Dragon Series: Dragon Heat Read online

  That comment did it, releasing a deep-seated resentment in Alyssa. Evidently she did not make her feelings clear. She did not want to participate in a foursome and she wouldn't if she had a choice in it.

  They had reached the room. Alyssa didn't understand what she was feeling, but she wasn't about to let this go on any further. She sputtered before choking out, “I don't think so. I don't share.” She used her body to block the entrance from her friends.

  "You will have to share or wait your turn."

  "Everyone else is willing."

  "Yeah, come on sister!"

  "No.” Alyssa said firmly. Both of the other women were too shocked to speak. Their jaws dropped, and their eyes were wide as Alyssa assumed a more aggressive stance.

  "I don't share.” Alyssa repeated firmly, squaring her shoulders, trying her best to choose an alpha female stance. She had no choice.

  "I claim my bed rights.” Alyssa pulled Xanther behind her body. “And if you or anyone else refuses, this can be settled in the circle.” Alyssa drew a dagger in warning.

  Edena's thin plucked eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the dagger.

  "You can't keep him to yourself. It's not the Elisaid way,” Phillipa said in disbelief.

  "So complain to somebody who cares. You've had enough of him. Everybody get out.” Alyssa knew her choices were limited.

  Lady Isabella expected her to take care of his needs tonight, Xanther wasn't about to let her go anytime soon and if she didn't do something she would be involved in an orgy. She had to get rid of the other women. “I claim my rights and I won't be denied.” Alyssa watched as the girls backed out of the doorway and moved back into the courtyard

  "No need to get so upset. We'll come back after you're done."

  "Don't bother. He won't be available until tomorrow morning and if you want him then, you'll have to step up to the circle, too."

  Alyssa tried to smile bravely as she closed the door on her two very shocked friends. She turned around to look at the prince. This wasn't going to make him happy or easy to talk to. Still, what choice did she have? Alyssa hastily latched the two locks, hopefully preventing anymore self-invited guests. It left her alone with her prince, which raised uneasiness in her stomach that was not as strong before. She watched in silence as he removed his boots, discarding them casually to the side. Not one to waste time, he was already making his way to the bed that dominated the room.

  "I hope you are as good as the two you chased off, Vara.” He was already disrobing. The lamplight played across his bronzed face, illuminating the muscles on his chest.

  Alyssa looked away quickly, turning her eyes to the floor, anywhere but on him.

  "Get it through your thick head, you feeble-minded imbecile. I am not here for sex. By the way, my real name is Alyssa Hawkins, not Vara."

  He glanced up at her, his shirt open, exposing a soft mass of curls on his chest and a teasing line of hair trailing to his trousers.

  Alyssa turned to look at him. Good Lord! He was already halfway naked, not pausing in his disrobing. His boots were already carelessly thrown to the side and his shirt was now gone, revealing a tantalizing male chest, wide shoulders and well defined arms. What was she thinking? She couldn't carry on a logical conversation with him, not with her brain going to mush at the first sight of his skin.

  "Didn't you claim me with your bed rights?” he purred. His voice was low and husky, which unnerved Alyssa even more as she found it so arousing. Alyssa watched in fascination as his muscles flexed. He crossed his arms over his chest, with an amused grin on his face. There was such an overpowering amount of male skin exposed that it was jarring to her thoughts and overwhelming her senses.

  "Yes, but not to actually sleep with you! It seems we need to talk."

  "A claim is still a claim, and you claimed me, darling."

  "But I didn't mean to, I just wanted to—"

  "Talk?” he was coming closer. “Is that what you call it now?"

  Not fair! Not fair. Why was he made so sinfully beautiful that her brain became addled every time he was near? Alyssa was not usually so scatterbrained that she couldn't put two words together.

  "Yes. Talk.” Alyssa swallowed nervously. He was sinfully close and she fought the desire to feel the soft lines of muscles on his chest, run her fingers through the wavy curls. His half-naked state made it close to impossible to concentrate. All she seemed to be able to do was look in odd fascination at all that bare skin. What would it feel like to run her hands up his chest?

