Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood (24 page)

He stared at her hungrily.

“Would it be proper for me to enter your bed chamber, Princess Everard? Just to be sure everything is safe inside, of course.”

She found it hard to breathe. “It would be highly improper for you to do so, Master Atlan. However, it appears that we really have no choice in the matter.”

Still gazing into his blue eyes, she opened the door and they entered together. As soon as it closed behind them, Beck grabbed her by the shoulders and swung her up against the wall, pressing his body hard against hers.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time,” he growled. He brought his mouth down on hers, and she responded instantly, her mouth opening to his. The world shifted as they melted together, burning in their desire for each other. He ran his lips over hers in a teasing caress that left her trembling. The back of his fingers stroked one side of her face and then trailed down, feather light, first to her neck, then further still to caress the curve of her breast through the delicate fabric of her dress. Her breath caught in her throat and she moaned softly against his mouth as his touch produced an unexpected spasm down low, a pleasure-filled throb she had never experienced before.

She pulled him tighter to her, inhaling his scent, and ran her fingers through his hair. Beck snatched her wrists and pinned them above her head on the wall while his knee snaked between her legs to hold her in place. His head bent to her ear and then down to her throat, nipping at her skin.

She was on fire.

Lifting his head to look at her with eyes heavy with need, he slowly, very slowly, lowered one of his hands to the tie in the back of her dress. She whimpered as the dress fell down to her waist, tumbling her breasts free. She bit her lip shyly as he looked at her with unadulterated admiration.

“You are so beautiful,” he said with a ragged breath.

He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and ran a thumb over her nipple. Longing raced through her, and her knees buckled. Beck immediately caught her, picked her up and walked to her large, canopied childhood bed and laid her down. His fingers brushed her hips as he gathered her dress and slid it the rest of the way down her body and tossed it to the floor.

His eyes soaked her in for a few long seconds before he leaned down and his mouth found her breast, his breath hot on her skin as he ran his tongue over its surface. She arched up into him with a strangled cry.

When she did not think she could take much more, he stood to remove his own clothing. She watched him through lidded eyes, his powerfully built body magnificent.

She lay there naked and vulnerable while her blood pounded through her veins.

At last, Beck lowered himself on top of her and she had never felt so loved, so complete in her life.

Later that evening, Beck entered the transformed Grace Hall with Rogan and Airron. There appeared to be close to thirty people in attendance at the King’s dinner, and Beck recognized several of them. He nodded politely to Bo Franck, the graying Captain of the Iserlohn Army, who was speaking quietly to Captain Colbie Nash of the Scarlet Sabers. Lord Davad Etin was there as well in the same brilliant red and blue coat he was wearing earlier. Rory Greeley was backed into a corner with an assertive Larkin Malley who was dressed in servant livery and having what appeared to be a one-sided conversation.

There were several other members in military regalia that he did not know, and Iserlohn’s highborn Lords and Ladies, the King’s Court, were all present, dressed elegantly in formal attire.

“Pardon me,” said a soft feminine voice, and they turned to see one of the King’s Ladies, a lovely brown-haired woman of about thirty years. “I have never met an Elf before,” she said looking at Airron. “You are really quite beautiful.”

Airron lit up in his trademark grin. “
Asha.
Thank you, my lady,” he said, lifting her gloved hand and bowing dramatically.

“I am the Lady Lillian Knapp of House Knapp, but please call me Lilly.”

“And you may call me Airron, Lilly.” Airron boldly fixed the Lady in his almond-shaped, purple eyes. “If you are interested in learning more about the Elves, Lilly, meet me in the royal gardens after the dinner, and I will teach you everything I know.”

“Which isn’t much,” Rogan murmured under his breath to Beck.

Lilly met his gaze just as brazenly. “I would like that, Airron.”

“Until then, Lilly,” and he let go of her hand with another flourish.

As soon as she walked away, Airron said, “That woman is going to make a man of me yet.”

“You are not right, my friend,” said Rogan, shaking his head.

Beck ignored the bantering and looked around at the beautiful Hall and the incredible workmanship of the mural above his head. In the glow of candlelight, dinner tables were dressed impeccably with scarlet and black linens and placed strategically throughout the great room, all facing the King’s much larger, raised table in the same location that his throne had sat earlier.

A hush went over the room and a liveried servant stepped forward. “Lords and Ladies, honored guests, may I present to you, the Princess of Iserlohn, Princess of Men, Kiernan Grace Everard.”

