Prince's Fire (7 page)

Tingles went down his body with the feeling of her hot breath against his skin. When her hand began to stroke the length of his hard cock, the urge to thrust into her overwhelmed him once again. Never had a woman’s touch undone his control so easily.

“You are so big, warrior. I don’t know how I handled you so easily last time. We need to give this another try to make sure you are as good as I remember.” Bringing her hips forward, she poised herself over his cock and slowly guided it into her wet pussy.

The sight of her riding him brought out his dark side, the part that had waited for so long to claim his mate. She was his. He felt himself surge, growing larger inside of her perfect cunt. His. He growled when her soft moan of pleasure echoed through the room and knew she could handle the full extent of his passion.

Battling the urge to flip her onto her back and drive into her harder, he was grateful when she began riding him faster and bringing herself fully onto his cock. He captured a nipple in his mouth and sucked on it greedily. Her gasp of surprise filled the room when he shot a cold burst through the tiny bud then pressed it lightly between his teeth.

“So you think you are man enough to control me, warrior?” Her body thrust downward onto his cock in one long, smooth stroke meant to torment him.

“You are mine.” He turned her around, his hand in her hair forcing her into a submissive position on all fours. Pushing her face into the mat, the sight of her gorgeous ass high in the air undid what little control he had.

* * * * *

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Gitana cried out as he plunged himself fully into her. Never had a man subdued her this easily and managed to get her into a submissive position, but he had put her into it before she even knew what was happening. Strong fingers played with her nipples, pinching and pulling them until she thought they would erupt into flames. Each thrust into her made her want him more; each move to get out of position met with an even more determined one from him. She was his, and she enjoyed it.

“I feel your body responding to me. You like me being in charge don’t you, v’amarita?”

He leaned forward, pressing his body against her back, his thumb finding her clit and rubbing gently. Pleasure ran through her whole body, sending a responding pool of liquid heat straight to the place they were joined. The thrusts increased in intensity until she climaxed once again and her body began to convulse around his cock.

She collapsed on the fur, her breathing keeping time with her rapid heartbeat. Wow.

She leaned against him when he settled his body flush against her back, his arm draped over her waist. “That was some performance, warrior. You should get a bonus for that.”

A stab of jealousy pained her at the thought of how many women he had pleasured. It didn’t matter. She had given into her needs and now had to focus on what was important --

finding Shana. The moment he fell asleep she would begin searching for her.

“My carnal instincts came out for you, and I am proud that you could handle them.

Next time I will not feel the need to hold back.” That was holding back? Her pussy throbbed.

What would he be like unleashed? A shiver of anticipation made her skin tingle just as the sound of shouting filled the area outside of the small room.

“My queen, you cannot simply barge in there. I humbly beg of you to await him in the palace.” Val’s foul curse behind her as he moved furs around to cover them were the only indication she had that someone was about to enter. Judging from the tenseness in his body, it wasn’t a meeting he looked forward to.

48 Cara Carnes

Gitana wasn’t sure what she expected, but the small woman with long flowing black hair and a soft step was not it. Dressed in a loose royal blue gown, the woman looked to be around her age, except for her eyes. The rich, black depths appeared haunted as they focused on her.

“Val! I am simply abhorred by your behavior.” Stepping into the small area, the woman glared at the older man behind her. Whoever she was, the look sent the man running away quickly.

“Hello, Mother. Which one of them do I have to thank for your presence here?” Gitana gasped at the words, drawing the thin fur higher onto her body. This was his mother ?

Looking back behind her, she noticed his pursed lips and his fisted hand.

“Oh, you must thank them all actually, even that little minx of a daughter I have. If it had not been for the gatekeeper, I would have never suspected anything. He felt it was his duty to inform me that we had a guest. Imagine my surprise when he contacts me and tells me you are here. In this hovel.”