  "It's funny. I have heard making love called many things, but never once has anyone called it talk."

  "No—you don't understand, I really just want to talk with you."

  "So talk.” When he spoke, it was like a silky purr.

  "I am not who I appear."

  "I know.” Suddenly his arms were folded across his chest, defensively. The lines on his face had definitely hardened with that comment. Alyssa felt relieved and at the same time dismayed to not see as much of his skin when he crossed his arms. The man was far less distracting if he would just keep himself clothed.

  "I am not really an Elisaid, but I don't really belong to you either.” Alyssa waited a moment before going on.

  "That mark you saw, it's a lie. It was a counterfeit mark. The man hired someone to do it. He also killed my father. He did it so that he could steal my inheritance. He tried to force me in other ways, but then decided to mark me so I could never leave him without a death sentence. So, really, this is a horrible misunderstanding."

  "Who marked you?"

  Xanther already knew who it should have been. If the mark was authentic, it should have been a man named Jonathan Sinclair. Xanther knew Jonathan well. He was a man with integrity and the hefty responsibility of marking anyone as belonging to their clan. Xanther knew that burden wouldn't be misused. If she was marked, she was dragon. Plain and simple.

  "I don't know the man's name. I was in your dungeon and I wasn't exactly able to ask questions."

  Still, why wasn't he told? He should have been notified immediately of new blood, as the highest ranking alpha male. Perhaps his father had known?

  He saw her mark for the brief time during her dance, the tattoo running intimately along her spine. Dragon and lion dancing a never-ending battle. The tattoo appeared to be authentic, even with the distance of the dance floor between them.

  Xanther looked down at the girl standing patiently in front of him. Something about her drew him—she had a fighting spirit. He would hear her out but was not used to being denied. She was trying to look anywhere but at him, which didn't leave her much to stare at. The bed loaded with blankets and furs dominated the room.

  "Is that all?"

  "Besides being the daughter of a pirate, yes."

  "You could be the daughter of a fairy and it wouldn't make one whit of difference. That mark makes you mine, unless you can prove it false. There is a way to show me what you say is true if you wish to prove it.” Xanther lifted her chin up to meet his eyes.

  "How?"

  "Let me see your mark up close and I could tell you if it was a counterfeit.” Or I could taste you, he added silently. But there was no need to scare the girl off. So he kept his thoughts and expressions closely guarded.

  "It won't work. It was done by your man. He does all the same tattoos of anyone who is born into service. He was paid to do mine as well. There will be no difference."

  "Then you are mine.” His thoughts had trailed back to her as his heightened senses took her in. She smelled of a slight hint of smoke, as if she had been standing too near the fire, a slightly musky fragrance that embodied her. He longed to feel the sweet taste of her.

  "I am not. The man paid him to do it. It was trickery and deceit.” Alyssa closed her eyes. She felt like her world was closing in around her and he wouldn't believe her. She didn't have many choices left. She would not go into slavery.

  She felt a tightness clamp on her chest that was near unbearable. There it was
again, that danger she sensed about him. She feared once he touched her, she would never be the same. Her defenses would be overcome as no sword could conquer her. Her heart raced, her blood warmed. She felt a touch of panic as he leaned into her and kissed her.

  His kiss shocked her. She expected a conquering, dominating kiss. A brutal attack on her senses that she could fight. This kiss slid under her radar, fogging her mind with a blissful ecstasy. It was tender, probing her, raising the temperature of the room a few degrees. Her power tingled on every nerve on her skin, calling to her to release it.

  She pulled back suddenly. The tenderness of the kiss was too likeable. He was too likeable. “You can't do this ... men that try—” She babbled, shaking her head, clearly disturbed. “Terrible things happen to them."

  "What kinds of things?” Xanther cocked his head to one side, clearly amused at her attempt to evade him.

