Val glaring at her from across the table. They had spent the entire evening and morning hours making love and talking. Each time she thought she couldn’t be happier or love Val more her passion for him increased. He had shared his past with her, his fears as a leader and as a man. And she had done the same. She had fallen asleep in his arms, only to be woken up this morning with him kissing her tenderly to begin their lovemaking over again.

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She looked around the large dining table. Each brother was there, along with Fiona.

The queen sat at the head of the table, a smile on her face. Lucian and Shana had joined them for dinner, but there were still seven empty chairs at the table.

“I am glad to see that Val finally managed to get you inside the palace instead of that hovel in Paradise.”

“I like the hut, my queen.”

Val smiled over at her. “Me too, v’amarita.”

Gitana chewed the food on her plate, thinking that it needed a bit more spice. She was going to have to ask the queen what it was and begin to learn her way around the palace.

Everyone ate in silence, each of the brothers seemed to be in the depths of introspection they weren’t willing to share with the others. She smiled over at Val, who winked at her.

“Has all the testing been completed?” the queen asked. Her gaze went from Gitana to Val.

Val shook his head. “Not the last portion.”

Taro appeared, leaning against the door to the hallway. “Well, I do believe my timing is perfect.”

“Hardly,” Val said in a clipped tone. “What are you doing here?”

Taro laughed. “Well, I’m finishing up the test. Or I intended to, but I’m afraid that it has been taken out of my control.”

Val stood. “What do you mean by that?”

Taro ignored him. “This is a pretty little picture.” He walked around the table toward Fiona and reached out toward her. “I’m still trying to figure out exactly how you fit into all this.”

Fiona pulled away from his hand. “Careful, I bite.”

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Taro growled. “I’m up for the challenge whenever you are.”

“What the hell do you mean it has been taken out of your control?” Val asked, forcing Taro’s attention back to him. Gitana saw the brothers stiffen, but none of them made a move toward Taro.

“Oh, it seems that one of the gods has a penchant for listening in on private bedroom conversations,” Taro said, his eyes pausing on Gitana. “And our newest princess shared all her little secrets last night.”

Fear coursed through her veins as she recalled Taro’s warning about it being a matter of life and death that no one ever find out about his involvement with the attack on Earth.

“What does this mean for us then?”

Taro shrugged his shoulders. “I do not know. All I was told was that the leader of our hall would be rendering the testing himself, since I have apparently been tainted.”

Cal laughed. “How the hell did you manage to screw up this time, Taro?”

“I didn’t accept the call to final judgment when I heard it.”

The queen gasped, her hand going to her heart. “Please tell me you are joking.”

“I would never tease about something that serious. At least not with you, my queen.”

“Val, child, what is going on here?” The concern in the woman’s voice ripped into Gitana’s heart and flooded it with guilt. Why hadn’t she kept silent about the events of that day? Taro had warned her it would be bad if she didn’t. Why hadn’t she listened to him?

Val sat beside his mother and took her hand into his. “The day I went to get Gitana, there was an attack.”

The queen nodded her head. “Yes and you came back with her, but you had been

injured during the attack.”

“Yes. It was a fatal wound, or at least I had thought that it was. I called upon the final judgment intending to demand the gods protect Gitana.”

“Val, no.”

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“It’s okay, though,” Gitana said. “He survived. I don’t understand why this is a big issue.”

“It is not that simple. There are rules. Once someone calls upon final judgment, their life is ended immediately by the gods. It is a chance they take for the right to ask one request of the gods.”

“That is sheer stupidity. Sorry, but it is.”

Laughter came from across the room before the man actually appeared. The older man stood, his arms crossed before him, and looked to be an older version of Taro. His blond hair was much shorter than Taro’s.

“Who are you?” Val asked.

“Does it matter that much?”

Gitana stood up from the table and walked beside Val. “My mate asked you a question, sir.”

The man laughed harder. “You must be Gitana.”

Val hugged her tight and whispered, “Do not speak, v’amarita. I will deal with this.”

The older man stepped forward and looked around the room. “I’m afraid that there is nothing to discuss. A sacred law was broken, and it must be rectified immediately.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

“Val’s life must be taken.”

“Like hell,” Gitana said, standing in front of her mate. No one was taking him from her.

No one. “You are crazy if you think I will stand by and allow you to take him from me after all I have been through to find him.”

“I don’t believe you have any say in the matter,” the man said.

“Like hell I don’t. I refuse to let him go. If you take him, you will have to take me as well.”