She watched as the woman pursed her lips just like Val and shook her right foot, stirring the ground beneath her. Her delicate cough filled the room. “What part of your upbringing made you think this was the proper place to bring a mate into our family? My word, it doesn’t even have a real floor.”

A deep sigh behind her was met with a curious look from the queen; at least, that is what she had understood from the conversation in the hallway earlier. Did this mean Val was a prince? The woman implied this was not his home. Where were they? Had he lied to her? Questions whirled in her head, but she focused on the conversation, determined to get answers one way or the other.

“You have impeccable timing, Mother. I appreciate your concern for Gitana’s well-being, but I assure you she and I are both fine, so you may leave. We will come and greet you Prince’s Fire

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properly when the time is right.” His dismissive tone surprised her. She could not imagine treating a mother like that.

Gitana moved to stand, but Val kept her held down. She blushed when she turned and saw the exposed male flesh that met her eyes. How could she have forgotten they were naked?

“Well, my son, the time had better be very soon because I honestly do not know how much longer your brothers and sister can carry on the little ruse they are trying to pull off.”

The woman stepped closer to them and smiled down at her. “Where are my manners? Here I am chiding one of my eldest sons for his, and mine have completely escaped me. I am Chantelle. I see you know my son already.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks; never had she expected to be caught naked with a man in bed by his mother. Could it get any worse?

“What ruse are you talking about?” Val’s voice held the hint of amusement in it. The queen smiled as she looked at him.

“Apparently one of them had the hidden talent of projecting an image identical to you and is currently mimicking you in a wonderful fashion. It truly surprised me, Val. It isn’t nice of you all to not share your abilities with me. I realize that you eight are all full- grown men, but I did raise you.” She turned to leave.

“I will speak to them, Mother. I was not aware that one of my brothers possessed that ability either.”

“Very well then, I will expect to see you at dinner.” Chantelle opened the door to the room and turned. “And please at least take her to another room of Paradise. This is utterly repulsive.”

Her body trembled with shock. “You are a prince?”

50 Cara Carnes

Val stood, not bothering to hide his gorgeous male figure from her. “I can explain. I merely wished for us to be alone for some time before everyone started taking your time up, Gitana. You have no idea how long I have waited for you.”

“Okay, you need to explain that to me because I am missing something big, I think.

You make it sound as if you knew I would be here.”

She watched as he approached her, bringing his hand up to cradle her face in it. “Deep down you already know the answer to that question, the same way you knew about Paradise.”

So many years she had been ingrained with the belief that she was different, that she was supposed to be a princess married to a prince and ruling over a planet. She had clung to it as a child but had begun to question it as an adult. The whole idea was too far-fetched.

“Nana was nuts. Shana said so.” The determination rung from her voice, and she knew she was trying to convince herself. It would be too much to hope that it was real. She had absorbed all her desires, dreams, and darkest fantasies into that world Nana spoke of knowing she’d never see it. The thought of reality encroaching on it terrified her.

“Nana created a fantasy world to get our minds off of our surroundings and empty stomachs. None of it was real.” She wanted to back away from his touch, but the comfort it gave her was too welcomed to shun.

“It pains me that you had such a horrible upbringing, Gitana. I saw much of it in Shana’s mind when she allowed me to read it, but you are home now. Paradise is real, as is the planet that it is on. Mysk is your home, and you are going to be a queen. My queen. Our people will rejoice for years when they hear you have returned to us.” The smile on his face looked so sincere it brought tears to her eyes.

Remembering all those dark nights with no power, huddled with Shana in blizzard temperatures with no food and no money to their names was difficult for her, even after all these years. Nana would abandon them for weeks at a time. It had been out of desperation Prince’s Fire

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that Gitana had learned she had powers. The will to create warmth for herself and her sister had been on the forefront of her mind the night the roof of their shack had caved in from snow accumulation. That was the first time she had made fire with her bare hands.

