Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) (10 page)

“
Send for Krysta. I’m sure
they communicate telepathically, but they haven’t actually been
together since I brought Cinarra to Bilarri.”

“
Krysta?” It took Indric a
moment to place the name. “Director Trey dar Aune’s wife? I didn’t
realize they knew each other.”

“
She is… I think I’ll let
the women explain the connection, but trust me, Cinarra will be
thrilled to see her.”

Charlotte must be the mutual
acquaintance. The high queen was married to Trey’s brother Tal dar
Aune. “Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll send for Krysta in the
morning.”

* * * * *

Despite the luxurious accommodations
and her physical fatigue, Cinarra couldn’t fall asleep. Her body
longed for Indric’s touch and her heart ached for the sort of
soul-deep connection Charlotte shared with her life mate, Tal. But
Indric didn’t want her as his consort, he wanted her as his lover,
his mistress, his pleasure giver.

She wasn’t opposed to the idea of
sharing pleasure with Indric, but she couldn’t help feeling as if
she were missing out. Everyone she knew had found their life mate
and was enjoying the security of a permanent relationship.
Charlotte and Tal, Saebin and Lyrik, even her daughter Krysta had
found and bonded with an amazing man. Only she was left alone,
adrift in a stranger’s body.

You’re so damn beautiful.
I ache just looking at you.
Indric’s words
echoed through her mind and a fresh wave of uncertainty surged
through her. Would he still find her beautiful if he knew this
wasn’t her body; that another had died so she could live? Well,
that was an exaggeration. The Mystic had been killed by the same
evil monsters who kidnaped Betaul. It was only after Drakkin
determined that the Mystic could not be saved that he repaired the
body enough so Cinarra’s being could be channeled into the vacant
shell.

Drakkin’s abilities were
awe-inspiring, but Indric was his best friend. They’d known each
other longer than she’d been alive. Perhaps Indric wouldn’t be as
shocked by the details of her rescue as she’d first
thought.

As if summoned by her
restlessness, she felt Indric brush against her mind.
May I please come to you? I won’t touch you. I
just need to understand why you’re angry with me.
The formality in his phrasing made her suspect
that asking permission wasn’t something he did often.

I told you, I’m not
angry
. If he entered this room, she wasn’t
sure she could keep her hands to herself.

Then why are you still
awake? I gave my word that I wouldn’t enter unless you invited me
in. I’d really like to see you, Cinarra
.
May I come in?

She couldn’t resist the
earnestness ringing in his tone.
Come
in.
Heat washed over her body as she pushed
the thought toward him. Hopefully his persistency indicated an
interest in more than just her body.

He appeared an instant later, black
pants resting low on his hips. He’d donned a robe, but hadn’t
bothered to belt it. With his hair loose about his shoulders and
his chest bare, he’d never looked more attractive or
sexier.

Propping herself up against the
headboard, she tucked the covers under her arms and waited for him
to make the next move.

“
I know what I said upset
you, but I don’t understand why.” He crossed to the bed and sat,
but kept his word and didn’t touch her.

She sighed. How could she explain
without telling him about the Mystic? Or was telling him the right
thing anyway? “I’ve found that true beauty has little to do with
how a person looks. If that’s all you want from me. I’m not
interested.”

“
I can’t pretend you’re not
beautiful. You are. But that’s not what’s kept me interested as the
seasons cycled nine times. I remember when we first met, you seemed
so fragile, so terrified. I wanted to wrap my arms around you and
shelter you from anything that had the power to harm you.” He
raised his hand as if he would touch her, then closed his fingers
into a fist and lowered his arm. “I still want to protect you. I
want to chase the shadows from your eyes.”

That’s right. He’d promised not to
touch her, and Indric always kept his promises. The question was,
how long could she resist the temptation of touching
him?

“
Little by little I watched
your fear become determination with no help from anyone else.
You’re so strong, so self-reliant, and those are traits I
admire.”

“
I didn’t do it alone. I
had you and Charlotte and Drakkin.” And a daughter he didn’t know
about. “You’re friendship has meant the world to me. You might not
have been free to embrace me, but you still managed to make me feel
safe.”

He scooted closer, desire smoldering
in his gaze, but he still didn’t touch her. “I love watching you
with Betaul. You’re loving and patient, yet you know when he’s
testing you. He can’t get away with anything. Your instincts are
amazing. You’re selfless and caring and so brave. Yet I sense your
loneliness and it breaks my heart.”

Her only response was an unsteady
smile. If he kept this up, she’d be bawling like a baby. So much
for her bravery and strength.

“
We effortlessly talk for
hours. Don’t you understand how rare that is for a man and a woman?
I want to build upon our friendship, not destroy it. You’re beauty
is one component among many. I want you, Cinarra, all of
you.”

It was possible he was just telling
her what she wanted to hear. If this was an act, it was damn
convincing. She wanted to trust him. She’d been able to trust him
to protect and provide for her, so why did she hesitate to trust
him with her heart?

Kevin’s smug face flashed into her
memory and she shuddered. “I’m afraid,” she whispered.

“
Of what? Surely you know
I’d never hurt you.” He placed his hand on the bed on the other
side of her, leaning close without actually making
contact.

“
Maybe not
intentionally.”

“
Why are you so uncertain?
Tell me what happened.” His tone stopped just short of
autocratic.

She tensed, waiting for the tingling
heat that would signal a vocal compulsion. Betaul had been
powerless to resist Indric’s voice. But the sensation never came.
He was asking, not manipulating. “I trusted someone and he hurt me
badly. I don’t want to go through that again. If this is just
physical, I’d rather go home.”