  "A series of unfortunate events. They are almost explainable, like bad luck, but it's not. It's my gift, you see. I can't control it.” She moved a step back out of his embrace.

  Xanther let his eyes rake over her slowly, taking in the rebellious goddess, letting her feel the heat of his hunger. Her silky, ivory skin was glowing with her own flame of desire. A hunger that he alone could feed. It thrilled him to know he had awakened her inner beast. He was solely responsible for her flushed cheeks, the unsteadiness of her breath, which caused a deliciously deep rise and fall to her breasts. Her body was ready. Some of what she seemed to be saying was ludicrous but he could deal with that later. She didn't look barmy. Some of her words made no sense to him. Elisaid or Dragon, she should be in control of her magic and to name the magic as anything else was nothing but nonsense.

  Xanther advanced on her, reaching for the raven curls spilling loose about her shoulders. Damn, but he desired her. He had never wanted a woman so much, and no woman had ever run so hard and fast from his touch.

  "Did you like my kiss?"

  "Yes, but I think—"

  "That's your problem, you think too much.” In one swift move, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. “I can handle a little bad luck."

  Xanther had anticipated his seduction, but on the journey had steadfastly decided no amount of seduction would make him act on desire, until he saw this girl. He knew Isabella was playing some kind of demented mind game with him but he was far too gone to care. Now he felt as randy as a stallion. Alyssa wasn't even trying to seduce him. If anything, she was acting the untried virgin, but here of all places, he knew that couldn't be true.

  By the Gods, he wanted her! He wanted to claim her. He wanted to brand her as his. His mouth watered with the desire to taste her. If she gave him her body tonight, he would take it, even knowing he wanted much more from her. In time she would come to accept him as her mate.

  Alyssa thought her heart would break. He was so sweet and gentle. He made her heart race. His eyes, oh but those eyes were her downfall. He had a smoldering passion that raged in his dark green eyes. Curse it all, but she wanted to bed him. She wanted to feel all of him, but he didn't understand the price he would pay. If her emotions were driven so out of control, in the throes of lovemaking, she might kill him. She had to protect him from herself.

  Her heart dropped when she realized what she would have to do. He was not about to let her leave this room. Not now. There was only one way out and he would not like it.

  She had to be strong. She could do this.

  "All right, but this is my first time.” Alyssa said softly, letting her lips trail over his neck.

  His body partially covered hers. Something in her tone should have warned him. Her sudden change from fighting him at every turn, to her present agreeable state sent off a small alarm in the pit of his stomach. But still he believed her. It must be why she was so reluctant to give in to her lust. Elisaid were born for single nights of passion. But not her. If he had not found her tonight, she would have spent her lifetime looking for her mate.

  "Don't worry.” He kneeled, enjoying the feel of her body beneath his, gently nuzzling her breasts with his cheek, before kissing one. “I won't hurt you.” He took her nipple into his mouth, sucking it, tripping a line of fire that swept clear through Alyssa's body.

  Alyssa tried to ignore the building desire. The insides of her stomach were already swirling with a giddy anticipation. She smiled coyly, lowering her lashes and feigning shyness as she said, “I want it to be special and I was rather hoping I could try something my first time. Do you trust me?"

  He frowned at her words. He wanted to trust her. It disturbed him that her mood had changed to be so accommodating. He sensed deceit about her, but could not sense where it came from. He had done nothing to change her mood. Where was his little warrior? The fighting Amazon princess?

  Prince Xanther arched an eyebrow. He doubted her sudden change in demeanor. “What did you have in mind?"

  Alyssa did her best to look lusty, lowering her gaze slightly, licking her lips before she said, “To take advantage of you properly I need to be on top.” She rolled on top of him, smiling playfully before she felt his hands pulling her across his hips.

  Alyssa started to remove her chains, seductively grinding against the hardness of his maleness. She grabbed one of his hands, pulling it gently near the bedpost “You will have to behave for me while I do this. Can you behave for me, Xanther?"

