The Pirate Prince (18 page)

Tension knotted his shoulders, working its way down to his tight stomach. Worry held him in its grips. He was supposed to protect Mei. Hepromised to protect her. And he had failed.

Ducking under the door, he didn’t stop as he stepped over the unconscious lykan and made his way to the ship. Mei’s arm flopped in front of him as he walked. Jarek readjusted her body as he made his way up the docking plank. “Get us out of here,” he commanded Evan as the man hit the switch to raise the plank.

“On it,” Evan answered, running toward the cockpit. Jarek swore. He took Mei straight to the medical booth. The ship jerked as the engines kicked on.

“Sacred Cats, Mei. Why didn’t you stay where I could protect you?”

Chapter Ten

Mei groaned holding her head. Blinking, she looked around. She was in Jarek’s quarters on the ship. It took a moment, but suddenly the flood of memories invaded and she sat up, gasping, “Map.”

“Shh, we got it,” Jarek said, urging her back down on the bed. He touched her forehead, stroking back her hair to comfort her.

Mei looked up at him in question. “The pale man?”

“Escaped.”

“I mean did he have the map?”

“No, the lykan did.” At the words Jarek’s expression hardened some. “What is it?” Mei tried to sit up again, but his hands held her back. “Oh, my… Dev? Is he…?”

“Dev is fine. You’re the only one who was hurt.” Suddenly, his expression changed, becoming both tortured and angered at the same time. “Sacred Cats, Mei! Do you realize you could’ve been killed? What were you doing running after someone like that? What if he had friends with him? What if he…? What if he killed you? Did you even stop to think?”

“I’m sorry, Jarek, I....” Mei frowned. “Wait, why am I apologizing to you? I can take care of myself. What if Mr. Pale Face had the map? While you were busy fighting the giant hairball, he would’ve gotten away with it. I did what I had to do to protect my family.”

“He didn’t have the map. You should have trusted me to handle it.” His hand stilled on her head.

“He could have had it.” Mei swatted his hand away as she moved to sitting. Jarek tried to touch her again and she slapped him. Inching her way to the end of the bed, she

stood.

“No, the lykan had it. It was the lykan’s scent I detected in my room and if you know anything about the race, you would know they are secretive, greedy and not prone to sharing—even with friends.” Jarek’s lips pressed into a harsh line and he glared at her, not moving to stand. It was almost as if he was scared of moving.

“How was I to know that?” Mei sighed. Why was he being like this? Why was he looking at her so coldly? So angrily? Lifting her chin, she kept her face stoic. “We should take off. We don’t want any more trouble. The sooner we are off this planet the better.”

“We’re almost to Líntian.” He lowered his eyes.

Mei gasped, shocked. She looked around as if she could see through the metal walls. Already? How long had she been knocked out? Desperation overwhelmed her.

“We are?” She wasn’t ready to leave him. What had happened to her time with him? It couldn’t be over already. Studying his hard expression, she couldn’t help but wonder if he still loved her. Were his feelings for her only a crush to begin with? A way to pass the time? The way her heart ached, she knew that when she said she loved him, she’d spoken the truth. “Jarek, I want to speak with you. About us....”

“Mei,” he hesitated. Passion swirled in his eyes, melting the cold anger. It looked like there was so much he wanted to say, and yet he wasn’t saying them. Instead, his tone even, he said, “We are orbiting on the side of the Singhai Empire. Lochlann is awaiting your directions on where to land.”

“I should contact my family.” She glanced down to the big shirt she wore. It was one of his.

“I apologize,fea , but the communicators are out. You can’t contact your family yet.” As he spoke, he stood, crossing over to a metal cabinet imbedded into the wall.

Running his hands over the sensors, he opened the drawer and took out some folded

clothing. “Viktor and Lucien are working on it, but it doesn’t look good. I’m sorry that I can’t drop you off there before we get Rick, but I can’t risk anyone knowing we’re here until we discern what’s happened to our friend.”

Mei shook her head. Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed back her pain and focused on what needed to be done. It was becoming clear that Jarek wasn’t too comfortable with saying good bye. Maybe that was why he was acting like that.. “That’s all right. I’ve thought about it and I believe it will be best if I don’t contact my family until we’ve been to the mines and I know more.”