She knew she would never forget the look of terror on Shana’s face that night because the image had burned its way into her brain. Never again had her adopted sister looked at her that way but for some reason, the sheer panic-stricken look refused to vacate. They had overcome it all and were as close as two people could get. Shana was the only reason she had fought to survive.

She wanted to laugh at the thought of her being a queen. She didn’t believe in self-deprecation, but the idea that she was woman enough to pleasure this man was almost absurd. The notion of him in her bed each night, however, thrilled her.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she looked up at Val. Now wasn’t the time to think about the possibilities his words created in her mind; she needed to take charge of this situation before it spun any further out of control. “I’m sorry, but I find all of this a bit overwhelming and impossible to believe. Let’s just take it one step at a time. I want to see Shana.”

He smiled down at her and traced his fingers across the nape of her neck. “I

understand, v’amarita. You display much courage in the face of so many new things, and I hope that you are able to keep it up. There is so much for you to still learn and experience here. I am looking forward to teaching and showing you all of it.”

52 Cara Carnes

“No, they are definitely more like the screaming banshees of Vuner rather than the cawing foul of Moxju. Val cast a disapproving look at Cal and Jax but knew it would do no good. The two of them were having far too much fun commenting on the babbling women.

Seeing the three women together in the royal palace meeting chamber thrilled him, and he could not wait until this place was overrun with the mates of his brothers.

Standing beside Lucian, they both watched Shana and Gitana talk, with Val’s sister Fiona in the middle. They had been at it for three hours now, and the incessant chatter drowned out even the call to dinner. The look of joy on the women’s faces had been worth it.

The tears of reunion had been quick, and the women had attempted to go off alone, but neither Lucian nor Val intended for that to happen. With an unknown enemy amongst them, these women were never leaving their sight. Even the happiness on his sister’s face had made him apprehensively joyful. Fiona had lived an extremely secluded life with no one outside of the immediate family even aware she existed.

Fiona was born one year after the death of their father. Their mother had refused to speak of how such a thing could occur and stated Fiona would have to be kept secret for a Prince’s Fire

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while. She had handled the isolation fairly well, spending countless hours learning different cultures and dialects from the neighboring galaxies. She had also asked Lucian to train her in every form of fighting she could handle. His other brothers did not know, but he had seen his cousin and sister at their secret meeting place at the edge of the village.

Watching Fiona with women her age brought joy to Val’s heart. Gitana had her sister with her. And Lucian, who had sacrificed so much for the sake of their family and the people, had found a lifetime companion.

Everything seemed right, but the need to find the betrayer weighed on his mind.

Someone had let the D’kalhik into Mysk, and they had to find out who before they learned of Gitana’s presence.

“We must begin testing her powers and training her immediately.” Dar’s reasoning was sound as always. He sometimes resented his brother for being able to quietly assess and analyze every situation. “The gatekeeper has said that her presence has already made the full rounds of Paradise.”

“Maybe if he hadn’t mentioned it to our mother, it wouldn’t have. Her arrival did more to spread the rumor than anything else.” He looked to Dar then glanced over his shoulder at the other brothers. “By the way, who did the projection number at dinner?”

Dar cleared his throat and looked at Fiona. “She has some very strong powers, brother.

She wanted to give you time with Gitana.”

“I am grateful for the attempt, even though we will all suffer I imagine. It is going to become harder to suppress Fiona now that other women her age are around. We all need to keep a better eye on her. I’d hate to see anything happen to her. She is still young and foolish.”

Dar laughed. The sound caught Fiona’s attention, and she glared at them. “You weren’t young and foolish when you ran off to the fields of Moxju in search of the lost reservoir of 54 Cara Carnes

time? Or what about the time you decided to go on a binge and satisfy your sexual urges for four days straight in Paradise?”

Val remembered his stupidity all too well. His escapade to Moxju had almost gotten him thrown into the prison of the gods for eternity and was the only time he had ever used his royal title to demand preferential treatment. He still didn’t understand why killing someone violating a young woman was an issue but apparently on Moxju it was.