  "Maybe ... Just where did you learn your techniques?"

  "There is a very extensive library here, and some give very explicit pictures where curious virgins can satisfy their ah ... curiosity."

  Xanther smiled in answer. He could let her satisfy her curiosity before assuaging his own hunger. He was ready for her now, but he had waited this long and she was worth the wait. Xanther shut his eyes, letting her kisses rain down on him, feeding his senses.

  She had grabbed one wrist, clasping the cuffs through the solid bed frame at the wall and securing the other at the wrist.

  Too late, he heard the click of the lock.

  "Alyssa?"

  She couldn't have.

  She wouldn't dare to actually...

  "NO!” his voice roared, but she did and had. He felt the contact of cool air on his skin, replacing the heat of her body. He felt the cold hard restraints pull at him, even as he made a move to grab her before she left him.

  She jumped off him as he made to lunge at her, in one fluid movement. He leaped to his feet, missing her by inches when he reached for her.

  The massive bed shifted under his unrestrained anger. His muscles bulged, flexing against the chain. A very secure chain that once adorned her waist now chained him to the massive walnut bed. Although he was a strong man, Alyssa was confident it would not move.

  She was confident until she heard the bed creak and witnessed it shift mere inches, under his pull. He was standing up on the floor, chained to a bed, pulling it across the floor. She expected he would be angry but she never imagined seeing him in this kind of distemper. His face was flushed bright red, a vein throbbed at his temple, and he was clearly outraged. He actually growled at her!

  "Alyssa, stop.” His voice threatened. “You are making a mistake."

  "This is not a mistake."

  "Yes it is."

  "There is no mistake. I asked you to behave, I told you I wasn't ready for this, and you aren't going to take no for an answer. I am sorry but I can't bed you Xanther.” Wide-eyed, Alyssa backed up quickly until she felt the door at her back. He heard the click of the lock as he heard her say, “Get some rest."

  For just a moment, she regretted what she had done as she watched him. His body was enticing—his muscles flexed with his efforts and a muscle in his cheek twitched with his anger.

  She looked scared as she left. As she damned well should be.

  The first kiss was still fresh in his mind—such a small taste of what he really wanted. His last thoughts, as she left the room, were that he still wanted the wench.

  Damn her.

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  Chapter 5

  Elsbeth watched Xanther leave with his chosen girls before deciding to make a move on the young man who piqued her interest. She watched as groups of young women came and then left. It was surprising that they had chosen none to mate with yet.

  She had been told from the time she was a young girl that this would be the only way she could have a child. She had made up her mind she would be taking the first opportunity long before she saw the men come here tonight. Xanther would not have done at all for her plan, but the two he had left would do just fine.

  She crossed the room, languorously swaying her hips, giving off that unmistakable primal mating readiness. Both the men would be fine choices, well-muscled, and healthy. They would give her child strong genes. However, it was only necessary to get the attention of one before she could get with child. They were both handsome, but one was much more attractive to look upon than the other one. The one on the right was more of a boy than a man. It was the older one she favored with her flirtatious smile. He made her blood race just thinking about what the other parts of him looked like. His brown leather uniform was clinging to his powerful thighs and legs. His armor hid his chest, but his arms were as thick as a small tree trunk.

  Elsbeth licked her lips in anticipation as she knelt down in front of them.

  "My name is Elsbeth. I am Isabella's daughter. It is my duty to see that you are entertained well for the evening. Can I get anything to please you? You keep sending all the girls away so I must think you want something else or have special needs."

  "We wouldn't mind if you sit with us awhile. I am called Liam and this is my friend Remington."

  "Such strong names. Suitable for two such very strong men."

  The young one seemed nervous, but Liam was game to entertain her. Hopefully, he had the same ideas she did, involving a bed and a hot sweaty night. She wasn't sure why they had already turned away the others.