“
You are home, or at least
I’d like you to eventually feel like this is your home.” He leaned
even closer, his breath teasing her lips. “Kiss me, love. I can’t
touch you unless you ask me to.”

Power welled within her, making her
feel giddy and hot. Until she released him from his promise, she
was free to touch him, explore his amazing body without the
distraction of his touch. He commanded an entire region, made
decisions every day that affected millions of lives, and yet he was
basically her prisoner, held captive by his own honor.

She pressed her lips against his,
savoring the heat and the supple fullness for only a moment before
she pulled away. Then she drew a line from the base of his throat
to the middle of his chest with her index finger. “Do you know how
long I’ve wanted to touch you? How many nights I lay in bed
thinking about you?”

He licked his lips and his gaze
narrowed. “Release me from my promise.”

“
Not yet,” she whispered
with a wicked smile. She eased his robe down his arm, revealing his
corded shoulder and thick upper arm. “Are you as strong as you
look?” She peppered his shoulder with kisses.

“
Keep this up and you’ll
find out.”

“
You promised not to touch
me.” She pulled the robe off his other shoulder and he did the
rest, tugging the garment off in frustrated yanks and tossing it
across the room. “Temper, temper.” She grinned, unable to stop the
sudden rush of joy.

“
Payback can be hell. You
better keep that in mind.” He stood, arms at her side, golden rings
in his eyes shimmering. “Go on. Have your fun. Touch
me.”

The last two words sounded far too
much like a dare for her peace of mind. Even so, she scooted out
from under the covers and circled around behind him. He frequently
wore sleeveless tunics, so she knew he was well built, but she’d
never imagined he was so…perfect. Every muscle was starkly defined,
yet he remained lean rather than bulky. She took her time,
examining his torso from every angle. His chest and abdomen were
every bit as impressive as his back.

“
Are you going to do more
than stare?”

There was no mistaking the dare in his
tone that time. She ran her hand up his arm and across his chest.
His muscles tensed beneath her fingers, but she refused to be
hurried. “You’re amazing.” The words slipped out of her mind
without her consciously speaking them.

He smiled, his gaze capturing hers.
“I’m glad you approve. Now let me touch you.”

Something in his gaze warned that
she’d pushed him far enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck
and returned his smile. “Touch me. I want you to.”

She barely got the words out before
his arms closed around her and his mouth fused with hers. He lifted
her off her feet, sliding her up his body until their faces were on
a level. Then the kiss slowed. His tongue slid against and curled
around hers, each movement intentional and possessive.

His show of strength excited her
rather than frightened her and she melted against his chest. Her
legs parted and she bent her knees, wrapping her legs around his
waist. They were still separated by her nightgown and his pants,
but their combined heat easily penetrated the material.

With a groan, he turned and sat down
on the bed. She quickly bent her knees and settled astride his lap.
The sexual position sent lust spiraling through her, accenting the
ache between her thighs. Her nightgown bunched about her hips and
his hands slipped beneath the thin fabric. One cupped her behind
and the other pressed against her back, holding her close as if he
feared she’d leave him.

Leaving was the furthest thing from
her mind. Her breasts felt heavy, the nipples sensitive to the
point of pain. She rubbed against him, returning his kiss, stroke
for stroke.

He suddenly dragged his mouth away
from hers and turned his head to the side. “We better stop.” He
panted then looked into her eyes. “Unless you’re ready for me to
spend the night.” His tone held a hint of hope, but he moved his
hands to her waist on the outside of her nightgown.

Was there really a reason to wait?
They both wanted this so badly they shook and… She had to tell him
about the Mystic before she slept with him. He deserved to know the
truth. And tonight had been too wonderful to ruin with such a
horrible story.

“
I don’t usually kiss on a
first date, much less allow a man to spend the night.” She tried to
lighten the mood, even though her body ached for more.

“
But this ‘first date’ was
nine cycles in the making.”

She smiled then shook her head and
climbed off his lap. “I need a little more time.”

“
All right.” He took a deep
breath and she expected him to flash back to his room. Instead he
placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.
“We can take this slow, if that’s what you need, but don’t shut me
out again.”

“
I won’t.” She reinforced
the promise with a soft, sweet kiss.

“
I know you dealt with a
lot of horrible things before Drakkin brought you here. As far as
I’m concerned, the past is gone. It can’t be changed and I’m
willing to leave it alone. But if you need to talk about
anything—regardless of how offensive you might think I’ll find
it—you can tell me anything and it will not change the way I feel
about you.”

Could he sense how much she was hiding
or was there nothing more to the statement than an honest offer of
understanding? “The majority of what happened is best forgotten,
but there are some things you should know.”

“
Whenever you’re ready to
tell me, I’m willing to listen.” He brushed the back of his fingers
against her cheek as his gaze focused on her mouth. “Now tell me to
leave or I’m going to convince you to let me stay.”

She lifted the covers and scooted back
to the middle of the bed. “Good night, Your Majesty.”

He chuckled and said, “Good night,
Your Highness,” then flashed out of sight.

* * * * *

Browbeating people into submission
wasn’t Indric’s usual style, but Bakar wasn’t leaving him a choice.
The young man had been appointed head of the Agricultural Council
despite his relative inexperience. Bakar was highly intelligent and
creative, and Indric felt the council would benefit from a fresh
perspective. Now he was starting to doubt his choice.

“
Do you understand the
importance of this negotiation?” Indric rested his forearms on the
gleaming desktop and let his gaze bore into the younger
man.

“
Of course, Sire.” To his
credit, Bakar sat straight in his chair and met Indric’s gaze
without flinching.