Beck turned and sucked in his breath at the vision before him. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life. Except perhaps for the one his eyes had feasted on earlier that evening, he corrected himself with a smile. Kiernan was wearing a high-waisted, red silk gown with a low-cut square neckline. The silken material, gathered just beneath her bosom under a black velvet ribbon, hung to the floor in shimmering waves. Her long blonde hair was piled artfully on top of her head with soft ringlets loosely framing her face and neck. The crowning touch was the ruby and onyx tiara that glittered in the light of hundreds of candles. A velvet choker around her neck discretely hid her athame from view.

Her idea or her father’s?

As always, Bajan stood by her side.

Captain Nash stepped forward to take Kiernan’s hand, and he held it high between them as he escorted her to the King’s table.

King Maximus entered the Hall behind his daughter, and before he could be properly announced, he said loudly, “Please have a seat. As much as I abhor mixing business with pleasure, we have important matters to discuss.”

Kiernan glanced over at Beck who was taking a seat at one of the tables with Airron and Rogan and her stomach tightened in pleasure as she thought about their encounter. She barely noticed as Captain Nash bowed over her hand and kissed it before holding out her chair and then taking the one next to her for himself.

As soon as the King stepped up onto the raised dais, he addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for coming. Regrettably, what was supposed to be an informal dinner must now be deemed a War Council.”

The Nysians glanced around uncomfortably at each other while they hurriedly sat down.

“As you know,” he said calmly and without emotion, “a host of invaders attempted to breach the outer wall to Nysa earlier today. Fortunately, the Iserlohn Army was able to repel the attack.”

Kiernan looked at her father with a raised eyebrow.

“One of these invaders even managed to get into the city and make an assassination attempt upon my life. My daughter, the Princess, stopped him with her sword.”

Surprised gasps were followed by nervous applause for their Princess.

“With great remorse, I must now inform you that the fears of our ancestors have come to pass, and the protective measures they put in place centuries ago have failed. The shifters of Pyraan have been defeated.”

More anxious twitter from the guests. Kiernan did not like the way this was going.

“The very same Mage who started the war over three hundred years ago has invaded Massa through The Crown Bluffs in the north, and all of the people and the land of Pyraan have been destroyed. With the exception of five shifters who escaped this massacre, magic is no more.”

This time there were several shouts of approval.

Kiernan glanced up as the doors banged open and two Sabers entered with a large struggling man between them, a black hood thrown over his head.

The nervous guests scraped back their chairs and turned toward the commotion at the door.

The King continued as if nothing was happening in the back of the room, all passivity suddenly gone. “This Mage must be stopped at all costs! He is ruthless and devious and intends to enslave the people of Massa! He covets our women and children!”

Lord Etin’s chair crashed to the floor as he stood. “Never! Iserlohn’s swords will cut him to bloody pieces!”

Kiernan thought she saw a slight smile on her father’s face. He was a cunning orator, and he continued now with deliberate fervor in his voice. “This Mage leads a mutant army to do his killing! To kill Massans!” King Maximus lifted his arm and pointed to the figure in the back. “Guests, behold! I give you the face of the enemy!” All eyes turned around as one of the Scarlet Sabers roughly pulled off the black hood of the prisoner.

Titus stopped struggling and rose proudly to his full height amidst the screams of the women.

Kiernan stood up. “Father, please, do not do this,” she pleaded quietly.

Maximus ignored her, his voice growing louder. “We will avenge the shifters who gave their lives protecting the people of Massa!”

Applause.

“We will persevere in the defense of this great nation!”

Applause.

“And!” the King paused. “We will throw these animals back into the sea from which they crawled!”

Thunderous applause and shouts filled the room.

The King held his hand up. Then, he pointed again to Titus and lowered his voice, “Starting with this one.”

The guests rose to their feet in a pronouncement of unmitigated allegiance to their King.

Kiernan knew she had to stop this. She tried to meet Beck’s eyes over the heads of the crowd.

Suddenly, the doors swung open a second time and a tall, handsome man with long, blonde hair worn tied back strode into the room disregarding the protests of several servants. He appeared to be in his fortieth year with a strong chiseled face that was mostly unlined. A black cape hung from his broad shoulders and flowed out behind him as he walked into Grace Hall. The most remarkable thing about him was his eyes, thought Kiernan. They were startling blue in color and wise and knowing beyond his years, with a hint of mischief twinkling just beneath the surface.

“Apologies for my lateness, Max,” he said to the King informally. “I was unexpectedly delayed.”

“I should have known you would show up, Galen Starr. You always did have a nose for trouble.”

Chapter 15

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