Mei’s father and brother wouldn’t want her going to the mines without them, if at all, just as Jarek didn’t want her to. They would order her home. She understood their worry, but she had to see her plan through. Besides, the sooner she called them, the sooner she’d never see Jarek again. It might be foolish, but she wanted to cling to every moment. Already she was upset at having missed the ride home from the space port to her home planet.

“I’m going to miss you,qin ài de ,” she said softly. “I need you to know that. I need you to know that this isn’t just some space fling that I’ll get over quickly. I need to know that you’ll remember me fondly, but also that you’ll go on to find happiness. I need to know that you’ll be happy.”

“Mei, I’m....” He stopped, taking a deep breath, only to let a soft curse leave his lips as he exhaled. “I’m sorry I got mad at you,fea .” Instantly coming forward, he pulled her tight into his arms. He held her close, running his hand over her head, patting down her hair as he continued. “I was just so scared that I wasn’t able to protect you.” “Jarek,” she whispered. A tear slipped over her cheek. “I don’t want our time together to be over.”

“It doesn’t have to end, Mei,” he said. “You can still come with me.”

“I have to marry Prince Lok,” she said. “It’s my duty.”

“But you told me you are not engaged to him. Together we can change that fate.”

“My family—”

“If you fear your family won’t accept me, then they will accept my title.” He took a deep breath. His eyes pleaded with her to stay with him, to trust him, to love him.

“What do you mean title?”

He tensed. “Mei, there’s something I haven’t told you. I am Prince Jarek of the Var by birth.”

“You… are a prince?” she asked, surprised. Mei looked over his pirate attire.

“Royalty? You? A pirate?”

“Yes. No. A prince, yes, a pirate, not really.”

“You lied to me?” Mei was too weak to move. His hands gripped her arms, not painful, but definitely not letting go.

“No, not a lie. You assumed I was a pirate and I....” He pulled her closer. His face lowered toward hers as he looked deep into her eyes. “Here, in space, I’m Captain Jarek, leader of this crew. I never use the title unless I have to—like when I have to represent my family as an ambassador. Let your family have the title to satisfy them. My family will accept you into their arms willingly.”

“But....” She frowned, confused. “Are you exiled? You do not rule from your palace?”

“I might not live in the palace, but my duty never diminishes. If their future depended on my sacrificing myself, I would. I know I would. But the truth is, I’m not needed.” He laughed quietly, lowering his mouth so it was close to hers. “They have everything well in hand.”

She wanted to pull him closer, until their mouths were pressed together in heated kisses, until their bodies melted and became one, but she was too shocked by his revelation to move. Jarek? A prince? She could easily understand his position, maybe better than most because she was what he was. Royalty. There was a burden on them, a selflessness they must bear. But, even for all his freedom, she could still feel the burden

of his upbringing.

“See, Mei, you can still be loyal to your family and not live within the palace. I can still be of service by being in the stars. If my family needs me all they have to do is call. It works. At first they were upset about my decision, but now they accept it. They have even come to depend upon it. The knowledge I have of the galaxy could not be gained by staying on Qurilixen. Let me show you the freedom of the skies and we’ll visit our homelands whenever we wish.”

Mei understood this. He might not be running away from his princely duties, but he wasn’t running toward them either. However, unlike Jarek’s family, her family did need her back on her planet. For that reason, she envied him.

“Why couldn’t you have crossed my path first? Why couldn’t you have kidnapped me before I went to Prince Lok’s palace? Why did I have to talk to him first?” Mei knew the answers. Prince Lok and her marriage would assure peace.

“I don’t understand.”

“I just wish fate could have been different.” Mei dropped her head against his chest. Her head ached and her neck was sore. Jarek’s hands instantly went to her shoulder and began to rub up her neck, as if he could sense her discomfort. Mei moaned. His hands felt so nice, so comforting as they dipped up and down along her spine. “We should go in at nightfall.”

“We will.”

“How much time does that leave us?”

“A few hours.”

“Mm, too long a time to wait and think about what must happen, and too short of a time until we have to part.” Mei sighed. “Will you make love to me again?”

Jarek answered with a kiss. His touch was soft and tender as he held her close.