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Val pulled on her shoulders. “Gitana, leave this to me.” He looked at his twin. “Take her away from here.”

She spun as Van approached, her powers coursing through her body. “I down the first person that comes near either of us. I don’t give a damn if you are a brother to Val or a god.”

The unknown man laughed and looked over at Taro, who was laughing as well. “I see you are right. She is a spitfire.”

“Yes, she is. A true leader to the people.”

“She has her mother’s spirit in her.”

Gitana stilled at the mention of her mother. “What do you know of my mother?”

“I am one of the gods that rendered final judgment on your parents, Gitana. You have her determination and your father’s strength.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Dimitri.”

If he had passed judgment on her parents and taken their lives, did that mean he was here for Val? “You have already taken my parents from me, Dimitri. Do not think I will allow you to take another that I love.”

Taro laughed loudly. “You truly are your mother’s daughter.”

“You profess to love Val, yet you are the very reason I am here. I would have never known of Taro’s blatant disregard for the rules if it hadn’t been for your little confession to your mate.”

Red-hot fury blazed through her veins, fueled by the adrenaline pumping in her blood.

He had violated her with his voyeurism. She refused to live a life where she had to worry about some god who felt he could do anything he wanted without being held accountable.

No one should hold that power.

Gitana slapped the man and heard the shocked gasps resound around the room,

followed by Jax saying, “Son of a bitch!”

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“How dare you defile my mating bed by observing us because of some deviated need of self-gratification. I refuse to keep anything from Val, and if you ever intrude on our privacy again, I will personally mutilate that organ between your legs myself so that the only pleasure you get from what you observe is memories.” Rage welled within her. Her powers slid across her skin, yearning to be used. Oh, how she wanted to destroy this loathsome man.

How dare he violate them, then threaten Val.

Cal stepped forward, a look of surprise on his face as he looked at Val. “Brother, I believe she has entered a warrior’s rage. I did not know such was possible.”

Dimitri laughed and patted Cal on the back. “She will be fine. I regret that it was necessary to test their union in this manner, but the opportunity presented itself in such a unique way I could not help but take advantage of it.”

Taro stepped forward. “What do you mean by that exactly?”

“Oh, you are still in serious trouble, Taro,” Dimitri said, “because you overstepped your bounds and broke our laws. But Gitana and Val have proven their trust and faith in one another.”

“And you, Gitana, truly do remind me of your mother. You have her beauty and spirit within you. It will help make you a remarkable leader and mate for Val. I bless your union and rejoice with you that the first chosen one has returned home.”

This confrontation…it was a test? Val wasn’t going to be taken from her? Val smiled and hugged her tightly. Relief flooded her as she wrapped her arms around him, letting his joy mix with hers. She looked over at Taro and saw his brief look of yearning at Fiona.

“What of Taro?” she asked as she released Val. “If it were not for him, we would have died. That does not deserve punishment.”

“I agree,” Val said.

“Taro needs to learn to play by the rules a bit more I’m afraid. Punishment may very well be the best thing for him.”

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“That would not be wise,” the queen said firmly. “I beseech you to spare Taro whatever punishment you have in mind.”

“I regret I must deny your request. There is only one with the right to petition me for mercy, and it is not you. He will not suffer too harshly.”

Gitana looked at Taro. It wasn’t fair that he be punished for helping them. If it hadn’t been for him, Val would have died. Guilt, fear, and pity washed through her, weighing in her heart.

“Do not pity me, princess. I have endured far worse than what he has planned I am sure.”

Taro and Dimitri vanished with the same haste they had arrived. She couldn’t help wonder what would happen to Taro and when they would see him next.

“Brother,” Cal began, “I truly envy you for having such a fiery spirited mate.”

“She is truly worthy of a warrior,” Dar agreed. “It was refreshing to see.”

“Soon, all of your mates will be here, and they will outshine me, I am sure.” Silence filled the room as several of the brothers looked at each other, a sadness in their eyes. “Did I say something wrong?”

Cal stepped forward. “Never, Gitana. This is just a crux for us to be in. We have been together for so long, it is difficult to imagine parting ways.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, looking to Val for an answer. She had seen the closeness of the brothers and couldn’t imagine how much it pained them to even think about being away from one another. Their bond was strong, forged in adversity. She hated seeing any of them upset or saddened because she knew it ripped Val’s heart. “What is happening?”

“What was meant to happen,” Dar said.

“It is time for some of us to part and begin the search for our mates. They are somewhere out there, and we intend to find them,” Dax added.