There was so much passion in his embrace, but also a sadness she could feel as well as her own. They knew this moment would come, yet they weren’t ready for it. Fate was a cruel mistress to give her this man only to take him away. Her pirate prince. Her Jarek.

“
Wo ai ni,”
she whispered.

Jarek pulled away just enough to gaze into her eyes. “And I love you,fea .”

What else could really be said between them that hadn’t been already said? His dark gaze flecked with gold. How perfect those eyes were to her! How handsome this man was. Her heart broke at the idea of leaving him and she knew that it would never beat in such a way for any other.

“Jarek, will you make me a half mate?” she asked. “I can’t marry you, but....” He gave her a sheepish grin. “That happened the first time we were together, when I came inside you and our spirits joined.”

Mei rounded her eyes. “Are there any other secrets you want to confess, prince?”

He kissed her as soon as the words left her mouth. His tongue rimmed the edge of her lips. It was a sweet distraction. Between ever deepening kisses, he said, “None…

that… I want… to talk… about… right now,fea .”

Mei giggled as he prevented her from answering. Jarek swept her up into his arms and laid her on the bed. His greater weight held her down as he pulled at the shirt she wore, parting the soft linen so he could devour her neck and chest with hot, wet kisses.

Sitting back on the bed, he pulled off his shirt. Jarek always looked so sexy, no matter what he was doing. The light contrasted the tight muscles of his chest and flat stomach. He brought his half-naked body next to hers once more. Digging his hands beneath the shirt, he found the warm flesh of her sides beneath it. A light sound left her, prompting him to resume licking and nibbling at her neck.

“Nî hâo mêi.” Mei said, squirming beneath his touch. It felt so good. She worked her legs restlessly against his thighs, hooking around him as she naturally angled her body toward his. “You are so beautiful.”

Jarek chuckled. “You are the beautiful one,fea . I could look at you forever.”

His eyes roamed down over her body. They stopped at her breasts. Leaning over, he massaged a small globe in his palm, circling the nipple with his thumb until it was a hard bud.

She lazily returned his kiss, sucking his long tongue into her mouth. Little whimpers left her throat, begging him to continue. Running her hands over the hard muscles of his arms, she caressed him everywhere she could reach. They’d made love often and she had his body memorized. It was a memory she’d keep with her in the long years ahead.

Grandmother, please be wrong. Please be wrong. Please be wrong.

The thought repeated in her head like a desperate prayer.

Please be wrong. I don’t think I can leave him.

And yet she knew in her heart that she couldn’t risk the welfare of her people.

Self-sacrifice was part of her life.

As her leg worked up against his stiff erection, he glided his hands boldly down over her flat stomach to dip between her thighs. Her body was wet and ready for him.

Jarek growled low in the back of his throat. The sound made her shiver with desire and she remembered the dangerous side of him as he’d shifted into a tiger. He always had that effect on her. Just one look and she was wet and ready for him. The fact that he liked sex with her as much as she did with him was exhilarating. She pressed her fingers lightly against his shoulders and he grinned against her mouth, knowing what she wanted.

He worshipped her with his lips, kissing between her breasts only to drag his tongue over her stomach. Rimming her navel, he reached for her hips, jerking her silk skirt up to expose her thighs. Her thighs parted in natural invitation. His long hair tickled

her flesh as he explored her with his mouth. He adjusted her thighs over his shoulders and his hot mouth latched onto her awaiting clit.

Jarek moved his tongue, pressing it along her sensitive folds, parting her, drinking in her taste. He sighed in pleasure. She moaned loudly, thrusting her hands into his hair to guide his movements.

“Bâobèi,” she gasped. “My love, don’t stop.”

He became more aggressive. Mei tensed on the precipice of intense pleasure. His tongue stroked just right. She screamed, clamping down on his head with her thighs. He grinned and instantly shot up along her body to cover her mouth with his. “Mm, Jarek. Sweet Jarek.”

Her hips bucked, rubbing her moist folds along his hard stomach, wanting more of him, wanting it all.

Jarek rose up to unlace his pants. Once free, he drew his body to hers. She relished the feel of him sliding inside. It was as if they were made for each other. Mei took him deep, only to meet his rhythm as he pulled back. With a whimper, she wound her hands into his dark hair, the locks so silky and smooth. His smell engulfed her and his lips held traces of her taste on them.